Seed Planting in February 2020: Contemplative Eco Poetry, Spring Starts & Crop Rotation

2nd Orchard Garden Workshop in 2020:

Seed Planting in February 2020: Contemplative Eco Poetry, Spring Starts & Crop Rotation






After many rainy days, spring is finally coming to Vancouver. In the morning of Feb 8, 2020,  the Orchard Garden Team gathered and set up the workshop. In the garden, we celebrated the spring and the pleasant feeling it brings us.












The first activity was Contemplative eco-poetry in the Orchard Garden led by Jo Price. Everyone was encouraged to spend some time with the great plants and the nature in the garden, and write down few words that the land speak to them. We gathered and shared these words.

We picked up some vegetables for today's lunch. It seems more plants are awake and alive. They can't wait for the spring!

We moved to the Greenhouse to learn with Audrey Valerio about crop rotation, pest prevention, nutrients, and fallow/cover crops etc.

We planted 8 kinds of plants (including: Black Watchman, Candytuft, Gypsophila, Artichoke, Thyme, Leeks, Saponaria, and Chives) that are suitable to grow in the early Spring, and Audrey said we will be seeing them germinate and grow in the next couple of weeks! Isn't that amazing?

We also met two new friends in the greenhouse. They are responsible to guard the greenhouse from mice. Do you see them there?

We went back to Scarfe, to make our lunch together.





We all love the Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup! Thank you all for preparing this delicious meal for us!

That's all for the wonderful workshop! We were happy to see everyone there.

Please bring your family and friends to come. We all have a nice and beautiful day :)

See you next time :)

Apple Wassailing in January 2020

Happy New Year Everyone! 

Welcome to Our first Orchard Garden Workshop in 2020! 

The theme of the day was School Learning Garden Basics & Wassailing the Apple Trees!



It was our first gathering in 2020, we had a warm and nice welcome to our new friends, and brainstormed in small groups, to discuss about why and how to teach in a school garden.

with our warm&tasty wassail bow made with ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and mulled apple juice.





We walked to the garden together to wassail apple trees and harvest fresh vegetables in our Orchard Garden... as you may see, there are plentiful variety out there! Can you name any of those?

Broccoli, Green Onion, Parsley, Garlic, Leek and more...

Brussel Sprout

The heavy snow in the beginning of 2020 seems didn't beat the spirits of the plants, a great majority of them survived. We had such great harvest! 

We learned about the UK Wassail traditions and sang wassail song.

Our wassail jolly wassail!
Joy come to our jolly wassail!
How well they may bloom, how well they bear,
So we may have apples next year!

We wassailing the apple trees and other fruit trees, we  laid slices of apples at the roots and 'howling' as performed the rite to "bless" the trees to produce a good crop in the forthcoming season.



We made Caldo Verde, the Portuguese Green Soup, Homemade Hummus, and Herbed Mushroom and many more! Everyone had a great time tasting and chatting! 

Spring is coming.

We wish everyone healthy, joyful and exuberant! 

Just like the rosemary we picked and water-planted, it has been continually growing its new branches and roots. Isn't that amazing?




It was such a wonderful day in the Orchard Garden, we wish everyone all the best in 2020! We will see you in our next workshop :)