What's Happening in March!

It is almost Spring and it is a Leap Year!

Events around town are starting to pop up all around town! It is time to start thinking about what to plant and with the increase in fruit and veggie prices, why not try growing some edibles on your balcony, in a community garden or by sharing a backyard?

 Now, let`s get down to seeing what is happening around town in March!

"Sempervivums" with Howard Wills - March 2nd

Join the Burnaby Rhododendren and Garden Society (BRAGS) and guest presenteer, Howard Wills on Sempervivums.

What are Sempervisvums? We typically call them Houseleeks, Hens & Chicks, or Liveforever. Their real name, Sempervivums, are one tough little plant genus.

Most species will grow just about anywhere, including on rooftops where they are rumoured to magically protect the house from fire and lightning and ensure the health & prosperity of the occupants. They can also bake in the sun and freeze in the winter and truly do seem to "Live Forever" so once you get them in your garden you will have them for a lifetime but they are never invasive as they slowly expand into compact clumps.

When: Wednesday March 2, 2016
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: 6501 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby BC V5G 3T6
at Burnaby Village Museum, Discovery Room  

Website: http://brags.ca/ 

Sauerkraut Workshop - March 9th

Join Grandview Woodlands Food connection in this workshop on making raw sauerkraut which is full of probiotics! Probiotics is great for gut health. 

Learn to make your own great tasting sauerkraut! 

When: Wednesday March 9, 2016
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Location: 1655 William Street, Britannia Community Centre, Pre-Teen Centre

Cost: $ 12.00

For more information, visit: https://gwfoodconnection.wordpress.com/workshops/ 

Pollinators and People in the City - March 10th 

A public evening of discussion, offering tools for creating relationships of dignity and respect for all people and habitat & forage for all pollinators. A celebration of opportunity in our city.

When: Thursday March 10, 2016
Time: Doors - 6:30 pm
Discussion - 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Mingle with light refreshments + honey - 8:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Location: 149 W Hastings St - 149 West Hastings Street. SFU Woodwards World Art Centre. Vancouver, BC V6B CA - View Map

Costs: $15
Get tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pollinators-people-in-the-city-tickets-21385917856
 
Featuring:

• Mark Winston: Professor and Senior Fellow, SFU Centre for Dialogue, and Author of
• Bee Time: Lessons from the Hive, Winner of the 2015 Governor-General's Literary Award for Non-fiction.
• Elizabeth Elle: Professor of Biological Sciences, SFU, and wild bee expert
• Dean Wilson: DTES Community Activist
• Sarah Common: Co-Founder and Chief Community O fficer, Hives for Humanity

Please contact Sarah Commo at sarah@hivesforhumanity.com for more information.


SFU Food Education Days: March 15 to 17th

Join SFU students, campus groups, and local community organizations to envision a new future for our food system at the 3rd annual Food Education Days (FED)! At FED, we will seek to engage SFU students to learn more about current issues of food access and security, food of the future, local food production, personal health, and other food related topics.

Check out our three awesome events on the Burnaby campus (on top of Burnaby Mountain):

March 15 - Expo Day

• Explore a variety of informational and interactive displays from different campus groups and community organizations. Students passing by can pick up an event ‘passport’ to receive stamps from tables and be entered to win some awesome prizes!
• 11am to 2pm, the north hallway of the AQ

March 16 - Lunch & Learn

• Food Movements – Inclusion, Respect and Solidarity as Movement Building Strategies

March 17 - Movie Screening

• In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

Co-organized by SFU's Food Access and Education Committee.

For more information, visit: http://www.embarksustainability.org/food_education_days_2016.

Enhancing Community Food Programs for People with Disability Experiencing Food Insecurity - March 23 & 26th

Organized by the Disability Alliance of BC, the goal of Let’s Talk Food Access: Enhancing Community Food Programs for People with Disabilities Experiencing Food Insecurity is to improve access to safe, affordable food resources in two Vancouver neighbourhoods for people with disabilities through education, mentorship and partnerships and to build the capacity of individuals and community food programs to address barriers for people with disabilities and increase their health and well-being.

1st Workshop: Let's Talk Food Security
When: Wednesday March 23, 2016
Time: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Location: 1655 William Street, Britannia Community Centre, CFEC Room

Who should attend the first workshop: Community Program organizers

2nd Workshop: Let's Talk Food Security
When: Saturday March 26, 2016
Time: 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm
Location: 1655 William Street, Britannia Community Centre, CFEC Room

Who should attend the second workshop: People with disabilities living in the Grandview Woodlands area.

