Produce Availability in Remote C ommunities Initiative

Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012

Submitted to: Ministry of Health

Submitted by: Heart and Stroke Foundation Context Research Ltd. Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation

December 22, 2012

Submitted to: Lisa Forster-Coull Ministry of Health 1515 Blanshard Street, 4-2 Victoria, BC V8W 3X8

Submitted by: Heart and Stroke Foundation 1212 West Broadway Vancouver, B.C. V6H 3V2

Written by: Kerry MacKelvie O’Brien and Lindsay Richardson Context Research Ltd. 202-1260 Hamilton Street Vancouver, B.C. V6B 2S8

Acknowledgements The evaluation of the PAI was planned and delivered by Kerry MacKelvie O’Brien, Lindsay Richardson, Jonathan Schmid, and Leah Camenzind at Context Research Ltd. This report was written by Kerry MacKelvie O’Brien and Lindsay Richardson. The consistent and committed contributions of the steering committee — Lisa Forster-Coull, Brenda Lennox, Jeff Sommers, Margaret Yandel and Kristen Yarker — and the component teams in guiding this initiative and in collaborating in its evaluation are recognized. We thank all those members of the PAI communities who invited us into their homes, schools, gardens, farms, community gatherings, restaurants, and grocery stores, to help us understand change in their communities.

Copyright © 2012, Province of British Columbia. 1515 Blanshard Street, Victoria BC V8W 3C8

ISBN 978-0-7726-6644-4 C ontents 1.0 Executive Summary ...... 5 1.1 Key Learnings Across PAI Components ...... 7 1.2 Key Impacts Across PAI Components ...... 9 1.3 The inalF Point ...... 10 1.4 The AIP Epilogue and Legacy ...... 10 2.0 Introduction and Background ...... 13 2.1 Description of PAI Phases 1, 2, and 3 ...... 14 3.0 Stimulating Demand for Produce ...... 17 3.1 Component Overview ...... 17 3.2 Component Goals and Objectives ...... 17 3.3 What the SDFP Team Delivered ...... 17 3.4 Evaluation Framework ...... 18 3.5 Evaluation Methods: Process Tracking and Assessment ...... 18 3.6 Evaluation Methods: Methods for Outcomes Evaluation ...... 18 3.7 Understanding the Component Process ...... 19 3.8 Understanding the Component Outcomes — What Changed? ...... 24 3.9 Summary: Meeting the Component Objectives and Three Key Learnings ...... 32 4.0 Farm to Community ...... 35 4.1 Component Description ...... 35 4.2 Component Goals and Objectives ...... 35 4.3 Component Team ...... 35 4.4 What the F2C Team Delivered ...... 36 4.5 Evaluation Framework and Evaluation Activities ...... 36 4.6 Evaluation Framework ...... 36 4.7 Evaluation Activities ...... 37 4.8 F2C Case Study: Captain Meares Elementary and Secondary School ...... 38 4.9 F2C Case Study: Port Clements Elementary School ...... 42 4.10 F2C Case Study: George M. Dawson Secondary School ...... 44 4.11 F2C Case Study: Chief Matthews Elementary School and Tahayghen Elementary School ...... 47 4.12 Evidence of Outcomes Across F2C Programs ...... 50 4.13 F2C Process: Flexible Model for Remote Communities ...... 55 4.14 F2C Process: Capacity-Building in Remote Communities ...... 56 4.15 Summary: Meeting the Objectives and Three Key Learnings ...... 59 5.0 Produce Preservation Program ...... 61 5.1 Component Overview ...... 61 5.2 Component Goals and Objectives ...... 61 5.3 PPP Component Team ...... 61 5.4 What the PPP Team Delivered ...... 62 5.5 Evaluation Framework and Evaluation Activities ...... 64 5.6 Understanding the Project Process ...... 65 5.7 Understanding the Project Outcomes — What Changed? ...... 67 5.8 Summary: Meeting the Objectives and Three Key Learnings ...... 71

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 3 6.0 First Nations Community Gardens Component ...... 73 6.1 Project Overview ...... 73 6.2 FNCG Component Goals and Objectives ...... 73 6.3 FNCG Component Team ...... 74 6.4 What the FNCG Team Delivered ...... 74 6.5 Evaluation Activities and Methods ...... 74 6.6 Understanding the Project Process ...... 75 6.7 Understanding the Project Outcomes — Were The Objectives Achieved? ...... 77 6.8 An Analysis of Facilitators and Barriers to Community Gardening in Remote First Nations Communities 80 6.9 Summary and Three eyK Learnings ...... 87 7.0 Incentives and Supports for Transporting Produce ...... 89 7.1 Component Overview ...... 89 7.2 Component Goal and Objectives ...... 90 7.3 Component Team ...... 90 7.4 What the Team Delivered in Phase 2 ...... 90 7.5 Evaluation Plan ...... 90 7.6 The Component Process ...... 90 7.7 Understanding the Component Outcomes — What Changed? ...... 91 7.8 Summary: Meeting the Project Objectives and Three Key Learnings ...... 92 8.0 Sustainability of Community Projects ...... 93 8.1 Component Overview ...... 93 8.2 Component Objective ...... 93 8.3 Component Team ...... 93 8.4 Overview of Sustainability Projects ...... 94 8.5 What the Component Delivered (Phase 3) ...... 95 8.6 Evaluation Plan ...... 95 8.7 The Component Process ...... 97 8.8 Impacts and Outcomes — What Changed? ...... 97 8.9 Summary: Meeting the Project Objectives and Three Key Learnings ...... 104 9.0 Municipal Toolkit ...... 105 9.1 Component Description ...... 105 9.2 Component Objectives ...... 105 9.3 Component Team ...... 105 9.4 Toolkit Development and Tools ...... 105 9.5 Toolkit Evaluation ...... 106 9.6 Summary and Three eyK Learnings ...... 108 10.0 Evaluation Summary and Learnings from the Field ...... 109 10.1 Summary of Methods and High Level Outcomes ...... 110 10.2 Reflection on eyK Learnings Across PAI Components ...... 110 10.3 What Changed in Produce Availability? ...... 111 10.4 Learnings About Evaluation Work in Remote Communities ...... 112

4 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 1.0 Executive Summary

In British Columbia’s remote communities, fresh The initial concept for the initiative of “getting produce vegetables and fruit can be hard to find. Geographical into remote communities” was quickly reworked into a barriers to having fresh, good quality produce in these concept of community-driven solutions. The communities isolated communities include distance from a commercial wanted the support to become more self-sufficient, to center, poor transportation routes, inadequate freight have the capacity to grow, supply, store, distribute and handling and poor gardening conditions. Community preserve their own produce. barriers include a lack of retailers, minimal capacity and skills for gardening and food preservation, and low community engagement.

In 2008, the B.C. government committed to addressing the challenges of making produce more available in these remote communities, and the Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative (PAI) was initiated. The B.C. Ministry of Health, as lead, partnered with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and the Heart and Stroke Foundation with a goal to:

Improve the year-round availability and quality of fruits and vegetables, including B.C. produce when available, in remote B.C. communities.

Through focusing on action in seven component areas across 24 remote B.C. communities, the PAI delivered on three key objectives: • To increase consumer demand for produce in remote communities • To enhance the distribution of produce in remote communities • To create community capacity for remote communities to grow and store their own produce.

This report showcases the PAI component areas delivered in Phases 2 and 3 (2011-2012), and brings together the learnings from a comprehensive program evaluation implemented over the course of the PAI. The evaluation of each component area is presented as a separate chapter within this report. Highlights of the components and their evaluation reports are provided in this Executive Summary. During the PAI’s Phase 1, the infrastructure for 17 First Nations community gardens and five community projects Between 2009 and 2012, the PAI implemented a range of was established. As the PAI team became familiar with the solutions to make produce more available in 24 of B.C.’s communities and their needs, more project ideas were most vulnerable and hard to reach communities. The first implemented. Eventually, the PAI grew into a three year, of its kind, this initiative was a pioneering effort with great three million dollar initiative. However, it could not be learning potential. At the outset, it was clear that there planned or evaluated as a multiyear intervention because was no magic bullet intervention that could address the funding was awarded annually with no guarantee of future complicated, multi-system changes needed. Every aspect funding. Thus, the PAI operated as a continuous trial, of the produce system — from acquisition to distribution building upon the results from each season to evolve and to education — needed attention. progress the projects, the communities, and the initiative

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 5 as a whole. In the end, the PAI resembled other successful public health interventions in which multiple strategies “The CSA is so important because are delivered at multiple levels, resulting in a cumulative we have the ability to grow this food, effect over several years. and we have the ability to be independent, The PAI made a strong commitment to continuous and we can prepare ourselves for crises; it’s evaluation, allocating 10% of each project budget to really important to self-reliance. There’s many this function. This report describes the comprehensive challenges to produce availability — cost of program evaluation, focusing on learnings accumulated in shipping, rock slides, floods, forest fires, snow the seven PAI component areas delivered in Phases 2 and conditions — the road is often closed, so we can 3 (2011-2012) of the Initiative. often be cut off from our supplies. This is a really economically depressed area, and it’s important The diverse PAI component areas delivered in Phases 2 and to keep the local money local. People can eat 3 included: better, we can support our farmers.” • First Nations Community Gardens: A program that [Bella Coola CSA Coordinator] provided 17 remote First Nations communities with continued support for their community gardens, including funding for garden supplies, infrastructure, and garden coordinators, and ongoing training and advice. • Sustainability of Community Projects: This component provided further funding to the five PAI Phase 1 remote community projects to overcome their identified barriers to project sustainability. This included augmentation and expansion of community gardens and greenhouses in Tahsis, Zeballos and Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake, further development of the community supported agriculture program in Bella Coola, and creation of a produce hub around the new produce storage facility in Haida Gwaii. • Stimulating Demand for Produce: A produce merchandising program that promoted produce and provided seasonal cooking demonstrations, and involved retailers, retail locations and community events. • Farm to Community: A program that linked local foods and farms with schools and institutions in Tahsis and Haida Gwaii, to make local produce more available. • Produce Preservation Program: A program that provided hands-on training, curriculum, resources and coaching to teach participants from 24 remote communities how to harvest, can, dry and freeze fruits and vegetables, and how to pass on the knowledge. • Incentives and Supports for Transporting Produce: This component developed an educational awareness campaign regarding best practices for handling produce, and delivered it to produce carriers for remote communities. • Municipal Toolkit: Based on the learnings from the PAI, this component team developed a toolkit of resources, tools and tips to help local government staff improve the year-round availability and quality of fruits and vegetables in their remote communities.

6 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 The evaluation team’s goals were to learn about how the PAI projects were implemented in the remote 1.1 Key Learnings communities, and to learn about what changed in the communities as a consequence of taking action. The Across PAI evaluation team was guided by a set of principles: stay true to the project objectives; be part of the project team; Components be creative; be flexible; and listen to the communities’ voices. The learnings around the process and the impacts The PAI explored and documented what might work to of these projects, as well as the evaluation methods that improve produce availability in remote communities. In were most successful in remote communities, were retrospect, it’s evident there were some common factors significant, numerous and varied. that facilitated the process, regardless of the type of activity or intervention. C ommunity Engagement Key to advancing all projects, community engagement was especially important for the success of Stimulating Demand, Farm to Community, First Nations Community Gardens, and Community Projects components. The actual agenda of making produce more available advanced quickly when community and stakeholder engagement was planned and prioritized by the component team and the community project team. Varying degrees of engagement across communities affected timelines for project implementation at the community level, which sometimes conflicted with the inherent timelines of the initiative.

Community engagement was critical in creating relevant, meaningful projects and solutions with communities. The best plans emerged when multiple levels of the

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 7

community (including municipal or “I have very good hope priority to the project to allocate any band council staff and leadership for the salad bar because available workers, paid or volunteer. from key community organizations they have lots of good fruit and Some of the Farm to Community and schools) participated in the vegetables, and at the time our programs were challenged by project design and implementation. family is completely out of fruit and a lack of capacity, and thus, The engagement of key individuals vegetables… I think we might have capacity development became in leadership positions within the the focal point in implementing community helped integrate PAI half a bag of lettuce, but other than and sustaining programs. In the projects with existing community that we do not have anything.” Produce Preservation Program, the plans and visions. Just one example Talia, Grade 5, Captain Meares School component team recognized that of this comes from the Village of New in Tahsis trainees needed to have preserving Aiyansh, where the Director of Finance equipment and resources to deliver for the Village Government oversaw workshops in their home communities; PAI funding dispersal and planning for the sending the appropriate equipment out to the community garden. In her influential position, she remote communities was essential to the program’s merged the community garden plans with a larger vision success. for the community to become a local food hub for the region. The community of Tahsis is another example of Thus, for future efforts, working with the communities diverse and successful community engagement: over time, to measure their existing capacity, inventory their PAI involvement included the leads from a key non-profit infrastructure, and define their state of readiness should group, the school staff and principal, community health, be a precursor to awarding project funding. the local chef, a few small business owners, many parents and children, and eventually, the new mayor. M ulti-Year Funding In future efforts, it will be important to start with We learned through all components that interventions and an assessment of community engagement. Where activities aiming to change food systems and/or the food communities are less engaged and less ready for change, supply for a community are long term projects, requiring the emphasis is best placed on engaging the community long term support. Throughout the PAI, expectations — and all the relationship-building this involves — prior to of change were continually adjusted as the reality initiating any other efforts. of the change process was observed. It was quickly apparent that a community garden could not be set-up Infrastructure and Capacity and become fully productive in one season. However, working groups and decision-making processes could The existing infrastructure and capacity in a community be established within that first season. Similarly, Farm were important factors to consider. Existing infrastructure to Community school programs could not initiate and or capacity could be utilized, capitalized on, and have all students involved within the course of a single integrated into new activities and interventions; whereas school year. However, they could develop relationships low capacity and resources needed be bolstered. with farmers; determine their local produce acquisition processes and trial some produce-filled lunches to The Stimulating Demand and community garden projects students. Retailers who had been in business in their successfully used existing community capacity and communities for decades could not completely change infrastructure. The Stimulating Demand team capitalized their produce marketing practices in a few months. They on existing, well-attended seasonal events and drew could, however, develop the community relationships that on local residents to do food demonstrations. In the elevated the visibility of produce they had in their store. communities that had sufficient community capacity and knowledge of gardening, garden projects tended For all communities and projects, the engagement to be constructed and executed successfully. This was and relationship-development processes were rate- especially evident in Telegraph Creek, where one family limiting factors. Beyond these hurdles, it is a physically had significant gardening experience, and in a few of the difficult thing to change the structure of food production First Nations communities, where community members and acquisition in a remote community. It takes time, drew upon the gardening skills of the elders. connections, continuous training and some luck (to avoid the floods, fire, bears, deer, poor weather) to make the In several communities, the demand of seasonal changes happen. employment reduced the availability of a ready labour force to work on the community projects, and was a major At the final Advisory Committee meeting for the PAI — the barrier to progress. This lack of workers reinforced the ‘Celebration’ — it was agreed that system change projects need to engage the community at the outset or to give such as these should be viewed as three to five year

8 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 endeavours, best served with a commitment of multi-year achieving the tangible impact of more produce in the funding. The PAI efforts between 2010 and 2012 provided hands of more people. When we examined this desirable, a strong start and should be viewed as foundational to tangible impact, we saw that there was great value in the the building of long term platforms to increase produce three million dollar PAI investment: availability in remote communities Across 24 remote communities touched by the PAI activities, more fresh vegetables and fruit were 1.2 Key Impacts Across enjoyed by an estimated 1200 people. What’s more, the investment in the Produce Availability in PAI Components Remote Communities Initiative resulted in: The key impact of the PAI, increased availability of produce, • 19 community gardens and 16 greenhouses, was assessed repeatedly by asking communities: did • a 42-family community supported agriculture produce availability change? program, We found that before people could answer the question • two new produce storage facilities, of whether produce was more available to them, they • 43 produce preservation trainers trained, generally prefaced with sentiments relating to their observations of changes in community relationships, • 17 produce preservation community workshops augmented strength, pride and resiliency in their delivered to 150 community members, community, and their hopes for a better future. These • lunch programs incorporating fresh, local produce powerful, qualitative changes in the communities were delivered to 256 students and staff at five schools, not originally the focus of the evaluation and became the • 12 seasonal cooking demonstrations, successes celebrated at the community level. People in remote communities gained skills and became inspired, • augmented awareness of best handling practices for hopeful and connected because of participation in a produce among carriers. PAI project. Importantly, these changes came before

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 9 Much changed in the communities over the life of the PAI. Some changes worked directly to make more produce 1.3 The Final Point available to community members. Some changes needed to happen upstream and were critical for a long-term The Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative change and sustainability. Within some component areas, achieved its goal of improving the year-round availability achieving community buy-in for the concept of making and quality of vegetables and fruits in remote B.C. more produce available was the major accomplishment. communities. This was accomplished through pioneering Engaging hundreds of community members was essential efforts that created synergies across several component to building a future where more produce was available areas. The bulk of these efforts directly supported in these communities. Definitive changes in produce community members in planning and implementing availability were shown in: actions that would increase their community’s capacity to grow, store, distribute, and market produce, while 1. Farm to Community lunches at Captain Meares simultaneously increasing their community’s awareness Elementary and Secondary School in Tahsis and of, and demand for, fresh vegetables and fruit. Port Clements Elementary School in Port Clements. Between April 2011 and spring 2012, a greater The PAI showed that to effect change in produce quantity and diversity of produce was consistently availability in communities, community engagement, available at school lunches twice a week for students. development of community capacity and planning and At the other three participating schools, significant funding for long term change are the keys to success. changes in the food environment promise future After the PAI’s three year run, there is more fresh local significant changes in the amount of produce produce being consumed in 24 remote B.C. communities. available. Better still, these communities have experienced a 2. Bella Coola, where there were substantial changes renewed sense of hope and increased pride in their ability in local produce availability for the 42 families to be more food self-sufficient and resilient. participating in the Bella Coola Community Supported Agriculture program. The program made produce readily accessible by bringing the produce directly to 1.4 The PAI Epilogue the families’ homes. Further, the program stimulated local farmers to grow more produce, and attracted at and Legacy least one new farming family to the Bella Coola Valley. Though the funding for the PAI has ended, the story does 3. Hugely increased harvests at the Tahsis Community not end and work continues in the PAI communities. Garden and the Telegraph Creek Community Garden This legacy ranges from continued expansion of remote in the 2011 growing season. More produce was made community gardens and Farm to Community programs, directly available to many residents in these two tighter relationships with freight companies for local communities. produce distribution, increased demand for fresh produce 4. Nine remote First Nations communities that firmly at local stores, new community composting programs, established and expanded community gardens in new funding partners supporting continued work on their communities and widely shared the harvests. produce availability, and new synergies in capacity development. 5. The availability of fresh produce at traditional, seasonal community fairs in Tahsis, Masset and Bella • Working with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, 14 Coola. Before 2011, fresh produce had never before of the PAI’s remote First Nations communities are been made available at these community events. In now engaged in creating community food systems total, 755 fresh fruit smoothies, 230 veggie cups and that will build a platform for long-term vegetable 400 fruit kebabs were available and consumed. and fruit production and in some cases, small scale agriculture. 6. Remote locations where produce preservation workshops occurred. Through the Produce • With funding from Gwaii Trust and the efforts of the Preservation Program, 43 people acquired the community nutritionist, the Farm to Community tools, resources and techniques to preserve program trialed within the PAI continues to expand vegetables and fruits. In turn, 32 trainers taught on Haida Gwaii. Six communities, a whole school local community members through 16 community district and five schools, the Farmers’ Institute, three information sessions and 17 local preservation farms, four greenhouses, the Old Masset Village workshops, and from this, the availability of fruit Council’s Culinary Arts Program, and the Northern and vegetables increased for hundreds of remote Haida Gwaii Hospital and Health Centre are now community members. engaged in the program.

10 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 • Bella Coola reports that the community supported agriculture program has acquired unlikely allies in local retailers, freight companies, pilots and fisherman who offer to transport the CSA’s local produce free to neighboring communities like Bella Bella and Klemtu when extra space is available. • After displaying and using the PAI merchandising materials and participating in Masset Harbour Days, Atwell’s Family Foods in Masset saw sufficient demand for produce to increase the amount of fresh produce in store. The flyer program was especially effective: the store sold out of produce featured in their first flyer within a couple of days. In June 2012, the owners reported that fresh produce sales had tripled since the beginning of the PAI. • The elegraphT Creek community garden established a community composting program with composting units provided through the Stimulating Demand component. The units are used within the substantial community garden and within families’ personal gardens to augment the produce grown and subsequently consumed in the community. • At the 2012 Fall Fair in Bella Coola, community members visited the cooking demonstration to let the chefs know that they had tried the fresh produce recipes demonstrated in 2011, and that they had continued to use them throughout the year. • Gwaii Trust matched funding provided by the PAI so that the Graham Island East Coast Farmers’ Institute could build their Farmers’ Market in Tlell and establish a produce ‘hub’ near the PAI produce storage facility site. • Tahsis Community Garden Society received funding from the Vancouver Island Health Authority Community Food Action Initiative to pay a community garden coordinator, produce an annual garden plan and provide six gardening workshops for the community. This has resulted in the best harvest yet for the community garden. • The B.C. oodF Processors Association received new funding to cross-train experienced food skills facilitators to link the Produce Preservation Program with other established food skills programs in British Columbia.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 11 The following documents and resources share the Local Leaders Harvesting Change — A toolkit to help learnings of the PAI and are available on the Ministry of remote communities enjoy fruits and vegetables. Health website: www.health.gov.bc.ca/healthyeating/ foodsecurity.html. Farm to Cafeteria: BC Communities Share Paths to Success — Highlights of the Farm to Cafeteria programs in the PAI Harvesting Change in BC’s Remote Communities — communities of Tahsis and Haida Gwaii. The Story of the Produce Availability Initiative as told in flipbook format. Produce Handling Guidelines Poster — A durable, waterproof poster that shows how to maximize the quality Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative: and shelf life of produce. Executive Summary of the Final Report on Projects and Evaluation — A brief summary of PAI Phase 2 and 3 Produce Preservation Program Guide — Fun, hands on projects and learnings on the process and impacts of the workshops and resources to teach people how to safely PAI. preserve home grown and locally available fruits and vegetables for year round enjoyment. Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative: Final Report on Projects and Evaluation — A comprehensive report on the evaluation of the PAI Phase 2 and 3 components [available via request from [email protected]].

12 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 2.0 Introduction and Background

The Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative In September 2008, Premier Gordon Campbell announced (PAI) recognized the extraordinary complexity of growing, at the Union of B.C. Municipalities Annual Meeting that supplying and distributing produce within remote a program would be developed to provide fresh fruits communities in British Columbia. A remote community and vegetables to remote B.C. communities to improve is one with significant transportation barriers such as residents’ health and quality of life. The goal of the PAI was long stretches of gravel roads that are unsuitable for set: refrigeration trucks, ferries that are frequently delayed or cancelled due to storms, infrequent barges without proper To improve the year-round availability and quality of refrigeration, or roads that are closed for weeks at a time. fruits and vegetables, including B.C. produce when Additionally, these remote communities are faced with available, in remote B.C. communities. added challenges in the acquisition of gardening materials A graphic representation of the timeline of the PAI, and resources necessary to grow, harvest and store their including significant events, timelines for projects, and own produce. infusions of funding for the PAI’s three phases is provided below (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Stages of the Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative

Premier’s PAI Strategy PAI Phase 1 PAI Phase 2 PAI Phase 3 Announcement Development

December 2008 — November 2009 — December 2010 — May 2010 — September 2008 October 2009 December 2010 October 2011 March 2012 $915,000 $915,000 $915,000 • To develop a program to • The complexity of the provide fresh fruits and produce availability • First Nations • Stimulating Demand — • First Nations vegetables to remote problem is recognized Community Gardens Retailer Support Community Gardens B.C. communities to • The need for testing • Community Projects • Produce Preservation • Community Projects — improve residents’ possible solutions is Program (Pilot) Sustainability health and quality of • Incentives and Supports apparent life. for Transporting • Farm to Community • Produce Preservation • Three objectives Produce Program • Municipal Toolkit defined: • Farm to Community ✔✔To enhance the • First Nations distribution of produce Community Gardens • Municipal Toolkit to remote communities • Incentives and Supports • Telling the Story ✔ ✔To create community for Transporting capacity to grow and store produce Produce ✔✔To increase consumer demand for produce in remote communities

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 13 Seventeen remote First Nations communities (Figure 2 2.1 Description of PAI and Appendix G) received grants for community gardens in Phase 1, and have continued on as the focal communities Phases 1, 2, and 3 under the First Nations Community Gardens components of Phases 2 and 3. The First Nations communities are: Over 2008 and 2009, a strategy was developed with a cross-government and multi-sector task force. The • Ahousaht First Nation strategy recognized the complexity of the produce • Douglas First Nation availability challenges in remote communities, and • Dzawada’enuxw First Nation the need for a multi-systems approach. At the same time, it was clear that the PAI interventions would be • Ehattesaht Tribe pilot projects, as there were no best practices to work • Gitgaat Nation from. Further, as yearly funding for the program was not guaranteed at the outset, an approach that involved • Hesquiaht First Nation continuous cycles of planning, evaluating, and improving • Penelakut Tribe appeared to be the best plan. Through funding ($915,000) • Iskut First Nation made available by the B.C. government in late 2009, the PAI’s Phase 1 activities were planned and implemented via • Kitkatla (Gixaala Nation) a partnership among the Ministry of Healthy Living and • Kwadacha Nation Sport (now Ministry of Health), the Ministry of Agriculture • Laxgaltsa’ap and Lands (now Ministry of Agriculture), and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The PAI’s Phase 1 (November 2009 — • Lhoosk’uz Dene Nation (Kluskus) October 2010) involved three components: • Namgis First Nation • Incentives and Supports for Transporting Produce • New Aiyansh Village (ISTP): To improve the availability of produce in remote communities by increasing the efficiency • Tahltan Nation of transporting produce. Activities within this • Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation component were implemented via funding to the • Tsay Keh Dene First Nation B.C. Pediatrics Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. and Yukon. With new funding from the Ministry of Health ($915,000), • Efficiency of Obtaining Produce (Community Phase 2 saw the development and implementation of a Projects): To improve the availability of produce in new set of activities between April 2010 and March 2011 remote communities by increasing the efficiency of (with some Phase 2 project activities extending through obtaining produce. Activities within this component to the Fall 2011), continued support to First Nations were implemented via funding to the B.C. Agriculture Community Gardens, and a continuing of ISTP activities in the Classroom Foundation. from Phase 1: • First Nations Community Gardens: To provide grants • Stimulating Demand for Produce: To launch activities for community gardens in remote First Nations to increase demand for fresh fruit and vegetables in communities. The grants were available through the the PAI communities, and support the local retailers Aboriginal Agriculture Education Society of B.C. in marketing produce in their stores. • Produce Preservation Program: To design and test a Four remote areas, encompassing 7 remote communities pilot produce preservation program to train remote (Figure 2, and Appendix G), were identified in the strategy community members on preserving produce. consultations conducted in 2009 as suitable pilot locations for PAI activities: • Farm to Community Salad Bars: To support schools and other community sites in setting up and running Northwestern Vancouver Island: Zeballos and Tahsis • local produce salad bar programs. • Haida Gwaii: Masset and Port Clements • Municipal Toolkit for Increasing Produce Availability: • The Central Coast: Bella Coola To begin the development/scoping of a toolkit for • Northern B.C.: Dease Lake and Telegraph Creek municipal staff in remote communities that would inspire and promote action to improve the availability These locations were the PAI’s ‘Model Remote of produce. Communities’, and trialed most of the activities implemented within PAI Phases 1, 2, and 3.

14 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 • First Nations Community Gardens (Continued projects, as well as evaluation methods in remote Support): To support the three First Nations communities were many. community gardens that struggled the most in implementing their gardens in the previous growing We provide a consistent approach over the next seven season. sections of this report, so that each section may stand alone as a comprehensive report on the component. We • Incentives and Supports for Transporting Produce include a brief component description with intended (Continued from Phase 1): To develop and implement deliverables, an overview of how the evaluation was educational materials to assist produce distributors developed and implemented, and what was learned and transporters in adhering to best practices in from both a process perspective and an outcomes (what produce handling. changed?) perspective. A summary section and high- Phase 3, the PAI’s final phase, involved the continuation level key learnings complete the component reports. We of components and activities that were working well, conclude this report with our evaluation learnings from increased attention to those components that were the field. challenging, and an emphasis on reporting and sharing the program’s learnings and accomplishments. For Phase 3, the areas of continued and augmented focus included: • Supporting First Nations Community Gardens with gardening materials and increasing capacity to tend the gardens, as well as educating the First Nations communities on garden planning and maintenance with the help of field agrologists; • Promoting sustainability of the original Phase 1 Community Projects in Tahsis, Zeballos, Bella Coola, Haida Gwaii and Telegraph Creek — Dease Lake; • Utilizing and further developing the pilot-tested materials for Produce Preservation to increase capacity for storing and preserving produce in all PAI communities; • Supporting the establishment of more Farm to Community Salad Bars in more communities; • Developing and disseminating a Municipal Toolkit for improving produce availability in remote communities; • Development of communication materials to share the PAI through Telling the Story.

Throughout each phase of the PAI, there was a strong commitment to learning and improvement. As such, 10% of each component budget was set aside for evaluation at the outset. This report is the final product of the comprehensive program evaluation, focusing on learnings accumulated in the seven PAI component areas delivered in Phases 2 and 3 (2011-2012) of the Initiative. It is one of a series of showcase pieces that describe the Initiative.

Within the evaluation, our goals were to learn about the process of implementing produce availability projects in remote communities, and to learn about what changed in the communities because of action on produce availability projects. Throughout our evaluation, we were guided by a set of principles that focused our actions: stay true to the project objectives; be part of the team; be creative; be flexible; and hear the communities’ voices. The learnings around the process and impacts of produce availability

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 15 Figure 2: Locations of B.C. Remote Communities Involved in PAI Projects

16 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 3.0 Stimulating Demand for Produce Component

3.1 component 3.3 What the SDFP Team Overview Delivered The Stimulating Demand for Fresh Produce (SDFP) • Customized programs for each community and component was developed to increase consumer demand participating retailer to help stimulate demand for for fresh fruits and vegetables, both local and imported, in fresh produce in their stores; seven model remote communities in British Columbia — • A comprehensive merchandising program, including Masset, Port Clements, Bella Coola, Dease Lake, Telegraph a variety of custom-made and previously existing Creek, Tahsis and Zeballos. Based on community feedback tools; received through consultations with a broad stakeholder • A bold, identifiable base and leaders of the other PAI components, a image to create a lasting customized program was developed and implemented in presence and legacy; each community. The SDFP component was initiated in December 2010, with the majority of activities completed • Effective participation by February 2012. The component requested (and was in existing community granted) an extension to their timeline, to October 2012, events to fulfill program to sustain select activities in communities. objectives in Masset, Tahsis and Bella Coola; participation planned for Telegraph Creek and Dease 3.2 component Goals Lake, Port Clements and Zeballos; • A comprehensive food demonstration program and Objectives in four qualified retail locations in Masset, Tahsis and Bella Coola, featuring seasonal fresh produce The goal of the SDFP component was to stimulate recipes created and demonstrated by local chefs and increased consumer demand for fresh fruit and vegetables program supporters; in the seven model remote communities by implementing a strategy that directly targeted the end consumer • Opportunity to provide Food Skills for Families through retail and community-related activities. workshops in the communities where event participation was not possible; To fulfill this goal, objectives were to: • Greater access to nutritional information and fresh produce recipes for consumers; A. Implement a retail and consumer program that introduced ‘new’ produce items and encouraged • Successful identification, recruitment and contract greater frequency of purchase of existing produce. of community co-ordinators in Masset, Tahsis and Bella Coola; B. Develop and implement a customized retail program • Strong relationships with many members of each of designed to increase demand for fresh fruit and the seven communities through organized personal vegetables, through community consultation and meetings in each community, and continued, regular with community support. contact via phone and e-mail; C. Optimize retailer support to create, implement and • Linkages between the SDFP component and other PAI sustain in-store programs designed to increase sales components; of fresh fruit and vegetables. • Effective component and budget management under D. Help increase consumption of fresh fruit and the direction of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and vegetables by educating communities on the health Ministry of Agriculture; benefits of fresh fruit and vegetables. • Complete execution of the component in the seven remote communities by October 31, 2012.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 17 submitted quarterly reports, reviewed community event 3.4 Evaluation reports, participated regularly on the component team’s bi-weekly teleconferences, and completed end-project Framework interviews with the component team. We collapsed and analyzed data from these sources to offer insights into the We created an evaluation framework — including SDFP process. activities, outputs, outcomes, indicators and evaluation methods — to guide evaluation activities throughout the implementation of the SDFP component (Appendix A1). The framework was tested and confirmed with the 3.6 Evaluation Methods: project team in March 2011, with some modifications made after this time to accommodate shifts in project Methods for activities. The identified activities and outputs gave us a guide to construct and follow process reporting for the Outcomes implementation team (the process reporting template for SDFP is included in Appendix A2). Although the framework Evaluation was comprehensive in its inclusion of outcomes for every We used many methods for assessing progress towards activity area, a smaller set of focal outcomes emerged. outcomes. The evaluation of this PAI component The component team agreed on a focus around the demanded a flexible and creative approach, given the following set of outcomes, which were in keeping with variability in activities across communities, and the the component objectives, activities’ emphasis and the different degrees of participation and engagement (in realities of changes this component could effect in a 12 the activities and in the evaluation) across various month timeframe: stakeholders. Some evaluation methods were inevitably more successful than others; learnings around evaluation Outcome 1: Customized ‘stimulating demand’ solutions within community engagement and development are created for each community. activities were plenty. Outcome 2: Community is engaged in stimulating demand component activities and messages. Retailer and Community Outcome 3: Retailers embrace the program and there is uptake of merchandising materials and Coordinator Interviews activities. We interviewed retailers (n=5) and community coordinators (n=2) in Tahsis, Masset and Bella Coola, Outcome 4: Increased visibility and attractiveness of fruit in person when possible, to assess: and vegetable displays at retail locations. • the degree to which they felt SDFP activities were Outcome 5: Community members have increased customized to their community, awareness of fruit and vegetables available • the extent to which they embraced the program and for purchase. merchandising materials, Outcome 6: Community consumers change their fresh • in-store produce merchandising changes and produce purchasing habits. retailers’ interpretation of the value of the changes, • changes in produce purchasing and produce ordering. 3.5 Evaluation Methods: The retailer and community coordinator interview guides are provided in Appendix A3. Interviews were completed Process Tracking between November 2011 and March 2011, typically took 30 to 45 minutes to complete, and were audio-recorded. and Assessment Notes were completed directly following interviews, and illustrative, direct quotations were highlighted We employed several methods to track the process of and extracted. It was exceedingly difficult to obtain developing and implementing the SDFP component. The produce sales and ordering reports from retailers within intent was to learn about the pace of development and these interviews and by email/phone following up post implementation, what facilitated and challenged the interview; we have little direct data from retailers towards processes, and to glean and share the component team’s outcome 6. learnings about what worked and what didn’t work. To this end, we developed and implemented a process reporting guide (Appendix A2), reviewed the team’s

18 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 C ommunity Surveys 3.7 Understanding the Within the SDFP evaluation, we explored a number of methods for reaching community members with Component Process surveys. We started with the ‘Baseline Community Survey’ The component team developed and followed a process (Appendix A4), which was intended as a tool for gathering for engaging the communities and working with them to baseline (pre-SDFP) data on community members’ develop and deliver activities for stimulating demand for produce purchasing habits, awareness of availability, produce. At a high level, their process looked like: likelihood of making changes to produce purchasing or consumption, and perceptions of the barriers to produce availability in their community. Participation in this Component Process for Engaging the Communities baseline survey was low, and it was clear early on that this data could not form a baseline for the community. It did, however, provide a window into the produce availability GATHER Initial information gathering in communities issues for the SDFP team, as well as serve as an early INFORMATION indicator of community engagement in the issue and the SDFP component (i.e., those participating in the baseline survey were key stakeholders/’early engagers’). A report BROAD Consult with communities and stakeholders of baseline survey findings from Tahsis, Masset and Port ENGAGEMENT and work together to identify strategies Clements is included in Appendix A5.

