Looking for something to do as our hours of daylight shorten? Check out some of these cool events! Whether you want to curl up somewhere warm or get outside to enjoy the sunny autumn day, there's plenty going on this month.
Table Matters: A North Shore Discussion About Food Security and Urban Agriculture
Location: West Vancouver Community Centre (2121 Marine Drive / West Vancouver - map)
Date: November 5, 2013, from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Cost: FREE (Registration required)
Table Matters is a dialogue, networking, and information sharing event to engage North Shore government, community, non-profit organizations, and businesses in working towards sustainable agriculture and food security on the North Shore.
Registration is required. Space is limited to 100 participants.
To find out more or to register, visit the event website here. (PDF)
Vancouver Winter Farmers' Market
Location: Nat Bailey Stadium, East Parking Lot (4601 Ontario Street / Vancouver - map)
Dates: November 2, 2013 to April 26, 2014 (Closed December 28)
Hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each Saturday
Thought the start of winter meant the end of locally grown and made goodies?
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/
How We Grow, Share, and Eat Lecture Series
Location: Online (or The University of Winnipeg)
Dates: September 26, 2013 to March 20, 2014
Cost: FREE
For those gross, rainy days (or if you happen to live in Manitoba), check out this lecture series on sustainable food and farming systems. The public lectures will be posted on their website.
To find out more about the lecture series, visit the Menno Simons College event website: http://www.mscollege.ca/foodsecurity/schedule/
Popular Posts
Showing posts with label urban agriculture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label urban agriculture. Show all posts
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
Feature: Sharing Backyards
For people who want to grow their own food but lack the yard space, it can be difficult to access land or sufficient space to grow plants or keep planters.
The goal of the Sharing Backyards program is to provide anyone who wants to grow food with the yard space to do it. It encourages urban gardening by connecting those who have the space to garden with those who would like to garden but do not have the necessary space.
By bringing the program to communities, the hope is to, among other things, boost the land available for urban agriculture, lower waiting lists for community garden plots, decrease the amount of food that needs to be shipped across the country, and help people lower their food costs.
Sharing Backyards already exists in a number of different cities, from Vancouver to Ottawa (and all the way to New Zealand!), but if your city doesn't have a program running, you can start a yard-sharing program in your community.
Best of all, whether you're looking for yard space or to share space you already have, Sharing Backyards is 100% free for all users! (Courtesy of sponsors who support each of the local programs.)
Want to know more? Check out Sharing Backyards here.
.JPG) |
| Credit: Christina Mak |
The goal of the Sharing Backyards program is to provide anyone who wants to grow food with the yard space to do it. It encourages urban gardening by connecting those who have the space to garden with those who would like to garden but do not have the necessary space.
By bringing the program to communities, the hope is to, among other things, boost the land available for urban agriculture, lower waiting lists for community garden plots, decrease the amount of food that needs to be shipped across the country, and help people lower their food costs.
Sharing Backyards already exists in a number of different cities, from Vancouver to Ottawa (and all the way to New Zealand!), but if your city doesn't have a program running, you can start a yard-sharing program in your community.
Best of all, whether you're looking for yard space or to share space you already have, Sharing Backyards is 100% free for all users! (Courtesy of sponsors who support each of the local programs.)
Want to know more? Check out Sharing Backyards here.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Feature: Hastings Urban Farm
Urban farming, a trend in agriculture that has been gaining popularity in Vancouver, marks an effort to renew our connection to the food we eat, in the midst of an increasingly unsustainable global food economy. Not only does it enable local food production in our cities, it can also be a way to work underused urban land while also fostering community building.
One such project is the Hastings Urban Farm, a project of the Portland Hotel Society located near the Woodwards Building in an empty lot at 58 West Hastings. The farm grows everything from leafy greens like kale and swiss chard to carrots and radishes.
Unlike other community gardens, Hastings Urban Farm is not an individual-plot garden, but a community collaboration where people are able to get involved in growing and sharing food with other neighbourhood residents.
