Connecting the Dots With Chef Ian Lai | Terra Nova Schoolyard Society, Richmond, BC

One of the questions we ask ourselves most is: How do I find my purpose? In interviewing Chef Ian, I realize purpose isn't something we need to search out. When we do what we love, purpose finds us.

After all of the positions that you have had in the food industry, can you now connect the dots?

Yes, I am all of those dots. I'm like that Family Circus cartoon where the kid has to go to the grocery store and he winds up going everywhere else before getting there. I am at the grocery store, but there is another grocery store I want to go to. I'm on that circuitous route to get to the next grocery store, and all those stops have been the career moves that I have chosen. That next grocery store is where the Terra Nova Schoolyard Society comes in.

The Program
What is the Terra Nova Schoolyard Society?

The Terra Nova Schoolyard Society is a non-profit, community-based garden project that I founded in 2006. The project connects elementary and high school students with the earth, the community around them, and agriculture at large. Students learn to grow, monitor, harvest, and eat nutritiously on a weekly basis. Their garden activities integrate the complete food cycle - from seed to table, and from table to soil, in the form of composting. Key outcomes of the project include: social responsibility, science, math, wellness, and cooperative learning.

How did the Terra Nova Schoolyard Society begin?

I realized, through teaching, I had the skill to convey information. I had built up a persona and charisma to draw people, and I had a platform to do it. I thought I could connect food with culinary students and post-secondary students. Originally, when I studied for my Instructors Diploma and Adult Education Diploma, my goal at that point in life, was to make sure I had the credentials to help me get into a community college level and teach food history. That was my connection; but, through that, I found out I preferred teaching from the ground up, rather than from the middle.

It was fortuitous that UBC was holding a summer institute. I wound up attending because another Chef instructor at our school couldn't make it. I met many High School Foods teachers and realized what was happening with the quality of food in the school system. We toured the farms at UBC, and that is where they introduced us to their inter-generational landed learning program - a program with kids working on the farm with older people. There was this wonderful inter-generational connection, and I found that exciting. I was planning to do some volunteer work in that program, and then one day while biking around Richmond, I passed by London Heritage Farm. I thought, what if we had a similar program out here and I ran it? It mushroomed from there.

How did you obtain the land for your project?

I had to meet the people who owned London Farms to see if they were interested. They were interested, but a little hesitant about the logistics of how it would all come together. They connected me - again, joining the dots - with another organization called the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project who has space 1/2 km away. The Sharing Farm is an organization that grows food for the Richmond Food Bank. I presented my idea to the Sharing Farm group and they agreed to let me use some of their space out at their sister site in Terra Nova. The Sharing Farm already had an infrastructure, so I didn't have to spend a lot of money to get it going. In return, I helped the Sharing Farm build their project in Terra Nova.

How did you seek out participants?

I wound up pitching the idea to my daughter's school. I set up a meeting with the staff and presented the concept, with data that looked convincing. At the beginning, it took a while to materialize. I was like I was a car salesman trying to sell a 2010 De Lorean that isn't even on the production line, but this is my product. I thought all the teachers would want in. How naïve! Only one teacher stepped up. I think teachers are already overwhelmed, and it takes a very special teacher to integrate the schoolyard project into their curriculum. It helps if people grew up on a farm, or around food, to fully appreciate the value of what the project is about.

For some of them, it might be out of their comfort zone, and they have to tie the project into the curriculum. For me, it is seamless. Let's do math with seeds. Plant 10, 4 come out, that's 40 percent - but, it is one more thing that teachers have to deal with. It didn't take long for other teachers to want to be involved though. I think my drive, vision, and attention to detail convinced them. I did a lot of legwork and organized tasks on spreadsheets and arranged seedbed charts, so they didn't have to worry too much.

In just one year, it has grown bigger than I ever thought it would have grown. We have grown from 30 to 200 kids, ranging from Kindergarten to High School. The City of Richmond has kindly given me an additional 5000 sq. feet of land to use in Terra Nova. I originally thought I would be growing a hobby plot with just one class of kids. It has now become a passion and it is the next step for me.

Do you think the City will provide even more land for you to expand?

I have earned a lot of credibility with the City of Richmond because I am a doer. I make sure I fulfill my promises and follow through with the things I say I'm going to do. I don't have a huge Board of Directors to go through. I think more land is a possibility because they realize the potential of what could be done. In my opinion, I've increased the land value of the park, by what I have done with the entrance. I plan to add on science elements such as solar-powered and wind-powered energy experiments, and run small science projects to show what alternative energy sources are available.

