Gardening for Pollinators and Other Wildlife
By Chloe Smith on June 10, 2025
Gardening for Pollinators and Other Wildlife
About the Workshop
Did you know that your garden can become a life-supporting ecosystem that can help reverse the trajectory of climate change? We’ll explore who pollinators are and why they need our support. We’ll discuss planting native plants and other techniques to create habitat for both pollinators and other wildlife.
About the Instructor
Sage Kosa was raised in the mixed hardwood, deciduous forests of Connecticut. Her first training and work were in the field of architecture before transitioning into horticulture. She owns and operates Kindred Gardens, a garden design, install, care, consulting, and coaching business. As an educator and practitioner, she is passionate about supporting local gardens and gardeners and creating gardens that function as healthy, balanced ecosystems.
Date and Time
Saturday, June 28, 2025 from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Location
UBC Farm
Cost
- General: $35.70 (includes GST)
- Students and Seniors: $29.40 (includes GST)
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By juliana cao on June 9, 2025
Pollinator Picnic
At the UBC Farm Farmers’ Market
Saturday, June 28 | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Join us as we celebrate the hardworking heroes of our food system — pollinators! From bees and butterflies to birds and bats, these tiny creatures play a big role in bringing fresh food to our tables.
Join us for:
All day events:
- Bunny Meet n’ Treat with Rabbitats (by donation)
- Seeds of Knowledge: Learn about research happening at UBC’s Plant-Insect Ecology & Evolution Lab
- UBC Farm tea tasting (by donation)
- Kids pollinator colouring activities
- Members’ Deals Day (UBC Farm Members get discounts on select produce)
- More than 30 different local vendors selling produce, fruit, meat, mushrooms, eggs, baked goods, beverages, sweet treats, alcohol, artisan goods, and more!
iNaturalist Bioblitz
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Bee a citizen scientist! Learn how to identify and record pollinators and plants in this guided walkthrough of the Farm with researchers from UBC. Participants will need a smartphone with the iNaturalist app downloaded. Insect nets, collection containers, and ID guides will be provided.
Farm Tour
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Learn more about what’s going on at the UBC Farm on a guided tour.
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By Chloe Smith on June 3, 2025
How to Make Chai: Spiced Indian Tea
About the Workshop
Join us for a cozy and aromatic journey into the heart of chai. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to make authentic chai and explore the fascinating history and cultural roots of this beloved drink. We’ll dive into the medicinal properties of the key spices in chai through the lens of Ayurveda, and explore regional variations from across India. You’ll leave with a recipe sheet, a deeper appreciation for this beverage, and the skills to craft a personalized cup of chai that supports your unique mind-body constitution. Perfect for chai lovers, curious cooks, and wellness enthusiasts. [Vegan and non-vegan options available]
About the Instructor
Muneera Wallace is an Ayurvedic Practitioner and Health Coach with over 20 years of experience. She combines traditional Ayurvedic medicine with modern coaching methods to create personalized, sustainable strategies for health and resilience. Through her practice, Radiant Living Vancouver, she offers consultations, retreats, group programs, and workshops for individuals and teams seeking holistic well-being.
Date and Time
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location
UBC Farm
Cost
- General: $48.30 (includes GST)
- Students and Seniors: $41.95 (includes GST)
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By Chloe Smith on June 1, 2025
Grow Your Own Food
About the Workshop
Interested in growing food, but not sure where to start? This session will provide practical, accessible help in the rewarding endeavour of growing your own food at a variety of scales- from pots up to large gardens and growing annual and perennial food plants. You can’t get a much lower carbon footprint on your meal than harvesting it right outside your door!
About the Instructor
Sage Kosa was raised in the mixed hardwood, deciduous forests of Connecticut. Her first training and work were in the field of architecture before transitioning into horticulture. She owns and operates Kindred Gardens, a garden design, install, care, consulting, and coaching business. As an educator and practitioner, she is passionate about supporting local gardens and gardeners and creating gardens that function as healthy, balanced ecosystems.
Date and Time
Thursday, June 12, 2025 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location
UBC Farm
Cost
- General: $42.00 (includes GST)
- Students and Seniors: $34.65 (includes GST)
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By Chloe Smith on May 29, 2025
Growing Microgreens Year-Round
About the Workshop
Microgreens are vibrant, nutrient-packed greens that add flavor, texture, and color to your meals. Whether you enjoy them as a fresh snack or incorporate them into salads, smoothies, and soups, microgreens are a versatile addition to your kitchen. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to grow your own trays of microgreens at home—year-round.
You’ll discover the key differences between sprouts and microgreens, explore a variety of seeds suitable for growing microgreens, and learn how to troubleshoot common growing challenges. During the workshop, Yael will guide you through the process of preparing your own microgreens tray, which you will take home and continue growing. You’ll also receive expert tips and tricks for successfully growing microgreens in any season.
About the Instructor
Dr. Yael Stav completed her PhD in Sustainable Design from QUT in Brisbane, Australia. She is an entrepreneur and a project manager, with a passion for vertical vegetation, urban agriculture, green buildings and sustainability education.
