chickpea

the possibilities

2011-04-14T21:35:00.001-07:00

"If I didn't open myself to the possibilities of the unknown then I would be lost."

Saul Williams

drizzly february day

2011-02-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

a drizzly february day, watching stellar jays out the window, listening to the dogs snoring, making green lentil stew.

never too late

2011-02-04T17:18:00.000-08:00

"It is never too late to be what you might have been".

George Eliot

essential element of any art

2011-02-01T22:10:00.001-08:00

“An essential element of any art is risk. If you don’t take a risk then how are you going to make something really beautiful, that hasn’t been seen before…”

Francis Ford Coppola

please always remember

2011-01-31T20:36:00.000-08:00

If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

- Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne

a few of my favourite docs

2011-01-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

I do love me a good documentary. I started watching even more documentaries in the past year, when reading became more challenging for me as a result of a car accident in September 2009. Documentaries & TED talks have kept my mind & heart engaged. Lucky for me, my beloved CBC has great documentaries available to stream online. The Passionate Eye & Doc Zone are both work checking out.

65 Red Roses is a touching & sometimes heart breaking documentary. It offers a glimpse into the life of Eva Markvoort as she battles the cystic fibrosis. Her creative spirit, and open hearted strength & determination inspire me. Such a beautiful, bright spirit. It recently showed at the Sundance Film Festival, and will be airing on Oprah's new network, OWN in the spring.

It is also currently available to view online on cbc.ca (perhaps only in Canada...)
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/The_Passionate_Eye/1274903384/ID=1333883430

Enjoy & please do consider becoming an organ donor.

What are your favourite documentaries?

vulnerability

2011-01-24T20:24:00.000-08:00

a truly inspiring TED talk by Brené Brown on vulnerability & connectedness. a great reminder to love with our whole hearts, practice gratitude & joy, and believe we are enough. love!

love

2011-01-24T16:59:00.001-08:00

"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius."

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

art

2011-01-22T14:21:00.001-08:00

"The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude." - Friedrich Nietzsche

what is life?

2011-01-21T16:54:00.000-08:00

“What is Life? It is the flash of a firefly at night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the shadow that runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.”
Blackfoot elder

roar

2010-12-19T13:24:00.000-08:00

"Until lions have their own historian, tales of the hunt will always reflect the hunter."
African proverb

fresh fall soup

2010-11-18T15:04:00.000-08:00

the cool rainy vancouver weather always inspires soul warming food for me. last night i threw together a delicious fall soup by pulling together a few simple ingredients i had on hand. it was one of those moments when i didn't decide to make soup, i just found myself in the flow of it. my food always seems to taste best when there is that ease & organic flow to it.

this is a super seasonal & local creation. i am especially in love with celeriac right now. it has a texture of potato and a light celery flavour. delicious! the potato like texture is great for me, as i love potatoes! it must be in my maritime blood. i am trying to limit inflammatory causing foods as party of my healing process, as i recover from injuries sustained in a car accident. limiting the night shade family (potatoes, tomato, egg plant, peppers) is especially helpful.

:: fresh fall soup ::

organic olive oil
sapo bravo organic onions & garlic
glorious organics carrots & celeriac
glen valley organic cabbage
backyard collards
nova scotia dulse
organic barley
maison coté tuscan herbs & cowboy salt & black pepper
city farmer bay leaf
cumin
homemade soup stock
tomato water

i make my soup stock by saving my vegetable trimmings as i cook. i have my stock bag of trimmings in the freezer that i add to with each meal i cook. when the bag is full, i throw the trimmings into my slow cooker, add filtered water & pretty much ignore it for ~12 hours. if my timing is on, i will use it straight away in a soup or stew. if not, i'll freeze the stock to have on hand for those inspired spontaneous cooking moments. the flavour of the stock varies with each batch, but it always has onion, garlic, carrots as the base, and sometimes mushrooms, celery, herb stems, etc...

the tomato water added a slight acid note to the soup. delicious. i had rehydrated some of my organic dried tomatoes i dried summer '09, and i saved the water. i also had some tomato sauce from a community canning project i was involved with this year, the jamboree canning collective. the sauce was a bit thinner that i wanted for a what i was using it for, so i stained it off a bit, and added that tomato water to the soup as well. not necessary, but it rounded the flavour out well, and created a use for something that may have been tossed out otherwise. the tomato water did add a tiny bit of night shade to the soup, but that is just the way it goes sometimes.

some of the soup was frozen, for a ready to go nourishing meal when i need it. i always try to do a bit of extra cooking on the days when i am not receiving a treatment. that ensures that i will have good, tasty & nutritious food on the days i come home spent from a treatment.

i did manage to get a quick photo before i ate the last of the soup for lunch today. the photo really doesn't do it justice. think i'll be making this one again soon though. i have another celeriac just waiting to be used...

there is no prize "out there"

2010-11-17T17:59:00.001-08:00

a day of wise words

2010-11-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

today i have come across several quotes, from random sources, that gave me pause for thought :: enjoy!

"Always be mindful of the kindness and not the faults of others." ~Buddha

"We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are."Anais Nin

I caught the happy virus last night
When I was out singing beneath the stars.
It is remarkably contagious --
So kiss me. ~Hafiz

"want what you have and give want you want"

Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free. - Jim Morrison

opening the soul

2010-11-15T13:35:00.000-08:00

"That which oppresses me, is it my soul trying to come out in the open, or the soul of the world knocking at my heart for entrance?" Rabindranath Tagore

joyful spititual growth

2010-11-14T13:03:00.000-08:00

"What if your drive to experience pleasure isn't a barrier to your spiritual growth? Consider trying out the hypothesis that cultivating joy can make you a more ethical and compassionate person. Imagine that feeling good has something important to teach you on a regular basis." Rob Brezsny

trying to believe

2010-11-13T16:52:00.001-08:00

We are not here to make believe... we are here to believe we can make it. - Guru Singh

oh, to be alive!

2010-11-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

"Because you are alive, everything is possible."

Thich Nhat Hanh

the cost of local food

2010-11-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

chris bodnar of glen valley organic farm in abbotsford, bc explains the true cost of local small scale sustainable food production. [chris' original blog post is reprinted in thetyee.ca today - resist temptation to run to mkt looking for watermelon...!]. you'll never look at a watermelon in the same way...

Melon season arrived on the farm today and melons make me think of money. Prices, more specifically. And I've been thinking about prices and money a lot this week, after a CBC radio host commented on the cost of local, organic food . . . but more on that in a moment. I'm also thinking about watermelons.

Is the Local Food Movement Elitist?

2010-11-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

article by Sharon Astyk

Local food is elitist! This trumpets from one paper or another, revealing that despite the growing preoccupation with good food, ultimately, it is just another white soccer Mom phenomenon. Working class people (who strangely, the paper and the author rarely seem to care about otherwise) can't afford an organic chicken or a gallon of organic milk! Ordinary people don't have time to make soup. Regular folk don't care about that stuff - that's for brie-sniffing folks, just the next rich people's food fad.

I can think of a few hundred refutations of this claim, of course. There are all of my readers who are low income and struggling and still eat real food. There are the people who buy from me, mostly neighbors, mostly not affluent *at all* - they just want good food. There's us - we qualify for food stamps in our state most years. We don't need them - we are awash in good food, but we sure as heck aren't affluent. There's the composition of the farmer's market in my town and in the nearby cities - and of the coop and other local food resources. There's Red Hook Farm in Brooklyn and the local food movement in urban Detroit, and every other inner city food movement. There's the way local food infrastructure has burgeoned in a thousand low income rural areas, where the exchange of food is part of what keeps people alive. There are the immigrant community gardens and the fact that plenty of poor parents cook every night. There's plenty of evidence to the contrary.

2011 foodie wall calendar

2010-11-08T16:16:00.000-08:00

hot off the press....

my 2011 wall calendar is now available for purchase. a tasty delight for the eyes :: full of my local foodie photography. it is available online @ etsy & i will have copies @ the upcoming vancouver farmers market holiday market (dec 11 @ croatian cultural centre)

perfect for your favourite foodie!

also available for purchase online ::

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61203206/2011-foodie-photo-wall-calendar?ref=v1_other_2

new items are being added regularly...!

how do you define success?

