September 24, 2010
Can You Dig It Harvest Celebration!
The growing season is coming to an end, leaving the devoted gardeners enjoy the fruit of their efforts. The gardens established by Can You Dig It have been giving in so many ways. Through gardening new passions were born, skills enhanced, and connections with the community made. In 2010 alone, 300 individuals were directly involved in this adventure, making the dream of 8 new edible community inclusive gardens becoming a reality.
On September 24th at Ridgeview community garden, participants from all Can You Dig It gardens have celebrated our common success, sharing home-made dishes and enjoying free hot-dogs and yummy veggie burgers. The place was filled with joy, smiles and laughs, signs that gardening with Can You Dig It is not only about producing food, but also about creating positive bonds between individuals and their communities.
Thanks to all gardeners who have brought fresh produces from their garden for a donation to the Vancouver Food Bank, providing an abundance of fresh organic greens and vegetables from our land to the tables of people who benefit from it. Everyone and everything is connected!
So much has been learned and shared this season. And so much still to come! Many thanks to all who have contributed to the success of the gardens. Your positive attitude and genuine friendship have proven once again that we can all plant a seed!
September 12, 2010
Community Party at Ladybug community garden
Gardeners at Ladybug community garden are proud of being proud of their community! While we worked in the morning at cleaning the garden and building new raised beds, we worked out our appetite for the delicious community BBQ organized on that Sunday. Along with all the delicious food everyone brought from home, gardeners have served free hot-dogs, veggies burgers and coffee for all the neighbors, friends, and people walking by the garden. Plenty of bags of fresh food from the garden plots have also been offered to people walking by. What a fun way to connect with your community! Many thanks to the organizing committee, and to all who came to enjoy themselves with us!
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August 30, 2010
Can You Dig It is giving back!
The accomplishment of harvesting the fruit of our efforts and sharing it with those in needs has empowered us and made us become an active member of our community. This is what we do with Can You Dig It, we connect people and offer them a place to grow and contribute to their community!
UP! elgin community garden has been giving extra produces to the Vancouver Food Bank. North Shore Options has been giving to the Harvest Project. Gardeners at Ladybug community garden have been giving produces on a daily basis through an on-site offering box. As in many communities, poverty and hunger are evident in this East Vancouver neighborhood. Ladybug’s gardeners collectively decided that the most appropriate way to respond to local need would be through an on-site offering box. During harvest time, the fixings for a healthy meal were there – lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, herbs and more. A very efficient way to give back to the community and to address local poverty issues.
Most of the gardens have also organized fun BBQs where fresh vegetables from the garden were cooked and shared with the community. Gardens are simply the sites of friendly gathering, exchanges, and simple pleasures!
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June 23, 2010
Build a garden in one day!
When we have been approached by FISKARS and the City of Vancouver to be part of the exciting Project Orange Thumb, we couldn’t believe it. Building a spectacular garden in one day, supported by that many enthusiastic volunteers and the expertise of FISKARS, is a very unique experience! The morning of June 23rd 2010, there was nothing but grass and weeds on the site on E 8th Ave and Commercial Drive, in Vancouver. By 4pm, more than 70 volunteers have transformed the space in a beautiful oasis and built 11 raised beds and 2 big in-ground beds, creating 30 plots for community gardeners. Ladybug community garden was born!
In only one day, Ladybug community garden has already become a positive force in the neighbourhood. The community is talking about it and people come from every corner of the neighbourhood to admire the marvellous space and express their support and admiration. The gardeners themselves are a mosaic of diversity: young couples, families, immigrants and refugees, persons with developmental disabilities. In only a couple of days we have made meaningful connections with our neighbours and open the dialogue for a stronger, healthier and safer community!
A special thanks to MOSAIC for its active support and participation, to all generous volunteers, and all enthusiastic gardeners!
Read more about that spectacular project:
Fiskars’s Project Orange Thumb in Vancouver
http://www2.fiskars.com/Activities/...
Vancouver Observer
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/...
City Farmers News
http://www.cityfarmer.info/...
Vancouver Courier
http://www.vancourier.com/...
June 13, 2010
Community gets together, at UP! elgin community garden
On a hot sunny day, gardeners and neighbours got together to celebrate community and togetherness! Organized by the Windsor Castle Community, the 14th annual bloc party on 37th Ave, between Ross and Windsor, brought people together around a delicious potluck, live music, kids games, and even a mini rabbit farm! An occasion for Can You Dig It and UP! to connect with the neighbours, and share some fresh produces. Be part of your community!
