to see our Summer 2013 Kitchen and Garden Schedule.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Friday, May 31, 2013
Upcoming Fathers Day Festivities - Reflecting Still Creek Community Garden Walk
Invite your family, friends, and neighbours out to a FREE family event! Learn more about Still Creek, which once flowed through many parts of the neighbourhood; Walk through the community gardens located nearby - Still Creek CG, Cheyenne Ave CG, and the Norquay Community Learning Orchard; Meet some of your neighbours who are part of Vancouver's Montagnard community as they perform their traditional gong music and dance; and participate in the Brunch Potluck - bring something to share with your fellow neighbours! Tree plantings, a seedling swap, kids craftmaking, bee demonstrations, and more!
Date: Sunday June 16th, 2013
Time: Starts at 10AM from the Slocan Park Field House (next to 29th Avenue SkyTrain)
Bring: Yourself, friends & family, a shareable potluck dish, and seedlings to swap!
Have questions? For more information, e-mail: stillcreekgardenwalk@gmail.com
Monday, May 6, 2013
Ochard Update - Entry 2: Invasive Plant Removal
Year in, year out, we battle the same old foes on the Orchard grounds: Invasive Weeds. We had a recent workshop run by our community gardener Matt, who also works with an environmental firm. Among the material handed out was this guide from the Greater Vancouver Invasive Plant Council.
Creeping buttercups have taken over large swaths of the Orchard land. They like shady, poorly drained areas and spread quickly through areas, both by expanding roots, by disturbed rhizomes - when fragments of the plant roots are broken apart - and from seed. Originally from Eurasia, these plants were introduced as ornamental groundcovers. However, their vigourous spreading habit often shades out other plants, is toxic to grazing animals, and they deplete the soil of potassium. Last fall, volunteers and I dug them out and planted clover seeds instead; the buttercup quickly re-established itself and smothered out the clover. This year, we've attentively dug out the stragglers as they've re-emerged, and planted it with a mix of wildflower, clover, and mustard seeds (which I got plenty from the local Indian grocer).
Morning Glory is another invasive that is even more problematic. It is a bindweed that has generates long, climbing vines around trees and taller plants and can smother them by depriving them of sunlight. Morning glory tends to grow in sandy It builds an extensive root system (albeit generally shallow) that can span meters upon meters, sending long, cable-like roots through entire sites. And improper weeding can make the situation worse - morning glory can regenerate from small pieces left in the soil.
One method we've used to control its growth on site is by laying cardboard and piling mulch on top. But year after year, it finds a way around and over the cardboard, sending roots through the decomposing mulch. So, aside from pulling out cables, we also just tear out the emerging vegetation, hopefully depriving the plant of sunlight (and food) without disturbing the soil too much. But I've got an experiment soon on the go: apparently, large pumpkins and squash plants can help shade out bindweed, so these are going in next week and staying over to fall. After the harvest, we will plant rye, as it is known to create allelopathic effects that discourages broadleaf plants, like morning glory, from establishing. So we'll see if this strategy works!
Burdock is an invasive plant that is also a food crop - its roots are harvested in Asian cuisine, and used to be popular in Europe. The plant has a very deep, soft tap root, grows stalks and leaves not unlike rhubarb, and can get as large as 3 meters tall. We had several last year that grew to about 4 feet. Hacking it down was no fun process - its seedpods have burrs that act like velcro and stuck to my clothing. I dragged them all over the house. I've dug them out at every opportunity this year, but they keep coming back. Their seeds remain viable for quite a long time. I think I'll try to eat the next one I dig up - that may be the best strategy to keeping it in check :p I'll let you know how it goes.
Creeping buttercups have taken over large swaths of the Orchard land. They like shady, poorly drained areas and spread quickly through areas, both by expanding roots, by disturbed rhizomes - when fragments of the plant roots are broken apart - and from seed. Originally from Eurasia, these plants were introduced as ornamental groundcovers. However, their vigourous spreading habit often shades out other plants, is toxic to grazing animals, and they deplete the soil of potassium. Last fall, volunteers and I dug them out and planted clover seeds instead; the buttercup quickly re-established itself and smothered out the clover. This year, we've attentively dug out the stragglers as they've re-emerged, and planted it with a mix of wildflower, clover, and mustard seeds (which I got plenty from the local Indian grocer).
 |
| Post-dig buttercups re-emerging. |
The idea is that these new plants will hold the soil in place, keep the nutrients active, and prevent the buttercup from coming back in full force. We've chosen plants that will be good companions to future fruit shrubs we will transplant into the area - clover (as with other peas) adds nitrogen to the soil, and the flowers from mustard will attract beneficial bugs while repelling pests. As they grow, we need to ensure they are well-watered, especially with the early heat-wave we're experiencing.
 |
| Dug-up Morning Glory Roots |
Morning Glory is another invasive that is even more problematic. It is a bindweed that has generates long, climbing vines around trees and taller plants and can smother them by depriving them of sunlight. Morning glory tends to grow in sandy It builds an extensive root system (albeit generally shallow) that can span meters upon meters, sending long, cable-like roots through entire sites. And improper weeding can make the situation worse - morning glory can regenerate from small pieces left in the soil.
