The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Farmers on 57th in 2020 were multiple: loss of reliable access to washrooms, indoor storage and programming space and increases in the cost of agricultural inputs, while at the same time, a growth in CSA membership.
Just like that, another growing season at Farmers on 57th is here. Amidst all the turmoil of last spring came the delightful pivot to sign up more Harvest Box CSA Members than ever before to eat hand-grown food straight from the farm. After receiving harvest boxes for 20 weeks filled with fresh veggies and herbs, 56% of our members participated in a survey to share their experiences. 100% of the CSA members who filled out the survey felt that being a CSA member was beneficial to them, and here are a few of the reasons why: Affordable Farm Fresh Vegetables…
Wonderful partnerships form when people connect! A CSA member reached out to offer bicycle delivery service to fellow members. Rob figured he’d be biking anyways, why not drop off some other folks’ veggies & flowers along the way? (See catchment area below). He’s working out some cargo delivery logistics for future endeavors, and what a great trial run. He’s got folks to call on if he has to miss a week, so, reliable. And folks who can’t make the trip to the farm can access our same-day harvested produce. Winning, all round. So glad you reached out Rob. Here’s Rob’s…
This was originally posted to CSA members in our Harvest Newsletter July 15, 2019. Minor edits have been made. Dear Farm Members, Okay, time to come clean. All is not well with the farm. I do try and paint a rosy picture for y’all (and myself). It’s healthy to remain positive, and there are certainly positive things happening: a wonderful garlic harvest this week, and a community of dedicated eaters, growers, volunteers and staff who make Farmers on 57th a great organization to be a part of. I like to focus on the crop successes, the ever-surprising wonders that are plants and soil and beautiful…
Hello there! Thank you for being curious about what a flower farmer’s journey may be! My name is Thanu, and I am about to start my second flower growing season with Farmers on 57th and couldn’t be more excited to get the seedlings in the soil. In the last few years, I have met amazing individuals who grow flowers in Vancouver, and every single farmer has such a different story of how they got there. Ultimately it was the realization that growing flowers fed our soul in a way that is indescribable, yet so fulfilling, and this is my journey…
Farmers on 57th|Assistant Urban Farmer & Horticultural Therapy Program Coordinator Vancouver, BC Name of Facility: Farmers on 57th: A Community Integrated Urban Farm Location: Main location at 57th @ Cambie Street; second satellite location at 7710 Nanaimo Street Start Date: Flexible start date, 8 weeks of full time employment (30 hours/ week). Start by July 1, 2019. Hours offered: 30 hrs/week Compensation: $13.85/hour. This is a 30 hour/week position for 8 weeks. This is a Canada Summer job posting, so the successful applicant must: be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment be a…
Hello again! My name is Angeli and I am one of this year’s summer students at Farmers on 57th. As promised in my previous blog post, here are more reflections about personal benefits of eating more veggies through a CSA. Eating more veggies is healthy AND fun The updated Canada Food Guide was released earlier this year and it looks pretty different than the old rainbow model. I like the visual guide of half your plate being fruits and vegetables. It also reminds us to be mindful of our eating habits, cook more often, enjoy our food, eat meals with…
Hello! My name is Angeli and I am one of this year’s summer students at Farmers on 57th. I am in my 4th year of the Bachelor of Applied Science in Sustainable Agriculture program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. I volunteered at Farmers on 57th in 2017 and 2018, and am currently doing my internship there as a farm assistant. In this blog post, I want to share some reflections on how Farmers on 57th is a great example of agroecology, and how we contribute to a more sustainable food system by reducing our fossil fuel footprint. I hope this is…
Wowza! Time is just flying by. We have been in the field for 2 months now turning in our cover crops and seeding the season of eating’s crops. We eat all year of course, but eating straight from the garden, the food we’ve grown ourselves, the food we grow for our community? So delicious. So fresh. The season of eating! It’s been a whirlwind of a start, setting up a new farm site on the western lawns of George Pearson Centre. Last year, we had to move from our old farmsite of 9 years, to make way for the bulldozers.…
adapted from Mollie Katzen, Moosewood Cookbook This is one of my go to recipe’s for a cool summer salad. Aunt Linda requested we bring Tabouli Salad to the family reunion August long weekend. We obliged. Cool & light, yet filling. The citrus keeps it bright, the garlic, tomatoes & scallions make it so flavourful. We find Tabouli is even better after a day or two in the fridge. 1 cup dry bulgur wheat 1 1/2 cups boiling water 1 tsp. salt 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup olive oil 2 medium cloves garlic black pepper, to taste 4 scallions,…
