Food Security and the Vancouver Campus Plan
This forum would examine the broad concept of food security, encompassing
safety, quality and sustainability of our food supply and access to a healthy diet. In relation to the campus community, the Faculty of Land and Food Systems incorporates food security in the faculty's teaching and research http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/aboutus/overview.htm and the University
has supported community gardens in the new campus neighbourhoods. The challenge is to identify a role for the UBC Vancouver Campus Plan in promoting the provincial and regional efforts to improve our food security.
View the BC Agriculture Plan at http://www.al.gov.bc.ca/
DATE: June 25, 2008
TIME: 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. (Light snacks available)
LOCATION: GSS Ballroom, 6371 Crescent Road, UBCHow to register:
To participate in any of the Vancouver Campus Plan policy forums please contact:
Stefani Lu, UBC Campus and Community Planning
Telephone 604-827-3465 or email stefani.lu@ubc.ca More information on workshops can be found at: http://www.campusplan.ubc.ca

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Learn sustainable living skills for the city with Langara College Continuing Studies and Sustainable Living Arts School
Cost: $85 for each course includes a delicious lunch featuring local and seasonal food, and a maximum of 15 students to allow for lots of questions and discussion.
Location: Langara College, 100 West 49th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm
Register: In person or by phone with Langara College Continuing Studies 604-323-5322
More info: For instructor bio’s, full outlines of the day and more on the Sustainable Living Arts School http://slas.wikispaces.com/

Healing with Herbs: Growing and Foraging in the City with Sharon Kravitz and Jill Stieler
Saturday, July 5, 2008 10am-4pm
Learn how wild and cultivated herbs can support our health. In this beginner course we will identify local plants and helpful weeds on foraging walks, practice respectful wildcrafting, prepare herbal medicines and explore the medicinal value of the food in our kitchens. We will illustrate and record our experiences in a journal (provided) and leave ready to safely continue exploring herbs.

Introduction to Food Preservation by Fermentation with Andrea Potter and David Rotzstain
Saturday, August 10am-4pm
Traditionally every culture has incorporated fermented foods into their diet. From health benefits to social change, preserving foods at home is a sustainable practice. In this hands-on course, we will discuss the benefits of tapping into this ancient wisdom and prepare traditional sauerkraut, brine pickles and fruit salsa, as well as get introduced to fermenting dairy with kefir culture

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Fun Camps
FUN Camps is a new non-profit summer program being put on by Friends Uniting for Nature Society, with support of the Provincial Government of BC. It is a day camp program for 11-15 year old youth that focuses on environmental education, leadership skills and most of all FUN! The camps will be packed with exciting games, sports, arts, drama, hiking and specialized activities such as the creation of solar powered cars, bike maintenance workshops being led by staff from Bikes on the Drive and gardening and stewardship work with other local organizations. The camps run Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm and cost $185.00/week. For more information and to register, please contact Maia Green - maia@funcamps.ca - or visit the website at www.funcamps.ca

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Camp Moomba
On July 12, 2008 two thousand people will participate in the Camp Moomba Yogathon & Blissfest to raise funds for children impacted by HIV/AIDS. The much needed funds raised from this event will help send a child to summer camp for an experience of a lifetime. You can help change a life of a child - register for the yogathon today!
Website

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Trout Lake/Cedar Cottage Food Security Network Meeting
This will be an opportunity to meet other people working on local food initiatives, learn about upcoming events, and share resources. Refreshments will be provided.
When: Monday June 23rd, 6 - 8 pm
Where: Trout Lake Community Centre - Boardroom
For info: tlccfoodsecurity@gmail.com

Garden Meeting and Work Party @ Cedar Cottage Garden
Starting at 2:00 sharp we will be planning the construction of raised garden beds and organization of the allotment garden. Refreshments will be provided. Please bring your own mug and a pair of gloves if you have them.
When: Sunday June 22nd, 2 - 4 pm
Where: Cedar Cottage Garden - Victoria Dr and Hull St, under the skytrain
For info: tlccfoodsecurity@gmail.com

Call for Community Workshops
The TL/CC Food Security Network will be hosting one community workshop each month from now until March 2009. Workshop topics requested by community members so far include: Medicinal plants, Food Preservation, Seed Gathering and Saving, Cooking with Traditional Indigenous Foods, Winter Gardening, Composting, Soil Building, Tour of Community Gardens, Fruit Tree Pruning and Care, Mural Painting, Cob Building, Permaculture Design, and Consensus Building.

