Alison Colwell, Author at The Galiano Club

20 04, 2013

Garlic Co-op – Next Work Party – May 23rd, at 5pm

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T19:22:11-07:00April 20th, 2013|Categories: Food Program, Growing (Garlic Co-op, Greenhouse, Gleaning Project)|0 Comments

Sunday’s work party went very well – we weeded, made squash mounds, sprayed compost tea, and covered paths and borders with cardboard. The garlic looks great, the phacelia is doing well, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for the rye.

If any of you have our potted artichokes, now is the time to divide them and pot them up to a 4″ pot so they have room to breathe. You can start hardening them off and get them outside at this point. We’ll be planting them in June.

We have quite a bit to do in May: We’ll be harvesting scapes (yay!), as well as planting squash, making beds for the artichokes, and hopefully digging in the rye.

So, the next work party will be from 5:00pm-7:00pm on Thursday, May 23. Please come at whatever time works best for you and plan to stay for at least 90 minutes if you can.

As always, please bring any organic material you can contribute: seaweed, compost, nettle stalks, leaves, compost tea, ash, lime, manures, grass clippings, cardboard, newspaper, etc. are all welcome!

Next time you’re at GIRR, please say a big Thank You to Lisa, who has been personally delivering our great stash of cardboard to the site.

20 04, 2013

A Fresh Look at Food Security by Janice Oakley

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T19:20:04-07:00April 20th, 2013|Categories: Food Program|0 Comments

It is interesting how we are swept off of our feet with new ideas. We change perspective, get inspired and attempt to live our lives more in alignment with our belief. Keeping these ideas alive and fresh is when the challenge really begins. Take FOOD SECURITY and SUSTAINABILITY: These are concepts we have batted around for a few years now, yet when the store shelves are full, plus we are pressed for time with jobs, it is hard to sustain interest in these objectives.

Last month during an evaluation of Food Program projects, we explored these very topics anew. I was very inspired with the evolution and unfolding of these concepts and am hoping to re-inspire our commitments to our bodies and the Earth through more attention to our food.

The obvious directions of GROWING MORE FOOD on island as well as BUYING MORE FOOD FROM OUR REGION’S GROWERS continue to be paths we want to follow. HUNTING AND FORAGING have truly caught the interest of many lately. PRESERVING AND STORAGE of a good harvest is as important as growing it. Other ideas about food security expanded into NUTRITION (is what we are eating actually feeding us?), SHOPPING SKILLS (do we buy wisely—e.g. dry beans and lentils are relatively cheap considering how much goodness is in them; buying seasonal foods in bulk?), WASTE (do we inadvertently throw food out because of lack of planning and skills?), AWARENESS (do we actually notice what we are eating and why we eat what we do?), SUSTAINABILITY (was the food we are eating grown in a way that takes into account the surrounding environment and all its creatures, the people who work the fields, the quality of life of livestock; are we planting perennials as well as annuals?), ACCESS (does everyone in our family, on the island and on the Earth have access to healthy and wholesome food?), HABITS (do we sit down and celebrate each meal?), ATTITUDES (do we appreciate the effort that made to make this food, do we take it into our bodies with grati-tude?), THE GLOBAL PICTURE (what impact do our agricultural practices have on the Earth as a whole as well as on other populations?).

This idea of Food Security has really opened up a can of worms!!! It would seem that we have gotten off track in the last few decades, what with huge-scale production of poor quality food. In the past few years many of us have begun to reclaim some territory! Myself, I need to develop some skill around preserving and sharing what I grow, as well as bring more awareness to my eating habits. No pride, no shame! Just feeling good in body and mind and simply doing the best we can in our homes and community…one day at a time, one season at a time.

20 04, 2013

Garlic Co-op – Next Work Party – April 14, at 10:30am.

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T19:17:23-07:00April 20th, 2013|Categories: Food Program, Growing (Garlic Co-op, Greenhouse, Gleaning Project)|0 Comments

Our next work party is next Sunday, April 14, at 10:30am.

We’ll be spraying compost tea on our beds and making squash mounds. We’ll also be weeding, and if we have time we’ll be laying more cardboard and burlap and covering compost piles with corn tarps.

This month I have a little homework assignment —a very simple compost tea ‘recipe’ to try. It will only take a few minutes. This 4-minute David Suzuki video shows you how to do it (you can start watching at 1:09). The tea takes 5-7 days to brew and only lasts 1 week so you’ll want to start it sometime this week to have it ready in time for the work party. All you need is cheesecloth, a bucket, and some non-manure compost. I suggest you double the recipe – one for your garden and one for the garlic co-op!

