So I was so very lucky to attend the 14th annual FarmAde on Friday night and it was such an incredible experience. I came fully armed with my camera and notepad, not 100% sure what I was getting myself into. I’ve lived in a big city the majority of my life and even when I lived in a smaller farming community, I distanced myself from it as much as possible unless it was farmer’s markets. Coming up Ross Drive, you could hear the music playing and smell the smoke coming off the BBQ. The entire event had such a beautiful and comfortable atmosphere surrounding it.

My first stop was at the welcome booth where I had the chance to speak with Su, one of the event coordinators with AMS. When I asked her for four words to describe the event, she told me community, sustainability, music, and food. To Su, her favourite part of FarmAde is the idea of having everyone in the community included through hosting an event that appeals to everyone. All of these were immediately evident upon entering the event. There were people of all ages, evidence of sustainable production, live music, and the smell of the food coming off the BBQ. All in all, FarmAde was described to be as an event where everyone had the opportunity to have a good time.

Everyone I could see was having such a fun time with all the activities (the little guy wasn’t so sure of my big camera)

My next little mini interview was with Marko from UBC Sustainability. My main goal when speaking to him was to find out a little more about UBC’s commitment to sustainability which he was very kind in providing me answers. He talked about how UBC is committed not only to minimizing the damage done on our environment but also in improving the environmental and human wellbeing of our community. He told me of their goal of creating a happier, healthier, and more sustainable community here on campus, something I was very excited to hear. What really impressed me with the commitment level of UBC Sustainability was when Marko spoke in regards to taking responsibility for educating the large number of future leaders we have on campus to create the next generation of change makers that are well-versed in sustainability and its importance. You can learn more about UBC Sustainability at sustain.bc.ca or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram @ubcsustainability.

I then walked around and visited all the little booths that were set up and I wanted to let you all know about some of the amazing opportunities the environmental and sustainable community on campus provides students.

Student Environmental Centre:

Definitely check these guys out on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/secubc/?fref=ts). They’re a student group that provided resources to the community that encourage or promote environmental consciousness and sustainability through providing the funding to bring projects to life. They also run something called Free Store which is like a thrift store but with no money involved. If you can make it out, their next meeting is on Monday at 4 o’clock in the Nest in room 2102 and then after there’s going to be a really cool opportunity; watching a movie powered by a bicycle! UBC is one of Cinécyclo’s stops along their route to Argentina and they will be demonstrating their “pedal powered mobile cinema to screen movies that raise awareness and protect our ecosystems and meet local environmental and sustainability organizations” (UBC SEC’s Facebook page). I would definitely encourage everyone to go check it out, seems like it’ll be a really cool event.

Sprouts:

You can find more information on their website ubcsprouts.ca and also on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ubcsprouts/?fref=ts). They’re always looking for volunteers so if you’re passionate about organic, local, and fair trade food you should check them out. A really neat idea of theirs is what’s called Sprouts Box’s. You’ve heard how there’s a subscription box for everything under the sun nowadays, well now you can get one directly from UBC! They haven’t quite started up yet but the idea is that every week you’ll be able to pick up or have delivered a box of fresh, seasonal produce along with tips and recipes. Pricing information is going to be posted on Facebook so definitely like them so you can get all that info when it’s posted. If you’re looking to find Sprouts or Seedlings for a delicious meal find them at the locations below.

Sprouts: The Pit Pub in the Nest during the day

Seedlings: In the penthouse above Koerner’s Pub (this location won’t be open until the 19th)

AMS Sustainability:

The people from AMS Sustainability were kind enough to provide me with a little write up describing their newest project, something I’m a huge supporter of!

“AMS Sustainability has partnered with Common Energy, Sprouts, Seedlings, and Agora to bring back the Mugshare program that was piloted earlier this year. The Mugshare program aims to reduce the need for students to buy disposable coffee cups on campus, thereby reducing waste. The program is being operated out of the new Student Life and Sustainability Centre (SLSC) on the lower level of the AMS Student Nest. Students can sign up to become members of the program by paying a $5 deposit and scanning their UBC Student Cards into the system. Mugs can be borrowed and returned (clean or dirty because they’ll be washed in a dishwasher after each use) at the SLSC, and members can borrow only one mug at a time. The mugs can be used at any outlet on campus that allows customers to bring reusable mugs. Drop by the SLSC anytime between 12-5pm Mondays-Thursdays to sign up for the program! Please send questions or comments to sustainability@ams.ubc.ca.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CITR:

You can tune in to this lovely radio station at 101.9fm and also check out their publication, Discorder Magazine. Anyone who picks up their AMS First Week Kit gets a copy of it, so once again, go get those kits! If you want to actually make a trip down to the station, you can find them under Pie R Squared in the Nest or check them out at CITR.ca

UBC Farm: 

How cute are those list bags from UBC farm, right now I’ve been told that they’re exclusive to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday’s out at the farm. Saturday’s are a really busy day out here; they host a full farmer’s market alongside other vendors from around the area as well as farm tours. If your Saturday’s are all full and you’re just dying for some fresh produce, they also host a small market outside the bookstore on Wednesdays. If you’re interested in volunteering you can always find more information about that at ubcfarm.ubc.ca.

Wesbrook & The Old Barn Community Centres:

This was my last stop but I’m glad I did because I was able to get a copy of their Fall Program Guide. You can find out more information on their wide array of programs for all ages at wearecommunityvan.ca. They offer classes in sports, fitness, dance, yoga, arts, languages, education, and more. Also, you can attend several of their community events. I flipped through the guide and there’s seriously something for everyone so definitely check them out!

And then there was the food. I went with the grassfed burger, it was actually quite wonderful! My favourite was probably the homemade ketchup and the fresh greens available to top your food with. I also had some apple juice that was really refreshing.  I really enjoyed my meal and it was the perfect way to end my time at the event.

All in all, I was so thankful for the opportunity to go and check out FarmAde, it was such a cool event and I would encourage all of you to go and check out the groups mentioned above and hit up the Farmer’s Market. We are lucky to live somewhere so green and I’m so glad that there are so many groups of people working to protect it.

My apologies for not getting this posted sooner, I unfortunately came down with an awful case of the flu and really didn’t get out of bed for most of the weekend. Stay tuned though you guys, I have a whole pack of posts in my queue that are super exciting and I can’t wait for you to read them.

As always,

Mikayla