As part of a wider urban farming movement, projects such as the Hastings Urban Farm help to foster community food security by offering an affordable way to access fresh, local, and healthy produce, as well as opportunities for people to learn about food gardening and develop their knowledge and skills. It also provides a chance for people who do not have access to land or space in their homes to grow food and can create employment opportunities within cities for workers to tend and harvest crops.
Growing food locally can be a way of challenging a global food system that currently puts production over sustainability, energy use, health, and social welfare. Shipping produce and other perishable crops, for example, requires enormous amounts of energy -- from preparation, refrigeration, to transportation -- and by growing food in our cities, this process from farm to kitchen table becomes considerably shorter.
One of the biggest challenges, however, is growing and selling local food legally -- it is not yet legal to get a business license for such urban farming ventures. These municipal bylaws mean that many farms, such as the Urban Digs Farm, are limited in where they can set up food production operations. While the City of Vancouver hosts numerous urban farming projects today (the product of continuous back-and-forth between farmers and city officials) and has made a goal of becoming a global leader in urban food systems, they have yet to revise and update policy around urban farming businesses.
One such project is the Hastings Urban Farm, a project of the Portland Hotel Society located near the Woodwards Building in an empty lot at 58 West Hastings. The farm grows everything from leafy greens like kale and swiss chard to carrots and radishes.
Unlike other community gardens, Hastings Urban Farm is not an individual-plot garden, but a community collaboration where people are able to get involved in growing and sharing food with other neighbourhood residents.
As part of a wider urban farming movement, projects such as the Hastings Urban Farm help to foster community food security by offering an affordable way to access fresh, local, and healthy produce, as well as opportunities for people to learn about food gardening and develop their knowledge and skills. It also provides a chance for people who do not have access to land or space in their homes to grow food and can create employment opportunities within cities for workers to tend and harvest crops.
 |
| Source: Urban Food Policy (Nevin Cohen) |
Growing food locally can be a way of challenging a global food system that currently puts production over sustainability, energy use, health, and social welfare. Shipping produce and other perishable crops, for example, requires enormous amounts of energy -- from preparation, refrigeration, to transportation -- and by growing food in our cities, this process from farm to kitchen table becomes considerably shorter.
One of the biggest challenges, however, is growing and selling local food legally -- it is not yet legal to get a business license for such urban farming ventures. These municipal bylaws mean that many farms, such as the Urban Digs Farm, are limited in where they can set up food production operations. While the City of Vancouver hosts numerous urban farming projects today (the product of continuous back-and-forth between farmers and city officials) and has made a goal of becoming a global leader in urban food systems, they have yet to revise and update policy around urban farming businesses.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
What's Happening in April
Rain or shine, it doesn't matter, because there are a number of cool indoor and outdoor events this month! Whether it's a warm, sunny day or you're looking towards summer, there are a number of workshops and other activities to do throughout the city.
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/
Veggies 101: Planning Your First Vegetable Garden
Location: Mollie Nye House (940 Lynn Valley Road / North Vancouver - map)
Date: April 3, 2013 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Cost: $8.25
Location: Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre (3663 Park Road / North Vancouver - map)
Date: April 14, 2013 from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Cost: $8.25
Are you starting to grow your own food or interested in what you can do from your backyard?
Part of the GardenSmart Workshop Series, presented by the North Shore Recycling Program in conjunction with the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre and North Shore Edible Garden Project, join others to learn how to plan your first vegetable garden.
Space is limited. For details on registration, visit the workshop page here.
Fresh Milk, Food Politics
Location: Ukrainian Cathedral (154 East 10th Avenue / Vancouver - map)
Date: April 6, 2013 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Cost: $35 to $125
The Fresh Milk, Food Politics event (formerly the Raw Milk Symposium) explores the basic right to healthy food
Officials in the U.S. and Canada maintain that fresh milk is a health hazard, and several provinces ban its sale or purchase; however, there are many dairy experts who argue that, as long as it is produced from grass-fed cows at farms with safe handling practices, the health benefits of fresh milk significantly outweigh those of pasteurized milk.
Whether you are a fresh milk advocate or just want to learn more about the issue, this event is an excellent opportunity to speak directly with dairy farmers.
For more information or to register, visit the event website here.
