What's in this issue Training and Events April Gardening Workshops – The Stop Community Food Centre
Graduate Student Food Colloquium 2009 Garden Day at the Assembly Hall Distance Learning Courses on Urban Agriculture Garden Jane Offerings for April and May Resources Seedlings for Community Gardens Free crocuses at Rockcliffe Greenhouses Bringing the new faces of agriculture to your home: Everdale’s New Farmer Calendar Organic Gardening Opportunity in Toronto Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities Toronto Community Garden Network: Strategic Planning Facilitator The Stop Community Food Centre: After School Program Coordinator |
Training and Events April Gardening Workshops – The Stop Community Food Centre Container Gardening
Vegetable Gardening for Beginners
To sign up contact: Or drop by 1884 Davenport Rd. Why Green Energy? Renewable solutions with David Suzuki and Hermann Scheer
Info and tickets: http://www.uofttix.ca/view.php?id=478 The purpose of the event is for these two key renewable energy advocates to talk about green energy and how it can shape our future, aid our economy and provide thousands of jobs, while minimizing impacts on the planet. As well, they will comment on the proposed Green Energy and Green Economy Act for Ontario and how it is a world-class Act, better than any other renewable energy policy in North America Presented by:
Green Energy Act Alliance -top Graduate Student Food Colloquium 2009 Students from Ryerson, U of T, and York will be presenting their current research on food and food security. Come and learn something new about this very important and pressing issue.
Info including agenda and list of presenters: www.ryerson.ca/foodsecurity/foodcolloquium RSVP by April 10: gradfood09@gmail.com Garden Day at the Assembly Hall May 9th Lakeshore Environmental Gardening Society (LEGS) is presenting their annual Plant Exchange in partnership with the Assembly Hall, on May 9th, 9-1pm. The Plant Exchange is designed to allow gardeners, the community, and locals to come out and exchange plants, seeds, and any unwanted tools. This is the true spirit of environmentalism: reuse, reduce, and recycle. The day is filled with plenty of activities and interest for everyone. 9-10am Local birders can participate in a bird walk through the park grounds: Come out and celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with a bird walk at Colonel Samuel Smith Park conducted by the Citizens Concerned about the Future of Etobicoke's Waterfront, CCFEW, and sponsored by Birds and Beans Coffee. 9am-1pm Local gardeners can also help with the cleaning of the grounds, especially the Third Garden, located at the southeast corner of Lakeshore Blvd. and Kipling Avenue. 11am-12pm A green roof expert, Brad Bass, will be presenting a talk on: Reclaiming the Urban Desert -One Roof at a Time'. Brad Brass is Environment Canada's Green Roof expert and Chair of the North America Green Roof Research Committee. Register for talk at info@legsetobicoke.ca or 416-347-5449 12-1pm The talk is immediately followed by a walk through the local Colonel Samuel Smith Parklands. Stroll the grounds of the former Mimico Lunatic Asylum (now Humber College) as local historian Paul Chomik vividly recounts stories of the areas rich history. Visit a century-old apple orchard once tended by patients of the asylum as part of their restorative therapy.
Distance Learning Courses on Urban Agriculture Ryerson University (www.ryerson.ca/foodsecurity), ETC-Urban Agriculture (www.etc-urbanagriculture.org) and RUAF (www.ruaf.org) are offering the following two distance learning courses on urban agriculture. Info and enrollment:
www.ryerson.ca/ce/foodsecurity or Reg Noble, Academic Coordinator food@ryerson.ca or rnoble@ryerson.ca May 9 - August 8, 2009 Understanding Urban Agriculture (CVFN 410) Duration: 42 hours Schedule: Millions globally practise urban agriculture, with governments and civil society organizations increasingly promoting it to enhance urban food security, health, community building, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental management. This course provides a good introduction and expands your understanding of urban agriculture, its main types and dimensions, its potential impacts, the constraints and opportunities facing it, the stakeholders involved in it, the historical contexts shaping it, and the local, regional, and international development trends bearing on it. September-December, 2009 Dimensions of Urban Agriculture (CVFN 411) Duration: 42 hours Schedule: This course describes the dimensions (functions, roles, benefits, potential risks) of urban agriculture and how these complement, supplement,
compete with, substitute for, or undermine those provided by other land uses, sectoral activities and actors. The main dimensions covered are: health and food security, socio-cultural dimensions, economic dimensions, and environmental dimensions. Selected well-documented case studies will be used throughout the course to highlight each dimension separately, before bringing them all together. Garden Jane Offerings for April and May Introduction to Organic Gardening and Permaculture Sat Apr 18th or Sat May 9th or Sat May 30th, 10 am - 3 pm $50-75 sliding scale (incl. take home resources). This hands on workshop introduces organic gardening, permaculture theory and seasonal hands on activities. Topics: vegetable gardening; permaculture design; organic and permaculture practices; plant guilds (plants that grow well together, help soil tilth and support the larger ecosystem); dynamic accumulators (plants that accumulate nutrients & feed the soil); spring planting; soil building; cover crops & mulches; organic pest control. High Park Children's Garden. Pre-registration required.
