For those interested in all aspects of food security, local foods, local agriculture and the like, please join LUSH Valley Food Action Society at its Annual General Meeting and Pot Luck on Thursday, May 13th from 6- 8 pm.

The featured guest presenter will be Jean DuGal, Courtenay resident, columnist for the Word, and founder of LUSH Valley.  Jean, a frugal living maven known for her dry wit, will entertain us with a Food Trivia contest, testing our local food smarts. There will be prizes for correct answers!

The pot luck portion will begin promptly at 6 pm.  Everyone attending is asked to provide a dish featuring local foods.  Please bring a card with the ingredients listed; a prize will be given to the most creative dish using local ingredients!  Beverages will be provided. The business of the AGM will take place at 6:30 pm, followed by dessert and the trivia contest.

LUSH Valley welcomes those who wish to volunteer, especially those who wish to invest their time and  skills to serve on the board of directors,  thereby helping us to shape the future of food security in the Comox Valley. For further information on board opportunities, please contact Bunny Shannon at 250.335.2003 or bunny5779@aol.com

LUSH (“Let Us Share the Harvest”) Valley has been working to achieve greater food security in the Comox Valley since 1999.  Currently LUSH Valley’s home provides a commercial kitchen, an information Hub for North Island as designated by the Vancouver Island Health Authority, and a variety of educational workshops and programs.  Our motto is “Less about charity, more about self-reliance.” 

 

LUSH Valley is located at 1126 Piercy Avenue in Courtenay.  Please RSVP to jegrt@telus.net or phone board member Judy Goldschmidt at 250.337.8033.

April 19th, 2010
At the LUSH Hub

In collaboration with Comox Valley Literacy Now, LUSH Valley brought in the formidable Vivian Cruise to secure some FoodSafe certifications.

Vivian Cruise, Chef Instructor, FoodSafe Instructor and Cookbook Author
Vivian attained her "Red Seal" - chef's papers in 1984 and has been involved in cooking since she was 5 years old, but professionally since 1977. Vivian worked at various restaurants in the Lower Mainland such as the Lazy Gourmet, Kettle of Fish, and Hy's Mansion and was Sous Chef at the SFU faculty club before spending 4 years teaching cooking and baking at 2 Vancouver Secondary Schools. Since moving to the Comox Valley in 1989, she was the chef for CYMC in the early 90's for 5 years, worked at Anderton Nursery, had her own catering business, worked at the Sid Williams Theatre, developed a cookbook and taught cooking for the towboating industry and teaches cooking and FoodSafe Level One (Basic) whenever and where ever it is needed for various organizations and colleges. Her new direction in life is to promote food security, support local farmers and food safety at all levels.
When Viv was a child if they didn't kill it or grow it they didn't eat it. Viv's favourite bumper sticker is: NO Farms, NO Food.

Summary of the FoodSafe course:
FoodSafe Level 1 is a somewhat comprehensive look at why we should be food safe at work(and at home), microbiology and how pathogens(disease causing microorganisms) are spread, the proper receiving, storage, handling, preparation, cooking and serving of foods, which foods are potentially hazardous, the effects of time and temperature on microbial growth, cleaning dishes and equipment and  Hand Washing. Part of the course also deals with work safety, injuries at work and how to prevent them. Vivian teaches the course using a workbook, lecture, 6 movies, 112 slides and class discussions. The exam will be marked before the students leave the classroom. Certificates will be issued within 3 weeks of successful completion of the exam.

Viv's favourite FoodSafe rule:  Wash your hands!

HELP SHARE THE HARVEST!

Vote for LUSH Valley in the First Credit Union & Insurance 10K-giveaway and help us promote food security, food literacy and community partnerships through our Hub.

Just click on the image in this post and complete the form. It's that simple.

Last summer, when LUSH Valley Food Action Society opened our new commercial kitchen, we put out a call for canning jars to help us preserve some of the annual harvest and “Put a Lid on Hunger.” 

Thanks to the generosity of Comox Valley residents, we were overwhelmed with the response. We now have enough canning jars to keep us busy in our new commercial kitchen for several harvests! Although we have our fill of canning jars, the organization still has many other items on the “Wish List.” These items are needed to help reduce the costs of administration, for use in the new kitchen or for tending some of the garden plots. Any donation of new or gently used items – however large or small  – is greatly appreciated. Can you share your good fortune so that LUSH can share the Valley’s bountiful harvest? 


For more information call 250.331.0152 or contact us.

Items may be dropped off Monday – Thursday from 10: 00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at The Hub.

For the Office & Warehouse

•  General office supplies
• Vacuum cleaner with all accessories
• Folding or collapsible tables
• Plain paper for printing (Many thanks to Sure Copy for their generous donation.)
  
• Clear 8.5 x 11 pages
• Pamphlet holders
• Business card holders
• Display boards.
• Dolly and pallet jack

For the Gardens

• Wheelbarrows
• Leaf rakes
• Pitchforks
• Hoes
• Weeders
• All gently used gardening tools 

For the Kitchen

• Baking sheets
• Canners and accessories (No jars!)
• First aid supplies
• Table cloths, potholders and oven mitts
• Commercial apple peelers
• Vegetable peelers, graters and pitters
• Ladles and cutlery
• Stainless steel bowls (all sizes)
• Cutting boards
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Strainers / Colanders
• Crock pots
• Sugar and Splenda
• Paper towels, napkins
• Tea towels and dish cloths
• Dish soap
• Washing machine and dryer
• Pickling salt and spices
• Ziplock freezer bags
• Food scales
• Coffee grinders
• Juicers, blenders,
• Food dehydrators &processors

Zen in Your Garden

A Gardening Workshop for mind, body and soul
Sat., May 15, 2010 ~ 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Ocean Resort, Campbell River

A community fundraiser in support of LUSH Valley.