The City is planning to build a kitchen on our site and indicated I can have access to it once it is constructed. The kids will soon be cooking with the items they harvest, and that is very exciting. Last year we made bread from the oats we harvested. I think the kitchen will provide added value to the project.

When did you learn how to garden?

In my intermittent sleeps [laugh]. My grandmother gardened and our family had a vegetable patch, but as a child, a garden for me was a place to play soldiers and blow things up. My grandmother was always in the garden and my mom planted flowers, so I didn't really know what was what. For this project, I read voraciously and I made sure I was one or two steps ahead of the kids. On the route to doing that, I discovered that I really enjoyed it, and quickly absorbed all the things that had to be done.

How have your teaching skills helped you with this project?

My skill is that I know how to communicate information. For me, elementary children aren't that different from adult learners because you want to teach them the basics. Whether it is cooking or gardening, it is the basics. You don't dummy it down, but you make it so that it is understandable and applicable. If they understand the basics, they can build from those learning successes. That's how I learned to garden, and I am still learning every single day. I'm fortunate now because I have Master Gardener volunteers working with me. I learned if you have a business and surround yourself with the right people, and people who are smarter than you, you don't have to worry too much.

How has your project built your relations within the community?

Community has always been important to me, and I am building so many community connections. For example, I visit the children at the West Richmond Community Center. They are still a bit too young to come out to the farm, so we plant in pots on the balcony. The "Dirt Club" meets and talks about food and gardening on a biweekly basis.

The youth leader from the City Youth Program heard about my project and asked if I would build a program for youth who need mentoring, adult support, and role models. I set up a 10-visit program. They have been out 6 times so far and I've just received an Adult Mentor Award for 2007 in Richmond. That was an unexpected surprise.

Other school districts, like Maple Ridge, have come out to visit and see what we are doing. I spoke at VanDusen Gardens to let them know what we are about and what we are doing out at Terra Nova. I recently spoke at the North American Food Security Conference in Vancouver. The delegates had a chance to tour Terra Nova, as well as the Sharing Farm, so we are starting to get a lot of exposure.

Terra Nova is being recognized through academic connections, partnerships with UBC, and with the Richmond School District. Once you have academic credibility, it expands and opens many different doors. With my new web design and communications team, it is all starting to be a little more streamlined. City TV came out to our recent Breakfast Bash. That event capped it off and now I can say, "We're here now and we're here to stay".

What are a few of the advantages the kids obtain by being involved in a project like this?

This is authentic. On the way to Terra Nova, students walk along the dike, they see something, and they stop to observe, predict, and discuss. They use math skills and they get exercise. They learn about community because they have to share. I have them follow a 3-R system, which is Respect, Return, and Responsibility. When you come out, you have to respect yourself, the people around you, and the garden. You have to return all the tools you use, and you have to be responsible for your actions. I'm old fashioned, so they have to call me Mr. Lai. I think we have moved away from that, and we have become too casual with the younger generation.

They learn social responsibility, what food is, and where it comes from. It doesn't just come from the grocery store. The kids also understand how much work it takes: turning over dirt, planting seeds, and learning about harmful and beneficial bugs. By the middle of the season, they know that the first thing they are going to do is weed their beds for 20 minutes. When they say they hate weeding, we get into topics about fertilizer use, and that leads to an entire conversation about how that impacts the environment.

With the kids, even if something tastes different and weird, but it came from their garden and they grew it, all of a sudden it becomes the best tomato. They have a vested interest in it because it is in their land and they have ownership.

The kids also learn about giving back to the community. Each child is allowed to take what they can eat, not what their entire family can eat. After that, everything is harvested and donated to the Richmond Food Bank.

Being that you teach full-time, when do you find the extra time for all of this?

My best time to work on my project is between 1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. I go to bed then wake up when the house is quiet. My mind is "on" most of the time, anyway, so I'll fire up the computer and get work done. I go back to sleep at 4:00 a.m. and wake up at around 5:30-6:00 a.m. I don't teach most Wednesday's so I get to be out at the farm.

What drives me most is seeing that people can affect change. Could you imagine a bunch of Grade 3-4 students standing outside of City Hall with plaque cards, protesting something about food? The attention and validity it would draw, and the reaction of people to that would be incredible. We're not going to be picketing City Hall, but when you teach students at a Grade 3-4 level, by the time they get to High School they can affect change. Municipally, provincially, and federally, they will have the power. You give it to them now and you plant the seed. We are growing tomorrow's citizens.

