Kitwanga, BC – Food Sovereignty Tour at Tea Creek Farm

Posted by Jolene Swain on July 20, 2021

We are excited to announce a by invitation Food Sovereignty Tour at Tea Creek Farm, in Kitwanga, B.C. August 7th. 

Jacob and Jessica Beaton are passionate about revitalizing food production and feeding their community. With a vision of resilient, healthy communities built on land-based programs and abundant local food, they established Tea Creek Farm in 2020. In a short amount of time, they have developed land-based training programs that “catalyze new agricultural projects and livelihoods—restoring the ability of Indigenous nations to grow fresh, healthy food and medicine for ourselves and our communities.”  Tea Creek’s Indigenous-led program works in partnership with First Nations proponents to “build a sustainable economy and long-term food sovereignty.”

Indigenous communities have been cultivating food for centuries, from the ancient clam gardens, fish weirs, herring grounds, and kelp farms of Coastal First Nations to forest gardens planted more than 150 years ago, to name a few of the known pre-contact food systems. Through Tea Creek’s Indigenous-led Food Sovereignty Training and Employment programs in collaboration with First Nations, Tea Creek Farm’s mission is to “revitalize the culture of traditional farming and gardening practices that were a central part of life for Indigenous peoples throughout North America.”  Participants train in trades, administration, cooking, and high intensity organic growing methods with the goals of increasing community resilience. To learn more visit: teacreek.ca  

Starting in 2019, Tea Creek farm ran their first self-funded pilot training and employment projects, followed by an employment program and the launch of their training in 2020/2021. In 2020 they expanded their demonstration farm, to produce an abundance of local, healthy, and affordable food. More on their current and upcoming programs can be found here.

Based on a design by the University of Alberta, and refined by Kitwanga Mountain View Enterprises, Tea Creek and their team has begun building greenhouses designed for the north greenhouses, built on farm with local forest products.

On August 7th, Young Agrarians is excited to share that Tea Creek will be hosting a Food Sovereignty farm tour, to grow community and share food and knowledge. Food will be provided. While the event is by invite only, please see below to inquire about a ticket to the event.

DATE: August 7th, 2-5pm

LOCATION: Tea Creek Farm

REGISTER: To inquire about attending this by invitation only event, follow this link.

We will:

  • Do a presentation on our Tea Creek model
  • Offer tours of our site and answer questions
  • Offer networking opportunities between our participants, staff, partners, other food producers, and attendees

BRING: Please bring a chair or blanket to sit on. A light catered meal will be provided, but if you’d prefer you can bring your own meal instead. There will not be any wash stations for dishes available. Optional: face mask.

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

  • Please stay home if you have cold or flu-like symptoms, OR if you’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are completing a period of self-isolation as mandated by public health, OR if you have had contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days. Refer to the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool for more information. 
  • We welcome cancellations at any time – you can do so through Eventbrite, through the link in your registration confirmation email, or by contacting morgan@youngagrarians.org. Please let us know if you aren’t able to attend so we can open up a spot to someone else.
  • Please follow physical distancing guidelines and keep 6 feet apart from other people. No handshakes or hugs please!
  • Masks are not required, but bring one to wear if you’d like.
  • We will have a hand sanitizer station for your use throughout the event. Please refrain from touching tools, pets and livestock, and door handles etc. on the farm.
  • If provincial health guidelines for events change, we may cancel the event and you will be notified by email.

Check out Tea Creek Farm online:

Website: https://teacreek.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teacreekfarm/

YA Blog: https://youngagrarians.org/theyoungestagrarian/

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

UPCOMING CENTRAL & NORTHERN BC EVENTS

Not able to join us for this event? Fear not! Here’s a quick look at the dates and places we’ll be visiting this season. 

September 12: THIMBLEBERRY FARM – Meet & Greet – Terrace

TBD: WILDWOOD FARM – Land Social – Pouce Coupe

TBD: FARMER CAM’S – Field Day – Terrace