by Andrew Morrison | The next cool thing is UBC Farm. It’s the only working farm within Vancouver’s city limits, which is to say that it’s a civic treasure that’s worth fighting for (development at UBC always appears to be running amok). Its diverse crops and capabilities are a Pacific Northwest idyll. There are apples (over 70 varieties!), grapes, raspberries, blueberries, hops, and so much more. It even has truffles! The farm comes complete with greenhouses, a classroom, a fully functional kitchen, an office, a workshop, storage buildings and tool sheds. But what makes it such an asset to this town isn’t its soil or what it produces, but rather what it shows us and teaches us and our kids. It has everything from elementary school programs, fresh food markets, and CSA box projects to practicums in sustainable agriculture and an Aboriginal food hub. It also plays host to a variety of al fresco special events and sit-down suppers, annually attracting some of the best kitchen talent in Vancouver. They also roll out a pretty kickass newsletter, which you subscribe to here (highly advisable if you like awesome outdoor events).

THE NEXT COOL THING