Despite the season winding down, we've been busy making connections with other organizations, planting cover crops, and making big plans for next year. Some of the highlights this month have been participating in the W̱S͸ḴEM Ivy Project, planting a native hedgerow with Kristen Miskelly of Satinflower at our workshop of our fall seminar series, celebrating the last North Saanich Farm Market, and more! Read on for more details.
Photos from the last North Saanich Farm Market
Volunteer call-out: Join us at Sandown Centre (1810 Glamorgan Rd, main gate, behind the black toolshed) to build biologically-active compost this Monday, the 30th, from 10am - 1pm, and/or on Tuesday, the 31st from 10am - 1pm to turn it! Learn about the materials needed to make your own compost at home, optimum temperatures to turn your compost at, and get your hands dirty! Witch hats and capes are encouraged. Please email Emily at info@sandowncentre.com so we know how many people can come help out!
We had our last fall worker bee in the community garden, where we made a lasagne-style compost out of the heap of plant waste, cardboard, straw, and wood chips. Join our growing network of community members and neighbours and get on the community garden waitlist! Here is a tidbit from one of our gardeners during summer:
"Yesterday I took my grandson to the gardens and he was so excited to see all the beans and vegetables. Thanks for making it possible to have a garden at Sandown. I am enjoying it and have learned so much. The workshop on Sunday was amazing. I bought a cantaloupe transplant from one of the farms and they are about the size of a baseball with lots of time to grow and ripen. Also bought some amazing peas from him. Great organization and glad to be part of it."
Photos from the last fall worker bee at the Sandown community gardens
We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded in two categories at the 2023 Good Food Gathering; in the Food Economy category and as the overall Good Food Champion! It was an amazing gathering that brought together incredible organizations and non-profits, Government officials, farmers, and more, and we are extremely humbled to have won the award. The $1,000 prize will go towards the building of the farm stand to support the farmers in the Regenerative Farmers Program.
One of many highlights of this month was the first workshop of our fall seminar series. The two-part workshop with Kristen Miskelly of Satinflower Nurseries taught participants how to install, plant, and maintain a native hedgerow. After gaining knowledge in the online portion, the second day was spent getting our hands dirty when we put the theory to practice at Sandown. We look forward to posting updates on how this beautiful hedgerow continues to grow and bloom throughout the seasons. For upcoming workshops, click here.
Photos from the first of four Sandown fall seminar series with various local experts.
Volunteer call-out: Join us at Sandown Centre (1810 Glamorgan Rd, top of the road at the trailhead), for an ivy pull on Sunday, November 19th at 2pm.
Thank you to the Sandown farmers! We are extremely proud of the 12 dedicated farmers who bring beauty and abundance to Sandown. We look forward to sharing more updates on what's to come next year soon.
Photos from the Sandown farms.
From top left to right: Frozen Coast Farm lettuce, Cory and Jax of Testbed Farm, Frozen Coast Farm field.
From bottom left to right: Fireweed Farm flowers, Testbed Farm field, Fireweed Farm cover crop.
Community call-out: Drop off your spray-free leaves at Sandown at 1810 Glamorgan Rd. We will happily use them to mulch the gardens and farms. Email info@sandowncentre.com to arrange, or just stop by and leave them inside or at the front of the main gate!
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