Dover Bay Food ForestDover Bay Secondary School – School District 68 We are sharing stories from the field, harvested by our Community Animators meeting with passionate school food advocates across BC. In honour of Farm to School Month 2023 we want to showcase the connecting power of food #FoodConnects.
Central Island Region
           
Food Connects Story Dover Bay Food Forest connects students across the grades and over the years at Dover Bay Secondary School. Under a canopy of established fruit trees, berry bushes and grape vines, is an understory of strawberries, carrots, potatoes, and herbs, which form a thriving edible ecosystem. This inspiring garden is tended by a long legacy of student eco club executives. This year, Lincy and Joel, two amazing grade 10 students, are taking the lead. Two afternoons a week, they lead the food forest work party crew, stewarding the plants, sharing the harvest, and building connections to each other and the earth. Lincy and Joel will carry on the food forest traditions like the annual potato harvest celebration and spring seed sale (all seeds grown and gathered from the food forest). Lincy and Joel have grown into this position, starting in the Eco Club in Grade 8 and watching peers and siblings move through executive roles in previous years. These students have achieved something many school gardens are challenged by; year-to-year sustainability through leadership transitions! What motivates them to do this work? Let’s hear it from them!
Joel “One thing that truly motivates me to lead the Food Forest is the chance to make a positive impact on our community and the environment. Having been introduced to the initiative by Lincy back in Grade 8, I discovered my new passion for gardening and caring for plants. Working in the Food Forest is fun because I get to do hands-on activities like growing fruits and veggies, which I learned through my involvement in the past few years in the Eco Club. The knowledge that my help and skills will contribute to a better future energises me, even more, to keep going. I also enjoy the idea of working with my friends and teaching them gardening skills, during our harvest parties and meetings, as it strengthens or makes new bonds, and sharing knowledge between everyone of different grades. I am grateful for this journey and opportunity that lets me combine my new love for the environment with a like-minded team, as a community and school-focused effort, and that’s what keeps me motivated every single day.”
Lincy “For the past two years, I’ve been an enthusiastic member of Dover Bay’s Eco Club, specifically engaging in the Food Forest initiative. What drives me is the chance to expand my knowledge and share it with peers, educating them about planting techniques and sustainability. Initially inspired by my sister and cousin, I embraced their environmental stewardship and leadership, learning to appreciate the beauty of the Food Forest garden, with its vibrant flowers, fruits, and vegetables. The experience of organising annual potato harvests and seed sales deepened my commitment to Eco Club’s mission, filling me with pride in partaking in the success of the events. This journey fostered a profound love for plants I hadn’t felt before. The opportunity to build relationships with peers across age groups, all united by our dedication to sustainability, enriched my experience. My dedication to this Eco Club journey must remain loyal at all times, and I’m committed to participating until my graduation and further.” |