We met with a similar low response to the survey implemented following the community events in Masset, SPECIFIC Specifically engage those community Tahsis, and Bella Coola, despite making the survey ENGAGEMENT members needed to implement activities available in print and online, advertising widely at the community event, and offering a giftcard draw incentive to complete the survey. DELIVER Work with community to plan and deliver Our ‘survey ballot’ was certainly the most successful in TOGETHER stimulating demand activities terms of participation in an evaluation activity. We linked with the SDFP team’s prize draws that were hosted at the community event PAI booths, to turn a quick evaluation FOCUS ON Concentrate attention on retailers, assist activity into an entry ballot for great prizes. The survey RETAIL with merchandising and demonstrations ballot is included in Appendix A6-a. We asked three quick questions to assess learning/engagement (outcome 2), intention to change produce consumption (outcome Troubleshoot issues with community 2/3), and awareness/interest in produce available in their LISTEN coordinators and retailers and collaboratively AND ASSIST come up with solutions to sustain and community (outcome 5). Given the success in engaging escalate demand the crowds in this evaluation method, we then employed a similar version to assess engagement and learning at the Tahsis cooking demonstration in November 2011 (Appendix Overall, the SDFP component was successful in that A6-b). all planned activities were implemented within the Finally, the evaluation team conducted surveys timeframe specified. This was facilitated by an effective (‘Customer Survey’, Appendix A7, outcomes 2, 4, 5, 6) team that combined skills in produce marketing, with community members at retail stores in Tahsis and project management, event planning, and community Masset during evaluation site visits in November and development. December 2011. We offered $10 store giftcards to the participants for completing the survey. The one-on-one Facilitating Factors style of completing the survey in person was met warmly and this resulted in good participation of customers at a Several factors facilitated the process of developing and few specific stores that had been consistently engaged in implementing the stimulating demand component. These the SDFP activities. factors largely related to the nature and approach of the team, efforts around relationship-building, and drawing on community strengths and capacity, and are detailed in the next points.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 19 • At the highest level, the approach and characteristics • A community’s acceptance of the concept and of the SDFP team facilitated quick, meaningful and willingness to act facilitated quick and meaningful thorough work. Hallmarks of the team’s approach community action. The team noted that the issues included patience, persistence, creativity, and a of produce availability and demand were front reflective/developmental style. and centre for the community of Tahsis: many • Linking with other PAI components: The team noted community members were already thinking about, that these links with other PAI components — most and acting on these issues in various ways. Tahsis, specifically with the produce preservation component as a community, accepted the concepts within SDFP and community projects component — helped to and was able to engage at a high level. synergize activities. This way, materials from produce • Using a one-on-one approach with community preservation could be shared through SDFP, and coordinators and giving them a good dose of community events (for example, in Tahsis) could attention facilitated escalating excitement towards augment interest and participation in the community the component activities and concepts. The more garden while simultaneously stimulating demand for the team worked with the community coordinators, produce. the greater the excitement and the greater the • The team eltf that having contractors ‘outside’ subsequent spread of enthusiasm across the of government working with communities was community. facilitative to the development of relationships and trust with remote community members. Challenging Factors • Travel to the remote communities to work with community stakeholders facilitated the The SDFP team noted that the delivery of this component development of tailored SDFP approaches. To this within the timeline provided was a challenging, but end, 47 interviews were conducted, across 5 target rewarding, task. There were certainly factors that inhibited communities, in the early stages of developing the progress of their work — namely, communications this component. Interviewees included an array with remote communities, the nature, capacity, and of key stakeholders from the retail sector, schools, readiness of remote communities, the lack of a PAI community gardens, community health, village or ‘brand’, a lack of attention to produce distribution and town council, local NGOs, and local First Nations price issues, and the short duration of the component. Bands. These challenging factors are detailed below. • Working to identify gaps and target solutions • Getting in touch with remote community members appropriately facilitated the development and was difficult. This challenge — via phone and internet delivery of accepted solutions. Early on, the SDFP — has been noted across many PAI components, and team identified that retailers were generally looking required patience and persistence to overcome. for recipes, and had very little access to or use of Persistent communications became a role in itself point of sale materials and promotions. Retailers within the SDFP component. were not looking for training. Community members • Lack of community infrastructure and capacity: were willing to display an assortment of promotional Some communities did not have community materials in various community locations. The team leaders and groups in place to take action on was then able to target the identified gaps in the stimulating demand. Further, a lack of capacity development of desirable merchandising materials. to act on suggested interventions impeded the • Using existing community events as a launching SDFP team’s ability to work with a community. The point for SDFP activities facilitated a quick reach to team recognized that it was often the same active a large proportion of community members. It also community members trying to help out with every meant that the team didn’t need to create something cause, and they were simply overtaxed. new; they could build on something that was • Some communities simply were not well-situated already an accepted celebration in the community. or ready for these changes, and this made it very At the same time, “being something new” at the difficult to come up with a program that would work existing community events facilitated interest and for them. The community location, profile, number excitement; community feedback indicated that it of residents, and overall awareness of produce all was positive and refreshing to have new activities, influenced suitability and receptivity to the program. snacks and faces. Having a transient population certainly inhibited SDFP • Existing ‘community infrastructure’ — including action in one community. leaders and community groups to plan and implement events — facilitated quicker action on, and acceptance of SDFP activities.

20 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 • Lack of information flowing between PAI components So, even when community members may have new inhibited sharing and building on what was already awareness and demand for fruit and vegetables, they done. Similarly, the lack of a ‘PAI brand’ limited still struggle with affordability. The cost issue felt cohesiveness and synergies across components. insurmountable for some retailers: This lack of a brand created delays for the SDFP “I still sell everything I bring in, but I bring in less now component, as all merchandising materials were that freight is so expensive … it has nearly doubled dependent on first producing, finalizing and obtaining in the last two years. It is cheaper for people to stock approval for this brand. up on food when they travel outside the Bella Coola • The SDFP component asw constrained in that it Valley” [produce retailer, Bella Coola] couldn’t influence some factors -– including actual • High rate of low income and poverty in remote availability, quality, and price — integral to produce communities: the constraint of these factors on demand in remote communities. Retailers indicated families challenged the stimulation of demand … that their communities’ issues with produce were many community members felt that they couldn’t many: afford fresh produce, so their demand stayed low. poor economy and insufficient income to pay for • Lack of attention to the problems of produce produce, poor eating habits, high transportation transportation and distribution within this PAI costs and long travel distances, interruptions in component. The team felt that this critical factor was delivery due to weather, limited produce storage outside of their control, but that improvements to space, cost of electricity for coolers. both transportation and distribution of produce were It was challenging to design and deliver activities essential to changing demand for produce in remote to stimulate demand knowing that these critical communities. factors were not going to change in the lifetime of the • Short duration of the SDFP component: the team felt component. Further, it was challenging to overcome that the component timeline was too short to see the negativity of some retailers (and real restrictions real changes in demand and purchasing behavior. that retailers identified) and move forward with what They acknowledged that it takes time (certainly was possible within the context of the component. more than a year) to change eating habits. Further, • The interventions did not influence price: As the a longer timeline would have been helpful for the retailer support and stimulating demand activities establishment of relationships prior to delivering were never designed to influence the price of produce activities within communities (often there was only (the focus was always on increasing the visibility and one month for relationship-building prior to the awareness of produce), the cost of produce in the community events). remote communities remained an important issue.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 21

“At one community event, we had 100 fruit kebabs available. As soon as they were brought out, people came running… they were gone in 5 minutes.” —SDFP team member

22 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 What Worked Best? Process Recommendations from The SDFP noted several, unique aspects of their approach the Team that worked well, largely in engaging remote communities and specific segments of the communities. These practical The SDFP team gathered many learnings throughout their approaches are identified below. work in remote communities. Here, these learnings are framed as recommendations around process, for others • Putting the team in the communities: The SDFP team intending to intervene with activities to stimulate demand felt that active involvement of the team within the for produce in remote communities. communities was key to engaging both the right stakeholders and the community broadly. • Focus on changing perceptions of the quality of locally available produce, as this will likely result in • Tailored community approaches: Early on, the SDFP changing demand. The team noted that this shift in team recognized that a one-size fits all approach perspective likely precedes changes in purchasing was inappropriate. They effectively worked with behaviour. For example, in one community, communities to come up with plans that were well- participants at the cooking demonstrations and suited to the community’s interests and available events were surprised to learn that the recipes and capacity. samples were made with produce from the local • Engaging community coordinators who were store, as they felt that the quality of produce at that members of the community: Contracting community store was not high enough. Physically demonstrating members to coordinate, champion and drive some the quality of what is available is an important first SDFP activities worked well to overcome the capacity step in the change process. problems in some communities, and recognized that • Have a long timeline to effect behaviour change and community members know their communities best. really consider the amount of time it will take to build • Talking to community members: Customizing meaningful relationships with remote community activities with the community members was members. essential in building trust and engaging people in the • Prioritize relationship-building, and wherever concept. People were more likely to participate if they possible, situate the team (even temporarily) within had a hand in building the plan (or knew someone the target community to create trust, understanding, who did). awareness of community culture, tailored solutions, • Free food: Giving out free, tasty produce samples and community buy-in. (fruit kebabs, smoothies, veggie cups, various • Focus on developing a brand early on in the initiative. cooking demonstration samples) was a very effective This will create a recognizable concept to ‘sell’ and way to engage a broad segment of the community. avoid delays in production and dissemination of Hundreds of people came out to the PAI Booth at materials later on. each community event, with the initial hook of free food. • Design suitable solutions for restaurants in remote communities. For the most part, they were left out • The SDFP activities at community events of these solutions, yet their businesses are often demonstrated how desired healthy snacks were, and struggling, and promotion of healthy choices is not provided a clear illustration to community champions often done. and retailers that community members are ready for a change in the availability of healthy choices. • Attend to the issue of produce distribution and logistics This display of demand is important to sustaining momentum achieved through SDFP. (including cost, distance travelled, “I wish the • Engaging the kids: Through hands-on activities poor quality, issue of distribution and free, tasty samples, the children and youth delivery was more top of mind. It were clearly highly engaged at community events. cancelations) was hard to sell the program Targeting this demographic with the design of child- as central when they know that getting friendly activities and food was a good strategy to to the produce to the community is a create a stir around produce that served as another stimulating illustration of the communities’ ‘ripeness’ for change. huge issue. You can’t promote demand issue. something if you don’t have it.” —SDFP component member

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 23 3.8 Understanding the Component Outcomes — What Changed? Evidence for Outcome: Customized ‘stimulating demand’ solutions are created for each community For some communities, the ‘dose’, in terms of a stimulating demand solution, was greater than in others. PAI Booth at Harbour Days: Masset, Tahsis and Bella Coola had more complex, “Everybody attends Harbour Days, so it is a great customized solutions targeted at their communities. way to reach people. I thought that was excellent, In Zeballos, Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake, and Port in fact, that was a very very good idea. It went over Clements, the customized solutions took longer to unfold, really well. We ended up running out of veggie cups, although all were going forward by end of March 2012. This and we had done up 250. The turnout was really timeline meant that the activities (and the evaluation of good, and they were constantly making smoothies.” them) in these communities fell outside the scope of the [Retailer (Atwell’s), Masset] evaluation timeline. As a result, the discussion of meeting the outcome for customized solutions is limited to Masset, “A lot of people afterwards commented on how great Tahsis and Bella Coola. an idea it was to hand out the veggie cups. There was a great response. Even when we were handing them We interviewed representatives from Delmas Co-op in out, people were saying ‘this is cool’ and eating them Masset, Atwell’s Family Foods in Masset, Moore’s Organics right in front of us, saying ‘this is good’. The quality in Bella Coola, the Bella Coola Co-op in Bella Coola, and was there, and people were happy. And who doesn’t the Tahsis Supermarket in Tahsis. We also interviewed love free, right? It was a good response. People the Stimulating Demand community coordinators from thought it was great.” [Retailer (Atwell’s), Masset] Masset and Tahsis (the community coordinator in Bella Coola was hired after the evaluation interviews were Merchandising materials: completed). “Yes, those are suitable interventions. The bright green pricing danglers are on our new black case now, so Those interviewed in Masset were generally quite positive they really ‘pop’ in our case. The flag looks amazing.” about the suitability of the solutions for their community, [Retailer (Atwell’s), Masset] which included various promotions at Harbour Days, in‑store merchandising materials, and an in-store “The tent looks great at the Co-op.” cooking demonstration. [Community coordinator, Masset]

Cooking demonstrations: In Tahsis, the retailer was less knowledgeable about the stimulating demand activities as a whole, and was not “People love the food demos, it’s a great way to significantly involved in the community events at Tahsis get people to try new products, keep customers Days. However, he acknowledged that the changes happy, and try new recipes, things people wouldn’t suggested and carried through in the retail environment think of making. …The sampling thing and the food were suitable and needed for his store, and that early demos is the biggest way of getting people to try indications of their impact were positive: something new. It definitely changes their purchasing behaviour.” [Retailer (Delmas Co-op), Masset] “We made a couple coolers designated to fresh produce, which has improved the shelf life … We “It is wonderful, I think it’s great, it exposes used to have an open cooler, and we got rid of that people. People didn’t know what to do with the because things spoil so quickly. Now they are behind produce before, and now they know what to do.” glass doors, and they stay fresher … We thought we’d [Community coordinator, Masset] try a new way.” [Tahsis retailer]

24 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 “…That is our aim, to attract people to the [fresh The lack of data here makes it difficult to ascertain produce]. People are noticing the produce. We would the suitability of the SDFP interventions in Bella Coola. like [even] more flyers and posters, we would use However, we do know that the PAI presence at the Fall Fair them …Everyone is looking at the [PAI] danglers and was well-received, and that the produce promotions were saying, “wow, it looks nice.” Yes, everyone notices.” very popular, giving the impression that this plan was well [Tahsis retailer] suited to this community, as it was in Tahsis and Masset.

The Stimulating Demand community coordinator in Tahsis was integral to the advancement of all PAI activities in Evidence for Outcome: the community. She had insight into all aspects of the component and suitability of the interventions, including Community is Engaged the cooking demonstrations, involvement at Tahsis Days, Having a flexible approach was key for engagement of and merchandising materials. Her take was that the the communities. In keeping with the approaches used general plan was suitable for the community, although throughout the PAI, the activities within Stimulating the lack of retail competition was still a barrier to Demand were developed with the communities, for a availability and affordable pricing of produce in Tahsis. She community-driven approach. The SDFP team recognized highlighted that concentrating on engaging the children that community engagement preceded the development was critical to increasing demand. From her perspective, of these community-specific approaches: the cooking demonstrations (which she delivered) were highly suitable as a solution to lack of produce awareness, “The active involvement of our team in the skill and demand in her community: communities, and individualizing the program for each of the communities, was really the key. We “The chef demos definitely had an impact on went into the community…we really met with each stimulating demand. People approached me on of the stakeholders and asked them what their the street to tell me that they had tried the recipes needs were, asked them what they felt would help themselves. Even people who did not attend the stimulate demand in their communities. For each demos mentioned them, saying they were sorry individual community, we tailored it so we didn’t that they missed it and that their friends had really just come up with our program and say “OK we’re enjoyed them.” [Community Coordinator, Tahsis] doing this in every community” whether it works or It was more difficult to acquire feedback on the suitability not. We adapted it. Through that, we developed really of interventions in Bella Coola, as retailers were generally strong relationships with the communities.” [SDFP less involved and it was difficult to get the interviews Team Member] completed with them. Further, they were delayed in We found that for the three communities that received the implementing their chef demonstrations (the first one biggest dose of Stimulating Demand activities — Tahsis, was scheduled for February 2012 but was delivered at Masset and Bella Coola — engagement escalated, albeit the end of April, 2012). Finally, Bella Coola did not have at differing rates (Table 1), as the project progressed. a community coordinator working on SDFP activities Evidence of engagement, across various stages of the until February 2012; thus we are missing the perspective stimulating demand activities, is presented in Table 1, and of someone who helped deliver the activities in their visually represented in Figure 3. community.

A brief interview with the owner of the organic store in Bella Coola showed that she felt the merchandising materials — including danglers, tablecloth, aprons, flag — were suitable for her store, and that they increased the visibility of produce. Her staff has been wearing the PAI aprons around the store since receiving them in January 2012. She was largely unaware of any other promotions, including any PAI involvement at the Fall Fair. The retailer from the Bella Coola Co-op was unsure of the suitability of the interventions for Bella Coola as a community. Although he acknowledged that the turn- out for the Fall Fair was excellent, he felt that perhaps the SDFP interventions in general were more suitable to communities more remote than Bella Coola. He also did not see a lasting presence of the merchandising materials.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 25 Table 1: Progression of Community Engagement in Masset, Tahsis and Bella Coola.

Masset Tahsis Bella Coola Early Stages April 11-13, 2011: May 3 — 5, 2011: July 6 — 8, 2011: Community meetings. April 11-13, 2011: Low attendance at town May 3 — 5, 2011: Project team met with key Relationships with retailers were developing, hall meeting; dominated by one attendee. community members who later became however, it was difficult to find a community One-on-one meetings with community reliable and helpful contacts. coordinator to assist with community event. stakeholders were needed to engage members of the community.

Community Event Harbour Days, May 21-22, 2011: Tahsis Days, July 16-17, 2011: Fall Fair, September 10-11, 2011: Community was clearly engaged, evidenced by: Relationships with key community members The SDFP team managed most aspects of the made participation in Tahsis Days easy. Great community event as there was no available • 625 visitors to the PAI booth: 250 community engagement was evident: community coordinator. Once the PAI booth people enjoyed fruit kebabs, 125 people was up and running, engagement of the consumed veggie cups, and 330 people • 50 people enjoyed fruit kebab samples and community was quick: sampled fruit smoothies. 75 had fruit smoothies at the PAI booth. • 300 people visited the PAI booth, where • 180 people entered the produce prize • 40 people enjoyed 5 watermelons, 3 100 sampled fruit kebabs, 105 consumed draws cantaloupes, 3 honeydew melons and a box of bananas at the pancake breakfast. a veggie cup, and 350 enjoyed fresh fruit • 31% reported learning something new smoothies. about the health benefits of eating fruit • 59 community members entered ballots • 142 people entered ballots for produce and vegetables; 24% indicated that they for draw prizes at the PAI booth. prizes. learned that fruit and vegetables taste • 27% learned something new about good. the health benefits of eating fruit and • 37% learned something new about the health benefits of eating fruit and • 79% indicated that they would be very vegetables; 25% indicated that they vegetables; 30% indicated that they likely to increase their consumption of learned some new recipes; 13% learned learned some new recipes; 15% learned fruit and vegetables over the next few that fruit and vegetables taste good. that fruit and vegetables taste good. months • 71% indicated that they would be very likely to increase their consumption of • 70% indicated that they would be very “A number of people have asked about the fruit and vegetables. likely to increase their consumption of availability of recipe cards from the PAI • 40 children participated in the produce fruit and vegetables. booth. They ran out of fruit cups at Harbour treasure hunt. • The cooking demonstration yb a local Days and it was clear that people were really • 30 people attended cooking demos of Bell gardener (Fresh Kale Salad) — was well- excited about the fresh produce they were Pepper Salad and Roasted Beet Pasta by a received. The demonstration used all local giving away.” [Masset produce retailer] local chef. ingredients from the Bella Coola valley.

Retail Interventions Relationships were built to engage three A relationship was built with the one produce The SDFP team engaged three retailers in the retailers in Masset. Merchandising tools were retailer (family) in Tahsis. This store ordered Bella Coola Valley — Hagensborg Co-op, The ordered by and delivered to: Atwell’s Family and displayed a range of merchandising Bella Coola Co-op and Moore’s Organics in Foods, Delmas Co-op, Green Gaia.. materials. interventions to promote produce at their stores.

26 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Masset Tahsis Bella Coola Cooking Demonstrations 130 community members came to Delmas 25 community members came out on The retailer at Bella Coola Co-op confirmed Co-op to observe a cooking demonstration a stormy evening to see the local chef’s that the first cooking demonstration was and try samples. The community coordinator cooking demonstration at the Info Centre. held at the store in late April 2012, and that reported: All ingredients for the demo came from the it had a great turn-out. He indicated that the Tahsis Supermarket. Attendees did a quick demonstrations were a good way to increase “Many people asked if demonstrations were survey to report on what they learned and customers’ awareness of produce available going to be happening often, wondering enjoyed about the demo. Responses were at the store and from local farmers. when they will be set up again …[including] extremely positive: the GM of Delmas, hoping that Shelley would • 100% said that they “loved it” [the be able to organize more. All in all it was very samples] successful. All the recipes were taken.” • 94% said they were “very likely” to try the recipe at home • Everyone reported learning something new: how to cut herbs and carrots, peel garlic, and broil and peel tomatoes.

Volunteers and Relationship-Building 7 volunteers helped out with PAI activities Four key volunteers helped make things One retailer volunteered at the Fall Fair. The at Harbour Days, demonstrating their happen at Tahsis Days and beyond, and local gardener/chef who did the cooking commitment to promoting fruit and included the local chef, a retailer, a village demonstration was a key volunteer. The vegetables in their community. Volunteers councilor, and a keen community member. Bella Coola Co-op assisted in preparing included youth and adults, two local chefs produce for the Fall Fair. doing cooking demonstrations, a member of the local government, and retail produce managers.

The team built a strong relationship with The local B&B owner and chef/Farm to After relationship-building across many the Masset Village Office, presented at the Community Coordinator became the SDFP PAI projects, a committed community Council meeting, and participated in Harbour community coordinator, which led to great coordinator was identified and contracted in Days planning meetings. The Masset Village integration amog PAI initiatives. December 2011 to facilitate SDFP activities. Office distributed the PAI community surveys with the utilities bills. The SDFP team also worked to develop a strong relationship with the local dietitian, who then delivered the in-store cooking demonstrations. She will be key in sustaining stimulating demand activities in her community

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 27 Figure 3: Visual Representation of Community Engagement and Participation in SDFP in Masset, Tahsis and Bella Coola.

M asset Masset Harbour Days Cooking Demo

Tahsis Cooking Tahsis Days Demo

Bella Coola Fall Fair

28 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012

Masset Cooking members stopped by the PAI booth, Demonstration in Tahsis: watched cooking demonstrations In Masset, the early attempt at and participated in various produce engagement was through a promotions. Town Hall meeting, which had • 100% said that they “loved it” In November 2011, 25 low attendance. The SDFP • 94% said they were “very likely” community members came out team quickly learned that to try the recipe at home to watch the local chef (also one-on-one meetings with SDFP community coordinator) key community stakeholders • Everyone reported learning something new: demonstrate the preparation were more effective for how to cut herbs and carrots, how to of two produce-packed engagement, and applied quickly peel garlic, how to broil recipes at the first seasonal this method in the rest of the and peel tomatoes. cooking demonstration. The communities visited. “I’m going to make these carrots demonstration was well- Masset had the greatest for dinner tomorrow!” received, with all feedback participation in the baseline survey, [cooking demo participant, Tahsis] indicating a very positively engaged with 31 community members engaged and interested crowd (see text in identifying the community’s issues pull‑out). around produce availability and demand. The community coordinator in Tahsis highlighted Harbour Days (May 2011) resulted in the engagement that the SDFP activities (and other PAI activities) have of hundreds of community members at the PAI Booth. done well in engaging the children. They are now Residents who visited the booth reported learning about engaged in the concepts of healthy eating and local food fruit and vegetables, sampled fruit kebabs, veggie cups production, and trying and enjoying new kinds of produce. and smoothies, and indicated that they were very likely “The PAI has had a particularly large impact on kids. to increase their produce consumption over the next few … they are eating fruits and vegetables they have months. Several local volunteers were active within SDFP never heard of. At the Tahsis Days event they got activities at Harbour Days, and continued to engage more fruit kebabs instead of Freezies and they loved them.” community members in the coming months. [SDFP Community Coordinator, Tahsis]

The next few months saw the engagement of local The one produce retailer in Tahsis has made great changes retailers, and the installment of merchandising tools to the in-store produce displays with demonstrated in three local stores. One hundred thirty community uptake of the SDFP merchandising materials. The firm members were attracted to the cooking demonstration engagement of the family-owned and operated business held at Delmas Co-op; customers then proceeded to buy was the result of patient and persistent relationship- all the featured produce available at the store. building activities on the part of the SDFP team.

As a result of the SDFP Team’s efforts in relationship- The intersection of multiple PAI activities in the community building, the Masset Village Office was engaged and of Tahsis will assist with the continued engagement of became a key stakeholder and facilitator of the community members and sustain efforts around produce Stimulating Demand activities. A local dietitian is firmly availability. engaged and is sustaining the SDFP activities in 2012. B ella Coola Tahsis Engagement of volunteers and a specific community Tahsis, as a community, was very accepting of the SDFP coordinator for SDFP proved more difficult in Bella Coola activities. Engagement was initiated in the early stages than in Masset and Tahsis. This may have been due to of the PAI, as Tahsis was a focal community for piloting a lesser PAI presence in the community prior to the their community garden project in 2010. The SDFP Team initiation of the SDFP component. Eleven community continued to augment the community’s interest in members participated in issues identification through the promotion of fresh fruit and vegetables through the baseline survey. Community engagement was first engaging with the key community stakeholders (8 apparent through the activities delivered at the Fall Fair community members were engaged specifically in the (September 2011), where approximately 300 Bella Coola identification of produce availability and demand issues community members visited the PAI booth, and sampled through participation in the baseline survey), and then and learned about produce. Over time, three retailers delivering welcome produce-promoting activities at in the Bella Coola Valley were engaged, and are now Tahsis Days in July 2011. Approximately 70 community actively promoting produce at their stores with the help

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 29 of merchandising tools offered through SDFP. The first them out too, and do some cross merchandising to cooking demonstration in Bella Coola was delayed until give people new ideas.” [Atwell’s Produce Manager, April 2012, but was well attended. This delay may speak Masset] to the somewhat slower engagement of the community, and the later confirmation of a specific community Where possible, photos of produce displays were coordinator. The retailer who was most involved (Bella compared to evaluate changes in produce merchandising. Coola Co-op) had lingering concerns around the lack of This was not possible in all locations, given the timing engagement of the community. of visits, or a lack of participation by retailers in sending photos. However, where we have this data, photos of produce displays before and after the SDFP Evidence for Outcomes: retail interventions clearly show the uptake of the Program Uptake and Increased merchandising materials (see for example, Figure 4). From an objective standpoint (i.e., review of the ‘before’ and Visibility of Produce ‘after’ photos), the uptake of the merchandising materials certainly changed the visibility of produce displays in Retailers embrace the program and there is uptake of these locations. Retailers indicated that there was value in merchandising materials and activities this increased visibility of produce.

Retailers in all targeted PAI communities embraced the Fruit and vegetable displays are more visible and SDFP program to some extent. At a basic level, we know attractive at retail locations that there was uptake of merchandising materials at all retail locations where they were offered. In general, The majority of customers surveyed indicated that they retailers were enthusiastic about receiving materials noticed something different about produce displays (and that would assist in marketing product. Uptake ranged that they were more visible). Customers also reported across materials and is documented across communities that they thought displays were more attractive: 60 and retail locations in Appendix A8. The uptake was and 61% of customers at Delmas Co-op in Masset and greatest for the ad template, aprons, danglers and the Tahsis Supermarket, respectively, believed that the basket stands, with all communities/retailers requesting produce displays were more attractive in November these. Masset appeared to have the greatest uptake as a 2011, as compared to a few months earlier. However, the community, given the participation of three stores and majority of the small sample (n=5) of customers surveyed their community nutritionist, as well as their Village Office. at Atwell’s in Masset indicated that they did not feel the The produce manager at Atwell’s demonstrated that she produce displays were more visible or more attractive. was really embracing the program and planning for future similar promotions: It is likely that more time needs to pass for a greater number of customers to notice and appreciate changes “This season, I’m not waiting until Harbour Days to to produce displays. Notably, the vast majority (72%) of do something for produce promotion. As the fruits customers surveyed across the three stores visited did start coming available, we’ll get it in bulk and we’ll not recognize the PAI logo, despite the fact that it was pass on deals, we’ll be able to set up the PAI tent and displayed prominently at the store they were shopping at. hand free samples out, and recipe cards, we’ll pass Typically, customers need multiple exposures to a

Figure 4: ‘Before’ (left) and ‘After’ (right) photos of SDFP Merchandising Materials at Participating Grocer on Haida Gwaii.

30 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 campaign and its messages before they Retailers but they were aware of all sorts of fruit internalize or act on new information. embraced the program and vegetables to look for, from gai lan “All of the retailers embraced to kohlrabi. “Local” varieties were It was early days in brand recognition also frequently specified. Notably, and messaging awareness for these the program and wanted to participate. Nobody said ‘no’, and I the ingredients for the smoothies communities; it is likely that the thought that was very positive … we that were demonstrated and given continued PAI presence and activities even had one request from a store out as fruit kebab samples included for stimulating demand will augment outside of Masset … they wanted blueberries, strawberries, mangoes customers’ subjective interpretation of the program materials as well.” and watermelon — four of the most positive changes to produce displays in often mentioned fruits. Apples were SDFP Component Manager their local stores. usually on display at the booths, and carrots and broccoli were included in the veggie cups available for sampling. There was Evidence for Outcomes: evidently a direct relationship between the specific Awareness of Produce and produce promoted at the PAI booth and community Changes in Produce Purchasing members’ interest in obtaining certain produce locally. Further, we asked customers at three stores — Tahsis We asked community members what produce they Supermarket, Delmas Co-op (Masset), and Atwell’s might look for in their local stores, after learning about (Masset) what produce they noticed was recently what was locally available at the PAI Booth at the local available at the store they were shopping at. In Tahsis, fairs in Tahsis, Bella Coola, and Masset. There was great about half the respondents indicated that they noticed participation in the survey ballots on which we asked some new produce was available, and specified apples, this question, and community members’ answers grapes, lemons, limes, plums, bananas, pears, melons, clearly showed a heightened awareness of what produce oranges, tomatoes, bok choy, broccoli, carrots, peppers, was available, and what they should look for, in their celery, potatoes, yams, cauliflower and squash as new community. Across community events, 358 people and welcome additions. At Delmas, customers were responded at the PAI booth with a fruit or vegetable that aware of the new availability of produce, which included they were going to look for in their community. Figure 5 dragonfruit, kiwi, mandarin oranges, B.C. fruit, pineapples, below shows the diversity of their answers; items with a pomegranates, apple-pear, asparagus, cucumbers, leeks, larger font size were mentioned more frequently. People local squash, endive, green peppers. Finally, at Atwell’s, were most often interested in buying apples (9%), carrots customers specified that mini mandarins and starfruit (7%), blueberries (6%), strawberries (6%), watermelon were new. (5%), grapes (4%), mangoes (3%), and broccoli (3%),

Figure 5: Responses to ‘What fruit or vegetable will you look for in your community?’ on survey ballot at Community Event PAI Booths. (Larger fonts denote more frequently mentioned produce) December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 31 All of this produce was not new to these three stores, “Oh yes, our produce sales are up. You bet they are. however, customers’ interpretation of it as ‘new’ is They are up from last year. Even when the economy notable. It clearly shows that that the customers were isn’t good. And, I’ve increased [ordering] quite a bit.” aware of what was available at their store (new or not), [Atwell’s Produce Manager] and that they were appreciative of their retailers’ efforts to attend to the customers’ demand for produce. Fifty- Further, we asked customers in the three stores we visited two percent of Tahsis Supermarket and Delmas customers — Tahsis Supermarket, Delmas Co-op and Atwell’s — if felt that there were more fresh fruit and vegetables their produce purchasing had changed. In Tahsis, 48% of available now than at that same time the year before; customers indicated that they had recently bought more 2 of the 5 Atwell’s customers surveyed felt that there produce than they typically had at the same time the year was more produce available. It seems not all customers before; 36% and 40% of Delmas and Atwell’s customers thought that more fresh produce was available, but they reported an increase in produce purchasing. did demonstrate a heightened awareness of what was Retailers were asked to report on the direct impacts of available for purchase at their local stores. in-store cooking demonstrations in relation to sales In summary, there is some evidence to show that of produce used in the demonstration. The produce awareness of, and demand for fresh produce changed in manager at Delmas in Masset indicated that sales of the response to specific efforts in stimulating demand. As a fresh produce featured in the demo were 15% greater direct result of messaging done at the three community on that day (in December 2011) than on a similar day in events, hundreds of community members in Tahsis, December 2010. Overall, store sales were up 5% on the Masset and Bella Coola indicated that they were going to demonstration day. Customers evidently responded to look for a specific fruit or vegetable that they had sampled the cooking demonstration by taking their new recipe and or heard about at the PAI event booth. Many customers at cooking knowledge into the produce aisle and purchasing the three stores where we did surveys were acutely aware large amounts of the produce that was included in the of what was (and wasn’t) available for purchase, and more demonstration. To this end, Delmas Co-op sold out of the than half of the two larger customer samples (Tahsis and demonstration produce within hours of completing their Delmas) felt that there was more produce available at the demos. store now. Overall, about a third of customers surveyed indicated Records of produce purchases and produce ordering that they had actually bought more produce recently. were difficult to obtain within this evaluation. Retailers Although this cannot be entirely attributed to stimulating were reluctant to supply this information, and recognized, demand activities, it demonstrates a shift in consumers’ as did we, the number of confounds influencing and approaches to produce. The fact that anyone is thinking confusing the interpretation of sales data. As such, we more about, and buying more produce is a positive have little direct evidence of changes in fresh produce change. Changes in produce purchasing are happening, purchasing by remote community members. One retailer but as they appear to be situationally-dependent (i.e., (Delmas in Masset) came forward with sales data, and occur after specific stimulating demand activities), they indicated that produce sales were up 64% over the same will be dependent on continued and sustained activity to time last year (comparing April 2011 to April 2012). This stimulate demand. represents the lifespan of the SDFP activities, but we must be careful in attributing that large increase in produce sales to the PAI component, as the retailer noted that he thought most of the response was due to replacing dilapidated produce storage equipment. Some retailers also felt that it was too early in the stimulating demand process (essentially just a few months into the process) to see these kind of impacts on behaviour, and that the more notable changes at this stage were likely around the engagement and interest shown by community members (Evidence for Outcome: Community is Engaged section this report).

