Gardening | BC Family

Spring Gardening Workshops

Gardening, House and Home, Outdoor Living No Responses »

Apr 042013

If you or you and your family enjoy gardening, you will want to get on the Amsterdam Greenhouses’ E-mail list or follow them on Facebook. As the weather has started to improve, there can be many reasons to visit Pitt Meadows from other areas of the Lower Mainland. You could take part in a workshop and go for a walk beside a scenic river or lake.

So far this spring Amsterdam Greenhouses have held the 15th Annual Nature Day, seed planting workshop for children and workshops about landscape principles, mole control, planting potatoes and summer flowering bulbs.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, April 4th, 2013, 7 PM – 9 PM, Moss Basket Workshop, $10

Saturday, April 6, 2013, 10 AM, workshop about strawberries for children, $10. Each participant will make a strawberry hanging basket. Children under 7 will require adult participation.

Saturday, April 6, 2013, 2 PM, Vegetable Gardening in Small Places Workshop, free.

Saturday, April 20th at 2 PM, $10, Mini Mother’s Day Basket class for children, $10. Children under 7 will require adult participation.

* Registration for all classes and workshops is required. You can either phone 604.465.6614 or send an E-mail to info@amsterdamgreenhouses.com to confirm your intention to take part.

BC Home + Garden Show Discoveries

Gardening, House and Home 2 Responses »

Mar 132013

Test driving the Panasonic massage chairs at the BC Home + Garden Show.
You can get deep discounts when you purchase one at any of the shows they attend year round.

Pamela Chan, BCFamily.ca

Take one trade show, add in two 3 1/2 year olds and you are bound to end up with an outcome that is different from the pre-show ideals. Going into the BC Home + Garden Show, I wanted to visit every booth, see every event on the stages and sign up for every contest. Naturally our visit did not turn out that way.

Here are some of the appealing products and services that we came across a we strolled around with two keen 3 1/2 year olds in tow.

Northwest Landscape and Stone

If you love natural stone an landscape accents, the catalogue from Northwest Landscape & Stone supply will make you sigh. I made a mental note that I’d like stone veneer on our house, natural stone all over our property and stone accents in our garden beds – everywhere.

Here’s a tip from a gardening magazine if you don’t have the funds to invest in new stonework. One reader picked up discarded granite sink counter tops from an installation outlet to use for garden pathway stones. Wouldn’t they be slippery? Perhaps, but it makes you wonder what else you can salvage from companies located in industrial parks.

Truck Farm

In a bag of samples we were given when we arrived (courtesy of the show organizers) we found heirloom Scarlet Runner Bean seeds from Truck Farm. How exciting! We plan to start the seeds in a bag with damp paper towels and then move them to our garden. If you are interested to learn more about their unique seed collection, available for purchase online, check out their Strathcona 1890 website. In case you are wondering, there is an actual truck farm. It’s a concept designed to encourage growing food and gardening in urban settings.

Images by Bethany

There are so many talented photographers in the Lower Mainland and British Columbia. We are particularly keen to promote the work of Erich Saide (a popular local photographer) and Anita Alberto (who is active in the Tri-Cities area and beyond). Another studio name that has been showing up in various places online is Images by Bethany. Bethany was on hand for the Family Day at the show along with the Kids Zone sponsor VancouverMom.ca.

Local photographers often have season specials and packages. If you think you might like to have photographs taken in the future, make a point of signing up for their newsletter or connect with them via Twitter and/or their Facebook page.

Pop-Pop Amusements Play Tents

When we saw the set-up for Pop-Pop Amusements products in the Kids Zone it was an easy decision to make a purchase. Our three year old son decided that the bus – not the fire truck or larger set of tents – was the must have item. From the moment our children brought the tent home, they’ve been happily engaged in make believe play, as they stock the tent with favourite toys and learn how to make it bigger or smaller. They are both 3 1/2 and can handle the tent without help from adults. The instructions do say that the tents are for 2+ and require adult supervision. The fabric is made or the company in Taiwan and the wiring comes from Japan. The tents also provide sun protection on the beach.

