VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS THAT SUPPORT FOOD PRODUCTION INITIATIVES & HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: Register Today!

Growing North Cariboo Society is pleased to announce Phase 3 of the Empowering Family Health Project  which is composed of a series of virtual workshops to support food production initiatives and healthy, sustainable community development in rural communities.

The first Workshops scheduled are as follows:

1. Raising Chickens and Turkeys for the Table
2. Introduction to Backyard Tapping and Birch Syrup Production
3. Instant Pot 101 - Cooking and Preserving with a Multi-Cooker: Using Your Garden and Local Produce
4. Get Ready to Grow: Seed Starting
5. Foraging through the Seasons

All information including Workshop Summaries, Registration Form, and associated information is below.

1. Raising Chickens and Turkeys for the Table

Presenter: Wilma Watkin
                   Watkin Acres, Red Bluff
Saturday, February 20th, 2021 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Fee: $25.00

2. Introduction to Backyard Tapping and Birch Syrup Production
Presenters: Heloise Dixon-Warren and Ted Traer,                          Moose Meadows Farm, Bouchie Lake

Saturday, March 6th, 2021 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Fee: $25.00 (Early Bird until Wednesday, March 3)

After March 3rd, the fee will be $30.00

3. Instant Pot 101 - Cooking and Preserving with a Multicooker: Using Your Garden and Local Produce

Presenter: Lynda Atkinson

                   Sisters Creek Simmentals, Kersley

Saturday, March 20th, 2021 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Fee: $15.00 (Early Bird until Wednesday, March 17)

       After March 17th, the fee will be $20.00

4. Get Ready to Grow:  Seed Starting

Presenter:  Ted Traer
                   Moose Meadows Farm, Bouchie Lake

March 27th, 2021 from 2:00 - 3:30 pm

Fee: $25.00 (Early Bird until Wednesday, March 24th)

After March 24th, the fee will be $30.00

5. Foraging through the Seasons
Presenter: Ted Traer and Heloise Dixon-Warren
                  Moose Meadows Farm, Bouchie Lake
May 1, 2021 from 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Fee: $25.00 (Early Bird until Wednesday, April 28th)
After April 28th, the fee will be $30.00

To register for any of the workshops, complete a Registration 

Form and submit to GNC@farmed.ca.  Payment can be made via email transfer to GNC@farmed.ca  By Registering you will be adding to the email list for the Empowering Family Health Project (empoweringfamilyhealth@gmail.com).

By registering you will be added to the Empowering Family Health email distribution list.

Registrations can also be made at the Bouchie Lake Country Store - 2338 Bonny Road, Bouchie Lake by calling 250.249.0228 or visting the store in person.   Payment with visa / mastercard / debit or cash.  If paying by cheque, make payable to Growing North Cariboo Society.

Become a member of Growing North Cariboo and receive 10% off .

To become a member of GNC, complete the attached Membership Form and submit to GNC@farmed.ca with $10.00.

ONLINE WORKSHOPS COMING YOUR WAY for 2021!

"Poultry Production", "Backyard Tapping for Birch Sap and Syrup", and "Cooking Local with an Electric Multi-Cooker" are online workshops coming YOUR way hosted by Growing North Cariboo Society. Dates will be announced very soon for these specific workshops along with others so watch this site and the Growing North Cariboo facebook page.

For information, email empoweringfamilyhealth@gmail.com and be added to our extensive email distribution list.

Thank you.

Growing North Cariboo Society

Interested in having Workshops held in your Community that have a focus of “Growing North Cariboo Food and Community”?

LETTER TO COMMUNITY GROUPS
February 13, 2019

Dear community group

On behalf of the Partners for Healthier Communities: North Cariboo (P4HC: NC) we are reaching out to you, as community leaders and champions, to partner with us so workshops focused on “Growing North Cariboo Food and Community” can be held in and hosted by your community.

