IdeaWave

“Growing Young Farmers”™: An innovative answer to Food INsecurity!

Dave Friend

On Vancouver Island:

  • We have become dependent on imported food…
  • We have only 72 hours of food supply — in our supermarkets and restaurants…
  • 98% of us source our food in supermarkets and restauarants
  • We need more people growing and producing health-friendly food in a community for a community…
  • There are approx’ 75,000 school-age students (500,000 in BC) who are able and capable of growing and producing food — on a substantial scale
  • The “Growing Young Farmers” ‘School Program’ actually teaches — mainly in a hands-on manner — school-age students how to grow and produce health-friendly food…
  • Designated classes — every week — particpate in the Program…
  • The Program becomes part and parcel of the students school week — every week…
  • The Program is structured, supervised and mentored and, with the support of the respective teaching staff, is run by experienced ‘Grower-Educators’
  • The ‘aim and objective’ of the Program is for it to become — in the not too distant future — part of the official school-based curriculum

About Dave Friend:

Dave Friend lives on the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island. ‘Born and bread’ in a small farming village in Yorkshire, England.

Worked on organic farms in different parts of the world. Certified Organic grower on Vancouver Island

Organic Consultant — providing professional help, guidance and support to a wide range of people, organizations, businesses and companies, including; Thrifty Foods, The Land Conservancy, Small Potatoes Urban Delivery, people starting organic farms, people wishing to convert their medium to large gardens into organic food-growing areas.

International Educator and Public Speaker on Food Security issues and topics.

Creator and founding chair of Growing Young Farmers — a non-profit registered society; a structured, supervised and mentored ‘School Program’ that teaches school-age students — mainly in a hands-on manner — how to grow and produce health-friendly ‘organic’ food.

2012 IdeaWave