Milsean Shoppe

We had a chance to try the delicious Milsean butter crunch candy while we were dashing through the show. The Belgian chocolate covered dark, buttery toffee and sliced almonds were high quality, delicious sweets.

The next time we’re in Aldergrove, we’ll definitely stop by the Milsean Shoppe to check out their sweets and seasonal gelato offerings.

Growing Chefs and World in a Garden

Both Growing Chefs and World in a Garden had booths and made presentations at the show. You can find more about World in a Garden via this BCFamily piece. Growing Chef runs a classroom gardening programme in elementary schools and has more information about their programmes on their website.

Grow Camp

The Made in Denmark Grow Camp raised garden bed and 3′ high greenhouses are dreamy structures that are modular, expandable and include insect netting. They also sell a smaller structure to use with tomatoes. Yes please!

Did you attend the BC Home + Garden Show? Which products or services did you notice? You can comment about this posting using the comment function below or by visiting the BC Family Facebook page. Your opinion matters so don’t be shy!

Related

Korena in the Kitchen featured a write-up of the Chicken, Potato and Chickpea Curry recipe that is inspired by the Vij’s chickpea curry that was available in the food court.

Giveaway: BC Home & Garden Show Tickets

BC Happenings, Gardening, House and Home 7 Responses »

Feb 132013

As the weather switches back and forth from sunny to rainy, you might be casting your mind ahead to spring and plans to develop your balcony or yard and redecorate your home. From February 20 – 24, 2013, you can catch up on the latest trends in home and garden design at the BC Home and Garden Show. (If you would like to enter for the chance to receive four admission tickets, please refer to details at the end of this page.)

Some of the featured HGTV presenters at the show will include Bryan Baeumler of Leave it to Bryan; Paul Lafrance of Decked Out and Vancouver’s Sarah Daniels and Philip DuMoulin of Urban Suburban. There will also be 425 retail exhibiters; new features to check out; a winter blooms flower market; a curated affordable art exhibit; a pop-up version of the Portobello West fashion and art market; a Dream Home inspired by East Vancouver bungalows; and, 7,000 square feet of gardens representing eight garden landscapes from around the world.

If you don’t want to leave the show to go and eat, you will be able to find food on-site, including bacon-wrapped hotdogs and real Canadian poutine.

Here is more information about the opening night and Family day:

OPENING NIGHT: Wednesday, February 20, 4 PM – 9 PM, presented by Virgin 953:

An evening tailored to designing women.

Home Cooking Stage:

• SHAW Cooking with Fire Chili Cook-off, featuring the kitchen talents of firefighters from across the Lower Mainland.

• Ladies-only beer tasting seminar, presented by Just Here for the Beer.

• Female-friendly social media giveaways, free swag bags for the first 100 show-goers and surprises.

FAMILY DAY: February 21, 12 PM – 5 PM, presented by Dominion Lending Centres:

KidZone:

• food sampling from Growing Chefs

• face painting and jewellery making courtesy of faceabaloonza

• drawing on the walls with chalk

• practicing gardening skills

• crafts from VancouverMom.ca.

• soft turf area where children can relax

Home Cooking Stage:

• Chef Ned Bell and son Max, Cooking Fun with Your Little Ones

• Growing Chefs, Healthy Kids in the Kitchen

• The World in a Garden, Eat More Kale!

Vancouver Sun Gardener’s School:

• Gardening expert Steve Whysall, Gardening for Kids

HGTV Main Stage:

• Joan Vyner Easier Gardening with Arthritis

• Park Royal Spring Fun 4 Kids Fashion Show

• Decorator Christine Friend, Family Friendly Design

• Denise Wild, Decorating with Fabric: Family Edition

• Jennifer Scott & Megan Baker, How to Personalize the Top Trends of 2013 For Your Own Space

• Philip DuMoulin & Sarah Daniels, Urban vs. Suburban — The Pros & Cons

• Sarah Gallop, Small Spaces: Working with What You’ve Got

If you would like to enter for a chance to win four admission tickets (worth $60) for the show to be used on any day between February 20 – 24, 2013, here’s how:

• Required: leave a comment below saying that you’d like to enter (one entry) Your comment must be left on the BCFamily.ca site below this posting, not the BCFamily.ca Facebook page.