To attend the workshop, please contact Karen Martin, karen@disabilityalliancebc.org.

More information: http://blog.disabilityalliancebc.org/?p=2695

--

If you have a farming/gardening/food security event that you would like to share, please email us with the information to: burnabyfoodfirst@gmail.com. We would be happy to share your events on our blog and get the word out!

Recipe: Basic Sauerkraut

Fermentation, an ancient method of preserving the harvest, produces foods that are rich in probiotics and enzymes, which help improve digestion and overall health. Some common foods like yoghurt and miso contain these beneficial probiotics, but did you know that there are a host of other fermented foods that can provide the same benefits?

This recipe is from The Joy of Pickling workshop back in July, taught by Andrea Potter of Rooted Nutrition.

Basic Sauerkraut

To email, print, or text this recipe, click here.

Ingredients

5 lbs (2.2 kg) green and/or red cabbage
3 tablespoons salt

Tools

Clay crock pot, or a glass/plastic jar with a wide opening
Knife, food processor with slicer blade, or hand-held shredder
Tool for "stomping", e.g. thick wooden dowel, empty beer bottle, your fist

Source: The Healthy Eating Site

Instructions

1. Cut the cabbage into thin strips.

2. Sprinkle some salt on the bottom of the crock. Add cabbage.

3. With your stomping tool, push the cabbage down to make the juices come out. Add more salt.

4. Continue adding more cabbage and salting it, and repeat until the salt and cabbage are used up.

5. Place a plate over the cabbage and weight it down. Press down on the plate until the water in the crock covers the plate.

6. Cover the crock loosely with a towel or other cover.

7. Store the filled crock in a cool place and do not move it for a couple of weeks.

8. In 24 hours, the water in the crock should cover the plate that is weighing down the cabbage. If the plate is not covered with liquid, add some salted water using a dilution of 1 tablespoon salt to 1 cup of water.

9. Check the crock every day for 1 week. If you see bubbles on the surface, remove them with a clean spoon.

10. Every few days, take off the plate and weight, and wash them thoroughly with water. Put the plate and weight back on the cabbage after washing. Ensure that the spoon used is clean, and replace the lid or cloth over the crock each time.

11. After the fermentation period of 2 to 6 weeks, the sauerkraut should be ready to eat. Taste the sauerkraut with a clean fork or spoon to test if it is sour. When the sauerkraut tastes the way you like it, fill clean jars with it and put on the lids. Once packed into jars, the sauerkraut can be kept for up to a year.

How do I know if my sauerkraut is safe to eat?

The sauerkraut should taste and smell fresh. If it smells bad and/or is soft or sticky, do not eat it. Next time, you may need to use more salt.

Recipe: Apple Fennel Sauerkraut Salad

If you're wondering what to do for dinner, why not try an Apple Fennel Sauerkraut salad? This is a simple, quick recipe to make that's healthy as well as delicious. There's enough for a dinner accompaniment... if you're willing to share.

Did you know?
Raw sauerkraut is a great source of gut-friendly probiotics and enzymes, while cabbage helps soothe the stomach lining and ease digestive difficulties. Also, flax oil contains omegas 3 and 6, which are essential nutrients for brain and nervous system functioning.

This recipe uses sauerkraut, which was part of the menu from The Joy of Pickling workshop back in July, in which Andrea Potter of Rooted Nutrition dropped by with a fount of knowledge about preserving and fermenting food.

Apple Fennel Sauerkraut Salad
(Yield: 4 servings)

To email, print, or text this recipe, click here.

Ingredients

For the salad:

1 medium head of fennel, thinly sliced (green fronds, optional)
1 medium granny smith apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup to 1 cup sauerkraut
raw beet, thinly sliced (optional, if you want to add some colour)

For the dressing:

This is enough for about twice as much salad in this recipe. Extra dressing should be covered and kept in the fridge. Only make small amounts at a time and use quickly.

1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh
1/3 cup flax oil
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, grated or finely minced
chilli flakes, cayenne, or black pepper, to taste (optional)
pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. For the salad: Thinly slice the fennel and apple (and beet, if using). If the fennel has fronds (and you like them), feel free to cut them up, as needed, and use them as well. Toss the fennel, apple, and beet with the sauerkraut. Set aside.

2. For the dressing: Put all the ingredients into a small jar. A mason jar works perfectly for this. Screw on the lid tightly and shake vigorously before using.

3. To serve, add just enough dressing to lightly coat the salad. Eat fresh or leave it to marinate in the fridge for up to one week.