October 5, 2023
Join us at Lunenburg School of the Arts for Ne’ata’q The Sun is Coming Out Fundraiser and live auction this Thursday, October 5, 2023, at 6:00 p.m.
Tickets cost $45 each. Tickets are sold at the door, or in advance. Email us at: learn@lunenburgarts.org, or call us at 902.640.2013.
No debit/credit. Cash/cheque or e-transfer only. All proceeds go to Ne’ata’q The Food Forest!
Ne’ata’q: The Food Forest is raising Nova Scotia’s first school-based food forest at the Bluenose Academy in Lunenburg! This exciting community-school partnership began in 2022 and will officially launch in spring 2023. Planting will take place over several seasons and the food forest will grow and evolve for years to come.
The name “Ne’ata’q” means “the sun is coming out” in the Mi’kmaw language. We chose this name with the support of the South Shore Regional Centre for Education’s Mi’kmaw Education Coordinator. It reflects the sense of joy and renewal we hope for this project. The name also serves as reminder that the forest will be located in the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq, and that many principles of regenerative agriculture or permaculture are rooted in Traditional Indigenous Knowledge.
Why grow a food forest?
Learn: The food forest has connections to every aspect of the school curriculum, from science and math to arts and physical education. Bluenose Academy staff and teachers will incorporate the planning and maintenance of the food forest into classes for all grades.
Grow: Once mature, the food forest will provide food for Bluenose students and Lunenburg community members. The forest will also help feed and provide habitat for beneficial wildlife, including insects and birds.
Preserve: Growing our own food cuts down on transportation and packaging of imported or store-bought food. Plants in a food forest generally do not need fertilizers or pesticides. Learning how to grow food in collaboration with nature helps teach understanding of—and respect for—the natural world.
Connect: Bringing people together to build a food forest and share food is a great way to get to know each other, share our cultural perspectives and many different abilities, and strengthen our community.
To learn more or get involved visit: https://foodforestatbluenose.ca/