Although we were unable to obtain much quantitative data from retailers to show changes in produce purchasing or ordering, the produce manager at Atwell’s felt that there certainly had been a recent change (since May 2011) in the amount of produce sold at her store, and the amount that they were ordering in:

32 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Objective 2: Develop and implement a customized retail 3.9 Summary: Meeting program designed to increase demand for fresh FV, through community consultation the Component and with community support. Objectives and We have clear evidence of progress towards this objective. The SDFP team conducted a far-reaching consultation to Three Key Learnings develop a retail support program that was customized to the needs of retailers and customers in remote communities. The program was implemented in all PAI Meeting the component model communities. It was customized to address needs around recipes and in-store demonstrations, a lack of objectives usable produce promotional materials, and importantly, Progress was made towards all original objectives of through various practical produce demonstrations and the SDFP component. Below, each objective is weighed promotions, addressed several retailers’ needs for a shift against the evidence we have to illustrate progress in the perception of the quality of available produce.

Objective 1: Stimulate increased consumer demand Objective 3: Optimize retailer support to create, for fresh FV within remote communities implement and sustain in-store programs by implementing a retail and consumer designed to increase sales of fresh FV. program designed to increase consumption As indicated in the discussion of Objective #2, the SDFP through the introduction of “new” produce team clearly worked through a process to optimize retailer items and encouraging greater frequency of support. The activities that the team is currently working purchase of existing produce. on — namely, continued relationship-building, trouble- Given how relatively early in the process the assessment shooting and optimizing in-store promotional materials, of changes in demand was made, and how difficult it was promoting networking of community coordinators across to get quantitative data from retailers, it is not surprising communities, and providing continued support and that big changes in consumer demand could not be guidance for the implementation of seasonal, in-store demonstrated. Behavioural change is a long term process, cooking demonstrations — will be instrumental to the influenced by many factors; we may expect changes sustainability of these programs. in this complex variable in two years time in the most Objective 4: Help increase consumption of fresh FV engaged communities. However, early indicators of a by educating communities on the health change in the right direction include: benefits of consuming a greater quantity of • Observed, situational changes in produce demand fresh FV regularly and throughout the year. directly following cooking demonstrations and at the community events in Tahsis, Masset and Bella Coola. The SDFP component was a key factor in the promotion of increased produce consumption in the PAI communities. • Approximately 1/3 of customers surveyed at three Notably, 75% of community members who were involved stores indicated that they had bought more produce in produce promotions at the SDFP booth at their within the last few months, as compared to the same community event indicated that they would be very likely time last year. to increase their produce consumption over the next few • The twell’sA retailer verbally indicating that “our months. Similarly, the vast majority indicated that they produce sales are up. You bet they are. They are up learned something new about fresh produce while visiting from last year … And, I’ve increased [ordering] quite a the booth. The introduction of free produce samples bit.” And, the Delmas retailer indicating that produce at these community events translated to an increase sales were up 64% from the previous year. in produce consumption, over previous years, in those specific situations. Cooking demonstration attendees in Further, the focus of this component was really around Masset and Tahsis gathered new ideas about produce guiding community members to purchase and prepare the selection and preparation, and indicated that they would fresh produce that is on the shelves in local stores; greater be very likely to make and eat the demonstrated dishes at increases in demand would be seen if a more economical, home with their families (94% in Tahsis). fresher and more diverse selection could be offered (which was beyond the current scope of this component).

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 33 Three Key Learnings for Stimulating Demand for Produce in Remote Communities Community engagement is the key to stimulating demand. Multiple members and segments of a community must be engaged with both the project team that is trying to promote change, and the change concept itself. The degree of engagement will vary across potential ‘intervention’ communities, and this is to be expected. For those communities that are less ripe for change, and less engaged, the emphasis should be on this engagement of the community — and all the relationship-building this involves — prior to initiating any other efforts.

Brand development is a critical part of the process, and should be prioritized early on, with contributions from the communities. To stimulate demand for any product (including produce), customers need to be able to identify and connect with what’s available to them. The continuous reinforcement of this brand through all the various produce-promoting activities gives customers something to recognize and act on, over time.

Focus on using (and building on) existing infrastructure and capacity, and integrate this with a plan to deliver activities where the community members already are. There was great community interest in the existing community events — Harbour Days, Tahsis Days, Fall Fair — and capitalizing on that enthusiasm resulted in the delivery of produce promotions to a big, energetic crowd. The event plan already existed (infrastructure), and many key event stakeholders were already ‘ready to go’ for the weekend (and needed just minor adjustments to their workload to fulfill the PAI needs). Along these lines, the delivery of in-store cooking demonstrations has resulted in a captive, target audience, and a win-win situation for the store and local families.

34 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 4.0 Farm to Community

4.1 component 4.2 component Goals Description and Objectives There are a host of programs operating across North The goal of the PAI, and the F2C component, was to America that aim to bring fresh, locally and sustainably improve the year-round availability and quality of fruits grown, nutritious, safe and culturally appropriate foods and vegetables, including B.C. produce when available, in to the public places where people eat together, and remote B.C. communities. collectively, in this report, we refer to these types of programs as ‘Farm to Community’. In schools, this To work towards this goal, the F2C objectives were to: program has often followed a model of offering a salad • Increase the availability of fruit and vegetables in the bar lunch option to students.1 Adopting, tailoring and community; implementing this established, Farm to Community • Increase fruit and vegetable consumption amongst model for the PAI was attractive, as there was the participants; potential to fill the gap in produce availability in the school environment and other community places. However, as • Increase knowledge about the local food system, Farm to Community (F2C) had never been implemented local foods and nutritional health; in locations as remote as the PAI model communities, this • Enhance skills in the areas of food production, component required a great deal of tailoring and trouble- processing and serving; shooting to develop flexible plans that would work in these unique locations. • Strengthen local farm and community partnerships.

The Public Health Association of B.C., the provincial champion organization of Farm to Community, was 4.3 component Team contracted to engage the PAI model communities in the concept, and work with them to deliver the program. The work program for the F2C Component Manager, Between November 2010 and December 2011, five Farm contracted through the Public Health Association of B.C., to Community programs were initiated. The early stages included: saw the engagement of Captain Meares Elementary and • Building and strengthening supports for F2C by Secondary School (Tahsis, B.C.), Port Clements Elementary linking communications, policy , research and School (Port Clements, B.C.) and George M. Dawson practice through teleconferences, ebriefs, website Secondary School (Masset, B.C.), and delivery of their announcements, and presentations; unique programs from April 2011 through to the end of • Communicating regularly and making linkages with the 2011/12 school year. In September 2011, a multi-site schools, program leads, farmers, health authorities, program in Haida Gwaii was planned and initiated. This and EHOs (via phone calls, teleconferences, emails); program involved lunch programs at two schools, — Chief Matthews Elementary School and Tahayghen Elementary • Conducting site visits with schools, farmers, health School (both in Old Masset) — food preparation at the centre, culinary arts program; Old Masset Village Council Culinary Arts Program, and • Developing a Farm to Community support network; the planning and initiation of related programs at the hospital and health centre. The Haida Gwaii group forged • Establishing a steering committee/reference group new relationships with local farmers to establish their to guide development of a F2C resource guide for new programs, while the program in Tahsis stimulated remote communities; creativity with local food sourcing, given the lack of farms • Developing tools and content for three F2C guides/ in the area. Significant work to develop the community resources; capacity to support these meal programs was done and • Building supports for F2C programs to be sustained is ongoing. beyond March 2012.

1 See, for example, the Farm to School Salad Bar Program at Oliver Elementary School: http://www.phabc.org/modules. php?name=Ftsreg&pa=list_schools&pid=11&sid=1&ok=2

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 35 4.4 What the F2C Team Delivered • Engagement of 8 new program sites (5 schools, 1 Culinary Arts Program, 1 health centre, 1 hospital); • Developed and developing relationships with program leads at 8 sites; • Piloted five new Farm to Community programs between April 2011 and December 2011; • Support to program leads through teleconferences, email and 2 site visits; 4.6 Evaluation • An F2C training and networking session on Vancouver Island and a F2C conference in Richmond; Framework • Program sustainability meetings in Tahsis and Haida To evaluate the F2C program, an evaluation framework Gwaii; was developed (Appendix B1). The framework was structured around the F2C objectives to ensure that the • Linkages between the F2C component and other PAI evaluation was relevant and tailored to the program program components; activities. The framework was used to guide the evaluation • Networks and supports at the provincial level activities, tools, and timeline. (e.g. VIHA, NHA) to help sustain the F2C programs beyond March 2012; Process evaluation activities and data were designed to bring together understanding around the course and • Tools and content for three new F2C resources; context of implementing F2C in remote communities. We • Successful project and budget management under paid particular attention to the capacity-building aspect the direction of the PHAB.C. and Ministry of Health. of the component, and considered this as a focal area for process reporting. As well, process-related findings were intended to provide insight into the successes and 4.5 Evaluation challenges of implementing the program, to bring together insight for programs aiming to implement similar activities Framework and in remote communities. We gleaned process-related information from photo journals, interviews with program Evaluation Activities leads, participation on teleconferences, and ongoing communications with the F2C component manager. As with the other PAI components, we evaluated both the process and the outcomes of Farm to Community. We evaluated outcomes (below) to assess the degree We used a case study approach to present the highlights to which the F2C objectives were met. Data collection of the process for each Farm to Community Program, methods for the outcome evaluation included student and then an integrated approach to show the combined pre-post surveys, produce tracking sheets and discussion evidence of outcomes across programs. The overarching groups with students, F2C facilitators (program leads, pieces of the evaluation, where we consider the coordinators, farmers, volunteers) and the component component in its entirety, include the learnings around manager. capacity-building and the Farm to Community model in remote communities. We’ve also constructed two Outcome 1 Increased availability of fruit and vegetables complementary evaluation report pieces — Farm to in the community; Community in Tahsis and Farm to Community in Haida Outcome 2 Increased fruit and vegetable consumption Gwaii. These are integrated digital stories that visualize our amongst participants; evaluation data to bring these programs, and the learnings associated with them, to life. These digital stories can be Outcome 3 Increased knowledge about the local food accessed at: system, local foods and nutritional health; http://vimeo.com/40674888 (password = evaltahsis), and http://vimeo.com/40753719 (password = evalhg). Outcome 4 Enhanced skills in the areas of food production, processing and serving;

Outcome 5 Strengthened local farm and community partnerships.

36 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 and Secondary School and George M. Dawson Secondary 4.7 Evaluation Activities School) however, all schools provided photos (without the journal) of their salad bar program. Student Surveys Produce Tracking Sheets We designed a survey to assess the variety and amount of fruits and vegetables students were eating before We provided Produce Tracking Sheets (Appendix B4) to and after the F2C component was implemented at their program coordinators, to be completed once per week schools (to assess outcomes 1, 2, 3). Surveys also included when they received produce from the suppliers. The questions to assess knowledge of local produce (Appendix tracking sheet was used to document the type and B2). As the participating schools included children in amount of produce ordered for their program, where kindergarten all the way to grade 12, the survey was it was grown, and how many students accessed the simplistic and included colour photographs of produce, to salad bar. Coordinators were instructed to fax or mail aid in recognition for non-readers. Assessment of local completed tracking sheets every month. Early on, it food knowledge was more complex in the grade 4 through was clear that most programs lacked the administrative 12 survey, as compared to the K-3 survey. We tested support to complete this kind of tracking. Two schools the survey with kindergarten students, and invited input (Port Clements Elementary School and Captain Meares from participating F2C teachers. Baseline surveys were Elementary and Secondary School) were well-committed completed during the month of program initiation, and to this process and regularly submitted produce tracking follow-up surveys were completed between November sheets. For others, we attempted to piece this information 2011 and March 2012 (the variability was due to competing together summarily through the scheduled interviews and priorities at schools, timing of evaluation team visits, and discussion groups. lack of capacity to complete the surveys at schools). Teachers, principals and staff helped with survey Site Visit Observation implementation by printing and distributing surveys for classrooms, allocating class time for survey completion, We developed a tool to record observations of the F2C teaching students how to complete the surveys, working programs in action during our site visits (Appendix B5). one on one with younger students, and mailing the We used this to record descriptions of what was served completed surveys to the evaluation team. in salad bar lunches, what was popular (and unpopular), capture comments and attitudes towards the lunch, and We had good success with baseline survey participation, to record the flow, or process, of the lunch. with all five schools completing the baseline within one month of F2C program initiation. Follow-up surveys were much more difficult to complete, and participation Interviews across schools varied widely. We had great participation at Captain Meares in Tahsis, as we were able to assist We conducted 11 one-on-one interviews with program with the survey completion during our site visit in leads/coordinators, principals, farmers, the OMVC November 2011. Port Clements Elementary also had a high chef, and the F2C Component Manager. We used these participation rate and completed their surveys by January interviews to learn about the successes, challenges, 2012. Difficulties with survey completion arose at George and changes that occurred within the F2C process. We M Dawson (low participation rate, and a lack of a ‘leader’ developed a semi-structured interview guide for each for survey completion meant that we received very few individual based on their involvement with the program completed surveys, with little accompanying information); (a sample interview guide is provided in Appendix B6). Chief Matthews and Tahayghen Elementary Schools were With permission, interviews were audio-recorded. unable to complete the surveys by April 2012. Student Discussion Groups Photo Journals While visiting the F2C sites, we used discussion groups We asked Farm to Community Salad Bar Coordinators to to explore students’ interest and engagement in the take photos of their salad bar twice a month, to document salad bar, changes in fruit and vegetable consumption, program progress in each school. We also provided and changes to knowledge about local food systems, a word template to assist coordinators in describing nutrition, and food preparation (a sample discussion what was taking place in each photo and describe why guide is provided in Appendix B7). A facilitator and a co- it was significant (Appendix B3). Photo Journals were facilitator led the discussion groups. One facilitator led the submitted by two schools (Captain Meares Elementary discussion, while the other operated the voice recorder and digital/video camera. Conversations were audio-

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 37 recorded and transcribed after the discussion. Digital Stories In all, we held seven discussion groups with 34 students Our site visits to Tahsis and Haida Gwaii gave us an at the five participating schools. Discussion groups ranged opportunity to capture audio and visual material for in size from five to eight students. Given the importance digital stories about the F2C programs. Still photography of age, discussion groups were comprised of students and video footage was inventoried post-visit, and two from the same class or of a similar age group. Discussions storyboards were created to organize story contents. We lasted anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes. focused on presenting unique aspects of each program, We recruited students to the discussion groups based the perspectives and voices of various community on communication with school coordinators. School members, learnings around the adaptation of the F2C coordinators assisted with the identification of children program for remote communities, and the progress who regularly participated in the salad bar program. These towards outcomes in each program. The most illustrative, students were invited to participate given their exposure visual pieces were used to construct the stories, which to the intervention. Letters describing the discussion can be viewed as 8-minute summaries of the evaluation groups and photo release consent forms were sent home of these programs (http://vimeo.com/40674888 with the identified students. Parents signed and returned (password = evaltahsis), and http://vimeo.com/40753719 the consent forms in advance of the discussion groups. (password = evalhg)). Facilitators Discussion Groups 4.8 F2C Case Study: While on site, we also held discussion groups with the F2C facilitators in Tahsis and in Haida Gwaii. We aimed to Captain Meares include all those who were facilitative to the process of implementing the new programs, including program leads Elementary and and coordinators, principals, volunteers, and farmers. In all, four discussion groups were held with the facilitators Secondary School of the Farm to Community salad bar programs in Tahsis and Haida Gwaii. Two discussion groups occurred in Tahsis Overview and included six individuals (four parents, one school staff member, and the F2C coordinator). Two discussion Captain Meares Elementary and Secondary School groups occurred in Haida Gwaii and included seven (CMESS) is located in Tahsis, B.C., on the west coast of individuals in Masset (e.g. school principals, Haida Gwaii Vancouver Island. The school has a total of 47 students F2C coordinator, and the OMVC CAP apprentice and chef), in kindergarten to grade 12. The Farm to Community and three individuals in Port Clements (school principal Salad Bar Program (F2C) was introduced at CMESS in and two parent volunteers). January 2011 after PAI grant funding was successfully obtained through the Tahsis Literacy Society. An ‘At a The purpose of these discussions was to explore: Glance’ summary of the CMESS Salad Bar Program is • The program’s successes and challenges as seen yb provided in Appendix B9. To prepare for the program, the the program facilitators; school purchased a salad bar unit and kitchen equipment (including salad spinners, stock pots, bins for food storage, • The program’s impact on the students’ access to etc.). CMESS also hosted a Food Safe Level 1 course to produce; ensure that volunteers and individuals assisting with the • Changes in consumption of fruit and vegetables; program were trained to safely handle and prepare food. • Acquisition of new skills as a result of the program; Grant funding was also used to provide volunteers with honorariums. The first F2C lunches were served in April • Qualitative data on the sustainability of the program 2011, with over 30 lunches served between April 2011 and going forward. February 2012. A typical salad bar menu included soup (e.g. sunshine soup, celery soup, chicken vegetable soup), A facilitator and a co-facilitator conducted the discussion sliced vegetables (carrots, celery, lettuce, tomatoes, groups. One facilitator led the discussion, while the other peppers, cucumber, spinach, etc.), pre-made salads operated the voice recorder and digital/video camera (a (e.g. spinach salad with sliced mushrooms, potato salad, sample discussion guide is provided in Appendix B8). With coleslaw) and fruit (e.g. grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, permission, conversations were audio-recorded and then strawberries). Thirty-one students (2/3 of the student transcribed and thematically analyzed. body) and between five and ten teachers and parents regularly participated in the salad bar, which typically runs twice a week.

38 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 The F2C program was coordinated “I was just so assistant at CMESS attended the PAI by a local resident who is also a excited when I heard this Produce Preservation Train the Trainer trained Chef. The coordinator salad bar program was offered workshop in July 2011. She is now developed salad bar menus, teaching some of the younger 2 in this small rural community here ordered groceries , tracked costs, in Tahsis, … some people might think students how to dehydrate prepared meals, and organized fruit for healthy snacks which and trained volunteers. The [our] community misses out on a lot, but are sometimes used in the coordinator was instrumental no, this salad bar has been wonderful, and salad bar, and to make jam in providing educational [there’s] so many benefits. I’ve been so out of local blackberries. The opportunities for students and encouraged by the good work and the F2C program is also linked with volunteers, introducing students healthy options for the kids, so I want the PAI Stimulating Demand for to new produce, and creating an to say thank you … because it is a Produce component through the environment that makes eating fun blessing to our children.” local grocery store (where produce and comfortable (e.g. holding taste [Tahsis parent] for the salad bar program is often tests, and having café style lunches purchased) and the Community Projects with students, teachers and volunteers component, which funds the Tahsis eating together). Community Garden. Through the integration of these PAI initiatives, the culture around food in Tahsis The salad bar also relied on several parent volunteers, is positively changing. teachers and one key staff member. Volunteers assisted with food preparation, serving and clean up. CMESS teachers looked for ways to integrate the salad bar into What Worked Well the school curriculum (e.g. visiting the community garden, planting and harvesting vegetables, and preparing food in Introducing students to new foods: The F2C program home economics). A CMESS staff member often assisted exposed students to new fruits and vegetables and the youngest students to serve themselves from the salad encouraged them to try new things. The F2C coordinator bar. brought in examples of unique produce, conducted taste tests and used fact cards, jokes, and photos to make During the fall of 2011, members of the evaluation team learning about fruits and vegetables fun. These actions visited CMESS to observe the salad bar in action. At encouraged the students to try new foods and got them noon, the youngest students were brought to the home excited about the salad bar program. economics room, where lunch was served, followed by “I went out and bought a giant daikon radish and the older students. When students arrived, they lined brought it in. I put it on a platter and put a note on it up, signed in, and served themselves. Lunch included “What is this?” The kids are looking at it and thought Thai chicken vegetable soup and a variety of fruits and it was the weirdest thing they had ever seen [and vegetables from the salad bar (baby carrots, greens, baby said] “are you kidding, we’re not eating that!” … then corn, peppers, dried apples, and dried cranberries). The I explained that it was a diakon radish (which means coordinator and teachers were on hand and we overheard big root in Japanese). Well, the next day I peeled it them encouraging students to try new foods and to take and sliced it and served it and everybody wanted to a variety of produce. During lunch, students, teachers try it. The second day, I made a marinade and put the and volunteers sat together at long tables in the home diakon in rice wine and sesame oil, and they loved it!” economics room, which gave them opportunities to be [F2C Coordinator] together and talk. Many students returned for seconds and there was very little wastage. Once lunch was over, “My favorite part [of the salad bar] is probably eating students were responsible for washing their own dishes. food, trying out different things. Some things you Overall, the energy around the salad bar and dining tables might not like, other things you might, so it is good to was very positive. try them out.” [senior student]

The success of the CMESS Farm to Community program Integrating learning opportunities: CMESS was successful was augmented by the uptake of other PAI components at creating opportunities to learn about fruits and within Tahsis, which have really driven the community vegetables. Several teachers incorporated learning towards growing, learning about, demanding and about fruits and vegetables into the curriculum (e.g. the consuming more produce. For example, a teaching kindergarten-grade 3 class dehydrated fruit snacks, various classes visited the community garden). Five 2 It is important to note that the F2C program in Tahsis is unique senior students assisted with salad bar lunch preparation because there are no local farmers to supply produce. Food for which provided them with opportunities to learn about the program is acquired through the Tahsis Supermarket, Thrifty food safety, food preparation skills, and healthy recipes. Foods in Campbell River (where orders can be made online and local foods can be selected), or grown in the community garden. Further, many adult volunteers discussed gaining new

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 39 C aptain Meares Elementary and Secondary School

40 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 knowledge through the F2C program, like learning new Involving the community: The F2C program provided food storage techniques, chopping skills and new recipes. many opportunities for the community to get involved with the salad bar program. This allowed members of Enabling students to make healthy choices: The structure the community to spend time together, get to know of the salad bar program at CMESS (i.e. using a salad bar one another, and work towards a common goal. It also unit) enabled students to choose their own food and brought different generations together and created a taught them about making healthy choices. As discussed sense of ‘community’. by a parent volunteer and the F2C Coordinator, this empowered the students and encouraged them to think “I think the farm to school program is important about what they were eating. because it brings together the community. The volunteers, kids, parents, [and] grandparents come “The students are serving themselves and mak[ing] in sometimes. [It] gets people talking about fresh choices. At home parents just put it on the plate food, trying new recipes, and sharing those recipes. and give it to them. [Here], they pick for themselves [It] brings people together.” [parent volunteer] — they’re having to make the healthy choice.” [parent volunteer] “It’s neat because I have met the kids in the community. I’ve got to know them, they know Integrating the F2C and PAI in the broader community: me, and I got to meet the wonderful people in the Linking the F2C program with the community garden and community and now I’m part of the community.” produce preservation program allowed students to be [F2C Coordinator] directly involved with growing produce, harvesting, and preservation. Further, connecting the F2C program with the other PAI initiatives in Tahsis is changing the culture of What Was Challenging food in the community by providing more opportunities to The F2C coordinator and volunteers discussed very few grow and prepare local produce and stimulating demand challenges to the salad bar program at CMESS. However, for fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. the one overarching challenge was not having enough “Even the local grocery store has improved. They volunteers. Although there was a core group of parent used to have rows of coolers for pop, now they put volunteers, they were devoting a lot of time to the produce in the pop cooler.” [parent volunteer] program. As a result, the F2C Coordinator was concerned about volunteer burn-out and the challenges associated Hiring a trained chef: The coordinator contributed greatly with finding other volunteers. to the success of the salad bar program due to her technical knowledge, ability to teach others, and zest for “One thing I have noticed it is hard to get volunteers, healthy foods. Her knowledge and experience helped her hard to get parents of the kids out to volunteer. I teach the students and volunteers about the importance don’t know why it is, I was surprised when we of fruits and vegetables, healthy recipes, and food first started out there weren’t more volunteers.” preparation skills. One volunteer indicated how much she [parent volunteer] appreciated the efforts of the F2C coordinator: “I’ve been so encouraged by the good work and the healthy options for the kids, so I want to say thank you to [the coordinator] and everyone who has put this together to make this possible …” [parent volunteer]

Creating an inviting environment: The coordinator created a warm and comfortable environment for the salad bar program by using table cloths and flowers. This encouraged the students to take their time and enjoy their food. As one volunteer mentioned: “It almost feels like a small café, she puts flowers on the table, music in the background. [The kids] aren’t rushing to get the food down … they enjoy the food, talk with each other, and enjoy the moment.” [parent volunteer]

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 41 for by the administrators because it took too long for 4.9 F2C Case Study: the students to help themselves using the salad bar, the students preferred a warm soup as opposed to a cold Port Clements salad, the vegetables they received were more conducive to soups, and it was easier to encourage students to eat Elementary School vegetables ‘hidden’ in a soup. The soups contained at least eight different vegetables. Students were charged a dollar Overview per meal to participate in the soup program. During the fall of 2011, the evaluation team visited PCE to Port Clements Elementary School (PCE) is located in see the program in action. Mexican Chicken Taco Soup was the village of Port Clements on Haida Gwaii. The school served. It consisted of onions, celery, garlic, green chillies, currently has 34 students in kindergarten to grade 7. frozen corn, diced tomatoes, mixed beans, chicken, stalk, and herbs. Accompaniments like whole grain soft tortillas The Farm to Community Salad Bar Program was with egg salad, jalapeños and tortilla chips were also introduced at PCE in January 2011. An ‘At a Glance’ available to students. summary of the PCE Salad Bar Program is provided in Appendix B9. Prior to the start of the program, PCE was During the site visit, our evaluation team spoke with actively promoting healthy eating by offering healthy students about the program. Students mentioned that snacks five days a week, hosting international lunch days they enjoyed the different varieties and flavours of soups, and serving healthy food at sporting events (e.g. chili and the fact that the soup was filling and warm. There instead of hotdogs). The school had already established were very few dislikes about the program; a few students a culture where kids accepted healthy food choices. The discussed specific food preferences. new F2C program complimented the existing culture at PCE. The students in the discussion group talked excitedly about eating the soup. Most students also spoke about trying To prepare for the program, the school purchased kitchen something for the first time, including kale, jalapenos, equipment and a salad bar unit. In addition, PAI grant and borscht. On days when soup was not provided, the funding was used to purchase needed farm equipment students often brought a variety sandwiches, apples, and (e.g. a potato cultivator, heating/lamp system) for treats (e.g. cookies, granola bars). Students’ answers were Riverworks Farm. The farm equipment was critical to mixed when asked if they ate more produce on days when the increased and year-round production required to the salad bar was served. This is likely because the soup supply the F2C program at PCE. The school launched their ingredients were not communicated to the children; it program in February 2011, and ran it twice a week from was not obvious to them which produce was actually in then on. All 34 students participate in the program. the soup.

Riverworks Farm has operated for 40 years in Tlell, about Overall, it is clear that the soup program at PCE provided 20 km from Port Clements. The farm has three fenced- students with healthy meals made from local produce, row crop production areas, berry bushes, herbs, a small and taught them about local farming. orchard and the ongoing production of chickens, eggs, geese, turkeys, ducks and cattle. Riverworks is located a short distance from the school. Food was transported What Worked Well from the farm to the school by the local school bus driver. Incorporating learning opportunities for students: The The F2C Program at PCE was supported by 5 parent F2C program at PCE provided many opportunities for the volunteers and was coordinated and championed by the students to learn about fruits and vegetables and local school Principal. The Principal ordered produce from farming. During the evaluation site visit, several students the farmer, prepared meals, distributed the meals to enthusiastically discussed visiting the farm where the classrooms and oversaw the volunteers. The principal was produce was grown. While on the farm, they were able to also been instrumental in incorporating learning about harvest parsnips, pick potatoes and feed the cows. The healthy eating, the local food system and local foods into students took the vegetables they harvested home to the curriculum. The students in kindergarten to grade 4 share with their families. visited Riverworks farm twice since the program started. One student also discussed how her teacher had created The F2C program at PCE consisted of a soup cart, prepared fruit and vegetable flashcards that showed how produce in the kitchen, and then rolled into both classes. The was grown and why it was good for you. This provided meals were served by the Principal or a teacher, with opportunities to learn about healthy eating and nutritional the help of some older students. A soup cart was opted health in a fun and engaging way.

42 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Port Clements Elementary School

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 43 Incorporating learning opportunities for volunteers: A parent volunteer highlighted how the F2C program 4.10 F2C Case Study: provided her with opportunities to learn about food safety. The volunteer took the Food Safe program which gave her George M. Dawson information on the importance of cleanliness, cooking temperatures, and pathogens. She commented that she Secondary School used her new safety skills at PCE and at home.

Recognizing the best ‘fit’ for the program: Adapting Overview the traditional salad bar program into a soup program to merge the needs of the students with the available George M. Dawson (GMD) High School is located in Masset, produce increased the likelihood of success. By on Haida Gwaii, and has 104 students in grades 8 through understanding situations at her school and local farm, the 12. The Farm to School Program started at GMD in January principal designed a program that fit everyone better. 2011. An ‘At a Glance’ summary of the GMD Salad Bar Program is provided in Appendix B9. During the winter and spring of 2011, the school prepared for the program by What Was Challenging building a greenhouse and purchasing kitchen equipment, including a salad bar unit, a fridge, a freezer and a Lack of time: One of the biggest challenges identified by dishwasher. The school also did some minor renovations the school Principal was the amount of time involved in (e.g. adding a serving counter, installing a hot water tank, organizing and managing the program. The Principal found and updating the plumbing). The school did a trial run of it hard to manage her job responsibilities (which included the salad bar program on March 28th; 22 students were teaching a grade 2, 3, 4 split class and overseeing the served. The program then started running on Wednesdays school) and the F2C program. She also struggled to find and Thursdays in April and May, with 32 to 46 students time to train volunteers. participating each time. “Another challenge would be not having the time… The F2C program at GMD received its produce from the we’ve known each other a long time so we work it school greenhouse, a local farmer (Sangan Farms) and well, we don’t have a problem, but if you get new the local store. The school greenhouse is planted and people volunteering, it’s the training, getting on the maintained by the home economics students. These same page.” [school principal] students also harvested and prepared the greenhouse Volunteers: Similar to several other F2C programs, lack produce for the salad bar program. Sangan Farms consists of volunteers was a significant challenge facing the soup of two acres of land which grows a variety of greens (e.g. program at PCE. Although the program currently has a spinach, arugula, mustard greens, bok choy, romaine, few core volunteers, finding more volunteers and keeping etc.), tomatoes, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and rutabaga. the current volunteers engaged in the future may be a Sangan Farms provided approximately 20-25% of the challenge. produce to GMD. Beyond the greenhouse and local farm, additional food was purchased at the local store. “I think we have been lucky this year to have steady volunteers. Last year we had more people, but they The evaluation team visited GMD in December 2011 to see got jobs, which is good. I think keeping volunteers the salad bar in action. On the day of our visit, the F2C is the biggest problem we are going to have for the program served wraps (sautéed yellow peppers, onions, program to continue …How can we keep people and rice ), fruit salad, and a salad bar (lettuce, yellow, interested and motivated and doing this? … it is a red, green peppers, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, celery, huge commitment” [school principal] radishes, sunflower seeds, cranberries).

When it was time for lunch, approximately 40 students arrived outside the lunch room and waited until the coordinator let them in. Students picked up a plate and cutlery and proceeded to help themselves to the meal. Once past the hot meal station they had the choice of selecting items from the salad bar (the hot meal was the most popular and was gone by the time the last students came to get their lunch).

