Food Policy Council

KAMLOOPS FOOD POLICY COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting, April 25, 2012

(Thank you, Carole and Anne, for keeping such precise and excellent minutes!!)

PRESENT:

Laura Kalina, co-Chair

Paula Rubinson, co_Chair

Carole Hebden (minutes)

Maren Luciani, City of Kamloops

Jennifer Casorso, City of Kamloops

Mendel Rubinson, Farmers’ Market

Heather Brandon Foodbank/Food Action Centre & Kamloops Food Share

Dede Bone, Community Kitchens

Shelaigh Garson, Community Gardens

Dave Whiting, Community Mapping, Thompson Shuswap Food Connections

Elaine Sedgman, Thompson-Shuswap Master Gardeners

Anne Grube, Farmers’ Market

Caroline Cooper, eatkamloops.org

Cathy Collinge, Open Door Group

Daphane Nelson, Thompson Shuswap Chef-Farmer Collaborative

Amanda Hunter, Public Produce

Leanne Cole

Kendra Besanger

Deborah Nicholas

 

REGRETS:

 

MINUTES from the AGM reviewed by L. Kalina and available at http://kamloopsfoodpolicycouncil.com/

 

BUSINESS

(1) Public Produce Update $4000 funding to continue this project has been provided by the City Social Planning Council.  Our responsibility is to organize volunteers and deliver educational workshops.  Amanda Hunter will coordinate these activities with the assistance of a KFPC Public Produce Working Group comprised of Laura Kalina, Elaine Sedgman, Robin Reid and Carole Hebden.

Victoria St. Site – building has commenced in the vacant lot adjacent to the site we used in 2011.  The owner is very supportive of Public Produce and agreement has been reached for KFPC to use the first 60’ of the site for Public Produce.  Once growing conditions have been adversely affected by construction, this site will be phased out.  Other sites may become a possibility.

            Public Produce is an integral part of the MacDonald Park site and the Lorne Street Enhancement Project.  (See below for details.)

Amanda reported on the social media – a volunteer has offered to design a website for the Public Produce Project.

 

(2) Community Liaison Updates

City of Kamloops

(a)   MacDonald Park -  J. Casorso updated council on this new site funded by Communities in Bloom Scotts Miracle-Gro ($5000)  and City of Kamloops ($5000). It will include a 27-plot organic community garden and an organic public produce and demonstration garden.  Emphasis will be placed on involving community youth and integrating a strong educational component.  June 22 11:00-1:00 is the official launch date.

Action: The City and KFPC to write a memo of understanding regarding delivery of the educational workshops.

Action: Parks requested suggestions and/or approval of a plant list for the public produce and demonstration gardens

Motion:  by E. Sedgman that the MacDonald Park design and plant list as developed and presented by S. Garson be accepted.  Passed.

 

(b)   Lorne Street Enhancement Project – M. Luciani applauded KFPC members for their commitment and support.  On March 17, Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development approved $250,000 (http://www.civicinfo.bc.ca/302n.asp?newsid=4620) to create pedestrian friendly streetscaping between 1^st Ave and 3^rd Ave on Lorne Street.  The plans include numerous components including a “public orchard” of 19 fruit and nut trees on the park side of the street.  There will be a harvest table, seating around the orchard trees and dramatic lighting.  Discussion ensued regarding how these public fruit/nut trees can be maintained organically.  The topic was deferred back to the City with the suggestion that volunteers could care for the trees. 

 

Guest Presenter – Tim McLeod, Development Manager for Tranquille On The Lake http://www.tranquille.ca/ -  provided an overview of the plans for this urban working farm http://tranquillefarmfresh.ca/ and a village community.

 

(NOTE: at this point Carole Hebden left the meeting.  Anne Grube continued as note-taker)

 

Eat Kamloops, C. Cooper-  www.eatkamloops.org  gave an overview of the site, has 1000+ subscribers to the site, 170 hits/day, suggestion of google map for the producers listed–Dave?

