The One Straw Blog

Oct 3, 2024 The History The Sechelt Streetside Garden began as the "Ocean Vegetables Garden" in 2012-2013, a vision of Don Robb, who lived in the neighbourhood. After creating a boulevard garden outside of his house on Mermaid Street, he was inspired by the impact growing food for the public could have. He approached the [...]

Oct 1, 2024  We've been listening to you and others, and we've been watching the risks and losses across Canada (and beyond) in the world of agriculture and community spaces. Capitalism reigns supreme, and land costs are threatening food production, along with the challenges of climate change, soil erosion, cost of labour and inputs, urban [...]

Aug 15, 2024 Our 10th incredible long table fundraiser dinner for food security! What an honour to be witness to the energy and beauty that we create together. These Farm to Table dinners are not only about 7 courses of amazing fare, and not just about the sweet connections made with others at the tables. [...]

It’s that time of year again! Seeds of March is back! Seeds of March is a community collaboration of spring events focused on sustainable gardens, farms, and food system here on the Coast. It includes our 28th annual beloved Seedy Saturday Market, and so much more, including the Seed Exchange run by the Sunshine Coast […]

September 14, 2023 This summer, 120 lucky guests gathered at our sold out, farm-to-table dinners of the summer, and  beautiful, delicious, and nurturing nights they were! 🌙✨ With candlelight, and under the early stars, we embarked on a culinary journey crafted by seven talented local chefs at each dinner, who created a beautiful balance of [...]

Sept 2023 We were approached by a young local family who are passionate about Climate Action, and conversation swirled… What exactly does the work of “local food” and local farms have to do with Climate Action, anyway? We’re so used to convenience… whatever we want whenever we want it. We’re used to grocery stores stocked […]

Sept 4, 2023 While the price of food in rises in our communities and monthly food bank visits are reaching new highs, national and provincial research shows that less than 30% of people facing some degree of food insecurity access food banks. The other 70% don’t. So, 1.3 million visits yearly across the country, hundreds […]

Drafted: June, 2018Updated: January, 2023Updated: November, 2024 Introduction: Agri-tourism and secondarily, accommodations for tourists and agri-tourism can play a positive role in supporting farm viability, fostering public engagement with agriculture, and can enrich a community culturally and financially.  However, farmland in BC within the ALR is regulated and protected, keeping land price and property taxes [...]

Oct 30, 2022 This summer, we packed up almost 2,000 boxes of food at One Tiny Farm in Roberts Creek, from ten different local farms, and booted around in our cute Tiny Truck to pickup hubs in Gibsons, Sechelt, and Halfmoon Bay. It was amazing overall, especially considering the huge growth again this year, but there’s […]

Nov 3, 2022 To our local directors of the SCRD, and to the new mayors of Sechelt and Gibsons, This is a joint letter from Sunshine Coast Community Services Society and One Straw Society, as active organizations involved with food security and food systems development on the Sunshine Coast. We are dedicated to nurturing the […]

This summer, I met with ten local farmers and left many fighting a lump in my throat. More than half are talking about getting out of farming. Fires, floods, wars, broken supply chains, pandemics, trade agreements, and inflation all threaten local, healthy and sustainable food. Gas prices have meant they think twice about starting up […]