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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@gilanet.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] UBC FARM JULY 2003 NEWSLETTER
  • Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2003 14:07:38 -0600


UBC FARM JULY 2003 NEWSLETTER
A Publication Sponsored by the UBC Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 CANADA
604.822.5092 t :: 604.822.6839 f
www.agsci.ubc.ca/ubcfarm ::

**GREETINGS!**
Wow it’s July! Seems like only yesterday we were putting pen to paper
as we scrambled to get the June issue out. Needless to say an awful lot
is happen at the Farm. It’s really great to see and even better, be a
part of.

So what’s new… well you might notice that we’ve both shortened and
reorganized the newsletter a bit. This was in response to suggestions
provided by a number of our readers. Minor complaints about length have
encouraged us to remove the no-local events calendar. But don’t despair
we plan on sending this in a separate mailing. We’ve also re-organized
our reporting in an effort to better highlight our four core program
areas – Outreach, Community-based Food Systems, Education and
Agroecological Research. We’ve kept the All That’s New section in
addition to the Farm and Local Events listings. We’ve added a Community
Submissions section to allow readers the opportunity to contribute.
Sarah Borron from the kindly provided this month’s submission.

That’s about it for the changes. We’re still mulling over the
possibility of developing a pdf version of the newsletter that would be
a bit more flashy but would take time to prepare – time that is
currently taken up by our many projects. Please let us know what you
think. We could always use some helpful critiques. Kudos are of course
always happily received :).

Derek Masselink
UBC Farm Program Coordinator

p.s. *T-Shirts & Ball Caps* - We are in the process of putting together
a new order of T-shirts and ball caps for this summer! Please let us
know if you would like one or both. These will be available either at
our markets, or by contacting Clare at 604.822.5092 or
farmteam@interchange.ubc.ca. We will update you prices, colours &
sizes as soon as our order comes in!

**ALL THAT'S NEW AND HAPPENING AT THE FARM**
*Now Introducing….*
Maybe we should say re-introducing! Kristina Bouris has rejoined the
UBC Farm Team to help out with the many events that are happening this
summer. Kristina is by no means a stranger to the Farm having worked
here every year since it inception! This year, she comes on board
through the generous support of the GRS Program with Dr. George Kennedy
and Roxana Quinde. Splitting her time between their office and ours,
Kristina will be overseeing the Tec de Monterrey events and the Tokyo
University of Agriculture’s trip to the UBC Farm as well as helping out
in anyway that she can to keep the farm up and running smoothly! We
are definitely pleased to have Kristina and her energy back down here
at the Farm – welcome back Kristina!

*Cob-building Project*
This month sees the start of another student project here at the Farm.
Deanna Del Vecchio, a 4th year Geography and Biology major from UBC is
coordinating the building of both a cob shed and a cob oven at the
Land, Food and Community Garden site. Cob building is best described as
mud daubing where earth, sand, and straw are mixed together and
massaged onto a foundation – often made of dry stone walls, mortared
stone or concrete - creating thick, long lasting, load bearing walls.
Deanna and a team of volunteers will be working over the next couple
months to complete this project for the fall, so stay tuned for updates
as this project proceeds! If you want more information about this
project or want to get involved, please contact Deanna at .

*UBC Farm Summer Saturday Markets*
Time to spread the word – our markets are up and running with a full
list of delicious delectables from the garden! Every Saturday from now
until the end of September from 9am – 1pm, we will be selling fresh
from the farm. Interested to know what will be sold each week? Check
our website for produce lists at for the latest on what is in season!

*Another UBC Farm Social – July 10th, 4:30 – 8pm*
Second one of the summer! Join us once again for a time to gather,
eat, and enjoy good farm company! Potluck with a BBQ - so bring along
all your friends and family!

*August long-weekend Market – Saturday, August 2nd, CLOSED*
Just a little note to let you know that we will be taking the August
long weekend off this summer, so our market will be closed on August
2nd. Time for a little rest and relaxation for the busy team here.