In 2019, the P4HC: NC is planning to roll out Phase 4 of the Empowering Family Health Project.  Although the project is primarily focused on our rural North Cariboo communities, it has been multi-faceted since it was initiated in 2016.  The project has financially contributed to the establishment and enhancement of 4 School Gardens (Wells, Parkland, Barlow Creek, and Carson), provided support to the Bouchie Lake Community Food Garden, hosted multiple “local food related” workshops throughout the North Cariboo, and purchased 5 “Food Processing and Preservation Kits” for the following 5 communities: Barlow Creek, Bouchie Lake, Wells, Kersley, and Ten Mile Lake / Parkland.  For additional information on the Empowering Family Health Project, go to http://empoweringfamilyhealth.blogspot.com/. Information on the P4HC:NC, can be found online at: https://farmed.ca/growing-north-cariboo-projects/

For 2019, the P4HC:NC would like to work with community groups, such as yours, so workshops can be scheduled and held in your community that meet the mandate of  the “Empowering Family Health Project”.  The P4HC:NC will provide support to your group by providing funding, if approved, through a Northern Health  “Imagine Grant” and subsequently covering the costs of the workshops  (e.g. presenter’s fee, venue rental, insurance) associated with the workshop.  The presenter could be community member – someone with the knowledge and expertise. The P4HC:NC will also provide some administrative and promotional support.  Your group would be responsible for promoting the workshop at the local level, taking registrations, setting a workshop fee (which your group could retain), and facilitating the workshop(s) in your community.  We want to help your group build capacity at the local level by assisting you with connecting with residents in your community.  By becoming more connected and engaged, it is proven that community resilience is increased.  A resilient community is one that is better able to absorb disturbances and still retain basic function and structure.  One way of building resilience is to be more food secure.  Examples of workshops held to date and /or workshops participants have expressed an interest in taking in the future are as follows:

Dehydration, Pressure Canning, Foraging for Wild Foods, Root Cellaring, Cold Storage, Food Fermentation, and  Cheese Making.

If your group is interested in partnering with us, please contact us by February 25th with the following information:

Name of Organisation
Contact Person:
Telephone / Email:
Workshop Topic of Interest:

Thank you.  We look forward to hearing from you.  Please email us at empoweringfamilyhealth@gmail.com

Empowering Family Health

"Growing North Cariboo Food & Community"

Email: empoweringfamilyhealth@gmail.com 

Weblog: http://empoweringfamilyhealth.blogspot.ca

PLANNING FOR EMPOWERING FAMILY HEALTH IN 2019

The Partners for Healthier Communities: North Cariboo is excited about the potential plans and partnerships for 2019.  The group has recently updated their 3-fold brochure that provides a great summary of the Empowering Family Health Project and the P4HC:NC committee.

In 2019 we are hoping to once again apply for an Imagine Grant through Northern Health to support initiatives in the North Cariboo that meet our mandate.  A Request for Proposal is now available here that groups can complete and submit to the P4HC:NC for inclusion into the 2019 Grant Application.

For information on the Imagine Grant process, please contact check out

https://www.northernhealth.ca/services/healthy-living-in-communities/imagine-grants

For additional information on the Empowering Family Health Project and /or contact the P4HC:NC committee, please email empoweringfamilyhealth@gmail.com

P4HC: North Cariboo Receives Funds To Support Gardens at 2 North Cariboo Schools

In the Spring of this year, the Partners for Healthier Communities - North Cariboo received funding under an Imagine Grant through Northern Health to support 2 Elementary School Gardens in the North Cariboo.  Two schools submitted a Request for Proposal for funding under the P4HC:NC and with the funding received, the P4HC:NC was able to support both Barlow Creek Elementary School and Carson Elementary with a "Garden Project".

For each of the schools, the Garden Projects were focused on:

Barlow Creek Elementary School

- Learning to Sow and Grow at Barlow Elementary School

- To provide students with hands-on experience and knowledge to grow their own food and encourage a new generation of gardeners.

