On Saturday, January 14, the Bowen Island Community School hosted a successful seed exchange and salewhich featured seeds harvested and packaged by students as part of the 2010-2011 Grow to the Market Program, which ran thanks to facilitator DaphneFargher ofFoxGlove Farm and funds from the Vancouver Coastal Health Urban Agricultural Initiatives grant.
The idea to hold a seed exchange was inspired byChristian Duntz, who suggested the idea at the first Bowen Ag Alliance meeting.The event was made possible thanks to an ongoing partnership betweenBICS and the role of the community school coordinatorand the Bowen Ag Alliance (BAA). BAA volunteersenthusiastically set up the room, talked about garden plans, and signed up members.
Participants at the seed exchange included small scale farmers as well as beginner back-yard gardening enthusiasts spanning four generations. They shared left over seeds from last year, seeds they harvested, and broughtshopping lists of what they were looking for. Seeds swapped and traded ranged from the rare to the common; from five types of kale to fennel,coriander and teddy bear sunflowers.
A special thank you goes out to Joy Curran, a 21-year Bowen resident, who graciously donated a seed keeper book to help students at BICS organize their seeds.
A lively hour of trades, sales and exchanges was followed by the Farm to School information meeting that provided a fabulous opportunity to look at further growing community connections betweenBICS and local farms. We continue to work toward having 15 per cent of our school meals include local ingredients and having every student visit a local farm or garden thanks to a Farm to School grant that operates withfunds from VanCity, the Public Health Association of BC, and EnviroFund.
The seed exchange event was such a success that BAA is hosting a second seed exchange and sale on March 10 as part of their annual general meeting.
Check out www.bowenagalliance.cafor more information, how to join, and dates and schedules for upcoming workshops.
One of the upcoming events touches a topic that is dear to all island gardener's hearts: a soilamendment workshop to be held inApril which includes a bulk buy of high quality vegetable gardening soil.
