Summer Camps at the Orchard Garden

For three weeks this summer, the Orchard Garden is hosting the FUN Society's Summer Camps. they provide fun filled days for kids ages 6-16, and wanted to share their summer with us. Last week, we had our first group out, and played 20 Questions, where kids guessed which vegetable was taped to their back by asking friends for clues. They loved it - especially because they could eat the surprise veggie afterwards!

Next, we had a scavenger hunt throughout the garden, where campers looked for each plant in the garden, and tried their best to name each one. The sprinklers were one that day, so there was an added bonus when searching the greenery :) 

We had a great day, and are looking forward to the next batch of campers next week! Stay tuned.

Creating community through school gardening

I have spent the last week in the Orchard Garden working with a group of fellow teacher candidates from the UBC Faculty of Education to develop strategies for the implementation of school gardens in different school environments. We have also worked to maintain the Orchard Garden by weeding and working with compost, as well as harvesting food crops for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and for several celebration activities that have taken place in the Orchard Garden.

Student teachers prepare for the garden party: Week 2

Karine works in the herb garden

This week we worked at planning The Summer Celebration event that will be at the Orchard Garden on Tuesday, June 25 from 12-2pm. The difficulty we had in planning this event is that we are unsure about the number of people who will be visiting and/or the age range of the visitors. We therefore decided to go with activities that would be interesting for a wide range of ages and easy to adapt for various audiences. The plan is to have a tea table by our newly revamped herb garden where we will be serving both hot and iced teas made out of the herbs in the garden. We also planned an art table using materials from the garden, a food table where we will be serving food from the garden, a storytelling space under a special mulberry tree, and a bugs' life table at which we will be discussing the roles of bees and other bugs in the garden. Hopefully, we will have enough visitors to promote this really cool educational garden. 

Enhanced Practicum Take 2

Last week, the Orchard Garden welcomed our three elementary school teacher practicum students. They will be working with us for the next three weeks in workshops and hands-on garden work as part of learning about teaching in an informal setting. We are running workshops on many things, from local garden histories, to how to start a school garden. And of course, lots of digging in the dirt.

Workshop Series #4 - another success!

The Orchard Garden and friends rang in the New Year with the fourth Workshop Series on January 12th. By way of reminder, this Workshop Series is designed specifically for teachers-in-training, who want to learn how to include garden and outdoor spaces into their teaching, and importantly linking it to Prescribed Learning Outcomes (PLO). PLO's are the standardized milestones that teachers are required to cover and meet each year with their students. 

This month's theme was centred around designing school gardens, the challenges and rewards of maintaining school gardens, and tips for how set new ones up. Our hands-on activity was using permaculture principles, compasses, and rulers, to map out areas of sun and shade in the Orchard Garden. We practiced this so that anyone wanting to set up a new garden will know how to assess where the sunny and shady spots are, and plan accordingly. 

Participants working together to measure the angle of adjacent buildings.  

SFU SEEDS PDP Module visit to Musqueam and the UBC Orchard Garden

Last week, I took up a wonderful offer to accompany faculty member Mark Fettes and faculty associate Bill Hood and their SFU SEEDS teacher education group on a visit to Musqueam, and to bring the group on a visit to the UBC Orchard Garden. They later visited the Camosun Bog near Imperial Drive on the edge of campus.

 At Musqueam, Elder Larry Grant took time to tell us about the history of Musqueam and about his own experiences, with his typical generosity, kindness, candour and humour. Everyone in the group was at times both shocked and moved by these stories, and learned a great deal -- there were lots of questions. Elder Grant took us on a tour of the beautiful new Musqueam Cultural and Community Centre buildings, and at my request, we also saw the site of one of the Chinese market gardens at Musqueam, Hong Kong Farms, where Burnaby MLA Richard T. Lee's family farmed for many years.

Elder Grant commented that, although UBC is very closely affiliated with Musqueam, the SFU group was the first group of teacher candidates to request a visit and talk at Musqueam! I was astounded to hear this, and assured him that we would make that situation right as soon as possible. I had not known how to approach the Musqueam First Nation to organize such a visit (through correct protocols, etc.), but a simple phone call to the Band Office is enough to get things started.