www.gardenjane.com Deep Gardening for Social Change (part of Toronto Community Development Institute) Fri April 24th, 10 am - 5 pm $65-$75 or attend institute for another 2-3 days for an additional $40/day. This workshop delves into deep gardening as a way to change the way we eat, grow and relate to food. Deep gardening integrates several organic approaches, including biodynamics, permaculture and sustainable agriculture. While non-denominational, deep gardening is influenced by Buddhism, earth-based spiritualism and nature-based religions. Come prepared to garden. Register from Friday Apr 27th at www.torontocdi.ca. ------- Storytelling and hands on fun with the Seedball Revolution. May long weekend, 16th-18th, 11 am - 5 pm -------- Storytelling & activities at Brickwork's and Evergreen's Doors Open Event. Sat May 23rd and Sun May 24th, 10 am - 4 pm -------- The Soil Food Web (Intermediate) Sun May 31st, 10 am - 1 pm $30-45 sliding scale. This workshop is for garden keeners who want to learn more about soil science and the soil food web. Topics: pH; Nitrogen and other macro and micronutrients; bacteria, fungi and other members of the food web; low and medium tech ways to make good compost tea and how to use it. Good for those who have taken Intro to Organic Gardening. High Park Children's Garden. Pre-registration required.
www.gardenjane.com Coming soon! Workshops in Richmond Hill at Phyllis Rawlinson Park. Open to home gardeners & community gardeners. Dates include Sat May 2nd (organic soils), Thurs May 21st (introduction to organic gardening) and Sat June 6th
(growing for success). See website in April for details. Free. For more info on services, events or workshops, contact Jane Hayes at permagarden@yahoo.com or 416-536-9144. www.gardenjane.com Resources Seedlings for Community Gardens The Stop Community Food Centre is growing a limited number of vegetable and herb seedlings for community gardens in our greenhouse at the Green Barn . Seedling Pick-up
You must register in advance at kristen@thestop.org or 416 651 7867 ext. 21 in order to pick up your seedlings. There is a limited number of seedlings, so this offer is only open to community gardens and we ask that only one representative from each garden come to pick up plants. We regret that we cannot deliver. Feel free to bring bulbs and perennials to exchange! Free crocuses at Rockcliffe Greenhouses Free crocuses are available for pick up at Rockcliffe Greenhouses between 9 and 2 all week. We’re hoping they may find good homes with a variety of good causes such as community gardens, seniors homes, school gardens, churches, and will make people happy and remind them of spring. Go into the office and let either Peter or Drew behind the glass window know that you're there to pick up free crocus flowers. Get directions from Peter or Drew to find flower depot located at east end of Rockcliffe property. Take as many pots as you like, but keep a count. Write the quantity taken and the organization or garden that you're from on a piece of paper and hand it in at the office. The crocuses come in sturdy green boxes and you can fit 5 pots into each one.
The flowers are two-toned in deep purple or saffron yellow.
There are about 12 bulbs in each large pot and they haven't bloomed yet. Please take some for gardeners in your area that don't have transportation. Directions:
Please note:
This is strictly first come-first serve. Bringing the new faces of agriculture to your home: Consider purchasing a New Farmer Growing Calendar for this year’s growing season, April to December 2009.
