What's Happening in May

Credit: Christina Mak

The weather is getting warmer and summer is approaching -- it's time to get outside and enjoy all the cool events going on around the city! Whether you're looking to try your hand at gardening or want to get the first look at the farmers' market harvests, there's plenty going on this month.

Artisan Farmers' Markets

Lonsdale Quay
Location: Lonsdale Quay, East Plaza (123 Carrie Cates Court / North Vancouver - map)
Dates: May 3, 2014 to October 25, 2014
Hours: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm each Saturday

Burnaby Market
Location: Burnaby City Hall, North Parking Lot (4949 Canada Way / Burnaby - map)
Dates: May 3, 2014 to October 25, 2014
Hours: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm each Saturday

Ambleside Market
Location: West Vancouver Police Station, Parking Lot (14th Street and Bellevue Avenue / West Vancouver - map)
Dates: May 4, 2014 to October 26, 2014
Hours: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm each Sunday

Find a great selection of conventional and organic foods, from fresh produce to prepared food and handmade products. There's everything from jam, honey, and salsa to berries and greens!

The markets also host a book exchange, reading area, and activities table and live music.

In an effort to reduce plastic use, please bring your own plastic or reusable shopping bags.

For more information on these markets, including monthly market events, visit the Artisan Farmers' Markets website: http://www.artisanmarkets.ca/

Vancouver Farmers' Markets

Trout Lake Market
Location: John Hendry Park, North Parking Lot (East 13th Avenue @ Lakewood and Templeton / Vancouver - map)
Dates: May 10, 2014 to October 18, 2014
Hours: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm each Saturday

Kitsilano Market
Location: Kitsilano Community Centre, Parking Lot (2690 Larch Street / Vancouver - map)
Dates: May 11, 2014 to October 19, 2014
Hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each Sunday

West End Market
Location: 1100 Block of Comox Street across from Nelson Park (Mole Hill / Vancouver - map)
Dates: May 31, 2014 to October 18, 2014
Hours: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm each Saturday

Yaletown Market
Location: Mainland Street between Davie Street and Helmcken Street (Yaletown-Roundhouse / Vancouver - map)
Dates: May 1, 2014 to October 2, 2014
Hours: 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm each Thursday 

Vendors include farmers, fishers, artisans, food preparers, and more! The markets this year will also feature a great list of events and activities, as well as the upcoming Fun With Food stations, getting people of all ages involved in food literacy education. Click here for more information on events at the markets.

In an effort to reduce plastic use at the market, please bring your own shopping bags.

For more information on the market, including transportation and parking at the site, please visit their website: http://www.eatlocal.org/

Urban Digs Introduction to Beekeeping

Location: Urban Digs Community Garden (4992 Byrne Road / Burnaby - map)
Date: May 4, 2014 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Cost: $15

Get an introduction to the art of keeping honeybees in this two-hour class. Designed to start you off with a solid understanding of the very basics, this class is perfect for absolute beginners, prospective beekeepers, or anyone interested in learning more about these fascinating social insects.

For more information or to register, please visit the Eventbrite page here.

GardenSmart Workshops

Location: North Shore Neighbourhood House (225 East 2nd Street / North Vancouver - map)
Cost: $8.25

Learn how to grow your own food, support your local ecology, and reduce waste in your own backyard. GardenSmart Workshops are brought to you by the North Shorth Recycling Program, the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, and the Edible Garden Project.

Registration is required. To register or for more information, visit the workshop Evenbrite page here.

Upcoming Workshops 

May 24: Backyard Rainwater Harvesting

Homesteader's Emporium

Location: Homesteader's Emporium (649 East Hastings / Vancouver - map)
Cost: Starting from $7.50

Check out some of these workshops hosted by the Homesteader's Emporium! For times, details, and registration for individual workshops, visit their Workshops page: http://www.homesteadersemporium.ca/calendar/

Upcoming Workshops

May 8: Soil Building and Preparing Your Garden
May 11: Kimchi 101
May 11: Sauerkraut 101
May 18: Kombucha 101
May 18: Ginger Beer and Wild Herbal Sodas
May 22: Seed Starting and Transplanting
May 28: Mozzarella, Burrata, and Oaxacan String Cheese
May 31: Tuck Shop Night Market

Grandview-Woodlands Food Connection

Location: Britannia Community Centre (1991 Napier Street / Vancouver - map)
Cost: From $10

Check out these cool food and gardening workshops by the Grandview-Woodlands Food Connection! For details on individual workshops or to register, visit their website: http://gwfoodconnection.wordpress.com/workshops/

Upcoming Workshops

May 14: Gluten Free, Sugar Free, and Vegan Baking
May 20: Canning Basics

Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute
Location: Various
Cost: Free

The Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute strives to increase individual, family, and community capacity to overcome food insecurity. They facilitate learning, leadership, and networking around food sharing, organic growing, food sovereignty, and nutrition for local residents.

For winter and spring this year, they are hosting and offering activities at several locations around the neighbourhood, from community kitchens and a buying club to gardening workshops and seed swaps.

For more about this year's programming, visit their brochure here.

To find out more about the Institute, visit the website.

Cedar Cottage Food Network

Location: Trout Lake Community Centre (3360 Victoria Drive / Vancouver - map)
Cost: From $15

The Cedar Cottage Food Network hosts cooking and food skills workshops at the Trout Lake Community Centre in East Vancouver that cover everything from grocery budgeting and meal planning to urban beekeeping and gardening.

Check out these cool workshops on this month!

May 21: Baking 101

Registration is required. For more details or to register, visit their Workshop page: http://cedarcottagefoodnetwork.wordpress.com/workshops/

UBC Farm Workshops

Location: UBC Farm (3461 Ross Drive / Vancouver - map)
Cost: From $24 to $40

The Growing Season Workshop Series aims to connect the local community with sustainability and life-skill experts through accessible and affordable workshops. The workshops are open to everyone, and the revenue generated from workshops supports both the presenters and continued workshop programming at the UBC Farm.

Upcoming Workshops 

May 6: Urban Seed Saving
May 7: Introduction to Fermentation
May 10: Small Scale Gardening 101
May 13: Kombucha 101
May 22: Healthy Soils
May 31: Seasonal Wild Foraging

Registration is required. For more information or to register, visit the UBC Farm Workshop Eventbrite website here.