Project Title
Spring Gardening at the MOV Backyard Garden
Organization Name
Organization Information
Organization Name
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/
Note: Viviane is away January 26th but can be available January 27th or February 2 for the first student-partner meeting.
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
- 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 devise a spring garden plan and have the opportunity to grow food that resembles the multicultural backyard gardens that are often assumed to be "exotic" due to their lack of representation in corporate grocers. 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
- Consult with MOV staff about any upcoming exhibits or programming that could be enhanced by specific food or medicine plants
- Develop a crop plan for spring and summer
- Plant spring crops (as seasonal conditions permit)
- 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 supporting soil health all year (the Fall 2022 LFS 350 students previously developed educational materials related to winter soil preparation)
- 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?
Note: Viviane will be away for the last two weeks of February, so students should anticipate a high degree of self-direction especially during this time.
- 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.
- Past project materials: MOV Backyard Garden: https://museumofvancouver.ca/backyard-garden
- Past garden projects: https://instrcc.ubc.ca/initiatives/projects/mov-backyard-garden/
- Chinese Canadian Stories IG (or search #movbygardens on IG)
- A Seat at the Table exhibit website
- Chinese Canadian Stories IG #movbygardens
Additional Materials
- Back to the Roots Garden Workshop: https://museumofvancouver.ca/back-to-the-roots
- Covered Roots: The History of Vancouver's Chinese Farms (video)
- Shan, H. & Walter, P. (2014). Growing Everyday Multiculturalism: Practice-Based Learning of Chinese Immigrants Through Community Gardens in Canada. Adult Education Quarterly 65(1). doi https://doi.org/10.1177/0741713614549231
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