An extensive silent auction is a key component of REAL’s annual Local Foods Dinner.  Included in this years auction will be three attractive pieces of garden art.  Three local artists have each decorated a functional recycled, food grade rain barrel for the auction.

A colleague Green Community, ecoSuperior, holds a very successful annual rain barrel auction and we thought it was time to give it a try (on a very limited scale) here.  We were delighted to see what Chris Dickson, Brenda King and Jane Turpin came up with!

John Joynt, one of REAL’s original members, has agreed to live auction a handful of the auction items, including the painted rain barrels.  Some of the other interesting items in the sale will be a brand new orange Pelican kayak, a twelve piece set of Lagostina cookware, several original Peter Doef paintings, a Top Shelf Distillery package that includes a guided tour, and a $200 oral care package.  Many of the decorative and collectible items have been gently used and donated by the community through the REAL Deal Store.  Many of these would make great Christmas gifts!  The other 100 or so items will be sold by traditional silent auction, with people entering handwritten bids on a record sheet next to each item.

If you are coming to the dinner October 19, please remember to bring some cash or a blank cheque, as we are unable to accept credit cards.  For the first time, we will be able to accept e-transfers. 

P.S. If you are interested in creating your own garden art rain barrel, please get in touch so we can share some tips on paint types and making sure the painted barrels survive the elements.   

Here are some photos of the completed rain barrels.