Network Meeting Summary
July 3, 2019
Secwepemc Word of the Month (review)
Weyt-k (why-t-k). _______ ren skwest = Hello. My name is _______ .
Board Update
– We’re looking forward to the AGM in August! Please join us — help us welcome the Board members who will take us through the next year, share in our legendary potluck, and enjoy some visiting.
Staff Update
– Welcome to Mariana, our new Gleaning Abundance Coordinator! She has jumped into learning the process with the onset of cherry season and we’re loving her enthusiasm for helping to capture Kamloops’ abundance.
– GAP has been busy, picking more than 1,100 pounds of cherries so far. Sadly, there will be no apricots or early plums this season, so there will be a rare break between the varieties of fruit.
– Catharine is completing her 4th year social work practicum placement with KFPC and the Boys and Girls Club. She has been working with My Place and McDonald Park Public Produce. We’re so fortunate to have her thoughtful, creative energy with us over the summer.
– The Real Estate Foundation food policy implementation project is excited to have submitted a funding application on Tuesday! If successful, the funding will go towards a combined feasibility study and pilot project to start a Food Innovation and Processing Hub. Six local food businesses would be selected to participate in business planning (through an Entrepreneur in Residence, aka business mentor) and connecting with available commercial kitchen space through a full-time food hub coordinator that would be hired for this project. In addition, a customer needs survey and the validity of the pilot will be assessed through the feasibility side of the project (so that we can launch into the next phase of this). Wish us luck!
Community Spotlight
Organic Waste Collection – Addie de Candole
Organic waste is not appropriate for the landfill, however 43% of what is going into it is compostable (this includes food scraps and lumber). This increases greenhouse gas impacts because it is not being handled appropriately. It’s time to let City Council know that we don’t want organic waste in the landfill. You can do so by signing this petition and writing a letter of support.
Climate Change Research – Hanna Martens
Hanna shared some of her research findings from a course she took in her 4th year of Geography studies at TRU. Her research question was, “How do we feed ourselves in the face of climate change?” As she reviewed the literature, the following was identified as what we can expect based on the rate of warming that is being recorded:
- longer growing season with more extreme weather (e.g., more rain and less snow pack will mean an extended fire season with worse fires), pests and disease
- increased risk of drought and lack of precipitation
- warmer winters means weaker pest control and possible damage to perennials
- increased food insecurity
- livestock will suffer because there will be less feed and water with increased disease
Potential Solutions
– Equity needs to be top of mind because poorer populations will be impacted more severely, particularly Indigenous communities.
– Innovation and change will be needed in agricultural practices (e.g., different types of food grown; shifting when seeding and irrigating; new technology; increasing urban agriculture).
– Food hubs and incubator farms were named in a report, which is interesting because the REF policy implementation project has a working group for each of these.
Hanna graciously shared a Climate Change Agriculture Summary and Climate Change Powerpoint slides related to her presentation. There is also a full (23 page) document from Hanna that you can request from michelle@kamloopsfoodpolicycouncil.com and she can forward it to you.
Announcements
– Bren’s farmstand will be opening on the weekend of July 20 & 21. It will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 AM to 5 PM. 4195 Westsyde Road.
– Love Hard Kamloops described their efforts to address hunger in Kamloops at street level. Two times a year, they provide a free meal for anyone who is food insecure. They also carry out a weekly outreach program, in which they drive around Kamloops in two vehicles, offering 60 – 70 sandwiches per week, cookies, fresh fruit, hot meals, coffee, tea, whatever they can prepare/provide based on what is donated. They need volunteers and can be contacted through their Facebook page.
– The Big E is 48 pages of pure content, no ads. To keep it thriving, it needs participation to help it succeed. If you are a photographer, poet, writer, storyteller, have an event you want to promote, get in contact with them. thebigeditionkamloops@gmail.com or facebook or 250-879-0465.
– On Friday and Saturday nights, the Kamloops Film Society is screening movies at the Paramount. They need two volunteers per show to help keep independent film in Kamloops.
– Elaine Sedgman has just released a book, A Bee Named BOB, about Blue Orchard Bees (BOB). Congratulations, Elaine!
– Food Skills for Families Training (August 20 – 23). This is free training (a train-the-trainer program) and meals are provided during training, however there are criteria to be eligible. For full details, click here: Food Skills Facilitator Training Invitation_2019.
Upcoming Events – Save the Dates & Get Tix!
Gardengate Seasonal Veg Sales – starts on July 15
Runs Monday to Friday, 11:30 AM to 1 PM
915 Southill
Farm 2 Chef Grazing Event – July 21, 5 – 8 PM
@Thistle Farm
KFPC AGM – August 7, 5:30 to 7:30 PM
If you are interested in learning more about what it means to join the Board of Directors, you can read over the expectations and terms of reference on the KFPC website.
Next Meeting is KFPC’s AGM: August 7, 2019, 5:30 – 7:30
@ Mount Paul Community Food Centre
A brief business meeting and election; legendary potluck; with time to visit in the garden (weather permitting)
Chair: Carole Hebden
Set Up: Deb A.
Clean Up: Matt
We would like to introduce Mariana Guerra, who will be taking on the role of Gleaning Abundance Program Coordinator. Mariana hails from Mexico, and has a wealth of experience working with volunteers on various projects in Canada, Mexico, Peru, and China. She is a long-time advocate of social justice and keen to get behind the cause of food security.