Growing Up Organic Salt Spring Island
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Project Update: October 16th, 2009
The Island Natural Growers chapter of COG has been working with farmers on the island to develop a system of production and distribution to replace some of the imported food that has dominated the food services for institutions in the area. Since 2008, over fifty-three farmers, representing forty-two farms, have joined the Growing Up Organic initiative, which has led to an 80% rise in sales of locally grown organic goods.
The ING Growing Up Organic (GUO) initiative brought a number of events and programs to the island farming communities:
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Highly-praised workshops that have introduced many new farmers to the GUO project. There are more upcoming workshops for farmers planned for November, titled ‘Breaking New Ground.’
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In an effort to boost the community’s interest in high-quality organics offered by local growers, the restaurants have been given the opportunity to purchase locally grown organic foods.
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A special event called Eat Out/Eat Local was organized to promote locally grown organic foods in conjunction with the Salt Springs Fall Fair, where restaurants provided menu items featuring flavorful local ingredients.
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The Gulf Islands Secondary School teamed with the Canadian Organic Growers in an effort to increase marketing opportunities for organic farmers and to provide local organic food for youth. Through this initiative, the school has implemented a new type of culinary program where only locally grown organic ingredients are used. Students learn the importance of locally produced goods and appreciate the fresh flavor. Students in the culinary program share their talents with others at their Secondary School by providing a full menu during lunch hour – ranging from daily soups, hot sandwiches, fresh veggies, fresh baked bread, and even dessert!
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The Meadowlands Seniors Housing Facility has been providing its residents with organic foods.
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A wholesale price list being developed in cooperation with the farmers. It is a complicated subject to tackle that involves a different approach to pricing and crop planning. However, a considerable amount of progress has been made and it remains a top priority.
We are happy to see the increased recognition of locally grown organic foods in the communities and the institutions since the establishment of the Growing Up Organic (GUO) project in 2008, and hope to see more farmers and consumers participating in the future.
GUO Salt Spring Island Article in the Canadian Organic Grower magazine
Project Update June 4, 2008
As “eating local” becomes a mantra in ever-widening circles of people in many communities we know that the demand for local food far exceeds the supply. In 2005, Island Natural Growers (ING), the Gulf Islands Chapter of the Canadian Organic Growers, conducted a study which showed that we are growing only about 5% of the produce that people on Salt Spring eat in a year (click here to get the study). In response, ING developed a series of workshops aimed at helping commercial growers to increase production.
To find out whether this series of workshops had any impact on production levels, we interviewed the growers to see if crop production levels in 2007 had increased since the baseline study was done in 2005. We discovered that vegetable production had increased by an estimated 18% by weight without a corresponding increase in acreage, suggesting more intensive production and increased efficiencies (click here to get workshop report).
We are now embarking on the "Growing Up Organic" project. This summer and fall ING will be working with two institutions—the Gulf Islands Secondary School and Meadowbrook, a seniors housing facility—and farmers on the island to develop a coordinated and collaborative system of production and distribution for replacing at least some of the imported food that currently dominates the food service in these institutions.
Contact information:
Pat Reichert , GUO Project CoordinatorTel.: (250) 537.4282
Sponsors:
This project was funded in part by:
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