Home & Garden

Fraser Valley Farmers Markets 2012

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

From Chilliwack to White Rock to Pitt Meadows, there is a Fraser Valley Farmers Market near you! Here is a list of local farm markets for the 2012 season. If we are missing one in your neighbourhood, please let us know!

Farmers Markets are a wonderful place to discover local farmers and food producers. You will find fruits, vegetables, dairy products, nuts, flowers, meat, fish, preserves, baking, snacks and a variety of unique artisanal works. As the spring turns to summer, and summer to autumn, the offerings change up and you will enjoy the full bounty that our Fraser Valley has to offer.

All of these local markets offer something unique – mark them on your summer calendars and give them each a try! We are excited to visit the Fraser Valley’s newest market – The Eco Market in Sardis!

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5 Great Fraser Valley Garden Centres

Sunday, May 6th, 2012

If you’re anything like me, you love the look of beautiful garden flowers but you just don’t have the time to get them looking half decent. It probably doesn’t help that my thumb is anything but green and that I don’t really know where to begin when it comes to growing a garden! Lucky for me (and all the other brown-thumbed gardeners out there) these 5 great gardening centres in the Fraser Valley employee folks looking to broaden our gardening knowledge. They are also great for seasoned gardeners who are looking for good quality plants and accessories.

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Seed Swap at restaurant 62

Monday, March 19th, 2012

Restaurant 62 in Abbotsford is hosting their 1st Annual Seed Swap on Saturday, March 24, 2012.

From 9am – 1pm, hobby gardeners are invited to exchange seeds and gardening information with other locals. Seeds from plants, flowers, trees or vegetables – all are ‘welcome’!

Registration is not required, simply show up on the day of with your seeds and swap away! The event is free to attend, with an optional donation to Women’s Resource Society of the Fraser Valley.

We think this sounds like fun! Some of our team members have hobby gardens – it would be great to see what our neighbours are growing and to exchange tips/tricks with one another. What a great way to connect!

Restaurant 62 Seed Swap
www.restaurant62.ca
2001 McCallum Road, Abbotsford

5 Fraser Valley Bookstores Worth a Visit

Sunday, November 28th, 2010

There is just something about a rainy or snowy afternoon that makes us want to curl up with a good book. Lucky for us, there are enough fantastic independent bookstores in the Fraser Valley to get us through an entire season of wet and slushy weather! With this list of 5 Fraser Valley bookstores to get lost in, you will have a good idea where to start the next time you’re looking to disappear in a good book – or even a whole bookstore!

Bookman
45939 Wellington St, Chilliwack 604.792.4595

Open 364 days a year (closed only on Christmas Day), you’ll never have to wonder if The Bookman will be open when the book shopping mood strikes you.

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Preparing Your Car for Winter

Sunday, November 21st, 2010

Winter sure has arrived here in the Fraser Valley. As we are posting this article, it’s -8c outside. -8!!! We asked local mechanic, Brendan Grant, for some advice about preparing one’s car for the cold winter weather. We hear it’s going to be a cold one this year, so check out these great tips!

Q. Why is it important to prepare your car for the winter?

A. With colder temperatures bringing snow, ice and rain it’s clearly important to have your vehicle safe and in proper operating condition for the coming winter.

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Frugal Fun: Jo Priestley Pottery Studio & Garden

Monday, November 8th, 2010

As we know from last week’s Pulse Spotlight, the Fraser Valley is filled with incredibly talented artists! This month for our Frugal Fun adventure, we visited the studio of local pottery artist Jo Priestley, and learned about beautiful artwork, tending gardens, and taking time to enjoy the views of the Fraser Valley.

The Jo Priestley Pottery Studio & Garden is a great artistic destination to visit before the weather gets too chilly. Located in Mission, Jo opens her studio, personal gallery and award winning garden up to visitors Thursdays to Sundays from 10am – 5pm. Admission is complimentary, and visitors are encouraged to wander around the grounds and enjoy not only the pottery, but also the beautiful garden and a breathtaking view of the Fraser Valley.

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Composting Tips With Langley Environmental Partners Society

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

Composting does not have to stop in the winter time. One can compost inside, in your garage or outside with some insulation in most weather conditions. We asked Liz Kendler of the Langley Environmental Partners Society for some tips on composting. The Langley Environmental Partners offers composting classes as part of their mission to “protect and restore the natural environment through education, cooperation and action.”

Q. To someone who has never composted before, how would you simply explain its benefits?

A. It’s estimated that a whopping 40% of our household waste is organic material. Some of our landfills are close to overflowing and all this unnecessary garbage is contributing to climate change.

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Outdoor Living Tips With Heather Stewart

Monday, May 24th, 2010

With the beautiful weather lately we want to spend as much time outdoors as possible. FVP asked local home stager, Heather Stewart for tips on creating beautiful outdoor living spaces.

Q. When should you start planning and setting up your outdoor living space?

A. You can set up your outdoor living space as soon as it’s warm enough that you want to spend time there.

You can plan your outdoor space all year long. Pay attention to colours, textures and shapes that you like and think about how you might incorporate them into your outdoor space.

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Local Landscapers Renovate Ridge Meadows Hospice Grounds

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

This morning I caught up with a group of very generous local landscape professionals. Representatives from Beneath Your Feet Landscaping, Blasig Landscape & Construction, Golden Ears Landscaping, Janzen & Co. Landscaping, and The Green Man Landscape Services were working their buns off this sunny Earth Day as part of the PLANET Day of Service. PLANET Day of Service is an internationally recognized grassroots event bringing landscape professionals together for volunteer projects which beautify the grounds of schools, parks, playgrounds, senior centers, shelters and anywhere that people enjoy green spaces. Today they were renovating the front grounds of the Ridge Meadows Hospice Society’s Bailey House and McKinney Creek residencese, on Laity Street in Maple Ridge.

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Interview: Gardening Tips With Arnold Falk

Monday, March 15th, 2010

One of the best things about Spring is the beautiful flowers and vegetation. While there are plenty of pretty plants throughout the Fraser Valley, if you want them in your own backyard it will take a bit of work. With all the plant varieties, weather variables and technical knowledge needed, gardening can be overwhelming. We asked local nursery owner, Arnold Falk, for advice on gardening in the Fraser Valley climate.

Arnold, his wife, Brenda, and daughter Lauren run a boutique nursery, Tanglebank, located in Abbotsford.

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