If you are interested in facilitating a workshop on any other these topics, please contact Jill at tlccfoodsecurity@gmail.com.

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Medicinal Planting Party
Monday June 23, 7 - 8:30pm, @ Grandview Community Garden (Woodland & Grandview Hwy)
Having just returned from the Herb Weekend with a car full of plants from Edible Landscapes, there will be MANY plants to be transplanted, loved and nourished. As we tenderly put these plants in their new homes, we'll talk about their medicinal uses and some gardening tips. To name a few we'll be planting Echinacea, Elder, Eyebright, Valerian and Angelica.
Contact garliq 778-329-1481. Suggested donation: $25 Pay As You Feel

Medicinal Herb Walk @ McSpadden Park (Victoria Dr. & 5th)
Saturday June 28, 11am -12:30pm
We'll be walking, talking, smelling, looking, nibbling, tasting, feeling and working with the plants that grow around the park & the community garden. We'll look at weeds, foods and medicines and talk about when, why, who and how to use them. Some of the plants we'll talk about include lemon balm, comfrey, chickweed and fennel. Bring your questions, experiences and s tories to share. Rain or shine, so dress for the weather!

If you're interested in learning how to identify and use some very common medicinal "weeds", come out and have fun.

Contact garliq 778-329-1481 or LivingMedicine@riseup.net
Suggested donation: $25 Pay As You Feel.

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Opportunities

Operations Assistant - Vancouver Farmers Markets
We're looking for an organized, motivated, self-starter to help us prepare each week for the markets and make sure we keep running smoothly.
Operations Assistant

Executive Director - BC Association of Farmers Markets
The British Columbia Association of Farmers' Markets (BCAFM) is seeking an Executive Director to manage BCAFM business. As the BC Association of Farmers' Markets is growing and carrying on many projects, the job of directing and managing the Association is more than should be expected of a volunteer board. This will begin as a part time position with the possibility of moving into full time.
For more information go to: http://www.bcfarmersmarket.org/jobs.htm

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Farm Holidays
Every day the radio, television and newspapers spotlight the importance of food production to the economic, social, and environmental structure of B.C. The public are voicing their concerns about food security and the need for sustainable food systems. The Land Conservancy now offers a unique holiday opportunity for socially-responsible citizens to work with organic farmers on planting and harvesting, learn about food production and experience a sense of community within the agriculture field.

Working holidays are a new concept to many Canadians but they are quickly gaining popularity as an affordable and inspirational way to vacation. Gone are the days of lounging on the beach. People are looking for adventure and educational getaways, and The Land Conservancy's Farm Conservation Holidays are the perfect ticket.

The first of four farm Conservation Holidays runs from June 11-15, 2008. Participants will rub elbows with esteemed farmer, author and artist Michael Ableman of Foxglove Farm. Halfway up Mt. Maxwell on Salt Spring Island, this diverse and historic 120-acre farm produces an outstanding diversity of fresh food. With 20 years of experience as an organic farmer, Ableman will talk about sustainable farming techniques that can be used in your own backyard. Participants will also gain knowledge on how food makes it to the dinner plate as they will harvest and prepare the bounty from a satisfying day’s work on the farm.

Other farm Conservation Holidays are offered in July and August on farms located in Victoria (Madrona Farm, July 6), on Salt Spring Island (Duck Creek July 23-25), and in the Cowichan Valley (Keating Farm, August 22- 24).

For more information or to book your farm conservation holiday, please visit www.conservationholidays.ca or call 1-888-738-0533.
Paula Hesje, TLC Agricultural Liaison, ph: (250) 479-8053, phesje@conservancy.bc.ca
Heather Skydt, TLC External Relations, ph: (604) 733-2313, hskydt@conservancy.bc.ca

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Farm Looking for Potential Shareholders
  The farm is located in Langley, and based on the biodynamic concept, but is currently not certified. The total size is 5 acres, with about 1 1/2 or 2 acres forested, about 1 1/2 acres of field, some well drained in the winter for over wintering crops. There is about an acre of pasture for chickens, divided into two paddocks, and a 350 sq. foot chicken house. There are two tractors and an excavator to help with the work. They need some repairs, but should be OK for this year.
The 3,000 sq. foot greenhouse is set up for growing bedding plants in the spring, and tomatoes and other crops in the ground in summer. There are lights for growing transplants in the winter, and the heat from the lights keeps that area warm in freezing weather. I have been trying to develop a processing kitchen to make products such as dried tomatoes, vegetable sauce, pizza, pasta, jam, etc. Most of the equipment is here, it just has to be installed.
The house is small, and there is a partly finished cabin. More accommodation could be developed.
I would like to make this farm available to people interested in sustainable local food production, and eventually form a community around the farm. The facilities here are suitable for a large variety of farm related products, and I would like to connect with people who could utilize what is here. Accommodation is possible, but it is basic. Please contact George Matousek at temporary_kitchens@yahoo.com or call 604 825-2821

Read This!

