Strathcona 1890 Truck Farm

Watching things grow doesn't have to be boring anymore! The Truck Farm has been sighted throughout Vancouver. But where to do it?

From Robson Street and Farmers Markets to the PNE and Strathcona Harvest Festival, you never know where it will show up. The Truck Farm is a mobile demonstration of small space gardening. It promotes Strathcona 1890 Seed Collections which in turn fund the Urban Seed Project. The Strathcona 1890 Truck Farm was created to give people a small taste of what urban farming is all about. Basically we dri

ve it to different locations, park and wait for people to notice. It takes between 3-5 minutes to start gathering a crowd. Every one who is engaged with us also gets a sample pack of Strathcona 1890 Truck Farm Seeds to try their hand at growing food. Apart from cruising the streets, the Truck Farm visits schools, daycares, and community centres where we teach kids about growing food from seeds and help create and upkeep gardens. The Brooklyn Connection

When Ian Cheney moved to New York City after making King Corn, a film about growing an acre of America’s most subsidized commodity crop, he wanted to grow something a little different. After all, he’d seen firsthand the problems associated with growing a crop like yellow dent #2 corn — the raw material for high fructose corn syrup, countless processed foods, and confined animal feeding operations. With America reeling from epidemics of obesity and diabetes, it was high time to try planting a garden of one’s own. He didn’t own any land, all the community gardens were full, and the asphalt seemed to stretch on forever. Taking a good long look at the 1986 Dodge his grandfather had given him upon college graduation, Ian decided to give truck farming a whirl. Within days of planting his first seeds he had seedings bursting from the soil. He took the rolling farm to numerous schools and events, filming it as he went along. Efforts like these prove that there is a group of people out there that are truly concerned with where their food comes from and honoring the connection to what they eat. Above that, they’re willing to think creatively about what it’s going to take to encourage entire communities to move in that direction. Cheney and Ellis remind us that the demand is there; that in urban spaces, restaurants want locally grown goods, be it from a rooftop farm or the back of a truck. And if the demand is there, we need to start thinking about increasing the supply, from window gardens to planters of herbs. I wanted to bring the concept to Vancouver, in the back of my 1993 Mazda which had been "relaxing" in the back alley for six years. I came up with a way to lighten the load while increasing the soil depth so I could also incorporate carrots (which I love) and other root vegetables. Most truck farms have a shallow soil depth and only grow shallow rooting vegetables (lettuce is great for this.) I hope you will follow the Truck Farm's travels. It is sure to be an interesting journey.

05/22/2024

Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die

10/12/2023

Fun activity for the kiddos!

https://www.familydaystriedandtested.com/pumpkin-bird-feeder/

Can you spare a few moments to take my survey?

03/29/2023

Please help us learn more about who buys our products.

Can you spare a few moments to take my survey? Please take the survey titled "Here's your chance to help us grow". Your feedback is important!

02/10/2023

Want to experience life in the slow lane? Come stay on our tiny farm (Find us at MustLoveChickens on AirBnB or [email protected])

02/06/2023

Share the love!

If you love bees (and really, who doesn't) share the love this spring. Order a Bee Garden Kit before February 28, 2023, and we will give you a free Bee Bouquet for you to share with a friend (or a stranger, because that could be the beginning of something really cool).

02/06/2023

There is a reason Plant Tonic is our number one product.

Photos from Strathcona 1890 Truck Farm's post

12/09/2022

Come find us back in our old neighbourhood this Saturday & Sunday! This is our only downtown Vancouver market and our last market before Christmas. Click to see some of the things we will be bringing, including some you wont find in stores.

12/05/2022

I am bringing great garden gift ideas and irreverent notecards to Eastside Flea on Dec 10&11. Hope to see lots of my old Vancouver friends & neighbours!

09/01/2022

Been a long time since I posted but just wanted to assure you that the TruckFarm is still growing food. (Gold Nugget Tomatoes)

We'll all be paying a lot more for food next year, says Canada's Food Price Report — CBC News

12/09/2021

Get your gardens going! Not just annual veg, plant a couple fruit trees (columnar apple trees are quite compact, only 3 ft wide), add some berries (there will be a shortage of local blueberries in 2022)

Plant a balanced garden and harvest more every year.

We'll all be paying a lot more for food next year, says Canada's Food Price Report — CBC News Sky high food prices were one of many negative impacts that Canadians felt during the pandemic plagued year of 2021. And a new report suggests that problem is only going to get worse next year.

06/10/2021

Expand your garden!
2 year old dwarf apple trees $50

Wynoochee Early - a flavourful early apple discovered in Washington State in the early 1900’s that is ideally suited to our coastal climate.

Ambrosia - Cultivated by the Mennell family of Similkameen Valley, BC, who discovered it growing in their orchard in the early 1900’s. Ambrosias are crisp and juicy with a sweet, honeyed flavour.

Cox Queen - A self-fertile variant of Orange Pippin, which is often regarded as the finest of all dessert apples, well suited for our cooler climate.

Honeycrisp - almost, but not quite an heirloom since it only goes back to the 1970’s, that is very popular because it is so juicy, crisp and delicious.

Strathcona Farm in Mission BC, pm Judy Kenzie or email [email protected] to arrange a visit or pick up.

Claim ownership or report listing

Want your school to be the top-listed School/college in Vancouver?

Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.

Location

Vancouver

Contact the school

Click here to send a message to the school

Website

http://www.truckfarm.ca/

Address

Vancouver, BC