There appeared to be a distinct separation between the salad bar and the hot meal station. The salad bar is several steps away from the hot meal station and

44 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 George M. Dawson Secondary School

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 45 approximately 40% of students did “One of community member acting as program not get items from the salad bar the most meaningful coordinator as opposed to school station, rather sitting down after parts of the program right now staff). they served themselves the is the creation of the greenhouse. That hot meal. However, when Finally, the F2C program greenhouse supplies product for meals, at GMD did not have a students did visit the salad but is also involves students from [Tahayghen] bar, the fruit salad was volunteer coordinator very popular. Nearly all elementary school and our own school in in the Fall of 2011. The students who chose preparing the greenhouse for growth, selecting previous F2C volunteer items from the salad the kinds of product that go into growing. They are had to step back as the bar served themselves involved in the whole notion of what is appropriate role was too difficult to a fairly small portion of to grow in our community, how successful it is, they balance with caring for produce (approximately take care of the greenhouse, weed, water, all that her young children. The 1.5 servings) as a small kind of stuff. And, we are relying on our home principal discussed the addition to the hot meal. economics classes to be harvesting, producing, need to have more time preserving, also preparing.We’re kind of an (and money) to make the program work (without all-encompassed group and trying to be What Worked taking away from other duties self-sufficient in many respects. ” and responsibilities). Well [school principal, GMD] “When I talk about sustainability, Incorporating learning opportunities: I talk about the people that the Thirty-five students at GMD were involved program originated with. There’s already in all aspects of food production and preparation a significant lag because the principal that was through the school greenhouse. These students had many there last year was the main driver, the champion of opportunities to learn about local food production, food the cause… me, who is filling in behind, I don’t have preparation, healthy eating, and commitment (i.e. effort the same level of understanding or commitment, so required to maintain the greenhouse and grow produce). just because of me being there, there is a lag. …I’m getting my feet wet… I’m new, inexperienced and Offering a hot meal in combination with the traditional had no to little knowledge of the program before salad bar: The hot meal (which was full of produce) was my arrival… however, this is one of those projects more popular than the cold salad (especially in December). that gained a lot of traction prior to my arrival, so I Spotting the opportunity to get produce to the students was determined to maintain and hopefully grow the in a desired format was a smart move to increase program.” [school principal] participation. Availability of Local Produce: The principal and home economics teacher highlighted that the availability of local What Was Challenging produce is a challenge for the F2C program. Staffing and Program Support Issues: The F2C program at “It was much easier in May and June, our produce ran GMD experienced two significant challenge between the out early on in late October. [Just] kale and carrots spring and fall of 2011. The first was a switch in principals. and there’s only so many things that kids will eat The principal who initiated the program in the spring with carrots. Salad bar is not as full as it should be… of 2011 was replaced by a temporary principal in the we try our best.” [home economics teacher] fall of 2011. This slowed the momentum of the program since the new principal was not familiar with the school, community or F2C.

An additional challenge was the teachers’ job action, which was initiated in September of 2011. This prevented teachers from assisting with extracurricular activities, including the salad bar. This was problematic for the new principal who had very little time and support to implement the program they way it had been the year before. As a result, the salad bar was only offered 4 times during the fall of 2011. The problems arising from dependency on school staff to deliver the program can be contrasted to the successes observed in Tahsis, where the program coordination was external to the school (i.e., a

46 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 planned for the summer of 2012. Haida Health’s goal is to 4.11 F2C Case Study: harvest fruits and vegetables from the new garden and greenhouse, and incorporate them into several of the HHC Chief Matthews and OMVC meal programs (OMVC serves 1800 meals per month to Aboriginal children between the ages of 4 and Elementary School 18, and serves 142 elders through their Meals on Wheels Program). It is also expected that the greenhouse and and Tahayghen raised beds will provide opportunities for elders and local Elementary School school children to work together. C hief Matthews Overview Chief Matthews Elementary School has 58 students in The F2C program at Chief Matthews Elementary School kindergarten through grade 4, and is located in Old Masset and Tahayghen Elementary School was implemented in on Haida Gwaii. The school belongs to the First Nations collaboration with the Old Masset Village Council Culinary Schools Association, and is not part of the B.C. public Arts Program (OMVC-CAP). The collaborative approach school system. The Farm to Community Salad Bar program allowed the three sites to work together to serve local started at Chief Matthews in September 2011. PAI program produce to children in Masset. ‘At a Glance’ summaries of funding was augmented by the Old Masset Village Council, the Chief Matthews and Tahayghen Salad Bar Programs which allowed the school to offer meals for free. Prior to are provided in Appendix B9. the program, the school served a hot meal program five days a week. The hot meal program was prepared by the Produce for both school programs came from Riverworks OMVC Culinary Arts Program (CAP). The integration of F2C Farm and Lavoie Family Farm near Tlell, B.C. Both farms with the existing meal program linked the school to a local produced a variety of vegetables early in the school year. farmer, and increased the concentration and diversity of However, during the winter the famers struggled to supply produce in the meals. the same variety of produce since the growing season did not coincide with the school year. As a result, the farmers The F2C program at Chief Matthews was offered 2 days were able to provide some greens (through the use of a a week. Originally, meals were served using a salad bar heated greenhouse at Riverworks Farm) and a variety of unit (e.g. multiple salads, a hot meal and a dessert). root vegetables (e.g. beets, potatoes, rutabagas, parsnips, However, the unit presented several challenges for the etc.). At times, this limited variety was challenging for school, as they felt that it was very large, awkward, hard the F2C programs. Once the produce was harvested, to store, and involved a time-consuming process of the farmers or local residents involved in the program filing the students through. As a result, the community transported it 50km north to the OMVC-CAP in Masset. dietitian arranged for the salad bar unit to be sent to Produce was typically transported on Friday and stored Sk’aadgaa Naay Elementary School in Skidigate. The until the following week when the salad bar was offered. school then went ahead with a new meal distribution plan, which involved delivering class-sized portions to each The OMVC-CAP ordered the produce from the farmers, classroom by two CAP apprentices. A teacher or helper in received it and prepared it for the schools. OMVC-CAP, a each classroom then distributed the meal to each child. culinary training program led by a Red Seal Chef, trains Although this process minimized the amount of time it local students for work in the restaurant industry. During would take to serve and eat lunch, it prevented children the 2011 school year, there were 7 apprentices training at from being able to choose their own meals at lunch. the CAP. Under the guidance of the chef, the apprentices developed the F2C menus (based on the produce that was In December 2011, our evaluation team visited Chief acquired from the farmers), and prepared the two school Matthews and the CAP to observe the salad bar in action. programs. During the site visit, the CAP apprentices prepared an F2C meal which consisted of a green salad, broccoli soup and Haida Health Centre (HHC) was another partner facilitating a cookie. Once lunch was prepared, we shadowed the the F2C program development at Chief Matthews and apprentices as they delivered the meal to Chief Matthews. Tahaygen. HHC received funding from the PAI Farm During the lunch, we heard a variety of comments — both to Community component to build raised beds and a positive and negative — about the food. Two female greenhouse next to the Old Masset Elders Centre. As there students encouraged their friends to try the soup, and the were several delays to the construction of the greenhouse teacher encouraged several students to try the soup in (e.g. acquiring land), no produce was grown for the order to receive dessert. The incentive of having a cookie program in 2011. The greenhouse construction is expected was enough for many students to try the soup, however to be completed by June 21, 2012 with a first planting of those students, few ate more than one bite. Despite

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 47 C hief Matthews Elementary School and Tahayghen Elementary School

48 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 the encouragement, there was significant During lunch, we heard several positive wastage. In one class, ten bowls of soup “This is an island comments about the food: “it smells were hardly touched and thrown out. of families. I feel we really good,” and “the shepherd’s pie While the teacher was cleaning up are making an impact on the was really good. It was great (two after lunch she commented that family level … You have all of us, all thumbs up).” Further, several she found it difficult to throw out these levels of ages and community students returned for second that much food. helpings and there was very people being more aware and minimal waste when plates were connected to their food. That’s how you returned to be washed. Tahayghen make a change in a small community when it is focused on all levels, all Tahayghen Elementary School generations, and it is impactful What Worked Well is located in Masset on Haida that way.” Gwaii. The school has 98 students in Partnering with the OMVC CAP: kindergarten to grade 7. The Farm to [community dietitian] Partnering with the CAP was beneficial Community Salad Bar program started since the facility had an industrial at Tahayghen in September 2011. At the kitchen, a Red Seal Chef and apprentices. same time, the B.C. Teachers Federation went This allowed Chief Matthews and Tahayghen on job action. This prevented the teachers from assisting students to enjoy nutritious meals without having to assist with extracurricular activities, including the salad bar, and with meal preparation. proved to be problematic for the principal who was left to implement the program with little support. Further, Providing free, nutritious meals for students: The the principal was not able to host fundraisers for the Tahayghen principal and students indicated that students program and did not have assistance with supervision often brought instant noodles and Kraft Dinner for lunch during the lunch hour. Another challenge for the program when the F2C program was not offered. F2C offered a at Tahayghen was the fact that the school board required healthy, no cost alternative to lunches brought from the salad bar coordinator position to be unionized. As a home. Further, the principal at Tahayghen felt that the result, the school principal had to develop a paid position consumption of healthy F2C program food translated to and pay the coordinator at the union rate, rather than positive student behaviour in the afternoon. provide an honorarium for the F2C work. This was an Providing learning opportunities: Preparing the salad bar added (and unexpected) expense for the program. Despite meals at the CAP provided the apprentices with hands-on these challenges, the program was initiated, and worked learning opportunities including meal planning with local towards full establishment in the school. produce and knife skills. Our evaluation team visited Tahayghen in December 2011, and observed the salad bar program in action. On the day of the visit, the CAP prepared macaroni salad What Was Challenging (with onions and carrots), shepherd’s pie (with local Year-round availability of produce: Given that the growing parsnips and rutabaga), a bun, and green jello. The meal season did not coincide with the school year, it was was transported from the CAP to Tahayghen by the Haida hard for the farmers to produce vegetables and greens Health Centre’s Meals on Wheels driver. When it arrived throughout the year. The chef at the CAP often needed to at the school, it was taken to the home economics room purchased additional fruits and vegetables from the local by the F2C coordinator, who set up the home economics store. This was expensive and eventually, the salad bar room and oversaw the five leadership students who program was adapted and reduced to stay within budget. helped serve the meal. Distributing and transporting Produce: Due to the lack of When it was time for lunch, the youngest students arrived transportation infrastructure, distributing the produce first, followed by the older students. Lunch was served from the farms to the CAP was extremely challenging. on a long table by the coordinator and the leadership Often, it was hard to find someone to transport the food. students. Similar to Chief Matthews, Tahayghen no Also, food was sometimes delivered in the later afternoon 3 longer used a salad bar unit to distribute the food. Once or evening when the Red Seal Chef was no longer at the the students received their meal, they returned to their CAP; he then had to return to the CAP after he had gone classroom where they ate lunch. home, or the food would be left outside the building overnight.

3 Tahayghen initially received the salad bar unit from Port Clements Elementary School. The salad bar unit was then given to Queen Charlotte Secondary School.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 49 Dissociation between the schools and produce acquisition and preparation: Since students at Tahayghen 4.12 Evidence of and Chief Matthews were not involved with the food production, acquisition, or preparation, and there was Outcomes Across a lack of integration of related healthy eating concepts into classroom activities, students at the two schools F2C Programs appeared to be less knowledgeable about the local food system, local foods and nutritional health, as compared to participating students at the other three PAI-F2C schools. 1) Increased availability of fruit Further, since local food was incorporated and “hidden” and vegetables in the community in hot meals (and ingredients were not communicated to students), students were less aware when they were In Tahsis, the F2C program operating at CMESS increased eating local produce (e.g. the students were unaware that the availability of produce in the school environment. the Shepherd’s pie included local parsnips and rutabagas). The new salad bar ensured that the students had regular access to fruits and vegetables. Students and parents School partners lacked knowledge about farming: discussed the importance of this increased availability: According to one of the farmers, there was a lack of understanding among the F2C site leads regarding the “I am very grateful for the salad bar because they challenges and complexities of farming on Haida Gwaii. have lots of fruits and vegetables and at the time our This frustrated the farmer who tried to do everything family is completely out of fruits and vegetables. I possible to grow produce throughout the school year. He think we might have half a bag of lettuce but other wished that there was a greater understanding of the than that we don’t have anything.” amount of time, energy and hard work that goes into [grade 5 girl, CMESS] maintaining a farm. “We can’t often get fresh fruit and vegetables for our children when we want them, it just doesn’t happen, Poor (initial) communication between CAP and schools: so with this option here at Tahsis with the salad bar, During the fall semester, the principals at Tahayghen it gives me peace as a mom, … my kids are getting a and Chief Matthews commented that they received too nice variety of vegetables two days a week.” much food from the CAP. Lunch often included several [parent volunteer, CMESS] salads, a hot item and a dessert, which was expensive and food often went to waste. The CAP adjusted, and Further, the F2C program impacted the availability of eventually provided less food and less variety (one produce for community by establishing a school plot at salad, one hot item and one dessert); the revised the community garden. The plot produced peas, carrots, program is now meeting the needs of both schools. This and beets for the salad bar program. challenge demonstrated the need for earlier and tighter communications between the schools and the CAP. In Port Clements, more fruit and vegetables were available in the community due to the greater production at ‘Job Action’ and lack of support from teachers and parents: Riverworks Farm. Through his involvement in the F2C Tahayghen Elementary experienced significant challenges program at Port Clements Elementary (and funding as a result of the job action implemented by the Teachers’ provided to his farm), the farmer was able to increase Federation. The job action prevented teachers from production, plan ahead, and store more root vegetables assisting with the F2C program, and the principal reported to supply the program. The availability of produce clearly that it was hard to get parents to volunteer. The principal increased in the school: the provision of 8-vegetable soup, managed the program without much support. twice a week to all students, meant that a consistent supply of produce was present in the school environment. Union involvement: During the fall of 2011 the teachers’ union got involved with the F2C program at Tahayghen by “This soup, everyone really likes…There’s some chicken requiring the school to hire the F2C coordinator (rather and broccoli and there’s some peppers and if you than use honorariums). This had a detrimental impact want you can have jalapenos in there. And there’s on the F2C budget since it was expensive to hire the corn and there’s pepper and tomatoes and beans.” coordinator on a part time basis. [grade 6 girl, PCE] “Our coordinator position has become a unionized At George M. Dawson Secondary School in Masset, the F2C position. That really created a lot of issues for me and program increased the availability of produce because the school, and throughout the district, for the Farm of the F2C-funded school greenhouse. The greenhouse to School, now it is no longer an honorarium, now it’s produced a variety of vegetables including herbs, kale, a paid position, whole other story.“ mazuna and potatoes. Produce was incorporated into [Principal, Tahaygen] the F2C program and the home economics class. Further,

50 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 At baseline the operation of the salad bar, and day. It was difficult to quantitatively the receipt of produce deliveries (March 2011), students confirm the change in consumption at from Sangan farms, translated reported consuming, GMD, Chief Matthews and Tahayghen to a substantial increase in on average, 1.4 fruits and/or schools, as survey participation was produce availability in the school vegetables at school lunch. At low. environment. Where previously follow-up (November 2011), students there was no salad bar, and indicated that they ate 4.4 fruits and/or The qualitative data reinforces very little produce available in vegetables at school salad bar lunch. the survey findings. In Tahsis, all the cafeteria at all, 40 students This represents a 200% increase in the students in the grade 4-6 consumed produce-filled lunches on fruit and vegetable consumption discussion group agreed they consumed more fruits and vegetables at least 16 occasions between March at school lunch. and December 2011. on days when they ate lunch from the salad bar. Students at Tahayghen echoed Finally, there was an increased availability of the same idea in their discussion group. farm fresh produce available for lunch at Chief CMESS students spoke openly about what they Matthews and Tahayghen schools after the initiation put on their plate when the salad bar was offered. For of the F2C. The development of new relationships within example, one student commented that her goal was to F2C meant that produce from Riverworks Farm and the eat something “red” every salad bar. Another student Lavoie’s Family Farm was available to the CAP program acknowledged that the salad bar was helpful because of and then to the students twice a week. Prior to the F2C, her eating preferences: students at these schools had never had farm fresh “Farm to School is actually really good for me because produce available to them for lunch. I am kind of a picky eater. But they always have the Riverworks Farm made more root vegetables available for foods that I really like so it is really good for me.” the program, and tried to be more efficient with existing [grade 6 girl, CMESS] land by planting a greater percentage of root crops to The students at PCE enjoyed having healthy, 8-vegetable harvest and store for school year. The farmer was able soups which gave them a change in their usual lunch to store large quantities of the root crops to distribute routine; they realized that they ate more vegetables throughout the year. because of the F2C program. “I like it how we can have hot soup and how it’s 2) Increased fruit and vegetable healthy and we don’t have to have sandwiches every single day…it’s more filling and its more energizing.” consumption among participants [grade 6 girl, PCE] The student survey results from CMESS in Tahsis and PCE “I have one thing of fruit everyday but I eat more in Port Clements clearly showed that, at school lunch, vegetables when there is a soup program.” students were exposed to a greater diversity and quantity [grade 6 girl, PCE] of fruit and vegetables, and consumed more fruit and vegetables after the implementation of the salad bar The senior students in Tahsis discussed how the salad program as compared to before (see bubble). bar exposed them to a wider variety of produce and how they felt encouraged to try new things. One student also Through the survey, we asked Port Clements students to discussed how eating from the salad bar gave them more identify fruit and vegetables they had for lunch prior to the energy: F2C program (34 respondents, March 2011) and at a F2C “I like everything that is here, it is so unique and lunch (on the day of F2C lunch, 26 respondents, February I haven’t tried it before, so I like trying it and it’s 2012). Results clearly show that students tended to eat usually really good.” [senior student, CMESS] more produce, and a greater variety of produce, with F2C. Before the program, the most common response4 was “Ever since the garden thing [and] the salad bar “1” fruit or vegetable for lunch. On a F2C day in February started I have been eating a lot more [fruits and 2012, students’ most common answer was “4” fruits or vegetables] and I have more energy for school and vegetables. Additionally, at baseline, 5 students indicated the activities that we do. It’s been awesome.” that they had “0” fruit or vegetables for lunch; no student [senior student, CMESS] reported having “0” fruits or vegetables for lunch on F2C At GMD, the principal felt that the secondary students 4 We used ‘mode’ (most common response) instead of ‘mean’ to consumed more produce with the F2C program because examine survey responses for Port Clements, as baseline means it presented a quick, free alternative to junk food. At the were influenced by some nonsensical responses (i.e., a few same time, other observations showed that the GMD students indicating that they had 10 to 13 fruits or vegetables for students who participated in growing and preparing the lunch at baseline).

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 51 Why is it important to eat locally grown food? “Being a lunch supervisor, I have noticed with eating healthy, the kids fight less, they get along better and “Because it’s fresh and just grown so the I think it is from eating healthy and I really do believe vitamins aren’t worn off.” that… I really give it to this program” “It is healthier for you, and better for the [parent volunteer, PCE] environment.” The F2C program in Tahsis also helped the parent “If we run out of food, we would have some food to eat.” volunteers eat more produce: “To support our community.” [CMESS students, November 2011] “I myself was eating better every time I went down to volunteer and I was getting all the things I should be “It is important because it is fresher, getting in a meal, at least once a day.” [parent volunteer, CMESS] does not take as much gas and stuff to get here.” “So you create more business for your community, and it is healthier.” 3) Increased knowledge about “Because it is something we can trust and sometimes help pick.” the local food system, local foods “Because you know it is much more healthier, and nutritional health and that it isn’t covered in chemicals and preservatives.” Despite the fact that there were few opportunities to [PCE Students, February 2012] connect with local farmers and the food systems, the F2C program at CMESS implemented a variety of activities to increase awareness about healthy food, food production and preparation. For example, several teachers incorporated learning about fruits and vegetables into produce were very likely to eat it, and to encourage other their lesson plans by teaching students how to dehydrate students to try it. fruits and about composting (kindergarten-grade 3 “I don’t want to be delusional about this, particularly class), and visiting the community garden (K-3 and with teenagers. It is very easy for a student to leave grade 4-6 classes). Further, the salad bar itself presented the high school and walk and get a lunch of french opportunities for the volunteers, teachers and F2C fries, cheese and gravy, can of pop, … they prefer coordinator to discuss healthy eating and the importance those things… at the same time, however, when of eating a variety of fresh produce. During our site visit, [produce] is there in front of them, and it is available we heard several teachers discussing the produce and and there is no cost, they do [eat it].” encouraging students to try new items. These actions lend [school principal, GMD] themselves to an increased knowledge of healthy eating. “Huge difference now that the kids have an alternative Through the student survey, we asked grades 4 through to junk food, they are taking a lot more veggies. 12 students: Why is it important to eat food that is grown Carrots that are grown from here… anything that is locally? Some highlights of the range of answers from grown from the greenhouse goes directly here. They CMESS and PCE students are included in the text circle. are more willing to eat because they have grown it From pre-F2C program (March 2011) to winter 2011- and prepared it… peers getting them to try what they 12, the students’ answers demonstrated increased had a hand in making and growing.” complexity, and tended to include more references to a [lunch room monitor] preference for local foods because they know there’s less The school principal and parent volunteers at PCE spoke chemicals, hormones and preservatives in them. They at length about how the F2C program exposed students also showed increased knowledge about the link between to a wider variety of produce, including parsnips, beets, the overall health and security of their community and and rutabaga. Prior to the program, many students had a reliance on local foods (i.e., bringing business to the never heard of, or seen, some of these vegetables. Some community, supporting the community, having a source volunteers also felt that the F2C program was having a of food in emergency times). positive impact on student behaviour at PCE, through PCE students also benefited from the opportunity to visit increased consumption of healthy foods. Riverworks farm. These visits allowed the children to “So I think the kids are accessing a lot more… they are see where the produce for their soup is grown, and they used to carrots and tomatoes and corn but there’s had a chance to harvest vegetables. Similarly, a teacher definitely a lot more root vegetables, a lot more from GMD school visited Sangan farms, and brought back greens in their soups and they are getting used to learnings about where their school’s F2C produce was eating it.” [school principal, PCE] coming from. 52 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 At PCE, we heard about how the program introduced anything. Basically, they cut it when they get up at many students to locally grown vegetables they were not 3am and it doesn’t even know its dead when I get it. familiar with. It is a little more expensive, but at the end of the day, “[Students have been eating new] locally-grown you get a head of lettuce from California at the Co-op, vegetables, definitely. They’re getting parsnips and you cut it in half and half of it is rotten. I pay $4 for I am sure a lot of them had never even heard of that or $5 from the Mennonites and I get 100% yield parsnip, rutabaga is a big one, all the greens are big. from that versus 50%, sometimes less… I think it is Even eating beets… they went ‘oh this isn’t bad’.” great to support your community, the actual farmers [parent volunteer, PCE] themselves.” [Chef, Old Masset Village Council, Culinary Arts Program] The teachers at PCE used the F2C program as an opportunity to teach the students about nutrition and food production. Several teachers found creative ways to 4) Enhanced skills in the areas of incorporate learning about fruits and vegetables into the food production, processing and school curriculum. The students told us about how their knowledge of healthy eating and local foods changed, and serving the principal relayed observations of these changes. For Tahsis, the F2C program enhanced skills in food “Our teacher, sometimes he plays these games where production, processing and serving. The program provided he has this little flash card and it says cabbage on many opportunities for students and volunteers to gain it and he says the description and what it does to skills in these areas. For example, students at CMESS were you and you have to guess what it is. And then when involved in food production through the local community [another] teacher comes in she usually asks us what garden. Five home economics students and ten volunteers is in the soup and we have to guess how it’s grown.” gained food preparation skills by working with the F2C [grade 6 female student, PCE] Coordinator. The students and volunteers learned recipes, “I noticed a grade 4 talking to a grade 2, saying ‘you knife skills, food safety skills and kitchen management. should try it, it’s really good, it’s really good for you’. This type of skills development mirrored those developed They do talk about that, what’s in the soup and how through the OMVC-CAP’s involvement in F2C on Haida many servings are we getting here, and they talk Gwaii: the CAP apprentices learned and applied knowledge about what they are eating for recess …” (e.g. knife skills) and developed lunch menus (e.g. [school principal, PCE] planning meals that incorporate local food).

At GMD, The F2C program increased knowledge about Importantly at CMESS, all students were able to serve the local food system, local foods and nutritional health themselves from the salad bar. One parent volunteer through the school greenhouse. The greenhouse provided indicated that this was very empowering, since the 35 students with the opportunity to learn about local children could make their own decisions about food. foods and the plants that grow best in Haida Gwaii. After the meal, students assisted with clean up. This can be contrasted to the program at Chief Matthews The F2C program at Chief Matthews and Tahayghen has and Tahaygen, were students could not choose what made some progress towards increasing knowledge about they wanted to eat, nor serve themselves. However, five local food systems, local foods, and nutritional health Tahayghen leadership students had a skills development through the relationships developing among the farmers, opportunity in the serving of lunches to younger students. the CAP, and those coordinating at the schools (i.e., principals). Due to disconnect between the schools and “In early June, a bunch of kids, we put signs up in food production/processing, there did not appear to be an and around the community… ‘everybody come out, increase in knowledge among students at Chief Matthews parents too, we are going to plant this big corner plot and Tahayghen about local foods or the food system. The at the community garden that is dedicated to Farm knowledge increase for students needs to be developed to School’. One of the teachers, parents came out, a with more focused activities towards this. bunch of kids they got the hoes out and they planted the whole thing.” The learning in these programs was really for the CAP [Farm to School Coordinator, CMESS] apprentices and chef, who developed awareness of the “I had never thought to make my own salad dressings… produce that the local farmers are able to grow, as well but it’s quite simple, [the coordinator] showed me as the barriers facing local farmers (i.e. shorter growing these are the basic ingredients to use. The kids loved season, the challenges of being profitable, etc.) it.” [parent volunteer, CMESS] “The farmers have done a good job… their product “I’ve learned so much in the kitchen about how to is by far the best. I’d rather buy their product over cut up the fruit, onions and potatoes. I’ve learned

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 53 so much from [the F2C Coordinator] about what different spices to add and I’ll go and try it at home, 5) Strengthened local farm and so not only do they get it at school, my kids have it at community partnerships home as well.” [parent volunteer, CMESS] Given that there are no farms in Tahsis, it was not possible For PCE, it was less obvious how the F2C influenced food to strengthen partnerships with farmers. However, the skills development, as the principal and parent volunteers program was able to strengthen many other relationships did not highlight this for us. PCE had a history of lunch in the community as a result of the F2C program. For programs, and the principal and her key volunteers were example, relationships were strengthened among the experienced in running them. Unlike CMESS, this type of F2C coordinator, the local retailer, the Tahsis Literacy program wasn’t so new to the school; the needs for skills Society, community garden members, and parents. The development were lower. One volunteer took the Food strengthened relationships contributed to the overall Safe program through which she learned about proper movement towards creating a more positive and cooking temperatures and cleanliness. sustainable culture around food.

For students at GMD, skills development really centered At PCE, the school principal and volunteers did not upon food production. Thirty-five students had explicitly talk about the relationship with the farmer, opportunities to plant, grow, and harvest food from the therefore, it is difficult to judge the quality of the school’s greenhouse. Twenty students also developed relationship. However, it is clear that new relationships skills in food preservation and preparation through have been established and strengthened as a result of integration of the program with their home economics regular communication and placing F2C orders. class. At GMD, all F2C relationships are fairly new, but they are “One of the most meaningful parts of the program growing. Two of the GMD teachers visited Sangan Farm right now is the creation of the greenhouse. That on a couple of different occasions, to share learnings greenhouse supplies product for meals, but is also about building and operating greenhouses and growing involves students from [Tahayghen] elementary food in greenhouses. The principal at GMD was new to the school and our own school in preparing the community and established new relationships with the greenhouse for growth, selecting the kinds of community dietitian, and the principals at Tahayghen and product that go into growing. They are involved in the Chief Matthews Elementary. whole notion of what is appropriate to grow in our community, how successful it is, they take care of the For the F2C programs at Chief Matthews and Tahayghen, greenhouse, weed, water, all that kind of stuff. And, relationships developed and slowly strengthened between we are relying on our home economics classes to be the two farmers and the CAP due to the agreement harvesting, producing, preserving, also preparing. that was established to provide produce for the F2C We’re kind of an all-encompassed group and trying program. Relationship-development has been slower to be self-sufficient in many respects. ” with the Lavoie Family Farm, as they do not have a [school principal, GMD] phone or computer. However, it’s important to note that relationships between the CAP and both the farmers were In Haida Gwaii, the linking of farmers with the F2C newly initiated at the start of the F2C; the strengthening program gave them an opportunity to enhance their of these relationships needs time and experience in the skills in food production, as local farmers received program. Certainly, relationships were developed and machinery and equipment to grow and harvest produce strengthened between the CAP and the two schools. for the program. Finally, local farm and community partnerships are strengthening due to Haida Health Centre’s involvement in F2C. Haida Health staff are now communicating with the OMVC Culinary Arts Program and local farmers, and their relationships with school staff at Chief Matthews and Tahayghen schools, especially around food issues, are strengthening. Continuing along that path, the Haida Health Centre hopes to build relationships with George M. Dawson High School and Chief Matthews Elementary School to allow opportunities for youth and elders to work together on the greenhouse.

54 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 winter production … so more focused on soups 4.13 F2C Process: and stews and things that are more seasonally appropriate. We are growing greens in the winter in Flexible Model our indoor gardens and that is [too] expensive…” [Farmer, Riverworks Farm] for Remote “I think there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of transportation logistics through awareness… Communities So people need to be thinking in terms of helping, Within the Farm to Community component, innovation supporting the program, helping out the school…so and adaptation were key. Although Farm to Community, when someone is going by on a trip they need to be as a component of the PAI, had the benefit of an existing thinking about how they can help out other people model for intervention, it was evident early on that since they are having to drive there anyway. We need the F2C model needed to be broader. Where all F2C to broaden our thinking so that we are naturally programs have a common goal — to increase access to thinking about helping systems out, and [for] the fresh, local, produce — the needs and objectives of each dozens of cars that go by the highway every day, participating site need to be individually defined. In the perhaps somebody can stop in and pick up a box end, the implemented programs were greatly tailored or two and take it to some destination on their way, to the communities, the food ‘environment’, the people, without going out of their way.” the available resources, and the community food plans, [Farmer, Riverworks Farm] needs, and challenges. To this end, our greatest learning Further, in Tahsis, their creative and flexible interpretation around the Farm to Community process or model was of the F2C program was especially notable. There are for the criticality of a flexible approach. Early on, it was no farms in or near Tahsis. Thus, the basic tenet of the apparent that each program was not going to install and program was challenged from the start. The coordinating serve food from a stainless steel salad bar apparatus, group in Tahsis hurdled this obstacle by broadening the although this has been the traditional approach (and was definition of the program from ‘farm’ to ‘local’. They initially encouraged). Instead, the format for bringing local then came up with multiple ways to access the most food to students and other members of the community local foods available to them: via their community’s new had to be left to the interpretation of the community. community garden, the chef’s backyard garden, and by Flexible, tailored approaches that suit the needs, desires ordering online from Thrifty Food’s in Campbell River, and resources of the communities are ones that are more where they could view where the produce was grown. likely to be sustained into the future. As Thrifty’s does not deliver directly to Tahsis, the group The component manager, farmers, and schools underlined found creative ways to bring the produce to the school, the importance of flexible, adaptive approaches. For relying heavily on the principal’s weekly trips to Campbell farmers, the growing season on Haida Gwaii does River. not coincide with the school year. Given the climate, Once again, similar to other PAI components, we see the Riverworks Farm was only able to grow root vegetables importance of community engagement in planning a and a few leafy greens (with the help of a greenhouse community food action program. Perhaps the Farm to and expensive lighting) to supply the program at Port Community processes could have been more streamlined Clements Elementary. Once this was clear to the program if more time had been planned for community partners, it was obvious that a soup program was the consultation. Particularly illustrative of this potential for flexible, fitting solution that would make the best use of time-saving was the purchase and installation of salad the local produce that was available. The other key area bars for three participating schools, and the subsequent of flexibility for the farmers (and those receiving produce) selling (or giving away) of the salad bars when the schools was distribution logistics. This problem was not solved more clearly saw that an alternate method was more in the first year of F2C in Haida Gwaii, but inroads were feasible in their setting (i.e., a soup or hot lunch program made in thinking about these logistics in flexible ways. For brought out on carts to classes when a centralized food example, the possibility of creating a distribution system preparation and eating area did not exist in the school). that involves those who regularly travel between the Thus, early, comprehensive and ongoing community farming area and the schools was discussed; this would engagement is central to the process, and a time- take substantial stress and cost off the farmer. The farmer saver in the end, if we are looking for the most suitable from Riverworks had suggestions around these flexible approaches to fit a community. processes and interpretation of the F2C program: “We need to change the emphasis of the presentation The overall process of implementing the F2C component product to the kids, away from salad greens which also required flexible, somewhat exploratory, methods. are not winter production, to something that is There were characteristics of the remote communities

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 55 that influenced the methods of communications and programs, building upon existing school meal networking. To offer guidance and trouble-shoot arising resources, and integrated into existing school problems, the component manager saw the need for curriculum. Challenges arose when a salad bar consistent, frequent communications with new programs, service was offered in addition to, or along-side a but had to be flexible in how this was achieved. One pre-existing meal program or snack program. The site bought into communicating via Facebook (Farm to cost and the human resources to run both programs School Canada), but others were harder to reach. Regular, was beyond the school’s capacity. Schools adapted monthly teleconferences were part of the component by integrating the program or dropping an existing plan, yet most program coordinators struggled to program in favour of a soup and salad bar service. be involved due to timing, their own schedules, and Teachers helped out enormously by including aspects competing priorities. The component manager found that of F2S in their classroom teachings — and freeing direct communications were much more effective and up students to participate in growing, preserving, elicited greater participation: program coordinators found serving and composting food — as part of their time for one-on-one phone calls to trouble-shoot their learnings. [Schools must] retain their flexibility in programs, and site visits were well-received and hugely the way the [programs] are operationalized, and … productive. [should be] encouraged to be innovative!” [F2C Component Manager] As capacity was limited in most small, remote communities, communications, networking or training that took one player out of the game for an extended period of time was difficult (i.e., if there are only a handful 4.14 F2C Process: of teachers at a school, taking one teacher out of the school for a multi-day networking and training event Capacity-Building would leave them with a lack of capacity to actually deliver the F2C program), and expensive (due to the travel in Remote from remote communities). As such, it was apparent that site visits were by far the most effective, realistic and Communities respectful way of reaching coordinators with information, Delivering Farm to Community, as a program at a school inspiration, and training. Given the exorbitant cost of or other community location, requires capacity. As such, travel to the remote communities for the component capacity-building was a key part of the component manager (both in time and expense), it would be manager’s work between the Fall of 2010 and Spring beneficial to future, similar programs to have access to 2012. In doing so, she leveraged her experience and a larger team of support (the current F2C component contacts at the regional and provincial level to support F2C team was just one person), or to situate support in the coordinators and volunteers with knowledge, resources community via designated, funded, trained community and information. On a regular basis, she relied on phone coordinators who can facilitate community engagement calls, emails and teleconferences to communicate with and training. each community. She visited each F2C location twice (at the start of the program and about a year into the The component manager also found that she needed more program). Site visits were invaluable and were used to flexibility in the F2C resources for remote communities. build relationships, assist with the development of project The resources needed to be more specific to the remote plans and help overcome challenges. However, given regions and smaller communities. The component team is the remote location of the communities, and the cost of currently creating new resources that will be better guides travelling, it was not possible to more regularly visit the for remote communities. The resources will highlight the salad bar programs. As a result, she relied on site leads, need for flexibility in approaches, outline different models who were often very busy and hard to get a hold of, to to suit the many different contexts in B.C., and show how provide her with updates and information about the to incorporate local foods into meal programs that are programs. This problem was compounded by the fact that already being offered. some site leads did not participate in teleconference calls Finally, the component manager recognized the success and didn’t regularly communicate via the internet. The associated with the flexible, adaptive, integrated component manager tried a variety of mechanisms to approaches to Farm to Community initiated in the PAI’s communicate and stay abreast of the F2C activities. remote communities: Building capacity was a challenging process in the remote “In remote communities, where human and material communities. Central to the challenge was a lack of resources are often scarce, the most successful people to be engaged in capacity-building. Thus, the programs are those that have been integrated as emphasis turned more towards capacity development, much as possible into the existing school meal where the same ‘functional, dependable’ people were