Also, some good news about burlap: JJ Bean in Vancouver will give a dozen burlap sacks free to anyone who comes to their corporate office at 1904 Powell St. (enter from Victoria Dr.), 8:00-4:00, Mon-Fri. If you find yourself in Vancouver and able to pick some up, please do! Best to call ahead to make sure they have some on hand – 604.254.0161. Other coffee companies may well have some to spare too.

TO BRING:

a garden sprayer, if you have one, to spray the tea, or a watering can with a shower end
Any organic material you can contribute: seaweed, compost, nettle stalks, leaves, ash, lime, manures, grass clippings, newspaper, etc. and especially cardboard
your compost tea!
Pruners, rakes

[Please remember that cardboard should be large sheets with minimal ink and tape, and no staples. Please also note that ash should be clean – no processed wood products that contain formaldehyde and other toxic glues and preservatives. Thank you!]

20 03, 2013

Community Forest Workshop

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T19:14:34-07:00March 20th, 2013|Categories: Club Programs|0 Comments

COME JOIN US AT 9:30 MARCH 8TH AT THE END OF GEORGIA VIEW RD. (ENTRANCE TO THE COMMUNITY FOREST) TO HEAR WHAT HERB HAMMOND, KEITH ERICKSON AND OTHER LOCALS HAVE RECOMMENDED FOR IMPROVING THE FOREST AND REMOVING WOOD. REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE.

The Galiano Club is pleased to announce that from March 4th to 8th Herb Hammond, forester, ecologist, educator and Executive Director of the Silva Forest Foundation will be working with Keith Erickson of the Galiano Conservancy Association on a Galiano Club Community Forest project funded in part by Vancity. The goal of the project is to develop a plan for thinning and timber removal in a portion the Community Forest. The field work will culminate in a workshop Friday (March 8th) at the Community Forest. This will be of interest to local foresters, Galiano residents who walk the forest and Galiano residents in general. Come join us to see what Herb and Keith will be recommending for the next phase of work in the Forest. There will be refreshments on site.

The Silva Forest Foundation (SFF) has pioneered an ecosystem-based conservation planning approach that protects biological diversity and ecological processes, while assisting communities and individuals to implement ecologically responsible human uses and develop conservation-based economies. Herb Hammond has received many awards including the Canadian Environmental Award for his work.

“Managing Canadian forests to satisfy our need for wood while protecting ecosystems is the starting point in what Hammond hopes will be a long-term and sustainable solution. ‘You can plant a tree, but you can’t plant a forest.’” Herb Hammond

20 03, 2013

Introduction to Breadmaking with Dana Weber

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T19:04:52-07:00March 20th, 2013|Categories: Food Program, Workshops|0 Comments

Class on Sunday, April 7th from 11am till 5pm

We will be making a variety of loaves in both whole grain and lighter styles, using natural sourdough starters as well as commercial yeast. We’ll learn and practice techniques for fermenting, shaping and baking that will produce artisan quality breads. This is mostly a hands-on workshop, but while our breads are rising we’ll also have a chance to talk about the properties of basic bread ingredients—flour, water, salt and yeast—and how the baker makes them work together to produce a desired result. You can bring a 500g. yogurt-type container to take home some starter.

Cost of the course is $50 – $70 sliding scale. Please bring bread-friendly snacks.

You must RSVP to Alison if you want to attend. Email: galianofoodprograms@gmail.com

20 03, 2013

Nettlefest 2013

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T19:02:46-07:00March 20th, 2013|Categories: Food Program, Nettlefest|0 Comments

This years Nettlefest Potluck will be happening on March 30th at 5:30pm at the South Community Hall. This year we have a special request – please wear green to the dinner!!

Nettle Picking starts at 10:30am. Meet at the Community Hall with baskets, clippers and GLOVES to Carpool to the picking spot.

Kitchen starts at noon at the hall. Volunteers will be making Nettle Bread and soup together.

Potluck Dinner starts at 5:30pm.

Come sing your nettle song or read your spring poem ! Come get involved in this annual Galiano celebration of Spring!!!

Nettle Vendors are welcome to set up a table in the hall for the evening. Contact us if you’re interested.

20 03, 2013

Community Kitchen – Moroccan Cooking with Hugette

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T18:48:28-07:00March 20th, 2013|Categories: Food Program, Workshops|0 Comments

Come join Hugette, from La Berengerie, and learn how to make Couscous Royale, atraditional and richly-spiced North-African dish that is bursting with flavours.

