The eighth annual Edible Garden Tour will take visitors around the region this Sunday, August 14, to see how people are growing food.
Powell River Food Security Project (PRFSP) organizes the event that features everything from small backyard gardens to organic gardens and mixed-farms with animals.
“We think it’s really important to give people the chance to see that there’s more than one way of growing your own food,” said PRFSP coordinator Vanessa Sparrow. “We recognize that not everyone can grow a huge amount of food, like on a farm, but it’s important for people see it’s possible to have a few containers on the back porch.”
According to Gosia Carroll of Myrtle Point Heritage Farm, she and her husband moved to Powell River seven years ago and bought land because they always wanted to grow their own food.
“We try to do lots of permaculture. Our goal for the garden is to be self-sustainable,” said Carroll. “We collect the majority of our own seed and then use manure from our own animals to mulch our garden; it’s almost a full cycle.”
Nine stops are included on this year’s edible garden tour and, while not all are fully sustainable, each garden does reflect the grow-your-own-food movement.
“We all generally agree that the more food we can grow closer to home, the greater our food security will be,” said Sparrow.
According to Carroll, her family did not have a background in farming. Everything was hands on and involved a steep learning curve. She said it is now part of their role to educate people about sustainable farming.
“As farmers, we have to educate and justify to people why our prices might be two to three times higher than what they might be in the grocery store,” said Carroll.
The tour aims to educate, inspire, impart information and, at some stops, provide demonstrations, according to Sparrow.
“We have master gardeners at a couple of the gardens who are able to answer a range of questions,” she said. “Maybe you’re having some issues with pests or you’ve always wanted to grow garlic, but thought maybe you couldn’t. It’s a chance to see how other people have tackled those things.”
Edible Garden Tour
When: 9 am-5 pm, Sunday, August 14
Where: Various locations
Price: Free
Info: prfoodsecurity.org