- To engage students, parents and other community members in the process of growing and processing healthy, local food.

- To provide a hands-on learning tool to explore Life Sciences and environmental stewardship with the students.

The funds were used to purchase grow lights that will be used in the classrooms in early 2019 to grow seeds for the garden boxes. Volunteers provided supplies and time to construct 6 large garden boxes in the back of the school – one for each grade to plant in the spring. Upon return to school in September the students harvested the potatoes and will be learning more about their nutritional value and how to prepare and taste.

Carson Elementary Garden Project

- To create a sustainable garden program for the staff and students, with the support of SD 28 Board of Directors. The group would like to be part of introducing agriculture/gardening into the district’s teaching curriculum. Our goal is to have a sustainable vegetable garden that will help educate students on where their food comes from and how to prepare them.

The funds were used to purchase a tool shed and supplies. A Garden was planted but there were some challenges due to hot conditions and access to water.

Growing North Cariboo Communities - One Activity at a Time

 

An article on the Empowering Family Health Project - Phase 2 was in the January 31st, 2018 issue of the Quesnel Cariboo Observer.  Thank you to Editor Ken Alexander for printing it.  To read a copy of it as a pdf, please click HERE.



 

Winding up Phase 2 of the Empowering Family Health Project

The Partners for Healthier Communities: North Cariboo committee is winding up Phase 2 of the Empowering Family Health Project   This includes completing the final Evaluation, finalizing the budget, and ensuring all commitments have been completed and met.

The group just ordered the following 3 books for each of the five communities that received Food Processing and Preservation Kits under Phase 1.  This includes Barlow Creek, Bouchie Lake, Kersley, Ten Mile Lake / Moose Heights, and Wells.  These books will be gifted to each of the communities upon receipt.  Thank you to everyone for your support and participation throughout the project.  We look forward to 2018.

YOU ARE INVITED... Potluck on January 13, 2018, 4:30 pm

We are excited to invite all Empowering Family Health Workshop Participants to join us for a Potluck at the Parkland Community Centre on January 13th at 4:30 pm.  This will be a great way to get together and share what we have all learnt about preserving foods and foraging for wild foods.  Thank you to the Parkland Community Association for opening up their hall and hosting the potluck.

 

 



More Places to Come Together - Thank you Barlow Creek!

The tagline for all Partners for Healthier Community Committees across the authority of Northern Health is "More places to come together, More space to grow food, and more ways to be active".  The final Pressure Canning Workshop under Phase 2 held at Barlow Creek Hall certainly met this mandate. Residents from across the North Cariboo met and enjoyed laughter, learning, friendship.  Thank you to Susie Myles for leading these classes and Barlow Creek Recreation for hosting them.  

 

HOME CANNING SAFELY - High vs. Low Acid Foods

With the renewed interest in food security, we are seeing a desire for people right across the North Cariboo looking to home canning, including pressure canning, as a way of preserving food for later use.  

The Government of Canada has some good information online that reviews some of the things one should consider before home canning.  To begin with, foods are classified into 2 types: high-acid foods and low-acid foods.  Each type needs to be prepared differently to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Before you start canning, you need to determine the acid level of the food.

• High-acid foods (require a boiling water canner)
  High-acid foods have a pH (acidity level) of less than 4.6. A boiling water canner heats food to 100°C (212°F) at sea level. The natural acid in the food will prevent botulism bacteria from growing and the heating will kill most yeasts, moulds and bacteria that could be present.

• Low-acid foods (require a pressure canner)
  Low-acid foods have a pH (acidity level) of more than 4.6. Tomatoes are a borderline high-acid food and need an acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, to be added for safer canning. Mixtures of low and high acid foods, such as spaghetti sauce with meat, vegetables and tomatoes, are considered low-acid foods. The level of temperature needed to kill botulism bacteria for low-acid foods can only be reached by using a pressure canner.