Seed Swap and Sale
Location: Renfrew Park Community Centre (2929 East 22nd Avenue / Vancouver - map)
Date: April 6, 2013
Hours: 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
Location: Collingwood Neighbourhood House (5288 Joyce Street / Vancouver - map)
Date: April 20, 2013
Hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Drop by the community centre to stock up on seeds for your garden, as well as swap with others or to try your hand at growing something new.
For more information or to register, visit the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute website: http://rcfsi.blogspot.ca/2013/01/new-schedule.html
Seed Starting: Sowing for Your Summer Veggie Garden
Location: Loutet Farm (Rufus Avenue & 14th Street East / North Vancouver - map)
Date: April 6, 2013 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Cost: $8.25
Join Gavin Wright of Loutet Farm to learn about the process of growing your own plants from seed.
Note that this is an outdoor workshop, so make sure to dress appropriately.
This workshop is part of the GardenSmart Workshop Series, presented by the North Shore Recycling Program in conjunction with the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre and North Shore Edible Garden Project.
Space is limited. For details on registration, visit the workshop page here.
Grow Your Own: Intermediate Vegetable Gardening
Location: Mollie Nye House (940 Lynn Valley Road / North Vancouver - map)
Time: April 10, 2013 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Cost: $8.25
Already know the basics of vegetable gardening at home but looking for further tips and strategies? Check out this workshop and learn more about growing fresh, delicious vegetables in your own home garden.
This workshop is part of the GardenSmart Workshop Series, presented by the North Shore Recycling Program in conjunction with the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre and North Shore Edible Garden Project.
Space is limited. For details on registration, visit the workshop page here.
Seed Starting Workshop
Location: Collingwood Neighbourhood House (5288 Joyce Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 10, 2013 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Cost: Call to inquire
Join others to learn about growing from seed and how to get your plants to flourish each time.
For more information or to register, visit the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute website: http://rcfsi.blogspot.ca/2013/01/new-schedule.html
Growing Food in Small Spaces
Location: YWCA (535 Hornby Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 18, 2013 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Cost: $30
Join Carole Christopher and Dr. Tara Moreau to learn how to grow fresh fruits and vegetables in containers. Participants will learn about container design, companion planting, choosing appropriate varieties for container gardening, and creating a fertile soil mix for optimal yield.
For more information or to register, visit the workshop page here.
Burnaby Empty Bowls Gala Fundraiser
Location: Hilton Metrotown (6083 McKay Avenue / Burnaby - map)
Time: April 18, 2013 from 5:30 pm
Cost: $65
Every two years, the Empty Bowls Project hosts a fundraising gala, with support from local artists, teachers, community organizations, restaurants, businesses, and individuals. Funds raised from the gala go to support local programs for children, youth, and families in Burnaby that provide nutritious food and help to build skills that encourage healthy lifestyles. These include cooking programs, breakfast and homework clubs, an organic produce program for low-income pregnant women, and weekly cooking and daily snack programs.
Find out more about the event here or check out their website.
Philosophers' Cafe: Urban Agriculture
Location: West Vancouver Memorial Library, Welsh Hall East (1950 Marine Drive / West Vancouver - map)
Time: April 19, 2013 from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Cost: FREE
As Earth Day rolls around, Ross Moster of Village Vancouver and moderator Randall Mackinnon are getting together to lead a public discussion on the possibilities for urban agriculture and the potential effects for the future.
For more information, check out the event website here.
Food and Childhood Allergies and Asthma
Location: Britannia Community Centre (1661 Napier Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 25, 2013 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Cost: $15
In toddlers and children, allergies take many different forms such as sneezing, runny nose, asthma, hives, stomach aches, sleep problems, and behaviour problems.
Come learn the underlying process and root causes of allergies, how they are related to food, and what you can do to protect your children. Gain the knowledge and tools to identify and avoid suspect foods, and choose healthy options.
For more information or to register, visit their website: http://gwfoodconnection.wordpress.com/workshops/
Food Safe Level 1
Location: Britannia Community Centre (1661 Napier Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 27, 2013 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Cost: $30 to $40 (sliding scale)
Food Safe Level 1 is an 8-hour food handling, sanitation and work safety course designed for front line food service workers such as cooks, servers, bussers, dishwashers, and deli workers.
