Tag Archives: community garden

MODULE 3 – ENTRY 1: The Indigenization of an Elementary School through Horticulture

This link, https://www.vsb.bc.ca/schools/grandview/Teaching-and-Learning/Programs/Pages/Community-Garden.aspx, shows a continuation of my final assignment.  It is related to some of my previous blogs in Module 1.  I am focusing on how the Indigenization of educational institutions are beginning to exist and make positive differences.  The ?Uuqinak’uuh/Grandview Community Garden project was created to improve the quality of life for the children in our neighbourhood. “It functions as a living laboratory and a model of an urban ecological school yard. This is a multi-generational place for children and people of all ages in the community to learn to live more sustainably in the urban environment.” Ultimately, their mission is to continue to create a healthier, positive neighbourhood environment to improve the community as a whole, which in turn will significantly influence the educational, socio-economical, emotional, psychological and economical well-being of the Indigenous peoples.

This link,  https://thinkeatgreen.ca/2012/06/27/grandviewuuqinakuuh-elementary-sets-a-high-benchmark/, shows how to nurture the next generation of young gardeners, while sharing stories of historical nature in regards to land, people and community.  It ironically, is where I grew up and how I see the massive amounts of beautiful transformations of the land and the people that live, grow, learn and teach there.

This link, https://www.cityfarmer.org/grandview.html, shows how the local Grandview Community Schoolyard project has converted an underused school field to improve the quality of life for children and other community members in an inner city neighbourhood. It literally is a living laboratory of an urban ecological school yard. This has become a multi-generational place for children and people of all ages in the community to learn to live more sustainably in the urban environment.  Ultimately, the mission here was to create a more healthy, positive neighbourhood environment and improve the livability of the community as a whole.

               Public Domain photo by Royalty-Free Photo

References:

Abangsund. (June 27, 2012). Grandview/¿uuqinak’uuh Elementary sets a high benchmark. [Site]. Retrieved June 17, 2021, https://thinkeatgreen.ca/2012/06/27/grandviewuuqinakuuh-elementary-sets-a-high-benchmark/

 

Grandview/?Uuqinak’uuh Elementary School, VSB. (March 5, 2019). Teaching and Learning-Community Garden. [Site]. Retrieved June 17, 2021, https://www.vsb.bc.ca/schools/grandview/Teaching-and Learning/Programs/Pages/Community-Garden.aspx

 

Penner, Tracy and City Farmer, Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture. (January 25, 2000). Grandview U’uqinak’uuh Community School Yard. [Site]. Retrieved June 17, 2021, http://www.cityfarmer.org/grandview.html

 

 

 

MODULE 1-Entry 1: My Very First Visit to a Local Community Garden!

Please click on the following link;Grandview/¿uuqinak uuh Community Garden and select Google images to view the various pictures. Here you will get a glimpse of what my mother started back in 1979! My mom taught me about respecting Mother Earth and all it’s children, young and old.  She was an educator at the small neighbouring school Grandview Terrace Daycare, which was a preschool in an innercity area, for well over 40 years.  She noticed many of her students, ages 2-5 were mal-nutritioned, and the food that was available in her school did not meet the requirements for a proper and nutritious diet for any growing child.  So around the time I was 2 years old, my mom began to do what she does best, she started to grow a little community garden in a little patch of soil just behind the school. She would take me to work with her and spend time teaching, working on the garden and taking care of me.  She used this garden, that bore so many fruits and vegetables, to feed the children and give the remaining to the students whose families were in need.  Her name is Sneh (which means love in our culture), and she has fed so many little tummies, and filled so many hearts and she is my mentor and hero! —-,—‘-(@

She is still teaching many around our neighbourhood how to garden to this day!  Sneh is a teacher, friend, colleague, gardner, landscaper, protector, and most of all advocate for all the children, from various backgrounds, the majority being of Indigenous decent.  Back in the 70’s and 80’s, community gardens were non-existent, just like government funding and proper food programs for those in need.  Without getting too much into my very first blog, I just wanted to give everyone a chance to see what one person can do, and what it can lead to over time.

I added some links below for you to see and read about the ¿UUQINAK’UUH community garden and elementary school, wow has it grown!!!

Grandview Grows!

https://www.vsb.bc.ca/schools/grandview/Teaching-and-Learning/Programs/Pages/Community-Garden.aspx

http://www.cityfarmer.org/grandview.html

Grandview/¿uuqinak’uuh Elementary sets a high benchmark