Community Programs > Sooke Garden Network

Join a growing movement in Sooke! Building on the strength of the Society's CASA Teaching Garden Project last year, we are working with members of the community this year to expand the project by networking three gardens: the CASA, EMCS and T'Sou-ke Nation gardens. We are grateful for the support from UBCM, the District of Sooke, the BC 150 Volunteer Incentive Program, Vancity, and the RCMP Community Consultative Committee, making this year's EMCS Society "Sooke Garden Network" project possible.

Our Coordinator for this year's garden project is Jessica Boquist. Our first event of the year was a volunteer work party in the three gardens that took place Saturday 25 April. In all, over 150 people from the community came to the three gardens to help prepare the sites for the season. CASA also ran a seed swap and garden garage sale. Thanks to "Full Circle Seeds" and "Salt Spring Seeds" for their donations to support this event. Much was accomplished in the five-hour work parties. Afterward, volunteers were welcomed to the T'Sou-ke Nation Band Hall to take part in a traditional pit-cook feast, planned and led by Willow Dodge. Jessica Boquist and Roberta MacDonald worked side-by-side with Willow and members of the T'Sou-ke Nation to prepare the feast. Volunteers enjoyed a delicious feast, then stayed to visit and enjoy the sense of community that arose from the day. In all, it was a huge success that succeeded in building a feeling of teamwork and shared purpose, and raised $5000 for the project! Jessica is now working closely with the three Coordinators to increase capacity of all three gardens by coordinating plantings and sharing resources and volunteers. As the summer progresses Jessica will be scheduling workshops, building on the education programs that were offered last year. We look forward to seeing what can be accomplished building on the strength of the partnership. Jessica now hosts two work parties per week in each of the three gardens. For more information, please contact her at jessicaboquist [at] gmail [dot] com.