2010-11-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

november to remember - day 8 :: feeling successful, in the John Robbins context

"It is by loving the people that you love with your whole heart that you become who you really are." John Robbins

clip from John Robbins recent talk in Kelowna, BC:

november to remember

2010-11-07T22:31:00.000-08:00

this is going to be a november to remember. i am going to make it a november to remember.

this past year has been full of unique opportunities & lessons. my life was turned on its head when i was rear ended in a car accident in the fall of 2009. at first, i thought i'd be able to shake it off in a couple of days. turns out, not so much. i have been deeply humbled by this experience of recovery.

i know that i am very lucky. my injuries could have been much worse. i am so very lucky to be part of a beautiful community that has rallied behind me and supported me in so many ways. i am so very grateful for the friends who've cooked for me, washed dishes, cleaned my home, changed the kitty litter, walked my dog, helped me laugh, lifted & carried & reached, driven me to appointments, market & beyond, and been so very patient with my nervous nelly passenger ways, gardened for me so i could taste the freshness of life when i needed it most. i am incredibly grateful for everyone who has helped me with my fundraising events, to my dear farmer friends for offering me beautiful organic foods to nourish me. i am thankful to my dear friends for listening to me, never taking my wonky memory personally, for understanding it all. i am so very grateful for the love.

i have so much love & respect for the amazing team of healers i am working with. for the healing touch, the great care, for listening to me, for always helping me to be gentle with myself, for holding the space for my healing. and, of course, for the endless conversations with ICBC.

i am grateful to the universe for always offering the lessons i need to learn. i strive to receive them.

and so my healing process continues. days filled with massage, physio, kinesiology and finding that balance of challenging myself without over doing it. it is an illusive balance for me, but i continue to try & find it.

an important part of the healing process has been my creative process. remembering that life is a creative process puts everything in a different light. it brings joy to my heart. everything - from the rain glistening on a crisp fresh apple, to a postage stamp on a letter, to chalk drawing with wee friends, to music drifting & filling, to transforming ugly memories simply by giving them a voice, to the sound of laughter, to the socks i wear, to the garden decomposing under the fall rain - it is all a creative process.

as i move through the layers of my healing process & recovery, i explore & envision what health & vitality looks like for me. and work at created it. i will share some of my thoughts & inspirations here. food will always be a deep source of inspiration for me, i am a foodie to the bone, after all. but, you will find more of a personal perspective on food these days, interwoven with my artwork & crafty & quirky ways.

and so it continues, ever evolving.

october saturday in east van

2010-10-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

i spent a lovely fall day in the heart of east van. i met friends at my favourite café - continental caffé - for an yerba mate latté. then off to the last trout lake farmers market for the season. my kitchen is now full of organic tasty delights!

walter harvey's biodynamic aubergine for baba ganoush, red sensation pears & honey crisp apples to be eaten with joy, while wiping the juices from my chin (cawston, bc)

helmers biodynamic larouge red potatoes for potato salad (pemberton, bc)

wild products' pine mushrooms for pasta delight (forest floor, bc)

ann friesen's organic multi coloured carrots (abbotsford, bc). the carrots will be used in everything, but first up, they will be in miso noodles for sunday morning breakfast, and then i`ll be making some salad rolls with brown rice vermicelli, green onions, cucumber, cilantro, and ann`s carrots

celyddon farm's organic english cucumber for the spring rolls & salad

it was a nice visit with my pals askia & jeremy, who picked a few market treats for themselves and doubled as my sherpas, making my market trip possible.

i then had a visit with some friends with backyard chickens. by dog, blue, and one of the polish hens, blanche, have a bit of a love affair going. it is sweet to see them excited to see each other, nose to nose through the coop. i could spend all day chatting with the girls.

chicken fun!

mindfulness

2010-10-19T13:05:00.001-07:00

"The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

fresh fall veggie pâté

2010-10-18T16:22:00.000-07:00

fresh fall veggie pâté

organic sunflower seeds (soaked for optimal nutrition & digestion)
organic nutritional yeast (norway, iowa - purchased in east van, bc)
organic helmers potatoes (pemberton, bc)
organic sapo bravo onions (lytton, bc)
organic root down carrots (pemberton, bc)
backyard garlic (east van, bc)
backyard oregano (east van, bc)
organic nuts to you tahini (paris, ontario - purchased in east van, bc)
organic amano tamari (richmond, bc)
maison coté unrefined sea salt & pepper (vancouver, bc)
organic monkey in the garden 12 chili pepper blend (spences bridge, bc)
organic coconut oil (purchased in east van, bc))

*this version was specifically made gluten free for a gathering. organic flour can also be added, giving the pâté a more loaf like texture. without the flour, it has a very spreadable texture.

great served on a crispbread with olives!

plant based diet ~ for the health of it

2010-10-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

Bill Clinton recently turned to a plant based diet - for his health.
http://www.good.is/post/bill-clinton-loses-24-pounds-starts-vegan-revolution/

happy world food day!

2010-10-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

sending much love & gratitude to all of the farmers & stewards of the land, to each person who has planted a seed, tended the land, nurtured the soil, whispered to the plants, to each person with soil under the nails. thank you for the hard work, dedication and love you put into nurturing & nourishing us. ♥

last farmers market date of the 2010 season

2010-10-14T23:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 16

9am - 2pm

Trout Lake Farmers Market

North parking lot - between Templeton & Lakewood south of the 13th Avenue Alley

Vancouver, BC

this is my last farmers market date for the 2010 season & world food day

*hot of the press* 2011 calendars
each month a local fresh foodie delight
i will also have my foodie photos:
* framed in original handcrafted frames made from east van reclaimed wood
* photocards
* postcards
* magnets

the community letter writing project will also be on the go. pop round & type a few words on an old school manual typewriter & say hi!

map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=49.258013%2C-123.061101&spn=0.00094%2C0.002411&t=h&z=19

*if you can't make it to market, feel free to contact me directly if interested in any pieces.

farm fresh

2010-10-13T00:34:00.000-07:00

farm fresh meal tonight :: seasonal zucchini tomato delight

fraser common farm organic zucchini (i think a heritage italian variety)
sapo bravo organic onion & garlic
backyard basil
jamboree canning collective marinara tomatoes
maison coté cowboy salt & kitsilano pepper
nutritional yeast

layer zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic & basil. and s&p to taste. cover & bake covered 40 minutes @ 350°. top with sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a creamy nutty taste & a little hit of b vitamins.

side salad of fraser common farm organic seasonal greens with a splash of apple cider vinegar. inspired by the vinegar @ the alibi room in vancouver, i've made an organic apple cider vinegar with organic garlic and backyard red chili peppers. a quick & tasty salad dressing. a gentle mix with the zucchini tomato delight & the fall greens wilt slightly, to be all the gentler on the ileocecal valve. coarser fibre can be scratchy to the ileocecal valve, causing irritation & potential digestive woes.

a sprinkle of organic hemp seeds for essential fatty acids (EFA's), protein, iron, and a fresh nutty texture. yum!

making it last

2010-09-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

'tis the preservation season! i eye beautiful mounds of fresh fruit & veg @ the farmers markets with thoughts of how to preserve the beauty & the bounty. i was lucky to grow up in a canning environment. childhood summers were spent in the strawberry patches of rural nova scotia, picking flat upon flat of local strawberries to transform into strawberry jam. through my mind's eye, i can still see the strawberry stains on my fingers & feel the warm sun on my face. i can still taste the jams, rhubarb relish, chow chow and home made mustard.

i have carried that traditional knowledge with me, and expanded my knowledge of food preservation over the years. you can often find my food dehydrator going full tilt, drying the italian plums from the back yard, organic tomatoes from farmer friends, cherries, pears, and more. my fermentation cupboard grows with every season, offering up delightfully tangy treats full of probiotic & digestive benefits.

but what if you did not experience the passing of the traditional knowledge of food preservation? have no fear, there are endless resources available. the vancouver farmers markets can now be added to your list of resources. they are running a series of food preservation workshops, hosted by local experts. check out the website for who, what, when & where details.

http://eatlocal.org/makeitlast/

happy preserving!

Reducing your impact

2010-09-07T22:56:00.001-07:00

Researcher Pamela Martin offers these tips for reducing the overall environmental impact of your diet.

•Eat less meat — especially grain-fed red meat — which is one of the most energy-intensive foods in the world.

•Eat local, seasonal and sustainable produce, as it requires the fewest energy inputs and leaves the lightest footprint on the environment.

•Sign up for regular deliveries of seasonal produce from a nearby farm.

•Use an efficient refrigerator and stove, as household preparation and storage can account for 28 percent of your "food footprint."

