A number of food agencies came together in June at a Food Access Forum. Click here to read about it.

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Working together to improve access to farmland and farm viability

Last year the Our Farmlands Our Foodlands Our Future Conference brought together a wide range of players to look at the issues, and more importantly the strategies and tools we have in the region, to improve access to farmlands.

With land prices soaring to over $100,000 an acre and few new entrants into farming, how do we work to support our farmlands growing food and not more estates? The findings report from the conference has now been completed and can be found online in the form of an action based toolkit.

In the coming year food and farm organizations and advocates will be taking the findings out to policy makers and to a range of public awareness raising events. If you would like to get involved please contact Linda at lgeggie@telus.net.

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Plant A Seed, Harvest A Story: CR-FAIR’s Plant A Seed challenge

Here's an update from staff of the Community Council for the Plant a Seed challenge:

Joys of Parsnips
Submitted by Christina Peacock

In my family, we are discovering the many joys of parsnips: roasted to the point of sweetness, blanched, breaded and baked, and as part of soup and gravy stock. I was thrilled to get a packet of parsnip seeds at the March Food Matters! Forum as I have never grown them before. I planted the seeds in the garden in a couple of places - that being my haphazard approach to gardening. Many of the seeds seem to have been enjoyed by others... however a few have taken, and there is a lovely leafy top on the plants. I'm not sure when to harvest them yet, and am reluctant to tug them out of the ground too soon. And, if it turns out I have been nurturing a few weeds, and not parsnips, I'll let you know in the next newsletter. Hope you have had as much fun with this as I have.

Silverbeet Chard - our balcony's highest yielding crop!
Submitted by Anna Russo

My fiancé and I recently moved to a new apartment with a lovely, large balcony. We decided to only grow edible plants on the balcony, and so far this balcony garden has been a great success. Of all that we planted, our highest yielding crop to date has been the Silver Beet chard I got as a seed packet from the Food Matters! Forum Seed Challenge. We've harvested the young leaves so many times now I've lost track. They're delicious when added to a salad and eaten raw - they don't last long enough to make it to the pan to cook! This has been a wonderful discovery for us, and we've enjoyed learning about this new (to us) plant.

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Inspiring Stories from Away

North Van city considers plan for farms on boulevards - UBC lab is 'trying to create something that doesn't exist anywhere else' - The Vancouver Sun, July 25, 2009

Action for local food in Seattle - Seattle Municipal Councillor Richard Conlin put together a Local Food Action Initiative in May 2008. Since then, Seattle has made great progress toward their objectives of making Seattle's food healthier and more local.

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Regional updates

Update from the West Shore by Climate Action West Shore and the Colwood Community Place Pilot Project

Submitted by Cindy Moyer

What's Cookin' on the West Shore: GO LOCAL Food Update
Click here to read about a Victory garden at Esquimalt Lagoon, the Colwood Community Place Pilot Project's new website, the West Shore teaching garden, Non Timber resources and Royal Roads University, West Shore's three local farmers' markets, and the Colwood Community Green Map.

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Update from the Saanich Peninsula

Farm Worker Housing Policy Review

The availability of farm help housing is of substantial concern for many in the agriculture industry. Accommodations are needed for both permanent farm help and for temporary farm workers, including migrant workers. The increasing cost of housing locally puts additional pressure on farmers seeking seasonal and affordable accommodation. Read more...

North Saanich Food for the Future Society - North Saanich Farm Market
Submitted by Penny Gibbs

The North Saanich Food for the Future Society is dedicated to supporting farms and farmers, and further developing the agricultural capacity of the district. Our primary focus is to make our community aware of the importance of food sustainability, and of the current fragility of our link with the land and our place in strengthening it. Our first step toward that goal is the weekly North Saanich Farm Market that brings community and farmers together. We’re actively seeking local growers to sell produce at the market. Read more...

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Update from Sooke by the Sooke Region Food CHI (Community Health Initiative) Society

No update at this time. Watch for an update from Sooke Food CHI in the fall edition of Making Food Matter.

