Vert-à-Go

The Core Neighbourhood Youth Co-op will hold its annual dinner and auction on Thursday, 28 May. The fun starts at 5:30 pm with cocktails and the silent auction, supper is at 6:30 pm, and the live auction will kick off after that at 8:30pm.

The Core Neighbourhood Youth Co-op is an alternative high school program for at risk youth. Those who take part in CNYC’s programs can earn high school credits while learning life and employment skills in a compassionate environment. One of Core’s great initiatives is its urban gardening program. Here, young people learn valuable skills by studying horticulture and their environment. They take part in a variety of gardening activities centred around aquaponic and traditional greenhouses and raised bed gardening, learning composting techniques, bee keeping, canning, preserving, healthy eating, and cooking. They also manufacture some lovely furniture (including garden furniture), which is for sale, as well as rain barrels and worm composting bins. Keep your eye out for the salad and salsa containers CNYC will be putting together and selling at the Farmers’ Market next month!

Core Neighbourhood Youth Co-op dinner and auction

When: Thursday 28 May , 5:30pm-10pm

Where: Louis’ Pub, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Google map)

COST: $40

For more information: Call Kayla Hrynewich at (306) 665-3889 or see their web site

This is being posted very late; apologies. If you can possibly come out to the meeting, please do–the show of support tonight will be instrumental in whether the garden goes ahead or not! Even if you don’t want to take a garden plot yourself, if you support the plan, please come along anyway to show you are still in favour of the proposal in general.

Agenda: Park Programming change in Ashworth Holmes Park

7-7:10 pm Welcome and Introductions:
Presenters, topic, agenda

7:10- 7:30pm City of Saskatoon: Marieke Knight, Community Consultant
• Purpose of tonight’s meeting
• Review of the community garden Approval Process (use of City of Saskatoon park land)
• Purpose of a community garden? Recreational Programming change: What does this mean
• Why the Ashworth Holmes Park location?
• Garden Regulations and guidelines
• Sign in sheets to express the following: your support for the garden/your support and interest in having a plot/your objection to the garden as proposed

7:30-7:50pm Presentation: Garden Collective Representative
• Discuss site and possible design
• Potential costs involved for gardeners and why a cost
• Community use of the garden
• Why a garden?
• Next meeting for interested gardeners

7:50-8:05pm CHEP (Child Hunger and Education Project)
• brief description of CHEP’s work
• possible support CHEP could offer to the Community Garden Collective

8:05-8:20pm Power point: Operating Community Gardens

8:20pm Questions/Comments/Sign up

Caswell Community Garden/Ashworth Park site public consultation meeting

When: Monday 11 May, 7pm

Where: Caswell Hill School gym, 204 30th Street W, Saskatoon, SK (Google map)

For more information: Elizabeth Bekolay, garden committee/Marieke Knight, City of Saskatoon (975-3381)

The Cyclones Road and Track Club is once again selling cow manure as a fundraiser for the next 4-6 weeks. I got a delivery of it last year and it was a great soil amender, very well-composted with no smell. It’s also a great chance to support these dedicated and talented Saskatoon athletes!

Prices

• buy 1 bag for $10
• get free delivery on orders of 5 bags or more
• with an order of 10 bags, you’ll get one free (so 11 bags for $100)
• 1/2 yard bulk (unbagged) is $50, full yard is $100

To order, drop by their table at the Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings or call Rick on 955-1986 or 229-1086. For bulk delivery, call Ben on 241-3119.

The Saskatchewan Perennial Society will hold its spring plant exchange on 19 May. Admission to this event is for SPS members only (see below to find out how to join, or pick up your membership at the door). Attendees are asked to bring along a dessert to share.

When we think of prairie-hardy perennials, most of us usually think of flowers and foliage. But there are a number of food-bearing perennials as well: how about strawberries, rhubarb, or chives? To take part in the plant exchange, bring extra plants, properly labeled with preferred growing conditions, colour and height. Everyone will get several plants each to take home.  But don’t worry if you don’t have plants to share–just a dessert will be fine!

The SPS promotes the use of perennial plants by hosting spring and autumn plant exchanges, as well as holding garden tours during the summer so members can show their yards. It has helped create the Robin Smith Meditation Garden at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park, and also has a new test border of plants on display at the park. The SPS also has an excellent members-only library, whose books can be borrowed at the meetings and plant trades.

Saskatchewan Perennial Society spring plant exchange

When: Tuesday 19 May, doors open 6:30pm, exchange starts 7pm

Where: Forestry Farm Park Hall, Saskatoon Zoo, Saskatoon, SK (Google map)

Admission: Saskatchewan Perennial Society members ONLY–to join, get the mail-in membership form here ($10 basic annual membership/$25 membership includes 1-year subscription to Gardener for the Prairies magazine–a great deal!). You can also buy a membership at the door. The $2 park entry fee is also in effect.