Take green transportation to the market or buy a week's worth of groceries in one car trip.

beyond crunching the numbers

2010-09-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

check out this thought provoking TED talk by artist chris jordan. crunching the numbers to look at opportunities & inspiration for creating change - inside & out.

how to really love a child

2010-08-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

food delight of the day

2010-08-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

walter harvey's heritage tomatoes from market with backyard garlic & basil, maison coté unrefined salt & pepper and a whisper of olive oil. oh my!

getting to know your food - GATES FOUNDATION INVESTS IN MONSANTO

2010-08-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

we often talk about knowing where our food comes from - the importance of connecting with those growing & producing our food. it is also important to understand the ownership & who is controlling our food. check out the link for more information on the bill & melinda gates foundation $23.1 million investment in monsanto.

http://www.seattleglobaljustice.org/2010/08/for-immediate-release-gates-foundation-invests-in-monsanto/

trout lake farmers market

2010-08-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

i will vending at the trout lake farmers market this saturday, august 28 9am - 2pm (see events page for full details). i will have my foodie photography (framed photos in local reclaimed wood, postcards, photocards & magnets). i will also have my community letter writing project on the go. pop round, say hi, add a few lines to a group written letter, and rediscover the fine art of letter writing!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=145411618825515

quick & easy summer dinner

2010-08-23T19:06:00.001-07:00

quick & easy summer dinner

organic fraser valley patty pan squash, tomatoes, onion, backyard basil, oregano & garlic, unrefined salt & pepper
slice & layer in a casserole dish. cover & pop into over preheated to 350. bake for 30 minutes, remove cover and bake for another 10 minutes. top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and serve with salad. side of brown rice goes nicely as well.

philosophy of living

2010-08-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

"I have done my best: that is about all the philosophy of living one needs." ~Lin-yutang

big sugar

2010-08-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

Big Sugar explores the dark history and modern power of the world’s reigning sugar cartels.

Using dramatic reenactments, it reveals how sugar was at the heart of slavery in the West Indies in the 18th century, while showing how present-day consumers are slaves to a sugar-based diet.

Going undercover, Big Sugar witnesses the appalling working conditions on plantations in the Dominican Republic, where Haitian cane cutters live like slaves.

Workers who live on Central Romano, a Fanjul-owned plantation, go hungry while working 12-hour days to earn $2 (US).

the true cost of food

2010-08-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

wondering about the benefits of eating locally & the true cost of food? check out this animated short by the sierra club

fava bean crisis averted

2010-08-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

mondays are a highlight of the week for me. it is the day i receive my csa (community supported agriculture) box from the farm. fraser common farm in aldergrove, bc to be exact. i've been with the csa for several years now, and love it. each week my refrigerator & soul is filled with farm fresh nourishment. i eat locally & seasonally, support some of my favourite local farmers, and know exactly where my food is coming from.

i was excited by the fresh fava beans that arrived this week. i immediately shelled them & put them on to cook. they don't take long to cook, i like them still quite firm. so, when i was distracted by a whole shelf of books falling from their usual perch on one of my bookcases, they overcooked. tragedy!

removing the beans from their skins, i found they were far softer than i would normally cook them to. but they were still tasty. hmmm... i simply mashed them in a bowl with fresh lemon juice, unrefinded sea salt and some fresh garlic from the farm. presto - a tasty fava bean dip. delicious!

the great sunscreen question

2010-07-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

summer is in full swing & it is great to feel the sun again. with red hair & a pale complexion, i do have to be quite mindful of my sun exposure. i love the feel of the sun, but do burn easily. what's a gal to do? as a kid, i was slathered in sunscreen. today, more and more research is pointing to the potential d...angers with sunscreen. hormone disruptors, reduced vitamin d exposure, free radicals and random spf claims all make us stop and question the sunscreen industry. today, i keep covered & cool with loose cotton covers, hats, balance my sun exposure with shade and keep well hydrated. i do keep some sunscreen handy for times of longer exposure. i use alba sunscreen, which is on the environmental working group's top sunscreen list. check out the link for the full list, and more information on this hot topic.
http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/

2010-07-17T18:29:00.001-07:00

“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.”

~William S. Burroughs

interested in green roofs & living walls?

2010-07-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

Green Roofs & Living Walls Tour
Wed. July 21, 6 to 8pm

On this walking tour we explore a number of unusually wonderful gardens. The SPEC rooftop vegetable garden was planted with the help of a nearby school; the veggies share the roof with solar panels. Next we’ll see the living wall at the new Greens Organic & Natural Market and talk to designer, Geneviève Noël of Mubi. Then landscape architect Randy Sharpe will give us the low down on green roofs right from his own backyard. He has a green roof on his garage. Finally, we’ll visit with Assefa Kebede from the Nyala Restaurant in his spectacular front yard garden, full of fruit trees, herbs, vegetables and bee hives. The roof is just about the only place he’s not growing something! Part of the Exploring Food Systems Summer Series with host Spring Gillard. $35. Register at <info@gardenheart.ca>.

Spring Gillard
Garden Heart Productions
Ph 604.714.1394/Fx 604.714.1396
www.compostdiary.com

fish farming

2010-05-26T14:05:00.001-07:00

wondering what's what with fish farming? here is an article by pal christopher pollon

and here is information on SeaChoice to help you make seafood decisions. the vancouver farmers markets have several great sea food vendors - check them out.

2010-05-16T12:30:00.001-07:00

"If we throw mother nature out the window, she comes back in the door with a pitchfork"
-Masanobu Fukuoka-

2010-05-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Are you willing to push hard to get better, improve your attitude, grow your devotion to the truth, fuel your commitment to beauty, refine your emotions, hone your dreams, face your shadow, cure your ignorance, & soften your heart -- even as you pledge to always accept yourself for exactly who you are with all your so-called imperfections, never demeaning the present by comparing it to
an idealized past or future?

Rob Brezsny

happy earth day!

2010-04-22T12:31:00.001-07:00

let's show a little love to this big blue planet that we call home

2010 market season

2010-04-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

i am looking forward to the upcoming market season! i will have my foodie photography at market this season - hope to see you there.

2010 farmers markets dates:

East Van Farmers Market - Saturday 9am - 2pm
trout lake - north parking lot of John Hendry Park
between Templeton & Lakewood south of the 13th Avenue Alley
map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=49.258013,-123.061101&spn=0.00094,0.002411&t=h&z=19

dates: May 29, August 28, September 11, October 16 (*World Food Day*)

Kitsilano Farmers Market - Sunday 10am - 2pm
Kitsilano Community Centre - 2690 Larch Street @ 10th Avenue
map: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=10th+avenue+and+larch+street,+vancouver,+bc+canada&sll=49.281744,-123.129126&sspn=0.010078,0.025384&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

dates: September 19, October 24

eatlocal.org

farm fresh photos

bring the market home with you with market photos. products include:

foodie photos framed in original handcrafted frames made from locally reclaimed wood
foodie photocards
foodie postcards
foodie magnets

*can't make it to market? feel free to contact me directly - chickpeanutrition[at]gmail[dot]com

stone soup festival

2010-04-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

come check out this great community event. i will be there with my foodie photography - photos of local food framed in handcrafted one-of-a-kind frames made from local reclaimed wood, postcards, cards, magnets.

15th Annual Stone Soup Festival

A celebration of food, art, environment and community. Included will be food vendors, a film festival, local artists, community groups, talks and workshops, entertainment, Latin American Mother's Day Celebration, children's activities, free soup and more!

When: Saturday, May 8th, 12-5pm.
Where: Britannia Community Centre - 1661 Napier St @ Commercial Dr
More Info: tel: (604)718-5800
britanniacentre.org

support the east van farmers mkt @ vancouver parks board meeting

2010-04-05T00:25:00.000-07:00

come out if you can to show support for the east van market - they really do need friendly faces & supporters at this meeting:

Board of Parks and Recreation
Planning & Environment Committee Meeting

Thursday, April 08, 2010
6:30 pm
2099 Beach Avenue

http://vancouver.ca/parks/board/2010/pe100408/index.htm

help keep the east van farmers market @ trout lake

2010-04-05T00:24:00.000-07:00

the east van farmers market needs your support! it must relocate from its home of 13 years (the main trout lake community centre parking lot) due to the planned tear down & rebuilding of the community centre. the proposed move to the north parking lot is being meet with mixed reviews. if you love local farmers, producers & artisans, please take a moment to sign the online petition. there is a public meeting at the parks board on april 8th.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/keep-the-east-van-farmers-market-at-trout-lake

checkout chickpea nutrition on facebook

2010-04-04T22:48:00.001-07:00

chickpea nutritional consulting

Promote your Page too

spring soup

2010-04-04T22:26:00.000-07:00

spring soup - onions & leeks from marijke's east van garden, helmers garlic (pemberton), carrots, celery, forstbauer white beans (chilliwack), home made soup stock.

sunday morning breakfast

2010-01-24T13:29:00.000-08:00

after a leisurely soy mate latté with friends @ my favourite local café....

veggie samosa with fresh banana chutney (thanks lisa & tim - i have the *best* neighbours) and organic salad greens, cucumber & snow peas with tahini dressing and hemp hearts. mmmm....

love

2010-01-10T12:36:00.000-08:00

at the touch of love
everyone becomes a poet

Plato

dance in the rain

2010-01-08T17:16:00.000-08:00

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass...
it's about learning to dance in the rain.

