SPEC Events & Workshops

Urban Soil Management (02 May 2012)

Wed, 02 May 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Urban Soil Management

Description: Healthy soil is the root of all successful farms and gardens. A good understanding of basic soil science will help you make important decisions about choosing the right plants for your location, improving your soil's drainage and water retention, and increasing fertility. This class will cover the challenges and benefits of our regional soils, fertility and amendment, drainage, mulch, compost, and soil types and textures, quality assessment, and urban concerns such as contamination and compaction. Students will get hands-on experience with taking soil samples, and interpreting a soil fertility test.

Instructors:

Chris Thoreau holds a BSc. in Agroecology from UBC where he focused on soils, small-scale plant breeding, and urban farming. Previous to his time at UBC he operated Influence Organics, a one-acre certified organic farm on Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula. Here Chris focused on utilizing no-till and permaculture principles to grow a variety of vegetables for local markets, CSAs and restaurants. Chris currently operates My Urban Farm - a bicycle-powered urban farm in Vancouver that specialized in microgreens, and co-owns Your Local Food Pedalers. He is also an IOIA-trained organic inspector.

Alisha Hackinen is a long time student at UBC having completed her BSc in Global Resource Systems there in May 2009. While in her undergraduate years, Alisha had the opportunity to intern with several small local scale organic farms which drove home the message that soil management is foundational to the health of our community and our planet. She is currently pursuing her M.Sc. in Soil Science in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, under the supervision of Dr. Maja Krzic. Alisha’s research will combine two fields which she is passionate about, soils and education, by examining teaching methods in sustainable soils management.

4 Wednesdays, May 2, 9, 16, and 23

from 6-9pm

Important additional information:

Online payments are completed through our PayPal site via credit card, you will be directed automatically.

Offline (manual) payments by mail or in-person are accepted by cheque or cash.

To pay in person prior to the event: Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 AM to 4 PM visit SPEC at 2060 Pine Street, Vancouver, BC, V6J 4P8 (The Kentwood Building). Ask for Oliver. Please bring exact cash or cheque. Register online for the course prior to visiting the office.

Mailing cheques: Cheques payable to SPEC may be sent to 2060 Pine Street, Vancouver, BC, V6J 4P8.

In most cases we will require you to pay in advance to hold your space. If there are spaces available the day of the event you may pay at the door with exact cash or cheque, however registration at the door will be on a first come first serve basis.

Credit card payments are not available by phone or in-person.

Please note that minimum registration must be met for courses to run. If necessary classes may be cancelled with at least 24hr notice. Refunds will be provided for cancelled classes.

Refunds can not be guaranteed for no-shows or cancellations with insufficient notice.

Please make cheques payable to SPEC. Questions? email fieldschool@spec.bc.ca

Thank you, On behalf of the SPEC|YWCA UFFS team.

MarketSafe Certification (26 May 2012)

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

MarketSafe Certification

Description: Are you thinking about selling your produce or value-added products at farmers’ markets? The MarketSafe Program was designed to increase awareness and knowledge of food safety and safe food handling procedures for farmers’ market vendors, market managers, farm gate vendors, home kitchen small scale food processors, and others who may make, bake or produce food products for public consumption outside of regulated food service establishments.

Instructor: Lisa Weih has been a FOODSAFE Instructor since 1988 and has been employed with the Fraser Health Authority as a Health Inspector since 1992. Since 2007 she has been teaching introductory HACCP workshops with the Small Scale Food Processor Assn to food producers throughout the province. She is currently offering FOODSAFE and MarketSafe Courses to custom groups only.

Saturday May 26th

from 10am - 4pm

*Sign up for the Small Farm Business Planning Package and receive this course and Managing a Direct-Market Small-Scale Farm at 15% off.

Carpentry for Gardeners Section 1 (05 Jun 2012)

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Carpentry for Gardeners Section 1

Description: Finally build that luxury chicken coop you've been dreaming of, or at least a simple trellis for your peas. Some basic carpentry skills open up a world of possibilities in the garden, from space-saving techniques like arbors, to creating raised beds for improved accessibility. This practice-based course is offered in partnership with the Vancouver Community Lab, where students will build a simple project while gaining experience with design, hand tools, and shop tools. Emphasis on safe, sustainable, and reclaimed materials.

Instructor: Duncan Martin moved to Vancouver from Vermont in 2003 to go to UBC. After an English degree and some years of teaching, he began drawing on other interests such as design, agricultural outbuildings, and visual art to form the fledgling chicken coop business that he now runs at www.DailyEggs.com. It is a work in progress that thrives on educating, connecting, celebrating, and most of all, getting people started with a flock of healthy, happy, and productive egg-laying hens. When he’s not building coops, Duncan is either baking bread, mushroom hunting, tinkering, or out and about with family and friends.

