The funky offspring of the Galiano Club, the Food Program began in 2008.
The Galiano Community Food Program strives to ensure that Galiano Island is a thriving, livable, food-secure community, where every resident feels included, welcome and empowered to build a deeper connection with their food system. In so doing, the Program improves Galiano’s ecological sustainability and community resilience in the face of climate change and uncertainty. The program seeks to set an example that reaches beyond our local community and spreads across the country.
Food Program Blog
Food Bank Donations
If you wish to make a financial contribution to the Food Bank you can do that in a few different ways:
E-transfer to galianoclub@gmail.com, note ‘food bank’
Mail a cheque to the Galiano Club, note ‘food bank’ to 141 Sturdies Bay Rd. You can also drop it in the charger donation box on the outside wall.
Online via Canada Helps at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-galiano-club/ (select the ‘Food Bank’ fund)
Contributions of food can be left in the Food Bank Box at Daystar or the Community Hall. (Please check that your donation is not past its best before date.)
Beginner’s Jam
Making jam can be daunting if you’ve never tried it. But there are different methods, and some are very easy. In this class we will be using commercial pectin and the only skills needed are the ability to measure a few cups of fruit, and the ability to time a boil—skills everyone has. That’s it. No thermometers, no wrinkle tests. Using commercial pectin also gives you the freedom to use honey or skip the sugar all together—things not possible with traditional long boil jams.
15th Annual Nettlefest 2022 – April 1st-3rd
Wild Kitchen – Cooking Class – 5:00pm on Friday April 1st
Learn how to make a variety of delicious nettle dishes so that you can take advantage of all of nettle’s incredible health benefits. This hands-on class includes cooking demonstrations and is suitable for all levels of cooking skills. We will create a delicious meal to share around a communal table at the end of the evening. Cost $25/person – RSVP to register.
Forest Foraging Walk – 10:30am Saturday April 2nd
With Sustainable Food Systems Coordinator Cedana Bourne from the Galiano Conservancy Association, $10-$20.
Meet at the Mistletoe Trailhead at the end of Georgia View Rd. RSVP by email.
Communal Nettle Harvesting – Saturday 10:00am
Morgan Road – Learn how to gather nettles, and take some home for your personal use. (Plus help gather all the nettles we need for the community dinner.)
Community Kitchen – Sat April 2nd – 1:00pm
Volunteers needed to start preparing the Nettlefest Dinner.
Nettlefest Community Gathering – Sunday April 3rd
Community Hall – Doors open at 5:00.
Volunteers Needed. Musicians Needed.
More details to come……
Current health regulations mean that attendees will need to show vaccine passports and ID for admission.
Meet Your Maker 2022 Report
In 2021, the Galiano Community Food Program hosted our first Meet Your Maker event, which was held virtually. The most important theme to come out of the event was the desire for improved cooperation and communication, and so in support of that goal, in January of 2022, the Food Program hosted a 2nd annual Meet Your Maker, with a modified format: this time a series of events aimed at connecting Galiano growers with each other and with restaurants and grocery stores. There were three parts over two days:
Part 1 Growers Collaboration Wednesday Feb 2, 2022 1:00, Zoom Part 2 Presentations for Growers Wednesday Feb 2, 2022 2:00, Zoom Part 3 Tradeshow Meet & Greet Wednesday, Feb 14, 2-22, 3-5, South Hall
Below is detailed information about each event, feedback, and next steps. Use the arrows at the bottom of the document to browse through the report.
Download Report [PDF, 1.8Mb]
A Wider Lens: SGI Food Resilience
This report for the CRD’s Community Economic Sustainability Commission reviews two recent local GCFP projects through a regional lens, and identifies which issues raised on Galiano might resonate on other Southern Gulf Islands, and also which might best lend themselves to being addressed at a regional level. The first project was a pair of surveys of Galiano growers and restaurants and grocery stores to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on Galiano’s food system. The second project was an event that was organized to address some of the needs that were identified via the Covid Impact surveys, called Meet Your Maker, which was an opportunity for Galiano farmers, fishers, foragers, markets, restaurants and grocery stores to come together, make connections, discover opportunities and find new partners. The report then makes recommendations for ways to apply what was learned throughout the region.
Meet Your Maker 2021
The Meet Your Maker event was held in January of 2021. It was an opportunity for Galiano farmers, fishers, foragers, markets, restaurants and grocery stores to come together, make connections, discover opportunities and find new partners. In attendance were 15 growers, 3 grocers, 3 farmers’ market reps and 9 restaurateurs. This report shares the outline of the event, gives an overview and highlights key takeaways, including next steps to address some of the issues raised.
Upcoming Food Program Events
