Richmond has it’s very own Seed Library!

The Food Security Soceity has started a Seed Library which will make its debut at Richmond’s Seedy Saturday on March 3rd. Erika has done a great job with this project, that was also her idea.

We have several beautiful boxes made to store seeds but we need to fill them. Please, take some time to sort through the seeds you have either bought or saved and donate your surplus. We also take donations for those flowers, fruits and vegetables that looked good on the package, but just didn’t work out in your yard.

If you have seeds to donate, Please contact Erika

Vancouver Community College

Continuing Studies Early Childhood Education Program

in partnership with

The Richmond Schoolyard Society

OFFERS

A NEW AND INNOVATIVE SERIES OF FOUR WORKSHOPS

As an early childhood educator are you interested in:

• The possibilities that intriguing, creative outdoor play provides for young children?
• Discussing ways to connect children with food they can grow?
• Play that supports a strong Image of the Child?
• Issues such as child obesity, nature deficit disorder, and caring for our planet?

IF SO, DON’T MISS THIS EXCITING OPPORTUNITY!

Join experienced outdoor educators Chef Ian Lai, and Early Childhood Educator Kate Dawson as they address these important issues in this series of FOUR experiential seasonal workshops. The workshops will be held on-site at the Terra Nova Rural Park Farm Centre, 2631 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC.

You will learn innovative and exciting approaches to gardening, art making, food preparation with local ingredients, and ways to increase children’s enjoyment and understanding of the natural world. These workshops will allow time to re-consider an environmental curriculum as it relates to culture, time and place, and that recognizes the values and beliefs held by early childhood educators, staff teams, and children and families. Bring your camera to record your experiences!

This unique professional development opportunity will be held at the beautiful Terra Nova Rural Park Farm Centre in Richmond.  As all the sessions will be held rain or shine, participants MUST be dressed comfortably and appropriately for the weather – boots are recommended.  Delicious, healthy snacks, lunch, and dinner are included and prepared by Chef Ian.  Please indicate food restrictions upon registration.

Cost: $125 per weekend. Sessions will be held on Friday evenings from 6– 9 pm and on Saturdays from 9-4pm. The spring session will be held on April 13/14, 2012. Attendance is limited, so apply early to ensure your space.

These workshops will take advantage of each season of the year, and will be offered in Spring (April 13/14), Summer (July 20/21), Fall (October 19/20) and Winter (January 18/19, 2013). Please register for each workshop separately in the semester in which it will be held. Watch the VCC website for details.

HOW TO REGISTER:

Children, Bees, Butterflies and Boots. Spring Workshop. CRN:20531

§       by telephone, at 604.443.8484 with your VISA or Mastercard

§       in person, at the Continuing Studies Office, 250 West Pender Street

For more information, please call 604.443.8428.

All sessions will be held at Terra Nova Rural Park Farm Centre at

2631 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC. Directions available

The conference is taking place in Terra Nova on March 9 and at Richmond City Hall on March 10th. Tickets are $100+

Another way that you can participate is to volunteer your time. If you are able to donate 3 hours of time, you can get in to the Meet & Greet on Friday night for free. If you can donate 6hrs+, you can also attend the conference on the 10th.

Here are the dates & duties for volunteering.

March 8th @  Terra Nova

• Set up Terra Nova Barn from 6-8pm (2-4 volunteers required)

March 9th @ Terra Nova

• Meet and greet conference registrants and to attend to the registration table (we need 2 people from 9 am – 3 pm).
• Drive the vans to drop off and pick up groups going on 3 different tours between 9 am and 3 pm (At least 2 drivers needed between 9am  and 3pm)
• Drive the van to pick up/drop off people at the hotel (at least 2 drivers needed, one providing support between 8 am and 3 pm and the other providing support between 2 pm and 9 pm).
• Meet and great guests in the evening and assist with foods (1-2 volunteers needed between 6 pm and 9 pm)
• Oversee/judge the young chef;s sizzle event (ie. orient the chefs in the kitchen, review the rules of the event,photograph and time their cooking, keep the public out of the kitchen (they can view from the doorways) and at the end of each cook off session (one runs between 9 am and Noon and the other runs between noon and 3 pm) assign points for timing, cleanliness, use of local ingredients in recipes, innovation of recipes.).
  We need at least one person to do this for the am team and one person for the pm team. (I can do the first orientation…and ian or yourself help with the other?)
• Provide tours of the farm during the day (One volunteer needed – 3 tours to be offered between 9 am and 3 pm)