Examples of High vs. Low Acid Foods

High Acid Foods	Low Acid Foods
Fruit	Most fresh vegetables except tomatoes
Jams, jellies, marmalades	Meat, and poultry
Fruit butters	Seafood - fish and shellfish
Pickles and sauerkraut	Soup and milk
Tomatoes with added lemon juice or vinegar	Spaghetti sauce with meat, vegetables and tomatoes

Check out this site for additional safety information.

WHAT'S WITH ALL THE CHAT ABOUT MOTHER?

On November 4th, the P4HC:NC, in partnership with Parkland Recreation, hosted the 1st Fermented Food Workshop lead by Esther Mann.

Considered to be “live food", fermented foods have a natural tart flavour because the sugars and carbohydrates have been broken down and used up during fermentation.” In the case of vegetables, they’re more digestible than raw ones. And, because they contain “living bacteria,” they help digest other foods in the digestive tract.

Fermented foods are foods that have been through a process of lactofermentation in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid.  
 This process preserves the food, and creates beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of probiotics.Many vegetables are excellent candidates for fermentation including cabbage, daikon radishes, turnips, parsnips, cucumbers, okra, string beans and green tomatoes.


Esther also shared with the participants how to make Kombucha tea using a "Scoby" (an acronym for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast). Scooby is a culture, generally associated with kombucha production wherein anaerobic ethanol fermentation (by yeast), anaerobic organic acid fermentation (by bacteria), and aerobic ethanol oxidation to acetate (by bacteria) all take place concurrently along an oxygen gradient. A gelatinous, cellulose-based biofilm forms at the air-liquid interface and is also sometimes referred to as a SCOBY.  A scoby is used to begin fermentation in Kombucha Tea.

Scoby is similar to Mother of Vinegar ("Mother" or "MOV") in Apple Cider Vinegar which is is essentially a fermenting bacteria culture used to make vinegar — an acetobacter that develops in fermenting alcohol and converts the ethanol into acetic acid (what gives vinegar its sour taste) in the presence of oxygen. 

Our next Fermentation Workshop is scheduled for Sunday, November 12th at Barlow Creek Hall.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR EMPOWERING FAMILY HEALTH IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NORTH CARIBOO

The Partners for Healthier Communities:North Cariboo / P4HC:NC is now accepting Request for Proposals from local community groups, schools, and /or organizations so Phase 3 of the Empowering Family Health Project can be planned and implemented for 2018.  Deadline for the RPF is December 6, 2017

The intention of the RFP is to encourage organisations / groups / clubs / schools that have an idea or a project that supports the vision of the P4HC:NC to become a partner and submit a proposal to the P2HC:NC so funding can be allocated to their project in 2018.

The project or idea must:

(i) meet the criteria and conditions of P4HC grants as specified by Northern Health and

(ii) meet the vision of the Empowering Family Health Project of “Growing North Cariboo Food & Communities”.

To receive funds under this RPF, all applicants must be based in the “North Cariboo” of the Cariboo Regional District (the geographic area of Electoral Area A, B, C and I, the District of Wells and the City of Quesnel) and area of the Northern Health Authority.  

To learn more about this process, please click on the following two documents:

NEWS RELEASE: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR EMPOWERING FAMILY HEALTH IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NORTH CARIBOO

RFP for P4HC:NC, Phase 3 Funds

Please contact empoweringfamilyhealth@gmail.com or GNC@farmed.ca for additional information.

BUILDING YOUR OWN STORE

On November 4th, the final Dehydration: Meals in Jars and first Fermentation / Kombucha Workshop were held at the Parkland Community Centre in Ten Mile Lake / Moose Heights.  12 people attended Dehydration with 13 people in Fermentation.

The workshops were both very educational and fun.  In the morning all participants learnt about dehydration and how it works well for preserving food and saving space.  It is an economical way to preserve food as no freezer space is required and there is no risk of it spoiling should there be a power outage.  The message that came out loud and clear was how easy it is and how you can build your own store so you can go shopping at home.