-Unknown -

love like that

2010-01-08T00:43:00.000-08:00

"Even after all this time
The sun never says to the Earth,
"You owe me."

Look what happens
With a love like that,
It lights the whole sky.
- Hafiz

2009-12-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

thanks to everyone who came out to the winter market on saturday, december 5th. it was great fun. the new chicken series was very well received, and will continue to grow, along with images of other fabulous farm animals. i do love my farm friends - they have so much character. clearly, reading dr. dolittle and spending time on the family farm when i was young had a big impact on me!

my next scheduled winter market date is saturday, february 13, 2010 and i will have lots of love infused images!

in the meantime, i can be contacted directly if you are needing a fixin' of tasty farm fresh images. i currently have a selection of cards, postcards, magnets and framed photos (framed in locally sourced - east van - reclaimed wood).

drop me a line - chickpeanutrition[at]gmail.com

happy eating!

paula

winter market - saturday december 5th 10am - 12pm

2009-12-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

hey friends & foodies

i will have my farm fresh foodie photos @ tomorrow's winter farmers' market. foodie photos framed in hand crafted frames from local reclaimed wood, postcards, cards and magnets. part of the new chicken series will be included. fun! pop round - would love to see you.

and.... lots of beautiful local foods grown & processed with love. what better gift for the holiday season?

10am - 2pm @ the wise hall - adanac @ victoria
www.eatlocal.org

my next market date - february 13, 2010

Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project Video

2009-11-13T10:25:00.000-08:00

it has been quite around here lately! this video will give you an idea of what i have been spending my time on the past couple of years. enjoy!
www.bcfarmersmarket.org/fmncp for more info.

beauty & art @ every turn

2009-07-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

As summer progresses, crops of rice paddy art are beginning to emerge in Japan. The crop art — created by strategically arranging and growing different colours of rice plants — can be seen in farming communities across the country.

more pics: http://www.pinktentacle.com/2009/07/rice-paddy-art/

eating

2009-06-13T12:13:00.001-07:00

Eating
In this plate of food
I see the entire universe
Supporting my existence.

Thich Nhat Hanh

fresh - today!

2009-06-10T00:52:00.001-07:00

hey vancouver folks - would be great to see you there!

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system.
Wednesday June 10th @ 7:30 pm $10
Location: UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson Street
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/67859
watch the trailer - http://www.freshthemovie.com/
Panel to follow screening:
Philip Solman (Moderator), Publisher of Edible of Edible Vancouver
Valerie Roddick, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Planning
Paula Luther, Project Manager, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Project
Tara McDonald, Executive Director of Vancouver Farmers Markets
Karen Rideout, Faculty of Land and Food Systems at University of British Columbia
Ana Joanes, Director & Producer, FRESH

first local asparagus of the season!

2009-05-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

i just got home from the trout lake farmers' market - with my first local asparagus of the season - grown @ in season farms in abbotsford.
i am excited!
i can already taste my dinner of fresh asparagus lightly grilled on the barbeque with fresh lemon, salt & pepper. the brown bastmati is soaking now - for cooking later & i will harvest some fresh salad greens & radishes from the garden to complete the meal.

life is good.

choices

2009-05-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

"Every choice we make can be a celebration of the world we want."

Frances Moore Lappé & Anna Lappé

Celebrate Biodiversity Day - May 22, 2009

2009-05-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Biodiversity Day - May 22, 2009

International Day for Biological Diversity is a chance to celebrate the plant and seed diversity that's critical to the world's food supply. By planting many crop types - varieties that are resistant to different growing conditions, diseases, and pests - farmers all over the world ensure there's always food on the table. USC Canada and our partners are striving to protect that diversity in every country where we work.
http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001kyQGhkHcnLUwy5rd2tVezyCCEt3bjuMHYqf0KUgq7jyIBi-YZ4OsscZqO-XQSOeOYWy0WEwvRYQVIpSVXz6zAmo2CiZKtBU6ZT4MtmmRC-arnlPXwrNw2A%3D%3D

I'm going to plant something today!

FRESH

2009-05-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system.

Date: June 10th
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson Street
Vancouver
$10
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/67859

watch the trailer - http://www.freshthemovie.com/

Panel to follow screening:

Philip Solman (Moderator), Publisher of Edible Vancouver

Valerie Roddick, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Planning

Paula Luther, Project Manager, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Project

Tara McDonald, Executive Director of Vancouver Farmers Markets

Karen Rideout, Faculty of Land and Food Systems at University of British Columbia

Ana Joanes, Director & Producer, FRESH

ready, set, go - farmers' market season

2009-05-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

farmers' market season is upon us - hooray. the trout lake market opens this saturday - 15th ave @ victoria (trout lake community centre). i'll be there early for fresh spring greens & a big dose of community love.

...and i'll be vending at the vancouver farmers' markets this season. i'll be there with my foodie photography - original photographs of local food framed in one of a kind frames made from reclaimed east van wood. photocards & postcards as well.

july 19 - kits mkt @ kits community centre
august 29 - west end mkt @ nelson park
october 4 - kits mkt @ kits community centre

i may end up trying a few dates @ the new station street wednesday market. check out www.eatlocal.org for lots of market news. sign up for the newsletter & stay in the loop.

see you at market!

get your vote on!

2009-05-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

today is the day!

stone soup festival - may 9th

2009-05-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

hey kids - i'll be there selling my foodie photos. come on by - i'd love to see you!

Britannia Community Centre - Napier @ Commercial Drive
12pm - 5pm
May 9 '09

This East Vancouver tradition marks the beginning of Spring and gives opportunity for the local community to celebrate together. This is our 14th year of bringing community together in celebration of spring, food, the environment and community itself. More than ever people are aware of the issues of food security, the benefits of sharing resources and eating ‘local’. Stone Soup will celebrate the global diversity of food, the environment and its importance to the ‘culture’ of our community. Stone Soup brings the community together in a quest to sample, explore, create, and experience with features such as: Latin American Foods Feast; Global Food Forum and Artist Talks; Food Workshops; Artist and Musicians; Farmer's Market; Food Film Festival; Crafts and of course FREE SOUP!

get your vote on!

2009-04-16T17:36:00.000-07:00

May 12, 2009 is the date set for the Referendum on Electoral Reform. It is taking place at the same time as the general election. The referendum asks voters this question:

“Which electoral system should British Columbia use to elect members to the provincial Legislative Assembly?”

The existing electoral system (First-Past-The-Post)

The single transferable vote electoral system (BC-STV) proposed by the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform

How BC-STV Works

A new map

Each region has the same number of MLAs as in the current first past the post system, but they are grouped together into 20 multi-member districts across the province.

So, for example, there will be four MLAs who represent the Kootenays as a whole, instead of one MLA for Nelson-Creston, another MLA for Cranbrook etc.

Why does BC-STV do this? In order to give as many voters as possible an MLA they voted for.

In our current flawed first past the post system only 40-50% of voters have an MLA they voted for. With BC-STV 80-90% of voters will get an MLA they voted for. Multiple views represented, multiple communities represented.

A new way to vote

On the ballot, voters can rank as many candidates as they like - as easy as 1,2,3. Voters decide which candidate best represents their chosen party. They can even vote for candidates from several different parties, or for an independent.

Political parties hoping to win more than one seat will have put forward a diverse slate of candidates to maximize their appeal with voters.

STV allows voters to ‘spend’ their vote efficiently. If our first choice is least popular and is eliminated, our vote goes to our next choice. If less than our whole vote is needed, then we get “change” to spend on our next choice.

A new map and a new way to vote. Two changes that will give the people of BC the type of politics that they asked for.

help stop ge rice

2009-04-08T19:01:00.000-07:00

concerned about the genetic engineering of our food? check out the new campaign by Greenpeace International against GE rice. rice is the staple food of half the world's population & if the European Union decides to import GE rice, it will indeed encourage planting.