• One additional entry: share the name of your favourite public garden (or private garden open to the public) in your comment.

• Two additional entries: Do you follow BCFamily.ca on Facebook? If you do, mention this in your comment. (This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook.)

Note:

Valid entries will need to include an E-mail address with the comment so that you can be contacted if you win. It will not appear in the posted comment. This information will not be stored in a data base and will only be used in the event that you win.

The selected winner will be contacted by E-mail. If the winner has not replied in 12 hours, a follow-up E-mail will be sent. If the winner does not reply to the E-mail and claim the prize within 24 hours, another winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is open to people living in the Lower Mainland (Greater Vancouver) area.The winner will need to provide a street mailing address so that the tickets can be mailed via Canada Post.

This giveaway will close on Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 10 PM.

Good luck!

Disclosure: Complimentary tickets for the show were provided to BCFamily.ca. It is the responsibility of the event sponsor to honour the use of the tickets provided.

Information about admission

2-1 Entry Promotion and related article at VancouverMom.ca

There are a dozen contests related to the show listed on the official website.

Stage schedules

Exhibitors list

Directions and parking

BC Home and Garden web page

BC Home and Garden Show Facebook page

BC Home and Garden Show Twitter page

BC Home and Garden Show Pinterest page

A Better World: Gift Baskets With Ethically Sourced Products

A Better World, Delicious BC, Environment, Gardening No Responses »

Dec 202012

World in a Garden is a multicultural urban farm and educational project based in Vancouver. This holiday season they are preparing gift baskets and stocking stuffers using ethically sourced products that will help you complete your holiday gift shopping. If you would like to order a Farm to Table basket for family and friends, this link takes you to a page that has more information about ordering.

Here is their description of the baskets:

The Farm to Table Holiday Gift Baskets baskets feature our own local honey and snacks with a variety of artisan products from companies who share our commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability. With a focus on food provenance we are showcasing ethically sourced products from: o5 Tea, Farmstead Wines, Zimt Chocolate, Urban Digs Farm, Terra Breads and more…

In case you missed it, you can also read more about the year-round work of World in a Garden previously shared on BCFamily.ca. Readers from around the world visit this piece regularly – proof that their programme is generating a lot of interest worldwide.

See: A Better World: World in a Garden

Related

The World in a Garden organization organizes events, workshops, classes and camps for adults and children throughout the year. You can find out more information on their event page.

Have you attended any World in a Garden events? You can comment about this posting using the comment function below or by visiting the BC Family Facebook page. Your opinion matters so don’t be shy!

Bringing the Outdoors Inside at Christmas

Arts and Crafts, Celebrations, Gardening, House and Home No Responses »

Dec 142012

Poinsettia arrangements at Amsterdam Greenhouses & Garden Centre, Pitt Meadows. (Click on image to enlarge.)

If you have spent time waiting for a loved one to emerge from a big box store lately, you might have noticed many shoppers exiting with large quantities of generic Christmas balls and baubles that were undoubtedly made in a factory far, far away. If this decorating option strikes you as being a bit stale, you might be someone who is longing to add fresh and natural Christmas decorations to your home.

Recently Great Canadian Superstore offered a two foot poinsettia plant as their weekly promotion. If you’re a frequent shopper at Superstore, hopefully you know that there is a weekly flyer coupon for a gift with a minimum purchase of $150+. It might be a $25 Superstore gift certificate or a seasonal item like a turkey. At first it did seem perplexing. What would one do with such an over sized plant? It turns out that it looks very festive and lovely in the middle of a dining room table on top of a white, embroidered Japanese obi runner.

St. Nicholas visited Amsterdam Greenhouses, December, 2012. (Click on image to enlarge.)

For BC residents who don’t live next to a forest, bringing greenery into the home at Christmas time isn’t an easy affair. As one letter writer to a local Tri-City paper pointed out, cutting greenery from trees in a local park simply isn’t on. If you associate visits to a garden centre with the height of spring and summer, you’ll want to make a return visit to Amsterdam Greenhouses, Art Knapps or any of a number of BC garden centres. You can find the best selection of poinsettias, Christmas-themed plant arrangements and specially prepared wreaths and boughs of greenery.

