Bowen Agricultural Alliance

Thanks to the growers and to all who made our BowFEAST 2010 local eating and harvest celebration a smash success! (Please see OFFICIAL THANKS, below.)

Despite the sweltering heat, we had upwards of 600 folks come through the Saturday morning farmers’ market on the library lawn Aug. 14, and most vendors sold out. It was also just lots of fun! There was some great live music, beautiful displays and a festive vibe. Kids made “seed balls” with bee-friendly wildflower seeds; kids sold lemonade and cookies; we hosted some educational workshops on ag topics such as beekeeping and raising chickens. And there was some handsome produce, preserves and lavender sachets. Did anyone see Aubin van Berckel’s enormous cabbage?

On Saturday evening, we had a feast for 22 starring mainly Bowen-grown fare in our garden under the arbor James built. The evening was balmy, with twinkling lanterns, crickets chirping and meteor showers. We were treated to pulled pork sandwiches, roasted root vegetables and potatoes (from our garden), bruschetta, Gulf Island goat cheese, quiche, hearty beef stew, Indian-spiced vegetables, a refreshing cucumber cocktail, apricot-lavender smoothies, blueberry kuchen, blueberry crumble, blackberry mousse, strawberry pavlova, BC wine and some home-brew port. We added some Cocoa West Bowen blackberry truffles as a chaser. Whew!

Laurel Wickberg Bailey reported: “We had local wild salmon in a homemade apple cider and pineapple-sage sauce, roasted yukon gold potatoes with leeks and fennel.”

What did you serve at your BowFEAST? Any recipes to share? Just post in the comments here!

OFFICIAL THANKS:
Thanks to the growers for braving the hot sun and bringing some handsome produce: Marion Moore and Jean Jamieson, Marg McConnell and Drew Burgess, Rosie Montgomery MacDonald, Daphne Fargher, Susan Proctor, Clemencia Braraten, Suzan Phillipe, Julie Cree, Eva Kepasova, Kim Howden…Thanks to islanders for showing up and buying locally-grown food. Nearly everyone sold out! Thanks to the folks, especially Reidun van Kervel, who donated their produce proceeds to the BICS school garden—we raised upwards of $80!

Thanks to the fantastic musicians for lively music: Sarah Haxby, the Chill Billies (Lorraine Ashdown, Susan Munro and Liz Watson), Prudence and the Bear, (Sarah Haxby and Gerald Morrisseau) and Jordan Barnes Crouse on electric water bottle. Thanks to the library for lending us the lawn. Thanks to the speakers who presented educational ag workshops.

It’s a great community event, but a lot of work to put together, so we want to especially thank all the folks who made it happen: Julia McCaig, Jen McGowan, Stuart Cole, Ellie Mackay, James Glave, Sabrina and Duncan Glave, Sally Freeman, Bruce Howlett, Leah Walker, Cathy Bayly, Paul Tenant. Thanks Jim Clark of Blackbear Transport for the truck—not sure we would’ve made it without you. Thanks to First Credit Union for the tent. Thanks to Tim Hausch for hanging the banner. Thanks to all the Bowen retailers who joined in, especially Artisan Eats/Tuscany, the Bowen Island Cold Beer & Wine Store and The Ruddy Potato.

And finally, thanks to Bowen Island Community Recreation for supporting and to Bowen Island Municipality for the generous grant.

Bumblebee enjoying phacelia flowers

“How are the bees?”

It’s an innocent, simple question I’m often asked while out and about, presumably about the handful of hives we take care of. If they’re lucky, they’ll get a quick “Doing fine, thanks,” or, “A little wet for their liking.” Less fortunate well-wishers will endure a 15-minute explanation of bee pathology and challenges bees on Bowen and around the world now face. As part of a co-promotion of the August 14 BowFEAST event, the Bowen Ag Alliance is putting one fix to honeybee woes literally in the hands of the human population.

Many Bowen Islanders will know that we suffered a complete wipe-out of honeybee colonies over the 2009/10 winter season. While we can’t rule out beekeeper inexperience as a contributing factor, our losses echo the recent cataclysmic die out experienced in other parts of the province and episodically around the world.

Given that bees are widely credited for pollinating a third of the food on our plates, reasonable follow up questions are “What’s happening to the bees?” and “What can we do to help them?”

Parasitic mites (which in turn carry viruses that weaken bee colonies) have become a relatively new but endemic problem worldwide. Add man-made pitfalls like pesticides, climate change and monoculture farming – imagine trying to get all your daily nutrient requirements from just one food source day in and out – and on a macro, international level we have a situation that makes simply being a bee a tougher proposition than it was 25 or 50 years ago.

Here on Bowen, yes we must contend with mites, but barring an unwelcome visit from a transient bear, chief worries for Bowen beekeepers include erratic weather and the relatively limited diversity of significant nectar sources. A green oasis Bowen may be, but the nectar and pollen rich flowers that help grow and sustain healthy hives are in shorter supply than you may realize. Without a more sizable agriculture base and with limits on gardening imposed by the abundant deer population, the major “nectar flow” on Bowen comes from blackberry blossom. When blackberry vines blossom during a drought period (as they did in 2009), the result is reduced nectar availability and ultimately weaker bee populations.

