What's Happening in April

Spring is upon us, and events and workshops are gearing up around the city! Check out some of these cool things going on next month.

Vancouver Winter Farmers' Market

Credit: Christina Mak

Location: Nat Bailey Stadium, East Parking Lot (4601 Ontario Street / Vancouver - map)
Dates: November 1, 2014 to April 25, 2015
Hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each Saturday

Vendors include farmers, fishers, artisans, food preparers, and more! Also find a selection of food trucks and hot drink vendors. Bring your food scraps from home to recycle at the Food Scraps Drop Spot.

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/

Homesteader's Emporium

Location: Various (check website)
Cost: Starting from $15.00

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

April 2: Growing Wheatgrass
April 4: Ginger Beer and Wild Herbal Sodas
April 19: Sauerkraut 101 (Rooted Nutrition)
April 26: Kombucha 101 (Rooted Nutrition)

Seasons of Food Workshops

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings Street / Vancouver - map)
Cost: $15.00

Upcoming Workshops

April 11: Korean Cooking
April 14: Seasonal Soups
April 18: Indian Cooking
April 19: Kombucha
April 22: Crock Pot Yogurt
April 25: Korean Cooking
For more information or to register, please email Seasons of Food.

GardenSmart Workshops

Location: Various (check website)
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 Eventbrite page here.

Upcoming Workshops
 
April 11: Your First Vegetable Patch
April 12: High Yield Gardening in Small Spaces
April 19: Transform Your Lawn into a Veggie Patch
April 25: Small Space Gardening
April 26: Backyard Rainwater Harvesting
April 26: The Scoop on Soil

What's Happening in March

It's still chilly out, but the trees are in bloom, so grab your coat and boots, and check out some of these events around town!

Knife Skills Workshop

Location: Greater Vancouver Food Bank (1150 Raymur Avenue / Vancouver - map)
Date: March 6, 2015 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Cost: $45.00 (PDF)

This one-day workshop will describe the different types of knives as well as care and maintenance techniques. The instructors will demonstrate different methods on cutting various food products, including fish, meats, and poultry. Discussion on ways to reduce food waste during food preparation is an integral part of this workshop. A full, delicious, healthy lunch will be prepared and shared by the participants!

For more information or to register, please email Lisa Bouwmeester or call (604) 216-3073.

SFU Food Education Days

Location: Simon Fraser University (8888 University Drive / Burnaby - map)
Date: From March 11-13, 2015
Cost: FREE

Food Education Days, organized by Sustainable SFU, seeks to engage students to learn more about issues of food access and security, food waste, local food production, community gardening and composting, and more. The event includes a movie screening, market, and information sessions.

Burnaby Food First will also be in attendance at the market on March 12, 2015.

Sustainable SFU is a student society that aims to make our campuses and communities more sustainable through student leadership, advocacy and educational events around food, waste, transit and climate.

For more information about Food Education Days, visit the event website.

Plant This Movie Screening

Location: Kerrisdale Community Centre (5851 West Boulevard / Vancouver - map)
Date: March 20, 2015 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cost: FREE (all ages)

“Plant This Movie” explores urban farming around the world, from the incredible story of Havana, Cuba to communities of urban farmers in cities as diverse as Shanghai, Calcutta, Addis Ababa, London, and Lima. In the US, the story focuses on communities in New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Portland. The film is narrated by Daryl Hannah.

The filmmaker Karney Hatch from Portland, OR will be present for Q&A. Light refreshments will be served.

For more information, visit the event page here.

Just Film Festival

Location: Langara College (100 West 49th Avenue / Vancouver - map)
Date: March 20 to March 22, 2015
Cost: From $10 to $35 (Discounts available for CoDev members, students, seniors, and low-income individuals)

Source: Just Film Festival

The Just Film Festival (formerly, the World Community Film Festival), hosted by CoDevelopment Canada, returns for another year with a collection of over 20 social justice and environmental documentaries -- covering issues from food and farming to sustainability and globalization.

