Want to Grow Your Own Food? Village Vancouver Can Help

Credit: Nelson Ford

Backyard Chicken Workshop at Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House, hosted by Village Vancouver.

Community organization Village Vancouver hosts gardening workshops on growing your own food

A quick trip to the grocery store is fast becoming a thing of the past for me. For every item on my shopping list, there are three or four food labels to read, analyze and weigh against each other to minimize the amount of food colouring, pesticides and chemical additives I put into my body.

It can be overwhelming. It seems the only way to be sure of the nutritional integrity of the food we eat is to grow it ourselves. Which is exactly what many people are starting to do in Vancouver. And they’re getting some valuable help.

Village Vancouver’s neighbourhood food network and workshops

Village Vancouver is a grassroots movement committed to promoting local food production as the key to building a sustainable future for Vancouver—with a steady supply of healthy food and a reduction of fuel waste.

Through neighbourhood food network building initiatives and educational workshops that cover a wide range of topics—including seed saving, crop selection, harvesting, food preservation and storage, container gardening, urban beekeeping, raising backyard chickens and more—it is a thriving hub of local information and resources for seasoned and aspiring food growers alike.

It’s also a great way to meet your neighbours.

The Cultivating Food, Cultivating Community workshop series by Village Vancouver

Here is a list of upcoming workshops and presentations featuring BC gardening and urban farming experts, happening from January to March 2011 at the Strathcona Community Centre (map). Visit the Village Vancouver website for more information and updates.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011 | 7–8:30 p.m.
Two Block Diet presentation by Kate Sutherland and Julia Hilton

The two women who helped transform two East Vancouver blocks into a thriving community food garden share their insight on how any neighbourhood can replicate the success of this project.

Sunday, January 23, 2011 | 1:30–4:30 p.m.
Garden Planning and Preparation workshop with Grant Watson

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 | 7–9 p.m.

Backyard Chickens 101 workshop with Duncan Martin

Sunday, February 6, 2011 | 1:30–4:30pm

Food Crops: Selection and Care workshop with Grant Watson

Tuesday, February 8, 2011 | 7–9 p.m.

How to Create a Village in a City dialogue with Ross Moster

Sunday, February 20, 2011 | 1:30–4:30 p.m.

Food Crops: Selection and Care workshop with Grant Watson

Sunday, February 27, 2011 | 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Seed Saving in the City workshops with Robin Wheeler and other BC Seedswomen

With beginning and advanced options.

Sunday, March 6, 2011 | 1:30–4:30 p.m.

Soil Fertility and Plant Health Management workshop with Grant Watson

Saturday, March 19, 2011 | 9–11:30 a.m.

Gardening for the Faint of Heart with Robin Wheeler

A great introductory course for those who are seeking to learn the basics of food growing.

Saturday, March 19, 2011 | 12:30–3:30 p.m.

Intensive Urban Microfarming workshop with Robin Wheeler

Learn strategies to maximize harvest in your urban garden.

Sunday, March 27, 2011 | 1:30–4:30 p.m.

Soil Fertility and Plant Health Management with Grant Watson

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 | 7–9 p.m.

Backyard Chickens 101 workshop with Duncan Martin