Conference: Agriculture, Community and the Environment

From the Table to the Field

Turning Discussion into Action

An islands conference advancing Agriculture, Community and Environmental Awareness

  • What are the elements of an economically viable farm?
  • How do we organize ourselves regionally?
  • How do we balance agriculture and the environment?

Come and be part of the Action!

  • FACILITATOR:

    Brian Crumblehulme

  • KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

    • Please refer to the 'ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS' section below to find out more details about our presenters.

    BRIAN BRETT, author of Trauma Farm, topic: Everyday miracles in the rural world
    HEATHER PRITCHARD - Executive Director, Farm Folk, City Folk topic: Community-owned farming models
    JOHN WILCOX - topic: Setting the course towards a food-secure future from current and historical models and observations
    DEREK MASSELINK, owner of Hope Bay Farm and Island Trustee - topic: "Connecting land, food and community: Our challenge as big people in small places"

  • WHERE: Galiano Island, Community Hall, Sturdies Bay Rd.
  • WHEN: Sunday, March 21. Doors open at 9am Conference begins at 9:30am until 4:00pm
  • COST: $30 includes breakfast and lunch - vegetarian and wheat-free options provided
  • REGISTRATION: through our website
    or mail a cheque (payable to the Galiano Club) to:

    From the Table to the Field
    c/o Janice Oakley
    S - 18, C - 2
    Galiano Island V0N 1P0

    • ACCOMMODATION: Check our Chamber of Commerce website: www.galianoisland.com for whatever your needs are. Billeting info soon.
    • ISLANDS PROJECTS: If you are involved in an exciting project in your community email us about it to see if we can help you share it. We will be providing tables for folks to share information, as well as scheduling short presentation slots for local island initiatives.
    • NETTLEFEST: A day of celebrating this wonderful and abundant local food. Takes place Saturday before the conference, all day, finishing with a community meal at the Hall

    All welcome!!

    • SCHEDULE OF CONFERENCE:

      • 9:00-9:30 am Doors open, breakfast is served
      9:30-9:45 am Conference begins – Martine Paulin introduces conference, Brian Crumblehulme opens & welcomes Brian Brett
      9:45-10:15 am Brian Brett speaks
      10:15-10:45 am John Wilcox speaks
      10:45-11:00 am Mid-morning break/networking
      11:00-12:00 pm Presentation Island Initiatives
      12:00-12:45 pm Lunch/networking
      12:45-1:15 pm Heather Pritchard speaks
      1:15-1:45 pm Derek Masselink speaks
      1:45-2:00 pm Panel discussion
      2:00-3:15 pm Group discussions (shuffle at 2:40 pm)
      3:15-3:30 pm Break/networking/moving tables
      3:30-3:45 pm Nicole Mouner’s call to action
      3:45-4:00pm Janice Oakley closes conference
      4:00 pm Conference ends, arrange transportation to ferry

    • ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS:

      • BRIAN BRETT

      Brian Brett understands both tall tales and rigorous science as he explores the small mixed farm—meditating on the perfection of the egg and the nature of soil while also offering a scathing critique of agribusiness and the horror of modern slaughterhouses. Whether discussing the uses and misuses of gates, examining the energy of seeds, or bantering with his family, farm hands, and neighbours, he remains aware of the miracles of life, birth, and death that confront the rural world every day. We are honoured to host Brian here on Galiano Island at the Nettlefest dinner and From the Table to the Field Conference.

      JOHN WILCOX

      John Wilcox is a 6th generation agrarian. He and his partner Sue Earle are now owner - operators of Duck Creek Farm, a small market garden operation on Salt Spring. John's ag experience over the past 20 years has included both farm development and food production as well as voluntary community agricultural service. Duck Creek Farm is thus cited as an model of agricultural biodiversity for the province and John's initiation of Salt Spring's Area Farm Plan are indicators of such work. "You must know where we've come from - to see where we are - in order to set the course to a food secure future". This imerative involves new farmland tenure arrangements and community options for the direct financial investrment in farmland. Farmers must now be returned to the land.

      HEATHER PRITCHARD

      Heather Pritchard, Executive Director of FarmFolk/CityFolk, has over 40 years experience assisting non-profits, co-operatives and small businesses with financial planning, organizational development and personnel management. She is a member of Glorious Organics Cooperative, a certified organic farm business operating from Fraser Common Farm Cooperative in the Fraser Valley. As an active member in the land cooperative and a grower, producer and marketer of certified organic product, she has first-hand experience with the challenges of sustainable agriculture.Heather is on the GVRD Agricultural Advisory Committee, the board of the Colony Farm Park Association, a founding member of the Vancouver Food Policy Council, and Treasurer of the BC Food Systems Network.

      DEREK MASSELINK

      Derek Masselink has over 15 years of experience in ecological landscape design, planning and management working in a range of fields including rural community planning, sustainable and urban agriculture, aquaculture, wildlife research, park planning, and First Nations treaty negotiations. Trained as both an ecologist and landscape architect Derek is a provincially known expert on matters related to ecological landscape planning and design, ecological farming and urban agriculture. He is also a farmer and an elected Trustee for North Pender Island. Derek is passionate about the environment, rural communities, healthy community development, community engagement, good food, farming and forestry. He and his family love living and farming on North Pender and we are lucky to have him come to From the Table to the Field Conference to discuss, "Connecting land, food and community: Our challenge as big people in small places."

    • ISLAND INITIATIVES

      • THIS SECTION WILL HAPPEN IN THE MORNING, BEFORE LUNCH

      *JANE WOLVERTON- Galiano Community Food Program
      *EMILY MENZIES - Galiano Conservancy Association
      *LINDA GEGGIE- LifeCycles / Vancouver Island Food Systems Network
      *SHOSHANAH WAXMAN- Saltspring Island Food Growing Initiative
      *BRIAN CRUMBLEHULME, on behalf od MICHAEL DUNN- Mayne Island ISUNI, ad hoc growing group
      *ANNA LUNDEEN- Pender Island Farmland Acquisition Project Society
      *JULIET KERSHAW- 31 square Saturna Eats
      *BARBARA GRIMMER- Director of Inter-Island Sheep Breeders, Island Farmers' Alliance, Farmland Defense League, 4H
      *DAVID THOMSON- Cobble Hill- President, District A Farmers Institute and the Island Farmers' Alliance
      *KAITLIN KAZMIEROWSKI- Food Policy Planner for the Islands Trust
      *DOUG AND ELIZABETH LATTA- Galiano Farmers teaming up with young farmers

    • TABLE DISPLAYS

      • *GALIANO COMMUNITY FOOD PROGRAM
      *GALIANO BOOKS
      *GALIANO CONSERVANCY ASSOCIATION
      *BARBARA GRIMMER- ISLANDS FARMERS' ALLIANCE, 4H, INTER-ISLAND SHEEP BREEDERS, FARMER'S DEFENSE LEAGUE, INFORMATION SHARING
      *KAITLIN KAZMIEROWSKI- ISLANDS TRUST FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE