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Food Preservation Program

Food Preservation includes drying, freezing, boiling water bath canning, and pressure canning, allowing food to have a longer shelf life while retaining some nutrients. Learning to preserve your own food is a great way to save money and eat locally grown and harvested foods all year round.

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Since 2017 we have been partnering with local organizations to bring PreserveSafe train-the-trainer programs and food preservation workshops to west coast communities. PreserveSafe graduates gain the skills and knowledge to safely preserve food using a variety of methods and the confidence to lead their own community workshops in food preservation.

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A number of west coast residents, including TCFI staff, have graduated from the PreserveSafe Certification Program through train-the-trainer weekends hosted in the communities of Tofino, Ucluelet, Hitacu and Ahousaht. These trainings and community workshops are made possible by the generous donations from the District of Tofino Emergency Preparedness team, Eat West Coast (Clayoquot Biosphere Trust), and the Tofino Saltwater Classic.

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In-person Food Preservation workshops are currently on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Check out our YouTube channel for online workshops on food preservation.

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Past Food Preservation Workshops

  • Coastal Foods Roundtable - spring meeting
    Coastal Foods Roundtable - spring meeting
    Apr 08, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Tourism Tofino, 1426 BC-4, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    If you have attended a Coastal Agricultural Roundtable meeting in the past, please join us and RSVP. If you are a primary producer, food security advocate. etc. and would like to participate for the first time: please email "katie@tofinocommunityfoodinitiative.com"
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  • Seedy Sunday!
    Seedy Sunday!
    Apr 27, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Come celebrate spring by sharing seeds, questions, and inspiration with your local garden enthusiasts!
    Share
  • Tofino Edible Garden Tour
    Tofino Edible Garden Tour
    Jul 27, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Location is TBD
    Come see the incredible potential for local food growing on the west coast and get inspired to start or improve your own edible garden!
    Share
  • Ucluelet Edible Garden Tour
    Ucluelet Edible Garden Tour
    Aug 03, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Location is TBD
    An amazing tour of some of the growing happening around Ucluelet. Come meet local growers, hundreds of plants, and new friends with TCFI.
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  • Annual Harvest Celebration
    Annual Harvest Celebration
    Oct 04, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Join us for a free community event and celebration of the growing season. Our Harvest Celebration has activities for kids, opportunities for gardeners to connect and share tips, tours of the Food Forest, delicious food, apple pressing, and more!
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  • Growing West Coast Gardeners Series
    Growing West Coast Gardeners Series
    Workshops are full days in person.
    Tofino, 351 Arnet Rd, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    This multi-part workshop series begins on April 12th and ends September 20th, 2025. New to gardening in the Pacific Northwest? In 4 modules spaced throughout the growing season, you'll learn from expert gardeners the do's and don'ts of food cultivation for our temperate rainforest climate.
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  • Winter Sowing Workshop + Winter Work Bee
    Winter Sowing Workshop + Winter Work Bee
    Feb 08, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    All are welcome to join for an afternoon of volunteering and learning in the school garden. Come from 1-2:30pm for the work bee and stay for a short workshop on winter sowing.
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  • Annual Jingle in the Food Forest
    Annual Jingle in the Food Forest
    Dec 15, 2024, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Join us as we come together to "deck the halls" of the Food Forest with festive cheer and community spirit. Please bring your mug, gloves, and any extra ribbons you might have to help with the decorating. We hope to share warm hot chocolate, homemade cookies, and oranges to celebrate the season.
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  • Jam Making Workshop for Youth
    Jam Making Workshop for Youth
    Dec 05, 2024, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 351 Arnet Rd, Tofino, BC V0R 0A4, Canada
    Come make a delicious gift for the holidays for your family or friends. This is a free workshop and is specifically meant for youth age 10-19. More details coming soon!
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  • TCFI at the Tofino Winter Market
    TCFI at the Tofino Winter Market
    Nov 30, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 351 Arnet Rd, Tofino, BC V0R 0A4, Canada
    We've been creating treats from the school garden, ocean shores, and more. We've also done a reprint of our very popular "Tofino Local Food" tote bags. Come check out our TCFI table at the Tofino Winter Market on November 30th from 10am to 3pm.
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  • Coastal Foods Roundtable
    Coastal Foods Roundtable
    Nov 08, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Ucluelet Community Centre, 500 Matterson Dr, Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0, Canada
    Created in 2019 and formerly known as the Coastal Agriculture Roundtable, the CFR is a permanent, multi-stakeholder working group of the ACRD that guides the ongoing implementation of agricultural and food security initiatives in the coastal communities of the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District.
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  • Harvest Celebration
    Harvest Celebration
    Oct 05, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Join us for a free community event and celebration of our growing season! There will be kids' activities, live music, a seed garlic sale, opportunities to tour the garden & ask gardening questions, our second annual pie contest, and a delicious vegetarian soup generously donated by Wolf in the Fog.
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  • Kombucha Making Workshop w/ the Ukee Youth Room
    Kombucha Making Workshop w/ the Ukee Youth Room
    Sep 24, 2024, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
    Ucluelet, 500 Matterson Dr, Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0, Canada
    TCFI and the Ukee Youth Room are partnering to offer this free kombucha making workshop for youth in grades 8-12.
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  • Ucluelet Edible Garden Tour
    Ucluelet Edible Garden Tour
    Aug 04, 2024, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Schedule TBD
    Come see the incredible potential for local food growing on the west coast and get inspired to start or improve your own edible garden!
    Share
  • Tofino Edible Garden Tour
    Tofino Edible Garden Tour
    Jul 28, 2024, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Meet at the school garden at 1pm
    Come and see what local gardeners are capable of growing here on the West Coast and get inspired to do so too!
    Share
  • Start Your Garden Workshop
    Start Your Garden Workshop
    May 05, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Tofino, Arnet Rd, Tofino, BC V0R 0A4, Canada
    Are you brand new to gardening or interested in digging deeper into your learning journey? Join us on May 5th at the Tofino Community Hall. Spaces are limited. Registration is not yet open, but will be updated here and on our social media pages when registration begins.
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  • Seedy Saturday
    Seedy Saturday
    May 04, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Come celebrate spring by sharing seeds, questions, and inspiration with your local garden enthusiasts!
    Share
  • Seniors Workshop - Pruning with Connie Kuramoto
    Seniors Workshop - Pruning with Connie Kuramoto
    Mar 20, 2024, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Calling all seniors aged 55 and above! Join Us for the Annual Free Workshop for Seniors 55+ on Pruning with esteemed Master Gardener Connie Kuramoto.
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© 2024 Tofino Community Food Initiative

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