Canada: Vancouver-Based Garden Matching Program Reimagines Urban Land Use
9 out of 10 gardeners that join the program are new or novice gardeners
Bowie Yin Sum Kung
Mar 22, 2023
Excerpt:
Food 4 Thought is an urban organic garden matching program that started in the Kitsilano neighbourhood in the spring of 2020, matching keen apartment dwelling gardeners with welcoming house owners or tenants who have yard space. Many gardeners who join the program have waited years to get into a community garden or have grown from their north-facing shady balcony without much success. Upon joining Food 4 Thought, gardeners get a space (that’s much bigger than 2-by-4-feet!) to grow organic, nutritious vegetables; the homeowners, also known as garden hosts, get to look out into a beautiful, colourful, and lush yard.
The COVID-19 pandemic gave interior designer Camille much needed time to realise this long-time idea. At that time, she felt a calling to put it all together. She listened to the whisper in her ear (possibly by a hummingbird, a ladybird, or the fig tree in her backyard!) and took action. She received support from the Kitsilano Neighbourhood Small Grants program and matched their first 15 gardeners to homeowners. What started as a part-time passion project has grown into a full-time lifestyle. Now, going into their 4th growing season, they have over 100 matches in the city, from Dunbar and Kerrisdale to the west, to South Main, Renfrew-Collingwood, and Hastings-Sunrise to the east.
