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Introduction

This is your neighbourhood action response plan connecting you with community to experience growing your very own organic veggie garden for Spring, Summer and Fall!

We match apartment dwellers who have a commitment to learn and experience growing an organic vegetable garden but do not have access to a garden space and we pair them with homeowners who have an under-utilized garden space to share.  By connecting these 2 communities together, we build robust and nutritious gardens that provide healthy abundant food for the apartment dweller and the homeowner.

Sign-Up To Learn More Here!

The world is shifting and there is a growing movement to reclaim garden growing knowledge by learning and experiencing hands on how to grow an abundant, organic food producing garden that can supply you with healthy nutritious food.

Learn how to grow nutritious vegetables that feed you and your family for a lifetime!

Knowledge is power. Get Started!

Tell me more about the Food 4 Thought Garden Matching Program

What is it?

Food 4 Thought is a vegetable garden matching and organic garden support program that matches apartment dwellers who have a love, longing and passion to connect with soil, plants and a desire to learn and experience how to grow an organic veggie garden and we pair them with a local homeowner in their area that has a front or backyard garden space to share.

We offer a step-by-step guided program that educates and informs new and novice apartment dwellers how to build, prepare and grow an abundant organic vegetable garden. We connect community and neighbours together.  Both the apartment dweller and the homeowner get to enjoy organic produce.

Who is it for?

Homeowners and Renters of Homes

If you own or rent a home with a sunny front or backyard garden – This garden matching program is perfect for you.  If you have a front and/or backyard garden space and you are not able to tend to a portion of it because it is either too large for you to manage, or you are not able to garden because of health reasons or maybe you have family and work commitments that make it challenging for you to spend time outside overseeing and maintaining a garden, we are able to connect you with community and match you with a committed and respectful gardener.

As a homeowner or renter of a home with a garden space, you love the idea of connecting with and building community and you enjoy eating organic vegetables.  Your time may be limited but you would love to see your front and/or backyard garden space being used to its fullest potential whilst also benefiting from receiving organically grown vegetables straight from your garden space all without having to lift a finger!

Apartment Dwellers

And…If you’re an apartment dweller with a passion to grow an organic vegetable garden of your dreams – Then this garden matching program is perfect for you!  If you’re accepted into our program, we’ll do our very best to match you with a homeowner in your area who has a garden space they’re willing to share. You’ll have the option to be supported throughout your gardening journey and you’ll gain the knowledge and hands-on experience to be able to grow a nutritious and abundant vegetable garden to feed yourself and your family for a lifetime.

How does it work?

It’s a simple process.  Fill out either the Apartment Dweller Sign-Up form or the Homeowner Sign-Up form, and we’ll reach out to you to begin the matching process with participating members in your local area.

Why does it exist?

We created the Food 4 Thought garden matching and organic growing program in March 2020 in our city, Vancouver, BC.  It was an idea originally born from meeting many apartment dwellers over the years who came to visit our lush urban backyard vegetable garden who would then express over and over ‘Oh! I wish I had a space like this to garden’.  When the lockdowns came into effect in March 2020, we decided to bring our idea of matching apartment dwellers who don’t have space to grow a vegetable garden with homeowners who have an under-utilized sunny front or backyard garden space together.

Our program provides new, novice and experienced apartment dweller gardeners the opportunity to connect with community to grow a lush and nutritious urban organic vegetable garden.  Both homeowners and apartment dwellers get to experience connecting with their neighbours and both get to eat an abundance of delicious, nutritious organic vegetables.

Sign-Up To Learn More Here!

Growing your own veggies is cool – join our community today!

