Come enjoy our public garden space at the McMillan Arts Centre in Parksville. Join us in promoting local food security and independence Visit our Community Pantry in downtown Parksville at Moilliet and Hirst.
And there it is! Our new BC Greenhouse install, 320 square feet and over 11 feet high at the peak. So many possibilities!
Come check it out this week, and help support our work towards local food security, and building community spaces.
Let’s face it, it’s way easier to update Facebook pages than wordpress websites, so that’s why you should follow us there if you want to be up to date with the group, the Community Garden, and our gleaning operation.
But… Here we are on June 25th, growing steady at the garden, soon to complete our much-awaited greenhouse installation, and about to start on another season of gleaning. We’ve got volunteers coming in on a regular basis but there’s always room for more, especially when it comes to fruit picking. Scroll down for our volunteer sign up sheet. Use the same form if you have trees that you would like picked.
We’re keeping the garden gates open generally from 10 am to 6 pm every day. You’re welcome to come in and browse around. There are benches and tables to relax at or enjoy your lunch.
Call Dan at 250-240-3564 if you’d like to book the space for summer classes, workshops, concerts, etc.
We’re holding a Native Bees and Pollinator-Friendly Garden Workshop, Saturday April 6th at 10 am.
Explore native bees and pollinators and their integral role in food production. Learn how to create a pollinator-friendly garden
Our group member and volunteer, Howard Abel, is offered this workshop to increase awareness of native pollinators and their integral role in food production. Creating a pollinator-friendly garden, including appropriate flowers and nesting sites, will also be discussed. Get your tickets at Eventbrite.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/846609831797?aff=oddtdtcreator
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We’re gearing up for spring, and pleased to announce our first workshop of the 2024 season, Fruit Tree Pruning with Master Gardener, Connie Kuramoto.
This hands-on workshop will take place at a mature urban orchard off Moilliet St in Parksville. We’re going to learn the when, why and how to prune your fruit trees to maximize health and production of this valuable local food source. Bring a sweater. Brought to you by PQB Fruit Tree Project, watch our website for upcoming workshops.
Help us out! We’re building some signage and print materials so we need to decide. What are we going to call this project? Click to take the poll.
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Support our existing and expanded programming schedule, dedicated to local food security and education in Parksville / Qualicum Beach. Your donations will go directly into supporting the operation of the Art Farm at the MAC and our other programming initiatives. Click the button, or follow this link to our PayPal donate page.
Join us for our upcoming jam-making and pickling workshops at the Bradley Centre, 975 Shearme Road. Learn this time-honoured skill from local farmer and canning expert, Connie Kuramoto. Tickets are $30. and limited to 10 per class.
Making Jam – August 5th, 1-4 pm
Let’s get jamming! Capture some of that summer fruit in a jar, so that you can enjoy it all year round. During this 3-hour workshop you will learn about making jams and jellies, including low sugar, artificial sweetener, and honey options. freezer jams, chia seed instant jam. We will talk about different types of pectin, and how to make jam without pectin. You will also learn how to safely use a boiling water bath to preserve your jam and seal the jars. Bring your apron if you wear one, this is a hands-on workshop and everyone goes home with a jar of what they have made. Have fun, save money, and learn to make your own jam. Space is limited so sign up early here at our Eventbrite page
Making Pickles – August 12th, 1-4 pm
Let’s get pickled! Pickling is a great, easy way to preserve vegetables for winter. Once you learn the basics of pickling you can create your own variations using different vegetables and different seasoning. Learn about which vinegars to use, and how to safely preserve these pickles so that they keep well into the following year. We will use a boiling water bath method to preserve our pickles, and everyone will go home with a jar of pickles that we have made. This is a fun hands-on workshop, bring your apron if you wear one, and be prepared to slice, chop, and measure. Space is limited so sign up early, here at our Eventbrite page.
I had no idea it’s been so long since our last website update. If you’ve been following our progress on Facebook, then you’re already caught up, but if you’re just following our website, then you’ve missed quite a bit since March.
We broke ground on the Art Farm on March 24th, and have been working hard ever since to get us to today. We expect the greenhouse to be installed sometime in the Fall. Meanwhile, we’ve got a lots of raised beds and plantings, plus our custom picnic tables available for groups and meetings. Come down to the garden during our regular Open House hours, or by chance. There’s often someone there who can show you around or answer questions. Garden Club hours are Wednesday mornings, 8 to 11, Thursday evenings, 6 to 8, and Saturday mornings from 10-1 pm
We’ve had the funding in place for months, but today we got final approval from the co-owners of the property, and we can start digging any time. It’s the Art Farm at the Mac!
It’s going to be a ~4000 square foot food forest garden oasis in downtown Parksville. Accessible raised beds, fruit trees, berries, and a year-round greenhouse will be available for workshops and events, or just to laze away, eat your lunch and feel some dirt between your fingers. All produce will be made available to our neighbours and community partners.
We’ll be looking for volunteers all throughout the building and growing process, so if you have some time, send us an email or sign up on the form below.
