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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Review — Circle Farm Tours are free (excluding any extra tours or purchased products at specific locations). Our experience was facilitated by Tourism Abbotsford along with Vancouver Coast & Mountains. Views are my own. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
Ever since my first Circle Farm Tour in Harrison and Agassiz back in 2009 I’ve been hooked on these free, self-guided farmgate programs that can be found in Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows, Langley, Chilliwack, and Abbotsford as well. These tours introduce you to the great people who cultivate the bounty that grows in our region as they open their barn, shop, and studio doors to the public.
Abbotsford Circle Farm Tour Stops
Plan your route accordingly by following the suggested routes and maps that are provided online and in brochures that can be found at each Abbotsford Circle Farm Tour destination (14 in total). Tourism Abbotsford along with the Vancouver Coast & Mountain regional tourism authority invited a group of Vancouver media to do a tour last week and despite the drizzly weather, we had a great time at the following locations:
This family-owned and operated farm is celebrating its 22nd anniversary this year. They have 10-12 acres of pumpkins and about 18 acres of apples. Inside the warm, sweet air of the greenhouse we passed row upon row of peppers, heirloom tomatoes, and eggplants that were to be grown, picked, packed, and sent to local grocery stores. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
On my daily search of the Vancouver Public Library and City of Vancouver Archives I come across the work of local photographers from the last century (and beyond). While a photo from the archives makes us reflect, compare, and contemplate “early Vancouver”, it’s always important to note who took that photo, which is my aim with the Vancouver Photographer series. This week’s feature is Harry Torkington Devine — “H.T. Devine“.
Born in Manchester England in 1865, H.T. Devine came to Vancouver in 1886 by way of Brandon, Manitoba where he worked for a few years as a photographer. In Vancouver he set up shop with a partner, J.A. Brock, but by 1889 he had stopped working as a photographer. He returned to photography for a short period between 1895 and 1897. [Source: Vancouver Public Library]
The most iconic “Vancouver Real Estate” office photo that ever was:
1886: J.W. Horne’s real estate office in hollow log at approximately Georgia and Granville (today). Archives# LGN 454.
He moved to Vancouver in 1886. After the Great Fire of June 13, he photographed the first city council and first police department in front of a tent. His partnership with Brock ended in 1887. He worked again as a photographer from 1895 to 1897, then went into other work. [Source: Vancouver History]
Celebrating local food and agriculture around the beautiful province of British Columbia, the brand new We (Heart) Local Awards is a new popular choice awards program. The We Heart Local Awards will recognize key players throughout the industry through a nomination process followed by a public vote.
How it Works
Nominations will be open July 1st to July 15th, 2013. Anyone living in BC can nominate one or more favourites in the categories listed below.
Voting will be open July 16th to August 5th, 2013. Anyone living in BC can vote for their favourite nominees in the categories listed below by visiting the Facebook campaign page.
All voters and nominators are automatically included into a prize draw, for a chance to win 1 of 20 $100 gift cards to their local Farmers Market, as well as the deluxe prize: a weekend wine getaway in the Okanagan.
Categories
We Heart Local Award Categories:
Favourite Store to Buy Local
Favourite BC Farmers Market
Favourite Local Meat or Poultry Supplier
Favourite Local Seafood Supplier
Favourite Local Cheese Maker
Favourite Local Sweet Treat
Favourite Local Advocate
Favourite Local Winery
Favourite Local Brewery
Favourite Local Food Truck
Favourite Local U-Pick Farm
Favourite Local Orchard/Fruit Supplier
Favourite Local Restaurant or Café
Favourite Local Chef
Favourite Local Florist or Greenhouse
The celebration of local BC farming communities and the ‘Buy Local. Eat Natural.’ movement are actively supported by formal organizations such as the British Columbia Dairy Association (BCDA), British Columbia Agriculture Council (BCAC) and British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture. Partners for the We Heart Local Awards are BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, Vancouver Farmers Markets, Georgia Straight and Loco.
