Who Are We And Where Are We Located?
Island Natural Growers (ING) is the Gulf Islands chapter of COG. The Gulf Islands comprise Galiano, Mayne, North and South Pender, Salt Spring, Saturna, and other islands between the British Columbia mainland and Vancouver Island. The majority of our 50+ members are on Salt Spring Island.
Goals Of The Island Natural Growers
Formed in 1992, ING promotes organic farming as one of the primary building blocks in establishing a sustainable community. ING goals are:
- To operate as a mutual self-help society that takes in the interests of farmers, gardeners, and the entire rural community.
- To work in harmony with the natural processes of plant and animal growth, as the best way to maximize the production of pollution-free food for local consumption.
- To exchange knowledge and expertise with each other, and undertake to inform the public about organic methods of growing.
- To support the development of bioregionally-based food systems, to strengthen and stabilize local economies and to minimize transport of farm inputs and produce.
Activities And Projects Of The Island Natural Growers
ING holds meetings the first Wednesday of the month. Members volunteer to host a potluck supper, farm or garden tour and business meeting to plan projects and activities. The structure of the group is informal and works through consensus.
Seedy Saturday, the largest public event organized by ING, takes place on the second Saturday in February every year. It features a community seed exchange, seed saving and growing workshops, and the opportunity to purchase seeds from local seed companies.
- Salt Spring Island’s Local Organic Food Guide, published by ING encourages everyone on the island to buy, grow and eat more locally produced organic food.
- Salt Spring Island Abattoir Project – in collaboration with the SSI Agricultural Alliance
The Produce Project, March-Nov 2005, estimated the amount of fruit and vegetables being grown on Salt Spring and the potential for expansion. One of the study’s major findings was that farmers were only growing about 233,000 pounds of produce per year–just 4% of the produce sold on Salt Spring! Read the complete report (pdf) ING representatives are directors of the Salt Spring Island Agricultural Alliance and the SSI Farmland Trust
How To Become Involved In The Island Natural Growers
Gardening and farming include many diverse activities and concerns, and this is reflected in the broad range of interests of the ING membership. Anyone who supports the goals of COG and ING is welcome to join. If you live in the Gulf Islands you will automatically become a member of Island Natural Growers when you join COG.
Contact
Anne Macey
106 Old Scott Rd
Salt Spring Island, BC
V8K 2L6
Phone: (250) 537-5511