Grow - Cook - Share & Relish Newsletter
Volume 3 No.2
Recruiting Your Garden to
Tackle Climate Change
This year’s gardening season offers all of us a great opportunity to tackle Climate Change, speaking up for our concern for the well-being of our planet and growing better. As you go about caring for your soil, consider these key steps:
Updates from our Growing Leaders
Intergenerational Garden
Maple Ridge, BC
The Intergenerational Garden is an outdoor classroom initiative that brings together school-age children, seniors and the wider community to grow, learn and build relationships. The idea for the garden came from local seniors who were looking for meaningful volunteer opportunities to share their knowledge and experience and connect with younger generations. The Garden Coordinator and senior volunteers spend time with the students planting, watering, teaching about the value of growing your own food and sustainability. Gardening knowledge is passed down from seniors to younger generations so the experience and expertise are not lost in our community. The Intergenerational Garden is operated by the local seniors planning table, the Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and Katzie, Seniors Network in partnership with the City of Maple Ridge and School District 42. Students from Eric Langton Elementary and St. Patrick's Elementary have been participating in programming at the Garden since it opened in 2013. A variety of other community groups also visit and participate in programming at the garden including residents of retirement homes, clients of Ridge Meadows Association for Community Living, students from a local homeschool group and clients of Immigrant Services Society of BC.
We are experiencing periods of high heat in BC which is keeping us busy with watering and presenting some challenges for the plants. The tomatoes and the flowers are loving the heat though so there is always a positive side.
It was a fantastic learning experience for all.
Marg is showing a plant that has bolted.
Intergenerational Garden
First Nations elder, Lori Snyder talking with some of the garden volunteers about which plants are native to this area and how they were used by indigenous people.
The Community Connections Food Bank Keeps on Growing!
The Community Connections Food Bank in Revelstoke, BC has managed a garden that grows specifically for food bank clients for the past five years. This garden was on donated land and we utilized a small contract to pay our gardener for his time and skills. The garden grew a variety of vegetables and berries, with harvests arriving at the food bank doorstep weekly for distribution.
In the last year our food bank has moved into it’s ‘forever home’, with the redevelopment of an old heritage building in downtown Revelstoke. The food bank now boasts a beautiful and bright distribution area, with a well-equipped warehouse with walk in refrigeration and pallet storage. The food bank is accessed through a covered walk way in our side yard. This side yard is the site of our soon to be ‘forever garden’!
With the help of several funders through granting programs we will develop a beautiful growing and gathering space. The space will house a garden shed, greenhouse, rain water capture, and a variety of garden beds. Mixed into the space will be an outdoor kitchen and dining area. The purpose of this garden and gathering space is to not only demonstrate sustainable growing techniques, but to also be able to turn those foods into delicious meals and share them with our clients and community.
Melissa Hemphill
JULIENNE
ROOT VEGETABLES
Ingredients
● 5 carrots
● 1 tablespoon olive oil
● 2 large parsnips
● 2 stalks of celery
● Water
● 1 red onion, finely chopped
● 30g butter
● 20g flour
● 5 ml wine vinegar
● 2 tablespoons of lime juice
● 10 ml old style Dijon mustard
Directions
1. Peel and julienne the vegetables. Cook them in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes until
they are tender.
2. Keep the vegetables hot and save the cooking liquid.
3. Melt the butter and sauté the onions until soft for about 5 minutes. Add the flour to
create a roux.
4. Mix 170 ml of cooking liquid, salt and pepper into the roux and add the vinegar
while mixing, then add the vegetables.
5. Add the mustard just before serving.
Menon, La cuisinière bourgeoise, 1772
Recipes (chateauramezay.qc.ca)
Each year, The Compost Council of Canada creates a poster message to support
International Compost Awareness Week.
This image was our poster for 2007.
As part of your garden this year, plant and grow an extra row of your favourite veggies and donate the harvest to your local food bank. Help us help all those in need. www.growarow.org