*Urban Dwellers Day – August 9th from 9am – 1pm*
So just what can an urban dweller do that will make their home more
ecologically sustainable? Find out on this August 9th as we bring you
a day about the choices you can make for your city home - composting,
waste reduction, recycling, alternative cleaning products, alternative
modes of transport, back-yard and patio gardening & much more.

**OUTREACH PROGRAM**
*Honeymoon Festival*
What is another name for the summer solstice? Why the honeyed moon of
course! This festival was a smashing success with displays of mason
bees, honeybees, pollen, hives, beekeeping equipment and of course
honey! Honey samples and sales were so popular, we have decided to try
to bring honey into the market on a regular basis! Thanks to our
student beekeepers Alison Fischer, Emrys Prussin, Harmony Widing, and
Greg Rekken for their help and research for this festival. As well a
special thanks to Martin Hilmer from the Faculty of Agricultural
Sciences for all his assistance with the beehives and with our honey
sales, and to Margriet Dogterom of Beediverse and the SFU Winston Lab,
for their contributions to this wonderful educational festival!
Hopefully, next year we will have our own honey to sell!

*Artist in Residence*
We would like to welcome Susan Pearson as the first ever, UBC Farm
Artist in Residence! Susan is a local artist who has been painting in
and around Vancouver for many years and now she will be using the UBC
Farm as inspiration for her work. Susan has contributed much to the
community donating her work to projects such as the Loving Spoonful and
the Vancouver Children’s Hospital, and she will be with us for the
entire month of July. Look for Susan at our markets and in her cozy
studio at the back of the Farm Centre to find out about connections
between art, community and agriculture!

The Artist in Residence program is under the direction of Jaleen Grove,
the UBC Faculty of Agriculture’s own “artist in residence,”. Given
that
creativity and critical thinking are fundamental aspects of the UBC
Farm endeavour we are excited by the possibility of having artists
onsite creatively exploring the issues and ideas generated by this
place and this initiative. Artists will be creating and showcasing art
that is site-specific, involves the community, and that critiques or
supports issues relating to sustainability, agriculture, land use or a
related topic. For more information about the UBC Farm AiR please check
out .

*Cob-building Volunteer Position *
Another new volunteer experience at the Farm! Starting this month
Deanna Del Vecchio, a UBC student, will be the construction of two cob
structures – a cob oven and a cob shed which will be both attached to
the Land, Food and Community Garden. If you are interested in helping
out and volunteering with this innovative construction, please contact
Deanna at or Clare Whelan at . Want to find out more about this
project? Check out our Education Program Section!

*Farm Volunteer Events, Opportunities and Updates*
Interested in volunteering with one of our many volunteer positions?
Then join our orientation sessions that run Friday mornings at 9 am.
These are offered on a demand basis – no demand, no orientation! So
please RSVP with Clare at so she knows how many people to expect. If
you are interested in the various positions and their schedules, please
see the volunteer section at our website for a full description and
posted schedule.

And of course, don’t forget our monthly potluck & BBQ socials! This
month it will be on Thursday, July 10th from 4:30 – 8pm. Hope to see
you there!

*Media Hits*
The Farm is interested in finding out when it appears in the news. And
no it's not to feed an ever-expanding ego; we'd just like to track when
and how often we appear in print, on radio or TV. At this time we just
don't have a big enough budget to hire a clipping or transcript
service. So if you see, read, or hear about us in the media we would
like to know about it. Please send an email to
farmteam@interchange.ubc.ca indicating when and where you saw, read or
heard about us.

**COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD SYSTEMS PROGRAM**
*Garden Goin’ons*
A couple of weeks of hot sunny weather and the farm staff is
considering buying a drum of SPF 30 sunscreen in which to dip into
before heading to work in the garden. So, it is finally summer…

The past month resulted in the highest produce sales in the history of
the market garden. Yay! Thus, behold the current productivity of the
garden! We are finally harvesting a full breadth of veggies; root
crops, greens, cabbages and peas to name a few. For a complete list,
please refer to our website. For once, we have an overproduction,
specifically of garlic scapes. These curly garlic swirls will go into
the freezer for use by students in the fall.