For more information about the festival and this year's films or to buy advance tickets, visit their website.

Vancouver Winter Farmers' Market

Location: Nat Bailey Stadium, East Parking Lot (4601 Ontario Street / Vancouver - map)
Dates: November 1, 2014 to April 25, 2015
Hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each Saturday

Vendors include farmers, fishers, artisans, food preparers, and more! Also find a selection of food trucks and hot drink vendors. Bring your food scraps from home to recycle at the Food Scraps Drop Spot.

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/

3rd Annual East Side Beer Fest

Location: Wise Hall (1882 Adanac Street / Vancouver - map)
Date: March 11, 2015 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Cost: $24.99, plus non-perishable donation to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank

The Liberty Merchant Company proudly presents the 3rd Annual East Side Beer Fest tasting event!

The event will feature craft beers from all over the world as well samples from food purveyors on Commercial Drive. Some of participants lined up for this year’s event include 33 Acres Brewing Co., Parallel 49 Brewing Co., Dageraad Beer, Four Winds Brewing Company and Driftwood Beer from Victoria as well as Copper & Theory supplier of artisans beers and Untapped BC which imports craft beer & cider into BC.

Tickets are available at all Liberty Wine Merchant locations. For more information on the event, visit the website here.

Homesteader's Emporium

Location: Various (check website)
Cost: Starting from $20

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

March 14: Introduction to Permaculture
March 14: Spring Mason Bee Keeping
March 28-30: The Bee School (weekend workshop)

Seasons of Food Workshops

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings Street / Vancouver - map)
Cost: $15.00

Upcoming Workshops

March 4: Introduction to Water Bath Canning
March 7: Kids in the Kitchen
March 13: Indian Cuisine
March 19: Japanese Cuisine

For more information or to register, please email Seasons of Food.

GardenSmart Workshops

Location: Various (check website)
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 Eventbrite page here.

Upcoming Workshops
 
March 7: Backyard Seed Saving (FREE)
March 8: Fruit Tree Pruning
March 14: Seed Starting
March 21: Supporting Native Bees
March 22: Your First Vegetable Garden

What's Happening in April

Spring is here, and so are new Burnaby Food First workshops! If nothing whets your appetite so far or if you're eager to learn more while waiting for our next workshop announcement, check out some of these cool workshops and events around the city.

Credit: Christina Mak

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

April 2: Small Space Gardening
April 5: Shiitake Log Cultivation
April 27: Supporting Your Soil Life

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

April 3: Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplants, and More!
April 8: Backyard Chickens 101
April 10: Introduction to Honeybee Keeping

What's Happening in February

Curious about what's going on this month? Look no further -- there's a host of things to do, from workshops and public discussions to food and film events!

Vancouver Winter Farmers' Market

Location: Nat Bailey Stadium, East Parking Lot (4601 Ontario Street / Vancouver - map)
Dates: November 3, 2012 to April 27, 2013 (Closed December 29)
Hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each Saturday

Thought the start of winter meant the end of locally grown and made goodies?

Continuing from last month, the winter market hosts over 60 vendors -- nearly as many as the three main Vancouver summer markets combined! -- offers a range of foods, from local produce to homemade chocolate and maple treats.

All February, there will also be a Food Truck Festival at the farmers' market.

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/

Philosophers' Café: Governing Food Portions

Location: Surrey Public Library (10350 University Drive / Surrey - map)
Date: February 5, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Cost: FREE -- Note that this café is for teens only

New York City recently banned the sale of oversized soda drinks -- do you agree or disagree with the ban? Do you think the government should have control over food portions? What about in a school environment?

Philosophers’ Café is a series of informal public discussions in libraries, cafés, and restaurants throughout Metro Vancouver. The cafés, which are open to everyone, have brought dialogue and discussion to thousands of people who are interested in exploring issues from the absurd to the sublime.

For more information about this public discussion, visit the event website.