 

Community Mapping, D. Whiting – http://www.kamloopsfoodsystem.ca. is looking to work with the Heritage Society/committee for historical information

 

Thompson Shuswap Food Connections D. Whiting http://www.tsfoodconnections.ca A Community Futures project to link local producers with buyers for local institutions and agencies such as IHA, correctional centre, etc.  Jane Mastyn True Consulting has received a grant to examine food production models & explore the feasibility of food processing infrastructure — to research value-added production capacity of the region

 

ShuswapThompson Organic Producers Association, P. Rubinson - warned about Monsanto, handed out information on Biotechnology and GMOs

 

Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners, E. Sedgman – group is very busy with workshops, projects such as assisting with Ridgeview Community Garden, South Sahali Elementary School, Seedy Saturday, seminars (pollinators, edible landscaping, etc.), planning for the Tomato Festival at the Farmers’ Market in early fall.

 

Gardengate (Open Door Group), C. Collinge – received New Horizons grant to be used for food preservation workshops, engaging seniors.  May Plant Sale, every Sat. 9-11

 

Thompson Shuswap Chef-Farmer Collaborative, D. Nelson (www.tscfc.org) –25% of fundraising will go to grant/loans for non-profit projects, main event– Sun., Aug. 12 at Thistle Farm

 

Farmers’ Market, M. Rubinson and A. Grube   Saturday markets started on Apr. 21, Wednesday markets begin May 2.  Some difficulties this year with obtaining street permits.

Action (E. Sedgman, L. Kalina) will send a letter to the City indicating the support of the KFPC for the Farmers’ Market.

 

Community Kitchens, D. Bone – attended canning workshop, can now train people to give presentations, has a great office/working space at Mt. Paul Church, Spring Tea & Plant Sale, Sat. May 12 1:30, proceeds to help pay for the $3000 required dishwasher that the church purchased — email Deedee or phone 778-921-0086 if you have any plants or can help in other ways.

 

Foodbank/Food Action Centre & Kamloops Food Share  H. Brandon– Rotary Food Drive brought in 60000 lbs. of food, client numbers levelling off.

 

Community Gardens, S. Garson – email info to her for inclusion in her newsletter to community gardeners edenquest@me.com   donation of $1500 of shale & trucking, May 1 Youth Day of Caring – 20 youths will help paint background mural at Wilson House community garden —  need paint & paintbrushes

 

Action — KFPC will send letter of support recommending an increase in hours for the Community Gardens Coordinator in the new contract — 19.5 hours needed for benefits, etc.

 

NEXT MEETING:  tentative date Wed April 30 at 5:00  Note: meeting time will be earlier in order to accommodate the increased information exchange.

In November, members of the Kamloops Food Policy Council put together a grant proposal on behalf of the Public Produce Project and submitted it to the City of Kamloops Social Planning Council. We recently received the good news that we have been allocated $3,000 to go toward running the Public Produce Project in its second year!! Yahooo!!

This next phase of the project will involve more partnerships with community groups; educational workshops about gardening and related topics; more ‘Adopt-an-Edible’ plants at local businesses; and hopefully a re-planting and continuing care for the garden at 121 Victoria Street.

We are so excited to have this financial support from the city along with the support of many partner community groups and enthusiastic individuals.  If you would like to volunteer with the Public Produce Project in any capacity, or if there is a workshop topic that you would like to see offered this year, please contact us at publicproduceproject@gmail.com.

See you in the garden!!

Hi everyone,

Our next Kamloops Food Policy Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 beginning at 5:30 pm. As usual, the meeting will be held at the Kamloops Food Bank/Food Action Centre (171 Wilson St) and will be a potluck-style event to which all are welcome! Hope to see you there.

