Let's Grow Food!
This program started in Spring of 2020 in response to the COVID19 pandemic.
We know that gardening is good for our mental health and wellbeing. As COVID19 continues to change our lives in unforeseen ways, the act of growing food sustains us and gives us purpose, nourishment, connection, and closeness to nature.
That’s why we started a new program called “Let’s Grow Food!”, in efforts to support and inspire residents of the Southern Sea-to-Sky in growing food at home, saving seeds, building resilience, celebrating the harvest, and sharing the bounty with those in our community who need it most.
This initiative is brought to you by Squamish CAN and the Squamish Food Policy Council. Supported by the District of Squamish and Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
Learn to Grow
Here’s a list of guides, fact-sheets, videos, and more to get you growing. This list will be updated regularly!
Fact-sheets & Guides:
Pollinators
Squamish CAN Gardening Workshop Series
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Each month Squamish CAN hosts a speaker to cover topics such as Healthy Soil, Planting for Pollinators and Gardening 101. Check for upcoming events and garden workshops on our EVENT CALENDAR and follow us our Facebook Page. Bring your questions!
Additional Growing Resources
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West Coast Seeds How To Grow Guides are an amazing resource
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Linda Gilkeson, author of the best-selling book Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest, has excellent information on her website on growing food and identifying insects in the garden.
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Compost Education Centre in Victoria BC has excellent factsheets on composting and gardening and offers free and paid online workshops
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The Sea-to-Sky Invasive Species Council shared the following resources on invasive species.
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Species profile list, if you download the excel version, you can search it to see if any species you are unsure about is on there
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The Grow Me Instead brochure ($2) presents a series of invasive plants that are commonly found in the horticulture trade, along with native and exotic (non-invasive) alternatives.
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Let us know your favourite gardening resources! Email Constance at growfoods2s@gmail.com and we will share them here.
The Garden Kit
The Let's Grow Food! Garden Kit provided gardening supplies such as compost, plant starts, seeds, and containers at a subsidized cost or for free to members of our community.
Everyone was invited to apply for garden supplies! The priority of this program was to deliver supplies to those who have been most effected by COVID-19 and may not be in a position to otherwise access these materials.
The Let's Grow Food! Garden Kit was made possible by generous contribution from Community Food Centres Canada Good Food Access Fund. Thank you!
Supplies & Resources
These local organizations and businesses have the supplies and resources you need to get growing.
Land Access
Looking for a space to grow? Have a field or yard to share?
Young Agrarians has made these handy mapping tools for you to use.
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Their Garden-sharing map allows people to list their available outdoor space, and interested local gardeners can then get in touch.
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The U-MAP is for folks to share larger pieces of land they want to see farmed, and people looking for land to farm.
Supplies
You can find gardening tools, irrigation, bagged soil, and amendments at these local businesses.
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Home Hardware
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Rona
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Canadian Tire
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Home Depot
Soil & Compost
To help you grow
If you want a vegetable garden, but don’t have the time, these local businesses are here to help.
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SOLscapes Edible Landscaping
SEEDS
In-Person/Squamish:
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Nesters
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Home Depot, Rona & Canadian Tire
Order online:
Local Organizations
Growing Community: How does your garden grow?
Send your story to Constance at growfoods2s@gmail.com and share your gardening activities @squamish_can #letsgrowfoods2s
We are grateful to Community Food Centres Canada's Good Food Access Fund and all of the donors to #GoodFoodAccessFund for their generous support - Thank You !
Let’s Grow Food! received funding from Community Food Centres Canada’s Good Food Access Fund to make sure that everyone who wants to be growing or eating fresh food has the opportunity to. Funding is provided in part by the Government of Canada’s Local Food Infrastructure Fund, as part of the Food Policy for Canada. The Fund aims to strengthen food systems and facilitate access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations.
The Good Food Access Fund
The Good Food Access Fund is helping to provide emergency relief during this time of national crisis to our most vulnerable neighbours, including children, single parents, Indigenous people, seniors, and those on disability supports. The Fund will ensure that the 183 Good Food Organizations and 13 Community Food Centres working on the front lines in 175 communities across Canada can quickly purchase food and supplies for those who need it most. Learn more at goodfoodfund.ca
About Community Food Centres Canada
Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC) builds health, belonging and social justice in low-income communities across Canada through the power of food. CFCC supports Community Food Centres and Good Food Organizations across Canada to build their capacity for impact and to empower communities to work toward a healthy and fair food system. Learn more at cfccanada.ca or follow @aplaceforfood
Educators take an interdisciplinary approach with lots of hands-on learning opportunities for their students and community members.
A place where people can grow, prepare, share, buy, receive or learn about food.
We bring together organizations, businesses, government representatives and community groups, to share perspectives and address challenges in our local food system.