As of today, the number of "bottoms in seats" for the EFH Project Phase 2 is 105.

REGISTRATION UPDATE!

Since the Workshops under Phase 2 of the Empowering Family Health Workshop began in June, 2017, our count for Registrations in ALL of the Workshops is 88!

Currently the highest uptake thus far has been in Baker Creek!

There are still 5 more workshops that you can register in.  They are Dehydration, Pressure Canning, and Fermented Foods.  All are hands on & in each of them, participants go home with a "Meal in a Jar".  To Register, please email empoweringfamilyhealth@gmail.com, call 250.249.0228 or 250.249.5329, & check out the Schedule on the Workshops page.

We are so pleased with this project and greatly appreciate the support from all of the communities involved, the volunteer commitment of the P4HC:NC members, and Northern Health. Without all of the collaboration between all of the groups involved this project may not be rolling out as it is.

Thank you!

FABULOUS SUPPORT IN BAKER CREEK - October 22, 2017

The Empowering Family Health Project ventured west to Baker Creek with 2 workshops - Pressure Canning in the morning of Sunday, October 22nd followed by Dehydration & "Meals in Jars" in the afternoon.  Both workshops were extremely well attended with 13 people for Pressure Canning and 15 for Dehydration.

For the morning workshop, each participant went home with a pine of beef stew and baked beans.  For the afternoon class each got to make one jar of either dried mixed bean soup or noodle soup to take home.

Everyone enjoyed themselves. A very BIG thank you for the Baker Creek Community Association for hosting these workshops and supporting the Empowering Family Health Project.  Partnerships such as this with the Partners for Healthier Communities - North Cariboo is what the Empowering Family Health Project is all about.

MEET THE WORKSHOP LEADERS....

Now that the Workshop Schedule has been finalized, it is time now to meet the Workshop Leaders.

Susie Myles of Paradise Hill B&B in Bouchie Lake will be leading both workshops on Pressure Canning and Dehydration.   These workshops are very much HANDS ON and all participants will go home with a sample of pressured canned product and a dehydrated meal.  Susie is the Bouchie Lake representative on the P4HC: North Cariboo and the Chair of Growing North Cariboo Society.  Susie is an active canner and dehydrator throughout the year.

Esther Mann will be leading the workshops on Fermented Veggies and Kombucha.  Esther very kindly offered to lead these workshops and we are thrilled to have her involved and her share her expertise.  Esther is an avid food fermenter.  

To register in any of the Workshops, please check out the Workshop page and /or contact empoweringfamilyhealth@gmail.com or call 250.249.5329 or 250.249.0228.

FOOD SKILLS FOR FAMILIES - To Baker Creek we go on October 26th!

Growing North Cariboo Society, the non-profit society that is assisting with administering the Empowering Family Health Project, is also very thrilled to announce that it has partnered with the Baker Creek Community Association to bring the Canadian Diabetes Association FOOD SKILLS FOR FAMILIES Program to Baker Creek.  This is the second time the course will be offered in a rural community of the North Cariboo.  The program was held under the Bouchie Lake Country Club earlier this year in Bouchie Lake.   The program fits well into the EFH Program as its mandate is "Building Healthier Communities by: Connecting people in the kitchen, Teaching fun hands-on cooking skills, and making healthy eating easy, enjoyable, and affordable".

The Food Skills for Families Program is a program that has a duration of 6 weeks and is open to residents at NO CHARGE.  It begins on October 26th & is from 10 am - 2 pm.  To register, please contact either Sheila Gibbons (Baker Creek Community Association) at 250.249.5393 or Melody Peck - 250.249.0145.  The program needs a minimum of 8 people to register for it to run.


For information on the program, please check out http://www.foodskillsforfamilies.ca

UPDATED WORKSHOP AUTUMN, 2017 SCHEDULE

On behalf of the Partners for Healthier Communities Committee: North Cariboo, we are excited to announce the FINAL Schedule for EFH Workshops.  If you have been following this project, you will notice a few changes... one being the addition of a Fermented Vegetable & Kombucha Workshop & the second being Workshops being held in Baker Creek, BC.  The Baker Creek Community Association has joined the project as a partner and we are very excited about this.

