The Growing Food course starts on April 6! It’s a comprehensive, hands-on way to learn to grow your own food at Haliburton Farm, 741 Haliburton Road, Saanich.
Classes are held Wednesdays 6.30 – 9 pm and Saturdays 1 – 3.30 pm from
April 6 through May 29, 2019.
For more information about this and other Gaia College courses, check out Gaia’s website; or register online through Royal Roads University (or phone them: 250-391-2513; toll free 1-866-890-0220).
The popular Growing Food class begins in April this year. Part of the Gaia College/Royal Roads University Diploma in Organic Land Care taught at Haliburton Farm, it teaches students how to grow healthy food plants, hands-on, following organic and permaculture principles. The course is ideal for home gardeners and inexperienced gardeners, as well as market gardeners and more experienced food growers.
Classes begin April 6, 2019 and will run Wednesdays & Saturdays from 6.30-9 pm until May 29, 2019.
To know more, please see Gaia College’s course description.
The information session at Haliburton Farm, 741 Haliburton Road, on Wednesday February 27, from 6:30 to 7:30pm, will give you a chance to find out how the course is structured and what you’ll learn, and to ask any questions you may have. Sign up via Royal Roads University for the February 27 information session; or for the Growing Food class that starts on April 6, 2019.
Makoha Farm will be hosting a winter fruit tree pruning workshop at Haliburton Community Farm!
This workshop will be led by certified arborists Laura Ralph and Ryan Senechal. Spanning 5 hours, participants will review tools and key pruning concepts before moving outside to gain valuable hands-on experience with the instructors.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite. Registration is limited in order to maximise the guidance the instructors can give to each participant.
Haliburton Farm’s learning partner Gaia College provides in-house, hands-on organic land care training under the umbrella of our EcoFarm School. Gaia instructors hold pre-course information sessions for each class so that prospective students can ask questions and learn more about the program.
The next information session is for the Ecological Plant Knowledge course. Part of the Gaia College/Royal Roads University Diploma in Organic Land Care taught at Haliburton Farm, the course provides students with the skills to identify, nurture and make use of approximately 300 plants. No prior knowledge is required; you can read more about the course here, on Gaia College’s course description.
The information session will take place Monday Feb 25, from 6:30 to 7:30pm, at Haliburton Farm, 741 Haliburton Road.
The Ecological Plant Knowledge for Organic Gardeners course runs from March 4 through to June 29 with the program as follows:
Interested? Please sign up via Royal Roads University for the free Information Session here; you can also register for the full Ecological Plant Knowledge course here.
These dark muddy days we are so looking forward to Spring planting! And Saanich Seedy Saturday 2019 will help us with those dreams and aspirations. Lots of local and organic seeds, starts, inspiration– and another amazing talk! This year we are thrilled and honoured to feature Trevor Hancock as our speaker. Come and join us!
Here are the details to put in your diary:
What? Saanich Seedy Saturday
Where? The Gardens at HCP, 505 Quayle Rd Victoria, BC
When? January 12th, 10 am – 2 pm
How much? $8 (Cash only!*): gives you admission to the event, the talk, and the Gardens at HCP!
*There is no ATM onsite – please bring cash with you.
Our farmers work hard in the fields – long days, hot days, cold days, rainy days – to plant, water, weed, harvest and finally take their crops to market each and every week during the growing season. Here are some of our farmers at work this summer selling their beautiful food at Moss Street Market. Maybe we’ll see you there tomorrow?
Join us at Haliburton EcoFarm School this September to learn Certified Organic Land Care and so much more.
• Organic Master Gardener: September 18 – November 8, 2018
• Ecological Landscape Design I: September 26 – December 1, 2018
Further information from Gaia College.
A collaboration between Royal Roads University, Gaia College, and the Haliburton EcoFarm School
Hard to believe after all the long months of planning that we have our first farm school session underway!
On Day one, our students were given a welcome by Tiffany Joseph, of the Tsawout First Nation, and then introduced to the farm with a presentation on farming for biodiversity on South Vancouver Island by Kristen Miskelly of Saanich Native Plants, before being taken on a focused tour of the farm.
There was a local and seasonal lunch – spring green frittatta, Haliburton leafy green salad and Haliburton lavender cookies – by Rhona McAdam who followed the meal with a discussion on food systems and sustainability. And then it was out into the farm to start a planting project with organic farming instructor Elmarie Roberts.
The morning of Day 2 covered soil health & human nutrition, composting systems and soil testing, and a lunch of asparagus, sorrel & spring greens soup; organic sourdough buns from Royal Bay Bakery, white bean & almond dip; and a strawberry-rhubarb crisp. The afternoon was spent in the glorious sunshine, learning about farming for biodiversity and ecological restoration for farmers.
For the past few years, Haliburton Community Organic Farm Society volunteers – board members plus friends and family of all ages – have helped out at the Ironman Triathlon race in Victoria. Not only is it a great community event, but our participation is rewarded by a grant that helps our own farming community. This year we’d like to put the funds towards improving the trails around the farm and biodiversity area, which get heavy traffic from the many tours and visitors to Haliburton.
The 2018 Ironman Triathlon will be on Sunday June 3, and we’re looking for volunteers who can come by to help at our station in Beaver Lake Park for a couple of hours (of your choosing) between 7:30am and 3:30pm. The tasks include helping us set up and take down our station, and hand out drinks, ice and snacks to the athletes.
Care to help us out? You’ll get snacks, water and lunch, as well as our grateful thanks!
To sign up, just click this link and find us at June 3, 8:00 Run Aid Station #4 – Rowing Club. Fill out the form, which includes a waiver. The Club name is “Haliburton Farm”. Be sure to tick all boxes including information you do or do not want to receive. Then submit!
Next, please send your request for the times you would like to work to either Naomi or Peter so we can set up the schedule.
Please come prepared for the weather and if it is sunny bring a hat and sunscreen.
Thanks so much for your help!
It’s spring at last!
Please join us to celebrate at Haliburton Community Organic Farm on Sunday 25 March, 2018 from 10am to 2pm.
Take a tour of this special place: the farms and urban biodiversity project, meet farmers and the Ecofarm School instructors.
Treats, beverages and prizes.
Just two blocks east off Patricia Bay Hwy 17 at 741 Haliburton Road. Look for the big yellow mailbox and come on down the lane. Here’s a link to the map for directions.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
