Classes and Events

Chicken and Egg Dance - February 13, 6-11pm
THIS SATURDAY! GET YOUR TICKETS AT THE WINTER MARKET.
A perennial-favourite family event that benefits local food organizations returns this year on February 13. The BC Association for Regenerative Agriculture (BCARA), FarmFolk/CityFolk and Vancouver Farmers Markets join forces to raise money to further their work promoting and supporting local food production.

Half a dozen reasons to get your tickets:
1. Live music and calling by the Sybaritic String Band and Marian Rose.
2. Family fun - no alcohol
3. Fabulous farm friendly fare food at affordable prices.
4. Awesome silent auction.
5. Great door prizes.
6. Support local folks working to promote local food.

Saturday, February 13, 2010 6-11pm
Capri Hall, 3925 Fraser Street @ King Edward in Vancouver
Adults: $12, Kids (6-12 yrs) $6, Kids 5 and under – Free

Family Fun – no alcohol.  Dance to the Sybaritic String Band.
Farm-friendly snacks for sale. Kids activities too.

Tickets are available in advance at Vancouver Winter Farmers Markets (February 13) through the Vancouver Farmers Markets office and online at www.eatlocal.org  Tickets also available at the door.  Cash & Debit accepted.

Congratulations to Market Member Linda Karpowich who won our draw for a family pack of tickets to the dance by answering the question: What is your favourite thing to shop for at the Winter Market?
Linda said she enjoys shopping at the market after her son's hockey practice - they get a crepe from LaBoheme and she likes to buy local wild-caught seafood and homemade jams and preserves. Thanks for your support Linda and enjoy the dance!

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Gardening Workshops with Grant Watson February 13 & February 28
This winter/spring Grant is presenting three different workshops. Grant is a former organic farmer and has been teaching gardening to adults and children since 2003. He also operates an edible landscaping business.
Cost for all courses: suggested $35 donation, pay what you can.
To register contact Ross: rmoster@flash.net

For more details go to www.villagevancouver.ca or www.gourmetgardens.ca, or contact grant@gourmetgardens.ca

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The Inaugural Welch Community Dialogue presents GROWING OUT OF HUNGER
featuring Will Allen, CEO, Growing Power Community Food Centre, Milwaukee & Chicago

Find out how this former professional basketball player, corporate sales executive and urban farmer is feeding 10,000 people and starting a community food revolution out of his inner-city farms in Milwaukee and Chicago. Winner of the $500,000 MacArthur Fellowship in 2008, Will Allen is transforming the cultivation, production, and delivery of healthy foods to underserved urban populations http://www.growingpower.org/blog/

Thursday, March 25, 7-9pm
Croatian Cultural Centre
3250 Commercial Drive (and 14th)
Vancouver, BC
(Transit: Take the #20 Victoria bus from the Commercial/Broadway skytrain station)

This event is free, however pre-registration is required
Click here to RSVP

Stay tuned for more information on this event as it becomes available at http://www.sfu.ca/dialogue/study+practice/welch+dialogue.html

In partnership with the Real Estate Foundation of BC and SFU Centre for Dialogue (Planning Cities as if Food Matters) Sponsored by the Lis and Bruce Welch Community Award

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2010 COABC WINTER SEMINAR SERIES

This winter Certified Organic Association of BC's Extension Services is offering webinars that will be of interest to livestock producers and bee enthusiasts. Pull a chair up to your computer, pour a coffee and enjoy these informative one hour webinars. You will see a livestreaming video of the presenter, view his/her PowerPoint and have an opportunity to ask questions of the presenter.

February 17 – What Happens When the Honeybees Disappear?– 10:00 am (PST) – with Ted Leischner
Colony collapse disorder of bees is a serious and alarming trend that is threatening the livelihood of farmers worldwide. To put the situation into context, Ted Leischner, corresponding CANPOLIN member and conservation volunteer, will discuss what is killing our bees as well as the immediate grassroots actions that farmers can take to assure pollination services, food security and ecological health. There is much that can be done that is quick, convenient and economically feasible but, it will require a shift in perspective. Ted will share his insights on how we can employ the 400 species of native bees that are exquisitely adapted to living here and operate as a complete pollination guild for our ecosystem.