Nominations open up next week and to raise awareness about the awards, I have a $250 Vancouver Farmers Market gift certificate to offer up to one lucky reader. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment here naming your favourite farmers market products (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win $250 for @VanMarkets from @EatLocalNatural + @Miss604 #WeHeartLocal http://bit.ly/HeartLocal
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, July 3, 2013. Get your nominations in next Monday and be sure to vote for your favourites. Follow ‘Buy Local. Eat Natural.’ on Facebook and Twitter for more information about the awards and their other initiatives across BC.
Tonight the Vancouver theatre industry will gather at the Commodore Ballroom to celebrate the 31st Annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards (the “Jessie Awards” or “Jessies”). Nominees were announced in May and awards will be handed out in over 30 categories.
Tickets for the Jessies are still available for $29.75 (plus service charges) through Ticketmaster online or by phone 1-855-985-5000. Doors open at 5:30pm on Monday, June 24th with the ceremony beginning at 6:45pm. Even if you aren’t a member of the industry, it’s a thoroughly entertaining evening and one of my favourite theatre-related events of the year thanks to the Vancouver TheatreSports League who puts on the show.
Stay tuned for coverage from the 31st Annual Jessie Awards. I will be joining them in progress due to a prior commitment but John will be on site to take photos that will accompany my roundup. I’ll be posting tweets and updates from attendees in the meantime by searching the tag #Jessies13. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
Southern Alberta has been devastated by floods and rising river waters over the last week leaving the City of Calgary, and many surrounding areas, in a state of emergency.
Most significant is a large amount of rainfall — up to 200 millimetres in some places. Add in ground that is already saturated because of some more modest precipitation — about 40 millimetres — preceding the deluge. Combine that with areas that were still frozen not far below the surface and a local geography that encourages water to run down hill quickly, and there’s a recipe for this week’s devastation… On June 20, Calgary experienced record one-day rainfall with 45 millimetres coming down. The previous record was 35.1 millimetres, set in 1964… [Source: CBC]
Slowly looking on as the river rises and the city shuts down, watching the murky water fill the streets, and then waiting and waiting for it to retreat — all while power is cut and supplies run low. This has been an incredible situation for hundreds of thousands of people affected in Alberta (including Banff, Canmore, Red Deer, and more) with highways and bridges washed out, disconnecting communities.
The Canadian Red Cross has teams from across the country have been working around the clock to help those in Alberta. As a member of their Social Team, they have kept me (and the others who are all across Canada) in the loop when it comes to spreading the word about the work they are doing and what might help the most.
Here’s the latest from the Canadian Red Cross:
The Red Cross is responding in Alberta, helping in shelters by providing support from our volunteers, as well as cots, blankets, hygiene kits and other items that will help those evacuated feel safe and comfortable.
In disasters like this, a lot of times families get separated from one another, or can not contact each other, so the Red Cross sets up a registry for anyone in shelters. We also have a family reunification line where people can call if they need help locating loved ones.
At reception centres in Alberta, Red Cross volunteers are working to give people affected by the flooding information they might need – ie, where can they get other supports, how do they contact insurance companies, etc.
The Red Cross is also working to support various First Nations communities that have also been affected.
Across Canada, our teams have mobilized and volunteers from begun deploying. It’s an all-hands-on-deck kind of situation. Our volunteers are highly trained and ready to work in these situations.
We get a lot of questions from people wanting to donate clothes, food or other items. The Red Cross does not have the capacity to accept these kinds of gifts, but we can refer you to other agencies that can.
The best way to support the Red Cross is through a financial donation by calling 1-800-418-1111 or by texting REDCROSS or ROUGE to 30333, texting ABHELP to 4664 for Rogers customers. You can also donate online.
The Red Cross strongly encourages Albertans impacted by flooding to heed the warnings of officials. Updated information on evacuations is listed on the Alberta Emergency Alert website as well as the City of Calgary website. Follow the Canadian Red Cross on Twitter and Facebook for more information about their work and how you can help.