Here is why you NEED to build your knowledge and experience on how to grow your own organic vegetable garden

  • Wellbeing and optimal health are how you want to feel about your body, mind and spirit. It is a fact and a likely continuing trend now that people are spending more and more time at home and they are becoming more aware about how they want to spend their free time and create ways to feel their best when preparing and consuming the food they eat.
  • The world is on a great mission. More than half of consumers are searching for ways to spend their time and money in socially and ethically conscious ways.
  • It is human nature to want to learn new skills especially in changing economic times parallelled with the need to care for the environment at a deeper level. We can all play a part in supporting the environment whilst creating and building new skills required to grow an abundant, organic food producing garden – skills that will stay with you for a lifetime!
  • Become a steward of the environment and Mother Earth. It has become an urgent and necessary fact that you must have a complete understanding of the key components of knowledge coupled with hands on experience to be able to grow an abundant, nutritious and organic vegetable garden for the optimal future health for you, your family and the planet at large.

🥳 We’re Now Accepting Sign-Ups For Our Last and Final  Intake of the Year. 

Yes! You Can Garden This Fall!  🙌🏼

Pssst….

Homeowners, experience a lush organic vegetable garden all without having to lift a finger!

Sign-Up To Learn More Here
Garden 4 Food 4 Thought - family

“Let thy food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food”

– Hippocrates

Be Quick… Fill out the Sign-Up form below to learn more and we will be in touch with a follow-up email and next steps.

If You Are An Apartment Dweller Wanting a Vegetable Garden Space then…

———– Fill out this Sign-Up form  ———–

 

🥳 We’re Now Accepting Sign-Ups For Our Last and Final  Intake of the Year. 
Yes! You Can Garden This Fall!  🙌🏼

 

If you would like the chance to be assigned a garden space this Fall, pop your name on the Sign-Up form below and we’ll reach out to you with next steps in September or October.

💛

If You Own or Rent A Home With A Sunny Front or Backyard Garden Space And to Secure a Gardener Today Then…

——– Fill out this Sign-Up Form ——–

 

WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING GARDENS FOR THE FALL 2024 AND SRING 2025 GROWING SEASON.

Be matched with a locally vetted, committed and respectful gardener who will plant an array of vegetables! 🙌🏼  

💚

Our Sponsors

A few of the many

Gardening Perks you’ll

receive

  • Learn the in-depth gardening growing cycle for the top 25+ best veggies that grow the best in Vancouver
  • Learn from a ‘boots-on-the-ground’ 19 year urban organic backyard vegetable gardener
  • Experience what it takes to journey through the step by step and week to week full organic gardening process from Spring thru to early Fall
  • Join our Spring weekly Live Q+A Zoom calls with other urban new and novice vegetable gardeners and have your questions answered exclusively for our community
  • Access group savings on purchase and delivery of soil, organic compost, plant seedlings, seeds and more
  • Join our energetic community of organic gardeners.  Be part of our exclusive and interactive organic growing vegetable community chat group
  • Access to monthly deliveries of bulk organic fruit from the Okanagan
  • Expert mentorship – Troubleshoot your garden problems and get personal and guided direction on your gardening challenges
  • Growing vegetables on your own can be lonely – be surrounded by supportive and like-minded gardeners. Get inspired, ask questions, generate ideas, make friends and have fun!

Grow with Purpose. Get Started Now!

Here is what our gardeners have to say!

  • Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into this group! It’s such a great initiative with so many positive outcomes for the people involved as well as for the environment!
  • This project introduced me to the most supportive community and gave me purpose during this unusual COVID Summer. Thank you!
  • If everyone was as nice to one another as they are so in our garden, the world would be a much sweeter place.
  • This opportunity has brought so much joy and satisfaction. I appreciate the time and effort put into developing and guiding the gardeners through this experience.
  • Thanks for all your hard work and awesome organization to make this such a great learning experience!

Imagine being able to reduce your conventional vegetable shopping by 80%? It is possible!

Homeowner testimonial

We have really enjoyed connecting with our gardener and love the fresh and healthy food being grown in our own space. Thanks for organizing, it has been a great experience!

Julie S.Vancouver homeowner

The Food 4 Thought Organic Gardening Journey

Step 1.

April – May: Complete our 10 day Get Ready To Garden Challenge

Step 2.

April – May: Meet and Greet with your newly assigned gardener or homeowner garden host

Step 3.

