17. Museum of Vancouver: Winterizing Vegetable Beds and Creating Educational Materials

Project Title

Winterizing Vegetable Beds and Creating Educational Resources

Organization Name

Museum of Vancouver

Organization Information

Organization Name

Museum of Vancouver

Mission and Vision of Organization

Vision

To inspire a socially connected, civically engaged city

Mission

To achieve a deeper understanding of Vancouver through stories, objects and shared experiences

Guiding Principles + Values

As a civic organization we are committed to deepening our collective understanding of the City through our common stories, objects and experiences. MOV conceptualizes this through our engagement priorities, which have been focused into 4 broad areas that we have deemed our pillars. These include:

  • Redress and Decolonization
  • Immigration and Diversity
  • Environment and Sustainability
  • Urban and Contemporary Issues

Contact Information

  • Primary Contact Person(s): Viviane Gosselin
  • Email: vgosselin@museumofvancouver.ca
  • Phone: N/A
  • Address: 1100 Chestnut St, Vancouver, BC
  • Website: https://museumofvancouver.ca/

Preferred Method of Contact

  • Best method(s) to contact: Email
  • Best day(s) to contact: To be determined with community partner
  • Best time(s) to contact: Mornings, Afternoons

Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration

  • Email
  • Zoom

Project Description

Note: This project will take place in person

Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?

Situated on the unceded homelands of the Coast Salish peoples–Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations, the MOV Backyard Garden Project celebrates the multicultural and diverse backyard gardens kept by local residents in Metro Vancouver. The garden was established in partnership with UBC's Initiative for Student Teaching and Research in Chinese Canadian Studies (INSTRCC) as part of the A Seat at the Table exhibit. A Seat at the Table is a multi-sited and collaborative exhibition project that explores historical and contemporary stories of Chinese Canadians in BC and their struggles for belonging. Using food and restaurant culture as entry point, the project highlights stories that reveal the great diversity of immigrant experiences and of the communities immigrants develop. It also addresses themes of belonging, racism, agency, resilience and reparation as important facets of the complex picture of Chinese migrants and their descendants in the province.

The garden project has been supported LFS 350 students since Fall 2021, bringing attention to the Chinese "kitchen garden" -- a backyard garden kept by early Chinese immigrants when traditional Chinese crops were not readily available in local markets. The space encourages us to explore and reflect on the roles of backyard gardens at the intersections of cultural heritage and our local food system.

In continuing support for this multi-year project, LFS 350 students will help organize fall/winter garden activities, particularly focusing on preparing the raised beds for the winter season. The garden plots are situated next to the entrance of the museum and often attract visitors from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. Through their work, students will continue to animate the space, informally engaging with the public about the purpose of the garden project, and sharing information about their specific gardening activities.

Main Project Activities and Deliverables

  • Plan and organise winter garden preparation activities, such as cover cropping and organic soil amendments, to get the beds ready for the 2023 spring growing season
  • Interact with the public/museum visitors when performing gardening activities at the museum, informally sharing information about the garden project and about specific gardening activities
  • Research and create educational signage about preparing garden beds for the winter, with special attention to techniques for supporting soil health
  • In alignment with the themes of A Seat at the Table, educational materials may include information on soil preparation techniques brought by Chinese migrants to our region
  • These techniques would have been used in Chinese kitchen and market gardens, and may still be in active use today, offering an opportunity to educate the public about intergenerational food-growing wisdom in cultural context
  • Students can potentially support an MOV event if appropriate (e.g. help with setup/clean up, etc.) to gain a more contextualized understanding of MOV's programming approach overall

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

  • Knowledge and experience of gardening
  • Knowledge and interest in sustainable agriculture
  • Strong interpersonal skills, comfortable speaking with strangers
  • Experience engaging with public in an educational setting
  • Interest in animating public spaces
  • Interest in migration, racism, and diaspora

Is on-site work required?

  • Yes

Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?

  • n/a

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

  • No

How much self-direction is expected from the students?

At the first community partner meeting, students should clarify the partner's expectations for the following aspects of the project. Who will take the lead, or if leadership is to be shared, to what extent are students expected to lead?

  • Deciding on the project deliverable(s):
  • Developing the activity plan and timeline:
  • Scheduling and initiating the communication plan (e.g. weekly Zoom check-in, biweekly email update, etc.):
  • Implementing the activity plan (e.g. surveying stakeholder groups):
  • Finalizing the deliverable(s):

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

  • MOV's volunteering programs have been paused during the Covid-19 pandemic, but please chat with us, as opportunities may be opening up!

Required Reading

Students should review the following materials prior to the first partner meeting. Additional orientation materials may be provided at the first partner meeting.

Additional Materials

Expected Outcomes

Intended Short-term Project Outcome

The MOV has increased resources and support for the backyard garden project so we can better educate and engage with museum visitors on topics of soil health, food growing, and cultural knowledge.

Learning Outcomes

Through this project, I think students will learn about...

  • The scope of museum mandates to engage with contemporary issues
  • Personal/cultural/social/political dimensions of the food system that are expressed through backyard gardening

By working on this project, I think students will develop skills and/or awareness of...

  • Informal opportunities for informal education and knowledge sharing within an institutional framework
  • importance of a multifaceted approaches for engaging with the general public
  • Cultural diverse and intergenerational knowledge of food growing and soil care

By the end of the project, I believe students will come to appreciate...

  • The potential for museums to activate community connection
  • The many competencies required for public and informal education
source: https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:Course:LFS350/Projects/F2022/MOV