Overview of the Land and Food Systems Orchard Garden Project LFSOG

1
(No Transcript)
2
Overview of the Land and Food Systems Orchard
Garden Project (LFSOG)

• The LFSOG is working to become a world class
  practical demonstration site for garden-scale
  urban agriculture
• It is available to students interested in
  learning about garden-scale urban agriculture
  through hands-on academic and educational
  opportunities.

3
History

• Spring of 2007, the LFSOG originated as a
  Directed Studies Project - the LFS Garden at
  MacMillan Building (LFSGAMB).
• A scenario was presented to student groups in the
  W2007 AGSC 450 class to further research the
  enhancement and expansion of the LFSGAMB
• In the spring of 2008, portable classrooms were
  removed from an area of land on the west-side of
  the MacMillan building
• Area was tilled and seeded with two varieties of
  potatoes (Cal-White and Pontiac) in early April
  2008

4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
Current Operations

• LFSOG Advisory Committee is formed of Land and
  Food Systems Faculty, Staff, UBC Farm Employees,
  Agora Cafe Manager, Plant Operations, SEEDS
  Project Coordinator through the UBC
  Sustainability Office (Social Economic,
  Ecological Development Studies)
• 1 work-study position (10 hours per week,
  15.61/hour)
• Heavily reliant on volunteers (weekly drop-in
  shift on Wednesdays from 10am-2pm in complement
  with the UBC Farms Volunteer Shifts)

7
Current Operations Course Involvement

• Various student Involvements occur through
  coursework
• AGSC100 Community Service Learning Colunteers
• AGSC350 LFSOG Scenario - Enhancement Project
  (Website)
• FRE302 Business Plan Development moving
  towards self-sufficiency
• Further Flexible Directed Studies Opportunities

8
Current Operations -Volunteers

• Aside from weekly drop-in, we are in the process
  of creating more formal positions including
• Volunteer Manager
• Communications Coordinator
• Marketing Coordinator
• Compost Gurus
• Tea-leaf Project and Herb Patch Project Managers

9
(No Transcript)
10
Current Operations Compost System

• 3 tiered compost system
• Takes waste from the MCML building
• Considering Bio-filtration Project to work with
  hydration of Compost System
• Currently overflow!
• Considering a conventional worm-bin operation

11
(No Transcript)
12
Crop Rotation

• Modified from the UBC Farms Crop Rotation Plan
  Objective To increase the nitrogen and organic
  content of the soil through complementary
  rotation practices.

13
Production and Harvest Log

• Crops Planted and Harvested to Date include
• Potatoes (aprx 70kgs)
• Garlic (aprx 200 heads)
• Kale (aprx 300 bunches)
• Chard (aprx 50 bunches)
• Apples from the Apple Tree (Aprx 150lbs)
• Carrots (stolen!!)
• Beets (TBA)
• Radishes (aprx 600 individual radishes)
• Green Beans, Fava Beans (Aprx 20 lbs)
• Spinach, Lettuce (Not a lot)
• Herbs (Not a lot)

14
(No Transcript)
15
Customers and Sales

• Weekly Memo sent Mondays on what is available
• Orders placed Tuesdays
• Wednesdays are Delivery Days
• Main Customers UBC Farm Market, Sprouts (Food
  Co-op), Agora Cafe (Student-Volunteer Run),
  Community members and individual students,
  Choices Markets Catering (adhoc).

16
Challenges

• Limited Paid Hours (10 hours per week)
• Crop Theft
• Pests (Aphid infestation, wireworms here and
  there, a few other irritants on the green leafy
  veggies)
• Administration (account is kept at the UBC Farm,
  no direct access to funds)
• Very Labour intensive process
• Summer heavy work, not as many students around

17
WishList

• New tools! (Shovels, Hoes, Rakes, Pitchforks,
  Spades, Wheelbarrows, Gloves)
• Art/Sculptures and Objects of Beautification
• Bee Hives
• Pond/Water component

18
Future Visions and Endeavors

• To become self-sufficient in terms of funding
  (i.e. Reliant on crop income and workshop fees
  and continuous grants rather than work-study
  funds)
• To engage at least one area of research from each
  faculty on Campus
• To synergize urban-ag/alternative production
  methods with others outside of the UBC Community

19
Thanks!

• Questions?