Local Sustainable Food Growing Classes

As of June, 2015, Heartwood Folk School (the Gulf Islands Food Co-op host), had offered another series of 2014 and 2015 classes on local sustainable food growing!  This was thanks to support from the CRD (David Howe) and Vancity.

Saturday, June 13, 2015 (Community Hall)

10:30 am – Root Cellars & Build-Your-Own Food Dryers
11:00 am – Overview of Food Preservation Methods
1:00 pm – Food Fermenting & Canning & Demo Class


Saturday, January 17, 2015 (Community Hall)

11:00 am – Composting Basics (for homes & small growers)
1:00 pm – Soil Building (“Really Important Tiny Lives”)


Saturday, November 15, 2014 (Community Hall)

12:00 noon – “Your First Pender Food Garden – Handling Local Challenges”
2:00 pm – “Organic Food Growing – What’s Different & How to Succeed”

The Pender Island Newcomers and others have said that they would love some entry-level food growing classes, so Heartwood is now offering the above two to start with.  Each class is $5 payable at the door ($10 for both classes – please come a bit early to pay).  Children/youth with a parent, or adults on a tight budget, are welcome for free.  Please pre-register with Zorah Staar (250-629-3825)

The first class at 12:00 noon is “Your First Pender Food Garden – Handling Local Challenges”.  This is about starting to grow on an island with limited soil, water, and sun, but lots of deer, slugs, rodents, and different weather (for folks not originally from these islands).

The second class at 2:00 pm is “Organic Food Growing – What’s Different & How to Succeed.”  Two of our keen and knowledgeable teachers are Don Williams (“Dr. Don”) and Jon Meredith (“Dr. Bean”), of Pender Organic Community Garden fame.  Our third set of teachers are the amazing Kikuchi family, who practice Japanese natural food growing methods (see pictures below).

References:  See this class summary for beginner, organic, and other food growing references gathered to date.  Happy growing!