It’s time to plant

by Ed Johnson, photos by Ed Johnson

By the end of January when Saanich Voice Online hits the newsstands there will have already been four Seedy Saturdays on Vancouver Island, two of which were on the peninsula.  The biggest one comes up on February 21st at the Convention Centre in Victoria.  Seed collectors and growers converge in large numbers at these events to sell and trade the seeds they have grown.

Some may be businesses, like Mary Alice Johnson’s Full Circle Seeds, while others will be backyard gardeners with a bent for the unusual.

The first off the block was Saanich’s Haliburton Farm’s Seedy Saturday on January 10th, complete with farm tours and an 
informational lecture.  It is a good time to check out the farm as the tours are free, unlike the rest of the year when an $8.00 charge fills the need for infrastructure demands – even if rubber boots, heavy coats and maybe rain-gear are the 
order of the day.

After slogging through the 
fields with fellow Haliburton 
farmer, Dr. Peter Liddell, 
retired UVic professor, learning of the where- and why-fores of organic farming, and showing off their new cold storage building and wetland restoration, the ‘tourees’ retreated to the warmth of the house to hear Christina Nikolic of The 
Organic Pantry speak.

“Dirt, Chocolate Cheesecake and You – a closer look at our soil,” was the title of Nikolic’s talk.

If pastries and coffee weren’t tempting enough, there were several seed sellers as well as books, seedlings, garden necessities and even a few winter squash to fill your knapsack with.

And, if you really wanted to get your hands dirty, Dr. Liddell assured that, “There is an opportunity to join a volunteer work-party on the first Saturday of every month.” Haliburton, now in its fourteenth year even has a food box program, delivering seasonal fresh produce to the door of ‘Greater Saanich’ residents.

The history of the farm is rich. In 2001 it was saved from development by a group of concerned citizens and the District of Saanich, which purchased the land.  The non-profit charitable organization, Haliburton Community Farm Society, as it is now known, is being developed as a community and educational certified organic farm.

For income, plots are leased to farmers, memberships in the Society are sold, but the majority of their income is derived from grants.  The farmers themselves are able to earn an income through the box program, farmer’s market sales, and direct sales to restaurants.

www.haliburtonfarm.org.

The next seed event attended by this reporter is technically not a Seedy Saturday because it falls on a Sunday – always has (the last three times), and always will, says the Gorge Tillicum Urban Farmers (GTUF). GTUF distinguishes itself in another ways as well.  For example, their Seedy Sunday event is for members and those on a ‘friends’ list; the members donate their excess seeds in a sharing event; and all transactions are free.

The ‘give-what-you-have-more-of-
and-take-what-you-need’ yearly event 
brings out 30-40 members from the 120+ household membership.

A loose-knit organization with no hierarchy, the group came about in 2008 because of shared concerns about food security in the neighbourhood.  Members have since established a Community Seed Bank, lobbied for a bylaw change allowing chickens to be kept in Saanich, and created a very helpful ‘Critter Encounters’ and Weed Identification section on their website, www.gtuf.ca.

Julie Graham, speaking from the membership table, is enthusiastic to say the least.  “Because my 
neighbour has an excellent 
compost system, I take my 
compostables around the corner to his place, and then when I need finished compost in the spring, it is available. We are a small 
community of like minds and like to keep it that way, that is why our membership is restricted to those who live and work in the area.”

Gabe Epstein, one of the founders, describes the group as more “conversational than presentational” in their meeting format.

“Acting as individuals rather than members some of us may be found in other gardening projects in the area, such as the Gorge Park Community Garden or donating food to Saanich Neighbourhood Place.”

This makes for a relaxed atmosphere, there are no AGMs, no elections, and no expectations placed on anyone, he adds.  A coordinating group, open to all, decides on meeting dates and other activities as the need arises.

Watch for upcoming videos of a few members of this group on the Saanich Voice Online Youtube channel.

Accompanying this article online is a short video of Bill Morgan demonstrating planting onions from seed.  Bill is a top contender for the largest onion in the Saanich Fall Fair, so he must know what he’s doing!

Ed Johnson lives and writes on his hobby farm in the Mt Newton Valley. 
His latest life goal is to one day grow enough asparagus to feed he and Lynne year-round.