56 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 relied on to connect, develop their skills, and deliver This would help further engage committed principals, by the programs. This heavy reliance on the same, few, recognizing their power in convincing their colleagues of committed community members to deliver all programs the merits of F2C, while developing the capacity of new aimed at improving the community was re-iterated many champions. Further, she recommended the development times over the life of the PAI. The dietitian from Haida of training tools that are specific to engaging and Gwaii noted this problem in her community: developing the capacity of principals. “Functional people, really dependable people, their workload is through the roof … they are doing N eed for Designated Program everything in our community, it’s not spread out… you have these select few very dependable people, Coordinators like at cooking organizations or schools, people that can make things happen, and those people are burnt External factors impacted capacity development at F2C out, doing their job and doing extras…” sites on Haida Gwaii. Most notable was the B.C. Teachers’ [Dietitian, Haida Gwaii] job action (during which time the unionized teachers could not take on any duties outside of classroom Within the context and timeline of the PAI, the F2C instruction), which influenced the involvement of component really had to work with a handful of teachers at Port Clements Elementary, George M Dawson, committed people in each community, and develop the and Tahayghen schools. Thus, there was no one situated capacity that existed. With continued awareness-building at the schools to act as program coordinator, nor could and reach of the larger Farm to School Canada network, teachers be trained to coordinate the program. Further, it may be possible to engage more community members the principals at two of the schools were new and not within a larger movement, at which point capacity really familiar with the program or community. Programs can build. faltered as the principals got up to speed. “[The program needs] volunteers in the school. Not Champions having the teacher buy-in at this point in time, so it’s just me and the labour dispute.” Principals need to champion F2C programs at [Tahayghen School Principal] their schools. A problem with this, from a capacity “So when someone like me comes in and has little development view, is that principals in remotely located understanding of why everything is where it’s at, schools do not normally stay in their positions for more there is going to be a tendency to have a drop in than a couple years. When a principal leaves a school production. To be honest, when we are new and before a F2C program is fully established (which takes coming in to take over, there’s a learning curve that about 2 years), the program falters while the new has to happen.” [GMD School Principal] principal orients himself/herself. This happened within the first year of the F2C program at George M Dawson, where a committed principal left the school in June 2011, and the Farmers’ Capacity and new one had to re-initiate the F2C program in September 2011. A new principal also came on at Tahayghen Distribution Capacity Elementary in September 2011. These principals missed Farmers working with the PAI Farm to Community the initial planning and training sessions (including a view programs in Haida Gwaii were eligible for PAI funding of the salad bar in operation) that were available to the for equipment that would enable increased or specific first set of principals. Thus, ongoing capacity development production for the programs. This directly developed the for principals at F2C schools is necessary given their high farmers’ capacity, and the benefits to the farmers were turnover; one training or introductory session at the time noted: of program planning is insufficient for the many principals who will join the program later in the process. “[The new equipment] helps hill the potatoes and weed the vegetable crops. With the volume we While initial F2C funding applications had to identify the anticipated growing to feed the schools through the principal as a champion of the program, during the site whole winter, it exceeded the amount of labour we visit the funder should assess the length of time the could put in, so we had to have the machinery to help principal has been in his/her position and the potential with that increased volume and the production … it for relocation in the first two years of the program, and has enabled us to spend less time on our hands in the consider these factors in the awarding of funding. garden pulling weeds. And [we can] be less reliant on volunteer help … the cultivator will help, and even out To strengthen the capacity of principals as F2C champions, the labour flow.” [Farmer, Riverworks Farm] the component manager recommended bringing Farm to School to the provincial association of school principals.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 57 A Community Dietitian in Masset took on the role of an example for volunteers to emulate, and through this, overseeing the coordination of the combination of F2C developing the food skills capacity of her assistants: programs in Haida Gwaii. She had many challenges, most “Whenever I am here, I learn something new about related to capacity, or lack thereof, in ‘gluing’ these how to do things in a professional kitchen. Like how programs together in terms of logistics. Identifying roles to chop things in a professional manner and how to for coordinators (and getting them to take on the work), plan it out so you’re doing things in order, so that transportation and distribution of produce, and facilitating you are not flustered at the end throwing things communications between farmers and schools all proved together. Just the way [the chef] is so organized, challenging. After dedicating a year to the program, she makes it seem effortless but there is so much effort finally felt that all of the pieces were in place. However, behind it. [And] I think more people are going to be getting to that point was not a smooth process. interested in helping out as well. [I’m learning about] “From my perspective, it is a huge challenge to a professional kitchen … this is how you do it and connect school agendas with the chef’s and his why.” [program volunteer, Tahsis] staff’s agendas and farmers’ agendas. These are people that never come in the same room together On the other hand, both the chefs recognized that their and have totally different agendas in a day… even to capacity was low. At the CAP, the chef was responsible coordinate food drop-offs with farmers has taken for managing and implementing an apprentice training me weeks and months. These are logistics that if program, coordinating the OMVC meal programs (e.g. you don’t have staff in the community that is willing Meals on Wheels, F2C, children’s breakfast program, and to put a lot of time and energy into it, I don’t know catering events), communicating with the farmers, and how these would come together. I would say [it’s ordering and preparing food. The chef commented that necessary] to put a whole year into working on he was not always able to allocate the time and energy he logistics alone, trying to get pick-ups and drop offs. would have liked to the F2C program. The chef in Tahsis We are repeatedly fighting between what is hard and reported on a similar, complex workload, and noted the what is easy in a system that is so busy, hospitals need for more help to sustain the program. Similarly, the are busy, schools are busy… to keep that buy-in principal at George M Dawson found it hard to find time to happening is a huge challenge.” devote to the program. [Community Dietitian] “It is a challenge for me. I am the only faculty there [at CAP], the only teacher… my main focus is getting Aligning agendas and working out logistics for the multiple, these guys through the ITA [Professional Cook 1 key partners needed for a successful F2C program are program]. At the end of the day, that is what I am critical first (and sometimes slow) steps in the launching paid to do [and] I want to see them graduate. On top of this type of program. Having the capacity to take on this of that, I run a professional catering company which role as logistics facilitator is an important consideration is busy… we like it, but it is time to look at getting for new programs, and the time it takes to accomplish someone in, it’s an overload for one person.” [CAP ‘the plan’ for the program should not be underestimated. Chef] “I plan and write the menus, order the groceries, track Food Skills Capacity costs, pick up the groceries and put them away. I do a prep list for volunteers for every day. [We need] By bringing community members together with a local more volunteer help. One morning, I had no one chef, it is inevitable that those who are delivering the F2C [to help with the salad bar] and the principal pulled program in their communities will develop capacity in four students out of class to lend a hand. We need food skills. Although food skills training is not necessarily more volunteers; if it is more than 5 hours a week an intended, or funded part of the F2C, it is certainly it becomes like a job… it would also be helpful to encouraged. By specifically and selectively involving have a paid person to run it. I’ll stay on [as much as the most skilled community members in Tahsis and possible], but I can’t do that forever … I probably put Masset — trained chefs in both communities — and in 25-30 hours a week, with the ordering, calls, data pairing them with a few dedicated volunteers or students, entry.” [Tahsis Chef, F2C Coordinator] F2C cultivated an environment for food skills capacity “The time required to make the [F2C] program work development. largely impinges on other duties, largely the ones you Within the Old Masset Village Council Culinary Arts are paid to do, that’s how I feel. I feel the need to give Program (CAP), according to the chef, the program was more to this program, but when I do that, there are allowing apprentices to gain more hands on experience other parts of my job that suffer…” (e.g. knife skills) and learn how to prepare different types [GMD School Principal] of meals using local produce. In Tahsis, the chef is setting It is clear that capacity to run the F2C programs in all PAI

58 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 locations was low. Although some site leads and program of capacity is (and was) critical across many program coordinators often trained the volunteers and students aspects, including within principal-champions, program who were helping with the program (even informally), coordinators, farmers, distribution processes, and this was not possible in all locations. ‘On-site’, or ‘within specifically for food skills in program volunteers. Going program’, training should be built into new F2C program forward, it is recommended that training and capacity plans, with a budget associated with this function, and development processes specific to these program aspects with the time it takes to identify and recruit more are considered, developed, funded and implemented, volunteers designated. Participating sites identified the which will lead to increased logic in program importance of broadening and training the volunteer implementation and increased chances for program workforce in the sustainability of the F2C programs. sustainability. C apacity-Building Offshoots 4.15 Summary: Meeting As a result of the F2C capacity that is developing on Haida Gwaii, two schools, in Skidegate and Queen Charlotte, the Objectives and were inspired to start their own salad bar programs. As of spring 2012, all 6 schools in Haida Gwaii are now Three Key Learnings engaged in Farm to Community programs. Further, the program inspired the local hospital to order produce from Meeting the Objectives the farmer once a week and incorporate local fruits and vegetables, when possible, into hospital food. The capacity Within the PAI, the Farm to Community component to bring local produce to community members is now increased the availability of produce in five schools in developing in all Haida Gwaii schools and the local hospital. remote B.C. communities. Through challenging processes “I feel like capacity in terms of logistics, farmers and that demanded the adaptation of a traditional ‘local deliveries and that whole piece, that has gotten farm-supplied salad bar program model’ to tailored ones better, there are systems in place where we are that ‘fit’ the communities, the five schools made dramatic getting deliveries more regularly, they’re putting changes to the food environment and choices available boxes together and the boxes are getting returned, all to their 260 students. From examining the processes those little details that are working their way out.” involved in setting up these programs, it’s clear that that [Community Dietitian] communications, flexibility and adaptability were central to successful approaches, and capacity development was In Tahsis, F2C stirred enough community excitement to (and will continue to be) facilitative to program initiation be the bridge they needed to start linking, and increasing and sustainability. participation in, all their PAI activities. The increased capacity and interest in food skills and local food Across programs, ‘what worked well’ varied and had knowledge in those volunteering with the F2C augmented different emphases, but those closest to the programs interest in, and action on, the developing community identified key aspects that facilitated their progress. These garden, participation in cooking demonstrations included: (Stimulating Demand for Produce), produce preservation • Focusing on introducing students to new foods, (for students and adults) as well as in the integration of developing their palettes, and making healthy choices produce to all local events (i.e., Tahsis Days). F2C in Tahsis inviting; offered a launching point for capacity development across • Enabling and empowering students to make healthy a range of produce availability issues and activities. choices; • Integrating learning opportunities with changes to Summary the school food environment (i.e., farm visits, related classroom activities); Given what we know now regarding the criticality and complexity of capacity development for Farm to • Over time, building and establishing a culture around Community, ‘capacity’ could have been an outcome healthy eating and acceptability of healthy food area all on its own, instead of considered as part of choices — notably, at Port Clements Elementary; the process. Indeed, it does seem that all outcomes • ‘Hands-on’ learning opportunities for students — for F2C — increased availability and consumption of notably, the greenhouse at George M. Dawson; produce, increased knowledge about the local food • Linking the F2C program with other local food system, enhanced skills, strengthened partnerships — are programs in the community (i.e., the community underpinned by advancements in capacity. Development garden and cooking demonstrations in Tahsis);

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 59 • Drawing on local expertise by hiring a local chef to Community Capacity: Most remote communities are coordinate the program and build the food skills small with a limited number of community members capacity of those working on the program. to work on healthy living initiatives. The same people get called upon time and again to develop, lead, and Programs progressed at different rates towards the volunteer for initiatives, and this creates burn-out. In component outcomes. Some made a substantial (and F2C, it was clear that there were some capacity deficits measureable) impact in some areas, while others are that caused slow program initiation or implementation just in the initial stages of these changes. Revisiting and challenged sustainability of the program. Building the component outcomes (below), we see that some in capacity development as a funded component for all programs effected big change, and others were harder program workforces — especially principals, coordinators to measure and demonstrate, but that at all schools, the and volunteers — will result in stronger programs up front, food environment, and produce availability, changed. and better chances of continuation.

Program Worth: Farm to Community is an exciting, Three Key Learnings inspiring program for schools, farmers, parents and students. The concepts were readily received and Engagement and Partnerships: Full adoption of F2C at integrated in schools, and principals were keen to a school is a complex process that involves many key report the direct and wider benefits of launching this partners. Early involvement of, and prioritization of F2C type of program. They reported that it was a challenging concepts and practices, by stakeholders — including program for a number of reasons, but all indicated the Ministries of Education, Health, and Agriculture that it was worth it. Regardless of how strictly a school — is important. Further, for schools proposing to administration adhered (or didn’t) to the F2C program start a new F2C program, early and comprehensive model, they were all keen to improve the health of their community engagement that includes participation of all students, help students learn about where their food partners — farmers, distributors, chefs, principals, local comes from and bring them closer to their local food suppliers, coordinators, volunteers — in planning for environment; Farm to Community fits the bill for this type logistics is essential for program flow and sustainability. of enlightened educational agenda. Comprehensive community engagement will also facilitate the creation of programs that are relevant and fully tailored to the needs and resources of the community.

Increased availability of All five F2C programs increased the availability of fruit and vegetables in the school Outcome 1 fruit and vegetables in environment. the community. Increased fruit and At Captain Meares in Tahsis and Port Clements Elementary, the change in produce vegetable consumption consumption was measureable and significantly increased. For the three other schools, Outcome 2 amongst participants. qualitative reports indicated that the participating students were eating more produce at lunchtime, and evidence from the CAP chef shows that more produce was going into the school meal programs. Increased knowledge All students and those involved in the F2C programs learned something about local foods and Outcome 3 about the local food local food systems. Some clearly learned more through farm visits, or via focused educational system, local foods and efforts by program coordinators and teachers. nutritional health. Enhanced skills in the Program coordinators, volunteers, and students assisting with the programs at various schools Outcome 4 areas of food production, clearly benefited from the hands-on experiences in preparing food. processing and serving. Strengthened local Diverse community stakeholders are needed for any F2C program to run. Although in Outcome 5 farm and community some cases, partnerships were initially tentative, by nature of program involvement and partnerships. continuation, as well as stakeholders’ views of program value, partnerships strengthened in all programs (although it took time).

60 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 5.0 Produce Preservation Program

5.1 component 5.3 PPP Component Overview Team The Produce Preservation Program (PPP) was developed to The PPP team consisted of a Component Project improve the year round availability of fruits and vegetables Manager, a Curriculum Developer, and a Project Delivery in B.C. communities by teaching people how to preserve Coordinator. The Produce Preservation Component Project produce and how to teach others to preserve produce. Manager was the Executive Director of the B.C. Food The PPP provided hands on training, curriculum, resources Processors Association, the organization that received and coaching in harvesting, canning, drying, and freezing. the PAI grant funding for the component. He oversaw the administration of the component, helped establish The PPP targeted 24 remote B.C. communities involved the vision, hired and managed the component team and in the PAI to leverage and/or enhance concurrent developed a legacy resource outlining the direction of the PAI activities and programs such as the First Nation component after PAI funding ceased. Community Gardens and Farm to Community. The program was initially developed and tested as a pilot The Produce Preservation Component Curriculum during the winter of 2011 (during PAI Phase 2). Using the Developer developed the content and materials for the learnings from the pilot, the program was further refined train-the-trainer workshops, including the participant as a Train the Trainer program and implemented between manual, the facilitator’s manual and the power point May and November of 2011 (PAI Phase 3). This report slides. To develop these resources, she researched and presents the evaluation results from the PAI Produce identified content, assisted with the graphic design and Preservation Program Component implemented in layout of materials, conducted a focus group to test the Phase 3. materials, and finalized the materials once all input was received. She assisted with training logistics by hiring the facilitator and identifying equipment requirements.

5.2 component Goals The Produce Preservation Component Delivery Coordinator was the logistics person for the train-the- and Objectives trainer workshops. She recruited participants, assisted The goal of the PPP was to support remote communities with travel logistics and provided ongoing support in B.C., both First Nations and non-First Nations, in and communication with the participants when they developing the long-term capacity to preserve produce returned home. She conducted an environmental scan grown in their communities, thereby extending the shelf to determine the produce preservation needs of people life of local produce. living in remote communities and created business development resources for the target communities. To fulfill this goal, the component’s objectives were: • To provide tools and train community members in produce preservation skills. • To improve access to adequate, affordable fruit and vegetables for community members in remote communities.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 61 5.4 What the PPP Team Figure 6. PPP Facilitators Guide Delivered ✔✔ Comprehensive produce preservation curriculum and materials (Figure 6)

✔✔ Development of an informative website (Figure 7)

✔✔ Distribution of produce preservation equipment and materials to all trainers

✔✔ Production of instructional produce preservation videos

✔✔ Implementation of two produce preservation train‑the-trainer workshops in Prince George & Richmond (Figure 8)

✔✔ Ongoing coaching support for all trainers through monthly electronic newsletters

✔✔ Assistance and support provided to trainers to host a community information session and local preservation workshop

✔✔ Development of food business resources

✔✔ Successful component and budget management under the direction of the HSFBCY and Ministry of Health Figure 7. Screenshot of the PPP website: ✔ ✔ Effective cooperation with evaluation team and www.preserveproduce.ca integration of evaluation activities with component activities

62 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Figure 8. Photos from Train-the-Trainer workshop in Prince George

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 63 5.5 Evaluation Training Observation Tracking Sheet A member of the evaluation team observed all aspects Framework and of the training in Prince George and took notes using an observation tracking sheet (Appendix C3). The purpose of Evaluation Activities the tracking sheet was to document the implementation of the workshop and observe how participants received To guide the evaluation of the PPP, we developed an and responded to the training methods and materials. evaluation framework (Appendix C1). We structured it Specific elements of training that were observed included: around the PPP objectives to ensure that the evaluation • Instructional methods and tools was relevant and tailored to the program activities. The framework in its entirety was also used to promote a • Facilitator interaction with the trainers common understanding of the program and its activities • Hands on opportunities among the component team and evaluators. The data presented in this report focuses on the program activities • Networking and group interaction that impacted the long term outcomes (highlighted in Training Facilitator Interview blue within the framework in Appendix C1). We interviewed the training facilitator after the Train- We used the process evaluation to understand the course the-Trainer workshop in Prince George. The purpose of and context of implementing the PPP. Findings from the interview was to gauge her experience delivering the the process evaluation also provided insight into the produce preservation workshop and gather feedback successes and challenges of implementing the program, on training resources, participant engagement and the and included recommendations for similar programs to educational impact on participants. We used a semi- learn from. Evaluation methods for the process evaluation structured interview guide for this interview (Appendix included interviews with the component team, an C4). With permission, we recorded the interview using a observation report of the train-the-trainer workshop, and video camera and a voice recorder. an interview with the training facilitator.

We conducted an outcome evaluation to assess whether the PPP objectives were met. Staying close to the PPP Outcome Evaluation — Methods objectives, the outcomes assessed were: Trainer Surveys • Increased access to produce preservation tools Participants completed pre- and post-training surveys at and increased skills in produce preservation for the Train-the-Trainer workshops in Prince George (n=17) community members; and Richmond (n=17). The purpose of the surveys was to • Improved access to adequate, affordable fruit and gauge ‘preservation knowledge’ and ‘confidence to teach’ vegetables for community members. before and after training. Surveys were also used to gather feedback on the training materials, facilitator and content. Data collection methods for the outcome evaluation Pre- and post-training surveys are provided in Appendix included surveys and interviews with trainers at the C5 and C6. train-the-trainer workshop, participation by four trainers in a photovoice project, and ongoing tracking of program Trainer Interviews reach via the Delivery Coordinator. We conducted one-on-one, 15-minute interviews with trainers at the Prince George workshop (n=17). Interviews Process Evaluation — Methods occurred during the last three days of training and were used to gather feedback on what participants learned, Component Team Interviews what worked well, what could be improved and the We conducted one-on-one, 45-minute interviews with impact that their training would have on their community. the three members of the component team. Our purpose We used a semi-structured interview guide for the within the component team interviews was to learn interview (Appendix C7). With permission, we recorded the about the successes and challenges of developing and interviews using a video camera and a voice recorder, and implementing the PPP. We developed separate interview then transcribed and thematically analyzed the data. guides for each team member based on their position and responsibilities (sample interview guide provided in Appendix C2). With permission, we recorded interviews using a voice recorder, and then transcribed and thematically analyzed the data.

64 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Photovoice Project 5.6 Understanding the Three trainers volunteered to participate in the PPP evaluation by engaging in a photovoice project. Project Process Photovoice enabled trainers to use photographs to document the impact that produce preservation had The component team identified a number of factors that on their community. Afterwards, trainers discussed facilitated and challenged the process of developing and the meaning and significance of their photos with the implementing the PPP. Key factors are identified in the evaluator. Trainers were emailed instructions on how to next section, along with recommendations to improve the participate in the program (Appendix C8). As an incentive process. to participate, the trainers were given a digital camera and memory card. A member of the evaluation team met with the trainers to review their photos and discuss why they Facilitating factors were meaningful and important to produce availability in The process of developing and implementing the PPP was their community. The discussions were audio-taped and improved through: transcribed. • Establishing a small component team that had the expertise and experience to develop and implement the PPP ensured an efficient implementation process. • Developing a thorough project plan and completing quarterly reports allowed the Component Project Manager to ensure that the PPP stayed on task and budget. • Engaging in an extensive research and development process (and including a pilot phase) ensured that materials were well-targeted and met the needs of the Trainers (i.e. little need for revisions). • Recruiting participants from 23 of the 24 target communities allowed the PPP to generate considerable interest. The PPP is now fairly well known within the target communities. • Building relationships with key staff members within the Health Authorities (e.g. community dietitians, FN dietitians, community nutritionists) and First Nations, Inuit and Aboriginal Health (e.g. Environmental Health Officers) helped the PPP identify target participants in communities that were difficult to connect with. • Hiring a knowledgeable and approachable training facilitator made participants comfortable to ask questions and share stories. • Offering Community Information Sessions in conjunction with an existing community event (e.g. emergency preparedness event) allowed trainers to reach a larger and more diverse audience. In turn, this increased awareness of the PPP and local preservation workshops. • The train-the-trainer ormatf allowed for greater reach since it aimed to teach communities rather than just individuals.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 65 Challenging Factors Process Recommendations Challenges that were experienced in relation to developing To address the challenges above, and improve upon the and implementing the PPP included: program, the component team suggested: • Having a short timeframe within which to develop the • Allowing more time for the design of materials and materials. content. • Constructing simple materials from complex • Increasing buy-in from communities to help recruit information to address literacy issues within the participants and send a representative to attend target audience. training. • Organizing training in Prince George remotely. The • Providing more information to communities about facility had no equipment and it was difficult to know the financial assistance provided to attend training what resources were available in that area. (description of expense forms, etc.) or developing • Recruiting participants was a labour-intensive “all-inclusive packages.” process that required a lot of time and energy by the • Conducting a site visit of the training facility and Project Delivery Coordinator. ensuring that a detailed checklist of requirements is • Finding a location to store the substantial developed. preservation equipment (144 boxes) before it was • Ensuring an assistant is on hand to help the training couriered to each community. facilitator (e.g. run out and get groceries, assist with • Managing the participants during the pilot workshop set up/clean up, etc.). (e.g., keeping track of everyone, ensuring they • Providing on-going, season-specific support (i.e. arrived at training on time). outlining what produce is available during different • Couriering the training and resource packages to the seasons of the year and how to preserve/prepare it). communities took longer than expected and was • Sending hard copies of e-newsletter to communities expensive. that have trouble with the internet. • Given the delays in delivering the training packages, • Developing a Facebook page to assist trainers to stay some trainers lost enthusiasm and momentum after in touch and share stories/photos. they returned home from training. • Developing a plan to support remote communities • Communicating with trainers once they returned that were not included as part of the original target home to their community. Trainers often wore population. multiple hats, were busy and hard to get a hold • Starting earlier to develop the sustainability plan of. Furthermore, internet access for some of the to ensure partnerships (e.g. community kitchens), communities was an issue. resources and materials are in place to support the • Organizing finances asw a huge challenge for some program moving forward. participants. Five of the 17 participants in Prince George sought advances from BCFPA in order to Despite the short time frame within which to develop attend the event. the PPP resources and the logistical challenges of coordinating training, the process of developing and implementing the PPP was facilitated by the dedicated and knowledgeable component team who were able to adapt and respond to the challenges that arose. Further, the team put the necessary processes in place to ensure “This training was the success of the component (e.g. extensive research so needed and will help and development, developing a project plan, etc.). my people to understand and do more preserving” Training participant

66 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 drying, freezing, harvesting, and cold storage. During 5.7 Understanding the training, each participant received their own canning kit, a facilitator’s guide and a participant guide to use during Project Outcomes — training. Once they returned to their community, they received six participant manuals, five Bernardin guides What Changed? to home preserving, three DVD’s, three canning kits, one pressure cooker, and one dehydrator.

Evidence of Outcome: Increased Evaluation data from the train-the trainer surveys clearly showed that the PPP workshop provided the necessary access to produce preservation tools and training to teach participants how to preserve tools and increased skills produce and how to teach produce preservation methods. Survey data revealed that training improved the trainers’ in produce preservation for knowledge, skills, and confidence to teach produce preservation in their communities. For example, before community members training in Prince George, no participants rated their The PPP increased access to produce preservation knowledge of freezing, canning, cold storage, harvesting tools and increased skills in produce preservation for or drying as ‘high’. After training in Prince George and community members by providing two train-the-trainer Richmond, all participants indicated higher ratings for workshops, providing ongoing coaching and support and their knowledge of these methods (Figure 9). Further, providing produce preservation resources and materials. training participants rated their confidence to teach produce preservation higher after training, as compared Train-the-Trainer Workshops to before (Figure 10). Knowledge and confidence to teach most methods of preservation improved after training The PPP provided training and tools to individuals from (the one exception was ‘Confidence to teach harvesting’ — communities across B.C. Two train-the-trainer workshops in Prince George, the ratings for this stayed the same after were conducted in Prince George and Richmond, training training, Appendix C9). a total of 34 participants (a total of 43 individuals were trained including the PPP Pilot workshop). Training On-Going Coaching and Support provided hands-on learning opportunities in canning, The Produce Preservation Program provided on-going support and coaching to trainers. Coaching was essential 12 to ensure that trainers felt supported, motivated and 10 encouraged once they returned home from training. Pre 8 Support was provided via emails, phone calls, and site 6 Post visits (when possible) by members of the component 4 team. In addition, trainers could contact members of the Number of people 2 0 component team if they had questions. No Some Fairly Very knowledge knowledge knowledgable knowledgable According to the Project Delivery Coordinator, trainers of canning often emailed or phoned requesting planning support for the community information sessions and local workshops Figure 9. Knowledge of Canning (Richmond Participants) (e.g. who to invite, how to spread the word, where to access equipment and supplies, etc). In addition, technical support was often provided to trainers who had questions

8 about the various preservation methods. 7 6 In addition to emails and phone calls, the component 5 team circulated 10 electronic newsletters. The 4 Pre newsletters provided tips, techniques, recipes, seasonal 3 Post preservation ideas and success stories. The Curriculum 2 Developer indicated that the newsletters would often Number of people 1 spark questions and ideas amongst the trainers. As a 0 Low Some Fairly Very result, the component team would receive questions or confidence confidence confident confident comments from approximately 70% of the trainers after harvesting harvesting harvesting harvesting the newsletter was distributed. All questions that were Figure 10. Confidence to Teach Harvesting received by the component team were included and (Richmond Participants) answered in the following newsletter.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 67 Provision of Produce Preservation Tools Evidence for Outcome: Improved In addition to feedback from the participants, the access to adequate, affordable component team described how the PPP enhanced the capacity of the community trainers by providing them fruit and vegetables for with the appropriate tools. According to the curriculum developer, a key success of the program was the decision community members to provide each trainer with preservation equipment PPP increased access to produce by providing 43 trainers once they returned home (i.e. a dehydrator, a pressure with the tools, resources and techniques to preserve cooked, canning kits, etc.). Tools were provided with fruits and vegetables. In turn, these trainers taught local the understanding that they would be made available community members. We know that 16 community for community use. This increased the likelihood that information sessions and 17 local preservation workshops community members, and not only the trainer, could occurred. From this, we know that access to preserved access the preservation equipment. fruit and vegetables increased for over 950 community It is important to note that delivering the equipment to members. the remote communities posed many logistical challenges The access facilitated through PPP training meant for the component team. For example, purchasing and that produce was easily obtained and integrated into storing the preservation equipment was delayed, which community members’ diets. Furthermore, PPP increased prevented the materials from being delivered in a timely awareness of how to preserve and prepare a wide variety fashion. As a result, the Project Delivery Coordinator of produce. This ensured that community members stated that some trainers lost momentum when they knew how to prepare and incorporate produce that they returned home because they did not have the resources may not have been accustomed to eating. Finally, PPP to implement a community information session or local provided tools and techniques to ensure that produce was workshop while their training was fresh in their mind. accessible throughout the year by encouraging trainers to Timing the delivery of resources will be essential for any preserve fruits and vegetables during the growing season/ similar programs in the future. harvest time (when it was more affordable, as well). Overall, PPP training clearly increased the trainer’s Photos submitted by the trainers that participated in knowledge and confidence to implement local the photovoice project highlighted the positive impact preservation workshops. In turn, this enabled them to that the PPP had on their community’s ability to access share their knowledge and skills with their community adequate, affordable fruits and vegetables. Many of members. Further, the support provided by the the photos depict community members learning how component team helped keep the trainers motivated, to preserve, having fun, and preparing healthy food informed and confident to teach preservation techniques (Figure 11). The photos submitted clearly show that local in their communities. These actions allowed the PPP preservation workshops increased the accessibility of to increase access to produce preservation tools and fruits and vegetables by: increase skills for community members. Teaching community members: Two of the trainers discussed the fact that many participants had never preserved produce before. Alternatively, if participants “I’m hoping had preserved, they did not know the safest techniques. to really impact my As a result, trainers were able to teach participants how to community’s eating habits safely preserve food using the most up to date techniques. by introducing healthier options and making food more cost Providing resources: One trainer mentioned that although community members may have wanted to preserve in effective. Fresh, good quality fruits the past, they did not have access to the appropriate and vegetables are pretty much non- equipment or materials. By participating in the PPP, the existent where I come from. I will trainer was able to provide her community with recipes, slowly introduce wonderful canned instructions and canning kits. and dried fruits into people’s diets as an alternative to junk food” Having fun: Several trainers stated that their workshops were important because they allowed members of the [Training participant] community to come together, produce food, have fun and be social. Furthermore, the group nature of the workshops made it easy for community members to participate. By showing community members how fun

68 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Figure 11: Trainer photos from the photovoice project

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 69 produce preservation can be, demand for additional about local foods and food preservation, and increase the workshops in all three communities is high. use of available produce.

Producing food: Training directly increased access to Overall, the PPP increased access to adequate, affordable fruits and vegetables by providing participants with food fruits and vegetables by increasing the capacity of to take home after the workshop. One trainer discussed community trainers. However, due to poor growing how dehydrating fruit in a classroom at the local school conditions and the challenges of transporting produce to improved access to healthy snacks for 11 students. remote communities the availability of produce will likely be an ongoing challenge for many communities. Creating an emergency food reserve: One trainer talked about the importance of produce preservation because of the remote location of her community (e.g. food availability is dependent on ferry transportation that can be affected by poor weather and storms). By providing a preservation workshop, she was able to teach members how to preserve food in case of emergency situations.

During interviews with trainers in Prince George, 11 participants indicated that training local community members would positively impact their community’s ability to preserve food, and therefore increase access to affordable fruits and vegetables. Some participants also discussed why local training was important.

Several participants mentioned that teaching their community to preserve produce was important since they came from isolated and remote areas. Many of the participants discussed the fact that their communities were subject to flooding, cancelled ferries, and washed out roads. As a result, improving their community’s ability to preserve produce would enable them to be self- sufficient and prepared for emergency situations. “Being isolated, vegetables that are coming aren’t really fresh and are really expensive. Learning how to preserve our own food will be a lifesaver.” [Training participant] “We won’t run out… there will always be food on the table for people to eat.” [Training participant]

Fourteen participants also talked about how training would allow their community to preserve food grown in the community garden. This would maximize the use of food from the garden and prevent excess produce from going to waste.

When asked whether training would improve the availability of produce in their communities, participants’ answers were mixed. Although several participants stated that training would improve the availability of fruits and vegetables (e.g. preserving food from the community garden/good food boxes thereby increasing the shelf life of produce and preventing spoilage), a few participants weren’t sure. Three participants noted the challenges associated with the transportation of produce to their community and the poor growing conditions in their area (e.g. poor weather, soil, etc.). As a result, rather than increasing the availability of produce these participants thought that training would, at least, increase knowledge

70 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 5.8 Summary: Meeting the Objectives and Three Key Learnings Meeting the Objectives In summary, the PPP clearly achieved its objectives. The component was able to provide tools and train community members in preservation methods and improve access to adequate, affordable fruits and vegetables. Three Key Learnings Provide resources: Given the limited resources in many remote communities, it is essential to provide trainers with the appropriate materials and equipment to teach produce preservation. Materials and equipment not only enable trainers to teach fellow community members, but also assist with food safety. For example, providing pressure canners and canning kits increases the likelihood that proper techniques will be followed (i.e. people will not use wax to seal cans since they will have proper canning lids). Beyond training, it is also important to ensure that equipment is available for community use. This will increase the sustainability and reach of preservation training by enabling community members to preserve produce when they don’t have equipment of their own.

