Last fall, our first cohort of Rise Up! volunteers from the Interior Region gathered for a fun-filled day in Vernon starting at the sncəcmałqtn Agricultural Park. Here youth participants connected with each other and learned about the community space and vision for the gardens on site from local food literacy champion Dawn Guenette.

The group then set off to visit stops along the BX Know Your Farmer Tour (@bx.farm.tour). This exploration led them to meeting alpacas at Vanzeal Acres, tasting honey and organic apples from Bee-Yotch Honey and Brookside Orchards, and connecting with local MLA and Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Harwinder Sandhu at Morrison Funny Farm.

The day wrapped with a moment of reflection and sharing farm-stand goodies. A big thank you to our hosts, farm stops, and guests who made this day special! Including @vanzeal_acres @beeyotch_honey and @morrisonfunnyfarm.

Preparation for the Cohort 2 regional gathering is now underway. Stay tuned for updates on future events!