Are you interested in changing the future of food in cafeterias? Check out the upcoming Farm to Cafeteria Conference this March in Richmond BC. Space is limited. Last year’s conference sold out in two weeks so sign up soon if you’re interested!

How do we support both land conservation and rural economic development?

> Learn from Case Studies > Forge New Partnerships > Set New Policy Directions 

Why Attend? 

Urban growth, aggregate pits, infrastructure projects, green energy, endangered species habitat – all of these impact agriculture and can result in permanent loss of our best farmland.

We need your voice as part of the discussion about how to improve policy and planning for agriculture within Ontario’s diverse countryside economy.

For More Information: 

www.OntarioFarmlandTrust.ca 

(519) 824-4120 x 52654

matt@ontariofarmlandtrust.ca

If you’d like to be a part of what TRCA is doing, now is the time! The TRCA is soliciting proposals from individuals and community organizations that are interested in establishing a sustainable urban agriculture operation at Black Creek Pioneer Village (BCPV), 4929 Jane Street, City of Toronto, Ontario M3N 2K8.  Eight acres of TRCA-owned land, farm house and barn are available for lease.

A briefing meeting and site tour of the farm property and buildings will be held to familiarize proponents with available background information on Saturday January 21^st, 10:00 a.m. at 4929 Jane Street. Please confirm your attendance by calling Sonia Dhir at 416-661-6600, ext. 5291.

Proposals should be delivered by Friday, January 27^th, 2012, by no later than 4:00 p.m. Faxed or emailed proposals are not acceptable.  

Please review full details of this Request for Proposals in this document.

All inquiries relating to this Request for Proposals must be directed to Gary Wilkins at 416-661-6600, ext. 5211 or gwilkins@trca.on.ca or Sonia Dhir at 416-661-6600, ext. 5291 or sdhir@trca.on.ca.

TRCA has a number of innovative programs. Here, we share some highlights of what they have done.

TRCA has provided land and some infrastrucutre for The  Albion Hills Community Farm in Caledon, the Living City Farm in Vaughan, the McVean Farm in Brampton, and the Toronto Urban Farm .

They have also put in place many policies and programs that support local food systems. These include:

• an agricultural policy that favours the maintenance of TRCA’s agricultural land inventory instead of converting it to another use.
• a local food procurement directive for TRCA’s food services at outdoor field centres…40% local food by 2012.
• local food options for weddings, corporate events, etc.
• agricultural land rental for conventional farm use.
• landowner assistance programs to encourage best management practices for agricultural land such as groundwater protection, nutrient management, riparian zone enhancement, tree cover establishment.
• Provision of Environmental Farm Management Plans for TRCA agricultural land.
• Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Plan – making provision for local agriculture opportunities in community design/retrofit.
• Harvest table dinners and community events to celebrate and promote local food.
• Advisor, promoter and advocate on urban agriculture for the Ontario Social Services Corp.
• Staff garden plots at office location.
• Trials on world crops and the Albion and McVean farm sites in Peel region.

Proposals should be delivered by Friday, January 27^th, 2012, by no later than 4:00 p.m. Faxed or emailed proposals are not acceptable.  

Please review full details of this Request for Proposals in this document.

All inquiries relating to this Request for Proposals must be directed to Gary Wilkins at 416-661-6600, ext. 5211 or gwilkins@trca.on.ca or Sonia Dhir at 416-661-6600, ext. 5291 or sdhir@trca.on.ca.

For more information on TRCA’s sustainable near urban agriculture initiatives, please visit:  www.trca.on.ca/urbanagriculture

The Evergreen Brick Works Farmers’ Market features the best of the season, with a fabulous assortment of fruits, vegetables, wild fish, meat, cheese, milled flours, eggs and oils—all from local farmers.

Every Saturday will feature a local artist performing live during the market!

Check Out October’s line-up:

1st: David Newland of Roots Music Canada
8th: Klezmer music with Rachel Melas
15th: Old time music with Rachel Melas
22nd: Carlie Howell & The DeHarms

Evergreen Brick Works Farmers’ Market is open year round, for more details  and events visit the website.

EDIBLE CONTAINER GARDEN CONTEST NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES!

Submission deadline September 30th; great prizes to be won!

Toronto Green Community, Toronto Balconies Bloom and the Riverdale Food Working Group are pleased to announce the 2011 Edible Container Garden Photo Show.

Container gardens vary as much as the people cultivating them, and so do their stories. Whether it’s planting a garden to feed the birds and the bees, or to nosh on some fresh peas at fork’s reach, gardens (no matter how small) play a significant role in people’s physical and mental wellbeing, particularly to urban high-rise dwellers. This contest will showcase the great small space edible gardens growing in Toronto and inspire container gardeners across and beyond the city to get creative with their growing.

