Category Archives: Events

Event notices and information

Addicted to Weeds…and Seeds

I’m addicted to Weeds. Oh stop it, you. If you’re from British Columbia you’ve read that as “Weed” and that’s not what I said. What I said and mean is Weeds. Weeds & Seeds, actually.

Weeds&SeedsCerealI discovered Weeds & Seeds at the Vancouver Wellness Show, a showcase of products meant to promote health and wellness. I do mean products that promote health/wellness, though not necessarily actually produce it.

After cruising aisle upon aisle of nicely packaged, well-marketed products, many from healthy-sounding companies, it became very clear that if you want to be healthy you’d better take your health education into your own hands and not rely on branding, marketing and sales brochures to ensure your wellness. But I digress. Continue reading →

“Live Inspired” Event with InspireHealth and Nature’s Fare Market

Two of my most favourite local resources have gotten together for the month of October to inspire living a more healthful lifestyle.

Compliments of InspireHealth and Nature’s Fare Markets enjoy a free webinar on the role of nutrition in cancer prevention and treatment, as well as many more tidbits of the information kind and the delicious, nutritious kind (yum!).

Thursday, October 25th, InspireHealth staff and volunteers will be on location in Kelowna to host information tables at all Nature’s Fare stores to distribute information and research about the value of an integrative cancer care approach and the power of cancer prevention. If you’re in the Okanagan, do stop in. We would love to talk with you!

At 7:00 pm on Tuesday, October 29th, InspireHealth physician Dr. Joe Schnurr will present a FREE one-hour webinar designed to raise public awareness of the overwhelming evidence of nutrition’s role in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

You MUST register for this free webinar in advance. Register Now

Live Inspired is a month-long health and wellness promotion and fundraiser, which will take place at all eight Nature’s Fare stores throughout October. In addition to discovering the benefits of different natural food items and supplements that help to prevent cancer, this in-store program will include store demos and sampling. Stop by any Nature’s Fare store and pick up a selection of natural foods and supplements recommended by InspireHealth’s medical doctor, and nutrition team.

The Urban Food Revolution Book Launch

Urban Food Revolution LadnerThe Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University is pleased to announce the book launch of The Urban Food Revolution: Changing the Way We Feed Cities by Peter Ladner.

Thursday, October 27, 2011
5:00 – 8:00 pm (brief program at 6pm)
Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks
Vancouver, BC

This book launch is free, however pre-registration is required. RSVP now.

Author Peter Ladner is a former Vancouver City Councillor, newspaper publisher and a recent Fellow at the SFU Centre for Dialogue. With more than 35 years of journalistic experience, he is a frequent speaker on community issues and has a special interest in the intersection of food policy and city planning.

If you can’t make the launch party, The Urban Food Revolution will be in bookstores November 7 or can be ordered online from New Society Publishers (20% off pre-orders before October 21). The book will also be available after November 1 (hard copy or e-book) at your favourite online book-seller.

Reviews

“A revolution in food — where, how, and when it’s grown — is now sweeping urban centres. Read this book to see why it matters and how we can do it.”

David Suzuki, Co-Founder, David Suzuki Foundation.

“Our reliance on industrial agriculture has resulted in a food supply riddled with hidden environmental, economic and health care costs and beset by rising prices. Producing food locally makes people healthier, alleviates poverty, creates jobs, and makes cities safer and more beautiful.

The Urban Food Revolution is a handbook for community food security based on leading innovations across North America. From commercial micro-gardening and community composting to rebuilding local food processing, distribution and waste systems, the author connects the dots between wishful thinking and practical solutions to making local, fresh sustainable food affordable and widely available.

An essential resource for anyone who has lost confidence in the global industrial food system The Urban Food Revolution is packed with practical advice on bringing food production home.
Peter Ladner really separates the wheat from the chaff. If you want to get your head around the important developments without ending up with a headache, this is the book for you.”

Wally Satzewich, Developer, SPIN-Farming

Power to the People – Growing Our Own Food

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

Potato Growing Workshop

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.

Expand Your Garden Indoors

Expand your garden to the indoors! The World In A Garden is kicking off the 2011 growing season by exploring the techniques and benefits of growing your plants inside.

Ilana Labow from Fresh Roots Urban Farm will be guest speaker. Don’t miss out on expert advice and a fun time! Participants will take home a gardening calendar, an Organic Gardening magazine, a free packet of West Coast Seeds and a potted plant.

Sunday, March 6th, 2011
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
West 57th & East Boulevard
$20 per person
*Snacks and coffee provided*

All proceeds to The World in a Garden.

To register contact Alicia Baddorf at 604.257.5151 ext. 213 or via email 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. Their mandate is to increase access to highly nutritious, fresh and organic food in a way that maintains dignity, builds community and celebrates diversity. The World In A Garden educates the community and youth on the importance of the local food system through youth education programs, volunteer days, workshops, community events and market sales.
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Will Allen Tours Vancouver SOLEfood Farm Project

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)

Vancouver Farmers Markets Annual Holiday Market

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.

It’s All About Local When It Comes to Ingredients

If you’ve seen and loved Food Inc. and Fresh, here’s another thought-provoking film about a food system in crisis — and a growing movement determined to fix it.

Vancouver’s Projecting Change Film Festival is screening the new film Ingredients as part of their Breakfast Series. And yes, breakfast will be served!

In addition to sponsoring the breakfast, Edible Vancouver‘s publisher Phil Solman will be moderating a discussion panel and giving out copies of their latest issue: Winter 2010, which itself will be fresh…off the presses.

Saturday, November 27, 2010
9:00 am
Includes breakfast sponsored by Edible Vancouver
Fifth Avenue Theatre
2110 Burrard Street, Vancouver

Tickets are $15, get $2 off when you purchase online using code FOOD001.