Develop a comprehensive training program: It is essential to develop a comprehensive training program that provides trainers with the most up to date preservation techniques. Although many people have experience preserving, many techniques are no longer considered safe or best practice. Improper preservation techniques can cause serious health risks or cause food to go to waste. Further, it is important for training to be tailored to the needs of the target audience. Learnings from PPP showed the importance of hands-on training using simple instructions. Furthermore, the modular format of PPP ensured that training could be adapted for each community’s needs. Finally, offering training in a “train- the-trainer” format will ensure that produce preservation has broad reach (i.e. participants will return home to train their fellow community members).

Establish the right team: Pulling together a small, dedicated, and knowledgeable team was the key to the success of PPP. Learnings from the PPP showed the importance of establishing a team that was knowledgeable about current preservation techniques and practices, familiar with the needs of the target audience, able to build relationships with remote communities, recruit participants and adapt to challenges.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 71 72 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 6.0 First Nations Community Gardens Component

In addition, the PAI steering committee was most 6.1 Project Overview interested in receiving feedback on the impact of the resources and training provided by the horticulturalists. The First Nation Community Gardens (FNCG) component As we recognized that access to horticulturalists was just was established to support remote First Nations one facilitating factor for remote community gardening, communities in creating community gardens to increase we assessed facilitators and barriers to community produce production and access to fruit and vegetables. gardening in remote communities in a broad sense. To our Within the PAI, three phases of funding were offered to 17 knowledge, an evaluation of factors that promote and remote First Nations communities in B.C. The B.C. Ministry challenge gardening in remote First Nations communities of Agriculture and the Heart and Stroke Foundation has not been done before. provided administrative and strategic management and support throughout the course of the component.

During phase 1, 17 remote First Nations communities 6.2 FNCG Component (Appendix D1) were engaged to plan, plant and harvest a community garden. Some gardens had a positive impact Goals and on the availability of produce for their communities, while other communities experienced several challenges Objectives that impeded their ability to fully establish and benefit The overarching goal of the PAI, and the FNCG component, from a garden. Phase 2 focused on supporting the is to improve the year-round availability and quality of three First Nations Community Gardens that were most fruits and vegetables in remote B.C. communities. challenged in 2010. Support and guidance were provided by the Aboriginal Agricultural Education Society to To move towards this goal, objectives for the FNCG these communities to get their gardens going. Phase component were: 3, administered by the Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSF), focused on the remaining 14 community gardens • To create awareness among the First Nations that were not funded during phase 2. Through funding communities regarding the importance of fresh, applications facilitated by a Component Manager, these locally grown produce; communities were eligible to receive funding to hire • To improve access for all community members to a garden coordinator and purchase garden materials. adequate, affordable vegetables and fruit; Training and knowledge resources were also provided • To transform existing un-used land resources into through the assistance of two horticulturalists. sustainable food production; We report here on the evaluation on the third phase of the • To enhance community knowledge and capacity to FNCG component. In keeping with the evaluation aims for grow local produce; other PAI components, we examine and report on: • To involve youth in the development and • The successes and challenges of component maintenance of community gardens (where possible, implementation (process evaluation) or where planned). • The degree to which the FNCG component achieved its original objectives (outcome evaluation)

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 73 6.3 FNCG Component 6.5 Evaluation Activities Team and Methods The FNCG team consisted of administrative and The methods associated with the three parts of the management support from HSF, a Component evaluation (process evaluation, outcome evaluation, Project Manager and two Horticulturalists. The FNCG assessment of facilitators and barriers to community Component Manager was responsible for overseeing the gardening) are outlined. Some methods were geared administration of the grants (e.g. proposals, budgets, towards addressing multiple parts of the evaluation. reporting, and payment), supervising the horticulturalists, and preparing component reports. He also visited many of the communities and provided technical H orticulturalists Tracking information and support. The two horticulturalists were contracted to provide gardening support to the First Reports Nation communities. They provided gardening tips and Two tracking reports were completed by the information (regarding, for example, pruning, composting, horticulturalists during the growing season (August and building a greenhouse, soil analysis, garden lay out), September 2011). The tracking reports (Appendix D2) were and provided nutritional information about fruits and used to gather information related to the horticulturalists’ vegetables. They visited communities during the growing activities and deliverables, and provided much-needed season and communicated on a regular basis with the background for the evaluation team on the communities, garden coordinators (via phone and email). gardens and progress. Data from the tracking reports was compiled and used to support information gathered through the project team interviews. This information 6.4 What the FNCG was largely used towards part 1 of the evaluation, the Team Delivered assessment of implementation of the component. ✔✔ Application support for communities in applying for C omponent Team Interviews two $5000 grants. One-on-one interviews were conducted with the ✔✔ Grants of up to $5000 per community for the component team at the end of the FNCG component. Two purchase of garden materials (seeds, seedlings, soil, semi-structured interview guides (Appendix D3 and D4) fertilizers) for the 2011 growing season. were used to assess:

✔✔ Grants of up to $5000 to pay a garden coordinator 1) the process of component implementation; within each community to ensure consistent 2) the component deliverables, and the degree to which coordination and management of community the original objectives were met; and, gardens. 3) the facilitators and barriers to gardening in remote ✔✔ Assistance with the development, planting, and First Nation communities. maintenance of the 14 community gardens. Interviews with the horticulturalists were conducted over ✔✔ Training for the local staff and volunteers in the phone or in person, and ranged in length from 45 to gardening best practices. 60 minutes. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analyzed. ✔✔ Relationship-building activities in 14 communities, including personal meetings in each community to support gardening work, and continued, regular Garden Coordinator Interviews contact via phone and e-mail. One-on-one interviews were conducted with the 14 ✔✔ Project and budget management under the direction community garden coordinators at the end of the growing of the HSF and the Ministry of Agriculture. season. A semi-structured interview guide (Appendix D5) was used to collect community-level information ✔✔ Cooperation and communication with the evaluation regarding the degree to which the original objectives team. of the component were met (i.e., outcomes or impact at the community level), as well as the successes, challenges, facilitators and barriers associated with the community garden in the coordinators’ communities

74 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 (including an assessment of the support provided by Community gardens classified as “developing”: the horticulturalists as a garden-facilitating factor). The • Iskut interviews were conducted over the phone by a member of the evaluation team, and ranged in length from 20 to • Laxgalts’ap 60 minutes. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed • Namgis verbatim, and thematically analyzed. • Ahousaht

1 C ommunity Garden • Hesquiaht The results of the categorization process are provided in Categorization Process Appendix D7, with details of the decision-making included. The component project team was asked to categorize the 14 community gardens as “developed” or “developing” on a number of factors, using a community categorization 6.6 Understanding the table (Appendix D6). The table allowed the project team to classify (and comment on) each community according to: Project Process 1) community engagement (i.e. number of community members contributing to the development and Successes and Challenges of maintenance of the garden, and the extent/strength of engagement for community members); Component Implementation 2) establishment of garden processes (i.e. use of The component team highlighted several factors that techniques and practices to ensure the success of either helped or hindered their ability to provide support garden); and, to the communities and implement the component. 3) garden productiveness (i.e. gardens were growing Factors that made component implementation easier and producing a harvest). included: • Assisting communities with grant applications: To understand the facilitators and barriers to Dedicating time and team staff to help the community gardening in remote communities (part 3 community complete their applications allowed of the evaluation), it was helpful to define a sample of for a more streamlined/timely process than community gardens as advanced or “developed”, and a if communities had been left to complete the sample as less advanced or “developing”. Thus, we could application process on their own. For example, the then identify facilitating factors that were common to Component Manager provided templates, assisted the developed gardens and assess the extent to which with budgets, and sent reminders about the these facilitating factors may not have been in place in the submission deadline. developing gardens. • Linking coordinators to other PAI components: One The evaluation team reviewed and reconciled the horticulturalist discussed the benefit of connecting categorization results, asking for more information and the garden coordinator in Namgis with the PAI justification from the component project team, when Produce Preservation Program. A preservation trainer needed. was brought into the community to demonstrate preservation techniques which increased interest and Community gardens classified as “developed”: buy-in for the community garden. • Ehattesaht Factors that made it challenging to provide support and • Opitsaht implement the component included: • Kitkatla • Difficult travel: The component team experienced • Tahltan several challenges planning the community site visits (e.g. logistics, communication, etc.) and travelling to • New Aiyansh the communities (e.g. poor weather, lack of flights, • Tsay Key Dene etc.). This negatively impacted their ability to support • Penelakut the communities. • Kluskus 1 Although the garden in Hesquiaht had an experienced coordinator and was highly productive, it was ranked as • Kwadacha “developing” due to garden’s isolated location (it was on an island away from the rest of the community). This prevented members of the broader community from engaging, assisting and benefiting from the produce that was grown.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 75 • Challenging communications with the garden gardens) and location of the garden. The meeting should coordinators: Many of the garden coordinators had include community members and key individuals such full time (non-gardening) jobs, or other priority as chiefs, hereditary chiefs, and the band administration. commitments. They were also just generally difficult Given the struggles that some community gardens had to reach. The component team often made several with the band administration, it is important that they phone calls and emails in attempting to contact the are engaged early on in the project. It was recommended coordinators. that planning meetings should be held in March to • Difficulty ascertaining whether grant moneyas w allow time for communities to create a plan before the being spent appropriately: The Component Manager growing season. indicated that it was not always possible to access Provide On-Going Training: The component team and the communities’ financial documents to ensure that several community coordinators highlighted the need for grant money was being spent appropriately. This may on-going training. The Component Manager discussed have been a result of low capacity within the band the importance of having a mechanism and resources in administration or high staff turn-over. place to teach gardening skills and techniques in informal • Lack of engagement of community members: sessions (acknowledging that literacy issues may exist and Involving local residents in the garden was some people may not have access to the internet). Topics challenging in some communities due to a lack could include choosing the right site, soil, and seeds. One of interest and awareness about the garden. One horticulturalist also suggested that training be expanded horticulturalist also reported that addiction issues to include techniques to engage community members. and certain community demographics (i.e., a higher Illustrations of the need for more training are provided proportion of youth who where harder to engage) below: stood in the way of engagement. “I [need] some kind of guide… that says, “Step • Communities lacking garden plans: Lack of interest in one, find location. Two, till the soil … because I was developing a long term plan made it difficult for the totally clueless on how to build a garden.” [Garden horticulturalists to facilitate the establishment of a Coordinator, Iskut] firm garden plan. Garden layout was often based on “We need to find out what we could talk about in the vision of a single garden coordinator. [community] engagement. Setting aside the time and • Lack of access to garden materials: Due to the figuring out what types of methods were available to remote locations of the community gardens, the cost engage our community. It would be nice if there was of shipping could be prohibitive and the availability of a format or there were suggestions that said, you resources scarce. could try this way of engaging the community and have these resources available for them.” Process Recommendations from [Garden Coordinator, New Aiyansh] “Once a year … [we need] training for gardening. the Team Someone that’s really got a green thumb to come in and train some young adults to do this. Me, I have The program team made several recommendations to time to garden and weed, but I don’t have time improve the First Nations Community Garden Component. to train. I’m a simple gardener and even I can use Many of the recommendations were also reiterated more education. When I tried to grow broccoli, it by the garden coordinators. Recommendations were just came out in lots of little flowers and grew really centred around increasing community buy-in, providing big, but it didn’t stay together like a broccoli in a consistent training for garden coordinators, funding for store. I looked online trying to look for answers, but wages, and on-going support. if I had somebody to show me, this is what you do, then it might have worked.” [Garden Coordinator, Increase Community Buy-In: A key Ahousaht] recommendation made by the component “You can grow team was to engage community members all the foods you Provide Funding for Wages: The team early on in the grant process by holding a want, if you don’t know recommended providing funding for community meeting. This would provide what to do with it when several community members to work an opportunity for the entire community it’s ready, there’s not much on the gardens, not just the garden to be involved in the planning process point in having it” coordinator. Some community members and create dialogue about interest levels were not interested in working in the [Ge ard n Coordinator, and goals. It could also be used as a time Hesquiaht] garden if they were not going to be paid to discuss the type (e.g. central community (i.e. community members did not want to garden, greenhouses, or individual backyard volunteer). Providing funding for wages would

76 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 encourage more people to help with the garden and assist community members on social assistance. This 6.7 Understanding the recommendation was also made by several of the garden coordinators. Project Outcomes — “Manual labour [is a challenge], especially from the younger generation… I don’t know how you get Were The Objectives people just to work for nothing.” [Garden Coordinator, Tsay Key Dene] Achieved? “I think because people are struggling so much In alignment with the original component objectives, the financially, they’re wanting to get paid, that sort of desired outcomes of the FNCG component were: thing.” [Garden Coordinator, Penelakut] 1. First Nations communities have an increased awareness regarding the importance of fresh locally Increase Support from Horticulturalists: The component grown/processed produce. team acknowledged that developing and maintaining a community garden is a long term process. The 2. Increased access to adequate, affordable vegetables communities needed horticulturalist support over more and fruit for FN community members than one growing season. Several garden coordinators 3. Un-used land resources are transformed into also expressed a desire to work more closely with the sustainable food production. horticulturalists throughout the project. 4. Enhanced community knowledge and capacity to “I would have liked for her to work with me a lot more grow local produce. closer. If there was more time to be here, that would have been awesome.” 5. Increased youth involvement in the development and [Garden Coordinator, Hesquiaht] maintenance of community gardens (where possible, where planned) In summary, implementing the FNCG component was facilitated by the work of the Component team who assisted the communities with grant applications, Evidence of Outcome: made linkages to other PAI components and helped the First Nations communities component navigate several challenges. To enhance the process of implementing the component, the have an increased awareness team made recommendations to further increase the capacity of the communities (increasing support from regarding the importance of horticulturalists, providing funding for wages, and fresh, locally grown produce providing ongoing training). For seven communities, the community garden coordinators and horticulturalists discussed the positive impact the component had on increasing awareness of locally grown produce. The gardens exposed community members to fresh fruits and vegetables and the growing process. However, several coordinators discussed the general lack of awareness of fruits and vegetables among community members. There is a need to continue to increase awareness of how to cook and prepare produce.

It is notable that six coordinators discussed how the garden project increased awareness about traditional gardening practices. Several coordinators shared stories of their ancestors and elders who gardened in the past. Over time, those practices were lost as communities became reliant on outside sources of food. Coordinators were hopeful that the introduction of the community gardens would reconnect their communities to the land and encourage people to become more self-sufficient and self-reliant.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 77 Illustrations of Increased Awareness of Local Produce Illustrations of Increased Access to Adequate, Affordable Produce Kwadacha “Well, I think the thing that strikes me the most is that the success we’ve had is making Opitsaht “We have a high unemployment rate and it a community aware of growing its own food, costs $10 for one individual to go to Tofino, its own vegetables. This is a community that one-way… so having produce right in the is 400km from the nearest grocery store … city is great. Instead of spending money by I think that’s the biggest, wonderful thing taxi to go get food elsewhere … it’s really that’s happened with this is that people are encouraging. Yes, we can grow our own food more aware, they’re talking more about it.” here and it’s a lot cheaper.”

Kluskus “So, you know, bringing this community Tahltan “[In] Telegraph Creek, the people are garden back to life has made them extremely self-sufficient in a lot of other remember back in the days that, when ways, fish, as an example. Gardening has they were growing up, they used to weed been the one place that it hasn’t been very the garden, pick the potatoes. So it’s sustainable, but this is a good step. It’s a slowly showing them that they should be large area, the one acre. It’s not enough to responsible enough or they should carry on totally provide a community of 300 people the tradition of having a backyard garden. So, throughout the year, but it’s definitely a I think that’s the awareness it has brought, is start. that it’s something that they should get back to.” Hesquiaht “I’m still eating my home grown potatoes here. And we had salad last week, fresh salad out of the garden and it’s end of November. Evidence of Outcome: Increased And there’s carrots still in the ground, and there’s the cauliflower that’s still going. So access to adequate, affordable I’m living off the stuff that’s growing in the vegetables and fruit for garden as far as vegetables go.” First Nations communities Namgis “The garden’s allowing young families to understand their role in obtaining healthy, Eleven community garden coordinators spoke of how the obtainable food for their family and hopefully gardens provided increased access to produce. Access to understanding the ease of which healthy produce was particularly important due to the isolated food can be obtained in a cost effective way.” location of the communities, and the inability to easily access a variety of fresh produce on a regular basis. Kitkatla “We do get our vegetables in the city once a month. It depends on the ferry and for the Further, coordinators indicated that, over time, gardens people that are living on welfare, it’s a big that produced consistently could help increase the food problem.So I encourage them to grow their security of their community. Three coordinators discussed vegetables. So we had a few gardeners now how they got food from the garden when it was not that grow a lot of potatoes and they store possible to leave the community, or when there was an them. So the others are learning from that.” emergency that prevented food from being brought into the community. Being able to grow produce allowed Kluskus “I think one of the biggest things is that [the the communities to increase their self-sufficiency and community doesn’t] have to worry about reduced their reliance on outside food sources. where their next meal is coming from. I actually just had a couple come in and they Finally, ten coordinators also spoke about how the garden said, if it wasn’t because of the garden, they presented a potential, low-cost option for community would have starved all summer long. But members to access quality fruits and vegetables. This was they’ve been eating the carrots, onions and particularly important for community members who were potatoes all summer, all the way until now.” on income assistance.

78 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Evidence of Outcome: Unused Evidence of Outcome: Enhanced land resources are transformed community knowledge and into sustainable food production capacity to grow local produce. All 14 communities transformed previously un-used Through the grant funding and support provided by the land into community gardens through grant funding and horticulturalists, all communities had an increased help from the horticulturalists. In total, approximately capacity to develop and maintain a community garden. $140,000 was distributed to the communities to purchase Grant funding allowed communities to purchase soil, equipment and hire garden coordinators. Funding was equipment, gardening tools, plants and seeds. Meanwhile, essential in helping the communities to access the the support provided by the horticulturalists allowed equipment and resources needed to transform the land the coordinators to gain technical knowledge and skills into sustainable food production. (e.g. tips and techniques to plant, maintain and harvest produce from the gardens). The transformations were supported by the work of the horticulturalists and Component Manager. They visited Despite this support, some communities were not as each community between 1 and 4 times, and made many effective as others at increasing capacity and knowledge. contacts by phone and email. These site visits, emails and Some communities experienced several barriers that phone calls allowed the team to provide hands on support challenged their ability to build community capacity (e.g. advice on planting, pruning, thinning, pest control, and knowledge. Further, it was acknowledged by the fertilization methods, etc.), materials (e.g. plants, seeds, component team and several coordinators that building soil, and equipment), presentations (e.g. importance a community garden is a long term process. As a result, of healthy eating and produce), administrative support communities could benefit from on-going support to (e.g. assistance with grant applications and budgets), develop and maintain their gardens. and encouragement. The assistance was well-received; all coordinators had positive things to say about the Illustrations of Enhanced Community Knowledge and component team and spoke openly about the skills and Capacity to Grow Local Produce knowledge they gained. The majority of coordinators also Kwadacha “More people are aware of what it takes to expressed a desire to receive on-going support from the grow a garden. Through this program, we team (to increase the sustainability of their gardens). were able to get a rototiller, so they know “[The horticulturalist] was excellent in terms of getting where it is and how they can access that. involved with the community, in terms of engaging They also are much more aware of soil. So I the community and knowing our capabilities. I think, hear people saying, “You know, down that you know, a really community-oriented individual. I hill where that old sawmill is? Remember think [the Component Project Manager] was really that down there? There’s some really nice helpful in terms of long-term goals that we have with looking soil down there.” So they’re looking the geothermal commercial garden and our plans for proper soil.” and where do we want to go with this.” [Garden Coordinator, Opitsaht] Need for On-Going Support to Develop Capacity

Kwadacha “So I think my personal frustration is the learning curve that we’re on about learning what vegetables will work, what don’t … we’re experimenting … that’s a fairly long, slow process that is a bit frustrating.”

New Aiyansh “The other thing is, ouy know, we live in a region that doesn’t do a lot of agriculture. So just trying to get that knowledge, or even trying to get the proper tools or equipment for it, because on days when it was hot, we were struggling with our water supply, the irrigation I guess is what you would call it. So just not having that expertise on how to set up proper irrigation for a garden.”

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 79 Evidence of Outcome: Increased 6.8 An Analysis youth involvement in the of Facilitators development and maintenance of community gardens and Barriers Involving youth was a key theme discussed by some to Community garden coordinators; involving youth was part of the garden plan in some, but not all communities. Several Gardening in coordinators discussed creating connections with schools and youth groups to get children helping with the garden. Remote First Nations Engaging youth was viewed as a way to provide learning opportunities, teach the broader community (i.e. children Communities would take their knowledge home to their parents and This evaluation aimed to contribute understanding families) and provide skills that could be used across the around community gardening in remote First Nations life course. All communities expressed a need and desire communities. Where the previous sections provided an to continue to engage youth through the garden projects. overarching view of the process and outcomes of the Illustrations of Youth Involvement component as a whole, we aim now to get down to the community level and examine what made community Kluskus “Well, our youth… our elementary school gardening possible and, concurrently, what restrained students were the ones that started… at it. Figures 12 and 13 provide a visual reference to the the very beginning, our youth and elders developed and developing gardens, respectively. were the ones that planted all the seeds into their trays to start them off early. They From the component team’s categorization of the also were involved in our [plant] experiment communities as “developed” or “developing”, we learned where they measured how much the seeds about the several factors that influenced their thinking. that they planted grew every day, they Factors that influenced the categorizations included: drew pictures, measured. They knew the • the attributes of the garden coordinator, difference and then when time came, they • the level of community engagement, all planted their seedlings into the garden. And they were responsible for keeping them • the growing conditions and access to garden watered and weeded.” equipment/supplies, • band administration support and Ahousaht “Oh, a success, yes. Been a great success for our community, for our children to be • awareness of fruits and vegetables. involved. They go out there and they’re all excited to be planting these vegetables during the winter, and they’re growing. Garden Coordinator So they’re winter vegetables, that’s a big All members of the component team discussed the success that they’ll always remember pretty importance of the garden coordinator in relation to the near all their life.” “success” of the community garden. Garden coordinators oversaw all aspects of the garden including constructing, Overall, the FNCG component made strides in increasing planting, harvesting, and maintaining the garden. The access to fruits and vegetables, transforming un-used component team described several differences between land into sustainable food production, and involving the garden coordinators in “developed” gardens and youth in the community gardens in many First Nation those in “developing” gardens. communities. However, there is a need for on-going support to further enable the First Nation communities Garden Coordinator: Gardening knowledge, experience to increase awareness about the importance of fresh and involvement locally grown produce to continue to develop community knowledge and capacity to grow local produce. Many of the coordinators of the “developed” gardens had existing technical knowledge and previous gardening experience. Several of these coordinators discussed being exposed to gardening as children, while others started gardening out of their own interest. In addition, the coordinators in “developed” gardens had very active,

80 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 hands-on roles in the garden. In the developing gardens, people to help, hiring and involving youth, and inviting this wasn’t always the case. Three of the five coordinators individuals to harvest and eat the food. However, the of the “developing” gardens lacked gardening experience team acknowledged that many coordinators did not have and had trouble finding someone with the skills and both high levels of knowledge and the ability to involve knowledge to look after the garden. Further, three of the community members. Some coordinators were extremely five “developing” community gardens were not started knowledgeable about gardening practices but they lacked until after the summer growing season. This prevented the ability to engage community members (and vice coordinators in these communities from having hands- versa). Additional training and support is required to assist on opportunities and applying technical knowledge. garden coordinators to develop both of these skill sets. Illustrations of gardening knowledge in developed and developing gardens are provided below. Coordinators of the “developing” gardens often lacked the time, ability, or knowledge to engage community Developed Gardens members. Further, due to delays, three of the five “developing” gardens were not established until the early Tahltan “I was support leader for both gardens and fall. As a result, there was limited opportunity for the my role would be to organize the work that’s community to get involved during the growing season. to be done and make sure that the funding is in place, and order materials and getting in Overall, the coordinators of “developed” community there and actually doing a lot of the work. We gardens were champions of the garden and had a variety have our own garden at home which is quite of skills to engage others to positively contribute to the large. We’ve been at this for over 40 years garden project. In “developing” gardens, the garden now, gardening for ourselves.” coordinators often lacked the techniques and opportunity (e.g. delayed start to the garden) to involve other Kwadacha “We wouldn’t have the greenhouse being a members of the community. success if it weren’t for one individual. He is an elder, the former chief. He volunteered to Developed Gardens step in and take care of the greenhouse. He is there every day to make sure the doors are Ehattesaht I went to every household and … I said, “we open, the vents are open. If it’s too hot, he’ll have these [spots] available if you want to close it at night and he’ll keep it weeded and come and start a garden for your family, so on. And he’s expanded the community so you’re not having to purchase all the gardens on his own so that we have quite a vegetables for your home.”” crop this year.” Kitktatla “I take a lot of photos and I bring them out New Aiyansh “We have an experienced gardener, the one [when] there’s some health activities going we had from last year. That worked well on. We have a booth there for the garden, to have him back this year. There wasn’t which I like to do. So the pictures I took, we that whole learning curve. We brought a had them displayed and then that got a lot new person in that he could train, so it’s more gardeners coming to me … And sharing succession planning, that works really well.” with others, when there’s an activity going, like, a dinner, we would share the vegetables Developing Gardens: Contrast degree of gardening there. That way we can tell them ‘we grew knowledge, experience and involvement them here’. [laughs] And then a lot more would add their name to the list to do the Laxgalts’ap “It was difficult trying to get the right person gardening.” in. Like I said, we had posted and there was no response. We had drawn upon a work Kwadacha “After things were growing and ripening, he crew member from an existing program, and put up notices saying that anybody wanted they really didn’t have the knowledge about to come harvest some things to do it. This gardening.” autumn, when the potatoes were set, we invited different families to come and dig a Garden Coordinator: Ability to engage community row of potatoes. There would be a row of members potatoes for [each] family …” The component team also highlighted the importance of being able to engage community members. A variety of techniques were used by the “developed” garden coordinators to involve and motivate local residents. Techniques included taking photos, personally asking

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 81 Figure 12: Photos of the developed community gardens

Penelakut Ehattesaht

Kitkatla Kwadacha

Opitsaht Tahltan

New Aiyansh Kluskus Tsay Key Dene

82 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Figure 13. Photos of the developing community gardens

Laxgalts’ap Iskut

Hesquiaht Ahousaht

Hesquiaht Namgis

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 83 Developing Gardens: Contrast ability to engage else to do, so that kind of picked them up by community members having a garden.”

Iskut “I never did put up signs that said, ‘Hey, Tahltan “People have been working together, getting community garden being built. Come and involved in the gardening. Just teaming help.’ I guess I could’ve put that out but I with each other and learning how to garden didn’t. So in hindsight, I could say I could together and working out little problems have [promoted] it more.” together.”

Namgis “We haven’t yet had a garden [this] summer. Ehattesaht “There’s more getting together with other It’s been planted right now with winter members on the reserve … communicating vegetables.” about how to make it a happy place for them to gather.” C ommunity Engagement Opitsaht “The engagement that ew had with our community and our young people — getting High levels of community engagement were a common them involved and introduced to the idea theme among the “developed” community gardens, of gardening — I think that worked quite where a variety of community members were working well and struck a lot of interest too,for the together to plant, harvest and maintain the garden. upcoming season.” Several coordinators discussed how the garden offered an opportunity to get together, work as a team, have fun, Developing Gardens and be social. For the developing gardens, community engagement was often low as a result of the location Hesquiaht “We did the whole thing, the four of us did of the garden, lack of engagement techniques, other everything all summer long. That was the priorities within the community, or the delayed start downfall of the project, that nobody else of the garden project. Illustrations of community came to help.” engagement, or lack of, are provided below. Laxgalts’ap “The community involvement I’d say [was Developed Gardens a challenge], but this year there’s a brand new rec centre being built, so there was a big Kitkatla “What I really love most about this gardening focus on that.” project is that the people that are coming out and doing the gardening, they’re sharing their foods.Sometimes they have nothing

“The last couple of years we’ve been running into non-stop barriers. Like last year, it rained all season long, so it probably would have been better for us to keep everything in the greenhouse. The year before, the reserve was evacuated, so nothing got watered for over two weeks. Last winter we had so much snow that it washed all the soil down the hill. And we have a lot of rocks out there. It poses a huge challenge to get gardens rototilled with an actual tractor rototiller. Using a hand one is challenging because you have to pry bar boulders that are the size of your body. That was one of my mistakes because I assumed when they were saying boulders, it was like a little rock” [itCoord na or, Kluskus]

84 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Growing Conditions and Access Band Administration Support to Garden Equipment/Supplies The component team highlighted the importance of having band support for the community garden. Support included The component team observed that growing conditions buy-in for the garden, assistance with acquiring resources and access to garden equipment/supplies were and open lines of communication. The horticulturalist on influencing factors for the community gardens. Both Vancouver Island discussed how in Ehattesaht, support “developed” and developing” community gardens from the chief and council was instrumental in the experienced challenges with soil, access to garden community’s ability to build, plant, and harvest 14 raised equipment (due to isolation), and the weather. However, beds in one growing season. On the other hand, one several of the developed communities were taking horticulturalist noted that the band administration could steps and being creative to overcome these barriers. For be obstructive to the gardening, especially by excluding example, Kitkatla was innovative with the resources that the community garden coordinator in decisions regarding already existed in the community and Kluskus was taking the spending of funds dedicated to the garden. steps to improve their soil quality. Overall, on-going support will be required to assist garden coordinators to Several coordinators expressed frustration with their overcome barriers associated with growing conditions and band administration. Often times, frustration arose due access to resources. to the complex administrative structure, high turnover of office staff, lack of communication and information Developed Gardens (e.g. amount of funding, location of funding) and lack of control over decision making. Kitkatla “We do have a plan, but our orders come in so late and the number one problem from It is important to note that both developed and developing this is lumber. We’ve gone around to get communities experienced challenges with their band scraps, which is good, they were just laying administrations. Some communities were able to there. And the containers, I got from the overcome these challenges. Moving forward, communities water treatment plant. Those were piled will need on-going support to make linkages between the up there for how many years, what are you band administration and the garden project. doing with them? So I asked to use them for the gardeners. So we’ve used them all up. Developed and Developing Gardens Everyone has taken them and cut them for potatoes and anything they wanted to grow Kwadacha (Developed) “The program, officially, is in in them, like lettuce.” contact with the Kwadacha Natural Resource Agency … they were the ones who initially Klukus “We’re working on seed saving and then applied for and received the funding, then we’re working on composting so that we can handed it to the elders. And then there is obviously make better dirt.” myself, and I live outside of the community but procure all of the plants and the Developed and Developing Gardens: Struggles with equipment and so on and arrange people growing conditions and accessing resources to be there. And then there is [the garden coordinator], who actually is working in the Laxgalts’ap (Developing) “The biggest frustration and greenhouses. And it kind of splinters, you challenge was just accessing supplies. We know?” sent out our bus with a driver two or three times to pick up supplies. He’d go out to Kitkatla (Developed) “This is where my problem is, this Terrace to pick up the supplies and they person that’s taking care of the funding,I couldn’t find our purchase order …There isn’t have to go ask them, okay, can I? It’s up to really very many other places to buy plants them. It’s not up to me.” and produce and stuff like that.” Namgis (Developing) “Logistically, getting this project Ahousaht (Developing) “The biggest challenge is money started was difficult; there was a lack of to do things, buy things. We’re very isolated. information flow from funding sources. A It costs money just to purchase things. We lack of what the vision for this phase of the have no store here.” project was, and just nowhere really to find that information.” Opitsaht (Developed) “Transporting the dirt … that took a while because it had to go through Tofino on a barge. So that was frustrating …”

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 85 it is. Usually one of the school kids goes Awareness and Knowledge of into the kitchen and works with the kitchen Fruits and Vegetables coordinator, for hands on experience.” A common theme among developed and developing Penelakut “We’ve grown a lot of kale and a lot of community gardens was lack of awareness of fruits different variety of greens, and people aren’t and vegetables. Several coordinators discussed how really keen on that kind of food. So we’ve community members were not familiar with the been working closely with Food Skills for produce that was grown in the garden because of lack of Families and it might be a good breakthrough exposure to fresh vegetables. It was also acknowledged for preparing different types of foods, like that produce often went to waste because community high fibre greens.” members did not know how to incorporate it into meals. Developing Gardens: Lack of awareness and knowledge of However, some of the coordinators of the developed fruits and vegetables gardens were actively taking steps to educate and teach their community about what was grown in the garden and Hesquiaht “I don’t think anybody in Hot Springs eats how to prepare it. This was a key factor that separated kale and I had enough that could have fed, the developed and developing gardens. Despite the steps like, 30 people. I’ve still got it growing. So taken to increase awareness, this is an area that will there’s need for a bit of education on how to require on-going support, education and training. eat some vegetables.”