The agenda for the meeting will be as follows:

KAMLOOPS FOOD POLICY MEETING
Wed. April 25 2012

From 5:30-7:00 pm
POTLUCK

(Kamloops Food Bank/Action Centre; 171 Wilson St; North Kamloops)

AGENDA:

Minutes from last meeting

1) AGM follow-up

2) Public produce update

3) Community Liaison Updates

• City of Kamloops
• Community Gardens
• Community Kitchens
• Foodbank/Food Action Centre & Kamloops Food Share
• Farmer’s Market
• Farm to Chef Collaborative
• Gardengate ( Open Door Group)
• Thompson/Shuswap Master Gardeners
• Heartland Foods
• STOPA – Shuswap Thompson Organic Growers Assoc.
• Indian Friendship Society
• Community Mapping
• TRU students

Round Table

Next Meeting -

Do you have a project on the go that will make our community a little more beautiful, a little more natural, a little more friendly? Do you need financial support for that project? A grant offered by Kamloops Communities in Bloom has been brought to our attention, and we wanted to spread the word.  Application deadline is Friday, May 4th, 2012.

The application is available here.

Our Annual General Meeting on March 1st was a great opportunity to get caught up on the latest KFPC news, greet new people to our crew, feast on a delicious potluck dinner, and dream about the many ways to expand public produce and edible landscaping in Kamloops. We had an excellent (and entertaining!) presentation from Laura Kalina and Elaine Sedgman about the present and potential future of edible landscaping in our city’s spaces.  Thanks to all who attended and contributed!!

The meeting minutes are posted below:

 

Minutes of the

Kamloops Food Policy Council AGM

Thurs., Mar. 1, 2012

1. The meeting was called to order at 6 pm by Co-chair Paula Rubinson.

2. All those present briefly introduced themselves.

3. Laura Kalina, Co-chair, presented the Executive Report, outlining the past year’s activities:

a. Public Produce Project—very successful (particular thanks to Kendra Besanger and Elaine Sedgman), made possible by grants (IHA–$4500) and donations ($30,000 community in-kind support); created many partnerships

b. Municipal candidate questionnaire on food security—many responses, increased visibility of the issue

c. Website with resources, notices, links, and meeting minutes, plus increasing use of social media

d. Ongoing work with organizations such as the Kamloops Regional Farmers’ Market Society, Gardengate, Open Door, Heartland, and the City of Kamloops (Social Plan & Sustainability Plan)

e. Presentation and workshop by Darrin Nordahl in May (made possible by $4000 grant from Social Planning Council), resulted in the Public Produce Project; work-in-progress – Kamloops Public Produce Strategic Plan, also a Public Produce “how-to” document (hope to have this ready for the May 11 Fit for Children Conference.

These activities continue to help fulfill the Council’s goals of creating partnerships with local agencies while supporting local and regional agriculture.

4. Financial report—finances ably manged to by our bookkeeper Colleen; $14,000 balance, minimal expenses for meetings, printing, honorariums, society fees ($25) and insurance ($350), revenues Public Produce grants ($9700 City & IH); corporate donations ($5000)

5. The following agreed to let their names stand for executive positions:

a. Paula Rubinson—co-chair

b. Laura Kalina—co-chair and treasurer

c. Carole Hebden—secretary

d. Dede Bone—director

e. Nicole Beauregard/Jen Casorso—director (representing the City)

f. Donovan Cavers—director

g. Shelaigh Garson—director

Following the AGM, a delicious pot-luck was shared, after which Laura Kalina presented an overview of the 2011 Public Produce Project. Next, Elaine Sedgman gave a whimsical and very thought-provoking talk. She described various locations where edible landscaping is already occurring, and then showed “before” and “after” slides of several sites in Kamloops where edible landscaping could become a reality—bus stops, entrances to apartment blocks, private gardens, and schoolyards. Both of these talks were very informative and greatly enjoyed by the more than 30 people who attended the evening.

–Minutes submitted by Anne Grube on behalf of Carole Hebden.