Workshops

Renowned local food gardener Linda Gilkeson will be returning for a workshop on Saturday, March 29th, 10:00am-4:00pm at the South Hall.

Make 2014 your best garden yet: Tips, techniques and troubleshooting for spring, summer and fall harvests. Sliding scale $25-$35.

Light lunch provided. Pre-registration required.

Please let us know now what questions or subjects you’d like her to address and we’ll get those to her in advance.

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.

The food program is organizing a group of local residents to travel to Salt Spring together to take part in the event (Saturday only). We will boat over from Retreat Cove and then take a taxi to the venue, in time to arrive for the 10:00am start, and we’ll return after 3:00. Total cost for roundtrip transportation and event admission will be $24. If you’re interested, reply to let Emma know.

(And don’t miss the Galiano Garden Club’s Annual Seed Exchange! Feb 12th, 2:00pm at the North Hall.)

Demystify what a kombucha SCOBY is (or refresh your knowledge!), what the health benefits are and how to brew it at home.

By adding herbs and flavours, you can customize your brew (and impress your friends!)

In this class you will taste different flavours and ages of kombucha, get the recipe and brewing tips.

Using a Salt brine and sugar ferment, learn how to transform fresh produce into tangy, probiotic-rich, pickled vegetables. Made the oldest-fashioned way; without any heat or canning!

This class includes: Hands on practise making your own pickled vegetables to take home and start fermenting right away! Plus nutrition information about the benefits of fermented foods and Recipes.

Class cost: $15-25 Sliding scale

Happy New Year, everyone! It’s time to start thinking about this year’s garden.

Did you know that over 110 Seedy Saturday events were held in Canada last year? A Seedy Saturday is a non-profit grassroots event that provides an opportunity for gardeners, seed companies and nurseries to exchange seeds and ideas.

The 2014 Salt Spring Island Seedy Saturday will be held on Saturday, February 8th 3:00pm at the Farmers’ Institute on Salt Spring.

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. There is also a film night on Friday Feb 7th on Sunday, Feb 9th from 10:00am, there will be a workshop with Daniel Brisebois and Rupert Adams on Integrating Seed Production into Market Gardens (advance registration requested, contact ssiseedysaturday@gmail.com).

This event is a great opportunity to get geared up for the start of the growing season, and get started on your seed shopping.

This year, the food program is again organizing a group of local residents to travel to Salt Spring together to take part in the event (Saturday only). We will boat over from Retreat Cove and then take a taxi to the venue, in time to arrive for the 10:00am start, and we’ll return after 3:00. Total cost for roundtrip transportation and event admission will be $24. If you’re interested, please contact Emma Davis at galianofoodprograms@gmail.com or at 539.2175

And don’t miss the Galiano Garden Club’s Annual Seed Exchange! Feb 12th, 2:00pm at the North Hall.

This Sunday, December 8th at 1:00pm at the South Hall, we’ll meet to prepare, cook and divide up the Giant pumpkin donated to the Food Program by Glenn Bellhouse.

Bring a container, because all volunteers will be leaving with pumpkin, and bring your biggest spoon as we try to retrieve all those seeds for roasting.

We have a Thai Inspired Community Kitchen led by Orion Finnie, former chef at La Boheme Restaurant, on Dec 5th at 5:30pm. We’ll be learning how to make Phad Thai,Thailand’s famous rice noodle dish.

We’ve held this class for the last year and it fills up fast, everyone has a lot of fun. Register early if you don’t want to be disappointed.

Please bring containers to take home food, and a $15 to $20 contribution.

Registrations are required – we are limited to ten people.

(Photo by henny.ca)

Dana Weber, Artisanal Baker behind Raven Ridge Farm on Galiano, sells out of his hugely popular breads every week at the local market. Dana was one of the founders of Uprising Breads Bakery, and he spent many years in the co-operative movement developing and leading workshops that invite group interaction and hands-on participation.

Karen Barnaby is the Product and Business Development Chef for Albion Fisheries, Intercity Packers Ltd. and Fresh Start Foods, all under the Gordon Food Service umbrella. Vancouver Sun food columnist, and popular Lower Mainland cooking teacher and acclaimed author of four cookbooks, Karen’s comfortable and accessible style has won her many fans.

Karen volunteers for Vancouver’s Community Kitchens, sat on the board of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and is a member and past president of Les Dames d’Escoffier Vancouver. She is the recipient of a Minerva Award for Community Leadership and the Back of the House Award from the British Columbia Food and Restaurant Association.

Karen’s influences have come from traveling and the wide range of people she has worked with since 1979. She confesses that her professional training has been “self-taught, on the job and by the seat of my pants” and loves mentoring people who have the same thirst for knowledge as she does.

The Weekend Workshop: “Hearthside – Soup & Bread” will feature a Soup Making Class taught by Chef Karen Barnaby, a Beginners Bread Making Class taught by Alison Colwell, an advanced Bread Making Class taught by Dana Weber.

The weekend will begin with a welcome gathering Friday evening. The registration includes three workshops, two lunches, and a Community Kitchen style supper on Saturday night. We will include Studio tours, and walks to Bluffs and other not-to-be missed Galiano sites.

The weekend is Friday Jan 24th to Sunday the 26th.

The cost is $295.

Each participant is responsible for their own accommodations.

To register for the Hearthside – Soup & Bread Workshop email galianofoodprograms@gmail.com