For more information: Saskatchewan Perennial Society web site, or email

The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council will be hosting two mini-classes on composting at the beginning of May. Whether you’re new to composting and want to find out how to get started, or whether you need some advice on your current composting setup, this crash course will help you out!

Composting mini-class

When: Thursday 7 May,  7-8pm

Where: Lower Auditorium, J S Wood Library, 1801 Lansdowne Avenue, Saskatoon, SK (Google map)

Admission: free, no need to pre-register, just turn up!

For more information: Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council

The City of Saskatoon’s two free compost depots reopen today. The first depot is located on McOrmond Drive just north of 8th St E, and the other on Highway 7 across from 11th Street. The depots will be open from 11am-7pm on weekdays, and from 9am to 5pm on weekends.

As of this year, the landfill will no longer accept loads of unbagged leaves and grass. All clean loads of leaves and grass must be taken to the compost depots. The depots will also accept tree and shrub material this year. You must cut branches and tree trunks that are greater than 4 inches in diameter into sections no longer than 24 inches before drop-off. Due to the threat of Dutch Elm Disease, elm tree cuttings/branches cannot be accepted and must be disposed of at the landfill.

You can get more information on the city’s composting programs on their web site (search under “c” for compost depots) or by calling 975-2486.

Hi, I am very eager to find a community gardening opportunity in Saskatoon. Can you point me in the right direction?

- J

There’s still a few bits of snow lingering on the ground, but already I’m seeing a lot of interest from people who want to start growing some of their own food this year. Many people are planning on digging up part of their own yard (or lawn!), but many others are looking for a community garden plot–an excellent alternative for apartment or condo-dwellers, house renters with unsympathetic landlords, and those with shady home lots. It can be hard to find a space, though. Where to start?

1. Join the Saskatoon Community Gardening Network. This group meets every month or two to discuss issues related to gardening and community gardening in particular. It’s a great chance meet fellow gardeners and find out more about what’s going on across the city. To get on the contact list and find out the next meeting time (May, likely) call Dana at CHEP (Child Hunger & Education Program) or email dana@chep.org. You can also join the Facebook group here.
2. Apply to join an established garden. There are a number of established community gardens in the city, but spaces can be at a premium and there are often waiting lists. City Park CG will be back in business this spring after having extensive work done last autumn to improve drainage/flooding problems, but it cannot take any more gardeners this year. The Nutana CG (which lost some plots because of an electrical box installation) is also already full. Sadly, it will only be at its current home near Broadway for one more growing season, as a building is being planned for the site. We’re working with the city to find a suitable new site in the area. If I hear of any individual gardens that are accepting new gardeners directly, I will post about it immediately.
3. Help start a new garden. There is a group of people trying to get a CG established in Caswell right now, but finding a suitable site has caused delays.  You can join the Caswell Community Garden Facebook group here to get updates. Another group is trying to get set up in Eastview. Again, I’ll be posting more info about how you can help soon.
4. Get in on the ground floor with a new garden. St. Martin’s United Church (Wilson Crescent & Clarence Avenue) is creating a community garden on the church grounds and is now taking applications for this summer. You can pick one up at the church office or call 343-7101 to get one mailed/emailed to you.
5. Get in touch with CHEP. CHEP has been very involved with supporting community gardening and finding places for people to garden for years. It has a number of garden sites and is always looking for ways to expand the number of plots available. You can have a look at its community gardening brochure (somewhat out of date, but which will give you a general idea of how things work) here. Dana can help you apply to get a plot at the various CHEP community gardens and also has up-to-date info on other gardening options throughout the city. Phone her on 655-5322 for an application (the deadline is coming up fast–20 April) or email her at dana@chep.org.
   
6. Let your city councillor know that community garden access is a priority. The City of Saskatoon is quite supportive of community garden initiatives in theory, but there are currently some logistical and organisational challenges which I’ll be writing about in detail soon. Another major challenge is finding a suitable permanent space that also has easily available water for irrigation. In the older neighbourhoods in particular, there is less green space available than one would think.

I’ll be posting more information on specific gardening opportunities, and will also have advice on finding alternatives to a community garden plot soon.

(Thursday: I’ve edited this post to reflect the conversation I had with Dana from CHEP this morning)

The 4th annual fundraising gala for CHEP (Child Hunger and Education Program) will be held this Saturday, 4 April. Entitled “Think Global: Eat Local”, this lively gala will include a delicious dinner featuring unique international cuisine, live music, student entertainment, door prizes, and silent auction. In keeping with the global theme of the event, the dress code is creative international or business casual–prizes will be given out for Best Dressed attendees.