The SFU group loved the Orchard Garden and were keen to get involved, especially since the Garden is now under imminent threat of being bulldozed as soon as a year from now if Campus and Community Planning goes ahead with building a 12-storey tower on the site without design consultation. There may be plans in the works for this PDP Module group to come back to the Orchard Garden to perform a drama piece about community gardens on our Arts in the Garden day April 6, 2013 -- watch this space for more details!

A Harvest Celebration!

On Tuesday October 2, we celebrated the harvest season in the Orchard Garden. It was a great day, filled with good food and good friends. We had music by Susan and Julia, some kolrabhi carving activities, an apple press squeezing fresh cider, and a wheat weaving workshop by Brian. A good time was had by all! Some visual highlights are below...

Think&EatGreen 2012 Summer Institute

 

On July 3-5 over 40 VSB classroom teachers gathered in The Orchard Garden to participate in the Think&EatGreen@School 2nd Annual Summer  Institute.  Think&EatGreen (http://thinkeatgreen.ca/) is a multi-organizational research project focused on implementing healthy food systems within the learning communities of the Vancouver School Board.  Part of this initiative includes inspiring and educating teachers on the multiple possibilities of using school gardens as outdoor classrooms as well as getting locally produced, organic food into cafeterias.

The Summer Institute included many workshops led by the faculties of UBC Land and Food Systems and Education, as well as other educational partners from the Environmental Youth Alliance, Vancouver Coastal Health, Farm to Cafeteria Canada, and public schools Tyee Elementary, Windermere Secondary, Sexsmith Elementary, and Vancouver Technical Secondary.

 

Workshop topics included: 

• Food production, preparation, consumption and composting
• Tool safety, use and maintenance
• Teaching science in the garden
• Watering and irrigation
• Connecting the food cycle to the curriculum
• Integrating local food into the kitchen, lunchroom and classroom

 

teachers learned how to harvest yukon gold potatoes!

  

Dr. Art Bomke demonstrated how to prepare a site for soil amendments and planting 

 

Alaina Thebault discussed the importance of pollinators and flowering plants in the school garden 

 

Eric Drewes demonstrated the necessary maintenance for compost production

So excited for this 5-year research project to build momentum and continue inspiring educators and administrators!  Hope you can join in the 3rd Annual Summer Institute next July!  For more info:  http://thinkeatgreen.ca/about/summary/ 

'Things with Wings': bees, art, and science event!

Things With Wings
 
Stop by the Liu Institute at UBC on July 27 for the opening night event of Charmaine Lurch's art installation, also featuring Nicky Grunfeld, our volunteer beekeeper and UBC Farm intern: 

Charmaine Lurch is a Toronto-based artist whose work integrates mixed media and recycled objects to maximize the potential of metal wiring as a powerful means of expression. In Things With Wings, she brings wild bees into the popular imagination through her larger than life wire sculptures, evoking the relative invisibility of wild bees and highlighting the tremendous role they play in sustaining our ecosystem.

Installation: July 28 to September 21, 2012
Gallery hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
OPENING NIGHT: July 27 2012, 6:00 pm
Join us for an evening highlighting bees and pollination through art, science, and community initiatives.

With researcher Amanda Van Haga, UBC Farm intern Nicky Grunfeld,
artist Mary Bennett, and poet Kevan Cameron.
Light refreshments to be served!
Liu Institute, The University of British Columbia, 6476 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver
For more info:  http://www.ligi.ubc.ca/LobbyGallery.htm

Alternative Practicum Closing Reflections for Alison

We learned so much from these past three weeks with Lauren & Alison's Alternative Practicum in The Orchard Garden.  We are grateful for their ongoing, thought-provoking reflections.  Here are some photos from their visits this week: 

Tupper Neighbourhood Greenway

Mural at Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School

Here is Alison's final reflection:

I’m having a hard time believing that the Orchard Garden practicum is coming to a close. As I’m typing these words, I realize that I would like this enhanced practicum to be extended by another week – which is not a common sentiment for most practicum students. Few teacher candidates receive the opportunity to explore educational practices of interest, as well as see how these practices are being implemented in various schools around the district. This enhanced practicum experience has helped reignite my hope for education growing beyond the traditional classroom setting.

