Help Save The UBC Farm
byEarlier this summer, Anthony of Farmstead Wines won tickets to a Canadians game through my website. After chatting with him a bit I learned more about Farmstead, and a great cause that they are supporting out at the UBC Farm this Saturday, September 20th. I asked Anthony if he could send me more info and so instead of butchering the details, I’ll pass along his words:
I think that many people do not even realize the farm exists, let alone that it is under intense developer pressure. While the University has promised to keep the farm in some capacity, maintaining it in its current size and location is vital for two reasons. One, the farm has spent 20 years building and maintaining soil vitality and the area is a complex, interconnected ecosytem with forests and fields included in the 24 hectares. Second, at its current size, much of the work and research that the Farm does is directly applicable to farms in the Fraser Valley. As such, it serves as a center for regional understanding of the potential of sustainable and organic agriculture.
Aside from the political issue, the fundraiser itself is one which is quite unique. On Sept. 20, participants will be picked up at their homes, brought to the farm for a tour and reception with wine and canapes. Then, not knowing ahead of time where they will eat dinner, the attendees will venture off to a five course meal featuring ingredients from the farm paired with naturally farmed wines. Participating restaurants are West, Gastropod, Cru, Fuel, Chow and La Quercia.
Tickets for this event are $250.00 and are available through Books to Cooks at (604) 688-6755. Attire is farm-formal. 100% of the net proceeds from ticket sales and the auction will be entrusted to the Save the Farm Campaign and its efforts in raising awareness for this vital issue.
To make sure that we can raise as much as possible for the Farm, a 10-day auction begins on Sept 10 at FarmsteadWines/UBCFarm. The winning bidder will get a five course meal paired with wines for 8 people, in their home, cooked by me and Barbara-jo McIntosh (of Books to Cooks).
Kelly over at Full Bodied also has some details up on a blog post and you can also check out the Books to Cooks blog for more information.
4 Comments — Comments Are Closed
I love the UBC Farm. If you want to get serious about environmentalism, you have to get serious about the consistent load you have as a consumer. You have to get serious about food. And that means local food. And that means local farms. Without local farms, close to consumers, the load of each of our meals (3x per day) get heavier. So: Go UBC Farm!
And I recommend their market on Saturday mornings.
Thanks for bringing this issue to attention.
For anyone who is at all concerned about the future of the UBC Farm, I strongly urge them to stay tuned to developments at the UBC Farm Blog (http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/ubcfarm/farmblog/). There are a number of upcoming campus planning events fast approaching and info regarding how to attend should be posted there in the new future.
Also, a more detailed explanation of why, exactly, the farm is threated, including info on the UBC planning process, is available at my blog: http://www.rocksandwater.ca.
The University of British Columbia, located on Musqueam traditional territory, is home to the last working farm in Vancouver. The 24 hectare UBC Farm/ Centre for Sustainable Food Systems serves as a model for urban agriculture, a research site for sustainable food production and sustainability education, a unique and beautiful ecosystem balancing cultivated and native plants and animals, a sourceof fresh, local produce, and a hub for community and service learning.Unfortunately The UBC Farm is currently under threat as housing at UBC expands. It is entirely possible to save the farm and still meet housing needs as laid out in the community and campus plan.
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james wilkins
Internet Marketing
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