Greenhouse Annual Summary 2013 by Barry New
For the spring of 2014 we will begin on Saturday, March 1st, which isn’t all that far away. Everything grew really well last year and we harvested many varieties of tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers and more. Cantaloupes worked very well too. Last year we tried early carrots, pakchoi and peas before the main summer crops; something we should try again. We also grew artichokes at the greenhouse for planting at the Garlic Co-op site.
The Greenhouse Group had good participation with new members joining throughout the season.
Last year we started with a get-together to share seeds and discuss what we would want to grow which is something we will do again. After that we could start our first seed trays. No-one has to commit for the full year because our aim is about participation at any level of experience.
The cleared beds in the Greenhouse have been planted in rye and clover cover crop for the winter. Last year’s harvest went really well and we should be very proud how 2013 turned out.
Are you interested in eating more local food and cooking with wild ingredients? Come spring, stinging nettles are among the first edible plants to burst from the ground in the Pacific Northwest. In an intimate setting just an hour’s ferry ride from the mainland, join us for a fun celebration of local wild abundance on beautiful Galiano Island April 12th and 13th, 2014, and learn all about nettles—their health and nutritional properties, how to harvest them, and how to cook and preserve them.
Foraging for food has never been more popular, and come spring, stinging nettles are among the first edible plants to burst from the ground in the Pacific Northwest. Join Cedana in learning how to create nettle products so you can enjoy the benefits of this healthy-giving wild plant all year round.
“One of the first real signs of spring, and one of my favourite wild foods, are the new nettle shoots that start poking out of the ground early in the spring. At a time when we’ve been living on frozen veggies, or cabbage and root vegetables, fresh greens are a welcome sight. Plus nettles are actually good for us! Nettles are extremely rich in vital nutrients, including vitamin D, which is rare in plants; vitamins C and A; and minerals, including iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.” -Dora Fitzgerald
Ever since childhood, the concept of plants as healers has captivated Dora Fitzgerald. Dora has been a Galiano resident for 24 years and has focused her energies on learning about our native plants, and healing plants used in other cultures and locales as well. A self-taught herbalist, she has facilitated the Food Program’s monthly herbal collective for the last three years. Her goal is to deepen the connection we feel towards the natural world and understanding the role of plants in helping us to maintain our own well being.
Cedana Bourne is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and has completed the Wild Seed School of Herbal Studies intermediate program. She is a wild food medicine forager, a gardener, a baker, a brewer and a fermenter who has spent the last few years immersed in learning rural rhythms on Galiano Island. She has been working with the Galiano Food Program developing community food sustainability, and has had the delicious pleasure of growing and preserving much of her own food. Since completing her studies she has had the opportunity to study online with herbal teachers such as Sean Donaghue, and 7song. Cedana has trained and worked as a baker at Wild Fire Bread and Pastry in Victoria, True Grain Bread in Cowichan Bay, and Radha Yoga and Eatery in Vancouver. She has been teaching workshops on food and plant medicine for five years.
If I told you that there was a fantastically tasty, nutritious and absolutely free foodstuff growing probably meters, and certainly no more than five minutes’ walk, from where you now sit, would I pique your interest? If I said it was easy to cook and very versatile, might I be whetting your appetite? And if I mentioned that it beats both spinach and broccoli for vitamins and minerals and protein, would that seal the deal?
Renowned local food gardener Linda Gilkeson will be returning for a workshop on Saturday, March 29th, 10:00am-4:00pm at the South Hall.
This event is a great opportunity to get geared up for the start of the growing season, and get started on your seed shopping. The main hall will be full of tables from seed suppliers, nurseries, local farms, community organizations and other garden-related product vendors. There will also be local food vendors offering their wares. The main attraction is the seed exchange, where you can swap and share regionally-adapted seeds and help ensure genetic diversity. There will also be a roster of presentations from gardening experts. This year’s program includes workshops on pruning, soil health, seed saving, GE Free BC, and Salt Spring’s new Seed Library.