Class Meets on 2 Tuesdays: June 5 and 12

from 6-9 pm

*Please Note that Carpentry for Gardeners Section 1 and 2 are the same class offered at different times. Register only for one section.

*Sign up for our Chickens n' Coops Course Package and receive this course plus Chickens in the City at 15% off the price of the individual courses.

**Thanks to the Home Depot Canada Foundation for their generous support of this class!***

Carpentry for Gardeners Section 2 (06 Jun 2012)

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Carpentry for Gardeners Section 2

Intructor: Duncan Martin moved to Vancouver from Vermont in 2003 to go to UBC. After an English degree and some years of teaching, he began drawing on other interests such as design, agricultural outbuildings, and visual art to form the fledgling chicken coop business that he now runs at www.DailyEggs.com. It is a work in progress that thrives on educating, connecting, celebrating, and most of all, getting people started with a flock of healthy, happy, and productive egg-laying hens. When he’s not building coops, Duncan is either baking bread, mushroom hunting, tinkering, or out and about with family and friends.

Class Meets on 2 Wednesdays: June 6 and 13

from 6-9 pm

**Thanks to the Home Depot Canada Foundation for their generous support of this class!***

Chickens in the City (16 Jun 2012)

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Chickens in the City

Description: Interested in fresh eggs but not sure how to care for chickens? Learn about backyard chickens, including where to source your hens, pest and disease management, feeds and bedding, choosing the right coop design, winter care, and of course, being a good neighbour.

Instructor:

Vicky Baker has over 10 years of experience gardening in urban centres, both in Montreal and Vancouver. As an advocate for food sovereignty, she practices urban agriculture both as the coordinator of the Cambie Communal Garden, and at her home in East Vancouver. Her passion for chickens was ignited as soon as she knew it was a possibility in Vancouver, and she has been exploring that world ever since.

Saturday June 16

from 1-4pm

*Sign up for our Chickens n' Coops Course Package and receive this course plus Carpentry for Gardeners at 15% off the price of the individual courses.

Organic Pest Control for Urban Food Production (19 Jun 2012)

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Organic Pest Control for Urban Food Production

Description: Not sure what’s wilting your tomatoes or leaving bites in your zucchinis? Help your garden achieve its full potential by incorporating organic methods for soil-boosting and pest management. Participants will learn to diagnose common diseases, pest damage, and nutrient deficiencies in garden vegetables, as well as prevention techniques such as attracting beneficial insects, improving soil fertility, and planting resistant varieties.

Instructors:

Dr. Tara Moreau is SPEC’s Vice-President and Food Committee Co-Chair. For 10 years, she has been involved with the study and promotion of sustainable agriculture at both local and international levels. She holds a PhD in integrated pest management and is currently evaluating agriculture and climate change as postdoctoral research fellow with the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, the University of British Columbia and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Dr. Saber Miresmailli holds a PhD in plant science and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana. Saber is an applied biologist interested in the impact of climate change on ecological functions, specifically on info-chemicals and insect-plant interactions. Saber also conducted research on precision agriculture and safe pesticides and collaborated with industry for number of years.

Tuesday June 19th 6-9pm

*Sign up for the Food Production Package and receive this course, Seed Starting and Propagation and Growing Food in Small Spaces at 15% off.

Climate Change and Food Security (12 Jul 2012)

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Climate Change and Food Security

Description: With the change of seasons come locally available foods. For example, spring yields rhubarb; summer ushers in a bounty of fruits and vegetables; apples rule autumn while winter supplies root vegetables. Imagine if all this were to change. By 2050, global agro-ecosystems are projected to undergo rising temperatures and CO2 levels, erratic water availability and an increase of extreme weather events. Join presenter Tara Moreau who will introduce the science of climate change, examine the projected impacts on farming, highlight solutions for regional agriculture and explore individual actions for a low carbon diet.

Instructor: Dr. Tara Moreau is SPEC’s Vice-President and Food Committee Co-Chair. For 10 years, she has been involved with the study and promotion of sustainable agriculture at both local and international levels. She holds a PhD in integrated pest management and is currently evaluating agriculture and climate change as postdoctoral research fellow with the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, the University of British Columbia and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

July 12th

from 6-9 pm

*Sign up for the Food Systems Package and receive this course and Community Food Systems at 15% off.