Developed Gardens Hesquiaht “I gave them a whole bag of lettuce and what kind of greens I had growing … And they New Aiyansh “We had a few community [dinners] to looked at it and they said, ‘Dirty, it needs showcase our vegetables. We actually washing’ and they threw it away.” harvested some of them and we displayed the fresh vegetables that came out of the Overall, the component team identified several facilitating garden that day. Bring the awareness to the and inhibiting factors that influenced their categorization community that, you know, this was grown of the community garden projects. Facilitating factors local.” included the attributes of the garden coordinators (e.g. individuals who had experience gardening and were Kluskus “That they hadn’t been eating anything in able to engage community members), high levels of the garden, was because they didn’t even community engagement, and the ability to creatively know what it was. We started incorporating overcome challenges with growing conditions and everything into our school. So our youth access to supplies. These factors positively contributed would start seedlings off and they’d get to garden processes and productiveness. Conversely, to measure the rows,sort of like a science inhibiting factors included the attributes of the garden experiment. We started using some of the coordinator (e.g. lack of gardening experience and lack fresh produce in our community kitchen, of techniques to engage community members) and low and at first the kids didn’t want to eat it. levels of community engagement. It is important to note Now our really young youth grab vegetables that both developing and developed community gardens from the greenhouse or garden and they experienced challenges with band administration, growing take them home for their parents to prepare. conditions and access to resources, and awareness of They’re the ones teaching their parents fruits and vegetables. what everything is. In the summer, one of our families who lives on social assistance said that they were starving. I said, ‘how can you be starving? We have apple trees, berry bushes, strawberries, green peppers in the community…’ And they said, ’I don’t know how to cook that stuff’. So in the last year we’ve been really working on educating in the community kitchen. And when we were out there last, the kids were [snacking on] celery sticks and carrots. They actually requested that we have kind of like a taste- testing contest. Every time a new thing is introduced into the school program, the kids all get a taste and see what they think

86 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 6.9 Summary and Three Three Key Learnings Buy-In and Community engagement: Establishing Key Learnings community buy-in early in the garden process is essential The FNCG component aimed to improve the availability of to the development of a community garden. Dialogue fruits and vegetables in remote First Nations communities. must be started with diverse members of the community To work towards this goal, in the 2011 growing season, 14 well before the garden is created to assess interest levels, remote First Nations communities in B.C. received grant raise awareness about the importance and benefits of funding to further develop and maintain community community gardening and determine the needs and gardens initiated in the 2010 growing season. In 2011, wants of the community (e.g. central community garden, communities received knowledge and training support individual garden plots, crop types, etc). Once buy in is through linkages with two horticulturalists. established it must be maintained by the project team to build rapport, help minimize challenges with on-going It is clear that some community gardens positively communication, and overcome any challenges that arise. impacted the availability of produce for community The degree of engagement will vary across communities, members, while other gardens were so challenged that and this is to be expected. For communities that are less great impacts on produce availability were not possible ready to start a garden it will be beneficial to identify key in 2011. The community gardens that were the most individuals or champions within the community that can successful had a champion garden coordinator who work to increase buy-in. engaged community members in diverse ways, and had existing gardening knowledge and experience. The Increasing Capacity: Increasing the knowledge and skills successful community gardens also overcame challenges of community members is essential to establishing and with band administration and growing conditions. maintaining community gardens. Capacity must be Conversely, the “developing” gardens experienced built in several key areas. Community members and a variety of challenges including lack of community garden coordinators need opportunities to improve engagement, band support, knowledge about fruits their gardening knowledge and skills, as well as their and vegetables, and technical gardening skills. Further, community engagement skills. Further, they need several of the gardens were delayed in finding a garden training on problem-solving to overcome the challenges coordinator and/or transforming land. To address the associated with living in remote communities (e.g. challenges, the component team recommended engaging access to resources, poor growing conditions, short community members in the planning process, providing growing seasons, etc.). Community members also need more training and funding, and increasing support from opportunities to learn about different types of fruits and the horticulturalists. vegetables, how to prepare them and what their benefits are. While there is a benefit to working one-on-one with Overall, evidence indicated that many of the gardens communities to increase capacity, it would be prudent to made strides in achieving some, or all, of the FNCG develop a consistent and comprehensive training program component objectives. For example, all of the that addresses the common barriers to community communities were able to transform existing land and gardening and healthy eating experienced by remote the majority involved youth. However, some communities communities. were still struggling to increase access to produce and to increase awareness of fruits and vegetables. It is clear Long-Term Support: The process of establishing a that on-going and sustained support would assist these community garden takes a significant amount of time communities to continue to improve the availability of and energy. Funding and support should be allocated fruits and vegetables for community members. for several years to assist communities in developing a garden. For example, from the FNCG component we learned that it takes approximately three years to establish buy-in, build the garden/greenhouse, plant crops, and develop a harvest. Further, we know that the speed at which gardens are developed varies from community to community because of the various challenges and barriers that arise. As a result, it is essential to develop a long term plan to support remote communities to establish community gardens.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 87 88 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 7.0 Incentives and Supports for Transporting Produce

with price and may or may not have been 7.1 component effective at dealing with the other major issue of quality. However, there are several Overview problems with intervening on price: Recognizing the links between produce transportation • It is not sustainable. As soon as the money factors and the affordability, availability and quality of dried up prices in the community would produce in communities, the Incentives and Supports for rebound to the previous levels; Transporting Produce (ISTP) Component was engaged • It is not equitable. Model remote for two years (2010-2012) in identifying and addressing communities were identified based on a transportation issues and solutions. A full report of issues number of factors, but none were related explored and action within this component in PAI Phase to the performance of transportation 1 was made in March 2011, and is summarized here as it companies. Providing a subsidy would relates to the Phase 2 focus for ISTP. Within Phase 1, ISTP have essentially been arbitrarily funding engaged in the following activities: some transportation companies over 1. Exploration of produce transportation issues and others. possible solutions with B.C. Ferries; • Any produce quality gains experienced 2. Consultations with senior representatives of the B.C. by the model remote communities would Trucking Association; have likely come at the expense of other communities not involved in the pilot. 3. Audits of the carriers’ cold supply chain into PAI model For example, if transportation to one remote communities; of the model remote communities was 4. Creation of materials for a targeted education prioritized, a decrease in transportation campaign regarding best practices for handling time to that community would result, but produce for the carriers that deliver produce to the transportation time to another community PAI model remote communities. During the interviews would increase. A distortion in priorities with carriers that were conducted early in the planning would result in a net decrease in efficiency of the PAI, a need was identified for more information overall. on the proper handling and transportation of produce. ii. The steering committee decided against Preliminary analysis of the cold supply chain audit one-time capital subsidies (for companies to reinforced this need. To address this need for more purchase, for instance, better cooling units information, a Produce Handling Guidelines poster for their trailers) due to equity reasons: it was developed. This 22x30 inch poster, designed to be would provide an arbitrary benefit to trucking hung in warehouses and trucks, provides quick and companies on the model remote community easy-to-understand information on produce handling routes and it may allow them a competitive practices (Figure 14). advantage vs. other companies on other 5. Identification and consideration of possible hauling routes. Further, there wasn’t strong interventions within the produce transportation evidence to suggest that supplying them with system to address produce availability in remote better cooling units would improve the quality communities. After reviewing and considering of produce in the model remote communities. potential ways of intervening in this system, a decision was made with the steering committee to keep the Building on the consultation and learnings from Phase interventions at the education and awareness level, for 1, Phase 2 ISTP focused on networking and promotions the following reasons: within the transportation industry through dissemination of cold supply chain audit information and the Produce i. A direct transportation subsidy (for example, Handling Guidelines poster. X dollars per pound of vegetables to each community) could have been designed to deal

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 89 7.2 component Goal 7.5 Evaluation Plan and Objectives Going into Phase 2 ISTP, the component was simplified and streamlined, as the decision was made to remove The goal of the ISTP component is to positively influence the development of potential interventions for produce the transportation of produce to the PAI model remote carriers from the work program. The component was communities such that availability, quality and diversity streamlined to include dissemination of the audit findings might improve. and the Produce Handling Guidelines poster. We continued to monitor the process of the component, checking To progress towards this goal, the Phase 2 ISTP on dissemination activities, and we report on this objective was: process here. In keeping with the single objective for the • To promote access to best practices in produce component, the outcome assessed within the evaluation handling for produce carriers to remote communities. of the component was: • Increased access to best practices in produce 7.3 component Team handling for produce carriers to remote communities. Our methods for assessing progress towards this outcome Based on a long involvement in the PAI for strategy included tracking mechanisms to increase access to development, management and evaluation, combined information, interviews with participating produce with much consultation experience within the carriers, and a survey to staff at companies receiving the transportation industry, consultants from Context poster. Research guided the development and implementation of activities within ISTP. 7.6 The Component 7.4 What the Team Process Delivered in Phase 2 Within the ISTP process, working relationships with the produce carriers were further established. Throughout the ✔✔ Continued relationship- component, the work was focused on building with companies three carriers who regularly brought transporting produce to produce into the model remote the PAI model remote communities. These two carriers communities. participated well, until an interruption in service was forced in the Bella ✔ ✔ Dissemination of cold Coola region, and the participating supply chain audit carrier from that region was unable to findings to participating complete the cold supply chain audit, companies, and discussion and at that point disengaged from to encourage adjustments further ISTP activities (including the related to findings. evaluation). We were left with a sample ✔✔ Design and placement of of two carriers, with great relationships an advertisement in B.C. to the component team, for Trucking to encourage dissemination of both the cold supply requests for free copies chain audit findings, and the Produce of the Produce Handling Handling Guidelines poster. The audit Guidelines poster. findings went out to carriers late in 2010, with follow-up consultation ✔✔ Dissemination of Produce interviews completed in March 2011. Handling Guidelines poster. To increase requests for, and dissemination of, the Produce ✔✔ Integration and provision Figure 14: Produce Handling Guidelines Poster Handling Guidelines poster, an of knowledge of the advertisement was developed and transportation and retail systems in the remote placed in B.C. Trucking Magazine). Heart and Stroke communities to other PAI components teams. Foundation received one order request from T&M Goodwin

90 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Enterprises Ltd., and they received their posters shortly after. Three other companies received the What Worked Best in the poster, including all those who initiated the cold supply Process? chain audit. 1. Working with a fixed group of carriers from the start The various factors that were facilitative and challenging to the end of the component to get a clear and to the processes of networking and promotions with the comprehensive picture of problems and challenges produce carriers are outlined below. in produce transportation, and what would address them. 2. Consulting with the carriers, analyzing information, Facilitating Factors and addressing the carriers’ identified need through • Having established relationships with the various the promotional activities. carriers, built out of a first phase of working with 3. Within the component team, having one, them, facilitated quicker promotion of awareness- consistent team member throughout component building activities. development and implementation to attend to • Doing the cold supply chain audit as a precursor to relationship-building, coordination, and logistics the targeted education campaign caused an elevated across the carriers worked well for building trust level of awareness in itself, and a receptivity to the and establishing the communication lines. This was next stage of awareness-building. It was easier to especially important during the trouble-shooting promote to carriers who participated in the audit. of processes within the implementation of the cold • Offering free education to the carriers was well- supply chain audit. received, and promotion was easier. • Addressing an identified need: Offering the carriers what they had identified as needed/wanted (the 7.7 Understanding produce handling guidelines education) made them more receptive, as they felt they had been heard. the Component Outcomes Challenging Factors – What Changed? • Doing promotions with companies that the component team had not previously worked with was We examined how access to best practices changed for difficult as awareness wasn’t there, and they were produce carriers, in keeping with the defined outcome of: less receptive to change. • Increased access to best practices in produce • For carriers, competing priorities stood in the way of handling for produce carriers to remote communities. networking, receiving information, and acting on new information. For example, when the flood occurred in Access to best practices information that was particularly Bella Coola in September 2011, their carrier stopped relevant to their company’s own, current practices working on the audit, and declined involvement in the increased for the two carriers that completed the cold remaining component activities. chain supply audit. The component team sent out the audit results to these two carriers, and accompanied • There asw a lack of available promotional avenues this dissemination with a phone call to ensure that the for advertising, and a lack of existing networks for company lead received the findings, understood them carriers — there was no obvious common group to in the context of their own practices, and to identify and link the carriers and share information. B.C. Trucking discuss possible changes the company could make to Magazine was the only grouping that could be have better results in maintaining the cold supply chain. identified. • It was difficult to get the advertisement placed in After the company had the audit results in hand for B.C. Trucking, as they typically only let members several months, interviews were completed with the two advertise. carriers to identify and discuss: • The need and desire orf privacy regarding • Whether the cold supply chain audit findings erew participation in the cold supply chain audit (on the reviewed; part of the carriers) limited relationship-building • What was most notable in the results; activities across carriers (to the point that this type of • Relationships between the audit results and the networking just couldn’t happen within the context company’s produce handling practices; of this PAI component).

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 91 • The aluev of participation in the audit; • Potential changes to the company’s produce handling 7.8 Summary: practices stemming from the receipt of the audit results. Meeting the Project

Through the interviews, we found that the carriers Objectives and reviewed the audit information. There was some concern over how warm produce was when it actually arrived Three Key Learnings at their warehouses (at the start of the journey to the In summary, ISTP met its objective for Phase 2, in its remote communities), as well as the wide fluctuations activities to promote access to best practices in produce in temperatures within loads. Due to the mixed loads handling for produce carriers to remote communities. Two they often carry to remote communities (i.e., typically carriers had access to cold supply chain audit information only about 1/3 of the load is produce), carriers were not that was particularly relevant to their company’s actual surprised to find that there were some issues with the handling practices. One hundred staff members across produce (although they could not suggest ways to get four transportation companies had access to best around these mixed loads). They felt that participation practices through the placement of the Produce Handling in the audit was valuable, particularly to have the insight Guidelines poster at their workplace. around what was happening on their trailers/reefers while on the ferries. Overall, although they felt that the The evolving nature, and ongoing consultation involved increased awareness that the audit brought was valuable, in the ISTP component offered good opportunities for the carriers had difficulty identifying changes that could learnings regarding the transportation of produce to be made to the company’s practices (although suggested remote communities (and improvement in associated that it would be important to raise awareness of handling practices). practices one level up, so that produce arrived at their warehouses at the right temperature). First, early on it was apparent to the component team that transportation of produce to remote communities Second, through advertisement and dissemination of is difficult and expensive. There’s no quick fix for the Produce Handling Guidelines poster, access to best transportation, which comes down to time (a fixed practices in produce handling increased for a few carriers variable) and money. And, regardless of the awareness in the province. The poster was shipped to four companies built, practices changed, or interventions designed, there that transport produce in B.C.; thus approximately 100 will always be intermittent challenges in getting produce staff members (estimate) now have increased access to to remote communities (i.e., weather, flooding, road best practices. access). We sent out a survey with the poster, with an incentive “It’s not a resolvable issue, the fact that it’s really to complete and return it. The objective of the survey expensive to get a ferry between the mainland and was to explore how the poster was received in the Haida Gwaii.” [ISTP Component Team Member] workplaces, staff members’ perspectives on the style and content, the benefits of having the poster displayed, Second, the component team learned that the new learnings and potential changes to their practices. infrastructure to transport more produce to remote In all, and despite phone and email reminders (and the communities is largely in place, but the demand isn’t. The incentive), we were only able to get one completed survey carriers could accommodate more frequent deliveries, if returned. The respondent felt that the poster content was there was sufficient demand. This learning reinforced the easy to understand and sufficiently detailed, and that the need for activity across the other PAI component areas: information would help staff achieve a higher standard of stimulating demand for produce is hugely important, produce handling. Further, it offered “a good reminder of growing produce locally is important and learning to store safe temperatures”, and the respondent indicated that and process produce in a community is important. he had become aware of a few useful points regarding Third, the component team learned that it’s less of a produce handling. challenge for carriers to bring in more produce at once, as compared to offering more frequent deliveries. The carriers indicated that they would like to bring full loads, if possible, and again, if there was demand. A recommendation for retailers (who have stirred up sufficient demand in their community) is to order in bulk to increase the supply of produce, while keeping freight costs down.

92 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 8.0 Sustainability of Community Projects

8.1 component 8.2 component Overview Objective PAI Phase 1, a major component of the initiative was the To increase the sustainability of the original PAI Phase 1 Community Projects. Within this component, the PAI Community Projects through community-specific plans to model remote communities were assisted in identifying improve produce availability. and planning a community project that would address the communities’ unique issues with respect to produce availability. In Phase 1, five community projects were 8.3 component Team established in Tahsis, Zeballos, Masset/Port Clements (Haida Gwaii), Bella Coola and Telegraph Creek/Dease Given the community-directed nature of the projects as Lake. A full report of these Phase 1 projects was made in well as the establishment of the projects in Phase 1, it was 2011. decided that the organization of the sustainability projects should exist at the community level (with no need for an In the Phase 1 growing season (2010), all five community external component team), with some oversight at the projects made substantial progress on their projects. Ministry level. The PAI Initiative Manager provided guidance Tahsis, Zeballos, and Telegraph Creek/Dease Lake and a Ministry connection to the community projects, and completed construction of community gardens and facilitated reporting at midway and final check-in times. greenhouses and trial plantings. Bella Coola completed the first year of a community supported agriculture project and identified opportunities for continuation and expansion. Haida Gwaii completed construction on a temperature-controlled produce storage facility, with plans to provide storage, bulk-buying, and group-buying opportunities to the community retailers and community members. The PAI process and outcome assessments indicated that all community projects needed further support to realize sustainability and to have an impact on making more produce available for the communities.

In Phase 3, the community projects were invited to apply for a grant of $10,000 per project to support the ongoing and future viability of their original Phase 1 project. After spending over a year on their respective community projects, project leaders were well-positioned to identify what their projects required to promote sustainability.

Within this component, the Ministry of Health managed the community links and monitored the community projects, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation dispersed the community grants.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 93 “This garden project established, had a large worker and volunteer base, builds on the social connection and could offer substantial benefits to the community of the community while creating with greater sustainability. Their 2011 activities for sustainability for fresh produce. Beyond sustainability included: the obvious goal of creating a space for the • building a permanent 24’ x 40’ greenhouse and picnic community to grow fresh vegetables, families tables, can meet their fellow community members, interact with people from various backgrounds, • hiring a part-time community gardener to coordinate the garden preparation, watering, weeding and save money and eat healthier, learn about sustainable harvesting, gardening practices, learn food preserving skills, develop pride in their community, play with • holding gardening workshops on garden preparation children, be physically active, and breathe fresh (tilling, fertilizing), planting, weeding, and watering, air. This provides the community with a sense of • involving the school through starting plants from accomplishment, respect, caring and sharing seeds in the classrooms, planting, garden site tours and builds unity within the community” and weeding, [Program Lead, Tahltan Health and Social • teaching community members about vegetable Services Authority] storing practices, • designating a section of the community garden for family plots, • distributing community garden produce to elders, low 8.4 overview of income families, and garden volunteers. Sustainability B ella Coola Bella Coola’s sustainability project was focused on storage Projects of local produce, which would allow their Community Supported Agriculture program (their PAI Phase 1 project) Tahsis to have access to a local supply of produce year round. Their plans for 2011 included: The sustainability project for the Tahsis Community • completion of a community root cellar (40’ x 40’) Garden and Greenhouse involved: within a shipping container that was purchased in PAI • procuring and installing green power equipment, Phase 1. The root cellar would encourage farmers to • building shelving, raised beds, signage and a shed, grow more, and to store their surplus crops, so that they could be sold over the Fall. The project leads saw • acquisition of a gas weed-eater, rototiller, clipper and this as a long-term solution to the winter food supply trailer, issues. • purchase and application of top soil, • shipping the container from Vancouver to Bella Coola, • hiring a paid garden coordinator for 6 months. preparing the site for the root cellar, and installing a door, During the 2011 season, disagreement in the community • storing local produce. regarding garden coordination, and dispersal of grant funds caused delay on the sustainability project. However, they still managed to expand their community garden Zeballos substantially. In November 2011, a new coordinator was hired, and a solid, committed community gardening The sustainability plan in Zeballos focused on the addition group stepped forward together. This gardening group of a greenhouse to their community garden space committed to completing all the project components (initiated in PAI Phase 1). The community garden group above by March 2012, in time for the 2012 growing season. felt that a greenhouse would allow them to start seeds without the worry of them being washed away by the heavy rain or eaten by birds. They hoped the greenhouse Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake would also encourage more participation in the garden and heighten the sense of community. Their 2011 The sustainability activities for 2011 centred around the plans included: Telegraph Creek Garden (Tahltan Community Garden), as this community garden was large (100’ x 200’),

94 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 • garnering quotes for a greenhouse kit, • acquiring materials, organizing a building crew, 8.5 What the assembling the greenhouse, Component • building greenhouse interior to accommodate planting, Delivered (Phase 3) • preparing the soil for spring 2012 planting. ✔✔ Sustainability grant application developed and Zeballos was delayed in their plans as there was delivered to Tahsis, Zeballos, Bella Coola, Haida Gwaii, difficulty in reporting on Phase 1 financials, which was Telegraph Creek/Dease Lake; a prerequisite to receiving the sustainability grant. ✔✔ Worked with community leads on five projects to Their Phase 1 financial report was sent in January 2012, ensure grant applications were completed and and their sustainability grant was released to them at submitted; that time. The community commenced work on their objectives for 2011 in March 2012. As there was no activity ✔✔ Facilitated review of grant applications with PAI on the sustainability project within the timeframe of this steering committee; evaluation, we are unable to report on outcomes related to this project. The Initiative and HSF will continue to ✔✔ Released funding for five community projects by April monitor and report on Zeballos’ progress over the 2012 2012; season. ✔✔ Regular communications and relationship-building with project leads in 5 communities; H aida Gwaii ✔✔ Facilitated completion of mid-project and For the Graham Island East Coast Farmers’ Institute in end-project reporting and interviews in three Haida Gwaii, the sustainability plan focused on expanding communities (Tahsis, Telegraph Creek, Bella Coola) the produce storage site in Tlell (the PAI Phase 1 project) who were active on sustainability projects in 2011. to more of a local produce hub. The creation of a Farmers’ Market at the site was a logical link for the farmers who bring produce to store at the storage facility. The group 8.6 Evaluation Plan felt that the market would encourage use of the storage site, which would lead to establishment and sustainability The evaluation team developed reporting templates of Tlell as a produce hub. They also proposed to compile a (Appendix E1) which were implemented by the Component local produce directory, including local growers’ products, Manager. We were also able to visit and check in on the a profile of their operations and a statement in their own Tahsis Community Garden and the Bella Coola CSA during words. Their proposed activities for the Farmers’ Market PAI site visits, and information collected at that time is included: included here as supportive to the data gathered via the reporting templates. We did not pre-define the outcomes • preparation of the storage facility site, to report on within the reporting templates. Rather, we • construction of shelters, left the ‘project impacts’ as flexible to the community’s • acquisition of infrastructure for a weekly Farmers’ perspective, and expected that the impacts (and what the Market, community thought was an important outcome of their project) would vary across the communities. • advertising and opening the market in Spring 2012. As the communities of Tahsis, Telegraph Creek and The Haida Gwaii project experienced delays in initiation, Bella Coola implemented and reported on their due to some community conflict around the original sustainability projects within the evaluation timeframe, produce storage facility project, which caused delays the projects in these communities are the focus of this in signing and reporting on financials. The necessary component report. reporting was received in March 2012, and the community received their sustainability grant funding in April 2012, at which point they moved forward on the plans for the Farmers’ Market. As there was no activity on the sustainability project within the timeframe of this evaluation, we are unable to report on outcomes related to this project. The Initiative and HSF will continue to monitor and report on Haida Gwaii’s progress over the 2012 season.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 95 Figure 15: Tahsis Community Garden and Greenhouse: Meaningful Changes

What is the most meaningful change in the community?

“ My kids enjoyed the whole process and looked forward to eating the products of our endeavours with more enthusiasm than I ever thought possible. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to show my family how much fun healthy eating can be.” Danielle

“Going to the garden taught kids to care for the environment more. I will feel proud when the food we’ve grown is in the Farm-to-School lunch.” Mari on, age 11

“It’s heartwarming to be part of this very special place where community comes together in such a positive and joyful way.” Silvie

“The garden got me out of my house, got me socializing with people, while giving me an opportunity to improve my diet.” lena

“The sense of pride in taking care of ourselves and letting the kids see this... we don’t have to rely on outside produce. There is such a wholesome feeling in being part of that.” Karli

96 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 both communities eventually found good people to move 8.7 The Component the gardens forward, they both noted the delays resulting Process from these prolonged searches. At the component level, there were a few key factors that ‘helped’ the process of developing and implementing 8.8 Impacts and the sustainability projects, and a few challenges to this process. Each community-level project worked through Outcomes — What their own challenges and celebrated their own successes, and learned about effective processes in their own Changed? communities; these highlights are included later within For the three community projects — Tahsis, Telegraph the outcomes and impacts discussion. Creek and Bella Coola — that marched forward on their sustainability plans in the 2011 season, there were substantial changes in the community and in the Facilitating Factors community members. The reporting in this section flows Having a strong project leader in the community with a from the flexible approach to evaluation taken within this long-term vision for the produce availability project was component, and the emphasis on having the community facilitative to the development of an innovative, yet logical interpret and report on meaningful changes. plan to address the continued produce availability issues. Further, within this component, communities were invited to identify their own issues, and the best solutions to Tahsis address them. This way, there was greater ownership and Garden Expansion and Community Involvement suitability of the plans. Well-organized and established community organizations that could adhere to timelines In 2011, the Tahsis Community Garden expanded from a and financial reporting requirements facilitated quicker small strawberry patch with a trial of some late-season start-up and comprehensive completion of projects. plantings, to 18 8’x4’ planted and productive garden beds Finally, having one, consistent contact at the Ministry of maintained by 50 community members. According to the Health for project leads to communicate with, discuss community gardening group, more and more community issues with, and report project accomplishments to, members are being drawn to the garden because of the facilitated more fulsome reporting and the development great reports of what is growing. Going into the 2012 of a deeper understanding of the community and the season, there was a huge jump in commitment and projects. membership: 32 garden beds will be planted.

Children and youth got involved in the Tahsis Community Challenging Factors Garden in the 2011 season. Fourteen students in the primary grades at Captain Meares travelled by bicycle to The main challenge for this component was in work on the garden. Three high school students were also encouraging a few communities to move forward on their active in the garden, with one now aspiring to go into a sustainability projects, when they were clearly dealing horticulture program for post-secondary education. with competing priorities in their community. In some cases, major hurdles had to be overcome with respect to Availability of Produce disagreements in the community or within community organizations to get everyone ‘on board’. Possibly, the The 2011 growing season saw the harvest of: carrots, expectation of ease of developing and implementing parsnips, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkins, gourmet string these sustainability projects was too high. Waiting until beans, zucchini, beets, broccoli, cabbage, bok choi, peas, a community was ready, with all key players on board, beans, melons, cucumbers from the community garden made it difficult to move the component forward within its and greenhouse. There was a communal herb garden planned timeline. This speaks to the need for, once again, that made basil, thyme, oregano, and dill available to all longer timelines for community engagement and issue members. A dedicated garden bed for the PAI Farm to identification and resolution prior to community action. Community program produced 22 cups of shelled peas A second, significant challenge across communities was that were frozen for the school lunch program. There the lack of availability of skilled workers — including was also one communal bed dedicated to strawberries; carpenters and gardeners — to construct garden these were donated to the community. Clearly, given the infrastructure and coordinate and plan the gardens. It was diversity and quantities noted in the harvest, there was a a challenge in Tahsis and Telegraph Creek, especially, in change in the availability of produce in the community of finding the right people to take on these jobs. Although Tahsis in the 2011 growing season.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 97 Figure 16: Telegraph Creek Community Garden and Greenhouse: Meaningful Changes

What is the most meaningful change in the community?

“The 37 Highway has been closed by washouts and the frieght truck has not been able to come into Telegraph Creek. This has happened many times in the past, and the community goes without necessities. Thankfully for the community garden, many people have been able to go and help themselves to the fresh produce and now realize the importance of this community endeavor.” Rick

“The garden is an equalizer where everyone can come to the garden and those that help with the garden can help themselves to produce.” Taahlt n Health Staff Member

“Any community that has a half acre garden in production shows a good community.” visiting community health nurse

“Are you sure this is for me? And I don’t pay nothing?” elderly woman receiving garden produce

“Everything tastes so good!” community garden volunteer

98 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Keys to Sustainability Telegraph Creek Overall, the garden group reported an increase in Community Involvement community engagement and increased excitement about learning to grow vegetables. More experienced Compared to the 2010 growing season, 2011 saw an garden members were enthusiastic about sharing their increase in the number of community members who knowledge with others, and skills developed through helped out with the garden, socialized in the garden, and various gardening workshops. Linking the Farm to accessed fresh produce from the garden. The coordinators Community Salad Bar program and produce preservation estimated that about half of the community (140 people) with the community garden escalated and cemented had been in the garden in 2011, and that 75% (over the children’s involvement. The garden group felt that 200 people) had benefited from the garden. The school community engagement, excitement, positive energy, children were increasingly involved in 2011, as they skills development, and involvement of children were key started plants in their classrooms, and then transplanted to the sustainability of their garden. them into the garden. The children spent all of one day transplanting their peas, beans, squash, cauliflower and Next Steps zucchini. Some also volunteered to assist adults with the Going forward, the Tahsis Community Garden will soon weeding and thinning. be its own society. The garden group plans to build a The community held planting workshops at the garden site washroom on the site, and host more workshops in that coincided with planting time. Notices were posted composting (and bear-proofing), harvesting, preserving at the clinic, post office and store, about the days and and how to make soil. They also plan to install a picnic times for the workshops. The community garden plants table to make the garden a more social place, and host were then planted a good distance apart and needed less more community events at the garden to raise awareness. weeding than the previous year. Later in the season, one Tahsis was recently awarded a VIHA grant from the of the coordinators demonstrated ‘thinning’ in the garden. Community Food Action Initiative. They will use this Attendance for workshops varied, but usually ranged from to purchase the permanent composter, and to host 6 to 8 people. gardening workshops. In 2011, 6 local students were hired to pick and clean In the community’s words, what changed? the vegetables, prepare vegetables for distribution, and weed and thin the garden. As there was no other We asked community members, What is the most student employment program in the community, the meaningful change in the community resulting from students valued the opportunity to make money. Having the community garden and greenhouse? Highlights and the students in the garden increased the social aspect illustrations of their responses are provided in Figure 15. of the space, as the students’ families would come to participate, and other community members would linger It was clear that although garden production was and help with the picking when there was a crowd around. notable, necessary and significant from the community members’ perspective, it was the less tangible changes The coordinator reported that the location of the garden in their community that were most meaningful to them. was important to community involvement — it was right Community members indicated that a new sense of pride beside the Band store. Community members walked by and resiliency were important, borne out of being able with their other groceries, and accessed fresh produce to provide for themselves. More and better community from the garden, instead of purchasing it at the Band engagement in the garden, food issues and healthy eating store, where the shipped produce was expensive. were also seen as meaningful changes. The socialization aspect of having a common, welcoming space to meet Table 2: Telegraph Creek Community Garden Harvest, 2011 and share with other members of the community was a significant change, as was the resultant increased 1000 pounds of potatoes 10 zucchinis sense of community. Children and parents highlighted 300 pounds of carrots peas (large quantity) the importance of new opportunities to learn about the environment and healthy eating. 30 pounds of green beans 144 heads of cauliflower 100 pounds of beets 50 heads of broccoli 50 pounds of onions 100 heads of cabbage 70 pounds of turnips radishes dill, parsley, cilantro spinach, many varieties of lettuce, kale, Swiss chard marigolds, sunflowers, nasturtiums

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 99 The Band store manager collaborated “When digging in the to the community via the community with the community garden, and garden, I can see how the soil garden. Thirty elderly and low income reduced the amount of produce has improved tremendously since families benefited especially by the ordered in when the community last year and will keep improving distribution of garden produce garden harvest was plentiful and over the years. I also predict the directly to their homes, at no available to community members. yield to eventually double with more cost. Everyone who helped in the garden accessed produce from the The coordinator felt that the intensive planting and care when garden. Clearly, given the diversity intergenerational aspect of the people become better gardeners” and quantities noted in the harvest, garden was important, and a [Telegraph Creek Community Garden there was a change in the availability notable change for the 2011 season. Coordinator] of produce in Telegraph Creek in the The elders gave advice to the youth 2011 growing season; the community working on the garden, and they worked felt that there was more produce available alongside each other in a very welcoming, in 2011 than 2010. inclusive place. She also highlighted that the garden was an “equalizer”, in that it was a welcoming Keys to Sustainability place in which community members of different ethnic or cultural groups could interact, work together and The new irrigation system is key to sustainability as share knowledge. There were few opportunities that it reduces the need for paying for watering. The new brought Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people together greenhouse will allow the garden members to start plants in Telegraph Creek, as the two cultural groups tend to live earlier, and protect them from bears, wind and other in very different areas, but the garden overcomes this weather. The greenhouse was needed specifically to grow separation. tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and squash. The root cellar was an important storage option for community “… the garden is an equalizer where everyone can garden produce, which will further increase the resiliency come to the garden and those that help with the of this community in times when they are cut-off from garden can help themselves to produce.” the ‘outside world’. [Tahltan Health Staff Member] The gradual building of a sense of community around the Garden Expansion garden is helping to build skills and pride in the garden, The Telegraph Creek community garden is now 80% and fostering an increase in garden membership and communal, with 20% reserved to personal plots. Over volunteers, which are necessities for sustainability. the 2011 season, the garden was tended by five paid Community members are becoming more educated and gardeners. In the Fall of 2011, a 24 x 40 foot greenhouse aware of local food production, which promotes the was built at the community garden site, and the root cellar continuation of the garden efforts. Bringing youth into the construction was initiated. Picnic tables and benches were garden is an important step towards full engagement of built beside the garden to help create a social place. The the community. Students hired late in the 2011 season are coordinators felt that the installation of a new irrigation already planning to continue with their work in the 2012 system was key to the great harvest and the sustainability season. of the garden, as they no longer had to hire someone to Next Steps water the garden. The dry and windy climate creates the need for constant watering. The irrigation system allowed The community is keen to continue with their community them to add 1000 productive feet to their garden. garden plans and expansion. They intend to develop the community garden area into a focal point for relationship- The coordinators reported that “everything was bigger building, sharing, and knowledge exchange. They will build and better in the Telegraph Creek garden in 2011”. The soil picnic benches for the garden area and develop a shade was better, and the vegetables were better. There were area for people to rest and visit while they are at the more volunteers, and all produce was used. The Tahltans garden. increased their intake of vegetables by accessing what was grown in the garden, especially greens (which they As of February 2012, plans were in place for the 2012 liked with salmon), romaine for Caesar salads, and green growing season. The seed order was already send out, beans. and the community ordered raspberries to add to the perennial corner of the garden. Bedding plants were Availability of Produce already started in the school classrooms. The community The Telegraph Creek Community Garden had an impressive root cellar was nearly complete and once the snow harvest in the 2011 growing season (note volumes in melted, it would be backfilled. It will be the first root Table 2). An incredible amount of produce was available cellar in Telegraph Creek in forty years, and community