The Market Garden crew has been busy, not just in the market garden but
helping out with the Mayan and Musqueam plots, managing the compost
production, dealing with the current onslaught of eggs and helping to
coordinate outreach events on the farm. Kudos to Mark, Shannon and
Greg, as without them, the whole place would be a lot less efficient.
Great work!

*This Month’s Farm Tip*
Cover those tomatoes! These juicy red (or yellow or striped) fruits
are prone to late blight when grown without cover in the Pacific
Northwest. Causing leaf and stem lesions and fruit rot, the first
symptom of blight is often a brown/black lesion on the stem. Leaves
then develop large brown/black blotches and it eventually moves to
fruit. Late blight is more prevalent when weather conditions are cool
and wet. Remedy? Any sort of cover that keeps the rain off and keeps
the leaves of the plant dry. If you’ve had blight problems in the
past, try it out and hopefully your kitchen will be full of ripe
tomatoes!

*Musqueam Community Kitchen Garden*
Things are growing! Not just the veggies but also the excitement
around this new project. Gail (Musqueam Community Health Nurse) and
Vivian (the Community Kitchen Coordinator) are hard at work preparing
recipes and determining meal plans for the upcoming kitchen program.
The crops are growing well and before we know it, there will be beets,
lettuce, carrots and other yummy stuff to harvest.

*Mayan Garden Plot*
From observing the hip high corn in the Mayan plot, it can be seen that
our friendly Mayan farmers have been hard at work. With overhead
irrigation recently set up, the plot is about to burst forth with
vegetable bounties. Francisca, a familiar face at the plot, has been
heading up greens/root crop sales at the Saturday markets and selling
some of her beautiful traditional hand weaving as well. It is in the
works to set up a food prep demonstration with the Mayan farmers later
in the summer at one of the weekly markets. Bring on the tamales! Yum!
*UBC Farm Chickens*
Happily adjusted to their new environment, our UBC Farm hens are laying
eggs (green, pink, brown) like crazy. Although most use the nest boxes
in the chicken house, some are making nests outside in the blackberry
bushes, which invariably results in a literal Easter egg hunt for
Shannon and Greg every afternoon. We have worked out a system with
Green College and Sage Bistro on campus to recycle their food waste
through our birds, thus helping produce less waste on campus and more
“useable” byproducts for the farm. Soon we’ll have pictures of the
feathery beauties on the website. Stay tuned!

**EDUCATION PROGRAM**
*Agroforestry Trail*
This project, spear-headed by Yona Sipos Randor a graduate student in
the Faculty of Forestry, has made great progress this month! With a
foot bridge in place and a sign proclaiming its existence, the trail is
ready to be used. Currently, Yona and her volunteers are still working
on the physical formation of the trail as well as the interpretative
signage and a pamphlet for those wishing to walk through the forest.
Interested in helping out or looking for more information? Contact
Yona at .

*Farm Centre Rainwater Harvesting System*
Not much to report here other than the crew is busily hooking up pipes
to the water tanks. Stay tuned for a more detailed progress report in
August.

*Land, Food, and Community Teaching Garden Update*
This month marked the completion of the “Landed Learning Experience”
pilot project from the Faculty of Education. On June 17, the students
from Crofton and their mentors celebrated a job well done in their
raised beds in the LFC garden. The veggies looked great. This month
there has been a small hold on work being done in the LFC Garden but we
hope to get the volunteers out once again to continue building!
Currently we are looking for an enthusiastic volunteer who would be
willing to take over some of the maintenance of the garden since Mark
is busy working on the markets! If you are interested in helping out
please contact Clare at .

*Summer Harvest Walk Program*
As a summer variation on our schools program, we will be offering an
educational tour to community groups and day camps interested in
touring the Farm. The tour will include background on the Farm, and
visits to the Chicken Coop, Compost, Organic Market Garden, Beehives,
Vineyard and the Land, Food & Community Garden. After the tour, the
group will be given the option of going on a “Harvest Walk” to fill up

a basket with veggies fresh from the garden! The price of the tour is
$2 per person and an optional $15 for the harvest basket. If you are
interested in booking for the tour, please phone 604.822.5092 or e-mail
for bookings!