March 10 @ City Hall

• Meet and greet guests and to attend to the registration table (we need at least 2 people from 8:00 am – noon)
• Take notes at tables (we need at least 6 people from 1030 – noon)
• Take photos of the event (1 person from 800 am – 430 pm)
• Assist with take down (2-3 people for 1 hour between 430 and 530 pm)

If you can volunteer, please send your name the date you can work & type of work you’d like to do to: coordinator@richmondfoodsecurity.org
Thanks everyone! Such an exciting conference coming to our own backyard

Richmond is home to a vibrant food security community, which includes food activists, young farmers, health workers, community developers, and citizenry of all walks of life. The Food Security Society consists of a network of organizations and individuals working towards a more resilient community.

The ideal candidate:

• Feels passionately about food issues in Richmond and has previous experience working within a grassroots organization through program/project development, research and outreach.
• Has proven ability to build bridges, create partnerships, and achieve consensus among diverse groups, stakeholders and organizations.

Desired qualifications:

• Post-secondary educational background in Urban Planning, Environmental Education, Agriculture or a related field including the interrelationship between food, health, agriculture, equity, economy, education, and sustainability
• Experience working in the food movement and using a food systems approach.
• Ability to work productively with a diverse groups of stakeholders, support them to reach consensus and find common ground.
• Experience working collectively with a team (including identifying and supervising volunteers), as well as the ability to work independently.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to develop communications materials and systems, projects, coalitions, events and programs.
• Technical skills required to operate, and manage and websites, newsletters and other information and communications management systems and platforms
• Experience and interest in grant writing
• Strong attention to detail
• Superior written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work flexible and irregular hours.
• A Professional designation (or eligibility in) Agriculture, Education, or Planning is preferred
• A good understanding of the Richmond community

Duties include:

• Coordinating monthly Action Committee Meetings
• Reporting to Vancouver Coast Health twice a year with work plans and budgets
• Overseeing the following public events: Seedy Saturday, Earth Day, World Food Day and ensure press releases, bookings, posters and registrations are managed.
• Working with the Admin Assistant to manage the City of Richmond’s Community Gardens
• Reporting to the Board of Directors at quarterly meetings
• Overseeing and expanding the Incubator Farmer Project
• Liaising with City of Richmond staff regarding food, farming & gardening issues
• Working with the Communications Coordinator on website, Facebook & Twitter updates
• Writing funding proposals as required
• Oversee Land and Food Systems (LFS) 350 students in their community projects based in Richmond
• Providing support to other community & municipal groups on food security issues
• Organizing workshops, guest speakers and movie screenings as required
• Maintaining a public presence for the Society in the local press and media
• Providing support for the newly-forming Good Food Box delivery into Richmond
• Developing community education programs related to food security, sustainability, and environmental policy relating to Richmond and environs

• If funding is approved, coordinate the Richmond Foodlands Assessment Project working with City of Richmond staff, Agricultural Advisory Committee members, and Ministry of Agriculture staff

This is a part-time, contract position, currently funded at $40,000 per year. If funding is approved for the Foodlands Assessment Project, the contract will be full-time at $60,000.

Please send a resume and cover letter to coordinator@richmondfoodsecurity.org

The application period ends on March 2nd, 2012. Interviews will take place March 12-14th, 2012. Only successful candidates will be contacted for an interview.

January 19, 2012

In Attendance: Arzeena Hamir, Erika Simms, Gretchen Frazer, Minoo Javadi, Debbie Brow, Anne Swann, Rani Wangsawidjaya, Karin Whittaker, Sue Burford, De Whalen, Alex Nixon, Deneanne Quamme,

1. Additions to agenda: CFUW report, Grow project, Sustainable contest, Report from De- San Francisco, Conference March 9/10

Update from Cherry Lane Farm from previous minutes- Arzeena contacted Vera and they were not concerned enough with the new development in the  area to fight it.

