The Westham Island Herb Farm hosts their 9th annual A Day at the Farm event on Saturday, September 6, 2014 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Westham Island Herb Farm bounty. Photo credit: Ann Hung & Eric Flexyourhead on Flickr

Organized by the Delta Farm and Wildlife Trust A Day at the Farm is a great way for the entire family to learn about farming and agriculture in Delta. Go for a ride on a hay wagon tours, meet a dairy farmer, learn about chickens, see how crops grow in the region, watch draft horses plough, and listen to live music.

The goal is to give Lower Mainland residents the opportunity to reconnect with where their food is grown while also learning about how the island’s habitat is home to many wildlife species.

Photo credit: Patricia Meyer on Flickr

Now for a bit of a geography lesson: Starting in New Westminster and heading west, the Fraser River first splits around Lulu Island (Richmond) and Annacis Island. The north arm waves around Mitchell Island and then Sea Island (YVR Airport) and Swishwash Island before touching down in the Salish Sea (Strait of Georgia).

The south arm passes Deas Island (which is actually attached to the land), Kirkland Island, Gunn Island, Barber Island, Duck Island, Shady Island and finally Westham Island before it hits the sea. Westham Island is home to several farms, a winery, the Alasken Nation Wildlife Area and the George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary.

Westham Island Herb Farm is open daily to the public, from 9:00am to 5:00pm, between May and October. All of their produce is grown by them or their neighbours in Delta soil or from other agricultural areas of British Columbia. Explore this area during A Day at the Farm on September 6th and follow the Westham Island Herb Farm on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about what they do and their upcoming events heading into a new season.

The Vancouver International Film Festival (“VIFF”) is known for showcasing local, Canadian, and international film talent and this year homegrown talent is front and centre as VIFF has just confirmed 13 features for the BC Spotlight program.

Sonja Bennett of Vancouver and James Caan in Preggoland.

Launched in 2013, this showcase of British Columbia productions earned the highest attendance ratings in VIFF’s history. The dedicated mustseeBC.viff.org promotional microsite received over 10,000 unique visitors in just two weeks, while the #MustSeeBC campaign generated over 100,000 social media impressions.

About #MustSeeBC: VIFF will offer two significant BC Spotlight cash awards. The Best BC Film award includes a $10,000 development bursary provided by the Harold Greenberg Fund (The Fund). Meanwhile, the BC Emerging Filmmaker award consists of a $7,500 cash prize sponsored by the Union of BC Performers/ACTRA and ACTRA Fraternal Benefits Society plus a $10,000 equipment credit supplied by William F. White. (Films must be signatory to a UBCP/ACTRA agreement to be eligible.) Winners of these awards will be determined by the members of the BC Spotlight jury.

Last year’s #MustSeeBC winner was Leap 4 Your Life, which was sponsored by Miss604, and I’m proud to once again sponsor a BC film this year.

2014 BC Film Spotlight Films

Preggoland (Director Jacob Tierney) Screening sponsored by Miss604
35-year-old Ruth (Sonja Bennett, who also penned the uproarious screenplay) fakes being pregnant to fit in with her child-rearing friends. This latest comedy from Jacob Tierney (The Trotsky) will have you cringing in between fits of uncontrollable laughter as Ruth’s web of lies becomes increasingly tangled. The road to acceptance has never been so baby-bumpy and this local comedy will have you laughing until you birth. Sorry, burst.

Black Fly (Director Jason Bourque)
Jake Henson (Dakota Daulby) is a troubled teen haunted by the deaths of his parents—his father in a hunting accident and mother by suicide—who escapes an abusive uncle to reconnect with his older brother Noel (Matthew MacCaull). In director Jason Bourque’s taut thriller, their reunion on an isolated island on the BC coast shows that even though blood is thicker than water, it’s still blood. And it’s messy as hell.

Bloody Knuckles (Director Matt O’Mahoney)
After having this hand lopped off by a gangster he’s offended, a brash underground cartoonist watches the disembodied appendage return to life and become a reanimated avenging angel/defender of free speech. Deliriously irreverent, wantonly vulgar and perversely gory, Matt O’Mahoney’s splatter horror flick is one of the year’s most gonzo genre offerings and “signals an underground spirit thriving in Vancouver…”—Spectacular Optical

The Boy From Geita (Director Vic Sarin)
Born with albinism, young Adam is ostracized in his Tanzanian village and violently assaulted by witch doctors who believe that his limbs possess mystic properties. A Canadian born with the same condition hears of Adam’s plight and takes action. “Harrowing and poignant… Vic Sarin’s [documentary], with its searing images, is both ode to human resilience and ingenuity, and indictment of human cruelty and stupidity.”—Globe and Mail

Everything Will Be (Director Julia Kwan)
Director Julia Kwan documents the pivotal changes affecting the culture and economy of Vancouver’s Chinatown, one of the oldest in North America. With humour and sympathy, Kwan introduces us to residents who see their way of living eroding and to others who welcome the transition, including contentious real estate consultant Bob Rennie.

Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story (Director Grant Baldwin)
As a society, we devour countless cooking shows, culinary magazines and foodie blogs. We love food and yet—thanks to our expensive obsession with expiry dates, perfect produce and portion sizes—we throw nearly half of it in the trash. Attempting to live waste-free, filmmakers Grant Baldwin and Jen Rustemeyer subsist on discarded food for six months. Their documentary charts this experiment’s shocking revelations. Winner, Emerging Artist Award, Hot Docs 2014.

Martin’s Pink Pickle (Director René Brar)
A boy follows his girlfriend to Hope, an ironically named small town where his dreams die a slow death. However, his settled lifestyle is disrupted by a trip back to the city for a medical appointment, where he and a friend become stranded for 24 hours. René Brar tells the story of two troubled kids who never really grew up while examining the complex nature of relationships.

The Pristine Coast (Director Scott Renyard)
Wild fish populations in BC have been declining since the late 70s, roughly the same time the open net fish farm industry began to grow fish in marine waters. Focussing on the research of biologist Alexandra Morton, filmmaker Scott Renyard links the crash of many fish species on Canada’s West coast to diseases spread from fish farms in this persuasive and urgent call to action.

Sitting On the Edge of Marlene (Director Ana Valine)
Ana Valine’s darkly comic drama centres on mother/daughter con artists who just can’t catch a break. Seen through the eyes of 16-year-old Sammie (Paloma Kwiatkowski)—who lives with her pill-popping, alcoholic mom Marlene (Suzanne Clément)—this bittersweet journey leads us through dysfunction, love and addiction, before culminating with an unusual deliverance for this compelling pair. Winner, Best Director, Leo Awards 2014.

Songs She Wrote About People She Knows (Director Kris Elgstrand)
Carol (Arabella Bushnell) has a unique way of dealing with her frustrations with family, friends and co-workers: writing brutally honest songs (that frequently feature threats of violence) and leaving them on their voicemail. Carol’s creative catharsis has some immediate and unexpected consequences in this hilarious, offbeat comedy from writer-director Kris Elgstrand.

Turbulence (Director Soran Mardookhi)
Writer-director Soran Mardookhi brings us the moving story of Sherzad (Kamal Yamolky) and his estranged young daughter, Jina. A former electrical engineer in Iraqi Kurdistan, he’s now trying to make a new life for himself in his adopted home of Canada. Jina (Camillia Mahal) numbs her harrowing childhood memories with drugs. But even among other misfits, she has a hard time fitting in…

Two 4 One (Director Maureen Bradley)
Maureen Bradley’s debut feature is a bittersweet romantic comedy with a transgender hero in an unimaginable predicament. Oddball couple Miriam and Adam have an ill-advised and pivotal one night stand that sees them both wind up pregnant. Engagingly shot by Amy Belling, watch for standout performances from Gavin Crawford (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Naomi Snieckus (Mr. D) and Gabrielle Rose.

Violent (Director Andrew Huculiak)
Best known as the drummer for Vancouver-based We Are the City, Andrew Huculiak makes his directorial debut with this beautiful, atmospheric film shot in Norway and inspired by the band’s latest album. It stars newcomer Dagny Backer Johnsen as a young woman who, after enduring a catastrophic event, loses herself in memories of the people who loved her most.

The 33rd annual Vancouver International Film Festival will run from September 25th to October 10th and will also feature 20 short films from British Columbia directors. The full program, with hundreds of titles, will be released in September with tickets going on sale September 4th. Passes and packages are available online now. Follow VIFF on Twitter and Facebook for the latest information and schedule updates.

Once reaching the lodge at Grouse Mountain, by SkyRide or after completing the Grouse Grind, there’s one thing most people do: check in on the bears.

Grinder and Coola are both orphaned grizzlies who were found in 2001 in different parts of BC and they now live in a refuge atop Grouse Mountain. Ranger talks inform you of their history and grizzly bear facts, while the pair can be found playing in the pond, play fighting, or hanging out in the shade of a Douglas Fir.

This summer, Grouse Mountain introduced a new way to hang out with Grinder and Coola where you can have Breakfast with the Bears.

Photo courtesy of Grouse Mountain

Summer of Bear Discovery at Grouse Mountain

When you book a Breakfast with the Bears experience you can enjoy early access to Grouse Mountain, watch and participate in Grinder and Coola’s morning feeding, and learn all about grizzlies and bear conservation from an experienced wildlife ranger.

After the bears have their breakfast, you can sit down in the Grizzly Lookout Cafe for yours. This new yurt-like structure provides an elevated view of the refuge from a deck.

Breakfast with the Bears Menu

Breakfast with the Bears is available between 8:30am and 10:30am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in July, August and September. Additional dates may be added to meet demand.