Fruit Tree Pruning (21 Jul 2012)

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Fruit Tree Pruning

Description: Fruit trees are pruned to encourage productive fruiting wood. Properly maintaining your tree will increase both its life expectancy and the quality of fruit produced. In this workshop you will learn how to prune with clear objectives and an understanding of how trees will respond to pruning cuts. We will also explore the following: the structural training of young trees, where to make cuts, the effects of timing of pruning, directing growth, the age of fruiting wood for different fruit types, proper planting techniques, pruning tools, and general tree care recommendations. Students will have the opportunity to practice pruning on the rooftop garden.

Instructor: Laura Ralph has always found solace amongst trees and is continually amazed by the wealth of benefits that they provide. As an ISA Certified Arborist and a tree-hugger, Laura is committed to fostering a better understanding of trees and tree care. She operates Alive & Well Organic Gardening, an ecological gardening company, in Vancouver. Cottonwood Community Garden is home to her small vegetable plot and she is working on expanding her food production endeavours.

Saturday July 21st

from 10-2pm

*Registration includes a light lunch

Season Extension (08 Sep 2012)

Sat, 08 Sep 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Season Extension

Description: Want to get the most out of your garden this year? Vancouver's climate is perfect for getting the most out of your garden growing in the spring and fall 'shoulder' seasons. Learn how to choose cool season varieties, when to plant them, and how to take advantage of urban microclimates to keep your garden thriving all year long. Students will learn various season extension techniques, and will get hands-on experience building a cold frame in class.

Instructor: Lis Thomas is a horticulturist who worked in community greening in NYC before moving to Vancouver. She is currently running the YWCA Metro Vancouver Rooftop Food Garden and is also studying post-industrial soil remediation as part of an MSc. in Plant Science. Lis is passionate about urban agriculture, bicycling, native plants, metal fabrication, and circus arts.

Saturday September 8

from 2-5pm

*Sign up for our Season Extension Package and receive this course plus Solar Greenhouses and Preserving the Harvest at 15% off the price of the individual courses.

Course Package: Season Extension (08 Sep 2012)

Sat, 08 Sep 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Course Package: Season Extension

Description: This course package includes Season Extension, Preserving the Harvest and Solar Greenhouses at the discounted price of 15% off the regular price of the individual courses.

Please note that refunds cannot be issued for course packages.

Preserving the Harvest (09 Sep 2012)

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Preserving the Harvest

Description: Canning is a fun, practical, and economical way to eat local, seasonal food all year round. Fruits and vegetables taste the best when they are freshest and in season, so make the most of your garden’s harvest, farmers market finds, or this summer’s blackberry crop by preserving jams, sauces, and whole fruits. Practice canning summer fruits and learn about other methods of preservation including freezing, drying, pickling, and pressure canning. Participants will leave armed with a homemade jar of preserves and recipes for pickles, sauces, jams and more.

Instructors:

Caitlin Dorward is past president of Sprouts at UBC, a SPEC Director, Agricultural Researcher and avid foodie and canner. She is Food Safe certified and has been teaching SPEC’s canning workshops for the past three years.

Marnie Newell is a SPEC staff member and passionate food preserver with dozens of cans under her belt. She has been trained by food preservers from such diverse backgrounds as Backwoods Homesteader to Big City Chef and is Food Safe certified.

Sunday September 9

from 1-4pm

*Sign up for our Season Extension Package and receive this course plus Solar Greenhouses and Season Extension at 15% off the price of the individual courses.

Solar Greenhouses (15 Sep 2012)

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Solar Greenhouses

Description: Greenhouses can be valuable tools for growing food all year round. However, conventional greenhouses designed to extend the growing season are heavy energy users. In fact, as part of the recent announcement to review the Carbon Tax, the BC government pointed to the greenhouse industry as being hard hit by the tax. But do greenhouses have to be such high energy users? This workshop will focus on the design of "solar greenhouses." These greenhouses use passive design features to collect and store energy from the sun rather than from other sources. This allows you to extend the growing season with little or no external energy inputs other than the sun. In the workshop we will discuss passive design features, active solar technologies and methods of greenhouse food production.

Instructor: Rob Baxter is a co-founder and a director of the Vancouver Renewable Energy Cooperative and Chair of SPEC's Energy Committee. He teaches a course in renewable energy for Langara College Continuing Studies. He is an advocate for renewable energy, specifically solar energy as well as sustainable transportation. Rob believes in practicing what he preaches and has contructed a solar greenhouse for his family's use.

Saturday September 15th

from 1-4pm

*Sign up for our Season Extension Package and receive this course plus Preserving the Harvest and Season Extension at 15% off the price of the individual courses.