A Channel News Reports on the Fruit Tree Project

 

VICTORIA - Between dark green leaves is a golden bounty. Plums, ripe for the picking.  But if it wasn't for volunteers from the LIfecycles Fruit Tree Project the fruit might have gone to waste. The homeowner doesn't like golden plums and woun't use so many, even if she did. So she called Lifecycles to pick the fruit and hand it over to people who want and need it.
 
"We've picked approximately 20 trees and we have 20 more homeowners signed up," says Lifecycles Intern Jesse Margolus.
Today's harvest is especially fruitful compared to other recent picks. Trees aren't as full this year. The Project blames a cool spring and poor pollenation.Last year the Fruit Tree Project harvested and redistribulted 21,000 pounds of fruit. 2010 is off to a slow start, but you can help.

"Hopefully we can get more fruit by expanding our homeowner base," says Margolus.The fruit isn't just taken off site. It's divided four ways between the homeowner, the volunteers, the Project and community groups. Charities like the Mustard Seed Food Bank have grown to rely on the fresh fruit. They say it's an added bonus to hampers which are packed with non-perishable goods.

To meet the ever-growing needs of the community, the Fruit Tree Project needs more people to sign up and donate their fruit.  Call 250-507-3810 to participate, or sign up your tree online at http://www.lifecyclesproject.ca

- 2010-08-09

     More Fruit Trees.........Please

 

LifeCycle’s Fruit Tree Project is in Full Swing & Is Looking for Fruit!

LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project is looking for a few good fruit trees. Normally, summer and fall in Victoria is marked by many with backyard apple and plum trees bursting with fruit. Last year, the Fruit Tree Project harvested and redistributed approximately 21,000 lbs. of fruit. This year, due to the cold spring conditions and unusually low pollination of flowers in the spring, the fruit production on many trees has been low. The Project is in need of trees in order to be able to keep fresh fruit donations high, especially with the increased reliance on food banks in Greater Victoria.

To register your fruit tree to be picked please contact Jesse at:          The Fruit Tree Project Cell at 250 - 507- FT10 (250 -507-3810) or email: fruittree@lifecyclesproject.ca

Or sign your tree up online:HERE 

 

- 2010-07-29

And the winners are...

Best Food Garden

1st Place: John Hutton

Runner Up: Tracey Cook

Honorable Mention: Susan Holm & Tahnee Jacobson

 Best Mixed Food and Flower

1st Place: Jackie Robson

Runner Up: Bill and Judith Stamps

Honourable Mention: Linda Chan

Best Container Garden

1st Place: Michelle Brady

Runner Up: Stephan Albinati

Honourable Mention:Tim Boultbee

 Best Garden in an Underutilized Space

1st Place: Judy Smith

Runner Up: Gary Hagel and Charles Duvernet

Honourable Mention: James Bay Sustainability Commons

 

Congratulations to all the winners and to those who applied! All submissions were inspiring! Keep on gardening!

 

Thank you to our donors who made the contest possible:

 

Farm Folk City Folk

Mo:Le  

Shine Cafe

Happy Valley Lavender Farm

Forward Thinking Foods

Tugwell Creek Honey Farm and Meadery

Selbourne Home Depot 

DVD Cuisine

Carolyn Herriot

The Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre

The Organic Gardeners Pantry

Silk Road

Urban Oasis

Science Works

Glendale Gardens

Munro's Books

 

A special thank you to our judges:

Carolyn Herriot: Author of Zero Mile Diet and A Year on the Garden Path

Kate Friars: Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture from the City of Victoria

Philippe Lucas: City Councilor

Gary Hynes: Editorial Director of EAT magazine

Jared Witt: Expert from Dig This

Liz Cunningham: Urban Farmer from Tower Point Farms

 

- 2010-06-28

five X five Fundraising Dinner - THANK-YOU!

LifeCycles Project Society would like to thank the following local businesses for making our five x five fundraising dinner a success:

Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse (www.seacider.ca)

Ambrosia Conference and Event Centre (www.ambrosiacatering.ca)

Iron Maiden Seafoods (www.wildseafoods.com)

Vantreight Farms (daffodil.com)

Tom Henry

Little Qualicum Cheeseworks (www.cheeseworks.ca)

Share Organics (www.shareorganics.bc.ca)

The Good Planet Co. (www.goodplanet.com)

Plenty Epicurean Pantry (www.epicureanpantry.ca)

Phillips Brewing Company (phillipsbeer.com)

Driftwood Brewery (driftwoodbeer.com)

Smoken Bones Cookshack (www.smokenbones.ca)

Wild Fire Organic Bakery and Cafe (www.wildfirebakery.ca)

Chateau Victoria Hotel and Suites (www.chateauvictoria.com)

Caffe Fantastico Specialty Coffee (www.caffefantastico.com)

Cascadia Liquor (www.cascadialiquor.com)

Pink Sugar Cupcakery (www.pinksugarcupcakery.com)

Hilary's Artisan Cheeses (www.hilarycheese.com)

Artisan Wine Shop (www.artisanwineshop.ca)

Level Ground Trading Ltd. (www.levelground.com)

Silk Road Aromatherapy and Tea Co. (www.silkroadtea.com)

Sunwing Farms (www.sunwingtomatoes.ca)

Capital Iron (www.capitaliron.net)

Market on Yates (www.marketonyates.com)

Discovery Coffee (www.discoverycoffee.com)

Fol Epi Bakery

Niagara Grocery (www.niagaragrocery.com)

Russell Books (www.russellbooks.com)

Arbutus Arts

Choux Choux Charcuterie (www.chouxchoux.ca)

Also, we would like to thank Rebecca, from EAT Magazine, for joining us for the event and writing this incredible article: http://www.eatmagazine.ca/article/2010-06-14/fivebyfive.

The proceeds from this fabulous event will go towards supporting our numerous programs. We are grateful to everyone who came out to the event and hope to see you all again soon!

- 2010-06-15

New Plant-a-Row, Grow-A-Row Program

Are you a Fernwood gardener? Do you live in Fernwood and are interested in learning how to garden? Do you want to know what to do with all the extra zucchini you yield each year? Then the “Plant a Row – Grow a Row” project is for you! The premise is simple – why not grow extra food to donate to those in need?

The Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre in partnership with Fernwood NRG and Lifecycles Project Society is now launching this nation-wide initiative in Victoria. In the first year our goal is to sign-up over 100 gardeners to donate 1 tonne of food to the Fernwood NRG’s Best Babies program and Our Place Transition Shelter. We will also be offering free courses to participants, regular Community Harvest Celebrations to trade tips, and we will have a convenient weekly drop-off at the Fernwood NRG.

Call the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre for more information or to sign-up at (250) 386-9676 or check out their website www.compost.bc.ca.

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