Local Delicious

Ever wondered what you, personally, could do to feel more empowered? Or considered doing something powerful in response to climate change and all the other things that are making our children and our futures less secure?

As they say, “Making a difference starts at home” and it starts with what we put into our bodies.

Learn how easy it can be to assert more control over the food that we eat by growing it ourselves. Don’t let limited space, insufficient knowledge, or a tight budget deter you. You’ll see how to integrate affordable, easy and compact growing systems and approaches into your life no matter where you live. Take things one step further and you may soon find yourself selling or gifting your surpluses to the people around you. Wallah! – Community.

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011
6:15pm – 9:45pm
The HiVE Vancouver
128 West Hastings (half a block east of Cambie Street)

Enjoy music, beer, pizza and fabulous company.
Contribute what you can: Recommended $12 – $20

Reserve your spot

This weekend join The World In A Garden for their second annual Potato Fusion workshop.

Reusing burlap coffee sacs, participants will plant highly nutritious organic potatoes at the bottom and lettuce plants at the top- it’s a potato fusion! All plants and materials will be provided so just BYOG (bring your own gloves) and go home with a sac of potatoes (and lettuce).

Sunday, March 20th, 2011
11:00 am or 1:00 pm (2 sessions)
West 57th & East Boulevard
$20 per person
*Includes potato fusion kit

Proceeds will be donated to The World In A Garden and Project Somos Children’s Village, Guatemala for projects teaching children gardening skills to last a lifetime.

To reserve your spot, contact Alicia Baddorf via phone 604.527.5151 ext. 213 or by e-mail at abaddorf@jfsa.ca.

The World In A Garden is a multicultural urban agriculture project that educates the community on the nutritional, cultural, environmental and social benefits of the local food system.

On Thursday January 27th, Will Allen, the professional basketball player turned food security and urban farming leader of Growing Power, will be paying a visit to Vancouver’s very own SOLEfood Farm.

SOLEfood Farm features 150 raised garden beds tended by trained seasonal workers from the Vancouver Downtown Eastside. The Enterprising Non Profit (ENP) established in 2009 by United We Can alongside farmer and author Michael Ableman has benefited from widespread community support and is now earning international recognition from a man whose three-acre Growing Power urban farm in Milwaukee is a world-class model for intensive urban agriculture and community food systems.

Michael Ableman and Seann Dory, SOLEfood Farm Project Manager, will be welcoming Will Allen to the farm for a pivotal meeting of minds in the Astoria Hotel parking lot which, thanks to SOLEfood, now embodies the revival of fruitful urban green space.

Thursday, January 27th, 2011
10:00 am
SOLEfood Farm
399 Hawks Avenue, Vancouver BC

Will Allen will also be speaking at the Bruce and Lis Welch Community Dialogue on Thursday evening. This evening lecture is free, however pre-registration is required.

Thursday,  January 27th, 2011
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Croatian Cultural Centre
3250 Commercial Drive (map)

If you’re wondering where you can find local goods at this time of year, the gods are with you. The annual Vancouver Farmers Market Holiday Market is (almost) here again.

If you already make it a habit to buy local, now is the time to find tasty and tasteful gifts that encourage the ones you love to also appreciate the bounty in our region.

If you are only beginning to explore all the unique and wonderful food, art and creations that our region has to offer, you are in for a lovely treat.

Saturday, December 11, 2010
10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Croation Cultural Centre
3250 Commercial Drive @ 16th Avenue

With the wide variety of vendors and blend of artisan and food products available, you’re guaranteed to find something to satisfy everyone’s palate.

Village Vancouver & Farm Folk City Folk present Seed Saving in the City this weekend.

Saturday, October 30, 2010
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Strathcona Community Centre
601 Keefer Street, Vancouver

Limited to 25 participants so register today!

Don’t miss this rare Vancouver opportunity to learn about Seed Saving from four top BC seedswomen.

Facilitated by Maria Hunter from Dragonfly Seeds, Mojave Kaplan of Planting Seeds Project, Robin Wheeler of Edible Landscapes fame, and Susan Davidson of BC Seeds.

Learn seed saving basics, the politics of seeds, how to build seed collectives and how to select for good traits. You’ll also learn about isolation distances, small business creation, hear personal stories, and work together to create the base for a local seed chapter.

Suggested donation: $30
Subsidies are available, no one turned away for lack of funds.

To register contact:

Strathcona Community Centre
604.713.1838
Course number CRN 45504.401

For further information contact Village Vancouver, Strathcona Community Centre (see Fall Program Guide p. 6 and 7), or Farm Folk City Folk.

To join Village Vancouver Seed Savers, visit them online