Regular prices include Alpine Experience ticket. For member price, guest must have a valid Grouse Mountain Annual Local’s Pass. The Alpine Experience includes all of the other fun you can have when you’re up Grouse, including the Lumberjack Show, and Birds in Motion. Zipline experiences are separate but also a very fun way to spend a day on the mountain with the family.

Win Breakfast with the Bears

If you would like to experience Breakfast with the Bears on Grouse Mountain with Grinder and Coola, I have a family pass to give away (2 adults + 2 children/youth). Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Like, comment on, or share this post on Facebook (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 9:00pm on Sunday, August 31, 2014. Follow Grouse Mountain on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

Update The winner is @michiec_ on Twitter!

We Heart Local is the best way to find local food, making it easy for consumers who are looking for local options, and the program is currently hosting its second annual We Heart Local Awards.

We Heart Local Awards 2014

Anyone living in BC can nominate and vote for their favourite grower, producer, or business in any of the following 15 categories:

Nominations are now open until September 1st and voting will then take place between September 2nd and September 16th. Some of last year’s winners include Comox Valley Farmers Market (Favourite BC Farmers Market); Edible Vancouver Magazine (Favourite Local Advocate); Howe Sound Brewing (Favourite Local Brewery); Krause Berry Farms (Favourite Local U-Pick Farm); and Nature’s Pickin’s (Favourite Store to Buy Local) just to name a few.

“Everyone has a favourite local winery, farmers’ market, cheese maker or a store that carries locally grown food and products,” says Nancy Gourlay of Little Qualicum Cheesworks, runner up Favourite Local Cheese Maker in the 2013 We Heart Local Awards.

“The We Heart Local Awards provides a platform for people in BC to tell each other about their favourites and to draw attention to the fantastic locally grown and produced food and agriculture we have here in BC!”

We Heart Local is a program designed to provide greater consumer recognition for businesses and restaurants across BC offering local products or ingredients. The We ♥ Local symbol next to a food item, menu item, recipe, or establishment provides a clear assurance to consumers that they are buying local.

Be sure to get your nominations in this week and then follow the program online, on Facebook, Twitter #WeHeartLocal and on Pinterest. You can also get the free app to find the nearest suppliers and producers in BC.

The We Heart Local Awards is a partnership between the BC Agriculture Council, the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Global TV, Taku Resort & Marina, The BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, The BC Dairy Association, LOCO BC, the BC Restaurants and Foodservices Association and Edible Vancouver and Wine Country.

Update: Contest Alert!

There are only a few days left to nominate a grower, producer or business for the We Heart Local Awards so to get the word out I am giving away a We Heart Local gift bag. This prize pack contains a We Heart Local bag, an apron, cutting board, iPhone case, and a cookbook: Farm Fresh Recipes: from the Missing Goat Farm.

Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Comment with the name of a BC grower, producer, winery, or brewery (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, September 2, 2014.

Update The winner is @jacindarama!

Vancouver has a new way to celebrate Oktoberfest as the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza, which usually hosts the German-style Christmas Market each winter, will be the venue for Harvest Haus from October 2nd to October 5th.

Photo courtesy of Harvest Haus

This new autumn festival, presented by The Social Concierge and Wet Ape Productions, will bring a taste of Northern Europe to Vancouver as the seasons change and transform this downtown plaza into a “multi-media mini Münich”:

Harvest Haus is a celebration of German-European culture and West Coast bounty, presented in an immersive Oktoberfest-themed setting. Medieval minstrelsy to Bavarian brass oompah bands to live DJs.

Beginning with a theatrical keg tapping by the Harvest Haus Burgomeister, each four-hour seating at the long tables under the canopy of the great Halle marquee will highlight the evolution of Northern Europe’s harvest festivals from medieval times to the present and feature interactive theatrical and live musical performances.

Guests will be able to tuck into authentic German delicacies like Spätzle, Brezen, Bratwürst, Schnitzel and Sauerkraut prepared with locally harvested ingredients. There will also be a traditional Swiss-style chocolatier tempting the crowds with his delights.

Of course there will also be beer! Pick up an exclusive 500ml Harvest Haus Bierkrug ceramic stein for $1 (rental) or $8 (purchase, to keep) or you can bring your own 500ml ceramic stein to fill at the event.

Tickets

General Admission Afternoon Seating and Sunday Brunch: $25
Harvest Burgomeister VIP Afternoon Seating and Sunday Brunch: $40
General Admission Evening Seating: $35
Harvest Burgomeister VIP Evening Seating: $50

Harvest Burgomeister VIP tickets are for the head table with reserved seating, access to expanded culinary offerings from Cocktails & Canapes in conjunction with Sole Foods, a complementary Harvest Haus stein, and access to a VIP bar, table service and more.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, September 5, 2014 at 10:00am through the Harvest Haus website. Follow Harvest Haus on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.