Rooftop Garden Volunteer Team & Job Posting

Spring approaches and it's time to get the Rooftop Garden in motion for another bountiful year. Evening drop-in begins again next week and we'll be cleaning, weeding, and planting hardy peas.

Here are the dates for March and April. All dates are 5-7pm.

Wednesday March 2
Wednesday March 16
Wednesday March 30
Wednesday April 13
Wednesday April 27

From May to September we will meet every Wednesday evening as we did last year.

Please come by, and bring friends or family members who would like to learn a bit about gardening or share some of their skills with others.

Thanks and see you soon!

Trout Lake/Cedar Cottage Food Security Network (TLCC) Job Posting

Position Title: TLCC Coordinator
Reports to: TLCC Board of Directors
Term of Contract: Starts immediately until end of June 2011 with possibility of extension
Hourly Wage: $20.00/hr, 10 hrs/wk. Flexible schedules can be negotiated.

Deadline: Applications must be received by 4:30pm, March 8th 2011

Description of Position:

The TLCC Coordinator will oversee overall TLCC coordination and support related activities with the following goals:

Primarily responsible for actively pursuing & securing sustainable and ongoing funding for the TLCC activities

Support and maintain the existing pocket markets at Brant Villa and developing 1 new pocket market.

Regular distribution of relevant information to Network members. Coordinate and facilitate monthly TLCC Board meetings

Build community capacity to be involved in food security initiatives and increase awareness of available food security resources and networking opportunities.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Identify funding opportunities, develop grant proposals and create a "sustainability plan."

• Identify and sustain opportunities for capacity building and partnerships between community leaders and agencies which would help support the work of the TLCC over the long term.

• Maintain and develop an email distribution list and blog. Develop promotional materials for Network activities.

• Monitor program finances, maintain accurate financial records, and ensure responsible budget implementation.

• Collaborate with other food security networks in Vancouver to share resources and identify opportunities for strengthening working relationships.


Qualifications:

• Sound understanding of food security principles and the spectrum of food based programs in Vancouver

• Confident leadership experience with community development and capacity building approaches to project development.

• Experience with community work and committee based processes, particularly related to pocket markets or farmer’s markets

• Grant and funding report writing skills

• Strong communication and computer skills, organization and time-management
• Must have a valid Food Safe certificate or be willing to obtain one.
• Experience with volunteer supervision, recruitment and training

NOTE: this position requires use of your own vehicle and may require access to a home based workspace.

Applications will be accepted until 4:30pm, March 8th 2011.
Please submit your resume and cover letter to:
TLCC Food Security Board of Directors
Attn: Marlene Bell at spiritros [at] telus.net or Fax: 604-873-4402

Upcoming Events

Fermentation workshop - daikon kimchi and sauerkraut.


Hey Neighbours!

February and March are busy times for food growers in the Lower Mainland. It's time to lay down your soil amendments (such as manure, dolomite lime, or seaweed) and to get your peas and broad beans into the ground. Some crops like Asian greens, artichokes, fennel, and leeks can be started indoors in February. Next month you'll be able to direct plant garlic, Asian greens, kale, collards, radishes, and arugula. Yummmmy!

We start weekly Rooftop Garden drop-in on Wednesday evenings in March (5-7pm) and this year we have a very exciting (?) battle with rats and mice on our hands. Also yummy.

Here is a list of upcoming events and important dates. When registering for the pruning workshops, please send any questions you may have about fruit tree care so that our arborists can come prepared to answer you.


Pruning 101 workshop with David Tracey
Slocan Park
English with Chinese translation available
Tuesday February 22
9am

Pruning 101 workshop with Martin Anevich
Horley Street Small Space Orchard
2723 Horley St
Saturday February 26
11am

Planning the Horley Street Small Space Orchard
Location TBA
Thursday March 3
6:30pm

Berry Trail Restoration Planning
Collingwood Neighbourhood House
5288 Joyce St.
Tuesday March 8
6pm

Seed Sale and Swap
Renfrew Community Centre
2929 E. 22nd Ave.
Saturday March 12
10am-3pm

Renewal/Sign-up Deadline for Cheyenne Avenue Garden
March 15 2011
Please make arrangement for payment (cash preferred)
$10 for new gardeners, $5 for returning gardeners

Work Party and Orientation
[Required for all interested plot holders--choose Saturday or Sunday]
Cheyenne Avenue Community Garden
2755 Cheyenne Avenue
Saturday March 19
1pm-3pm

Work Party and Orientation
Cheyenne Avenue Community Garden
2755 Cheyenne Avenue
Sunday March 20
1pm-3pm

Work Party and Orientation
[Required for all interested plot holders--choose Saturday or Sunday]
Collingwood Community Garden
100m east of Joyce Skytrain Station Exit
Saturday March 26
1:30pm-3pm

Work Party and Orientation
Collingwood Community Garden
100m east of Joyce Skytrain Station Exit
Sunday March 27
1:30pm-3pm

RSVP for sessions you will be attending and please share this information with your friends and neighbours! Thanks and see you soon.

Bill C-474 and February Events

About 30 people, comprised of a few families and friends from an elementary school in Toronto, gave their time and skills to this project with the goal of informing Canadians of the growing prevalence of GMO's in Canada. Bill C-474 proposes to create a regulatory obstacle to any futher approval of GMO seeds for sale. MP's vote on Feb 9.

Watch their video here:

Gardening season is here again!

Gardening season fast approaches again. February is a good time to consider your planting possibilities (given your space, light, and soil conditions...as well as crop-rotation principles. More on that later) and to enrich the soil with garden amendments like manure and finished compost. You can also begin planting hardy cold weather crops like peas and broad beans.

The Food Security Institute is helping to connect our neighbours with food growing opportunities. These include our very own Rooftop, the Cheyenne Avenue Community Garden, Collingwood Community Garden, and Horley Street Small Space Orchard.

PosAbilities is planning a new community garden at 29th Avenue and Kaslo and they're looking for interested gardeners, and Windermere Secondary is in the very early planning stages of a community garden on their school grounds.

If you love gardening or want to learn more about growing your own food, there is no shortage of opportunities. To get involved with the posAbilities garden, contact Cintia. To learn more about the Windermere garden expansion, contact the organizers. To get more information on any of the other growing opportunities listed above, contact Stephanie.

February Schedule

Click on the schedule below to view a large version of the image.

Please note that the February 22nd workshop will be held in Slocan Park (at 29th Avenue Skytrain Station) next to the Field House in English and Chinese.

The February 26th workshop will be held at the Horley Street Small Space Orchard (2723 Horley Street) in English only.



Pre-registration for all events is required.

See you soon!