All proceeds from the evening will go towards programs helping to break the cycle of poverty and fight root causes of hunger. CHEP’s programming includes Children’s Food & Nutrition Programs and Family Food Security Initiatives such as collective kitchens, the Good Food Box, community gardening, and senior stores.

This is a great opportunity to support CHEP and its vital work in helping people living in Saskatoon. I would be there in a flash if I wasn’t completely flattened by the flu right now!

When: Saturday, 4 April, 6pm (reception, cash bar, silent auction), 7pm (dinner and wine bar), 8pm (program, music & dancing)

Where: Hilton Garden Inn, 90 22nd St E, Saskatoon (Google map)

Cost: $50 (including $15 tax receipt), or $35 for students (with no tax receipt)

For more information: CHEP web site, or call Dana on 655-5322 or email dana@chep.org

This event is presented by Health Everywhere, students from the College of Medicine, and CHEP.

Members of the Saskatoon Co-op are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting, which will be held Tuesday 21 April at 7pm.

The March newsletter addressed a number of environmental issues, outlining the Co-op’s green policies and initiatives. At the upcoming AGM, We Are Many Festival (WAM) organisers will be putting forth several environmentally-friendly resolutions. You will have the opportunity to vote  on LEED-standard building for all new Co-op edifices, independent energy audits of all existing buildings, and local food procurement (aka the perennial problem of pork, pickles, and potatoes).

If you’re a Co-op member (if you’re not, you can sign up at any Co-op store), come vote for these changes–they can have a dramatic impact on our city because the Co-op is one of our biggest companies.

When: Tuesday, 21 April, 6:30 registration, 7pm call to order

Where: Commonwealth Ballroom, Hilton Garden Inn, 90 22nd St E, Saskatoon (Google map)

For more information: Saskatoon Co-op web site, WAM Facebook group

This weekend is Gardenscape, Saskatoon’s annual horticulture trade show. As always, there will be a large number of booths (420 this year) dealing with all things green and growing, as well as nine feature gardens (including ones demonstrating water-conscious gardening and vertical gardening). The auction of all plants used in the show will be held at 6:30 on Sunday evening in the main theatre.

The feature speaker for 2009 is author, journalist and environmental activist Des Kennedy. He will be giving two talks daily, one on ‘Garden Artristry’ and another on ‘The Exquisite Artistry of Chinese Gardens’ (check the schedule for exact times). For those with a particular interest in food gardening, you may also want to check out the following talks and demonstrations:

Friday, 27 March (Speakers’ Theatre)

• 4pm Best Vegetables for Saskatchewan (Doug Waterer, U of S Plant Sciences)
• 6pm Fruits of Saskatchewan (Forrest Scharf, Provincial Fruit Specialist)
• 7pm Growing and Processing Herbs (Connie Kehler & Helga Halfinger/Helga’s Herbs, Herb Spice Association)

Saturday, March 28

Speakers’s Theatre

• 12 noon Drinking Your Garden: a primer on home wine making (Cedric Gillott, 2007 Gold Medalist, International Cider Competition)
  3pm Living Roof Tops (Goya Ngan, Saskatoon)
• 4pm The Buzz Around Bees Will Chalmers (Saskatoon Area Bee Club)
• 6pm Organic Gardening & Pesticide Alternatives (Patricia Hanbidge, Saskatoon School of Horticulture)

Demonstration Theatre (Hall D)

• 11am Growing and Using Edible Herbs (Fran Eldridge, Fran’s House of Herbs)
• 2pm Ask A Horticulture Expert (Spencer Early/Early’s Farm & Garden Centre, Rick Van Duyvendyk/Dutch Growers Garden Centre, Patricia Hanbidge/Saskatoon School of Horticulture. Vic Krahn, Lakeshore Garden Centre)

Sunday, March 29 (Speakers’ Theatre)

• 2pm Garden Insects: The Good, The Bad, and The (not necessarily) Ugly (Cedric Gillott, Professor Emeritus U of S Biology)

Get the full schedule here!

Gardenscape 2009

When: Friday 27 March (noon-10pm) , Saturday 28 March (10am-9pm), Sunday 29 March (11am-5pm)

Where: Prairieland Park Trade Centre, 503 Ruth Street West, Saskatoon  (Google map)

Cost: $8 ($12 for 2 days), Students 15 & under FREE, Butterflies & Blooms Exhibit $3

For more information: Gardenscape web site