May – June: Prepare your garden for everything you’ll need to grow a successful organic vegetable garden.  Plant your seedling babies here and join our private and lively veggie garden chat group.

Step 4.

June – July: Watch as your newly planted seedlings begin to grow and grow and grow plus harvest your early maturing veggies!  Plant your veggies for a fall and winter harvest here!

Step 5.

July – August: Harvest and maintain your organic garden.  This is the month to harvest, harvest, harvest!

Step 6.

August – September:  The organic garden harvest continues …

Step 7.

September- October: Harvest Fall crop of vegetables.  Planning and preparation begin for putting your garden to ‘bed’ for the winter months.

Step 8.

October – March: Planting garlic and planning for the following year’s vegetable garden growing season.  Stay connected with your new and growing organic vegetable garden community and reflect on the incredible gardening journey you’ve just completed.

Gain all the knowledge and experience you need to tap into this year’s growing season!

Workshops

  • Starting plants from seed – how to grow strong healthy seedlings
  • Learn the best transplanting techniques for a variety of starter seedlings
  • How to Collect and Save Seed From Your Favourite Fruits and Vegetables
  • Kiss the Ground: Herb-walk presentation and discussion

Learn how to grow your own organic vegetable garden and reduce your intake of conventionally sprayed vegetables.

Homeowner testimonial

I loved watching how excited my gardener was this year. She loved her garden so much, I painted her a rock with her name on it!

Joanne O.Vancouver homeowner

Apartment dwellers from a variety of backgrounds and professions join our program;

  • Yoga teachers
  • Optometrists
  • Medical researchers
  • Construction workers
  • Veterinarians
  • Lawyers
  • Physiotherapists
  • Chefs
  • Doctors
  • Software and web developers
  • School Teachers
  • Nurses
  • University Students
  • Retired professionals
  • A Filmmaker …and even
  • An opera singer!

By joining our community, you are building and discovering a new way to learn and be in the world, creating a healthier, more sustainable, and conscious way to participate with nature and experience all the secrets and magic Mother Nature has to offer.

Read apartment dweller testimonials here

It is a joy to be a part of this simple yet innovative initiative to partner apartment dwellers passionate about growing their own food with homeowners who have unused green spaces ripe for gardening. This project represents urban gardening at it's finest, where gardeners and homeowners alike reap the benefits of community, sustainability, and freshly-grown food.

This program is an amazing opportunity to connect with the community and nature, and to marvel in the wonders that growing your own produce can have on both your mental and physical health!! Camille and James are both delightful and will help guide you through this learning process in a positive manner.

A wonderful, uplifting experience! Learned a ton about growing food and became part of a community of likeminded people! Thank you so much!

This has been a fantastic experience! And, now that we have a bit of experience and know what to expect, we'll be able to plan and execute our garden much better next year.

Join Now to Get Started

Meet Camille

Camille is the founder of Food 4 Thought. She is originally from New Zealand and grew up in the City of Sails.  There is no other place she would rather spend her time, however, than in the garden during the Summer months right here in Vancouver harvesting all the delicious organic produce that was planted by James earlier in the Spring 😉  Camille is an abstract painter, photographer, and is an interior designer by day.

For the past 19 years, Camille has been growing a substantial urban backyard organic veggie garden along with her partner James, and she now wants to share the joys and the journey with others showcasing what it takes to grow a successful nutrient-rich organic backyard veggie garden and she wants to encourage and cheerlead others on to have the same success.

Meet James

James is Food 4 Thought’s 19 year hands-on veteran master organic vegetable gardener. He grew up in a small town in the Kootenays. His family were avid vegetable gardeners and he spent many after-school days helping his father maintain the lush and abundant family veggie patch. James’ grandmother was also an avid gardener as well as a knowledgeable herbalist. James has built an extensive number of raised garden beds and has in-depth knowledge of all things relating to soil and plant health, as well as how to keep and store your own seed for future planting.