Here in the Tri-City area Amsterdam Greenhouses held a special St. Nicholas day in early December (see above), has a Santa event coming up (noon – 3 PM Dec 15, 2012) and offers special pricing on Christmas items such as poinsettias and Christmas cacti. If you live on the west side or downtown, it is worth planning a trip to a garden centre in another Lower Mainland city. You will find that the prices can be more competitive and the selection is larger. You can always combine your trip with another activity such as seeing a movie in a large, suburban cinema, trying a regional restaurant or going to a special event. Here in the Tri-Cities area east of Vancouver, the Evergreen Cultural Centre is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to unique, top rate local arts productions. (Hint: The Christmas Carol and Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe productions Dec. 18 and Dec. 18 – 22 have received rave previews.) The Centre is also home to one of the two ongoing regular sessions connected to the Tokyo-based Pecha Kucha organization.

Christmas decorations available for purchase at Amsterdam Greenhouses & Garden Centre in Pitt Meadows.
(Click on image to enlarge.)

If you can get hold of greenery from the outdoors, via a visit to an acreage or purchased in raw form at a greenhouse, MarthaStewart.com has some inspiring projects that will have you dreaming of a decked out mantle, doorway, balcony or banister. Stores such as Michaels often run coupon discounts in their flyers. If you need to stock up on crafting supplies such as ribbon, a glue gun and wire, this is a good way to find what you need without breaking your budget. Once you have invested in some core tools, you will be able to use them year after year. The projects can seem daunting, but once you are used to making something you will look forward to doing the same project the following year. Other ideas are quite simple. For example, you can collect pine cones and nestle them in branches on your Christmas tree or spray the tips with metallic paint and gather them in an attractive bowl. See the Wreaths, Garlands and More section on MarthaStewart.com for numerous project ideas or check back issues of their magazine in your local library.

Another way that you can bring greenery and natural elements into your home is by arranging flowers or purchasing a ready-made Christmas flower arrangement. Here at BCFamily.ca we have been working with Kathleen at Proline Trading Company for the last five years. She owns a wholesale florist and event planning business in Burnaby. She maintains a cold room of flowers but can also make arrangements to purchase specific types of flowers. Her prices are competitive and her attention to service is impeccable. Every year our family arranges to have a bouquet sent from one set of parents to a parent on the other side of the family. We do the transaction completely over the phone and Kathleen has the bouquet delivered. We will also call her for other requirements as well such as anniversaries or funeral flowers. If this opportunity sounds appealing, consider calling Kathleen to see if you can come in and say “hello” and meet face-to-face before getting in the habit of making business requests over the phone. It is also a good idea – even though it’s not necessary – to have an idea of what types of roses, for example, that you like. The more specific you are about your request, the most satisfied you will be with the results. The bouquet shown below was prepared by Proline at Christmas time last year and had been in bloom for a few days. Isn’t it beautiful?

(Click on image to enlarge.)

What traditions do you have at your home that involve greenery and natural decorations? You can comment about this posting using the comment function below or by visiting the BC Family Facebook page. Your opinion matters so don’t be shy!

Related

This video features natural elements with decorative items that you might have on hand.

Some inspiration from nature for a Christmas olive platter.

In the following video decorator Susie McAuley weaves natural elements into her Christmas decorations. Some Texan inspiration for BC!

The Art of Living at Home

Arts and Crafts, Family, Gardening, House and Home No Responses »

Aug 252012

Judging by the conversations on social media websites and across cafe tables, you would think that nobody cleans, cooks, gardens, sews, does crafts or other household arts. You might see a photo from time to time on your Facebook homepage of a special meal that someone has created or you might see a photo of flowers in someone’s garden. What you probably won’t see or hear too often are updates about the day-to-day activities that keep a home operational.

This silence is surprising when you consider how much time we devote to scrubbing our homes, doing clothes, caring for balconies and gardens, fixing our house/apartment infrastructure, shopping for food and making three meals a day. When both parents work outside of the home, much of this work is jammed into tight timelines before and after the work day. Meanwhile parents who are at home full-time can expect that their efforts to run a household and further the art of living at home will go unnoticed or unappreciated.