Photo submissions will be posted online and will compete for great prizes to be awarded by a panel of celebrity gardener judges, which include Toronto Botanical Garden Director Aldona Satterthwaite, garden writer and blogger Steven Biggs, and educator, artist and organizer Lara Lucretia Mrosovsky.

Judges will look for award categories such as creativity, innovation, aesthetic or educational value, success in addressing a goal such as providing evening or seasonal interest, using native plants, tackling a particular micro-climate challenge or best container grown by youth under 18 years old.

Winning submissions will be posted on the Toronto Balconies Bloom website and may be part of a winter photo exhibition. Contest submission deadline is September 30.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Roberta Stimac either at 416-461-1925 x 252 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays only) or at 416-461- 2701.

Deadline: March 31, 2011

The Request: Please tell us how GM alfalfa will affect your farm and farm business. The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) is asking farmers to send testimonials about the direct impact you foresee with GM alfalfa. Your testimonial could be as short as a few lines and will be used to help educate politicians and consumers about the important role of alfalfa in food and farming, and to push for the moratorium on GM alfalfa.

The Issue: GM alfalfa has been approved for planting in the US and is one step away from being sold as seed in Canada. Farmers’ voices on the impacts of GM alfalfa have been heard in House of Commons Agriculture Committee hearings and have been influential in making a motion for a moratorium on GM alfalfa happen. The motion is currently being debated in the Committee with support from all parties except the Conservatives.

Your Testimonial: We will post your testimonial on our website and use it in communications to politicians and consumers. We just need your testimonial and your permission to publish it with your name and region, we will not publish your contact details. Your testimonial could be as short as a couple of sentences or a couple of paragraphs. Please see below two examples from other farmers. Please write what you want politicians and consumers to know about what GM alfalfa would mean to you.

Please send your testimonial by March 31, 201 or direct any questions or other comments to Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, coordinator@cban.ca Phone: 613 241 2267 ext 25 Fax: 613 241 2506, 431 Gilmour Street, Second Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2P 0R5 or contact us for more information.
In addition, you can send your testimonial directly to your MP and members of the Agriculture Committee. Visit http://www.cban.ca/alfalfa for contacts.

Thank you so much for your contribution and for sharing your experience and perspective with us!

About CBAN: The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) is coordinating a campaign with farmer and organic sector groups to stop genetically modified (GM) alfalfa. For information and updates please contact us or visit http://www.cban.ca/alfalfa CBAN Members are: ACT for the Earth (Toronto), Biofreedom (Edmonton), Canadian Organic Growers, Check Your Head, Coalition for Safe Food (B.C.), Council of Canadians, Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, Food Action  Committee of Ecology Action Centre, Halifax, GE Free Yukon, GeneAction  (Toronto), Greenpeace Canada, Inter Pares, National Farmers Union,  P.E.I. Coalition for a GMO-Free Province, Saskatchewan Organic  Directorate, Society for a G.E. Free B.C., Union Paysanne, USC Canada.http://www.cban.ca

Pricing (lunch and materials included)

For Agricultural Producers: $45 + HST

For Non-Producers: $65 + HST

Dates and Locations, 10am – 3pm

February 8, Algoma District (Desbarats)

February 9, Sturgeon Falls (Nippising/Parry Sound)

March 10, Markdale

March 16, Elora

March 24, Bloomfield (Prince Edward County)

For more information contact or visit OMAFRA

You will learn:

how to find, create and evaluate new products and services ideas

seven steps to value added product development

key components and the importance of a business plan

how to tap into new and existing markets

Dates and Locations, 9am – 4pm

Elk Lake, Feb 3 and Feb 4, 2011

Alfred (available only in French), Feb 8 and Feb 15, 2011

Frontenac, Feb 10 and Feb 17, 2011

Bond Head, March 2 and March 9, 2011

Whitby, March 22 and March 29, 2011

For more information contact or visit OMAFRA

Date: March 22

Time: 1pm – 5:30pm (with a reception to follow)

Location: Kemptville College

The demand for organic food in Canada far exceeds the current supply. Canadian Organic Growers has been exploring the role that Farmers’ Co-operatives can play in increasing the production of organic food in Eastern Ontario for the commercial marketplace, while at the same time protecting farmers’ interest within that marketplace. Through farmer owned cooperatives, COG would provide resources and supports for farmers to successfully get and stay organic, and develop markets for those organic products.

If you are an ecological farmer or a conventional farmer curious about organic production for local markets, COG has organized a symposium for you to ask questions and explore these ideas. There will be three panel presentations by experts with discussions to follow on:

1. Farmers’ Co-operative Development
2. Organic Farming
3. Organic Marketplace

The event is free for farmers. Non-farmers interested in the topic are also welcome for a registration fee of $25. Anyone interested must register in advance by March 19 for planning purposes. Email office@cog.ca or call 1-888-375-7383.