James will lead Live weekly Q+A Zoom calls for our dedicated vegetable garden growing community.  He’ll answer all your questions on the week to week stages and best practices of growing a successful organic garden such as how to care for the soil, the top 30+ best vegetables to grow in the Pacific North West, where and how to plant your seedlings, how to nurture and maintain your plants, optimal harvesting practices and how to prepare your garden for the winter season to maintain soil integrity and so much more.

James is energetic, passionate, lively and brings humour and fun to all gardening components.  He will demystify the growing process for your ultimate vegetable garden success.

Invest your energy into a worthwhile cause – See immediate impact in your own life, your community and the world at large

Join Us Today

Some of the reasons apartment dwellers want to grow their own organic veggie garden

  • To be able to grow my own food to cook with, try new things, spend time outdoors, and learn how to take care of a garden.
  • Because the first time around was amazing!
  • I am passionate about growing food and I want to learn more about gardening!
  • It’s such a great initiative and I’ve learned so much over the past season.
  • Always dreamed about having a garden and being part of a community.
  • Wanted to learn how to grow food, and buy less plastic packaged food.
  • The chance at having my own garden!
  • We really enjoyed the fresh veggies we were getting at the farmer’s market and wanted to try growing our own.
  • Have always wanted to try growing my own garden! Motivated by the environment and health, also just a love of food and cooking!
  • The chance to learn about organic gardening and meet like-minded people.
  • Desire to plant a vegetable garden after a number of years of passive interest.

Be an effective change maker. Sign up today!

Why you should join us today?

  • Grow your own independence and develop your confidence through learning a new skill
  • Invest your energy into a worthwhile cause – see immediate impact in your own life, in your community, and in the world at large
  • Because growing your own veggies is cool!
  • Be part of a greater awakening by setting an example for others to follow
  • Develop a powerful foundational life skill
  • Build resilience
  • Begin to eat more healthfully
  • Connect more consciously with nature
  • Build your awareness and understanding of permaculture
  • Develop a network of friendships that build community for a lifetime

healthy organic eating

healthy organic eating

healthy organic eating

healthy organic eating

healthy organic eating

For the apartment dwellers, we provide gardening support through weekly Live Zoom Q+A sessions and provide ‘How To’ videos relating to all things growing organic food as well as outdoor hands-on workshops.

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awaits you

awaits you

awaits you

awaits you

Apartment Dweller Testimonials

Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into this group! It’s such a great initiative with so many positive outcomes for the people involved as well as for the environment!

Thanks for all your hard work and awesome organization to make this such a great learning experience!

Thanks so much for creating this gardening community. Your positive energy and eagerness to create and nurture this community and help new gardeners succeed has been inspirational

This project introduced me to the most supportive community and gave me purpose during this unusual COVID Summer. Thank you!

If everyone was as nice to one another as they are so in our garden, the world would be a much sweeter place.

It’s been a wonderful opportunity to feel supported in gardening locally. So deeply appreciative!!

This opportunity has brought so much joy and satisfaction. I appreciate the time and effort you put in to developing it and guiding the gardeners through this experience. I think it’s a brilliant idea and I hope it is something that can grow and expand in the coming years.

It is a joy to be a part of this simple yet innovative initiative to partner apartment dwellers passionate about growing their own food with homeowners who have unused green spaces ripe for gardening. This project represents urban gardening at it's finest, where gardeners and homeowners alike reap the benefits of community, sustainability, and freshly-grown food.

This program is an amazing opportunity to connect with the community and nature, and to marvel in the wonders that growing your own produce can have on both your mental and physical health!! Camille and James are both delightful and will help guide you through this learning process in a positive manner.

Amazing opportunity to learn more about gardening and connecting with the community, thanks so much for facilitating this experience!

A wonderful, uplifting experience! Learned a ton about growing food and became part of a community of likeminded people! Thank you so much!

Thank you for your dedication, commitment, drive and hard work with making this garden project come to life! It is a full-time job for Camille and James and they do it with all their heart and soul.

Thank you for all your hard work in organizing a pleasant gardening experience.

