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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.

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.

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.

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

  • Apr 15, 9:00 a.m. – Oct 15, 4:00 p.m.
    Načiks/Monks Point, 174 West St., Tofino, BC
    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. Contact us if you have any questions (info@tofinocommunityfoodinitiative.com).
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  • Oct 14, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Come celebrate the bounty of the Harvest Season in this free community event that will include family friendly activities, gardening demos, food & drinks, live music and more!
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  • Sep 23, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Tofino Community Hall and Emergency Rece, Arnet Rd, Tofino, BC V0R 0A4, Canada
    Come learn everything you need to know to safely start making your own canned foods!
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  • Aug 05, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Come see the incredible potential for local food growing on the west coast and get inspired to start or improve your own edible garden!
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  • Jul 29, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Come see the incredible potential for local food growing on the west coast and get inspired to start or improve your own edible garden!
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  • Jul 09, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
    WYA Junction Garden, 2695 Tofino Ucluelet Highway
    Would you like to learn how to extend the growing season of your West Coast garden? Would you even like to grow food all year around but don't have a greenhouse? If so, this is your next workshop!
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  • Jun 11, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
    The Space Tattoos, 1645 Cedar Rd, Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0, Canada
    Tofino Community Food Initiative and Space Tattoo in Ucluelet are teaming up for an exciting fundraiser in June! We invite you to save the date on June 11th, 2023, for a chance to purchase a custom garden tattoo from the talented artists at Space.
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  • May 18, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
    Wickaninnish School Food Forest, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Do you love gardening but don't have much gardening space available? Would you like to grow your own food but don't want to invest too much time or resources to get started? If that's the case, this is the perfect workshop for you!
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  • Mar 04, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. PST
    Two locations!, Community School & Community Hall
    Join us in preparation for the growing season! Our annual Seedy Saturday event will include a seed swap & sale at the Wickaninnish Community School Garden, music, and hands-on activities.
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  • Dec 14, 2022, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
    Tofino Community Hall, 351 Arnet Rd, Tofino, BC
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  • Nov 27, 2022, 11:00 a.m. – Nov 28, 2022, 12:30 p.m.
    Clayoquot Sound Theatre, 380 Campbell St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Local seed saving is integral to creating secure and resilient food systems - learn how you can support yours by joining our Seed Saving 101 Workshop. Presented in collaboration with FarmFolk CityFolk.
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  • Oct 15, 2022, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Wickaninnish Community School Garden, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    Join us for a free community lunch and celebration of our growing season! Saturday October 15 from 11 am -2 pm at the school garden. There will be kids activities, a planting table, and soup made by Wolf in the Fog!
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  • Aug 07, 2022, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
    Ucluelet, Ucluelet, BC, Canada
    One excellent way of learning about growing food is to see the designs of other gardeners. Come explore 6 amazing edible gardens in Ucluelet with us on Sunday August 7, 1-4:30 pm.
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  • Jul 31, 2022, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
    Tofino, Tofino, BC, Canada
    Showcasing the incredible potential for local food growing on the west coast and inspiring individuals to start or improve their own backyard gardens.
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  • May 22, 2022, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
    Wickaninnish Community School Garden, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R, Canada
    On Sunday May 22 we are pleased to have the knowledgeable and experienced Vancouver Island horticulturalist Connie Kuramoto coming to teach us about propagation from cuttings. What plants work well from cuttings, and how? Come participate and learn this valuable and useful plant skill.
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  • Apr 30, 2022, 10:00 a.m. – May 01, 2022, 8:00 p.m.
    Gaia Grocery, 150 Fourth St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
    TCFI staff and board members have been busy growing seedlings to share with our community as a fundraiser for our programs. Basil! Cabbage! Lettuce! Tomatoes! Nasturtium, and more! Come down to Gaia Grocery on April 30 and May 1 for the spring seedling sale!
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  • Mar 05, 2022, 11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. PST
    Wickaninnish Community School & Online, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R, Canada
    Join us in preparation for the growing season! Our annual Seedy Saturday event will include a seed swap & sale at the Wickaninnish Community School Garden, a virtual presentation from seed saving expert Bob Wildfong, and a virtual film screening of the award-winning documentary Modified.
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  • Feb 12, 2022, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
    Tofino, 431 Gibson St, Tofino, BC V0R, Canada
    In this engaging demonstration, instructor Connie Kuramoto will share her expertise about the tools and techniques required to confidently prune your own fruit trees.
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