The course covers important information including foodborne illness, receiving and storing food, preparing food, serving food, cleaning and sanitizing. It is also useful for the everyday home cooking practices of individuals and families.
Course fees include the workbook, certificate upon successful completion, and refreshments.
For more information or to register, call (604) 718-5895.
You can also visit their website: http://gwfoodconnection.wordpress.com/workshops/
Tree Guilds and Spring Planting Workshop
Location: Norquay Learning Orchard (2732 Horley Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 27, 2013 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Cost: Call to inquire
Rounding out the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute 2013 Winter/Spring Workshop series is one on trees and spring planting.
For more information or to register, visit the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute website: http://rcfsi.blogspot.ca/2013/01/new-schedule.html
Seed Starting
Location: YWCA (535 Hornby Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 30, 2013 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Cost: $26
Join horticulturist and community educator Lis Thomas to learn about the best ways to start your indoor or outdoor garden from seed. Students will learn the necessary factors for healthy seedling development and practice methods for propagation.
All students will also take home a plant in a pot.
For more information or to register, visit the workshop page here.
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/
Veggies 101: Planning Your First Vegetable Garden
Location: Mollie Nye House (940 Lynn Valley Road / North Vancouver - map)
Date: April 3, 2013 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Cost: $8.25
Location: Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre (3663 Park Road / North Vancouver - map)
Date: April 14, 2013 from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Cost: $8.25
Are you starting to grow your own food or interested in what you can do from your backyard?
Part of the GardenSmart Workshop Series, presented by the North Shore Recycling Program in conjunction with the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre and North Shore Edible Garden Project, join others to learn how to plan your first vegetable garden.
Space is limited. For details on registration, visit the workshop page here.
Fresh Milk, Food Politics
Location: Ukrainian Cathedral (154 East 10th Avenue / Vancouver - map)
Date: April 6, 2013 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Cost: $35 to $125
The Fresh Milk, Food Politics event (formerly the Raw Milk Symposium) explores the basic right to healthy food
Officials in the U.S. and Canada maintain that fresh milk is a health hazard, and several provinces ban its sale or purchase; however, there are many dairy experts who argue that, as long as it is produced from grass-fed cows at farms with safe handling practices, the health benefits of fresh milk significantly outweigh those of pasteurized milk.
Whether you are a fresh milk advocate or just want to learn more about the issue, this event is an excellent opportunity to speak directly with dairy farmers.
For more information or to register, visit the event website here.
Seed Swap and Sale
Location: Renfrew Park Community Centre (2929 East 22nd Avenue / Vancouver - map)
Date: April 6, 2013
Hours: 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
Location: Collingwood Neighbourhood House (5288 Joyce Street / Vancouver - map)
Date: April 20, 2013
Hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Drop by the community centre to stock up on seeds for your garden, as well as swap with others or to try your hand at growing something new.
For more information or to register, visit the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute website: http://rcfsi.blogspot.ca/2013/01/new-schedule.html
Seed Starting: Sowing for Your Summer Veggie Garden
Location: Loutet Farm (Rufus Avenue & 14th Street East / North Vancouver - map)
Date: April 6, 2013 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Cost: $8.25
Join Gavin Wright of Loutet Farm to learn about the process of growing your own plants from seed.
Note that this is an outdoor workshop, so make sure to dress appropriately.
This workshop is part of the GardenSmart Workshop Series, presented by the North Shore Recycling Program in conjunction with the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre and North Shore Edible Garden Project.
Space is limited. For details on registration, visit the workshop page here.
Grow Your Own: Intermediate Vegetable Gardening
Location: Mollie Nye House (940 Lynn Valley Road / North Vancouver - map)
Time: April 10, 2013 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Cost: $8.25
Already know the basics of vegetable gardening at home but looking for further tips and strategies? Check out this workshop and learn more about growing fresh, delicious vegetables in your own home garden.
This workshop is part of the GardenSmart Workshop Series, presented by the North Shore Recycling Program in conjunction with the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre and North Shore Edible Garden Project.