2. Stir it up Youth Group Update:  The program is run through Steveston Community centre to help at risk youth who have been identified in the school systems. They learn how to cook meals as well as get to take home left over food. The Community Centre will also be building a community garden to provide growing experience for the youth. Linda Robertson who runs the program has been unwell recently and is training Coleen Klassen help if she is ill or on vacation.  Grants and funding have been provided through Steveston Rotary and Gilmour United Dream Auction.

3. Earth Day Celebrations: Amnesty would like to partner with the RFSS for this event. Amnesty is holding a National AGM in Vancouver. Donations could be taken to help a student come to the AGM.

• Partner with Library – use lecture hall, library foyer, window box
• · A smaller scale event than WFD- around 6 tables
• · Preferable date would be April 21st
• · Promote good food box program
• · Farm to School

            Action: De to contact Leanne Smith at Richmond Public Library

4. Seedy Saturday: March 3, 2012

• Event at Terra Nova Barn with seed trading, seed bomb workshop for kids (taught by Arzeena), tables for vendors to sell seeds, fruit trees and other garden needs
• Vendors to pay $10 per table with donations given to Shenanigans youth project at Garrett Wellness Centre

Action: Gretchen to produce posters for event, Erika to contact vendors and general organization.

5. Good Food Box program: update
• Meeting with local organizations to get the program up and running
• Brighouse United will be the pick up depot
• Need 50 orders to start the program- Family services, healthiest babies. Aids society, and VCH programs.
• First order will be last Thursday in March
• Minoo may have volunteers to help with distribution but the plan for the first few months would be for all agencies to pick up grocery bags to take to their organizations.
• Produce is locally sourced when available. The basic bag is $8 per month and organic is available for $15 per month.

Action: Arzeena to check if there can be a mix of organic and regular within the 50 orders.

Arzeena to send poster and other information to Erika for general email list.

To contact Florence at Caring Place for more orders or another possible depot

Erika to email out poster and information sheet to general email list

6. New Website: smallfarmer.ca  – started by Arzeena and Chris Thoureau and organized by Gretchen. Has 320 resources on website for urban farming and gardening around the lower mainland. It is set up so that anyone can post new information to the website.

Foodsecurity.org is not owned by the society and we are running out of space  for posting more events and information. Capacity at 98%. We need more space and it would be cheaper to buy the domain than to buy more space.    Gretchen also bought rfss.ca for publications as the Richmond Food Security Society name is too long.

The event calendar is on our website, please email Gretchen any events that  need to be placed on the calendar.

Farm/local food guide to be updated this year. Contract for someone to revamp and update the listings on the brochure. Send out press release to City Farmer.

      Action: Erika to send out Gretchen’s email information to Action Group

Community Gardens: We have taken over the Richmond High Seniors plot  and will also be taking on some plots at Brighouse School when contract between City and School District is complete.

7. CFUW- University Women’s club has been working on tackling food security issues. These resolutions are on a National Food Policy- proper school food program, protecting agricultural land and protecting farmers. The policies  are being distributed to all CFUW clubs across Canada for amendments by May 1, 2012.

The resolutions will be taken to the national AGM in Victoria on June 22,   2012.

8. Grow Project is a program located at low income housing at General Currie and Alderwood. The program uses gardens for growing the food as well as cooking the food that is available in the gardens. The program provides tools and teaching. The funding comes through Metro Vancouver Housing.

There are many Challenges facing this program and Minoo would like some  feedback to work through some of these challenges. Many people in the low  income housing are not interested in starting the program and they would like to bring more people into the program.

Suggestions

• Contact Metro Vancouver Housing to get more people involved in program.
• Contact Blair House – Seniors Housing.
• Possibly run program on weekend days.
• Child minding needed – possible volunteer opportunity for high school   students needing volunteer hours
• Publish stories about program either online or in the newspaper- Minoo   has many pictures of gardens
• Great learning lessons for children, get more children involved.

Action: Arzeena and Minoo to meet to discuss further plans for program

9. Sustainability Contest: Karin Whittaker is asking for feedback on her sustainability contest that will be run in Richmond.

Suggestions:

• To add N/A on some of the questions.
• Add eating out- bring your own containers for leftovers
• Literacy may be a problem/suggest possible translation
• Get Chinese speaking volunteers- contact Table 38

Once questions have been edited- possibility to send in a mail out or use an  online forum. Karin would like to put together an event at the cultural centre in  the spring. It has been suggested to join the Earth Day Celebration to help get            the contest higher profile the event is planned on  April 21^st, 2012 at the  Richmond Cultural Centre.