100 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 members are looking forward to using it “The CSA is so B ella Coola to extend vegetable storage. important because we have the ability to grow this food, and What happened? In the community’s words, what we have the ability to be independent, changed? and we can prepare ourselves for crises; In 2011, the shipping container was delivered and installed as The garden coordinators it’s really important to self-reliance. There’s planned. This was a challenging recognized that ‘everything many challenges to produce availability — process, and it was difficult was bigger and better in cost of shipping, rock slides, floods, forest fires, to find a freight company the Telegraph Creek garden snow conditions — the road is often closed, willing to bring the large, 40’ in 2011’. They reported so we can often be cut off from our supplies. container to the remote area many positive changes, This is a really economically depressed area, of Bella Coola, and to tackle and illustrated enormous and it’s important to keep the local money the ‘dreaded hill’. This was changes in produce availability local. People can eat better, we can followed by the challenge of for the community. Some of finding someone with a crane large these changes and community support our farmers” enough to move the container off impacts are illustrated visually and [Bella Coola CSA Coordinator] the freight truck. Once delivered (June with quotations in Figure 16. Notably, 2011), the community was impressed with in interviews, the garden coordinators the sheer capacity of produce storage that was highlighted changes in how the community available to them, in a centrally located space at the perceived the value of the garden, and community Bella Coola CSA headquarters. One community member members’ willingness to participate in garden activities. indicated that “the possibilities are endless!” Community Elderly community members and low income families members then began working on the conversion of the were appreciative of produce distribution. The increased container to a root cellar. By the end of Fall 2011, the root harvest in 2011 meant that more produce was available cellar was 50% full with stored produce, canned meat, to those who needed it most. The coordinators felt that and seeds and grains. vegetable delivery to the Elders was a ‘treat’ as they were CSA Program Expansion so thankful and appreciative. One older lady said: “Are you sure this is for me? And I don’t pay nothing?” Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) refers to a “food production and distribution system that directly connects Community members recognized the excellent quality farmers and consumers. Consumers buy “shares” in and taste of produce from the community garden. a farm’s harvest in advance.” In Bella Coola, the CSA The coordinators often heard community members was initiated in 2010 as the community’s original PAI commenting on how great the garden produce tasted, Community Project, and weathered severe challenges how well the vegetables grew, and how wonderful it was to sustainability due to massive flooding of the area in that the produce was free. September 2010. The only road into Bella Coola was closed Community members were appreciative. The Community for a long duration. In that first season, the project relied Garden Coordinators were regularly thanked by the heavily on importing produce from the Cariboo, so the CSA community members, for their time and effort on the season ended at the time of the flood. One local farmer garden. who supplies the CSA noted that after the 2010 flood, “people were thinking ‘we should have more local supply’. The community learned to manage the community So it’s all sort of dovetailing really remarkably, this effort garden. The coordinators felt that they could soon step we’re developing — the CSA effort.” away from micro-managing the garden, and that it would continue in the hands of a diverse and growing group of By the end of 2011, the CSA membership had grown to community members. 42 families, with three farms and 4 large-scale gardens contributing produce for distribution. The coordinator felt The community was more resilient. Highway 37 (the only that the first year of the program was essential in raising route into Telegraph Creek) was closed in September awareness and establishing trust, and estimated that 2011 because of washouts. Consequently, the freight the CSA was now reaching approximately 1/3 of the Bella truck was not able to come into the community, and Coola population. She felt that an important outcome was there was no milk, eggs, fruit or vegetables available in that the growers could now plan ahead. The new storage the Tahltan Store. When this happened in the past, the capacity in the root cellar easily encouraged local growers community went without necessities. This time, many to grow more produce, which increased the sustainability community members went and helped themselves to the of the project (which now did not have to rely on bringing fresh produce and firmly realized the importance of the produce into the community), and resiliency of the community garden endeavor. community in times of emergency. Being able to store

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 101 Figure 17: Bella Coola Community Supported Agriculture: Meaningful Changes

What is the most “We have the “The CSA ability, we have empowers the meaningful change the land... we community to in the community? can be this support their microcosm of farmers, to show “Traditionally, this valley used to provide a lot sustainability. their support. of food, and then people just got out of it. And I We have a lot Now people say, was thinking, we could do that again. We have of resources.” I want $100 worth really good soil, we don’t have to struggle to corine of vegetables, grow. This whole field, all this ground, used to and they know just grow hay for horses, and I thought, it’s going to be Well let’s grow some food for people.” good. I really believe this is an farmer rick amazing thing for the community.” “And something really amazing happened corine this year: we had a few teenagers grow produce in their parents’ backyards to sell to the CSA for a bit of pocket money... to me that’s an amazing success. If I had dreamt of a positive outcome, that would be it.” corine

“We like having the tasty, fresh, beautiful vegetables coming to our door... If I’m going to the grocery store, distracted by kids and everything else, it’s harder to make the right choices; but when it’s in our fridge, we’re going to eat it.” dayna

102 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 produce meant that the CSA could continue to operate Keys to Sustainability through the winter. The continuation of the CSA into a second season demonstrated to the community that “it The CSA Coordinator and a participating farmer was possible”, and many positive outcomes grew: indicated that the keys to the program’s sustainability and expansion would be the full engagement of the “People think that it’s possible and people are community, and the continued trust and relationship- talking more and more about local food. The grocery building among farmers and the community. For the store has approached us for certain produce, and farmers, being able to plan ahead for the CSA ‘market’ is there’s people with a bit of time on their hands, important to their livelihood. For the CSA and Bella Coola they’re wanting to grow some food for us. There’s families, knowing that they can rely on the local farmers restaurants that are shifting their menus to reflect for staple foods, year-round, is critical to a sense of food seasonal availability … Since I put up the CSA website, security. five young farming families contacted me, they are looking for a place to live and farm, with affordable Next Steps land, and they are thinking of relocating to Bella Coola. There’s been talks of creating a cooperative The Bella Coola CSA plans to create a cooperative that around the CSA, that’s one of our next steps — we’ll firmly links the contributing growers. This would allow have common branding, and share equipment and for common branding, and investing in and sharing some infrastructure to increase our capacity to store infrastructure and equipment that would increase all and distribute produce.” growers’ production. [Bella Coola CSA coordinator] “For the future, I know this valley could almost totally feed itself.” [Local Farmer] Availability of Produce “Traditionally this valley used to provide a lot of food, In the community’s words, what changed? and then people just got out of it. And in the back of my mind, I was thinking, we could do that again, and Community members in Bella Coola indicated important we have really good soil. We don’t have to struggle changes stemming from the two years of work on the CSA. to grow. People are starting to be more interested in Highlights and illustrations of these changes are provided local produce. My idea is to provide as good of food as in Figure 17. I can.” [Local Farmer] Notably, important changes included a massive increase The root cellar clearly improved year-round produce in the valley’s food storage capacity, and the resultant availability for the community, as well as the CSA’s ability access to local produce year-round. Three other notable, to run year-round. By December 2011, the root cellar was less expected changes occurred in the community: storing potatoes, cabbages (2000 were grown in 2011), An increased awareness of the ability to feed themselves: and preserves (carrots, beans, applesauce, pearsauce, The CSA Coordinator indicated that when the original CSA sauerkraut). project started, many community members thought it Hobby farmers and a few youth contacted the CSA in 2011 would fail. Thus, the community’s perception that the to inquire whether they could sell produce from their CSA would never be a reliable channel to acquire food backyards to the CSA. had to be overcome. Even though 2011 was a terrible growing season, much food was produced. People started Although 2011 was a difficult, cold growing season, coming to the CSA to see what was available and started the commitment of the local growers meant that an to purchase the surplus. The CSA Coordinator felt that the abundance of produce was grown. The surplus resulted in community members were inspired to see what could the need to preserve, and the community held ‘preserving happen with perseverance. One local mom commented parties’ through which much knowledge sharing and on the importance of the convenience of the CSA: community-building was accomplished. Further, “The vegetables coming [to our house] in this box participants took home preserved produce that would was important to us, for convenience, … we have all then be available to their families through the year. this in the fridge once a week, which makes us eat it. “It’s a lot of food that members are getting in their If it’s convenient, we’ll eat it.” [Bella Coola Parent] boxes, and it’s coming every week, so people are learning how to cook, how to preserve, how to pickle… so definitely, there’s a tremendous impact on people we are reaching directly through the boxes.” [Bella Coola CSA Coordinator]

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 103 An increased knowledge of food preserving and root cellaring techniques: The surplus of produce resulted in Three Key Learnings the need to preserve. People were invited to preserving The community projects were diverse in their plans, parties that brought diverse community members their processes, and their outcomes, and this makes the together. The CSA coordinator reported that elderly identification of a common set of three key learnings women were invited to share their knowledge and wisdom difficult. However, if we step back from the details of and they felt valued. implementation, we see that once again, the learnings focus around community engagement, involvement and Increased interest in growing food: Local community activation, and how critical these ingredients are to the members demonstrated interest in participating in the creation of a sustainable pathway in food production and CSA and asked what they should grow. Young couples who security. Thus, our three learnings are: viewed the CSA website and contacted the CSA to enquire about opportunities to buy land and farm in the Bella Leaving the community to define and ‘drive’ their projects Coola Valley, and one family committed. Hobby gardeners, resulted in the most relevant and sustainable activities. who never believed that there was a market for their Community members were in the best place to identify produce, contacted the CSA and asked whether the CSA and act on activities that would make produce more would buy their surplus fruits and vegetables. A teenage available to more people in a manner that the community boy supplied beans and potatoes for the CSA that he grew could embrace. They could see clearly the community in his parents’ yard to earn money for himself. The CSA connections — both physical and social — that facilitated Coordinator herself was encouraged to get growing: their efforts, and knew where to focus their energy for the “This project propelled me to make this property into most impact. a hobby farm, a lot earlier than I intended to, just so that we could grow more food locally.” A creative and committed champion (or more than [Bella Coola CSA Coordinator] one) is essential to make community projects take root. The champions in Bella Coola, Tahsis, and Telegraph Creek went into overdrive pioneering new methods of community engagement and stirring up social 8.9 Summary: Meeting connections to bring the issues of food security and the Project community food resilience to priority level for the masses. Community readiness, which included identification of Objectives and priorities, having a ready workforce, consensus-building and conflict resolution, was a key factor in community Three Key Learnings action. Two communities simply were not ready to take action in 2011, due to a lack of agreement in the The objective for the Sustainability of Community Projects community on priorities for action, and a lack of available component — to increase the sustainability of the original workers to identify plans and move them forward. The PAI Phase 1 Community Projects through community- three communities that took action on the sustainability specific plans that will continue to improve produce of their produce availability projects had seen and valued availability — was met for the three communities that the potential initiated in 2010, agreed that further action identified and acted on their sustainability plans in 2011. was warranted, desirable, and possible, and committed to Tahsis, Bella Coola and Telegraph Creek all made great moving the projects forward. Working with communities strides in their community projects, integrating them to define their state of readiness is recommended as a into community activities and priorities and building the precursor to inviting applications for further community infrastructure for lasting benefits. The increase in produce project funding availability was substantial in these three communities in 2011. For the two other communities, Haida Gwaii and Zeballos, the delays in phase 1 reporting, community decision-making and collaborative community action, meant that progress towards sustainability was not made in 2011.

104 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 9.0 municipal Toolkit

9.1 component Description Local governments play a key role in building healthy communities. Recognizing this, the PAI steering committee saw a gap in the Initiative’s activities, in that they did not specifically target or explicitly involve local governments. To address this gap and encourage greater participation by local governments in food availability issues and projects, the Municipal Toolkit was developed during Phases 2 and 3 of the PAI. The toolkit, Local Leaders Harvesting Change: A Toolkit to Help Remote Communities Enjoy Fruits and Vegetables, is intended to provide local government staff with resources, tools and tips to improve the year-round availability and quality of fruits and vegetables in remote B.C. communities. To continue the momentum of the PAI, the toolkit was developed to leverage the activities and materials of the various PAI components. 9.2 component 9.3 component Team Context Research developed ‘Local Leaders Harvesting Objectives Change’ with input from the Union of B.C. Municipalities The goal of the PAI, and the Municipal Toolkit component, (UBCM) and the PAI steering committee. Through our is to improve the year-round availability and quality continuous and comprehensive involvement with the of fruits and vegetables, including B.C. produce when PAI, we were in a prime position to take the learnings and available, in remote B.C. communities. resources from the various components and translate them into a toolkit for local governments. UBCM provided To work towards this goal, the objectives for the Municipal feedback throughout the development process and on Toolkit component were: the final tools. They also helped us to identify municipal • To develop a toolkit that brings together learnings staff members in remote communities who could provide from the Initiative and gives guidance on the roles of feedback on the toolkit. local governments in improving produce availability in remote communities. • To assist local governments in B.C. remote 9.4 Toolkit Development communities in increasing produce availability in their communities by disseminating and promoting and Tools action on the toolkit. The development of the toolkit was lengthy. Initially, the intent of the toolkit was to assist local governments in assessing the current state of produce availability and demand in their community (e.g. through the implementation of assessment tools), explain how to use the results from the assessment tools to determine exactly what problems or barriers exist, and provide a set of targeted tools to fix the problems identified. The initial

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 105 plan also included offering training and grants to help local To test the toolkit, we emailed 6 local government staff governments use the toolkit. After further consideration members (i.e. local leaders) in remote communities an and consultation, we identified that the toolkit was more electronic copy of the toolkit and arranged a time to likely to be used if it was simple and contained a set conduct a phone interview with them (a full list of staff of easy-to-use tools that leveraged the work that had and municipalities is provided in Appendix F1 and the been tested in other components of the PAI. Further, feedback survey is provided in Appendix F2). We developed difficulties in arriving at consensus among stakeholders the list of local government staff with input from UBCM regarding a plan for training and community grants, as and our community contacts from the PAI. well as a launching point for the toolkit, caused some false starts and delay. In the end, the main objective for the component was to deliver an engaging toolkit that was Relevance of the Toolkit straight to the point with respect to increasing produce Some municipal leaders found the toolkit more relevant availability. As of May 2012, there are ongoing discussions to the roles of their local government than others. For with UBCM and the steering committee regarding a launch example, three of the local leaders had a dedicated staff of the toolkit and the possibility of community grants to member for social planning or had a municipal plan that implement the tools. highlighted the importance of food security. Further, they During the recent development of the toolkit, we had already initiated similar initiatives in their community. contacted 10 local leaders to get their thoughts on the These leaders clearly saw the link between local toolkit. The leaders indicated that they wanted a toolkit government responsibilities and the initiatives outlined in written in simple language with lots of images. As a result, the toolkit. we developed a practical, inviting toolkit that includes In contrast, one leader did not feel that the toolkit was a range of tools and identifies specific roles for local relevant and did not feel that the toolkit reflected the government staff. responsibilities of local governments because it did not The toolkit includes six tools: speak to the realities of working in remote communities. For example, they felt that the toolkit did not address the 1. Host a Gardening Workshop financial, personnel and resource constraints faced by 2. Host Healthy Gatherings small, remote local governments. 3. Start a Community Garden Although the majority of the leaders we spoke with felt 4. Start a Farm to Community/School Program that the toolkit was relevant, 4 indicated that they don’t 5. Host a Produce Preservation Workshop necessarily have the capacity to implement the tools. For example, they do not have the facilities (recreation 6. Build a Produce Storage Facility centres, community kitchens), or personnel to implement the initiatives. Further, two leaders spoke about the The toolkit is 18 pages long and is linked to relevant digital increasing demands that are being placed on local elected resources. The focus of the toolkit is on building healthy officials. communities through engagement and partnerships, with the goal of increasing the quantity, quality and variety of “I think [the toolkit is relevant]…. I’m sure that there produce available to community members throughout the would be individuals within municipal governments year. that would be interested but, you know again, with the expectations of what they already have on their plate… then taking on another activity… might be a 9.5 Toolkit Evaluation bit of a challenge for them.” [Councillor, Prince George] Given the lack of ‘intervention’, and the timeline of completion of the toolkit (April 2012) related to evaluation Overall, these leaders felt that they were in a better (April 2012), we were a bit restricted in how to focus the position to support local agencies, champions or grass evaluation. We planned a brief evaluation (or trial run) roots organizations to take action, rather than implement of the toolkit with a sample of local government staff the initiatives themselves. Leaders stated that they could members in remote communities to acquire feedback support local individuals and agencies by: on: 1) toolkit relevance, 2) toolkit format and 3) potential • Writing food security and the importance of produce impact of the toolkit in remote communities. The into the municipal plan feedback we gathered from the local leaders was also • Writing letters of support for community members used to determine ways to enhance or improve the toolkit. who write grant applications for produce availability or food security programs and initiatives

106 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 • Increasing awareness among community members about the importance of produce availability and Suggestions to Improve the food security issues and initiatives (e.g. promoting Toolkit initiatives on local government websites, etc.) The local leaders suggested making the following changes • Providing tax and utility breaks for community garden to improve the toolkit: sites • Increase the font size so that the toolkit is easier to • Protecting local agricultural land reserves read. • Educating community members about the • Profile a wider arietyv of communities within the importance of local produce (i.e. health and “spotlight.” Particularly northern communities where economic benefits) the climate is different than the communities on the • Developing legislation to support food initiatives (e.g. west coast. zoning for community gardens, developing a food • Provide links at the bottom of each tool rather than charter) at the end of the toolkit. • Referring initiatives, information and funding • Provide a list of grants and funding opportunities so opportunities to local individuals and organizations local governments know where to look for financial support. Toolkit Format • Reduce the sections that are repetitive. All of the leaders we spoke with had positive comments • Broaden the focus of the toolkit to include more than about the format of the toolkit. For example, all of just elected leaders (i.e., community champions and the leaders felt that the toolkit was easy to read, well leader). organized, clear and concise. Further, they agreed that an • Ensure that the tools are available for download. adequate amount of detail was provided and recognized • Enable leaders to download and print the individual that if people wanted additional information they could tools as well as the entire document. follow the links that are provided. • Develop more tools outlining how to harvest wild food In terms of visual appeal, all of the leaders felt that (e.g. mushrooms, berries, fiddleheads, etc.), start a the toolkit reflected the realities of living in a remote community kitchen, and form partnerships. community. Further, they liked the bright colours, the use • Provide more detail in the storage facility tool. For of photographs from B.C. communities, and appreciated example, outline the considerations that should be the balance between text and pictures. However, two made when developing a storage facility plan (e.g. leaders felt that the toolkit was a little “glossy” as a result check zoning, talk to a building inspector, etc.). of the use of some stock photography. Impact of the Toolkit Outcome of Testing The testing of the toolkit was a valuable opportunity to Three of the local leaders we spoke with indicated that the gather input to improve the toolkit before it was widely toolkit increased their awareness of ways to improve the disseminated. From this, we were able to provide the availability of produce for their communities. For example, component team with insight that will facilitate the two leaders had not previously considered the creation positive reception of the toolkit by remote community of a produce storage facility. One leader also liked the leaders. The next draft of the toolkit is underway, and idea of offering produce preservation workshops. Finally, incorporates changes recommended by the toolkit two local leaders indicated that the toolkit increased testers. Not all recommendations of this small group their awareness about community groups and of testers can be acted upon, given the need to organizations to partner with to implement the balance the preferences of the PAI steering activities within the toolkit. “It is important for committee as well as the need to stay close to the objectives of the component, and the communities to have need for completion of the toolkit within a a toolkit like this so they defined timeline and with a consistent look. have a foundation to go from” [Mayor, Tahsis]

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 107 9.6 Summary and Three Key Learnings “Local governments have the ability to make or Local Leaders Harvesting Change: A Toolkit to Help break the success of a project Remote Communities Enjoy Fruits and Vegetables by being open minded and leveraged learnings from the PAI to provide local supportive… to see things as a government employees with tools, resources, and links resource rather than a threat” to increase the availability of produce in remote B.C. [c Lo al government staff member, communities. Although it was not possible for us to Northern Health] evaluate the toolkit as an “intervention,” we were able to test the toolkit with six local government leaders who provided feedback on the relevancy, format and potential impact of the toolkit, and made recommendations for improvement. Three Key Learnings The three learnings below summarize the key feedback we heard from the local leaders who reviewed the toolkit.

The relevancy of the toolkit varies from community to community: Local governments that have incorporated language about food security into their municipal plan, or those that have dedicated personnel for social development, are likely to see the relevance of the toolkit. Conversely, some local governments that lack personnel and resources may not believe that the toolkit is applicable to their mandate, roles and responsibilities.

Local governments need support: The capacity to implement initiatives outlined in the toolkit is a key issue for local government leaders. Many remote local governments struggle with resources, facilities, funding and personnel. As a result, it is important for local leaders to partner with community agencies, groups or individuals to take action and increase the availability of produce in remote communities. It is also important for local governments to know what funding opportunities are available to them.

The toolkit raises awareness: The toolkit will increase awareness of actions that can be taken to increase the availability of produce in remote communities. The toolkit will also increase awareness about potential community partners. Increasing awareness, among both community members and local leaders, is an important step in increasing the availability of produce in remote communities.

108 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 10.0 Evaluation Summary and Learnings from the Field

The PAI was foremost an effort that (1) stimulated the 10.1 Summary of collaborative and cooperative design and delivery of interventions to improve produce availability in Methods and High communities; (2) facilitated partnership development to effect the design and delivery of interventions; (3) Level Outcomes directly engaged community members in the design and delivery of interventions; and (4) developed capacity in Within the evaluation of the PAI, our goals were to learn communities to design, deliver and sustain interventions. about the processes of implementing the produce Across component areas, we learned that efforts in availability projects in remote communities, so that the these four areas were substantial and had quantitative steering committee and Component Managers could outcomes. Although the tally was (and still is) a moving learn about the projects and improve upon them in real target, we estimate that the PAI: time, and to learn about the outcomes (what changed?) because of the project efforts. Throughout, we tried to Stimulated the design and delivery of 58 community-level stay true to the project objectives, be part of the team, be interventions Including community gardens, produce creative, be flexible, and hear the communities’ voices. storage facilities, Community Supported Agriculture, cooking demonstrations, produce preservation By the end of the evaluation timeframe (May 2010 through workshops, retail interventions, and Farm to Community April 2012), we had implemented many evaluation lunch programs at schools. methods and activities across the many PAI components. This tallied as: Facilitated (or sparked) the development of 32 • 16 focus groups partnerships between local community organizations and schools, between villages and community garden groups, • 107 interviews between horticulturalists and community gardeners, • 22 teleconferences among farms and schools and health staff, between • 34 community reports facilitated the Community Supported Agriculture program and the community, between retailers and local health staff, and • 10 surveys designed and implemented between Ministries and NGOs interested in healthy eating. • 503 photos Directly engaged 2000 remote community members • 26 hours of video through community gardens, Farm to Community, Stimulating Demand for Produce activities (i.e., Through these multiple methods, and especially with community fairs and cooking demonstrations), and those methods that brought us close to the communities, produce preservation workshops. we learned that evaluation gave project teams opportunities to improve programs and troubleshoot Developed capacity in 257 community members to challenges as they arose, gave community champions design, deliver and sustain produce availability activities a ‘real’ person to talk to about the Initiative and its in their communities via produce preservation training, successes and challenges, and gave momentum to community gardening workshops, food handling skills in community members who were able to share their school kitchens, and hands-on work in the development achievements and accomplishments. of unique community solutions to the availability of produce.

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 109 From this, we calculated that across 24 remote communities, more fresh fruits and vegetables were 10.2 Reflection on Key enjoyed by 1200 people who were touched by the PAI activities. What’s more, the investment in the Produce Learnings Across Availability in Remote Communities Initiative resulted in: • the establishment of 19 community gardens and 16 PAI Components greenhouses, Looking back over the key learnings across components, • a 42-family community supported agriculture it’s easy to see that there’s a few critical considerations, program, regardless of the type of activity or intervention. First, community engagement was key to advancing on all • two new produce storage facilities, projects. This played out especially in Stimulating Demand, • skill development of 43 produce preservation Farm to Community, First Nations Community Gardens, trainers, and in the Community Projects. Where community • delivery of 17 produce preservation community (and/or stakeholder) engagement was a precursor workshops, activity, planned and prioritized by the component team and the community project team, there was greater • lunch programs that incorporate fresh, local produce advancement on the actual produce availability agenda. at five schools, Further, community engagement was a critical part of the • 12 seasonal cooking demonstrations creation of relevant, meaningful projects and solutions in communities — where the community was highly • augmented awareness of best handling practices for participatory, the most actionable plans emerged. At the produce among carriers outset, the degree of engagement naturally varied across communities. For those communities that are less ripe for change, and less engaged, the emphasis should be on this engagement of the community — and all the relationship- building this involves — prior to initiating any other efforts.

Second, the extent to which there is existing infrastructure and capacity in a community is an important consideration. This is because either (1) the existing infrastructure and capacity should be utilized, capitalized on, and integrated into new activities and interventions; or (2) low capacity and resources must be recognized and built on and developed. The recognition and utilization of existing capacity was instrumental in the Stimulating Demand activities at existing, well- attended community events, and this led to a great community engagement opportunity in three remote communities. Further, where capacity and knowledge around community gardening existed in a community, entire garden plans could be constructed and executed successfully around this capacity. This was especially evident in Telegraph Creek, where there was significant gardening experience in one family, and in a few of the First Nations communities, where community members could draw on the substantial gardening skills of the elders. On the other hand, low capacity was evident in many Farm to Community programs, and thus, capacity development became the focal point in implementing and sustaining programs. This played out similarly in the Produce Preservation Program, where the component team quickly recognized that trainees simply did not have the technical equipment resources to deliver workshops in their home communities, even after they were fully trained. Sending the appropriate equipment out to the remote communities then became an essential arm of the program.

110 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Finally, we learned through all components that promising for great changes in produce availability. interventions and activities aiming to change food systems and/or the food supply for a community are long 2. Bella Coola, where there were substantial changes term projects, requiring long-term support. Throughout in local produce availability for the 42 families the PAI, expectations of change were continually adjusted, participating in the Bella Coola Community Supported as the reality of the change process set in. A community Agriculture program. By bringing the produce directly garden cannot be set-up and become fully productive to the families’ homes, the program made produce in one season. A retailer who has been operating in a readily accessible. Further, the program stimulated community for thirty years cannot completely change his local farmers to grow more produce, and attracted at produce marketing practices in a few months. A school least one new farming family to the Bella Coola Valley. program does not initiate and have all students involved 3. Hugely increased harvests at the Tahsis Community within the course of a single school year. The engagement Garden and the Telegraph Creek Community Garden process is a rate-limiting factor, and beyond this hurdle, in the 2011 growing season. More produce was made it’s simply a physically difficult thing to change the directly available to many residents in these two structure of food production and acquisition in a remote communities. community. It takes time, connections and some luck (to avoid the floods, fire, bears, deer, poor weather) to make 4. Nine remote First Nations communities that firmly the changes happen. At the final Advisory Committee established and expanded community gardens in meeting for the PAI — the ‘Celebration’ — it was finally their communities and widely shared the harvests. expressed that these projects should be viewed as five year endeavours. The PAI efforts between 2010 and 2012 5. Tahsis, Masset and Bella Coola, at their traditional, should be viewed as foundational to the building of long- seasonal community fairs. In total, 755 fresh fruit term platforms for the availability of produce in remote smoothies, 230 veggie cups and 400 fruit kebabs communities. were available (and consumed). Before 2011, fresh produce had never before been made available at these community events.

10.3 What Changed 6. Remote locations where produce preservation workshops occurred. Through the Produce in Produce Preservation Program, 43 trainers acquired the tools, resources and techniques to preserve fruits Availability? and vegetables. In turn, these trainers taught local Much changed in the communities over the life of the PAI. community members. We know that 16 community Some changes worked directly to make more produce information sessions and 17 local preservation available to community members. Some changes needed workshops occurred, and from this, the availability of to happen upstream of this produce availability change, fruit and vegetables increased for hundreds of remote and were critical for a long-term change and sustainability community members. approach. Within some projects (or component areas), community engagement in the concept of produce availability was the major accomplishment, but the engagement of hundreds of community members formed an essential platform to build future produce availability for the communities. Certainly, there were some projects in some communities that led to definitive changes in produce availability. The clearest changes were found in:

1. Farm to Community lunches at Captain Meares Elementary and Secondary School in Tahsis and Port Clements Elementary School in Port Clements: between April 2011 and Spring 2012, a measurably greater quantity and diversity of produce was available at school lunches twice a week for children at these two schools. Due to the slower uptake of the program at the other three participating schools, lesser changes in produce availability were realized, however, the significant change in the food environment at these schools is notable and

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 111 What community members said 10.4 Learnings About about the changes in produce Evaluation availability in their communities: Work in Remote “Anybody who wants to come and join is welcome. Here, it is hard to keep your pantry stocked and your fridge full Communities of fresh produce because of our isolation, and our climate is sometimes working against us … the greenhouse will The legacy of the PAI can be built around what we know specifically help us overcome that.” now, that we didn’t know when we started. Our thinking Karli, Tahsis Community Garden has changed because we gained the perspective of the remote communities. To gain this perspective, we had “So I think the kids are accessing a lot more. They are used to learn how to work with the remote communities … to carrots and tomatoes and corn, but they are definitely we had to learn how to learn from them. Our methods getting a lot more root vegetables, a lot more greens in didn’t always work on the first try, but we had the their soups, and they are getting used to eating it.” flexibility to explore alternate methods to bring together Ritu, Principal at Port Clements Elementary, Haida Gwaii understanding. Below is a summary of what we learned about this kind of evaluation that we can take forward into “Preserving produce will allow my community to eat similar project evaluations (Table 3). healthy food all year round … It will also allow us to eat when the ferry doesn’t come in, and live a healthier life and hopefully cut down on the diabetes.” Michelle, Produce Preservation Trainer, Haida Gwaii

“I have very good hope for the salad bar because they have lots of good fruit and vegetables, and at the time our family is completely out of fruit and vegetables… I think we might have half a bag of lettuce, but other than that we do not have anything.” Talia, Grade 5, Captain Meares School in Tahsis

“And something really amazing happened this year, we have a few teenagers who are growing produce in their parents’ backyards to sell to us for a bit of pocket money… this is an amazing success. If I had dreamt of a positive outcome, that would be it.” Corine, Bella Coola CSA Coordinator and Local Grower

“My kids and I, we come here every other night to water the garden, and we pick lots of beans and they gobble the beans. Now I know I can plant these ‘cause my kids really enjoy them.” Community Gardener, Ehattesaht

112 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012 Table 3: Evaluation challenges and solutions explored within the Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative

Challenge Solutions Explored There was often a lack of capacity Since coordinators and community members often wear many hats within their community, in remote communities to complete they struggled to find the time for evaluation activities (i.e., taking pictures, making time for an evaluation activities. This lack of interview, completing a report). capacity translated to difficulty with evaluation ‘buy-in’ for some From this, we learned to communicate the importance of the evaluation to local coordinators coordinators and communities. and key community members at the start of the project. To increase buy-in, we discussed how the evaluation was a way that the communities could showcase their projects, which could lead to greater sustainability. Also, we invited coordinators, teachers, and other community members to participate in the design of evaluation tools to increase their commitment to using them. We became flexible and adapted evaluation activities and tools to meet the capacity of the communities — for example, simplifying reporting requirements, reducing the frequency of reporting, asking coordinators to share evaluation activities with another community member who might have more time.

It was challenging to reach Coordinators and community members were busy, appropriately absorbed with their ‘own’ work, community members and project and often were not attentive to the evaluation needs of a project they were often managing off coordinators in remote communities, the side of their desks. Further, many of the people we needed to reach did not work in offices, by phone and by email. and were not sitting by a phone or computer. Many coordinators in the First Nations communities would leave the communities at various times to work in other communities, fish, hunt, or visit. It was simply hard to reach people.

We learned to allot extra time to reach coordinators and community members, and that an interview process could stretch over several months by the time all were contacted. Setting up most interviews required at least 3 contacts before a date and time were confirmed.

It was expensive to collect data in Although it was expensive and time-consuming to travel to the 24 participating remote remote communities. communities, we remained committed to hearing the communities’ voices represented in the evaluation. We simply could not physically go everywhere.

We were creative with methods that decreased the travel burden but increased the representation of community members’ perspectives. An example of this was through the use of photovoice in the Produce Preservation Program evaluation, where we sent trainers digital cameras to capture the impact of their produce preservation workshops visually. The camera was a participation incentive which resulted in great visual data of program implementation. We obtained complementary data through follow-up phone interviews with coordinators, through which they discussed the meaning of their photos.

We also combined purposes for community visits, where possible, so that we could visit for more than one project at a time and share expenses across the allotted evaluation budgets. This was possible in Tahsis and Haida Gwaii, for example, where there were multiple PAI components operating simultaneously.

Finally, we learned that allotment of 10% of overall project budget to evaluation was generally insufficient, given the ‘remoteness’ of the communities. Often, evaluation became the key avenue of communication between communities and the Initiative which also drove costs up and broadened the scope of the evaluation function. An evaluation budget of 20% of overall project costs would generally be more appropriate in this type of Initiative

December 22, 2012 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation 113 Table 3: Evaluation challenges and solutions explored within the Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative (cont’d)

Challenge Solutions Explored It was challenging to keep everyone Some components had to be modified during implementation to adapt to community needs and (communities, evaluators, challenges, available resources and capacity, or shifts in desirable messaging. It was extremely component teams) informed, difficult for evaluators to track these shifts in real time as they sometimes happened quickly and without written documentation. We also learned that there was an expectation that all information gathered through evaluation activities was reaching the component team right away (although the evaluation team was not initially set up as part of the component team).

To increase this information relay, we opened the lines of communication, such that all information coming from communities could reach the component team in real time. We joined the regular component team calls, where possible, and found this to be effective in planning evaluation activities and for bringing information to the component team to improve programs. Integrating evaluators with the project teams was a great solution that helped evaluators stay on top of all projects, and offered opportunities for evaluators to improve projects by offering suggestions based on experiences in the communities.

It was difficult to recruit survey Survey participation was low in several communities, despite incentives offered, as well as the participants. options to complete the survey online or in print.

We learned that having a captive audience for survey completion (i.e., at community meetings), where community members who completed surveys immediately received an incentive resulted in higher return. Also, linking with a partner and a mechanism for survey distribution and return improved participation: The Village of Old Masset offered to send out PAI surveys to community members with the utility bills, and collected completed surveys with bill payments.

The concept of a ‘survey ballot’ was well received at the PAI booth at community events. The ‘survey ballot’ was designed to be quick — 3 questions, and community members could then immediately submit it to be entered into a draw for one of a few substantial prizes. High participation rates resulted (a total of 377 entries), resulting in the most fulsome data for the component.

The evaluators did not come from We learned that site visits were powerful. Site visits offered the best opportunity for evaluators to remote communities, and lacked the “get” the situation in various communities. perspective of these communities at the outset of the Initiative. In all cases, community visits intended as times to complete evaluation activities, became opportunities for community development and project advancement. Evaluation, when done in-person, became all about relationship-building, sustainability of projects, and collaborative problem-solving. Communities wanted to show us what they’d been working on, the challenges they had overcome, and they wanted a chance to help us develop the needed perspective to write about their community in an honest way.

114 Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012

Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative Final Report on Projects and Evaluation December 22, 2012

Submitted to: Ministry of Health

Submitted by: Heart and Stroke Foundation Context Research Ltd.