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Farmlands, Farm Viability and Food Policy

Victoria Downtown Market Working Group

Written by Jackie Kanyuk on behalf of the Downtown Marketplace Working Group coordinators: Jackie Kanyuk, Lee Fuge, Sonya Chandler and Philippe Lucas

Have you ever wondered why Victoria, the fair-weather, healthy population capital of BC, does not have its own downtown permanent market?

Markets are often the first point of contact into city’s culture. They are where local tastes and flavours come alive with bustle and scenery. That Victoria doesn’t showcase the island’s agricultural bounty in one central place is a veritable shortfall not only in how citizens and tourists experience our city, but also to our local economy. A number of local citizens got together this summer to discuss just that. Read more...

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Food Waste

What a waste - From flourishing farmers' markets to celebrity chefs to organic just-about-anything, we've never been more obsessed with what we eat. So why does so much perfectly good food end up in the trash? Read more in this Chatelaine article. And here are ten smart ways to slash food waste.

Locally, the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre does an excellent job providing composting and organic gardening education to CRD residents. Resources include do it yourself composting information, plus regular workshops in composting basics and sustainable homes and gardens. Find out more about the organization here.

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City councillors harvest crops from food-growing project

Harvest time began at Victoria City Hall last Wednesday with councillors Sonya Chandler and Philippe Lucas gathering the bounty from the food garden outside City Hall. Read more in this Times Colonist article.

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Buy-local push prompts Ontario grocers to go independent

Dale Kropf calls it Independence Day: On July 3, his five grocery stores in southwestern Ontario ceased to be Sobeys franchises. Read more in this CBCnews.ca article.

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Report: Local Food isn't as Expensive as People Think

In a report soon to be published, food expert Hugh Joseph discovers that eating local sustainable food only costs about $10 more per month than the American thrifty food plan, and it's much healthier. Read more in this Digital Journal article.

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Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?

The biggest threat to global stability is the potential for food crises in poor countries to cause government collapse. Read more in this Scientific American article.

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Community Announcements and Submissions

Catering Kitchen Reduces Land Fill Waste 95%

The kitchens of Truffles Catering have succeeded in reducing their environmental footprint to the extent that it has little need for the waste disposal service. Read more...

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The Great Saanich Staff Tomato Challenge

Plant a tomato, harvest a story - Staff at the district of Saanich had the opportunity to pick up a free tomato plant in May of this year. The challenge was to document the journey each tomato plant took from garden to plate. During the week of September 14 the Great Tomato Taste Off will be held, and literary prizes will be handed out for the best tomato story or poetry. A "tomato hotline" is available for staff to call with questions, and growing tips are regularly posted on the Saanich internal website.

Click here to read one of the poetry submissions, entitled "Ode to my tomato".

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4H Programs: Learn to do by Doing.

4-H programs provides young people with an opportunity to learn how to become productive, self-assured adults who can make their community and country a good place in which to live. This is fostered through project and program work, experiences with their 4-H club members and leaders and their participation in district, regional and even provincial programs.

The goal of the 4-H program is youth development. The objectives of 4-H clubs are knowledge, leadership, citizenship and personal development. Find out more at www.bc4h.bc.ca.

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New and Improved Regional Food Events Calendar

Click here to see CR-FAIR's new calendar of food-related events, courses, workshops, farmers' and pocket markets going on throughout BC's Capital Region. This calendar is now also accessible from CR-FAIR's webpage, so check back often and be sure to submit your food event information.

Got any feedback on the new format? We'd love to hear it.

CR-FAIR welcomes submissions to the calendar for all food related event, courses, workshop and market information happening in BC's Capital Region. Email info@communitycouncil.ca to submit.

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Local Foods Recipe: Summer Blueberry Cake - a non-dairy recipe

INGREDIENTS

4 local eggs - separated
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup oil
2 lemons - juice and grated rind
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups local blueberries

GLAZE

1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp (plus) lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually add sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, oil, lemon juice and grated rind. In a separate bowl mix flour and baking powder. Fold gently into egg mixture. Fold in blueberries. Pour into a well-greased tube pan. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Invert pan and cool. For glaze, mix together icing sugar and lemon juice. Add lemon juice until the mixture is thin enough to brush onto the cake. Enjoy!

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