We’ll be making the traditional version with various meats, plus a falafel version.

Cost is $15-$20 per person. Please bring containers to take food home.

RSVP if you want to come.

20 02, 2013

Community Greenhouse Spring Start Group – March 6th – 10am

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T18:58:12-07:00February 20th, 2013|Categories: Food Program, Growing (Garlic Co-op, Greenhouse, Gleaning Project)|0 Comments

Everyone is welcome to jump-start the Gardening year in the community greenhouse.

Soil making, seed planting, transplanting, knowledge sharing and general puttering in the warm greenhouse at the school are on the agenda. Ideas currently being explored involve: cuttings, propagation, and medicinals.

Activities for the next Saturday session will be planting early starts and soil testing for PH. Bring some of your own soil samples! Please bring seeds to swap, and any extra seed trays you have.

We are meeting on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10 am at the Greenhouse behind the School.

20 02, 2013

Garlic Co-op – Next Work Party

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T18:56:25-07:00February 20th, 2013|Categories: Food Program, Growing (Garlic Co-op, Greenhouse, Gleaning Project)|0 Comments

We’ll be sowing the fallow bed in rye and phacelia as cover crops. We’ll also be amending the soil, so please bring any organic material you can contribute: seaweed, compost, nettle stalks, leaves, compost tea, ash, lime, manures, grass clippings, cardboard, newspaper, etc. are all welcome!

[Please remember that cardboard should be large sheets with minimal ink and tape, and no staples. Please also note that ash should be clean – no processed wood products that contain formaldehyde and other toxic glues and preservatives.]

The Trading Post wasn’t able to give us any replacement tarps as they’ve changed the way they order and won’t have any to spare until at least the fall. Since the tarps break down in the summer sun anyway, and we’re getting near to the end of our wet season, I suggest we use cardboard to cover our piles until the fall and tarp then. As our tarps are NOT recyclable (I checked with GIRR) we’ll need to bag up any we remove.

If you have any questions at all, just give me a shout.

20 02, 2013

Nettles by Emma Luna Davis

By Alison Colwell|2018-05-20T18:53:18-07:00February 20th, 2013|Categories: Food Program, Nettlefest|0 Comments

The 6th Annual Galiano Nettlefest Community Potluck will take place on March 30th.

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a herbaceous flowering perennial, native to North America, Asia Europe, and northern Africa. The plant has long been used as a medicine and a vitamin-rich food source. It has a pleasant, grassy flavour, with a slightly metallic tang, similar to spinach. In spring, stinging nettle contains up to 25% protein, dry weight, which is high for a leafy green vegetable.

After soaking or heating to remove the sting, the leaves can be dried, puréed, or substituted for spinach in any recipe. Nettle soup is a common use of the plant in northern and eastern Europe.

The plant has hollow hairs on its leaves and stems which act like needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that sting on contact. If you do get stung, a weed that often grows near stinging nettles, yellow dock (Rumex crispus), can be used as a home remedy. An ancient British charm goes: “Nettle out, dock in, dock remove the nettle sting.”

Nettles grow 3-7 feet tall in the summer and die back in winter. They spread by seeds and runners. Nettles are considered invasive plants, but that also means they’re easy to find and easy to propagate. The plant grows quickly and attracts beneficial insects such as butterflies. It likes partial to full sun and is drought tolerant.

Nettles contain a lot of nitrogen, so they are used as a compost activator and to make liquid fertilizer. They are one of the few plants that can flourish in soils rich in poultry droppings.

Kathy Benger’s Nettle Beer Recipe

Into a pan holding one and half gallons, pack as many young fresh nettle tops as you can, with three young dandelion plants, leaves and roots alike, but with no flower-buds. Now wash nettles and dandelions thoroughly in salted water and scrub the dandelion roots free of fibres. Then rinse them all free of salt and put them back into the pan with the rind and juice of two lemons, half a pound of rhubarb sliced and bruised and three or four pieces of root-ginger about the size of hazel nuts. Then put in as much cold water as the pan will hold, set it on the stove and bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for half an hour.

Then put into a basin one pound of demerara sugar with an ounce of cream of tartar, and strain on to it the infusion in the pan, pressing the residue lightly to express all the moisture. When, in a few hours, the yeast has multiplied and there is a good ferment working, strain off the beer into strong screw-topped bottles and screw down firmly. The beer will be ready in five days.

Alison Colwell

About Alison Colwell