Enter the “Bee Offensive”, a multi-phase initiative aimed at increasing the diversity and volume of bee-friendly nectar sources on the island. To kick off the initiative, BAA and BowFEAST will be offering free packages of a flower seed mix that will make bees buzz with anticipation. The idea is simple: sow the seeds in a sunny spot that is currently lacking in the wildflower department. (While many of the seeds should overwinter in our mild marine conditions, you can also wait until early spring to sprinkle the flowers-in-waiting. Or hedge your bets and do a little of both). If you’re really keen, consider harvesting the seed from next years crop (if only our financial investments had the same astronomical rate of returns). It’s a small step but one that even non-gardeners can participate in.

Look for the BowFEAST / BAA bee forage packages at a Bowen retail outlet over the next couple weeks. Get them while supplies last!

Related:

• Bees on Bowen information and initiatives

Ladies and gentleman, gather your tomatoes, blackberries and zucchinis! BowFEAST is coming August 7 to 14, with the farmers’ and growers’ market on Saturday, August 14 from 10 am to 1 pm on the library lawn.

There’s something different this year. We are now officially a program of Bowen Community Recreation. So that means, folks who want to sell at the Saturday farmers’ market have to register in advance for a table at the Bowen rec office (at Bowen Island Community School x 2216) and pay $5 for a table. Registration is now open—join us! (Anyone is welcome to show up and sell their backyard goods at the community table and we invite you to donate proceeds to the BICS school garden.)

If you’ve haven’t heard of it, BowFEAST is a week-long celebration of local eating, honouring our island farmers and the harvest, in mid-August that culminates in the community farmers’/growers’ Saturday market. For that week, we’ll be challenging all Bowenites to eat as locally as possible, together!

Last year was a humdinger, and we’re hoping this year will be even better. We’ll have tables for folks selling produce, herbs, flowers, preserves, baked goods, tasty vittels from the butcher; a table for the Bowen Agricultural Alliance; a kids’ aggie fun table; beekeepers; plus info on garden composting, veggie growing, wildcrafting/foraging and recipes using local ingredients. We’ll have a set of half-hour worksops this year as well, where budding ag enthusiasts can share info on mason bees, chickens, and more. And we hope as many Bowen retailers as possible will join the fun as well.

We’re suggesting everyone gather together friends and family and feast SLOW-food-style—each at his own house, in his own way. If you can, put a 100-percent-from-Bowen dinner on the table. If you can’t, do your best: maybe a Bowen apple crisp and roasted chicken, with squash, beet salad and Okanagan Pinot Gris. Cocoa West Chocolates are a decadent dessert. Try to get it all from the island; if you need to get some menu items from the mainland, go for it; go B.C. or regional. If the weather cooperates, move the table out under a tree and take in the last scents of summer.

For more info stay tuned to the Bowen Ag Alliance website or e-mail BowFEAST organizer Elle Glave.

Related

• BowFEAST is an easy nut to crack (Bowen Island Undercurrent)
• Eating Local — It all starts here (Bowen Island Undercurrent)
• The BowFEAST Report: Register now (Bowen Island Undercurrent)
• BowFEAST local eating event set for August 14 (Bowen Island Undercurrent)
• Meet your farmer: Clemencia Braraten
• Meet your farmer: Aubin van Berckel
• Meet your farmer: Reidun van Kervel
• Meet your farmer: Vivian Pearce

Here’s what to expect at this year’s BowFEAST farmers’ market:
The stars of the show: our farmers!
* Daphne Fargher of Foxglove Ranch will be selling her jams and jellies.
* growers Aubin and David van Berckel with artichokes, fennel, berries, figs, herbs, vinegars (apple cider and raspberry), pickled nasturtium “tastes like capers.”
* the Ruddy Garden’s Kim Howden with produce
* Clemencia Braraten of Primrose Farm with purple potatoes, beets, carrots, greens, lettuce, garlic…
* Collinsia Farm’s Marion Moore and Jean Jamieson are coming with their famed greens and other produce
* the girls from the EFC (Environmental friendship club) will sell produce from their gardens and some homemade/baked goodies as a fundraiser.
* Jane Ferguson of Ferguson Farm with shiitake mushrooms and mushroom kits, herb pots, green pepper plants and small flower pots.
* Suzan Phillippe, Dane Willow Farm, with canned Bowen peaches from her property and vinegars, plus some produce.
* Bowen Brook Farm’s Marg McConnell & Andrew Burgess, with tasty produce
* gardener extraordinaire Reidun van Kervel with her own kale, arugula, herbs, lettuce and zucchini, among other produce.
* farmer Rosie Montgomery and Peter of Home Farm with lavender dried, sachets and fresh eggs.
* grower Susan Proctor, the Gardenmaker, with produce, preserves and cut flowers.
* The talented Eva Kepesova with homemade pies, jams and cakes.
* selling local burdock w/ recipes on how to prepare will be Deanna Adams and Charmaine Heffelfinger, also offering lettuce, chard and green beans, if ready to harvest.