You can find out more about the Philosophers’ Café here.

Philosophers' Café: Climate Change

Location: Nature's Garden Organic Deli (8968 University High Street / Burnaby - map)
Date: February 6, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Cost: FREE

What are the solutions for our environmental crises? With the increased visibility of climate change, we know that something is wrong with the planet -- but what are we doing to remedy it?

Philosophers’ Café is a series of informal public discussions in libraries, cafés, and restaurants throughout Metro Vancouver. The cafés, which are open to everyone, have brought dialogue and discussion to thousands of people who are interested in exploring issues from the absurd to the sublime.

For more information about this public discussion, visit the event website.

You can find out more about the Philosophers’ Cafe here.

Sprouting

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings / Vancouver - map)
Date: February 12, 2013, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am
Cost: $8

Part of the Seasons of Food workshop series, instructor Jill Whitelaw will demonstrate how to sprout mung beans, alfalfa, sunflower seeds, and lentils for optimal nutrition and freshness.

For more information or to register, visit the Hastings Community Centre website: https://pbregister.vancouver.ca/

Note that child- and infant-minding are also available for this one-day class. Register early, because spots are limited.

Baking Bread From Around the World

Location: Collingwood Neighbourhood House (5288 Joyce Street / Vancouver - map)
Date: February 13, 2013, from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Cost: Call to inquire

Join other foodies for an evening of bread making!

The Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute has a new line-up of workshops for winter and spring. For more information, visit their website: http://rcfsi.blogspot.ca/2013/01/new-schedule.html

Registration is required. Space is limited! To register, send an email or call (604) 435-0323, or visit their website for more information.

One week's notice is required for child-minding and translation services.

12th Annual World Community Film Festival

Location: Langara College (100 West 49th Avenue / Vancouver - map)
Date: February 15 to 17, 2013
Cost: From $15 to $30 (Discounts available for CoDev members, students, seniors, and low-income individuals)

The World Community Film Festival, hosted by CoDevelopment Canada, returns for another year with a collection of over 40 social justice and environmental documentaries -- covering issues from food and farming to sustainability and labour issues.

For more information about the festival and this year's films or to buy advance tickets, visit their website.

Canning Rhubarb Jam

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings / Vancouver - map)
Date: February 19, 2013, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am
Cost: $8

Part of the Seasons of Food workshop series, instructor Melody Kurt will lead participants through the process of making jam. Each person will also take home a jar or two of delicious rhubarb jam!

For more information or to register, visit the Hastings Community Centre website: https://pbregister.vancouver.ca/

Note that child- and infant-minding are also available for this one-day class. Register early, because spots are limited.

Seed Saving and Basic Plant Breeding

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings / Vancouver - map)
Date: February 19, 2013, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Cost: $35

Part of the Seasons of Food workshop series, instructor Grant Watson will cover different strategies that plants use to reproduce, as well as how to use this information to effectively select, harvest, and store your own seeds, with an emphasis on annual food crops.

It is strongly suggested that participants take "Botany for Gardeners" prior to this workshop.

For more information or to register, visit the Hastings Community Centre website: https://pbregister.vancouver.ca/

Native Edibles (Gardening)

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings / Vancouver - map)
Date: February 26, 2013, from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm
Cost: $8

Join Grant Watson to learn which greens can be started early indoors. After, take a walk through the teaching garden and beyond to find some native edible plants and then sit down together for a mid-winter salad lunch.

For more information or to register, visit the Hastings Community Centre website: https://pbregister.vancouver.ca/

Note that child- and infant-minding are also available for this one-day class. Register early, because spots are limited.

What's Happening in January

Looking for something to pass the cloudy days or itching to learn something in the new year? We've collected a selection of events, classes, and workshops occurring month in Vancouver and Burnaby, so be sure to check them out!