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June 5, 2010
A group gardening session at Ryerson Garden Club
Ryerson Garden Club and its 14 raised beds welcomes families, neighbours and local organizations. The Ryerson Church Congregation; The "Go Project" (a United Church summer youth program); the Bumblebee Preschool and Montessori Preschool; the scouts of the 13th Kerrisdale Centennial Troop; and Stephanie and Kira from Spectrum Society for Community Living are all involved in this welcoming, open and inclusive garden. Many thanks to Catherine to coordinate this dynamic crew!
May 25, 2010
A group gardening session at Lions View Garden
Adam, Bill and Jana share their backyard garden with people who care for them. Lions View garden is a quiet and beautiful place to learn the secrets of gardening and discover one’s full potential as individuals and gardeners!
May 20, 2010
Ridgeview Garden Club is growing!
Ridgeview is a beautiful garden offering easily accessible raised beds to residents, neighbors and families. Simone and Walter happily coordinate this garden and share their incredible knowledge and skills in community building and gardening!
May 20, 2010
A new garden is born, Ryerson Garden Club
In collaboration with Ryerson United Church, a seventh garden has been built in Kerrisdale at West 45th Avenue and Yew Street. This Vancouver garden contains 14 beautiful raised beds which are accessible from the street. The Ryerson Garden Club offers a place for the community to connect and to transform a piece of land into a productive edible garden. Special thanks to Ladybug Art Gardens for your quick and professional response to our site specific needs.
May 11, 2010
The creation of North Shore Options Garden Club
North Shore Options (NSO) is a gardener’s paradise! This garden has been developed by seniors, neighbours and members of a community kitchen. The Club is coordinated by a sparkling garden jester, Rosemary.
May 1, 2010
A group gardening session at Raanan Garden
Friends, families and neighbors gather in David’s backyard to grow healthy food and new relationships. With some gardening space and a few dedicated people, an otherwise isolated place is transformed into an enriching and loving environment.
April 17, 2010
Building day at UP! elgin community garden
On a rainy Saturday with smiles on their faces, community members, friends and neighbours got together to build the UP! Elgin Community Garden. Many thanks to everybody who has made this project a reality!
On that day, the Vancouver Sun passed by and covered the creation of the community garden as well as the Can You Dig It project. Visit this article printed in the Vancouver Sun on April 22, 2010 to learn more:
http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/sense/...
March 15, 2010
UP! elgin community garden’s blog
Want to follow UP! elgin community garden’s adventures? Learn more on our blog, initiated and nourished by Steve Sandve, an enthusiastic fellow gardener:
http://elgincommunitygarden.wordpress.com/
January 13, 2010
UP! Elgin community garden’s site preparation
Thanks to the City of Vancouver for making possible the transformation of the site at Elgin and 37th Ave into a meaningful community inclusive garden!
January 09, 2010
Up! elgin garden first community meeting
It is started! posAbilities and United Family Child Care Providers Society (UFCCPS) collaboratively manage the new community garden at Elgin and 37th Ave, in Vancouver. Thanks to Rudy De Vera who has designed the plan for the garden, we were able to offer 34 plots for families, neighbours, along with persons with developmental disabilities, to create a meaningful community inclusive garden. The name UP! elgin community garden stands for the association of UFCCPS and posAbilities, while inspiring people to grow and reach their full potential!
In community gardens, community comes first. If you've never gardened in a community garden before, you can look forward to more than fresh fruits and veggies. Cultural exchanges sprout and new friendships grow among diverse groups of people. Community gardens are inclusive and welcoming to all people regardless of age, education, language barrier, or disability. You may be surprised at what you’ll learn even if you’ve been gardening many years.
Community gardens are a remarkable mix of people from many backgrounds that not only nurture green spaces but also foster the development of a community identity and spirit. Community gardening brings together people and encourages interaction. Interest in urban gardening has often led to community-based efforts to deal with other social concerns, such as community inclusion for marginalized populations.
UP! elgin community garden doesn’t only open the door to the broader community to connect with persons with developmental disabilities, but also creates the opportunity for positive bonding experiences between persons with developmental disabilities the broader community. Welcome to YOUR community garden; we hope you enjoy this inclusive way of gardening!
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