Nancy Pearson 12/07/15
BUSAD 175 - Travel & Tourism Operations - Fall 2015
Tour Project Two - Niche Tour
Community Gardening NorthWest Niche Tour
Join our niche as we gain gardening experience while nurturing connections in this tour of Whatcom County's Community Garden scene. We will be visiting three of these centers for personal growth and healthy living, learn thru gardening skills demonstrations, give it a try for ourselves and have the chance to lend a hand where needed. Comfortable lodging and tasty, nourishing meals will be provided by The Firs, a retreat center located among mature fir and cedar trees near Bellingham.
People all across the world and especially in the Pacific NorthWest are finding that community gardens can be a great place to learn the basics of how grow food and start consuming more fresh produce, as well as to meet and work alongside neighbors in the garden, and even to help the needy by growing extra food to share with food banks. Likely candidates for Agri-tours like garden tourism tend to live in rural areas or in urban homes with gardens, to read gardening media and related websites, be friends of museums or garden attractions, and be open-air tourists like walkers & hikers.
As more and more people look for ways to improve their lifestyle and help make the world a better place, gardening has emerged as a shining light that guides us toward healthier ways to live and to build strong community connections. Communities of people who make the effort to garden together experience many benefits along with super-nutritious fresh produce, including increased sense of community stewardship, coming together from a wide variety of backgrounds, provides a focal point for community organizing, encourages the growth of new community leaders, and can lead to community-based efforts to deal with other social concerns. Community gardens have been recognized by many police departments as an effective community crime prevention strategy.
In addition to a place to grow plants for fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, Community Gardens also increase opportunities: for cultural exchange by giving new immigrants the opportunity to grow traditional crops otherwise unavailable locally, to take advantage of the experience of elders and the enthusiastic energy of youth, to work together and share in learning from the results. Community gardens even offer neighborhoods an access point to non-English speaking communities, and allow people from diverse backgrounds to work side-by-side on common goals without speaking the same language. Bring the family on a fun getaway way to learn more about community gardening!
In addition to a place to grow plants for fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, Community Gardens also increase opportunities: for cultural exchange by giving new immigrants the opportunity to grow traditional crops otherwise unavailable locally, to take advantage of the experience of elders and the enthusiastic energy of youth, to work together and share in learning from the results. Community gardens even offer neighborhoods an access point to non-English speaking communities, and allow people from diverse backgrounds to work side-by-side on common goals without speaking the same language. Bring the family on a fun getaway way to learn more about community gardening!
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1
3:00-5:00pm Check in to The Firs
5:00-6:30pm Welcome Lecture & Dinner
Day 2
8:00-9:00am Breakfast
9:00-10:00 Travel to NW Indian College
10:00-12:00 'Pea Patch Gardens' Training
12:00- 1:00 Lunch Break (Sack lunch)
1:00- 3:00 Tour NWIC Medicine Wheel Garden
5:30- 6:30 Dinner
Day 3
8:00-9:00am Breakfast
9:00-10:00 Travel to Bellingham Food Bank Garden
10:00-12:00 Assist in building raised-beds for new garden
12:00- 1:00 Lunch & Travel to Cloud Mountain Farm Center
1:30- 3:30 Beginning Vegetable Gardening Classj
4:00- 5:30 Seed Starting Class
6:30- 8:00 Dinner & Farewells
Transportation during tour is provided via rented vans. Estimated cost per person is $500.
1 comment:
I like "Both" posts. This is such a Bellingham type of tour. I love it! Interesting gardening classes and site visits. Imagine someone from the another part of the world taking this tour!
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