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Village Vancouver, NOWBC Coquitlam, Fork in the Road, and the Coquitlam Public Library present a day of classes with author and gardener Robin Wheeler on Sunday, September 20th.

Food Preservation Basics
(9:30-11:30, child-friendly home near Brunette) We will go over the top 10 food saving techniques and what pros and cons are connected with them. We'll talk about seasonal availability and how to be ready for the bounty, plus what supplies we should have on hand at all times to be ready for any disaster.

Concepts in Year Round Gardening
(12:30-2:30, Poirier branch of the Coquitlam Public Library)
The Whys and Wherefores of food cycles - why we want them, how to get them. We will plan round the calendar food supplies, both in the larder and stored in the garden.

Beginner Seed Saving
(l2:45-4:45, Poirier branch of the Coquitlam Public Library) A missing link in our food security, and good techniques must be used to ensure a dependable return. Learn about inbreeders and outbreeders and why this quality is imperative to acknowledge. We will discuss selection, isolation, harvest and storage and talk about community shared seed.

Robin Wheeler has been doing workshops in various places around Vancouver, and they are very popular and tend to fill up quickly – having her here in Coquitlam is a first! Robin's workshops are a real treat, and you can expect your knowledge to expand and your soul to be delighted...and sometimes for your hands to get dirty. If you're not familiar with Robin, she's the founder of The Sustainable Living Arts School (http://www.ediblelandscapes.ca/ <http://www.ediblelandscapes.ca/> ), and the author of Gardening for the Faint of Heart and Food Security for the Faint of Heart. She lives on the Sunshine Coast.

All workshops are offered on a pay what you can basis. A one and a half hour workshop usually costs $15 to $20, a two hour workshop around $25 to $30, and a three hour workshop around $40. Our contributions to these workshops make it possible for teachers like Robin to expand and to deepen the scope of the important educational and social change work that they are involved in.

Enrollment is limited to 15 people for Food Preservation Basics, and may be limited for Seed Saving and Concepts in Year Round Gardening as well.

To register:
(or to find out more about hosting a future workshop), please contact Ross at rmoster@flash.net <http://us.mc810.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=rmoster@flash.net> .

There is also a Sustainable Living Arts School in Vancouver. For information, please visit www.slas.ca <http://www.slas.ca/> .

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Village Vancouver's food networking workshops and learning parties are community based gatherings which help participants connect with others who share interests around food and sustainability on a neighbourhood level. Other network presenters include Spring Gillard (Diary of a Compost Hotline Operator) and Heather Havens (Agricultural and animal scientist, Backyard Chickens 101).

For further information: www.villagevancouver.ca <http://www.villagevancouver.ca/> or Welcome to Village Vancouver in Common Ground magazine www.commonground.ca <http://www.commonground.ca/> . (June and July)

NOWBC Coquitlam is the local chapter of Neighbourhood Organic Weekly Buying Club. Our co-operative was formed to support and promote sustainable farming and food processing here in BC by connecting local food producers with local eaters. We also source fairly traded foods that are not available locally, and earth-friendly household items. To have local, organic food delivered to your neighbourhood, see: www.nowbc.ca.

Fork in the Road: Cultivating Food and Community in Local Neighbourhoods is a 1 1/2 day gathering organized by Village Vancouver members. We use fun games and exercises to explore "What would happen if we made a conscious effort to create neighbour based food growing/sharing networks in our neighbourhoods and communities?" Fork participants have also been known to get together for potlucks where we share nourishing food, stories, and resources. The next Fork gathering is scheduled for Nov. 13th and 14th at Langara College. For further info, please contact Leslie Kemp @ lkemp@langara.bc.ca <http://us.mc810.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=lkemp@langara.bc.ca> .

Coquitlam Public Library: The Coquitlam Public Library exists to connect its diverse community to creativity, discovery, and knowledge. Their core values are: Providing high quality library services in our community, inspiring trust and respect, and protecting open access to library materials. It has two branches - City Centre and Poirier. For more information, see: www.library.coquitlam.bc.ca