Urban Agriculture, Community Gardens & Community Kitchens

Urban Farms in Vancouver (Support & Resources are below)

In the past couple of years local urban farmers with an entrepreneurial streak have started up. There are new urban farms created often and we can't keep up with the listings, but here are a few (and there's more on our CSA page):out:

City Farm Boy - Also runs a CSA program and can also be found at some farmers' markets.

Farmers on 57th
Farmers on 57th is an agricultural project in central Vancouver at George Pearson Centre. Pearson is located just west of Cambie on 57th Avenue, is part of Vancouver Coastal Health and is home to 120 residents living with physical disabilities. In 2009, the Farmers on 57th transformed about one acre of Pearson's 45 acres into community integrated gardens.

FreshRoots (East Vancouver)
Fresh Roots generates excitement and engagement by creating model urban farms in public spaces that activate the surrounding community.

InnerCity Farms (East Vancouver)
Inner City Farms is urban farming. A unique social enterprise that specializes in organic foods grown in Vancouver proper by folks who also live in Vancouver.

Kitsilano Farms - Farmer Craig runs a CSA program from his urban farm consisting of mulitple backyard gardens.

SOLEfood
SOLEfood is an Enterprising Non Profit (ENP) established in 2009 by United We Can. It is an urban farm consisting of hundreds of planters. The farm provides training and employment opportunities to residents from Vancouver’s Downtown East Side to build, plant, maintain and harvest the farm. The locally grown food is sold to restaurants, at Farmers Markets and when possible, supplied to community organizations with similar aims of improving neighbourhood food security.

Southlands Farm & Community Market - Visit their market on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the growing season. Blenheim St & 52nd.

My Urban Farm - We are a small-scale business specializing in organic food growing and land care. We offer a number of services to help you manage your yard and garden organically and efficiently. We use low-impact methods and our work truck is a bike.

The World In A Garden
Location: Vancouver
The World In A Garden is a multicultural urban agriculture project that educates community and youth on the nutritional, cultural, social and environmental benefits of a just and local food system. Check out their seed-to-table workshops and more!
http://theworldinagarden.wordpress.com

Urban Digs Farm
Location: Vancouver/Richmond
Sustainably grown year round community farm operation. We sell via our weekly CSA harvest box, at local retailers, and at farmers markets.
http://www.urbandigsfarm.com/

Community Garden, Sharing Backyards & Urban Farm/Garden Support

Vancouver Urban Agriculture Network blog

City of Vancouver's community garden resources and list of community gardens.

The Vancouver Community Agriculture Network (VCAN) - "Raising Community Gardeners"

Vancouver Public Space Network

Sharing Backyards Program - This program links people with unused yard space with those looking for a place to grow food. Includes listings for multiple municipalities in BC. A project of Lifecycles.

Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA)

Edible Garden Project - Growing Gardens, Sharing Backyard Bounty, and building Strong Roots. North Vancouver.

American Community Garden Association - Growing Communities Across the US and Canada.

EYA (Environmental Youth Alliance)

Village Vancouver

City Farmer

Small & Urban Farm Resources. A guide to the products and services available to Metro Vancouver farmers. http://www.smallfarmer.ca/

Metro Vancouver City Farms sharing resources, knowledge, experience and skills, urban farmers can run their farms more efficiently and productively. http://www.vancouvercityfarms.com/

Gardening & Composting Resources

City Farmer

Composting & Rain Barrels

Growing Gardens. A Resource Package on How to Start Your Own Community Garden

"How does our garden grow?" - A fantastic book on community gardens published by Foodshare Metro Toronto. (FF/CF Member Library has 2 copies.)

Certified Organic Compost for sale in bulk,

Abbotsford. Contact: David info@lotuslandvineyards.com

Gas Powered Wheel Barrow

For Rent. (carries up to 500lbs)
$35/day with a $100 deposit. Delivery and pickup may be available.
Contact: Julia geojane42@gmail.com

Community Farms!
Learn about FarmFolkCityFolk’s community farms program at www.communityfarms.ca

Community Kitchens

Britannia Community Kitchen – Vancouver’s newest community kitchen
http://www.britanniacentre.org/services/community_services/food_sustainability/articles223.php

Fresh Choice Kitchens - Creating community around food. This website lists community kitchens throughout BC. Get your FOOD SAFE certificate, attend a CANNING WORKSHOP, or check out their Community Kitchen Food Network Sessions.