For further information and registration information see http://www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca/infonews/events.php
The fee for each seminar is $20.00 (incl. GST), student/apprentice rate $10.50 (incl. GST). The deadline for registration is midnight, of the Monday before each seminar.

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Classes offered by Grandview Woodlands Food Connection
Cooking with Care
Join seasoned chef Cari Lyn Reid and food security organizer Ian Marcuse for a four part series of DIY Food Preparation Workshops. These workshops are open to all and no experience is necessary. Cost is $15 per workshop ($12 for Sauerkraut workshop), sign up for as many as you like (subsidies available). Supplies are included.

Sauerkraut Fermentation: We will learn how to make your own tasty and nutritional sauerkraut. This workshop is open to all and no experience is necessary.
Monday, Feb. 15, 6:30 - 9:30pm
Pre-Teen Centre
$12
Info: Ian @ 604-718-5895 or Registration

Opportunities - Volunteer and Otherwise

We're always looking for great people to join us!
Interested in Volunteering with us? Check out our volunteer blog and see what sort of fun things are volunteer team is up to. Volunteers allow us to do more community outreach, add value to the market experience for shoppers and assist with promotions and market growth. We welcome volunteers from all walks of life, experience and age. Contact Danno, our Volunteer Co-ordinator if you're interested in joining our team.

Lower Mainland Feast of Fields Coordinator
CONTRACT DATES: April 1, 2010 to September 30, 2010
LOCATION: Vancouver, British Columbia
EMPLOYER: FarmFolk/CityFolk Society
CLOSING DATE: February 19, 2010 at 5:00pm

FarmFolk/CityFolk Society (FF/CF) is an established non-profit charitable organization that works province wide with farm and city to cultivate a sustainable food system for British Columbia. FF/CF is seeking a dynamic individual to fill the position of Lower Mainland Feast of Fields Coordinator, A position that requires knowledge of our local restaurant scene and some knowledge of our sustainable food and farming issues.

Reporting to the Project Manager, the successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating our Lower Mainland Feast of Fields fundraising event (this year will be our 16th Lower Mainland Feast). This is a contract position from April 1, 2010 until September 30, 2010. It is expected that time requirements are part-time throughout the contract with potential full-time work from approximately July 15th until the end of the event (August or September date TBD) with continued part-time work until wrap-up by the end of September. Should your coordination be successful, we would invite you to continue organizing the event annually.

For more details check out the FarmFolk/CityFolk website

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Red Fife Wheat by donation

Available in 2.5kg packages and 20kg sacks. Flour and berries by donation to support local farmers attending Terra Madre 2010. Email Joanne (infosfv@slowfoodvancouver.com) to arrange pick up dates.

The wheat was grown by Holly Peterson in Saskatchewan and milled by John at Anita’s Organic Flour Mill in Chilliwack. The flour and milling were donated to Slow Food for this project.
Let us know of your experience baking with the flour and share your recipes with us. We will post them on our site. All proceeds to be used to send a representative to Terra Madre in Italy in October. For further information visit: http://www.slowfoodvancouver.com/index.php/adopt-a-farmer/

Red Fife wheat is Canada's first Presidium because of its historic significance in the development of Canada's wheat sector and because of its exceptional flavour and near extinction status. It is also in The Ark of Taste which aims to rediscover, catalog, describe and publicize forgotten flavors. It is a metaphorical recipient of excellent gastronomic products that are threatened by industrial standardization, hygiene laws, the regulations of large-scale distribution and environmental damage. visit http://www.slowfoodfoundation.org/eng/arca/lista.lasso for further information.

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Watch This!

Where the Past Becomes the Future
A short video segment highlighting the resurgence of farmers markets in BC. Featuring the Main St Station Farmers Market among other local markets. VIDEO