KAMLOOPS – The City is working on a Food and Urban Agriculture Plan and wants to hear from you.

What is the Food and Urban Agriculture Plan? Urban hens, farmers’ markets, community gardens, virtual food hubs, composting, edible landscapes, gleaning, backyard sharing, community kitchens, gardening techniques that conserve or reuse water, and much, much more – come on out and share your ideas on anything to do with local food and urban agriculture.

There are several ways to provide input on the plan:

Attend an open house:
These events will feature activities, informative posters, online and hard copy surveys, live music, and local food demonstrations.
                                 
 - Saturday, Jan. 31, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at North Hills Mall near the Extra Foods entrance. Entertainment will be provided by Johnson Sandwich.
 - Saturday, Feb. 7, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., at the lower level of Aberdeen Mall. Entertainment provided by Margit Bull.

A Kamloops-exclusive, Chef David will be participating in a Black Box Food Challenge at the open houses. Audience members will choose from a selection of black boxes that hide locally-grown food items. Chef David will then have 20 minutes to prepare a gourmet dish with this mystery item and share with audience members. Learn about local food production while watching the sweat on the chef's brow as he tests his talents to beat the clock.

Contact your community association:
We want to meet with you where you are. If there is an interest in providing input into the Food and Urban Agriculture Plan in your neighbourhood, please discuss with your community association and ask that they contact city staff to arrange a meeting.

Complete the online survey:
Go to the city’s food security webpage at www.kamloops.ca/letstalk and click on the on-line survey link. Leave your name and contact information to be added to the stakeholder contact list, and entered into a chance to win one of four $150 gift certificates from the garden centres at Art Knapp or Lyons!

The public engagement phase for the Food and Urban Agriculture Plan will run through the end of February. More information on the plan can be found at www.kamloops.ca/foodsecurity.

News from © iNFOnews, 2015