You are invited to a Bee Appreciation Learning Party
You are warmly invited to another hands-on Sustainable Living Arts School Learning Party….
Bee Appreciation
….with master beekeeper Brian Campbell
Saturday, June 27 at 10am-noon.
Join us afterwards for a picnic in Clinton Park if you like. Bring the kids!
This learning party will happen in the Hastings-Sunrise Neighbourhood. Address will be emailed to the folks who register 3 days before the learning party.
Bee’s are the life’s blood of the environment. They connect plant life to animal life making abundance and creating a healthy ecology. For bees the city is the place to be. We provide a wonderful habitat of flowering plants and soil profiles that supports Canada’s greatest diversity of pollinators.
But all is not well. Bees and other pollinators are in decline around the world so our privilege of bee diversity is also our responsibility to protect and conserve. Because of development our bee populations are divided up and separated from each other. By connecting these population pockets we help to make bees more resilient and better able to help the stresses we throw at them.
In this learning party we’ll explore a backyard habitat and then make a bee’s journey through the neighbourhood helping to make bee corridors. Come learn about how to plant for bees, make bee condos and help make one neighbourhood more bee-friendly.
Our guide for the day: Brian Campbell
Brian Campbell is a certified beemaster and beekeeper, heavily involved in food security issues in Richmond and beyond. A member of the BC Association of Master Gardeners, Brian spent three years as seed manager for West Coast Seeds. Brian guest lectures for Gaia College’s Growing Food in the City certificate program, operates pocket markets in Richmond and teaches young people about honey bees as well as native types. He offers classes in grafting fruit trees, food preserving and other farm skills.
Register: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/369963571
Location: Hastings-Sunrise- details will be emailed to registered participants 2 days before the learning party.
By Donation: Suggested donation is $25. Pay what you feel. Sustainable Living Arts School learning parties are 100% participant supported. Thank-you for your generous donations.
Children are very welcome with their grown-ups.
June 19, 2009 2 Comments
The Community Hive
Urban Apiculture Apprenticeship Program-Now recruiting!
The ‘Community Hive’ is a collaborative effort between the Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA), the Means of Production Artist Raw Resources Collective (MOPARRC), and Master Beekeeper Brian Campbell. The ‘Community Hive’ seeks to mentor and support youth in the apiculture industry and to engage Vancouver residents in the importance of the issues facing bees across North America. To apply to be an apprentice in the program please contact Rhianna at 604-689-4446 or at rhianna@eya.ca.
Stay tuned for an upcoming Sustainable Living Arts School learning party with Brian as well. We’re cooking up ideas. Brian toured me around the Terra Nova Rural park where the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing project is based as well as the and the Terra Nova Schoolyard Project in Richmond a few weeks ago. I got a crash course in genetics while he shared his ideas for a participatory plant breeding program. He’s has a wealth of wisdom and experience to offer… do encourage any eligible, interested youth to join the community hive project.
April 27, 2009 No Comments
Skills and Arts Weekend- Robert’s Creek August 23/24
To Register: Call Robin at 604-885-4505 - take one or all classes - prepayment would be super duper.
Saturday August 23
10:00 – 11:30 Seed Saving with Robin Wheeler
It’s important to start saving and sharing seed, and we want to do a good job of it. Robin will discuss Terry Klokeid’s Five Levels of seed saving, plus tips on cleaning and storing seed for long life. ($26 includes seed saving booklet)
2:00 – 3:30 or so Bee keeping with Al Cobbin
Al Cobbin has spent 40 years working with bees, and we will visit a couple of his hives and learn about life cycle, housing, feeding and potential issues of working with bees. Al will show equipment, hive siting and bee products as part of his class. ($25)
Sunday Aug 24 –
9:00 to 4 pm Herbal Brews and Tonics with Andrea Potter and Cedana
Herbalism and Fermentation together at last! In this day long workshop learn basic concepts behind making fermented beverages that will allow you to tailor tonics and beers to best benefit your physical well being and personal preferences. We will cover a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic brews including all grain herbal beer, kombucha, gingerbeer, and amasake. Have fun reclaiming ancient fermentation methods and discovering new possibilities for the herbs that grow all around us. ($70)
July 30, 2008 No Comments