Westside Food Security Collaborative Meeting Minutes

September 21 2010, at Steeves Manor

Present: Spring Gillard, Gord McGee (minutes), Ellen Wickburg, Dolly Araquel, Sally Spears,
Dellie Lidyard, Ross Moster, Lisa Ross, Clemencia Gomez, Charlotte Roth, Zsuzi Fodor, Diane
Ash, Karen Dar Woon, Catherine Leach

Pocket Market Report: Spring

• In terms of social capital and sustainability the project rates highly. In terms of economic
sustainability it did not work as a self-sufficient venture. The challenge is that with low
volume and low margins, the program cannot cover its costs without grants.

• There was good seniors attendance at the Kits House Market, and lots of walk-by traffic.
SGSC had less attendance but was still supported, and almost entirely by seniors and those in
need.

• Recommendations received from client feedback include that it would be better if the markets
were more consistent, either every week or every second week

• Only 120 of 300 vouchers were used. Why? Maybe the coupons need to be larger value, as $5
for family isn’t much? Is there a barrier with particular clients not knowing the location?
Perhaps having service members come with clients would help clients feel more comfortable
for coming to the market. More promotion to agency client base.

• Clemencia found that seniors were proud and don’t want to ask for help or take on coupons.

• Maybe a market dollar could be created to reduce the stigma around using coupons.

• It would be valuable to have the service agency managers go to markets, and bring clients.

• Idea that instead of doing pocket market, you give low-income individuals vouchers for
market money at the farmer’s market.

• Spring is compiling surveys from customers, volunteers and staff right now and is moving to
the final report

Greenest City Grant Report

• Focus to begin with has been on setting up the Kitsilano Growers market, established to
provide a venue for local food producers from the Westside (community gardeners, backyard
growers, and urban farms) to sell their surplus produce to the local Westside community. The
market was set up to run 3 weeks after the grant started. As a result of a cold June and late
notice, the Westside urban farms were unable to supply the market. The Westside garden
collaborative, based at Kits House, and World in A Garden from the Arbutus Corridor were
the only two Westside community gardens to supply the market, although Craig Heighway
from Kitsilano Farms did supply at the second market. A local Westside honey producer also
participated at one of the markets along with a local producer of herb plants. A
backyard/community farm from Victoria Drive, called urban peasant, participated for almost
all of the markets.

• A difficult decision was made at the beginning for the market to include those outside of the
 Westside boundaries. As none of the urban farms were able to participate, it was determined
after consultation with staff at Kits House and some members of the WFSC to include urban
and rural farmers from outside the Westside to act as anchor tenants. This allowed for enough
supply to encourage residents to come and buy where they may not otherwise if only the two
small community gardens were selling. Having the market would encourage more Westside
growing by demonstrating to existing and interested growers that there is a demand for
Westside grown food on the westside.

• As a result, initially, the market included an urban farm from Richmond, Cherry Lane Farm,
which supported the pocket markets above. Two small farms from the valley and a back yard
grower from Langley also participated. After a few weeks, it was decided that it was best to
focus only on local urban farms, as this was as close to the grant as we could get, and a
difficult decision was made to let go of the valley farmers. Sole food farm, an urban farm on
the DTES was invited to participate, however overall supply of food was greatly reduced. .
This allowed the smaller Westside growers and urban farmers to sell more of their goods to
meet the same level of demand.

• Result is increased awareness in community of urban and local growing, opportunities to

grow for themselves, and the chance to support delicious urban local agriculture.

• The market did not charge vendors this year after considering that, as this was the first year,
we were very uncertain of the kinds of demand the vendors would receive. The vendors took
a risk in supplying our market so we helped them in return. To many people’s surprise, the
markets were highly successful, with total sales averaging around $1500. Customers were
very excited about the quality of the produce, the chance to speak with the farmers, converse
with others, and buy local produce in the middle of the week between farmers markets.

• There is potential for future years to charge a % of revenue from each farmer and use this
money to support a good food box or market money for those in need.

• Some concern was expressed about the high prices at the market and how it might be
inaccessible to some of the vulnerable populations. As well as the wisdom of setting up a
farmers market in such close proximity to two other established farmers' markets: the one at
Kits Community Centre and the other at Granville Island.

• Gord is now turning his focus to other aspects of the grant including development of an
enhanced food recovery redistribution system on the Westside, support of the WFSC
governance and goals, and the Winter Initiative.

• Spring Gillard expressed sincere concern that too much focus had been placed on the growers
market at the expense of the other initiatives. As well, she was concerned that the market did
not meet the original intent as set out in the grant and would have been better stopped in order
to focus on other areas. She also felt that the market could have charged vendors after the first
couple of markets in order to recoup some of the costs.

Discussion of direction for 2011, possibility of expanding Fruit and Veggie Deal

Good food box: local growers grow for the box

Spring to speak with Catherine regarding who will write grants and which agency will support it,
to ask for food coordinator to potentially design system that brings together fruit and veggie box
and pocket markets/growers market
Roundtable Updates

Karen Dar Woon

• Cdn Chefs Congress: environmentally sustainable sourced food

• 100 mile diet and 10 mile diet…challenging

• Canning workshop tues 2-7 at Gerrat Wellness Centre in Richmond no.2 rd and Blundell

Sally

• Fruit and Veggie deal turned 6, they’re doing at informational meeting at UBC is at
Acadia Park residences. Thanks for making that change. and hope to get their boxes back,
would like 7-10 boxes going up there every month

Dolly

• Waiting for a new building at fir and 7th

Lisa

• Raw Food Workshop October 7th

• WIAG at growers market and pocket market

• Intern Lily is moving on

Charlotte

• Back to the landed learning program at UBC farm

Diane

• Grow a row share a row hasn’t brought really any this year

• Need to figure out coupon situation because the need is there

Clemencia

• Thanks for the support for their gaming letter

• They have full lunch program, and soup programs…all home made

Spring

• Report from Penny at kits community centre on Saturday shower and breakfast program
and Monday night take out meal. Monday night meal didn’t go that well, just two people
showing up for it.. They are going to see if they can put the word out more. There is now
a number for the homeless count on the West side, which Penny will try to get for us.

• Working with Emily on Food Security website/promotional items

Dellie
 • Hopes the pocket market will continue, she had fun

Zsuzi

• Request for any interest in having 15 volunteers for their project in February, she will
send out an email with details

• BC housing projects if anyone has a case study or example of onsite food provision she
would like to hear about it. Recommendations for Zsuzi: Speak to Barbara and 127
society downtown has a some good programs

Catherine

• Oct 23rd is KNH autumn fair

Ross

• October 4th, giant potluck at heritage hall at 15th and Main St.

• Had neighbourhood sustainability conference with chicken, composting workshops

• Building neighbourhood food networks and presentation by all coordinators

• Urban agriculture grants were awarded to VV successfully this summer

• Strathcona cultivating communities and hasting sunrise called food for all

• Seed and chicken workshops are going well

• Food policy council: cosponsoring gaining ground conference, important to check out.

• Neighbourhood network of food networks-

Summary of Action Items (Due for next meeting in October)

• Spring to speak with Catherine regarding who will write grants and which agency will
support it, to ask for food coordinator to potentially design system that brings together
fruit and veggie box and pocket markets/growers market

Next Meeting October 19th, 2010 at Steeves Manor