When you consider the types of updates, comments and photos that stream through social media sites like Facebook, is there a place for conversation about everyday activities at home? The focus of such a conversation does not need to be exclusively about the repetition and effort. It can also be about details such as choices that are made when planting a garden or successful outcomes when trying new meals. Part of the problem is that the design of the main social media site – Facebook – is fussy. Inevitably updates end up streaming to all contacts, many of whom do not want to read your everyday content. On Twitter users can set up an online presence that can accommodate these comments, albeit 140 characters at a time. It is worth nothing, though, that research has shown that tweets including a reference to the home are some of the least retweeted tweets.

For most of her adult life, Martha Stewart has been teaching the offspring of former hippies and their children about the art of living. In her younger years a focus on the household arts was lost as attention was given to other social movements and interests. She has capitalized on the desire people have to create, enjoy and feel inspired in their home environments. As a parent of young children it can feel like the cleaning and organization cycle never ends. Martha and many spinoff experts have helped to add some inspiration to this process.

Here at BCFamily.ca this was the first salad of the
summer using lettuce and herbs from the garden.

How’s your weeding coming along? How do you keep the chaos under control?
Did you plant any new annuals or perennials this year?
Did you make any changes in your vegetable garden?
How are you coping with food prices?
Where do you shop for your food?
What are your favourite brands?
What are your favourite farmer’s markets?
We don’t necessarily have the skills to cook up lavish dinners for 15, but we might have found ways to put together home cooked and Whole Foods provided offerings into attractive meals. What are your favourite entertaining tricks?
How do you balance cost with a desire for healthy and sustainable food choices?
Do you have a vegetable garden or patch?
What are your favourite household cleaning tips?
What tricks do you use to organize the clutter in your home?
How do you make laundry an easy and enjoyable experience?
How’s your balcony looking this summer?
Where are you finding recipes?
Do you still use favoured cookbooks?
How do you stay enthused about cooking?
Are you trying any new cuisines?
Do you have any favourite food stores that cater to specific ethnic groups?
Do you make any of your own clothes, toys or other household items?
Where do you buy your sewing and craft supplies at an affordable rate?
What kinds of crafts do you do at home?
How are you learning about home repair and maintenance?
How do you balance the needs and wants on the home front with other social and work priorities?
How are your children involved in the cycle or work and creativity at home?
Do you share this type of information with your family and friends?
What do you remember about these types of activities from your childhood?
What do you remember about how people talked about these topics when you were younger?
How do advertisements reinforce certain ideas about home life?
What are your favourite online and hard copy resources for information that help you at home?
How do your friends and colleagues talk about their efforts at home?
How satisfied are you with the extent to which people in your circle value your contributions on the home front? Rated on a scale of 1 (not at all) to 10 (satisfied.
Are there any local initiatives that support these efforts? For example, do you take courses at local community centers? Do you take part in online communities for people with specific interests? Do you attend local, free courses about gardening?

We all know that people don’t tend to comment, very often, about online comment. (Save for incendiary stories on top media sites.) Still, it’s worth saying that we’d love to hear from you so don’t be shy! You can comment about this posting using the comment function below or visit us at our Facebook page.

Related

This category could produce endless links! Here’s some random offerings.

Seven lost household arts for going green

Forgotten Household Arts, by John Seymour*

Zakka Sewing: 25 Japanese Sewing Projects for the Household*

Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook*

Don’t forget to check out YouTube for any topic that interests you. As an example, there are fabulous videos about how to make specific crafts.

Martha Stewart’s vast and informative website includes useful articles and videos about topics such as “how to fold a fitted sheet“.

*BCFamily.ca is a member of the Amazon Associates referral programme

A Martha Stewart weblog focussed on families

Family, Gardening, In the kitchen, On the screen No Responses »

Oct 082010

Back in the early 1990′s, Martha Stewart’s Living magazine was a refreshing and exciting arrival in the magazine publishing world. It is hard to express the emotions and sense of excitement these magazines created for lovers of the art of living in the pre-Internet era. Season by season, Martha and her team shared in depth knowledge on specialized topics in a magazine replete with gorgeous photography, detailed analysis of topics and a thorough approach to providing resource information. The early issues of the magazine published in autumn and spring were particularly beautiful and innovative. As the years have passed, the magazine is still an example of a publication that is consistently high quality and informative. Fast forward to 2010, some time after Martha’s personal problems were shared in the media, and you find that Martha and her teams are, in fact, stronger than ever.