Four great speakers covering:

• Feng Shui for the Garden ~ Terri Perrin, Certified Feng Shui Consultant
• Edible Landscaping ~ Helena Hartwood ~ Hartwood Garden Designs
• Ponds & Water Features ~ David Bossom ~ Island Water Scape
• Raw Food ~ Carol Kopp, Chef, Ocean Resort

Check out the full story on how this event was inspired!
InFocus Magazine April/May 2010

$75.00 per person
includes workshop materials, morning refreshments,lunch and optional labyrinth walk.
A limited number of tickets available!

Makes a great Mother's Day gift!

Tickets Available April 26th at:
Serendipity in the Garden , 968 Shoppers Row, Campbell River
Ocean Resort, 4384 South Island Hwy, Campbell River
Comox Valley location T.B.A.

OR CALL 250.218.4952

I just heard about these: 
An organic gardening workshop being held by Courtenay Recreation, May 1.  To Register, call 250-338-5371.

Another organic gardening workshop at Cumberland Rec, May 16-17th. To register call 250-336-2231.

Lake Trail Neighbourhood Connections invites you to Lake Trail Neighbourhood Day! Come Celebrate the 'Hood on Saturday April 17, 2010 from 10:30-3:30 at Lake Trail School. Have some homemade apple pie and meet some neighbours...A FREE event!

Lake Trail Neighbourhood Connections is a community-building project initiated by the Lake Trail Parent Advisory Committee and supported by Lake Trail School, the City of Courtenay, the Union of BC municipalities, LUSH Valley and other local groups. The goal is empowering local residents toward developing a vision, strengthening their neighbourhood and engaging in activities with the Lake Trail School at the heart of their neighbourhood. This event is to celebrate the neighbourhood while creating connections between organizations, residents, and the School.

After the Welcoming Ceremony by Wachiay Friendship Centre and others at 10:30am, there will be opportunities for neighbourhood visioning, a survey for residents, information booths hosted by local organizations, facilitated discussions on Public Safety and the future Community Demonstration Garden at Lake Trail School, World Cafe style group visioning, the beginning of a community map, some grassroots movies will be screened, and of course a chance to meet interesting locals!  There will also be an outdoor activity, and refreshments along with the pie.

"Residents will have an opportunity to learn about and provide feedback to local initiatives that are being planned. There will be children and youth activities so you can bring the whole family,” says Project Coordinator Samantha Garstang.

There will be two facilitated community discussions: Lake Trail School Community Demonstration Garden: 12 -1pm, and Public Safety with the Community Justice Centre, RCMP, City of Courtenay and School District representative: 1- 2:30 pm.

“The event is set up so that people can drop in and participate for as long as they want. Some activities are ongoing like visioning, connecting with resources and groups in the neighbourhood, and providing input into community issues that are important to you. Other activities are scheduled at certain times like the community discussions on safety and the community demonstration garden. You can drop in for 20 minutes or spend the whole day, bring the family or attend alone,” says project facilitator David Stapley.

The Project is also designed to engage community members, the school district and agencies in strengthening links between the school and the surrounding neighbourhood to promote the “Community School” model.

“Members of the Lake Trail Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) believe that the "Community School" model, which is used effectively around the province, could benefit both students at Lake Trail School and the neighbourhood as a whole. The school is the heart of the community, and many opportunities exist to share this amazing neighbourhood resource,” says PAC member Sheila McDonnell.

The Lake Trail Neighbourhood Connections project was initiated by a proposal from the Lake Trail PAC to apply for funding from the BC School Community Connection Program managed by the Union of BC Municipalities and the BC School Trustees Association. The Lake Trail proposal project received an $8,000 grant to build connections between the school, neighbourhood and municipal agencies.

The City of Courtenay is supporting the project to help build a "vision" for Lake Trail, with the goal of establishing a neighbourhood residents group who can represent the neighbourhood interests with the City, School District and other agencies. The project fits with current BC government directions to increase shared use of public facilities under their Neighbourhoods of Learning Program and the goals of the recently adopted Comox Valley Sustainability Strategy.

For more information contact: Samantha Garstang, Project Coordinator – Lake Trail Neighbourhood Connections, Lake Trail School, 250-334-3168 to leave a message or by email: laketrailvision@gmail.com

Become a Fan of “Lake Trail Neighbourhood Connections” on Facebook to receive updates and info about the project.

LUSH Valley is looking for a Board Room projector for the LUSH Valley Hub. Any projector in working condition would be appreciated, although a projector with these capabilities would be ideal:

-Built-in speakers
-Can be mounted to the ceiling
-Flexible inputs for connectivity
-Easily replaceable lamp

If you have any questions, or know of a projector, please contact Brittany King on Thursdays, between the hours 10- 3. Please email Brittany, attn Brittany, or call LUSH Valley Hub at 250-331-0152. Feel free to drop by the Hub as well.