On the retail side…
* The Ruddy Potato green grocer will be featuring locally grown produce in the store. Just look for the special signs.
* With a table or three at the farmers’ market, Tuscany/Artisan Eats cafe’s Julie Cree says: “There with MUCH bread, seasonal fruit tarts, Bowen basil pesto, and basically, we’ll try to make a bunch of baked goods with produce we find on the island.”
* Says Paul at the Bowen Island Cold Beer & Wine Store: “This weekend Aug 13-15 is our annual BC wine tasting in conjunction with BowFEAST. Lots of great wines to try between Friday evening and Sunday. We also have a truly wonderful draw prize for all tasters to enter for. Full details with wines, times, deals and prize click on the Bowen Wine Blog. This is our largest tasting of the year so do drop by, different wines each day.” Cheers!
* Phoenix on Bowen is featuring local food and ag books in the store.
* Carlos and Joanne at Cocoa West Chocolatier, are offering their popular “Bowen berry truffle” starring island blackberries.
* You can buy locally roasted coffee from Gino’s Happy Isle Café at the farmers’ market.
* Mik’sa restaurant will have an info table at the market.

NEW this year! Don’t miss our FREE foodie/ag workshops, with a new topic each half hour:
10-10:30 am Heather Joan Tam of Bowen Island Museum & archives on history of gardening/ag on Bowen Island
10:30-11 am Shasta Martinuk, Zero Waste Bowen Committee rep, on how local ag can lower our waste production
11-11:30 am Stuart Cole of the Bowen Agricultural Alliance on mason bees
11:30 am-12 pm Charles Robicheau, Ea Claire Farm, talks on buying and raising chickens for beginners
12 pm-12:30 pm Karen Wristen on community gardens and Bowen’s community garden efforts
12:30-1 pm – rep for Urban Grains, a local co-op: what is it? How to join?
1-1:30 pm Vivian Pearce on buying and raising laying chickens: you’re already up and running — how to take your operation to the next level?

On Saturday May 15 the Bowen Agricultural Alliance held a community discussion forum at Cates Hill Chapel, the third of its kind since BAA got off the ground in mid-2009. A major theme for the morning was around the type of structure that BAA might evolve into to advance projects that BAA supporters are involved in.

At our previous BAA forum (November 28, 2009), we were all pretty clear that we wanted BAA to remain virtual, effective and inclusive—that is, that we would not pursue any organizational structure.  This approach works well if all that’s required is networking and skill-sharing and we have a large network of volunteers who are quite self-motivated.  To some extent, that is happening and some of the initiatives outlined in our founding meeting are well under way on a purely volunteer basis.

Other initiatives have been identified that need help:  a push, in terms of dedicated human resources, money or organizational support.  These would include a regular farmers’ market; community-supported agriculture; a farmers’ co-op and possibly even a full-scale farm operation.  Some of these have been well explored and it’s clearly an issue of time and money to get organized.

At our May 15 meeting, we reviewed some of the possible options for organization and the notes (below) outline briefly the advantages and disadvantages of some options that exist. Read on …

Earlier this spring the Bowen Agricultural Alliance launched a $300 bursary for a young beekeeper, with funding support from a Vancouver Coastal Health grant. The successful candidate is Elsa Heath, a Grade 6 student at IPS.

Elsa’s interest in beekeeping has been piqued over the past couple of years with the arrival of several managed beehives in her family’s orchard off Mount Gardner road. She’s learned a bit through observation and asking questions, and she says she’s now ready to learn more and take on the responsibility for a hive of her own.

Read on ...

What’s this about?

Did you know that pollinators — like honeybees — are responsible for 1 in every 3 bites of food we eat? Bees have been an important part of human life for millennia (i.e. a super long time). But now bees are facing new problems (some of them man-made). To make matters worse, there are fewer and fewer new beekeepers to help maintain bee colonies. The average age of a beekeeper in North America is now over 60 years old, and many of these “old-timers” are retiring without anyone to pass on the knowledge to.

The Bowen Agricultural Alliance (Baa) wants to encourage younger Bowen Islanders to take up this craft so that as the older population moves on, there will be a new generation of people with experience in keeping bees.
Read on …

BAA has been laying the groundwork for a new season of growth. We have some exciting news and a bunch of events lined up for the spring and summer. Read on and come help BAA grow to serve the needs and interests of our community.

News:

• THIS SATURDAY: Free Film screening: Homegrown
• BAA beekeeping bursary announced
• State of the Colonies: Bowen beekeeping update
• VCH grant supports youth and community programs
• Community gardens recognize contributions

Upcoming events:

• April 24: Apple Blossom Festival and Seed Exchange
• May 14-16: Introduction to Beekeeping Course
• May 15: BAA Open Space Forum
• August 14: BowFEAST

Read on …

The Bowen Agricultural Alliance is pleased to be the recipient of an Advancing Urban Agriculture grant sponsored by Vancouver Coastal Health. The $2,000 grant will be applied to a number of projects aimed at encouraging youth and community learning around local food and agriculture topics. These projects include: Read on …