In the ever evolving age of social media applications, Martha Stewart has stayed in step with the times. The Marthastewart.com website is a vast maze of information. It might have escaped your attention that there are a number of themed blogs linked in with the MS website. In particular you will want to check out the Living in the Family Room blog which is billed as an “ode to families and kids” and covers everything from children’s crafts, decorating children’s rooms and celebrating party ideas to organizational tips and ideas, and experiences from the MS team. Topics on the blog include baby stuff, backyard fun, birthday parties, cooking and eating, craft projects, decorating and kids’ rooms, discovering, giveaways, good media, holidays and celebrations, organizing, back to school, pets and animals, reading and learning, road tests, toys and games and other topics. Phew! That just about covers it. The only topic that is missing is health (which seems a bit out of range for this blog). If you enjoyed reading Martha Stewart’s magazines focused on babies and children in years gone past, you will definitely want to check out this blog. (2012 update: this blog has been rolled into the new Living blog.)

So many blogs out there. So much to read. So much to follow. In British Columbia we appreciate topics such as healthy cooking, being self sufficient in the home, gardening and family based traditions. Somehow the Martha Stewart brand has always felt like a good fit here. You cannot go wrong with any content that comes from Martha Stewart Living. With twenty years of magazine publishing under their belt, they know how to the deliver the goods.

What do you think about this topic? Please leave a comment using the comment function below or by visiting our Facebook page. We would love to hear from you!

Related

If you use Twitter you can follow the Editors of MS Living

You can subscribe to a wopping 17 newsletters from the MS team. The themed slide shows that they create are always fascinating. If you appreciate Martha’s Everyday Food magazines (and the related TV show) featuring delicious, fast, fresh and easy recipes at $4.50 a pop, you will want to sign up for the related newsletter that is delivered to your inbox regularly.

You can find Martha Stewart Living on Facebook

You can also follow the MS Craft department

Martha Stewart has her own Twitter account where she lists herself as a “curious, inquisitive, experimental entrepreneur who cares about the world we live in.”

If the Martha Stewart website seems a bit overwhelming in the vastness of its size, check out the section on the bottom where you can find more information about the topics that they cover and all of their websites.

The Everyday Houseblend blog is primarily focused on the Martha Stewart Living brand. It is a great resource for MS fans.

An overview of the history of Martha Stewart’s publications on a weblog – Martha’s Moments – that also celebrates all things Martha Stewart

A day in the life of Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart speaking at BlogHer12.

Martha Stewart on The View (part 1) and (part 2)

Never one to let dust gather under her feet, Martha Stewart is packing up her TV show and moving to the Hallmark channel. If you work out of the home during the day, check out video clips online or set your digital recorder!

In the Garden: Downscaling the River Cottage Way

Gardening No Responses »

Jul 252010

If you are not British and don’t live in the United Kingdom, the River Cottage TV series videos posted online just might be a refreshing find. The premise of the show focuses on Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his efforts to be a rural small holder, growing his own food (fruits, vegetables and livestock). On the River Cottage website he is described as a “talented writer, broadcaster and campaigner, known for his uncompromising commitment to seasonal, and ethically produced food”.

Concepts such as the 100 mile challenge (which started in British Columbia and is now on Food Network) and TV shows such as the Wild Gourmets are primers to appreciate the spirit of the River Cottage shows. The “Wild Gourmet” hosts show how you can hunt, barter and eat wild foods. Their recipe for spiced squirrel popcorn is a culinary eye opener that comes to mind!

So if you’ve been planning to start a garden on your balcony, in your backyard or in a rented plot or half acre, sit back and enjoy the River Cottage shows. Who knows? You might be inspired enough to give up your current lifestyle and start a genuine small holding venture.