**AGRO-ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH**
*Wireworm Research*
Ranil Waliwitiya, M.Sc. Student studying under Dr. Andrew Riseman has
begun to collect data on wireworms (the most hated of UBC Farm pests).
Ranil has kindly submitted a summary of his research project, “A Survey
of Plants Producing Allelochemicals to Control Wireworm Species
(Agriotes lineatus and A.obscures) in British Columbia.”

“Wireworms are the larval form of click beetles and belong to the
family Elataridae. Worldwide, there are over eight hundred known
species of wireworm. However, only two species, Agriotes lineatus (L.)
and A.obscurus (L.), are considered significant pests here in BC.
Together, these two species are responsible for significant losses in
potato production, with damage estimates in 1994 ranging from $500,000
to $800,000.

Larvae are the most destructive stage in relation to agricultural
production. They are especially destructive on crops such as beans,
corn and potatoes and cause damage by: feeding on planted seeds causing
loss of viability; feeding on roots of young plants causing death; and
feeding on tubers causing unmarketable products.Wireworms do most of
their damage in the early spring because this is when they are
migrating to the soil surface and when fresh food is typically
available.

We plan to investigate the potential of using naturally produced
allelochemicals and essential oils to control wireworm infestations in
an environmentally positive and sustainable method suitable for use in
organic farming systems.

In this research, twelve plant species have been identified for
evaluation based on proven allopathic effects.
Initial insect collections will include the UBC Farm and from
production fields in Agassiz, BC. Both species will be collected at
the same time and separation of species will be done later with the
help of the specialists at Agassiz research station. Laboratory studies
will use both the UBC Horticulture greenhouse for test plant production
and laboratories located in Macmillan building for the bioassay work.
Field studies will then be conducted at the UBC Farm as this location
offers several advantages including substantial wireworm populations,
available test plots, close proximity to UBC main campus, and an
established organic farming program.”

**COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS**
* Farm to School Program*
At a school cafeteria in Santa Monica, children line up at a salad bar
to partake of fresh fruits and vegetables. These fruits and vegetables
are as fresh as fresh can be, having been delivered straight from a
nearby farm or even picked from a school garden. In north Florida,
farmers, who needed to find new markets, formed a co-op to start
selling their collard greens, strawberries, and watermelons to nearby
schools. Across the country, Farm to School projects such as these
provide food that is healthy for children, communities, and local farm
economies.

To spread the success of these projects, the Community Food Security
Coalition is working with legislators to develop a Farm to School grant
program. Grants of up to $100,000 would help schools cover their
initial costs--chopping and cooling equipment, extra staff time,
seasonal menu development, nutrition education materials--allowing
schools to develop strong, self-sustaining programs.

How can you help? For readers living in the States please the Capitol
switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and ask to speak to your Senator or
Representative. Ask your Senator to support Senate Resolution 995 in
the child nutrition reauthorization, or ask your Representative to
support a separate measure for Farm to School programs in the child
nutrition reauthorization.

Community Food Security Coalition
(202) 543-8602
June 10, 2003

If you would like to submit a short article or letter for the August
newsletter please contact Clare Whelan at by August 20th, 2003.

**UPCOMING FARM EVENTS**
*UBC Farm Summer Markets – Saturdays 9am – 1pm*
Our summer markets have really started! Come to buy fresh produce
grown here at the farm every Saturday morning from 9am – 1pm!
Interested in what is selling each market? Check our website for our
produce list for what to expect that week at .

*Another UBC Farm Social – July 10th, 4:30 – 8pm*
Second one of the summer! Join us once again for a time to gather,
eat, and enjoy good farm company! Potluck with a BBQ - so bring along
all your friends and family!

*August long-weekend Market – Saturday, August 2nd, CLOSED*
Just a little note to let you know that we will be taking the August
long weekend off this summer, so our MARKET WILL BE CLOSED on August
2nd. Time for a little rest and relaxation for the busy team.