Space is limited. For details on registration, visit the workshop page here.
Seed Starting Workshop
Location: Collingwood Neighbourhood House (5288 Joyce Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 10, 2013 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Cost: Call to inquire
Join others to learn about growing from seed and how to get your plants to flourish each time.
For more information or to register, visit the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute website: http://rcfsi.blogspot.ca/2013/01/new-schedule.html
Growing Food in Small Spaces
Location: YWCA (535 Hornby Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 18, 2013 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Cost: $30
Join Carole Christopher and Dr. Tara Moreau to learn how to grow fresh fruits and vegetables in containers. Participants will learn about container design, companion planting, choosing appropriate varieties for container gardening, and creating a fertile soil mix for optimal yield.
For more information or to register, visit the workshop page here.
Burnaby Empty Bowls Gala Fundraiser
Location: Hilton Metrotown (6083 McKay Avenue / Burnaby - map)
Time: April 18, 2013 from 5:30 pm
Cost: $65
Every two years, the Empty Bowls Project hosts a fundraising gala, with support from local artists, teachers, community organizations, restaurants, businesses, and individuals. Funds raised from the gala go to support local programs for children, youth, and families in Burnaby that provide nutritious food and help to build skills that encourage healthy lifestyles. These include cooking programs, breakfast and homework clubs, an organic produce program for low-income pregnant women, and weekly cooking and daily snack programs.
Find out more about the event here or check out their website.
Philosophers' Cafe: Urban Agriculture
Location: West Vancouver Memorial Library, Welsh Hall East (1950 Marine Drive / West Vancouver - map)
Time: April 19, 2013 from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Cost: FREE
As Earth Day rolls around, Ross Moster of Village Vancouver and moderator Randall Mackinnon are getting together to lead a public discussion on the possibilities for urban agriculture and the potential effects for the future.
For more information, check out the event website here.
Food and Childhood Allergies and Asthma
Location: Britannia Community Centre (1661 Napier Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 25, 2013 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Cost: $15
In toddlers and children, allergies take many different forms such as sneezing, runny nose, asthma, hives, stomach aches, sleep problems, and behaviour problems.
Come learn the underlying process and root causes of allergies, how they are related to food, and what you can do to protect your children. Gain the knowledge and tools to identify and avoid suspect foods, and choose healthy options.
For more information or to register, visit their website: http://gwfoodconnection.wordpress.com/workshops/
Food Safe Level 1
Location: Britannia Community Centre (1661 Napier Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 27, 2013 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Cost: $30 to $40 (sliding scale)
Food Safe Level 1 is an 8-hour food handling, sanitation and work safety course designed for front line food service workers such as cooks, servers, bussers, dishwashers, and deli workers.
The course covers important information including foodborne illness, receiving and storing food, preparing food, serving food, cleaning and sanitizing. It is also useful for the everyday home cooking practices of individuals and families.
Course fees include the workbook, certificate upon successful completion, and refreshments.
For more information or to register, call (604) 718-5895.
You can also visit their website: http://gwfoodconnection.wordpress.com/workshops/
Tree Guilds and Spring Planting Workshop
Location: Norquay Learning Orchard (2732 Horley Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 27, 2013 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Cost: Call to inquire
Rounding out the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute 2013 Winter/Spring Workshop series is one on trees and spring planting.
For more information or to register, visit the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute website: http://rcfsi.blogspot.ca/2013/01/new-schedule.html
Seed Starting
Location: YWCA (535 Hornby Street / Vancouver - map)
Time: April 30, 2013 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Cost: $26
Join horticulturist and community educator Lis Thomas to learn about the best ways to start your indoor or outdoor garden from seed. Students will learn the necessary factors for healthy seedling development and practice methods for propagation.
All students will also take home a plant in a pot.
For more information or to register, visit the workshop page here.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Feature: SPEC & YWCA Urban Farmer Field School
Ever wondered about urban horticulture, sustainable food production, or food systems? YWCA Metro Vancouver and the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) have teamed up to offer a hands-on, 14-course training program on sustainable urban horticulture, which turns the YWCA rooftop garden into a living laboratory.