Karin has also been in contact with Roselyn Poon at Richmond School District  for feedback.

10. Report on San Francisco from De- De recently went to San Francisco on a choir tour but had time to take a food tour of Little Italy. The tour was a walking tour and visited 8 different food venues from coffee to bakeries. Each place offered up samples and historical stories about the area. De is suggesting that we connect with Tourism Richmond (Ed and Tracy) to look at the possibility of food tours in Richmond.

11. Farm to Cafeteria Conference taking place in Richmond on March 9/10. This conference will connect local food to cafeteria with speakers from across Canada. The Keynote speaker’s subject is Pharm to Farm: Food as medicine.

Action: Arzeena to send link to Erika. Erika to send to email contact list  as well as sending out an information notice to Mayor, Councillors,   School Trustees and RDPA.

12.  Arzeena’s job posting: meeting with board on January 20^th, 2012. Job will be posted around February 1, 2012. The Real Estate Foundation has taken the grant application for $35,000 to the next level but is requesting a connection of funds from the City of Richmond and how much they can provide. The City will be able to provide $12,000 towards the salary of the new Coordinator. If the funding is provided from the Real Estate Foundation, it will be with a proviso that all food lands in Richmond are mapped.

Meeting adjourned 5pm- Next meeting February 16, 2012

Image courtesy News 1130

Metro Vancouver politicians are up in arms after Port Metro Vancouver CEO Robin Silvester told them more Agricultural Land Reserve farmland should be sacrificed to make way for more port expansion and the jobs that will bring.

Silvester made the presentation Thursday at a special strategy session of the Metro board in Chilliwack, where he described the ALR as emotionally but not economically important to the region and said more must be done to ensure land is available for industry.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said it’s clear Port Metro Vancouver wants to rework the ALR and press ahead with further industrialization of farmland.

“It puts us on a collision course,” Brodie said, noting his city is committed to preserving agricultural land. “We see things very much differently.”

Full article from the Richmond Review

For more information on Eating Together, see eatingtogether.ca.

A number of companies tout the supposed health benefits of their food products but the claims don’t resonate with nutrition and medical experts, a CBC Marketplace investigation has revealed.

Package labelling often promotes “all-natural” ingredients or the presence of valuable nutrients and minerals. Alternatively, companies often focus on the absence of preservatives and substances linked to serious illnesses and diseases.

Others suggest consumers will become smarter or healthier, including providing a nutritional or immunity boost, as a result of using the products.

Marketplace contacted a doctor who specializes in healthy eating, Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, to examine a number of claims found on the labelling of food products and created a Top 10 list of lousy labels, packaging that might have consumers shelling out cash for little or no benefit.

Local seeds, fruit trees, honey, bee supplies and more are on sale with plenty to trade and/or for free.

A free seed bomb making workshop for kids (young and old).

For table information, please contact us

Proceeds from table fees go to support the Shenanigans Youth Garden at Garratt Wellness Center

Some of the Vendors Include:

• Blessed Bee Farm
• Tatiana’s Tomatoes
• Kelpman
• The Mushroom Man

Bill Zylmans is a second generation Richmond farmer and owner of W & A Farms, one of the largest seed potato farms in western Canada. The Zylmans family has been farming in Richmond since they moved from Holland in 1948.

His farm stand, at the corner of Westminster Hwy & No. 8 Rd is one of the most succesful in Richmond. Apart from potatoes, Bill also sells strawberries, pumpkins and a whole variety of mixed vegetables.

Bill rents a large number of parcels from both private owners and the City and has extensive experience in approaching owners, getting a fair lease rate, and lease arrangements. He is a member of the Richmond Farmer’s Institute, Richmond Agricultural Advisory Committee, and Metro Vancouver’s Agricultural Advisory Committee

Join us of a discussion on what new farmers should keep in mind when looking for land. Please forward this to anyone you think may be interested.

Richmond News Article on Bill’s talk

Thursday, February 16, 2012 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Red Barn, Terra Nova Rural Park
2631 Westminster Hwy
Richmond