You take the ribs, I'll take the rump
Forget cowtipping. These days, city slickers are cowpooling - teaming up to buy the whole animal from local family farms. Wency Leung reports
WENCY LEUNG
Globe and Mail, May 21, 2008 at 10:53 AM EDT
VANCOUVER — Charles Whittaker loves to eat steak, but the Richmond, B.C., resident has lost his appetite for the cellophane-wrapped slabs of beef available at his neighbourhood grocery store.

Instead, this summer Mr. Whittaker and a friend are buying half a cow from a local farm. The two intend to split about $1,000 worth of meat and fill their freezers with enough beef to feed their families for at least six months.

Mr. Whittaker said he has been researching various small farms before making his purchase to ensure that the beef his family consumes is raised humanely and is free of hormones and chemicals. Buying it directly from the source, he said, will give him the peace of mind of knowing exactly how it's produced.

"The top [concern] would be the quality of meat," he said.

Amid growing concerns about large-scale meat production fuelled by such recent books as The Omnivore's Dilemma and The 100-Mile Diet, some consumers are bypassing supermarket meat aisles and even the local butcher shop in favour of cowpooling - clubbing together to buy half or whole carcasses directly from local farms.

While the practice is nothing new to meat-eaters who live in small towns and rural areas, buying meat in bulk from farmers is catching on among urbanites striving to eat healthfully and sustainably.

Robert Baxter of West Vancouver first bought a turkey from Family Farm Natural Meats Ltd. in Forest Grove, B.C., about four years ago, when he and his wife, Dulcie, were vacationing in the B.C. interior.

This year, the couple has ordered an entire side of beef, or half a cow, and six whole lambs from the same farm, which they intend to share with three or four friends.

"We know the source and we know that [the meat's] not filled with additives and steroids and stuff," Mr. Baxter said. "The taste is really good, too."

He estimates that he and his wife will polish off two of the lambs themselves over a year.

At about $250 per lamb, which arrives butchered and packaged, the price is comparable to what they would spend purchasing it piecemeal at the grocery store, Mr. Baxter said.

The cost of buying a whole animal varies depending on its size. A whole cow that weighs 675 pounds live can cost about $1,800 to $2,000 and weigh about 410 pounds after it has been slaughtered, cleaned and gutted.

At Beretta Organic Farms, located just outside King City, Ont., a side of beef breaks down to about $4.25 a pound.

The farm's butcher divides the carcass into various cuts, according to the customer's liking. Then the meat is packaged and ready for pick-up or delivery to its Toronto-area clients.

Unlike some small farms, Beretta also sells individual cuts of pre-packaged organic meat. But many customers prefer buying in bulk because they like their meat cut a certain way, said Serena Fletcher, head of retail sales.

Cowpooling, however, is far more involved than simply grabbing a sirloin from the grocery freezer. The custom butchering service, for example, involves a bit of understanding of different parts of the animal.

"If you're going to want a T-bone and New York striploin, you can't really do that because T-bones include New York striploins in the steaks," Ms. Fletcher said.

Then there's the question of freezer space. One of the prerequisites for ordering half or whole animals is adequate storage space, which is why many city-dwellers divvy an order among friends and family.

The Blue Goose Cattle Company near 100 Mile House, B.C., has a minimum purchasing order of one whole animal, so some of its Vancouver-based customers have bought freezers specifically to house the ranch's organic beef. The company also helps pair up individuals who want only a side.

And even with storage and some understanding of butchery, the whole process requires patience. Tina Johnson, owner of Family Farm Natural Meats, said customers should not expect to receive their orders straight away. From the time a cow is slaughtered it can take weeks to age it, butcher it and deliver the final product.

As well, she said, customers need to be aware that small farms like hers have limited livestock. Even though her pastures might be peppered with calves in the spring, she may not have many cows ready for slaughter in the fall.

Unlike buying meat at the grocery store, "when it's gone, it's gone. You have to wait until I grow some more."