Benjamin Ziakin (right) helps organize another load of compost into rows of garden beds out front of Woodlands Secondary School on Monday, April 10. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

GARDEN GROUNDS

‘Understand the importance of food security:’ educational garden takes root at Nanaimo school

Apr 11, 2023 | 5:23 AM

NANAIMO — A unique garden has sprouted at a former secondary school.

Rows of soil garden beds now line the Strathmore St. side of Woodlands Secondary School, near Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, part of a new initiative to create an educational and fully functional food garden.

Project lead Benjamin Ziakin told NanaimoNewsNOW his business entered into a four-year agreement with School District 68 to lease the land and in return, he provides educational opportunities for students in Nanaimo and Ladysmith.

“Giving students not only a chance to grow the food that they’ll be eating in their schools but also…the skill set to go out and grow their own food at home, to seek employment in the food industry. To create a connection for the students to understand the importance of food security.”

Whatever comes from the garden will be sold by Ziakin, primarily back to the School District to bolster their meal programs for students.

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It’s a full-circle partnership where otherwise unused school land is turned into something productive and educational.

A work party on Monday, April 10 helped set up the 50-foot-long by nearly three-foot-wide beds.

Ziakin said they’re going with a no-till method, instead laying compost materials and cardboard on top of the grass to create a six-inch deep row of soil and allow “the worms do the work” ahead of planting.

“We’re building a huge amount of organic matter into the soil to deal with the drought we’re currently in and experiencing, and climate change is a big concern for farmers, so we’re looking at much, much higher levels of organic matter and mulch in our systems so we can preserve water and nutrients for the long term.”

Ziakin added their initial spring planting will be mainly “pioneer species” including sunflowers, beans and peas to set the soil up for future, consistent production.

Those plants will help develop nitrogen into the garden beds, better enabling a summer planting of tomatoes, carrots and other produce ahead of a fall harvest.

Exactly what gets planted over time will be up to Ziakin in consultation with teachers and cooks at the District’s schools.

“We’re going to do a large variety,” Ziakin said. “It’s not a mono-crop, I’m doing a lot of inter-planting and co-planting and I’m looking for diversity not only for the farm to have a diversity of produce for the students but also to be a demonstration space for the diversity of crops.”

A group of volunteers helped Ziakin on Monday, joining support from local businesses.

Sharecost Rentals & Sales provided the compost used, a skid-steer was lent by Extend Rentals while Rusty Shovel Landscaping ran the machine to load the compost into place.

Food security is a passion for Ziakin, involved in farming for the last 15 years including full-time for the past three.

He added local grocery stores carry a roughly three-day supply of food for everyone, while upwards of 80 to 90 per cent of local groceries are imported onto Vancouver Island.

The project is run through Farm to School BC, of which both Nanaimo-Ladysmith and Qualicum school districts serve as regional hubs.

Volunteers helped work compost into position to form garden beds at Woodlands Secondary School on Monday, April 10. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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