The Urban Farmer Field School is a food education program that provides training in sustainable urban agriculture for new and experienced growers. Courses cover six major subject areas: small-farm business planning, food production, food systems, urban soil management, City Chickens n' Coops, and (growing) season extension.
The program invites new and experienced backyard growers, urban farmers, community food activists, and sustainability entrepreneurs for the series of courses or just a course or two of interest.
It strives to increase the number of urban growers following sustainable production practices, to increase farmer income, and to increase the quantity, quality, and safety of locally-grown food.
The Urban Farmer Field School begins its second year later this month.
Keep an eye on the program website here for up-to-date information on course offerings, fees, and registration for this season!
Interested in other offerings from SPEC? You can find a list of their upcoming workshops on their Events page.
 |
| Source: SPEC |
The Urban Farmer Field School is a food education program that provides training in sustainable urban agriculture for new and experienced growers. Courses cover six major subject areas: small-farm business planning, food production, food systems, urban soil management, City Chickens n' Coops, and (growing) season extension.
The program invites new and experienced backyard growers, urban farmers, community food activists, and sustainability entrepreneurs for the series of courses or just a course or two of interest.
It strives to increase the number of urban growers following sustainable production practices, to increase farmer income, and to increase the quantity, quality, and safety of locally-grown food.
 |
| Source: SPEC |
The Urban Farmer Field School begins its second year later this month.
Keep an eye on the program website here for up-to-date information on course offerings, fees, and registration for this season!
Interested in other offerings from SPEC? You can find a list of their upcoming workshops on their Events page.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Feature: Growing Chefs!
Founded in 2005, the non-profit Growing Chefs! Chefs for Children's Urban Agriculture program pairs volunteer chefs with elementary school classrooms, and with the help of chefs, students learn how to plant, grow, and cook their own vegetables. Just this year, over 2 dozen elementary schools from Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, West Vancouver, and Richmond participated in the program.
Each year, elementary schools sign up for the Classroom Gardening Program, which starts every year after spring break and extends from March through June. The program is available for Grades 1 through 3.
Wait a second: urban agriculture? Cue the looks of interest. How exactly does that work?
Urban agriculture is often used to refer to the restructuring of urban spaces to incorporate food production operations into areas that are densely populated -- in short, growing food in the city. This could mean anything from keeping chickens in your backyard, tending a small garden on your apartment balcony, or growing herbs in a pot on your windowsill.
The Growing Chefs! program tackles themes of food sustainability by attempting to get children involved, in the steps from gardening and grocery shopping to meal planning and preparation.
The mission of the non-profit society is to support and encourage the development and growth of urban agriculture and to provide an avenue for chefs and food growers to engage in the community and to support food sustainability.
For more information on Growing Chefs!, visit their website: http://www.growingchefs.ca/
For teachers and schools and to sign up: http://www.growingchefs.ca/teachers-program-info
For chefs interested in signing up to volunteer: http://www.growingchefs.ca/volunteer-program-info
Each year, elementary schools sign up for the Classroom Gardening Program, which starts every year after spring break and extends from March through June. The program is available for Grades 1 through 3.
 |
| Credit: Growing Chefs! |
Wait a second: urban agriculture? Cue the looks of interest. How exactly does that work?
Urban agriculture is often used to refer to the restructuring of urban spaces to incorporate food production operations into areas that are densely populated -- in short, growing food in the city. This could mean anything from keeping chickens in your backyard, tending a small garden on your apartment balcony, or growing herbs in a pot on your windowsill.
The Growing Chefs! program tackles themes of food sustainability by attempting to get children involved, in the steps from gardening and grocery shopping to meal planning and preparation.
The mission of the non-profit society is to support and encourage the development and growth of urban agriculture and to provide an avenue for chefs and food growers to engage in the community and to support food sustainability.
For more information on Growing Chefs!, visit their website: http://www.growingchefs.ca/
For teachers and schools and to sign up: http://www.growingchefs.ca/teachers-program-info
For chefs interested in signing up to volunteer: http://www.growingchefs.ca/volunteer-program-info
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