How We Came To Be

The Terra Nova Schoolyard Project was founded in 2006 by Chef Ian Lai, an instructor at the Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver.  Frustrated by his students’ lack of knowledge about how the food cycle works, he embarked on a quest to introduce children to where their food comes from. For Chef Lai, these students are the champions of tomorrow and if they understand the food cycle, they will take care of it, be respectful and responsible for the earth, and appreciate local bounty. He began with a small plot of land donated by the Fruit Tree Sharing Project (which grows food for the Richmond Food Bank) and his daughter’s grade 3 - 4 class from Quilchena Elementary.

After its first growing cycle, the Schoolyard Project expanded from 30 students in 1 school to 120 students in 2 schools and 2 community centres.  By the third growing season, the Project had grown to include 2 more elementary schools and a First Nations youth program.  Nearly 500 students currently participate in the Schoolyard Project.