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering/hands-off-our-rice/hands-off-our-rice

hope

2009-03-31T13:08:00.001-07:00

"Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you

believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take

responsibility for making it so. If you assume there is no hope, you
guarantee there will be no hope."
- Noam Chomsky

eat local...

2009-03-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

here's a great article by the ever talented Jeff Nield of FarmFolk/CityFolk - click the link for the full article.

Over the past couple of years, the concept of eating locally has taken hold of the public imagination. Thanks to years of on the ground work by a group of dedicated non-profits, activists, farmers, small businesses, and eaters, the benefits of eating food grown as close to home as possible has at least made it to the edge of mainstream society. Buying locally grown food is a positive choice for the environment, the economy, personal health, and our communities. Not to mention that learning where your food comes from is empowering information that will lead to a greater understanding of the food system in general.

earth hour

2009-03-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 28th
8:30pm local time

Vote for the earth by switching off your lights for one hour.
Take action - engage - and have a bit of fun

http://www.earthhour.org/home/

Vandana Shiva

2009-03-25T17:29:00.001-07:00

"The alternative to money is the currency of relationships."

Vandana Shiva

intuition

2009-02-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

"The only real valuable thing is intuition."

Albert Einstein

everywhere there is joy & delight

2009-02-19T15:01:00.000-08:00

Take hold of your own life.
See that the whole existence is celebrating.
These trees are not serious, these birds are not serious.
The rivers and the oceans are wild,
and everywhere there is fun,
everywhere there is joy and delight.
Watch existence,
listen to the existence and become part of it.

Osho

what we all have in common

2009-02-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

"The earth is what we all have in common."

Wendell Barry

BC Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project

2009-01-20T20:53:00.001-08:00

paula luther , RHN

published in The Stirring Stick, December 2008

As the season shifts and we move into the cool winter slumber, our energies are also drawn inward, and we are given the opportunity to reflect on the passing season, and create the diversity and abundance of what lays ahead. In our ever increasingly busy and focused world, it is refreshing to take the time to reflect upon the interconnectedness of all of the elements that come together to create success, understanding that it is this unique and powerful meeting that creates a unique and dynamic outcome.

Biodynamic farming intimately understands the principles & importance of interconnectedness like no other. Just as these principles cultivate a diverse and rich crop, so too can they cultivate a diverse and rich community. This is integral to the foundation of the BC Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project (FMNCP), which brings together local farmers, farmers' markets, low-income families with children, pregnant women, cooking and skill building programs, and government. All of these elements work together for low-income families with children to have access to local, nutritious foods. So that we may all eat local, nutritious foods.

This BC Association of Farmers' Markets initiative is the first of its kind in Canada. Funded by the Province of BC, this innovative project provides $15 per week in coupons to low-income families that are used to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, dairy or fresh cut herbs at participating farmers’ markets for 17 weeks during regular market season (June-October). 2008 season saw 10 communities around the province participating. Participating communities included; Prince George, Smithers, Kelowna, Kamloops, Coquitlam, Abbotsford, Vancouver (YLFMS), Gibsons, Comox Valley, and Victoria.

Participating families are low-income with children and pregnant women, actively participating in a designated cooking & skill building program. Families develop & build their knowledge and skill in the preparation of healthy, nutritious meals using fresh foods. The coupons support the educational component, allowing families to put into action what they are learning in the cooking & skill-building programs. Hands on cooking, nutrition, menu planning and budgeting are a few of the activities families participate in.

For some participants, it was their first experience at a farmers' market. For others, it was a chance to connect with familiar faces. For all, it was an opportunity for the whole family to experience the magic of their local farmers' market. Kids especially enjoy the opportunity to select their favourite fruit or veggie.

“My kids have tried vegetables that they never tasted before. They also became more involved in buying our food and in preparing it. One insists that he is the family expert on how to split peas. I have learned so many new recipes from the skill building component. I have also tried many vegetables that I hadn't before (such as kale) and have gained many more cooking skills. Our family is also eating healthier. I can't say enough good things about this program. It has also been a nice bonding experience with other parents.”

Hastings Community Centre participant, Vancouver

The Farmers’ Market Nutrition and Coupon Project also supports local farmers' markets and communities, by keeping food local, and supporting local farmers. Markets have created a welcoming environment for participating families, vendors really enjoy the direct connections with families purchasing products, and have benefited from the increased sales the coupons brought to the market. Local media highlighted the FMNCP around the province, creating an opportunity for the community as a whole to learn about their local market.

“... I want to thank you for the Farmers' Marker vouchers we have received. They encourage me to visit the Gibsons Fiddlehead Farmers' Market that I have never visited before. It is an amazing place and I will continue to visit long after I stop attending the CPNP [Canadian Prenatal Program]. Talking with other moms who attend the CPNP, they are all extremely pleased with the vouchers as well. It is nice to support organic farmers, but even more so, local farmers. Thank you so much for this very forward thinking project.”

Bellies & Babies participant, Sunshine Coast

These direct relationships go beyond the 17 weeks participants receive their coupons. One cooking and skill building group enjoyed the market experience so much, they have formed a buying club to purchase direct from farmers throughout the winter market season. Not only do they delight in the taste & nutrition the local & seasonal foods offer, they enjoy the market experience, the direct relationship with those growing their food and the social interaction the buying club offers them. They are also benefiting from purchasing together by receiving volume pricing, while keeping their monies local.

This group, like others around the province, have used the Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project as a catalyst to create sustainable change in their lives, and the lives of their families. Each has woven together the different elements to create a unique and dynamic transformation. The pattern is slightly different for each community, and each individual, but it is tasty for all.

The 2009 season is just around the corner, and with it brings an opportunity to reach more families around the province. The Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project will be expanding to 20 communities across the province.

If your market is interested in participating in the 2009 season, a great first step is to speak to develop relationships with local cooking and skill building programs that offer programming for low-income families &/or pregnant women. Applications for the 2009 season will be available in the new year. For more information, check the BCAFM website www.bcfarmersmarket.org or contact:

Paula Luther, RHN

Project Manager

coupon@bcfarmersmarket.org

604-254-4512

Happy Solstice

Eating Local is for Everyone

2009-01-11T14:29:00.000-08:00

Eating Local is for Everyone

By Jodi Peters

Organic farmer Ann Friesen redeems a days worth of coupons at the Abbotsford Farm & Country Market
Photo: Paula Luther

Eating local is good for the consumer, the farmer, and for the Earth. Unfortunately, revisions to international trade law and national regulatory practices in the past few decades have all but crushed small family farms, the champions of the eat-local movement. The corporations that currently dominate our global food trade operate on such a large scale (e.g. two firms control about 75 per cent of the world market for cereals), they can undercut pricing on a global scale. They lobby all levels of government for continued subsidization of their petroleum-dependent growing and transportation habits. This means that an apple grown in New Zealand, sprayed with pesticides and fertilized with petroleum-based products, costs half the price of one grown organically within 100 miles of my Vancouver home. A harsher consequence of this corporation-dominated food economy is that people of low income generally find local, organic food inaccessible due to its price tag.

Food stamps were accepted at farmer’s markets across the US until the early 1990s, when a transition to electronic debit food stamp cards and the technology they entail severed the link between food stamp program participants and local farmers. However, the past decade has seen a renewed attempt to encourage lower income people – at higher risk of obesity and health problems associated with poor access to nutritious food – to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables. In 2006 New York City’s Greenmarkets teamed up with city council and introduced terminals at some of their open air markets where food stamp recipients could use their debit cards.

Michael Hurwitz, Greenmarket’s director, has watched the growth of these initiatives (16 of 46 markets had terminals in 2008 and the plan is to expand to 25 in 2009), as well as the response of the community. “We have thriving markets in lower income neighbourhoods,” he states. And programs like these are a critical support for bringing local produce to people who are clearly hungry for it. At the federal level, the USDA oversees the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), a federally funded, state-administered nutrition program that provides vouchers for farmers’ market produce for nutritionally at-risk persons, although only in a supplemental capacity (no more than $30 per year, per participant).

Farmers’ markets in Canadian cities may actually be more inaccessible to people of lower income due to the fact that Canada has no federal food stamp program, and most cities rely on food bank handouts to support the nutritional needs of impoverished citizens. However, in 2007, the British Columbia Association of Farmers’ Markets – inspired by the USDA’s FMNP – launched the ground-breaking Farmers’ Market Nutrition and Coupon project (FMNCP) with funding from the provincial government. The FMNCP connects existing cooking and skill building (CSB) programs with local farmers’ markets and provides participants with coupons redeemable for a variety of fresh fare.