This is where I'm trying to tie in with Health Research Groups. If they are interested, they can partner with us and do longitudinal studies by following these students throughout their lives, to see if what we are doing is creating a long-term affect, or if it is just has short-term benefits. We need studies and we need research companies to actually take groups like this and see how their lifestyle, health, and academic achievements have changed. You may be eating better, or you may be eating worse, but if you are eating better, your academic achievement should be directly related to that. How does it change from Grades 3-5-7-9-11-12 and what will happen when you become an adult? Will your children eat the same way you did as a child with your parents?

I understand UBC students are involved. How are they helping you and what feedback have you received from them?

I've already done some projects with UBC undergrads. This month, grad students are coming out from a program called "Community Service Learning". The disciplines I drew from were Food Health Nutrition and Biology. Students come out to the farm to see what happens in a real community setting, and try to see if what they learned in theory happens in reality. It is a bridging of theory into application, or whether application is different from theory, debunking theory, or, is there really a connection?

The UBC students found the projects to be extremely engaging. I had 18 students from 3 different classes build simple science projects, create a food security board game, and design kid-friendly recipes. The students put their hearts into their respective projects and really helped provide some core tools for my project. I've already used their interactive and user-friendly projects in the classrooms.

On Organics
During the time that you were cooking and teaching, and up until you visited UBC and saw their program, was organic growing and produce a priority or concern for you?

Through one of or suppliers, Susan Davidson's Glorious Organics, I was aware of organic food when I worked at the Four Seasons Hotel. I remember visiting her truck in the loading dock every week. She would deliver her greens and produce and I remember how passionate she was about them. She was my first introduction to a real organic farmer. Initially, I didn't buy into her vision. Sure, it was funky and they were growing organic stuff, but that was about it.

I became very aware of what her message was, when I went to visit her farm with culinary students. She talked of what was happening and she was worried for the future. I stepped back and saw her from a different light. I thought, you know, she's real. She is worried for the future and we need to start looking at our next generation and perpetuate what her (and other organic farmers) vision is.

I had already started my project, but really, up until then, it felt like the right thing to do. When I heard her talking, I knew it was the right thing to do. That was the turning point. I realized there is a difference when you meet a farmer who grows organically - one who is so passionate about their food, that it becomes their lifestyle. Not that I am totally organic, but when I do choose things, I am a lot more conscious of the issues and the challenges relating to the whole food cycle. For me, it is important for culinary students to also understand this, and that is why I share food-related videos with them and take them on field trips during the semester.

How can you convince the general public the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables?

The easiest analogy is to think of your system as a bank. If you put money in, interest grows. Food is the same. If you put junk food in, there is not much interest and your account is pretty weak. When you put good food into your body, it may cost more money, but the interest is bigger and you have a much healthier system in which to live. It's like preventative maintenance. The investment may cost a little more, but will give a better return in the future.

Our parents' generation came from a society where they knew what good food was about. They knew the value of health. It is the boomers - the Generation Xer's - that have been hedonistic here and now, and materialism-driven. Generation X are the ones feeling guilty at this point, and they are the ones that are jumping on the bandwagon and putting in all the green stuff, hoping to recuperate their losses. Their children, the X-Boxers - I like to call them that - are the ones that are going to make the changes.

A lot of people may want to eat organically and support organic farmers, but struggle with the price. What do you recommend?

Well, first, let's not talk about organics. Let's talk about eating healthy. There are different layers in the onion. The outer layer is: let's eat healthy. Let's eat less processed food and more fruit, vegetables, and grains, even if they come from a million miles away, create fossil fuels, and global warming, etc. Fresh food will make a difference in your system. You become more aware of it and buy into it. Consume less processed food and eat more fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Then start looking a little closer to where you live. Try local foods that are unprocessed and, sure, maybe they are treated with pesticides, but now you're supporting local farmers. You're still eating healthy and you're staying away from unhealthy foods.

Next, try local and organic foods. This is at the center core value of where you want that pendulum to swing. Now you're supporting local farmers, organic food, you're still eating healthy, helping the planet, and staying away from processed foods.

There are different layers and ripples and I don't think you have to jump on the organic bandwagon right off the bat, because most people cannot afford the double- or triple- priced produce. What if we just say let's have a healthy diet? Maybe some things do travel hundreds of miles, but it is the lesser of the two evils. I would rather eat something that has traveled hundreds of miles than something that is full of chemicals and is processed. You have to choose your battles, and it is about choosing the right battle at the right time, along with the battle that fits your budget.

How do people move away from processed foods, especially when they are on a tight income?