I am so grateful to the many educators and students who welcomed us into their schools to share their knowledge and experiences. This week, we received a tour of the Tupper Neighbourhood Greenway, which is a collaborative project between Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School, Tupper students, the TINGA Community Group, and the City of Vancouver. The primary focus of the Greenway is to be a healing garden for students and community members after the loss of a Tupper student in 2003. The greenspace was designed to make school grounds and the community safer, and the partnership also provides the community opportunities for youth engagement and leadership activities, mentorship to the surrounding elementary schools, and events such as Community Planting Days.

Over the past three weeks, we’ve seen how various garden and greenspaces work as a connection point for community building. It’s a wonderful thing to witness, and so touching to have received invitations to become participating members in these school communities.  I am excited to continue to develop (and hopefully try out!) garden based curriculum, and I am also looking forward to working on other projects with The Orchard Garden throughout the summer – like our Pollination Workshop next Thursday!

Support the UBC Farm: Bee film screening!

 

SATURDAY, MAY 5
“Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?”- Film screening
10 am – 12:00 noon (doors 9:30am)
A beautiful, inspiring film that examines the alarming global decline of bees and the struggle of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers to find solutions. 

Any money raised will go to UBC Farm bee related projects.
Speakers and door prizes. Admission $10, students $6
Meeting Place: The Ridge Theatre, 3131 Arbutus St (at 16th Ave)

Alternative practicum in the garden

 Faculty of Education team:  Susan, Djamila, Lauren, Alison, Chessa & Julia

After completing a 10 week traditional teaching practicum  in an indoor classroom, B.Ed. students, Lauren & Alison, will be doing  their three week alternative practicum in The Orchard Garden.  Some students do their alternative practicum at museums, aquariums, botanical gardens, etc.  This is our pilot year of trying it at The Orchard Garden.  

Lauren & Alison will be spending two days a week doing hands-on garden work, learning some specifics as to how to design, plant and maintain a school garden.  They will also do weekly field trips to other learning gardens and spend two days a week on their research interests in their subject areas (Lauren- Art, Alison- English & Socials)- developing lesson plans and considering the complexities of garden pedagogy.  They will be contributing to this blog each Friday and providing us with valuable feedback on this pilot program so that we might continue to refine it for future years.  We look forward to the knowledge exchange and working with these intelligent and passionate women.

Think & Eat Green Summer Institute

50 teachers from the Vancouver School District gathered for the Think & Eat Green inaugural Summer Institute held in The Orchard Garden.  Over the past 3 days this group participated in multiple workshops on basic gardening skills as well as curriculum integration of garden-based learning.  With a focus on sustainability and food security, this conference was inspired by the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California and is unique to the city of Vancouver.  The response was overwhelmingly positive.

On the third day Veronica Gaylie led a workshop on Ecopoetry- the following poems were created spontaneously in the garden.

The heart of Fava --- Julia

I have seen your roots

nodes swollen, bloody

But now I stand, eye-to-eye

trying to understand, know,

love, become you

You, tall like me,

One amongst many

Staring down the length of

your thick, 4-sided stem

From our dizzying height

I nibble your brie-y leaves

faint fuzzy untouched

by the aphids to come

How to describe your

improbable flowers?

beckoning dark delights

gentle strokes  on

shimmering wings?

Between you, me, the bee

traversing transparent air

I bite, chew, swallow green juices

She sucks les jus des fleurs.

O Fava! – Susan 

Consider the bean, the fava

Flower like a white fly

With obscene purple-black heart

Perched in the crotch of branches

On that unnaturally squared-off stem.

Congregations of matte green leaves

Crowded into existence;

Backwash of a wispy green tendril

Ducktailing behind.

This is the Chicago of beans,

Brash, raucous, masculine, shoving

Firmly erect

Crowded

Unrefined

Weatherproof

Tough

The second city of the beans.

The Heart of Fava - Stephanie

Leaves are fabric smooth; a very well-dressed plant

Patter of little ladybug feet and oozing aphids...