Date and Time
Thursday, June 19, 2025 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location
UBC Farm
Cost
- General: $45.15 (includes GST)
- Students and Seniors: $37.80 (includes GST)
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June 19, 2025
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By juliana cao on May 16, 2025
Spring Foraging
About the Workshop
How would you survive without a grocery store? Chef Robin Kort will teach you how to find wild spring treasures; edible trees like evergreens, delicious wildflowers, introduced edibles like pineapple weed, turkey tail mushrooms and native species like wild licorice roots that you can find in coastal forests and meadows. This workshop will cover everything you need to know to safely gather, prepare and cook unique flavours found only in nature. This is an identification walk only (no picking) and includes a sampling of wild edibles and an open discussion with wildcraft expert Robin Kort.
About the Instructor
Your instructor chef Robin Kort is a cookbook author and sommelier who has had a lifetime of finding and cooking delicious BC coastal wild plants and mushrooms. She is excited to share her collected culinary research with you, connecting the dots from wilderness to plate and revealing delicious secrets from the forest to sea. Her advice is to gently follow the seasons and harvest what is offered; shoots leaves in spring, summer seaweeds, flowers, fish and fruit, fall roots and mushrooms, and in winter seafood. Take the utmost care to pick only what is abundant, share what you gather and leave the rest for other beasts.
Date and Time
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Location
UBC Farm
Cost
- General: $42 (includes GST)
- Students and Seniors: $34.65 (includes GST)
Register Now
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By sara124 on April 25, 2025
Agricultural data governance from the ground up: Exploring data justice with agri-food movements
Photo: Annalee Kornelsen / Sage Journals
March 25, 2025
As agriculture becomes increasingly data-driven, CSFS Associate Hannah Wittman and co-author Sarah-Louise Ruder explore how farmers and agri-food movements are responding to top-down data systems. Drawing on 40 workshops and events across the Americas, their research highlights the need for more equitable, justice-focused approaches to data governance.
“Digital technologies will not serve farmers and other food system workers unless these actors have access to data and, importantly, the capacity to determine how it can be used, by whom, and for what purposes,” they state. Their work sheds light on the risks of current data practices and the opportunities to build systems that centre farmer agency and food sovereignty.
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By sara124 on April 25, 2025
How ‘parks for bugs’ boost pollinators in Vancouver
Photo: Jens Ulrich / UBC News
April 22, 2025
New UBC research led by CSFS associate Dr. Risa Sargent and PhD student Jens Ulrich shows that small changes to urban green spaces can have a big impact on pollinators. The study found that planting wildflower meadows and reducing mowing in city parks—creating so-called “parks for bugs”—increased wild bee and hoverfly diversity by up to 47 species over three years.
In collaboration with the City of Vancouver, the study highlights how even small patches of habitat can support biodiversity. These findings are shaping city planning and offer simple steps anyone can take, like planting native flowers or mowing less, to make urban spaces more pollinator-friendly.
Read the full article at UBC News.
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By sara124 on December 16, 2024
Plastic or pine: Which Christmas tree is better for the planet?
Photo: Jennifer Gauthier / The Record
December 13, 2024
Dr. Kai Chan, a professor at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, and Dr. Johan Foster, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, weighed in on the debate between choosing a plastic or real Christmas tree. According to Dr. Chan, while the environmental impact of your holiday tree matters, it is part of a much larger issue of overconsumption during the season. “Ultimately, the amount of attention this gets is just way more than it merits in the face of the magnitude of the problem we’re facing,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of rethinking holiday traditions to reduce overall consumption. Dr. Foster echoed this sentiment, stating, “There’s not an easy answer,” but stressed that keeping a plastic tree for decades or choosing a local and sustainably disposed real tree can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
When it comes to choosing the most sustainable option, both professors agree that small decisions can add up. Dr. Foster recommends extending the life of artificial trees by keeping them for 10 to 20 years, ensuring they stay out of the sun to prevent plastic degradation. For those who opt for natural trees, proper recycling, such as tree chipping, is key. “I prefer a live tree,” Foster shared, recalling his childhood in McBride, B.C., where his family would collect trees from nearby forests. Ultimately, whether you choose plastic, natural, or even a rented potted tree, Dr. Chan suggests that it’s about adopting mindful, low-impact traditions that align with your values while helping to protect the planet.
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By melanie kuxdorf on December 11, 2024
Feeding the Community
The Little Mountain Food Hub
How Little Mountain Neighbourhood House and the UBC Farm Practicum Are Tackling Food Insecurity
By UBC Community Engagement
For four years, the UBC Farm Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture has partnered with the Little Mountain Neighbourhood House (LMNH) Food Hub to address growing food insecurity in Vancouver’s Little Mountain Community.
Each year, Practicum students donate hundreds of kilograms of fresh produce to the LMNH Food Hub, honing their skills in organic farming while contributing to an initiative that fosters community relationships, food justice, and food sovereignty.
UBC Community Engagement has published a story about this partnership, with several interviews including one with Art Bomke, Founder of the LMNH Yard Garden Harvest Project and an important supporter of the creation of the UBC Farm. As well as Breagha Zakaib, a Practicum grad who is now working with Little Mountain.
“The Practicum was the highlight of my time at UBC. I learned so many new skills and realized how much more I enjoy hands-on learning. It was great to be able to have a discussion or guest lecture from someone and immediately go out on the field and put that knowledge into practice.”
— Breagha Zakaib, an alumna of UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems, UBC Farm Practicum Grad, and the Yard Garden Harvest Coordinator at Little Mountain Neighbourhood House.
Read the full story and excellent interviews via UBC Community Engagement.
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