This calendar has been published by Everdale’s Farmers Growing Farmers (FGF).
All proceeds go towards supporting new farmers directly with our farmer to farmer mentoring program. For ordering information and sneak previews go to http://www.everdale.org/node/254 Here are the faces and farms of the new farmers we work with in establishing socially, environmentally and economically sustainable farms.
Young people, in their twenties, primarily women, are the fastest growing demographic taking careers in agriculture.
Middle aged, “career switchers” are another major segment that is taking up farming.
A recent conference for new farmers in Toronto sold out with one-hundred and thirty-five people attending. (www.everdale.org/newfarmersconference) FGF is a multi-year program that supports new farmers who are pursuing sustainable, direct to market farm enterprises. The foundation of the program is a farm planning course, guiding participants in the development of a comprehensive farm business plan. Central to the program is the passing on of knowledge from farmer to farmer. “Working through each aspect of a customized farm plan, and having direct access to farmer mentors…this is a great model for getting new farms off the ground!”, commented Val Steinmann, a recent FGF graduate. Exemplary farmers present in class and mentor participants one-on-one. For assistance in finding land, our LandLINK program works towards solutions for farm succession, connecting new farmers with land owners to find the quality land and facilities necessary for their farms in Erin township. We keep our alumni connected in an ongoing support and resource network with events and workshops.
“Most of all, I have gained the confidence to continue farming.”
Brenda Hsueh, Black Sheep Farm. For more information see www.everdale.org or please contact Harris Ivens, FGF Program Coordinator at:
growingfarmers@everdale.org and 647-367-1816 Seeds of Diversity's Canadian Seed Catalogue Inventory is a valuable resource that allows gardeners to search by over 90 species for specific varieties and the companies that sell them. Go to www.seeds.ca and click on "Canadian Seed Catalogue Inventory” Canadian company Rogers Sugar/Lantic Inc. is deciding right now to accept or reject Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) sugar beet. Take action now to stop GM sugar beet from being planted this April! www.cban.ca Lantic Inc. is the only Canadian sugar company that processes sugar beet and it is the last GM-Free sugar beet processing company in North America. Organic Gardening Opportunity in Toronto Enough of the lawn! I want to grow organic food! I live in the Lawrence/Bathurst area and have a huge back and front yard. A large portion of the backyard has been dug up and I have grown organic herbs and veggies. No lawn chemicals have been used for over 10 years. I am offering some garden space to do your own thing or create a wonderful, organic veggie garden to share in return for helping maintain the garden i.e. weeding, planting, digging, soil prep, etc. If you have an interest in organic gardening, but don't have a garden, let's talk and of course, you can pull up a lawn chair and relax in the garden anytime. E-mail Doreen musing@eol.ca Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities Toronto Community Garden Network: Strategic Planning Facilitator Short-Term Contract Position The Toronto Community Garden Network (TCGN) consists of individuals and organizations that are working to encourage a healthy community gardening movement in the City of Toronto, supporting and linking community gardeners.
TCGN is hiring a Strategic Planning Facilitator to assist the Organizational Development Committee with the next phase of a strategic planning process that we began one year ago. Responsibilities
Qualifications
Compensation: $1,500, 50% at contract mid-way point, balance upon completion of deliverables Time frame: June 2009 – January 2010 Job Posting The Stop Community Food Centre: After School Program Coordinator (Permanent, 0.6 FTE position) In order to expand its work to help children develop skills, awareness and positive attitudes around growing, cooking and eating healthy food, The Stop Community Food Centre has opened an After School program and Summer Camp at its new satellite site. The Green Barn is a sustainable food production and education centre that engages community members to grow, eat, learn about, celebrate and advocate for healthy, local food. We are looking for an individual who can create inspiring food-based programming for kids aged 10-12 and contribute to our flexible, cooperative workplace environment. Responsibilities:
Qualifications:
Salary: $20.26 per hour Hours: 22.5 per week Start date: June 2009 To apply: The Stop Community Food Centre is committed to Employment Equity and encourages applicants from equity seeking groups. We regret that only those applicants being considered will be contacted.
Toronto Community Garden Network : www.tcgn.ca |
||