Vancouver Winter Farmers' Market

Location: Nat Bailey Stadium, East Parking Lot (4601 Ontario Street / Vancouver - map)
Dates: November 3, 2012 to April 27, 2013 (Closed December 29)
Hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each Saturday

Thought the start of winter meant the end of locally grown and made goodies?

Continuing from last month, the winter market hosts over 60 vendors -- nearly as many as the three main Vancouver summer markets combined! -- offers a range of foods, from local produce to homemade chocolate and maple treats.

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/

Fusion Kitchen Winter Classes

Location: Save On Meats (43 West Hastings Street / Vancouver - map)
Dates: January 11, 2013 to February 7, 2013 (see website for class times)
Cost: From $45 to $70 per person (plus processing fees)

Fusion Kitchen returned last month with a series of three classes, covering Hungarian, Romanian, and Pakistani dishes, all taught by recent immigrant women. Join them and discover a range of delicious sweet and savoury dishes.

For more information or to register, please visit the Eventbrite page: http://fusionkitchendecember.eventbrite.ca/

Yoghurt and Yoghurt Cheese

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings / Vancouver - map)
Date: January 15, 2013, from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm
Cost: $8

Part of the Seasons of Food workshop series, instructor Ninna Snider will take you through the process of making yoghurt and yoghurt cheese in the comfort of your own home. It might seem overwhelming at first, but with a little practice, you could be making it at home on a regular basis.

For more information or to register, visit the Hastings Community Centre website: https://pbregister.vancouver.ca/

Note that child- and infant-minding are also available for this one-day class. Register early, because spots are limited.

Family Cooking

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings / Vancouver - map)
Date: January 21, 2013, from 3:15 pm to 6:15 pm
Cost: $30

Join others in the kitchen for an afternoon to prepare your evening meal with other members of our community -- and go home with supper for up to six people! This workshop is part of the Seasons of Food series.

Sessions also take place on February 18, 2013 and March 11, 2013.

For more information or to register, visit the Hastings Community Centre website: https://pbregister.vancouver.ca/

Note that child- and infant-minding are also available for this one-day class. Register early, because spots are limited.

Apple Sauce

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings / Vancouver - map)
Date: January 22, 2013, from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm
Cost: $8

Join instructor Melody Kurt for a morning of canning, and take home a jar or two of delicious apple sauce to share with your family. Participants will learn new skills on how to grow, prepare and preserve healthy food.

For more information or to register, visit the Hastings Community Centre website: https://pbregister.vancouver.ca/

Note that child- and infant-minding are also available for this one-day class. Register early, because spots are limited.

Botany for Gardeners

Location: Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings / Vancouver - map)
Date: January 22, 2013, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Cost: $35

Understanding the fascinating mechanisms of plant growth, reproduction and genetics will make you a better gardener. This course, taught by Grant Watson of Grant's Gourmet Gardens, emphasizes the behaviour of food producing plants. It is a recommended prerequisite for "Seed Saving and Basic Plant Breeding".

For more information or to register, visit the Hastings Community Centre website: https://pbregister.vancouver.ca/

The Book of Kale

Location: Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch (4595 Albert Street / Burnaby - map)
Date: January 24, 2013, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Cost: Free

Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense greens out there, but many people don't know just how delicious it can be. Sharon Hannon, author of The Book of Kale, will be at McGill to talk about her book, answer questions, and sign copies of the book.

Books will be available for purchase at the event for $25.

The event is free, but space is limited. To register, visit the event website and click "Sign up for The Book of Kale" or call (604) 299-8955.

For more information, visit http://bpl.bc.ca/events/the-book-of-kale

Force of Nature

Location: Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch (4595 Albert Street / Burnaby - map)
Date: January 31, 2013, from 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm
Cost: Free

Force of Nature is a documentary detailing David Suzuki's life, thoughts, and legacy, delivered in the style of "a last lecture", and touches on our relationships with the natural world and offers a message for sustainability and survival.

The event is free, but space is limited. To register, visit the event website and click "Sign up for Force of Nature" or call (604) 299-8955.