The Workshop Schedule is as follows effective today (October 9, 2017):

Baker Creek Hall, Tibbles Road, Baker Creek, BC
Sunday, October 22, 2017
#5 - Pressure Canning: 9:30 am - 1:00 pm, 

#6 - Dehydration: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Parkland Community Centre, Bjornson Road (Parkland Elementary School)
Saturday, November 4, 2017

# 7 Dehydration:10 -12 noon

# 8 Fermented Foods: 1 - 3:30 pm

Barlow Creek Hall, Barlow Creek, BC
Sunday, November 12, 2017

#9 Pressure Canning: 9:30 am  - 1 pm

#10 Fermented Foods: 1:30 pm - 4 pm

Baker Creek Hall
Saturday, November 18, 2017

#11 Fermented Foods: 1 - 3:30 pm

To register, please go to the Workshops Page.  Thank you.  :)

What is the P4HC: NC?

The P4HC:NC is the Partners for Healthier Communities Committee: North Cariboo.  So what is it?

To begin with, let's chat about what it is not... 

It is NOT...
... a Non-Profit Society.
... membership based.
... a group that meets monthly.
... governed by a set of Bylaws and Regulations.

The P4HC:NC is a Stakeholder based group composed of people representing non-profits, agencies, and organizations from across the North Cariboo.  It is Co-Chaired by a representative from Northern Health and the Cariboo Regional District.   P4HC's were established by Northern Health and currently there are 21 such committees across the Northern Health Authority.  Of them all the P4HC:NC is the only one that is Regional District based.  Northern Health has recognised that community health is important and to create healthier communities, partnerships and a collaborative approach is the way to go.  P4HC's are one to make good things happen as they are partnerships between Northern Health and local government.  Check out this link for additional information on P4HC's.

The establishment of the P4HC:NC was led by Growing North Cariboo Society; hence why the Minutes of the P4HC:NC are posted on GNC's website.  GNC continues to provide administrative support to the P4HC:NC.

The P4HC:NC is...
... a Stakeholder group.
... open to everyone to join.
.... meeting at least quarterly.
.... operates as per a Terms of Reference.

Next Steps for the EFH Project - 2017 Workshops

The Partners for Healthier Communities Committee: North Cariboo / P4HC:NC met today to discuss the next steps for Phase 2 of the Empowering Family Health Project.  A good discussion was held and it was decided to move forward with the remaining workshops that were to be held.  Due to the Wildfires this past summer, many of the workshops had to be postponed.

Beginning this coming weekend the first two of the remaining workshops will be held in Kersley.  These workshops, Canning and Dehydration, will be held at the Kersley Community Hall with local Instructor Susie Myles.   The Canning and Dehydration Workshops will also be held in some of the other rural communities - including Ten Mile Lake, Barlow Creek, and either Bouchie Lake or Baker Creek.  We are also very excited to announce that a 3rd Workshop is being added to the mix... FERMENTED FOODS & KOMBUCHA.

The details of workshops scheduled for this weekend are as follows:

HANDS ON DEHYDRATION (#3) : Saturday, September 23rd, 9 am -  11 am
HANDS ON CANNING (#4): Saturday, September 23rd, 12 noon to 3 pm

Both Workshops are $10.00 each per person & require pre-payment and Registration.  To register, please email empoweringfamilyhealth@gmail.com or call 250.249.5329. Registrations can also be accepted at the Bouchie lake Country Store - 2338 Bonny Road, Bouchie Lake, BC T: 250.249.0228.  Payment via VISA, MasterCard, Cheque or Cash.

A Registration Form can be downloaded here and either faxed (250.249.5359) or emailed in.

On the Registration Form, please quote the Workshop Number (in Blue above) or Name and Date of Workshop.