*Urban Dwellers Day – August 9th from 9am – 1pm*
So just what can an urban dweller do that will make their home more
ecologically sustainable? Find out on this August 9th as we bring you
a day about the choices you can make for your city home - composting,
waste reduction, recycling, alternative cleaning products, alternative
modes of transport, back-yard and patio gardening & much more.

*Blackberry Festival – August 23rd, 9am – 1pm*
Our second annual! Join us for a day of blackberry madness – canning,
jams, ice cream, smoothies, pies and all sorts of delicious wares. And
of course, pick your own from our extensive blackberry thicket.

**LOCAL EVENTS**
Canning Workshops presented by the Community Kitchen Project at the
Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Take an opportunity to learn safe
and up-to-date home canning practices through participation. These
workshops will be held on various dates throughout the summer as
follows:

Berry Jam Saturday, July 5th
9:30am – 1:30 pm
Canned Peaches Saturday, July 19th
9:30am – 1:30 pm
Apricot Jam Tuesday, July 29th
9:30am – 1:30 pm
Dilly Green Beans Tuesday, July 15th
9:30am – 1:30 pm
Pickled Beets Saturday, September 13th
9:30am – 1:30 pm
Canned Pears Tuesday, September 16th 9:30am – 1:30
pm
Canned Apple Sauce Saturday, October 4th 9:30am – 1:30
pm

Interested? Contact Diane Collis, Community Kitchen Project
604.876.0659, ext 118 or e-mail at .

**HOW DOES ONE CONNECT TO THE UBC FARM?**
*Joining the ubcfarm-list*
This electronic mailing list will allow those interested in the Farm
initiative to receive regular updates and participate in discussions on
topics related to the UBC Farm. To get directions on how to join the
ubcfarm-list visit http://www.agsci.ubc.ca/ubcfarm/listserv.htm.

*Visit Us!*
We are located in the South Campus area of the University of British
Columbia (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - south of 16th Ave. To get there,
follow Wesbrook Mall south through the lights at 16th Ave. Turn right
on South Campus Road. The main Farm entrance is at 6182 South Campus
Road. To get to the Farm Centre walk or bike through the gates, turn
right and follow the gravel road until you reach a red roofed building
(the Farm Centre) and a greenhouse.

**THANKS TO OUR FUNDERS!**
We would like to thank the following funders for their support: TD
Friends of the Environment Foundation; Hampton Place Residents; UBC
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences; UBC Faculty of Forestry; UBC
Landscape Architecture Program; and UBC Alma Mater Society.

**DONATIONS**
Imagine an expanded market garden, a bountiful vineyard bursting with
grapes, and a children's garden where wee ones explore the connections
between land and food. Your donation can help support these and other
innovative projects, and help the Farm grow. For more information,
please contact Derek Masselink at (604) 822-5092.

*Farm Wish List*
If you are clearing out your basement we'd still love to get our mitts
on the following:
- VCR, picnic tables, flower planters (old washtubs, trunks, pots,
etc), and canning equipment

Our wish list isn't limited to stuff. Please feel free to send us any
postings, articles, advertisements relate to sustainable or ecological
agriculture that could be included in future newsletters.

Help the UBC Farm Grow!

Name:
__________________________________________________________________

Address:
__________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
___

Postal Code: _______________________

Telephone: (_______)______________ Fax:
(_______)_____________

Email: _______________________

_____ Enclosed is a cheque or money order made payable to the
University of British Columbia (Fund ID: S438)

_____ Debit my ____MasterCard /____Visa

#__________________________Exp.(M/Y):_______ or__ bank account (void
cheque included) for $__________

___one time OR for ______ months.

I authorize UBC to debit my credit card or bank account as indicated
above.


_____________________________ ____________________________
Signature Date

For your security please print this form off and send it to the UBC
Farm address.
Tax receipts for donations will be issued at tax-time.

Donations can be sent to: UBC Farm 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T
1Z4




  • [Livingontheland] UBC FARM JULY 2003 NEWSLETTER, Tradingpost, 07/07/2003

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