The greens coat my tongue with fabulous oils

And the smell is just as rich – like stew

A lovely garden dinner was served for 70 people on Wednesday evening, complete with bouquets and produce from the garden.

Surely the first of many Summer Institutes to come- this year's was blessed with sunshine and an incredible community of educators.

UBC Farm

i'm a little embarrassed to say today was my first time out to the UBC Farm .  and i have to say, it is a treasure to behold.  at 60 acres, it is a rare gem to have a farm of this great intention & quality on a university campus.

i was especially inspired by the Learning Garden where the Intergenerational Landed Learning project, happens.  the Faculty of Ed. projects at The Orchard Garden can learn a lot from what they are doing at the farm.  they have beautiful structures and even a bread oven!

so inspiring to see they have 8 beehives as well as 2 cows and a number of chickens.  i loved hearing Andrew describe the fertilization techniques of the cows as they graze, leaving patties and then the chickens following after them, eating grubs, spreading cow manure and adding their own chicken manure.  

such an efficient way to farm- rotate the animals on the land to be planted:  natural pest management, organic fertilizer, and healthy food for the farm animals- genius!  that's nature in a nutshell.  we have so much to learn from the systems that return to the earth rather than relying on industrialized, mechanized ways.

thanks to Andrew Rushmere & Mark Bomford for the excellent tour!

learning from the master

Today Josh and I had the pleasure of meeting native plants expert, Frank Skelton and touring his 3(!) beautiful gardens.  Complete with suspenders, tool belt, and knee pads sewn into his Carhartts, Frank is a treasure not to be missed.  His extensive and intimate knowledge of plant biology and ecosystems is astounding, and his passion is infectious.  We are excited to accept his donation of a native clematis for our entry gate and look forward to continuing the conversation as we work towards enhancing our native flora and encouraging a diverse biotic community.
I would have taken a photo to mark the day, but I was too entranced by Frank's stories and anecdotes... :)

Field trip to Burnaby: Chinese Market Farms

Super fun field trip to Burnaby today to visit two Chinese Market Farms (growing Chinese and western vegetables):  Hop On Farms & Sun Tai Sang Farm.  Great to see living examples of what we are working to interpret in The Orchard Garden.

Our field trip culminated with an elaborate lunch of Dim Sum featuring chicken feet, turnip cakes, creamy custard buns, spicy tiger prawns, gai lan, bitter melon, and shrimp dumplings, just to name a few.

Seeds for the Chinese Market Garden

In preparation for our partnership with the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of B.C. and their Saltwater City for Youth Camp (potentially July 23 & August 17), our team is planting a Chinese Market Garden.  These veggies will be a living reminder of 1930's Chinese gardens in Vancouver.  My task (initially a bit daunting) was to find the somewhat obscure seeds, which were not available from the larger seed companies.

Luckily a trip to the Richmond supermarket, Yaohan, proved successful (along with an amazing lunch of Dim Sum), and we now have seeds for planting next week. They include greens such as:  Pok choy, leaf mustard, Siu Choy, and Gai Lan, as well as melons such as Jeet Gua & Foo Gua, and some really cool long beans, red amaranth, and Chinese chives.We will direct seed the greens and start the others in the greenhouse to be planted in mid-June.

Now to do some archival research and hopefully discover special growing techniques...

preparing the soil

I spent nearly the entire day in and around the garden- in the morning Chessa and I met with Pierre Walter who will be bringing his class out on 5/30, then a GRA meeting to discuss further planting designs for the potential Chinese Market Garden, and then the afternoon with Marc & Natasha getting our hands in the dirt.

Josh & Chessa had the brilliant idea of solving our desire for screening traffic, and our partnership with EYA (Environmental Youth Alliance) in planting 100 sq. ft. of wheat, by planting a tall stand of different varieties of wheat along the border of the parking lot.  For further information on this initiative see: EYA Lawns to Loaves

The soil is rather poor and very compacted in this area, but it only took the three of us about 2 hours to turn under the cover crop with shovels.  We will let that sit for a few days and seed wheat and sunflowers next week.

Lots of good work to be done, and still so much that needs to happen in the next few weeks...