So grateful to join in this group of passionate gardeners! James and Camille have been so helpful: James with his knowledge of all things gardening and Camille with her friendly, welcoming nature making sure everyone is happy. Such a great opportunity to learn and eat the healthiest food!

This has been a fantastic experience! And, now that we have a bit of experience and know what to expect, we'll be able to plan and execute our garden much better next year. Can't thank you enough Camille! Truly such a great job you've done with this program.

Our gardeners are excited… here is more of what they had to say!

  • Finding purpose during my stress leave, building VERY strong connections and being part of the most supportive community in times of social isolation, meeting lovely Joanne and her family, learning new things and being motivated by constant (fun) challenges, feeling empowered by making my own decisions, being creative, being outside and getting dirty, eating delicious food. I honestly feel the food is just a byproduct of the 2 most important things: community building and finding purpose in the current challenging times.
  • I love having a garden to care for. To watch transform. It is creative and inspiring. A garden offers me so much more than I could ever imagine. It reminds me of my great grandmother and grandmother who both tended to their gardens daily. I am surprised with how much we can grow on a small piece of land, it’s truly a blessing. I am at awe with how fresh our produce is from the garden plot. Kale from our garden is way more tender and fresh than store bought. It fascinates me that everything we grow comes from a very small seed. It is kind of magical if you think about it. It’s a miracle. Mother Earth is amazing and offers us so much.
  • I have noticed that I am much more inspired in the kitchen to create meals that I would have otherwise not tried. I tried fresh figs for the first time and made tea from leaves and it was very delicious. I am now into canning and learning about how to take care of my gut with fermented foods. At the moment I have a fermentation station at home which includes carrots, cauliflower and corn. I also started kombucha inspired by a fellow gardener who gave me a starter. I am beyond grateful for this incredible garden space.
  • Excited to continue with the program and keep learning! Loved it last year!
  • I participated last Summer and it was an amazing experience I would not want to miss out this year
  • I love the feeling of growing food and I am super passionate about sustainable agriculture and building community.
  • It’s been a huge learning experience. I’ve really enjoyed seeing how the plants grow and discovering which plants grow best during which months. Of course, the food we’ve gotten from our own garden has been incredible and it keeps coming! Also, the other gardeners are really friendly, it’s been great getting to know them and being part of this gardening community.

Growing food is the single most impactful thing you can do. Join us today.

See what more gardeners are saying about their experience with Food 4 Thought

  • A great help for my mental health during a difficult time.
  • Increased knowledge of gardening practices and methods
  • Way more fresh food I can eat each day than I would have been able to grow otherwise in my small balcony!
  • Eating fresh organic produce, fostering a lifelong love of growing food and desire to continue and teach others, meeting new friends and being part of a supportive community
  • Gardening is a nice break from being inside most of the day. It has given me more appreciation for food and taught me much about gardening. Thank you Camille and James for the opportunity!
  • I am eating more fresh produce, I feel more connected to the community in Kitsilano = physical and mental health benefits!
  • I feel like eating all the fresh veggies have had a positive impact on my health. Also, the act of growing the veggies makes me appreciate the effort that goes into growing food.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime

– Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher, Founder of Taoism

Hear from homeowners their favourite reasons for having a new gardener garden in their space:

I love seeing vegetables growing so well in what were previously empty boxes of dirt.

Seeing the pride and excitement Sarah has with her garden. Getting to know our new gardener.

Connecting with community.

Love to see veggies growing where there weren't any before.

🥳 We’re Now Accepting Sign-Ups For Our Last and Final  Intake of the Year. 

Yes! You Can Garden This Fall!  🙌🏼

Pssst….

Homeowners, experience a lush organic vegetable garden all without having to lift a finger!

Sign-Up To Learn More Here

Change is happening. The world is awakening to a new way to participate in its own healing journey and healthful living – Will you join us too?

Join us today.

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Contact us here at garden4food4thought@gmail.com

 

Address:  PO Box 74629 Kitsilano RPO, Vancouver, BC, V6K 2G0