As it heads into 2009, the program has doubled its capacity from 2008; it has plans to work with 20 communities across British Columbia during the coming year. Paula Luther, the program’s manager, estimates that the program had a redemption rate of about 96 per cent for the distributed coupons in 2008. After the 2007 pilot program, it became clear that all parties – participating farmers, CSB managers, coupon recipients, and their families – benefited from both the increase of connection with their community and the sense of mutual support.

Children in these families have front-row seats as their parents shop at the markets and come home to prepare nutritious meals from local produce. Luther relates watching a parent give her child a coupon and allow him to make a choice for what food he would like to bring home.

Imagine for a moment, the typical experience of a child in a supermarket, grabbing at brightly coloured boxes of processed, sugary, artificially coloured and flavoured products. Now imagine that same child walking among stalls laden with fresh, colourful local produce and reaching up with delight to take hold of a bright orange and white striped squash, or a shining red apple.

The BCFMA allocated $165,000 for coupons in 2008. When compared to the market share of the multinational agri-businesses, programs like these are a tiny sliver of the economic pie. And yet the fact that these relatively few dollars benefit the most vulnerable members of the community while supporting sustainable, local agriculture is the magic that Luther hopes will enchant community after community.

When asked how this sliver might grow to become a mainstream economic force, Luther points back to the community level. Volunteer at your local market. Sit on a board of directors. Offer your skills at a local community kitchen. She urges people to “Step outside and get to know your neighbours, share a garden, have some mason bees, plant a tree!” Head out to your local farmers’ market, imagine what it could be like if everyone in your community could participate, and, as Luther advises, “If you don’t see what you want, then you get to create it.”

http://www.momentumplanet.com/food/eating-local-everyone

choices

2009-01-11T14:18:00.001-08:00

"Every choice we make can be a celebration of the world we want."

-Francis Moore Lappe

flowers

2009-01-06T17:15:00.000-08:00

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them."

- Henri Matisse

different kinds of good weather

2008-12-30T14:26:00.000-08:00

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is
exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different
kinds of good weather."

- John Ruskin

counter-protest update

2008-11-29T12:12:00.001-08:00

friends

thanks to everyone who braved the rain & mud and came out last night. grandview park was filled with community members dancing and cheering the carnival band, community leaders & politicians. but most importantly, grandview park was filled with love. it was so inspiring to see people come together in the name of love. i saw people being moved to act in the name of love. as i walked down commercial drive on the way to grandview park, carrying my 'love is always the answer' sign, some people stopped what they were doing & joined in, some people cheered as i walked by.

our collective love took up all the space - there was no room left for hate & intolerance. the westbro baptist church did not show up.

love & laughter,

paula

counter-protest @ havana TODAY 5pm - celebrate love!

2008-11-28T11:49:00.000-08:00

friends & lovers of peace

today @ 5pm i will be at havana theatre- celebrating love. the westbro baptist church is coming to vancouver to protest the laramie project @ havana. i am joining others in a counter-protest - protesting the hate. i am choosing to celebrate love rather than to hate the haters. i hope you can join us - the carnival band will be there and i will have a 'love is always the answer' sign. together we can create a transformation & actively participate in making a world full of love & acceptance. please help spread the word.

details:
today november 28th
5pm
havana - commercial drive across from grandview park

background:
in 1998 mathew sheppard - an openly gay youth @ the university of wyoming - was beaten & murdered. the laramie project is a play which depicts the reaction to mathew's murder & has become a powerful tool in combating homophobia. it is performing @ havana - opening tonight. the westbro baptist church, lead by rev. fred phelps - has arrived in vancouver to protest @ havana today.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/11/19/bc-westboro-church-protest-vancouver-laramie-project.html?ref=rss
http://www.godhatesfags.com/written/fliers/20081105_laramie-project-vancouver.pdf

love & laughter,

paula

vow for peace

2008-11-27T15:52:00.000-08:00

food security panel

2008-10-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 6 – 9 pm

Collingwood Neighbourhood House

FOOD SECURITY – A Community Panel Discussion

Food Security is on everyone’s mind today. Questions such as: What is food security? Is our food safe? Is it affordable? Is it nutritious? We want to make safe decisions around food and here is an opportunity to learn more about food security. The Food Security Institute team at Collingwood Neigbourhood House wants to continue to increase community awareness around the safety of our food sources and the methods of improving the food chain link. Join us to learn more – to plant ideas and to consider initiatives around this very important aspect of our lives.

David Tracey – owns and operates Eco Urbanist, is a certified tree care expert and the Executive Director of Tree City. David coordinates the Vancouver Community Agriculture Network project together with City and public health officials to create more community gardens, especially among people lacking access to healthy, affordable food.

Paula Luther – is the Project Manager for the BC Farmers' Market Nutrition and Coupon Project. The project assists lower-income families in accessing food, promoting fresh BC-produced farm products and supporting BC local farmers. She is also a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and has been working on community food initiatives in Vancouver for over 10 years.

Heidi Sinclair – has been the coordinator of the Renfrew Collingwood Food Security Institute since 2005. She has an extensive background in growing food, and creating welcoming and educational experiences around food for participants and has been involved in creating leadership amount initiatives such as community gardens, rooftop garden and community kitchens.

Moderator: Charito Gailling, Community Developer, Evergreen Community Health Center

peace

2008-10-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

"Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible" - Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

The 100-mile diet interview

2008-08-11T12:19:00.000-07:00


	The 100-mile diet Your body will thank you, because local also means nutritious. by Jeff Nield, The Tyee

It's war vegetable season. That's the way James MacKinnon saw the winter months when he and Alisa Smith set out to eat a 100-Mile Diet of local foods in 2005. MacKinnon had once worked with an organic farmer who'd been a child in Europe during the Second World War. The farmer could remember walking the railway tracks to find vegetables that might have fallen off of passing trains: turnips, onions, potatoes, maybe cabbage. Tough foods for hard times. Is eating locally through the winter more a matter of survival than of pleasure or good health? The surprising answer is an emphatic "no." Vancouver-based registered holistic nutritionist Paula Luther is an adherent of year-round local eating for the sake of nutrition. "If we look at what's in abundance right now, we have lots of squash, carrots, things like that, which are actually beneficial at this time of year," she says. These winter foods are rich in beta-carotene, antioxidants, vitamin A -- just the sort of nutrients our bodies need to fight off colds and maintain energy levels for the season. Heavy mileage Luther estimates that 50 per cent of her diet is derived from local sources through the cold, wet months. "It's a bit more of a challenge because I'm vegan, so I'm not eating locally raised beef or seafood," explains Luther. Instead, Luther combines whole grains and legumes to create complete proteins. Both of these foods typically travel to B.C. from the Prairies or points more distant, though both can -- and historically have -- been cultivated on the coast. Luther hopes that the current interest in local foods will lead a local producer to realize the opportunity. According to Andy Jones, the author of Eating Oil: Food in a Changing Climate, a typical calorie of food energy in the industrial food system will require ten calories of input energy. Of course, most North Americans are accustomed to walking into the grocery store and purchasing whatever foods they like without any seasonal interruptions. This is one of the biggest selling points of the industrial food system. It comes at a price, however -- a peach in the local supermarket this time of year has literally travelled from the other side of the world, where the Southern Hemisphere is enjoying midsummer. Producing and transporting the peach will consume many more calories of energy, most of them burned as fossil fuels, than the fruit itself will provide to the person who eats it. According to Andy Jones, the author of Eating Oil: Food in a Changing Climate, a typical calorie of food energy in the industrial food system will require ten calories of input energy. In an extreme example, it takes 127 calories of energy from aviation fuel alone to deliver one calorie of iceberg lettuce to the U.K. from the United States. 100-Mile Diet At the same time, many North Americans underestimate the variety of foods that are available locally through the winter. MacKinnon and Smith, for example, topped up their larder with the following at the December farmers' market in East Vancouver: red and orange carrots; three kinds of potatoes; sunchokes, a.k.a. Jerusalem artichokes or sunroots; fennel bulbs; apples; hazelnuts; Swiss chard; various squashes; beets; parsnips; leeks; eggs; and three kinds of cheese. According to Cynthia Sass, a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and instructor at the University of Southern Florida, one of the most important aspects of eating with the seasons is that it leads people to consume a broader diversity of foods, and therefore of nutrients, rather than repeating the same weekly routine of meals. "People have heard some of the messages about nutrition -- they've certainly heard about saturated fat, whole milk, and fatty meat and all of that -- but they're still missing the significance of variety," she explains. Our knowledge of nutrition is often peppered with misconceptions, says Sass. "We have certain foods in our minds that we associate with different nutrients, and we think if we don't eat that particular food we're not going to get that nutrient. But actually, there are a lot of foods that are rich in these nutrients. So even if you weren't eating, you know, oranges all year round, it doesn't mean you won't get vitamin C," she says. For example, potatoes and cabbage are also potent sources of vitamin C. Ripe is nutritious "I'm a big fan of local eating," says Sass. "When things are grown far away, they're typically harvested early and they're not allowed to fully ripen. Nowadays, we know a lot more about these naturally occurring substances in produce -- it's not just vitamins and minerals, but all these phytochemicals and really powerful disease-fighting substances -- and we do know that when a food never really reaches its peak ripeness, the levels of these substances never get as high." "I always highly recommend that people buy foods at the farmers' market when they're at their peak, freeze them, and then consume them within the next six months," says Sass. Finally, she says, eating from your local landscape doesn't have to mean you can't enjoy the bounty of the warmer months. It only means that you have to plan ahead. "I always highly recommend that people buy foods at the farmers' market when they're at their peak, freeze them, and then consume them within the next six months," says Sass. While most of our grandparents, or certainly our great-grandparents, didn't think too much about nutrition, they did prepare for the coming winter. Pantries full of canning jars and root cellars were the norm. Today, the skills of food preservation are making a comeback. "When you go to the farmers' market, the people who grew [the food] are probably some of the best people to ask because, 'They grow it, they know it,'" says Sass. "But if you can take the time to make sure you have the skill and knowledge you need to fulfil your calorie requirements, then I think it's fantastic. Amazing. Even if we could just get people a little bit closer to that, it would be great." article by Jeff Nield, The Tyee The Tyee is an independent alternative daily newspaper based in B.C. Canada.

