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David Thompson Market Garden In the Vancouver Courier

“For the volunteers who came out April 12 to prepare the garden beds at David Thompson secondary school, it was about supporting environmental causes in any way they could.

Volunteer Barbara Bradbury said there’s a huge need for individuals to help out. “The Vancouver Park Board doesn’t have enough money,” she said. “They can’t hire enough people to do it and it’s labour intensive.”

Bradbury said she’s always been gardening. Growing up on a farm in Mill Bay, she has witnessed changes in the climate and ecosystem and believes the Earth needs as much support as it can get. “The natural environment is declining from all the [industrial, commercial and residential] development,” she said.

The David Thompson garden beds are a two-year-old initiative between Fresh Roots and the Vancouver School Board in a push for fresher produce in the cafeteria and food literacy skills in the students. Beside the gardens are an outdoor classroom with logs positioned around a chalkboard like an amphitheatre and a group of green picnic tables underneath shady trees.”

For the volunteers who came out April 12 to prepare the garden beds at David Thompson secondary school, it was about supporting environmental causes in any way they could. Volunteer Barbara Bradbury said there’s a huge need for individuals to help out. “The Vancouver Park Board doesn’t have enough money,” she said. “They can’t hire enough people to do it and it’s labour intensive.” Bradbury said she’s always been gardening. Growing up on a farm in Mill Bay, she has witnessed changes in the climate and ecosystem and believes the Earth needs as much support as it can get. “The natural environment is declining from all the [industrial, commercial and residential] development,” she said. The David Thompson garden beds are a two-year-old initiative between Fresh Roots and the Vancouver School Board in a push for fresher produce in the cafeteria and food literacy skills in the students. Beside the gardens are an outdoor classroom with logs positioned around a chalkboard like an amphitheatre and a group of green picnic tables underneath shady trees. – See more at: Read the Full Article Here.

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Farm to School Canada: Farming School Grounds

“Something shifted in 2010.  Two cities that had been overcoming barriers to school gardens and getting local foods in classrooms now found themselves starting farms on school grounds. These farms added one more educational and food production tool to the complicated puzzle of Farm to School.”

“Some wondered if school farms would be a viable economic model and wondered whether they would resolve the distribution challenges of buying from local farmers. Others were curious to see if the farms would more readily engage youth and school staff in their food system. As these schoolyard farms grow, the clearest successes have been in hands on education and leadership skill development. They have also succeeded in freeing up school staff to focus on teaching and student support rather than garden maintenance…”

Read the Full Article Here

 

 

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SOYL Summer Internship

Grow Food! Cook! Get to know your city! Build your Resume! Have plenty of fun!

SOYL: Sustainable Opportunities for Youth Leadership is looking for interns for its summer 2015 session! Over the course of the internship, you will build, manage, and advocate for school gardens. Through garden-based learning you will gain knowledge about the environment, community engagement, as well as gain a greater understanding of food production, preparation, and preservation.

SOYL partners with schools across Vancouver to offer students this great opportunity for personal growth and to be leaders in their community.

Eligibility

The internship program is open to all Vancouver youth entering grades 8 through 12 in the 2015-2016 school year. Open to students from across Vancouver. Private School students are welcome to apply.

Schedule and Location

The 2015 Summer Internship runs from July 6th until August 14th. Interns work 5.5 hours each day, three days a week. Locations vary between the different participating schools.

The UBC website offers more details about the program.

Check it out and learn more here

Contact Information

Stacy Friedman, the Program Manager can be contacted at stacy.friedman@ubc.ca for more information.

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Train the Trainer for Youth Workers!

Are you ready for the summer?
Do you want a food and garden engaged out trip for your day camp or summer group?

We are partnering with Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House to host a “one of a kind” workshop specifically for youth and child care workers to bring your groups to the schoolyard farms!

Join us and explore programmatic connections to keep you excited about garden-based activities through the summertime and rainy months. Learn to build fertile soil, manage compost, prep, sow, harvest, and enjoy eating from a year-round food garden.

Our two schoolyard farms at Vancouver Technical Secondary and David Thompson Secondary will be available for those who take the workshop to bring their groups to throughout the summer, enabling outdoor experiential learning and contributing to Good Food for All!

This workshop is open to youth workers, support workers, and summer day camp program coordinators.

Please help spread the word so we can make your summer programming out trips fun and full of learning about growing and eating local, delicious food!

When: June 17, 9am – 12:30pm
Price: $30
Where: Vancouver Technical Secondary Schoolyard Farm
(2600 E Broadway, Slocan side beside the tennis courts)
Lunch Included!

Sign up for this event here!

If you have any questions please contact molina@froghollow.bc.ca

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Get Outside and Grow with Fresh Roots!

Spring is here in full swing and the gardens are bursting with new growth, meaning volunteer season is back! 

Are you looking to take your first steps into the world of urban farming or support schoolyard-grown produce? Do you want to learn how to grow your own food, or share your existing knowledge with our farms? Whatever the case may be, we’d love to have you join our weekly drop-in Garden Helpers crew!

These shifts are a farm-tastic way to have fun, learn new skills and help grow your community. Check out this recent article in the Vancouver Courier to learn more about why people choose to volunteer with Fresh Roots.

Be sure to visit our volunteer page to learn more about all the various ways you can get involved with Fresh Roots- and then be sure to sign up to attend an orientation! You can always email volunteer@freshroots.ca if you have any questions about the volunteer program.

We look forward to growing and learning with you at the farms soon!