One method we've used to control its growth on site is by laying cardboard and piling mulch on top. But year after year, it finds a way around and over the cardboard, sending roots through the decomposing mulch. So, aside from pulling out cables, we also just tear out the emerging vegetation, hopefully depriving the plant of sunlight (and food) without disturbing the soil too much. But I've got an experiment soon on the go: apparently, large pumpkins and squash plants can help shade out bindweed, so these are going in next week and staying over to fall. After the harvest, we will plant rye, as it is known to create allelopathic effects that discourages broadleaf plants, like morning glory, from establishing. So we'll see if this strategy works!
 |
| Burdock (and my thumb for scale) |
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Orchard Adventures: Entry #1
What are we going to do this year? The history of the site and our work can be found HERE. Since the focus in past years has been to: clean up the site, make it walkable and accessible, and plant fruit trees, our focus for this year is to plant perennials and cover crops that will:
 |
| My buddy Ryan, hanging out with the friendly Orchard cat |
1) Support existing fruit trees
2) Keep invasive plants and weeds down
3) Help build the soil for future plantings
The idea is that we begin the process of putting in microclimates that support the food-bearing plants we want to grow. This is going to be an experiment, adapting techniques and principles from permaculture , invasive species management, and repurposing resources available to us to achieve these goals.
Strawberry patch
Strawberry plants reclaimed from a neighbouring house undergoing demolition and abandoned community garden plots were transplanted into the space underneath the laurel tree last week. As we wait for the strawberries to establish in the area, we have to control the morning glory, blackberry, and creeping buttercup that keeps coming back, year after year. With any luck the strawberries will form the groundcover needed to shade out some of the less wanted plants.
Beans
After cleaning up the southern end of the garden of buttercup and crabgrass, we're now ready to plant some shade tolerant plants that will help build the soil in the Orchard. The area tends to get more saturated with rain water, and the shading from the fence keeps the area damp and cool. Bush beans may be great for that - they can fix nitrogen into the soil, and in the fall and winter, will be reintegrated into the soil as green manure
Fruit Tree Guilds!
With five fruit trees on site, we'll want to put in plants around them that support their growth and fruit production. Permaculture practitioners call this mutually-supportive system a guild. It's similar to companion planting, but with more plants that are incorporated in a systematic way. Borage, marigolds, chives, daffodils, rhubarb can all work together to keep unwanted weeds away and attract the pollinating and predatory bugs we want!
Wanna join me?
I'll be there most Sundays and Wednesdays through the summer. Drop by, bring some gloves, and let's garden!
April 28th
May 5th
May 12th
May 26th
June 2nd
June 9th
June 23rd
WEDNESDAYS (3PM - 5PM)
May 8th
May 15th
May 22nd
May 29th
June 5th
June 12th
June 19th
June 26th
May 22nd
May 29th
June 5th
June 12th
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June 26th
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Employment Opportunity
Position: Sous Chef
Hours of Work: Part Time to Full
Time
Salary: Competitive Wage + Staff
Benefits Package
More Info: potluckcatering.com and
potluckcatering.org
About Potluck
Potluck is an award winning and innovative Social Enterprise
operating in the heart of the Downtown Eastside and the caterer of choice for
hundreds of progressive corporate, non-profit and government clients across
Vancouver.
Opportunity
The Sous Chef position is a 100% hands on food production role that
also includes designated kitchen management responsibilities. Working with the
Chef and Executive Director, the Sous Chef is responsible for the day to day
execution of all aspects of Potluck’s busy food operations including corporate
catering, community meal programs and the café. The Sous Chef is responsible for
ensuring that all food operations are efficient, well organized, and meets food
safe standards. The successful candidate creates a positive and supportive
working environment, which includes individuals from all walks of life and
abilities.
Key Success Factors
Success in the role of Sous Chef will be achieved by:
·
Ensuring
Exceptional Catering Food Quality & Presentation Standards
·
Implementing and Maintaining Kitchen Management Best
Practices
·
Understanding the Social Enterprise Business Model
·
Creating a
Respectful & Inclusive Workplace Culture
·
Mentoring
all Staff, with or without barriers, and providing On the Job
Training
·
A Genuine
Interest in the wellbeing of the Downtown Eastside
Who you are: Required Qualifications
·
1 to 2
years senior kitchen experience in a high volume kitchen (catering kitchen
experience required)
- Understanding of Kitchen
Management and Systems Fundamentals (Food Costing, Receiving,
Inventory/Ordering, Preparation, Production, Presentation, Customer Service,
Commercial Kitchen Cleaning)
- Menu Development & Food
Purchasing/Costing experience
- Solid computer skills
including proficiency with Email, Internet, Microsoft Word and Excel
spreadsheets
- Excellent communication
skills with an ability to work with and mentor diverse staff including those
with multiple barriers
- A genuine interest in
community and sustainability issues, and especially the Downtown Eastside
community
Please email your Cover
Letter and Resume to: Chef Drew Borus
Only candidates invited for
an interview will be contacted.
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