creative inspiration

2008-08-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

hey kids

the season is in full swing! farmers' markets & gardens alike are bursting with beautiful & tasty delights. looking for new ideas on what to do with the bounty? check this out for a little creative inspiration....

Gorilla Foods

2008-06-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

hey folks - summer is finally here!
The freshness of it all is exciting. What better time to integrate more raw - live - foods into your diet.
Check out this video on Gorilla Foods. I love Aaron's food for many reasons - it is organic, local, fresh, and bursting with love. Once you try it - there is no going back.
Enjoy

in my genes?

2008-05-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."

Martin Luther

community gardens

2008-05-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

City gardening grows
Community gardens provide precious space for
urban green thumbs and sanctuary searchers

By MARINA SHEVCHUK

Paula Luther visits a community garden site on the corner of Victoria Drive and Hull Street.

Gardening isn’t just for your grandma anymore. Getting down in the dirt can be a great way to get some physical activity, grow delicious food and connect with people in your neighbourhood. The main obstacle urbanites are facing when it comes to gardening is finding land, which is why community gardens are becoming more popular. “Community gardens are very important for a few hundred reasons, but as our cities become busier, as people’s lives become more stressful, gardening generally is a really good way to feel better, de-stress and you get the added

benefit of exercise and some healthy food,” said Mike Levenston, founder of cityfarmer.org, a website that promotes city farming and urban agriculture. According to Levenston all you need to begin farming in the city is a bit of land and sunlight. “If you want to start a community

garden, first find a vacant piece of land and second, find out who owns it and go and see if you can get permission,” Levenston added. Paula Luther is a coordinator at the Trout Lake/Cedar Cottage Food Security Network. She said that another way to begin city farming is to join a local

community garden, particularly if you’re inexperienced. “It brings people together and we get to share our knowledge and learn from each other and it crosses those cultural and social barriers,” Luther said. According to Luther, community gardens have the power to lighten the burden on emergency food provisions such as food banks. “They can also transform neighbourhoods,” she added. Gardening volunteer Christine Boyle said that an isolated sports field at Grandview Elementary School was used by drug addicts and sex trade workers before a community garden began there in 1999. And although their garden gets raided and vandalized periodically, Boyle believes that it has brought their community closer together. “It’s really neat to have these intergenerational connections around something as important and vital as food and the earth,” Boyle said.

Visit cityfarmer.info to find gardens in your area or log onto the City of Vancouver food policy website to find all the tools you need to start one.

MARINA SHEVCHUK photo

http://www.langara.bc.ca/voice/voice_200810/documents/16a05.pdf

Everything you need to know about eating

2008-05-02T16:36:00.001-07:00

Everything you need to know about eating

Chow down like the Greeks, steer clear of the supermarket. A Coles Notes guide to Michael Pollan's latest book

ANDRE PICARD

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

May 1, 2008 at 9:31 AM EDT

'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

With those seven simple words, author Michael Pollan sums up pretty well everything you need to know about eating and good health.

In his recently published, brilliant book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, he argues convincingly for a return to simplicity.

Today, Mr. Pollan says, we are eating less and less food, and more and more "edible foodlike substances" - all manner of processed foods.

Americans - and, to almost the same extent, Canadians - are the most food-obsessed culture on Earth, fretting incessantly about the health consequences of food choices.

Mr. Pollan says this has created a nation (or two) of orthorexics - people with an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.

Just look at newspapers, magazines, books and Food TV. They are loaded with articles and shows about the benefits of food's various parts, or more specifically its components, like omega-3s to prevent Alzheimer's, lycopene as an antioxidant, and monounsaturated fat as a cholesterol buster.

In other words, we speak no more of foods, but of nutrients.

Mr. Pollan labels this reductionist view of what we put in our mouths (and stomachs) nutritionism. In the ideology of nutritionism, foods are the sum of their nutrient parts.

To which Mr. Pollan's reply is: Nonsense.

In Defense of Food says that, on the contrary, what matters is food in all its glory.

His earlier book The Omnivore's Dilemma was all about the ecological and ethical dilemmas of our eating choices. His thesis was that our personal health cannot be divorced from the health of the food chains of which we are part.

In Defense of Food, published in January, is the logical next step and answers the question: Okay, what should I eat?

Mr. Pollan's response, as stated above: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

But in a volume of 244 pages, he has room to elaborate.

The book is definitely worth reading and digesting in its entirety, but here is the Coles Notes version:

Eat food

Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize. Dump the processed food and don't eat anything that's incapable of rotting.

Avoid products that contain ingredients that are unfamiliar, unpronounceable or more than five in number. These are all markers of highly processed foods.

Avoid products that make health claims. While this may seem paradoxical, to make a health claim a food product must have a package.

Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle aisles. Dairy, produce, meats and fish line the walls, while processed foods are in the middle.

Get out of the supermarket whenever possible. Shop at a farmers' market.

Mostly plants

Eat mostly plants, especially leaves. Scientists disagree on which nutrients in plants are best, but they all agree that plants are healthy eating.

You are what you eat eats, too. The diet of animals has a bearing on the quality of food they produce. It's worth looking for pastured animal foods.

If you have space, buy a freezer. Buy fresh foods in season and in quantity, and freeze them.

Eat like an omnivore. The greater the variety of species you eat, the more likely you are to cover all your nutritional bases.

Eat well-grown food from healthy soils. This is a more precise way of saying eat "organic," a term that has been perverted.

Eat wild foods when you can.

Be the kind of person who takes supplements. Popping vitamin pills doesn't appear to be very useful (with some notable exceptions like folic acid and perhaps vitamin D), but people who take them are more health-conscious, educated and affluent, and tend to eat better.

Eat more like the French, the Italians, the Japanese, the Indians, the Greeks. Those in traditional food cultures eat much better than those with a contemporary Western diet.

Regard non-traditional foods with skepticism.

Don't look for a magic bullet in a traditional diet.

Have a glass of wine with dinner.

Not too much

Pay more, eat less. Choose quality over quantity.

Eat meals. Don't graze.

Eat at a table. Not a desk. Not in a car. Not in front of the TV.

Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does.

Try not to eat alone.

Consult your gut. Practise a principle that Okinawans call hara hachi bu - eat until you are 80-per-cent full.

Eat slowly.

Cook and, if you can, plant a garden.

There is nothing too difficult here. It's a lot of common sense.

As Mr. Pollan notes wryly, no animal other than humans needs professional help in deciding what to eat.

It is a sad symptom of our confusion about food that we need to consult a nutritionist, a physician, a government food pyramid or - horror of horrors - a journalist on such a basic question.

apicard@globeandmail.com

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080501.wlpicard01/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home

garden love

2008-04-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

“The first gatherings of the garden in May of salads, radishes and herbs made me feel like a mother about her baby – how could anything so beautiful be mine. And this emotion of wonder filled me for each vegetable as it was gathered every year. There is nothing that is comparable to it, as satisfactory or as thrilling, as gathering the vegetables one has grown.”

