Summer recap & Upcoming events
Happy fall equinox! Summer has quickly come and gone and we are now into winter squash harvesting and cover crop seeding. It has been another very fruitful and busy season at multiple community events, on-site tours, and produce grown by Sandown farmers and distributed across markets, food banks, CSA programs, and more.
Top (left to right): VIU Soils Microcredential class comes for a field day, Liam offering fresh vegetables at Feast of Fields, grade 3 and 4 classes from Selkirk Montessori come for a field trip
Bottom (left to right): Veggie fans at Feast of Fields, Liam washes carrots for our community partners, Shannon of Headwind Farm gives a tour as part of Flavour Trails
Are you interested in booking a tour and activity at SCRA? Reach out to us by email at info@sandowncentre.com we'd be happy to have you!
Thank you to everyone who came to support our Wednesday markets this summer! We look forward to providing you with more produce from the site next year and seeing how we can collaborate with the incoming operators of the new Harvest Hub.
We also wrapped up our home gardener course for the season! Thank you to the participants who came each month. We look forward to running this course again next year. Keep an eye out for registration coming soon.
Upcoming Events:
Catalyst Conference
Geared towards young farmers starting their journey into farming and food-systems work
FED and the Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture are excited to share the 2nd annual Youth Catalyst Program. This is a free 4-day integrated learning series providing aspiring young farmers and those interested in food systems (ages 16-30) with valuable information crucial to launching a sustainable and thriving career in this space.
Conference Days: Friday, October 2 and Monday, October 5
Synergy Office, downtown
Old Farm Market lunch included
Field Day: Tuesday, October 6
SṈIDȻEȽ (Tod Inlet) and Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture, SaanichTransportation via PNWTS from downtown included
Panel Discussion and Mixer: Thursday, October 8th
Synergy Office, downtown
With the help of local experts and professionals, we will deepen our knowledge of topics such as financial literacy, crop planning, engaging in meaningful collaboration, diving into land matching opportunities, and so much more!
After school youth programming!
This fall, we're launching an after-school youth program. Over four weekly sessions, youth will explore a working farm and outdoor classroom while gaining hands-on experience with
sustainable food systems and food literacy. Participants will harvest and taste vegetables
fresh from the garden, discover insect and plant life cycles, explore the importance of healthy soil, and learn where food comes from through engaging outdoor activities.
This immersive program encourages curiosity, environmental stewardship, and a deeper connection to local food and nature through real-world, hands-on learning.
Sessions take place weekly on Tuesdays from 4:00PM - 5:30PM
Cohort 2: October 13 - November 3
Click the link below to register your child (ages 9 - 11)
From the Community
This is an invitation for GROWING IN NEW SOIL: A Documentary Launch
What does it mean to grow in a place that isn't where your story began?
Join Iye Creative Society for the community launch of Growing in New Soil, a new 27-minute documentary exploring culturally relevant foods, migration, cultural memory, adaptation, and the knowledge carried through food.
A seed can travel. A recipe can cross an ocean. A growing practice can survive displacement. A meal can become an archive.
For one evening, we will gather at theDock - Centre for Social Impact to watch the film together, share food, hear from the people behind the work, and explore what it means to carry cultural food knowledge into new places while allowing it to take root in new soil.
EVENT DETAILS
Date: Monday, October 5, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)
Location: theDock - Centre for Social Impact
Dear Friends, i am looking to bring together young farmers in Rwanda and Vancouver Island. I am wondering if there might be a way to get a conversation going between our wonderful young people? Thank you for your consideration
www.friendsofgashora.com