Clear your calendars for Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for an informative and fun day during Seedy Saturday at the College of New Caledonia.
Learn how to grow good food and how to preserve it for the rest of the year, plus lots of other interesting food-related stuff.
This year, our theme is Growing in Changing Times. In our region, we have been on the forefront of the effects of climate change. First, we had the beetle infestation, and now, the wildfires are becoming so common that we now seem to have “fire season” on our calendars. Floods have washed out roads and bridges. The extreme weather events, like this February which was the coldest month in recorded history, are more likely. What do these climate changes mean for our gardens? How can we work with this new normal?
At 12 p.m., Rob Borsato, long-time market gardener of Mackin Creek Farms and the Farmers’ Market, along with Terri Smith of Road’s End Vegetable Company and Long Table Grocery will be discussing climate adaptation. They will be talking about how to mitigate the extremes of weather that we now seem to have to manage and how to take advantage of some of the ways the changing climate can be helpful for growing.
A seed exchange table will be near the entrance. This is where those who have saved seeds can exchange theirs for someone else’s different seeds. If you haven’t saved seeds but would like to, this is also a good first stop. A visit with a seed saver can provide the information you need to get started.
READ MORE: This year, start your garden with companion planting
Jennifer Linnegar-Johnson of Petty Catwater will be teaching everything you need to know about preserving food for the rest of the year. At 10:30 a.m., she will show you how to use a food sealer in unconventional ways. Pressure canning can seem daunting but it really isn’t. At 11:30 a.m., she will demonstrate both water bath and pressure canning. What you need to know about dehydrating will be at 12:30 p.m., and at 1:30 p.m., she will be juicing using both regular juicers and steam juicers. You can find out where to access surplus food and where you can borrow equipment if you don’t have what you need.
If you’ve ever wondered about what the College of New Caledonia greenhouse is about, there will be a tour at 10:30 a.m.
Our popular composting demonstration will be happening at 11:30 a.m. with compost king Victor Johnson of both the Quesnel Community Garden and the West Village Community Garden.
Again, there will be entertaining activities for children, including making hot head plants, sort of like chia pet pots.
Long Table Grocery will have great lunch options for sale.
Our vendors and others involved in the local food movement all can provide useful information and inspiration.
For those of you who are interested in growing food but not sure where to begin, the above-mentioned Terri Smith will be teaching the ABCs of Gardening at 11 a.m. You will learn everything you need to know to get started, even if all you have to work with is a large pot on a patio.
A sure-to-be-popular workshop at 1 p.m. is Growing Cannabis. Don MacVicar from Good Guys in Williams Lake will be passing on all the ins and outs for those who can now happily, and legally, grow four plants on your property.
For those who are interested in something a bit more advanced, at 2 p.m., Rob Borsato will speak about extending the growing season and greenhouses.
Our small organizing committee really want to thank the community for their financial support this year. The Lions Club, Community Futures, the Farmers’ Market and the Bouchie Lake Community Association have all stepped up to contribute to the success of this year’s event.
Growing your own food is such a good idea on so many levels. Knowing we have high-quality food in our backyards improves our food security. Gardening is good exercise, and one might venture to say it is also good for our mental health, being outside, hands in the soil, and involved in productive work. Local food production also helps the planet if we can cut down on the amount of food hauled in from long distances. So come and learn what you need to get growing.
And if you need a reminder about the schedule, check our Facebook event page – Quesnel Seedy Saturday.
See you all there.
— Submitted by Seedy Saturday organizing committee