The Edible Garden Project
Our Trips
Get a taste of local food and agriculture on the North Shore! The Edible Garden Project invites secondary classes to explore Loutet Farm while learning more about subjects such as food security, global supply chains, agroecology, climate change... and more! Students will explore the unique landscape of North Vancouver and our own role within these systems, alongside the EGP's role in the community through a guided tour and seasonal hands-on activities.
Note that there are several different areas of concentration available for this tour. Teachers can choose from the following themes: food security & global perspectives; environmental stewardship & sustainability; biodiversity; climate change; Indigenous perspectives.
Beyond just a place for growing food, the farm is the perfect spot to exercise your creative muscles. Whether it’s the stark beauty of winter foliage, the rich greenery that follows spring rain, the beautiful blooms of summer, or the striking colours of fall, nature provides a natural palate to inspire the artist inside all of us. We’ll explore both Loutet Farm and the surrounding forest, gathering material and learning about how we grow such a diverse range of vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Students will learn how some plants have been used for many generations to create works of art, natural dyes, and more. Hands-on opportunities abound in this field trip, with a chance to make their own nature-inspired art throughout the visit.
Want to enjoy the bounty of a productive urban farm day without worrying about planning and planting months in advance? Come join us for the best part of the season... eating delicious, fresh, local produce! Tour the farm and explore what’s currently growing while learning about our organic, low-till practices. Students will find themselves helping out with each step of the process: harvesting, washing, and preparing a salad for everyone to enjoy. We’ll also make a delicious dressing by hand (with honey from our bees!) to complement the meal we share together at the tour’s conclusion.
Many of us have an idea about the importance of pollinators, and how they’re necessary for ¾ of our major food crops. But who exactly is doing all the pollinating around here? People often first think of honeybees, and that’s our starting point for this tour: visiting Loutet Farm’s two resident hives and getting the basics of pollination down. But there’s so much more to it than that! Students will get a chance to try their own hand at the process while identifying different parts of flowers, both wild and cultivated. We’ll talk about the importance of a diversity of pollinators and their associated habitats, how evolution plays a part, the struggles facing pollinators, and what we can do to help.
Did you know that soil is actually extremely rare? In this truly groundbreaking field trip, students will come away understanding the important differences between soil and dirt. They’ll dig deep into the properties and composition of soil, the amendments we add, and the benefits of supporting a healthy underground ecosystem where just one tablespoon could contain 50 billion microbes! We’ll find some of the larger invertebrates commonly found at Loutet Farm and investigate the cycle of compost on-site, where we build our own soil. Your day exploring one of the most species-rich habitats on earth will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the ground beneath your feet and inspiration for building and protecting it.
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