Even if you have a lower income, eat your Mac and Cheese and Ichiban noodles. Once a week though, buy fresh fruits and vegetables for the kids. You don't have to buy premium apples. You can buy those $1.00 bags where maybe 1/3 of them may be bruised. They are still healthy. Just wash them and remove the bruised sections. People don't have to make that 100 percent turnaround. It's just about incorporating healthier aspects into their diet that fits their budget and lifestyle. Just be conscious of what you are buying. I think there needs to be more education. Ichiban noodles can be $0.69 per package, but for that price, you can get some decent grains. However, you have to know how to cook them, to get the most nutrition out of these products.

This is where community kitchens, community gardens, public health centers, and public nutrition comes in, and it opens a whole different set of values and interests in staples.

Shop the perimeter of your local supermarket. The only items that you can buy within the middle aisles are your canned beans, fish, and tomatoes when they are not in season - that is it. For everything else, shop the perimeter.

Next Steps
What are the next steps for Terra Nova Schoolyard Society?

I would like to be able to start projects all over Richmond and convince other schools and cities to start projects like mine. Other schools and districts have already come to visit me. I think I have created enough momentum, recognition, and measurable progress that other people see I can get things done. People believe in what I am doing. What I have done has created a name for Terra Nova.

We are also working on getting an endowment fund set up. I met with the Richmond Community Foundation to set up an endowment fund so that people who want to donate can do so, and receive a tax receipt.

Do you need more volunteers?

Every Wednesday I have volunteers that come out. We can handle the morning schedule, but I could use more help in the afternoon. Sometimes, when I need extra help, I'll throw a work party on the weekends. I have volunteers that drop by to handle the irrigation lines, but weeding is going to be the big one. The perimeter needs to be weeded and there are extra beds where I will be growing for the Richmond Food Bank. There is always work to be done. Soon there will be a section on Terra Nova's website specifically for volunteers to find out what is going on next, etc.  

What is on the Terra Nova Schoolyard Society's wish list?

1. Funding. I need $5000.00 to start my foundation. I will have to put it in myself, if I am not able to raise it.
2. A new camera.
3. An irrigation company to come in to set up professional irrigation lines.
4. Grant writers.
5. An accountant.
6. Legal assistance.
7. I could use someone to do Community Relations/Outreach to spread the word. The more presence we have will be a win-win situation for everyone.
8. Fund raisers. People who can help to seek money.
9. Money for administration.
10. I would like money for volunteer recognition. I am big on looking after staff and volunteers and would like to be able to take the volunteers out for lunch or something that is away from the farm. I often send thank you emails but something physical is nice - a book or flowers or something to say you are important to us.

Does your organization need more press coverage?

Media is always good. I have been very fortunate that CBC Radio, City TV, CTV, and the Richmond papers have picked me up. Richmond-wise, I am starting to gain a profile, but I need to go beyond Richmond. Terra Nova's website will be up and running soon, and that will also be a good platform and portal to spread and share information.

We are having a big Fund-raising event out at Terra Nova on August 19th called Chefs to the Field. Chefs from around Vancouver are coming out to participate in a cook-off using local products supplemented by food they harvest from the farm. This will truly be a garden to table event. Prior to the competition, the public will be able to purchase tickets to sample food from participating restaurants. There will also be live entertainment, children's activities, and a silent auction. The purpose of this event is to promote community, local food, healthy eating, and food sustainability. By supporting this event, the City of Richmond will be seen as a municipality that values its community through action. Terra Nova Rural Park will also be highlighted as a model of sustainable urban agriculture, and the event will help to spread the word in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

You mentioned that your website would act as a portal? Explain what you envision.

There are so many similar projects around, that we don't need to reinvent the wheel. We just need a common hub where people can exchange information, use the same information, and create community. What the portal will do is allow people web space and web presence for their particular project. Everyone who joins can have access to the same templates I use. They will be welcome to my spreadsheets and information to incorporate into their plans. I have done the legwork and they will be able to use this data for a nominal fee.

Is there anything that you would want people to know that you haven't had the opportunity to say yet?

Yes, in order to run a non-profit, you have to keep your priorities straight; meaning, remember your family comes first. You get so caught up and involved in your vision and your dream that you can't forget about your family. I have tried really hard to not be at the farm all the time, but it is easy to get so consumed and forget about the other things in your life. I think I can say I'm a bit of a visionary, and I think all visionaries have to remind themselves on a continual basis, if not a daily basis, that your support network is there for you. Your support network, just like your volunteers, need to be recognized and have time with you. You need to make sure you divide the time equitably, so that they don't lose out. That's a personal issue that very seldom comes up, but I think that people should realize it does draw a lot of your energies. Sometimes the family sacrifices.

How can people become involved with the Terra Nova Schoolyard Society?

They are welcome to contact me at myterranova.ca or by calling me directly at 604.767.9264.

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