Free Live Public Zoom Presentation and Discussion
Wednesday June 9, 7-8:45pm on Zoom
COVID has seen the interest in gardening and food security skyrocket. And for a good reason. Supply chains have shown us that they’re not too big to fail. Hear from the island’s best and brightest green thumbs to help us all grow more food in ways that are good for the body, soul, pocketbook, and planet.
Join island gardening specialists: Linda Gilkeson, as she explores the means to garden in small spaces, Brandon Bauer, deepening our understanding and techniques for permaculture gardening for community resilience, and Jane Squier exemplifying how to grow healthy tropical crops like citrus on SSI. With host Bryan Young, TSS Chair, who will draw on the key food and agriculture recommendations from the Salt Spring Climate Action Plan.
Take off those gardening gloves for an evening of gardening inspiration from this stellar Salt Spring lineup:
Linda Gilkeson is a regular instructor in the Master Gardener programs in BC and is busy year-round giving pest management and organic gardening workshops. She served as President of the Entomological Society of Canada, the Professional Pest Management Association of BC, the Entomological Society of BC, and the Salt Spring Island Garden Club. Linda was awarded a Queen’s Jubilee medal in 2003 and an outstanding achievement award from the Professional Pest Management Association of BC in 2005. For details on Linda’s incredible books, including “Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest” visit http://www.lindagilkeson.ca/bio.html
Brandon Bauer is a permaculture designer and educator with over 25 years of experience designing and implementing permaculture projects on Salt Spring Island, in Africa, Brazil, and Haiti. Brandon is currently teaching a diploma program in Permaculture Design and Resilient Ecosystems at the Pacific Rim College. He has taught several Permaculture Design courses, including at O.U.R. Ecovillage, The Bullock’s Permaculture Homestead, UBC, and at Seven Raven’s and The Blue Raven Farm. He is a naturalist, organic farmer, biodiversity specialist, seed saver, herbalist, and soil scientist. Brandon sees permaculture as one of the most inspiring and action-focused ways to live. He continues to practice what he teaches, farming on Salt Spring Island, supporting local food production, and regenerative forestry. For an example of one of Brandon’s permaculture tours, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2enyKqiivY.
Jane Squier has over 40 years of hands-on experience operating successful small-and-medium-sized greenhouse businesses and market gardens. She has used organic and hydroponic systems in tropical, Mediterranean, and cold (Zone 3) climates. Jane is constantly working to refine the choice of plant material, growing methods, and technologies to create an efficient, sustainable, and economically viable lifestyle business. Jane’s involvement in community development is extensive, with local governance in land use, water supply, organic waste management, and transportation councils. She was the technical partner in the design and establishment of the award-winning GISS Farm-to-Cafeteria Program. Jane studied horticulture and agro-ecology at Olds College and UBC, and has recently attended courses on Aquaponics at UVI and MSU’s Managing Hoophouse and High Tunnels. Her greenhouse on Salt Spring Island, known as The Garden, contains many varieties of citrus, avocados, and other tropical crops and is the envy of many. For more information, go to https://www.thegardensaltspring.com/.
Register here for this online zoom event to learn more enhanced tricks and tips to grow food more sustainably!
Become a TSS member or to learn more about the Salt Spring Climate Action Plan’s recommendations on climate resilience for food and agriculture and how you can get involved. Visit https://transitionsaltspring.com
This event is free, but please consider donating to support the development of this programming and to support the vital climate action work of Transition Salt Spring: https://transitionsaltspring.com/donate/
We encourage you to join us! One Cool Island indeed.