Rolling Bike Cannery

By Alex Zielinski

From bike-powered concerts to Critical Mass bike rides to Pedicabs, Eugene's bicycling community has seen it all when it comes to diverse uses for bikes, or so it seems. Recently, Skinner City Farm , in collaboration with the Center for Appropriate Transport, is developing a new use for cycling: the bike cannery.

Jan VanderTuin, garden manager of Skinner City Farm, said that for the past two years, he's invited folks to join him and can at the SCF farm by bike and take away food. "It struck me that I had just created a mobile cannery," he said.

This realization led to the design of a bike, created by VanderTuin, director of CAT, and other CAT employees, that could carry a table, double burner propane stove, sink, pressure cooker, knives and cutting boards. VanderTuin said the trickiest part of building the bike, which is halfway in the making, is fitting in the storage for these extra supplies. Called the "Skinner City Farm Mobile Cannery," the bike will tour the city's six community gardens this fall offering on-site canning demonstrations to anyone interested.

A previous canning lesson at Skinner City Farm, delivered by a cargo bike.

Tracy Gagnon, site coordinator for the School Garden Project, has been contracted to lead the inaugural presentations.

"I couldn’t be happier," said Gagnon, who has had experience canning at home. "This position with SCF is another great opportunity to work with the community on food education and security."

Along with local food security, the project hopes to provide inspiration for entrepreneurs and a sustainable solution for produce waste.

"It’s such a humbling experience to work with summer's bounty and enjoy it throughout the year," Gagnon said. "Through connecting with community gardeners and local organizations, we can team together to sustain ourselves through the year."

Gagnon stressed that the canning process is relatively simple and brief, taking only an afternoon to complete, making it accessible to gardeners of any age and with tight schedules.

Tracy Gagnon demonstrating the mobile cannery at the Skinner City Farm.

After this year’s six demonstrations, estimated to kick off in late June, the mobile cannery’s path is undetermined.

“We are starting slow,” VanderTuin said. “In the future we will send the mobile cannery to whoever can pay for the fixed costs and labor.”

As for now, the garden demonstrations will request a small donation for the lessons that aim to produce dilly beans, tomato sauce, salsa and preserves, if not more. In addition, SCF has applied for a 2010 Neighborhood Matching Grant to assist in funding for the mobile cannery.

Gagnon sees the project not only as a way to strengthen community cooperation at the gardens, but as a way of spreading knowledge outside the garden’s gates.

“I hope that the demos will empower and educate participants to can at home and with others,” Gagnon said.

To see more photos of the potential cannery set up at SCF, check out an overview on the farm's website.