Annual Seedy Saturday (March 7, 2020)

A free family-friendly, annual celebration of all things Seeds, Seedlings, Community Gardens, Compost, Fertilizer, Water, Worms, Soil, Mulch and more.

How a Seed Swap Works;

– Seeds may be gifted, or traded, as the gifter of seeds desires

– Seeds at swap table are not for sale

– Seeds are for planting for your use, to give to a neighbour, or to gift to someone else

– Please take only what you need so others may have some too

– If you have none to share, receive freely, with gratitude

Annual Spring Plant Sale (May 9, 2020)

An exciting event for all gardeners and plant lovers throughout the Fraser Valley and beyond. 

This Plant Sale is our main fund-raising event of the year. Items offered in the Plant Sale are donated by Guild members, and include many interesting, unusual and hard to find specimens. 

This event is located at an acreage in Ryder Lake and is child, friend and family friendly.  The day includes farm tours including interactions with farm animals.  

Donations accepted year round.  Please contact hello@valleypermacultureguild.com f or details.  

All proceeds support Nature Learning opportunities for elementary aged children. 

Annual Membership

Cost: $25 annually. This supports what we do:

• Covers operating costs (insurance, website etc.)

• Opportunity to hosting permablitz (after attending 2)

• Discounts on workshops and merchandise

• Priority for paid work
• …other member perks ☺

• Renewed annually at AGM (February)

Register today for an annual membership to The Valley Permaculture Guild to help support all we do!

Memberships:

Individual/Family Membership – $25.00 per year

Questions? Please contact hello@valleypermacultureguild.com

Monthly Gatherings

These gatherings are held on the Second Saturday of every month and rotate between a VPG Member’s garden/home in Chilliwack and Roots to Grow Nature Learning Ground in Yarrow, BC.  Email hello@valleypermacultureguild@gmail.com for current schedule.  

The gatherings are held between 1030 – 1230pm and generally involve an informal potluck, please bring finger foods.

If you have any plants, seedlings, and seeds to share, please bring them along. Our events are child, friend and family friendly! Bring a blanket, lawn chairs, a book, a hammock, and a plate of food for sharing!  Our gatherings are great opportunity to explore, learn and meet new people.

Community Gardens

Gardens grow communities!  

Community Gardens create vibrant spaces for urban dwellers of all ages.  They are inclusive spaces that invite families, retirees, and immigrants to access gardens and perennial plants in peaceful outdoor spaces. 

Community gardens help address food security challenges through the Fraser Valley.  Participating in the production of your own food provides many health benefits, save money, preserves traditional skills and knowledge, prevents soil erosion, protects water quality, promotes biodiversity and so much more, all which beatifying the community.  

Community Gardens are volunteer run.  Every year, we work very hard to accumulate donated supplies and materials to keep people growing food. We have many amazing local businesses who contribute regularly to the success of Community Gardens in the Fraser Valley, and are very thankful to them for their support of their communities!

Contact hello@valleypermacultureguild.com for updated location of community gardens.

Urban Permablitzes;

• Edible/wildlife-friendly permaculture garden installations!

Permablitzes are incredible opportunities to build community and learn about permaculture! 

A permablitz involves an informal gathering of a group of community members to;

• Create or develop a community or household edible, wildlife-friendly permaculture garden.  Permablitzes may also involve sustainable non-food growing projects including eco-friendly builds (cob building, compost toilets), growing fibre for clothes or planting for fuel.
• Skills sharing and mini-workshops to learn about permaculture and gardening
• Build community networks
• Share some good food
• Have loads of fun!

Permablitzes are organized on a voluntary basis and are FREE to the public to attend.

Who comes along to a Permablitz?

Everyone is welcome – there is always something to learn and a variety of jobs to suit, whatever your experience or physical ability. We have had people of all ages join us – from 1 to 91 years young!

Helping Harvest Food Preserves 

Helping Harvest is our seasonal food preservation program which focuses on keeping our communities fed when fresh, local produce in less available. The preserving of the food is directly undertaken by food safe volunteers in a commercial kitchen.  These preserves are available for retail purchase, please contact the Valley Permaculture Guild for current availability.  

Kindly help support this program by purchasing Helping Harvest preserves.  10% of all preserves are donated to our community service partners.  

Helping Harvest is a volunteer based program. Without weekly volunteers, this program wouldn’t exist. We are always looking for volunteers to lend a hand.

• Accessible to all abilities.  Children over 12 years old may attend with supervision.
• Regular Volunteers eligible for Food Safe paid through Helping Harvest 
• All events open to public. All participants provided with recipes and produce.

Contact: hello@valleypermacultureguild.com for more information

Backyard Gleaning

Gleaning is the act of collecting or gathering unharvested, unused, or leftover food.  In our case, this is backyard fruit and/or vegetable plots.

Volunteers connect with local farms and backyard gardens to collect excess produce.

The produce is then shared between the grower, the volunteers, and our partner organizations

This ensures that the produce is not wasted and brings community members together

Roots to Grow Nature Learning

Our Mission

To enrich the educational experience through student-centered, nature-focused, community-based learning.

Our Vision

• Cultivate respect for the natural world
• Foster relationships with those who connected with the land before us
• Provide a multi-generational learning space

• Create space for children to challenge their minds and bodies
• Encourage regenerative/permaculture principles to environmental stewardship
• Recognize the importance of arts and culture
• Support the natural state of compassion based on the principles of nonviolent communication

A Typical Day

with Roots to Grow’s elementary program

From Kindergarten to Grade 6, we share a nature based learning opportunity. We range from forests to farms to wetlands and through communities. Learning as we grow!

We are guided by the interests of the children and families, our seasonal interactions with local environments, and the resources of facilitators and community members. 

Our days involve:

• Play – learning through social and imaginative play
• Exploration – learning from a place and what the day brings
• Natural history – taught through a child’s interests and passions
• Hands-on work in traditional skills, permaculture, and farming
• Tinkering – creating with natural and upcycled materials
• Community – building our own community
• Service – connecting to and helping the wider community
• Field trips – getting to know our local places

Rootstogrownaturelearning@gmail.com

The Valley Permaculture Guild are inclusive, earth-led citizens passionately working on food security initiatives throughout the Fraser Valley. We are developing opportunities and programs to improve food distribution, production accessibility and sustainability in the Fraser Valley.

Ethics:  Care of Earth. Care of People. Share of Surplus.

Current Programs:

• Roots to Grow Nature Learning
• Backyard Gleaning
• Nursery and Plant Sale
• Helping Harvest Food Preserves
• Community Gardens
• Urban Permablitzes
• Monthly Gatherings

The Valley Permaculture Guild is a means to develop skills and to enhance human habitats for sustainable living. Permaculture aims to generate healthy, productive landscapes and communities by applying ecological principles and design. We are dedicated to making our community better, stronger, and more resilient to food uncertainty.

Community. Skills building. Local food. Adapting in place..