Alice B Toklas

i am so deeply inspired & satisfied by my garden this year. so much so that i have started a backyard community garden with some pals just around the corner from my place. we have been dreaming, planning, shoveling, moving compost, and more compost, and even more compost. i am in awe of each seed i plant. each seed contains life potential, and the history of generations of farmers. it connects me with that history and the very earth itself. i feel such joy as i see the seed coming to life - busting forth - its bright green freshness brings me into the moment - allowing me to appreciate - really appreciate all that makes up this wild & wonderful experience of life. lucky lucky lucky....

you can see what we are up to at the graveley gardens - graveleygarden.blogspot.com

interviewed in shared vision

2008-04-17T23:33:00.000-07:00

Confessions of a Meat-Eating Vegetarian

What's more important to me: saving the planet, or my health?

by KATHY SINCLAIR

Let me confess. I love being a vegetarian. For almost 15 years I was practically the poster girl for going meat-free. I salivated over soy, flipped over falafels, and was turned on by tahini. I thrilled to a meal at the Naam or Foundation, and visibly recoiled when I saw friends gulping pork gyoza.

Passing up meat never felt like a sacrifice. I grew up eating chicken and beef, but in my early 20s I came to a scientific conclusion: meat was gross.

I refused to partake fully in holiday meals, loading my plate with vegetables and, I’ll admit, more than a little smugness. When I called home to update my parents on the latest—which often included the non-news that I was feeling a little rundown—they’d chant, in unison: “Eat some meat!”

Feelings of superiority aside, there are a lot of great reasons for going veg. Beans and greens are way cheaper than filet mignon. Then there’s the valuing of one being’s life over another. (Do we eat dogs and cats? Then why is it OK to go at chickens with cleavers?)

Plus, a vegetarian diet is better for the environment. Production of livestock requires way more energy, land, and water than plant foods. And a recent campaign by the Humane Society of the United States says that eating meat (and eggs and dairy) contributes more to global warming than driving a car.

But most of all, I didn’t eat meat because I felt I hadn’t earned the right. If I couldn’t kill a creature with my own two hands, I just didn’t feel entitled to chomp on its flank.

But lo! My veg-head days were numbered.

Several months ago, tired of feeling sick and tired, I sought the counsel of one of Vancouver’s best naturopaths. Sure, I knew I had a little daily-triple-espresso problem, but other than that, I fully expected the good doctor to ply me with a few supplements and send me on my way.

Which was why I was unprepared for her diagnosis: “You might want to think about eating meat.”

The room began to spin, and I broke out in a hot sweat. “Excuse me?”

“It’s possible your B12 and iron levels are low. And the best source of those nutrients is grass-fed beef.”

I couldn’t have been more incredulous if I’d spotted David Suzuki driving a bright red 2008 Hummer H2 through the streets of Kitsilano. Was I going to have to start eating beef? Would my vegetarian partner still kiss me? Even more shocking: had Mom and Dad been right all along?

I sought a second opinion. And a third. Again and again, I heard words that were not music to my ears.

Meghan Hanrahan is a registered holistic nutritionist in East Vancouver. Two and a half years ago, she was following a vegan diet that didn’t compensate for missing nutrients. Then, just as she was starting nutrition school, she began to experience numbness and tingling in her limbs, intense fatigue, difficulties with word retrieval, and “a deep sensation that things weren’t right.”

She was tested for multiple sclerosis; thankfully, her symptoms were just the result of nutritional deficiencies. She was advised to begin eating meat—something her raw-foodist/vegan community of friends didn’t exactly throw a party over.

Slowly, Hanrahan began adding animal products to her diet. Her symptoms have disappeared, but she doesn’t necessarily intend to eat meat forever. “It’s absolutely possible to be a healthy vegetarian,” she maintains. “There are lots of great reasons to be one. But it’s very individual. It’s about recognizing when a diet no longer serves you. It’s not one-size-fits-all.”

Even Molly Katzen, creator of the ardently vegetarian Moosewood Restaurant cookbook series, now eats organic meat. This has brought Katzen considerable condemnation from the vegetarian set. (Hey, just a few months ago, I’d have been throwing rotten bean sprouts, too.)

Of course, many maintain that eating meat is not necessary for good health. Look at Brendan Brazier, the Ironman triathlete and staunch vegan. And although Paula Luther, a registered holistic nutritionist in Vancouver, works with carnivorous clients (“My recommendations are always client-specific, rather than focused on a dogma,” she says), she follows a vegan diet.

Me, I’ve decided to take the advice of the naturopath. Not that getting on the train to Meatville has been easy. Several weeks ago, I ate my first hamburger in years—only to later have a disturbing dream about an adorable, brown-eyed Jersey cow.

The concept of chewing dead flesh will probably never excite me. But neither does the thought of being unwell.

Kathy Sinclair is a Vancouver editor and flexitarian who is learning to love non-medicated, organic, free-range, nitrite-free bison sausage—for now.

www.shared-vision.com/20060814/sv_health

lessons from the garden

2008-03-24T12:43:00.001-07:00

"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy."

William Blake

chickpea

the possibilities

drizzly february day

never too late

essential element of any art

please always remember

a few of my favourite docs

vulnerability

love

art

"The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude." - Friedrich Nietzsche

what is life?

roar

fresh fall soup

there is no prize "out there"

a day of wise words

"Always be mindful of the kindness and not the faults of others." ~Buddha

"We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are."Anais Nin

I caught the happy virus last night When I was out singing beneath the stars. It is remarkably contagious -- So kiss me. ~Hafiz

"want what you have and give want you want"

opening the soul

"That which oppresses me, is it my soul trying to come out in the open, or the soul of the world knocking at my heart for entrance?" Rabindranath Tagore

joyful spititual growth

"What if your drive to experience pleasure isn't a barrier to your spiritual growth? Consider trying out the hypothesis that cultivating joy can make you a more ethical and compassionate person. Imagine that feeling good has something important to teach you on a regular basis." Rob Brezsny

trying to believe

We are not here to make believe... we are here to believe we can make it. - Guru Singh

oh, to be alive!

the cost of local food

Is the Local Food Movement Elitist?

2011 foodie wall calendar

hot off the press....

my 2011 wall calendar is now available for purchase. a tasty delight for the eyes :: full of my local foodie photography. it is available online @ etsy & i will have copies @ the upcoming vancouver farmers market holiday market (dec 11 @ croatian cultural centre)

perfect for your favourite foodie!

also available for purchase online ::

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61203206/2011-foodie-photo-wall-calendar?ref=v1_other_2

new items are being added regularly...!

how do you define success?

november to remember

october saturday in east van

mindfulness

"The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

fresh fall veggie pâté

plant based diet ~ for the health of it

happy world food day!

last farmers market date of the 2010 season

farm fresh

making it last

Reducing your impact

beyond crunching the numbers

how to really love a child

food delight of the day

getting to know your food - GATES FOUNDATION INVESTS IN MONSANTO

trout lake farmers market

quick & easy summer dinner

philosophy of living

"I have done my best: that is about all the philosophy of living one needs." ~Lin-yutang

big sugar

the true cost of food

wondering about the benefits of eating locally & the *true* cost of food? check out this animated short by the sierra club

fava bean crisis averted

the great sunscreen question

“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.”

~William S. Burroughs

interested in green roofs & living walls?

fish farming

wondering what's what with fish farming? here is an article by pal christopher pollon

and here is information on SeaChoice to help you make seafood decisions. the vancouver farmers markets have several great sea food vendors - check them out.

happy earth day!

2010 market season

stone soup festival

support the east van farmers mkt @ vancouver parks board meeting

come out if you can to show support for the east van market - they really do need friendly faces & supporters at this meeting:

Board of Parks and RecreationPlanning & Environment Committee MeetingThursday, April 08, 20106:30 pm2099 Beach Avenue

help keep the east van farmers market @ trout lake

checkout chickpea nutrition on facebook

spring soup

sunday morning breakfast

love

dance in the rain

love like that

I caught the happy virus last night
When I was out singing beneath the stars.
It is remarkably contagious --
So kiss me. ~Hafiz

wondering about the benefits of eating locally & the true cost of food? check out this animated short by the sierra club

Board of Parks and Recreation
Planning & Environment Committee Meeting

Thursday, April 08, 2010
6:30 pm
2099 Beach Avenue

Date: June 10th
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson Street
Vancouver
$10
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/67859