Learn all about cooking and eating well, for your health and the health of the planet.

Stroll through the garden to harvest some produce, and then help prepare lunch for all participants to enjoy. We will cover knife skills, cooking methods, and how to store food before and after cooking.

Throughout the day, we will discuss topics such as organic and slow food, the 100-mile diet, being a locavore and the benefits of choosing these types of food. Chris will shed light on the barriers that exist to transition to a sustainable diet and give suggestions to overcome them. Practical information and tips will be provided on how to ensure a diverse, healthy diet through all the seasons (yes, even winter!). Recipes will also be yours to take home.

Original post on Everdale’s website

Perspectives on good food and farming by Elbert van Donkersgoed
June 2, 2010

‘Dating Service’ for Those with Local Food Interest

A new website has been launched to help meet consumer demand for local food and help Greenbelt farmers find new market opportunities. Greenbeltfresh.ca is a project of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. They’re hoping commercial buyers will source their requirements by tapping into the site’s listings for over 600 farms in the Greenbelt. Individual consumers can use the Marketplace section of the site to find fresh food from local farmers’ markets, on-farm markets, pick-your-owns and more. Foundation spokesperson Burkhard Mausberg says it’s like a dating service for local food – it helps people with an interest in local food find each other. The Foundation argues eating food from the Greenbelt is a powerful way to support family farms, improve the regional economy and strengthen the Greenbelt itself. CKNX Radio 920AM Wingham story.

Web 2.0 for the Food Movement

Social media is fairly young, but has already proven to be a powerful tool for spreading news and events quickly, in an interactive, engaging way. Farm and food leaders across the province are using a number of social networks to spread the word about healthy, local, sustainable food. Here are five social media tips for those of you interested in using these tools. Kyle L. McGregor’s blog post on Sustain Ontario’s website.

Handmade jams, jellies now tested before sale at farmers’ markets

Cost could force some vendors to offer less variety. New rules are making handmade jams, jellies and preserves safer to eat in Ontario, although farmers’ market vendors are bracing for the long-term cost and whether they’ll have to offer less variety. “If the cost is too big, we’ll just cut it out. We can’t do it for nothing,” said Gerry Stewart of Jackie’s Harvest in North Bay. It’s one of more than 30 vendors at the season opening of the North Bay Downtown Farmers’ Market on Saturday. Vendors who sell home-canned goods now have to submit samples of their food for testing before it’s given a clean bill of health from the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit. North Bay Nugget story.

Huron Pork Direct Marketer Adds Value

Dashwood-area pork producers Martin and Teresa Van Raay have added a few of their own twists to the direct-marketing business model. They sell packages or baskets with various cuts of pork directly to consumers. But they deliver, too. That includes trips to Toronto, Guelph, Sarnia, Kitchener, London, Exeter and Grand Bend. Teresa Van Raay says that’s not cheap but it’s a way to get to know their customers. She expects it to pay off once volumes increase.

Van Raay says they buy all their small pigs from one producer – have it processed at one abattoir – and guarantee only their own meat goes into the packages. They’re also marketing on-line at www.thewholepig.ca. CKNX Radio 920AM Wingham story.

Clucking for change to urban chicken-raising rules

Urbanite Ian Watson has always dreamed of owning a hobby farm. Now, the St. Catharines man wants to bring the farm to him. The 44-year-old brewmaster started a Facebook fan page calling on the City of St. Catharines to change its bylaw that regulates the keeping of animals and prohibits raising chickens in areas not zoned for livestock. Currently, city rules ban backyard birds, but allow chickens to be kept inside residences in urban areas. Watson, an avid gardener and local food supporter, has started clucking for change. After all, neighbouring Niagara Falls allows backyard chicken coops, as do at least four other Canadian communities. Why not St. Catharines? Watson asked. St. Catharines Standard story.

Group wants a chicken in every back yard

A pro-chicken group spent a couple hours at a Laurier St. church spreading the gospel on allowing Ottawa residents to raise the birds on their urban property. The meeting at St. Joseph Church was put on by the Ottawa chapter of Canadians Liberating Urban Chickens Klub (CLUCK). Currently, a municipal bylaw prohibits raising any kind of livestock on residential property, but CLUCK claims that hens make very little noise because roosters are not needed for eggs, they’re easy to keep and feed and they produce minimal fecal matter, which can be composted into nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Ottawa Sun story.

Challenging city bylaw, one chicken at a time

Lyssa Rhodes picks her words carefully, telling me she is not so much “defying” City of Ottawa bylaw 2003-77 as she is “challenging it.” “I’m hoping to change the bylaw, not defy it,” she says. “I don’t think it’s a good bylaw, and I also think it’s not the jurisdiction of the municipality, to tell me what I can and cannot eat.” Rhodes says she expects a visit from City of Ottawa bylaw officers (a determined and vigilant group, to be sure) shortly after this story appears. She expects to end up in court sometime after that visit. Ottawa Sun story.

No substitute for fresh

It’s a trend Local Flavours organizers hope will continue -forever. Local restaurants, inns and consumers are buying locally grown vegetables and meat as the membership of the Local Flavours food network has increased to 113 strong -and that’s without funding or advertising. “It has exploded,” said Wendy Banks of Wendy’s Mobile Market, one of the Local Flavours committee members. “We hope to see it grow more. It’s building support for the community and bringing us back to where we got our food from originally,” Banks said between serving customers Sunday. “It’s not just romanticism or nostalgia. It’s fresher, it tastes better, and it supports your local economy,” said Local Flavours co-ordinator Jerry Heath. Brockville Recorder and Times story.

Want to be a farmer? Start surfing the web

Young Canadian farmers have been given the “skeleton key” to the policy-making process in Ottawa, says the country’s minister of state for agriculture. Following months of roundtable discussions with young farmers across Canada, Jean-Pierre Blackburn said Monday he knows they face many challenges starting out, including limited access to capital, land and property, the prospect of taking on massive debts, and struggling to find out what government programs exist to help. A new section of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website, launched Monday, will help with the latter by identifying federal and provincial programs that help farmers just getting into the business and young people who are thinking about it. Simcoe Reformer story.

Friends of the Greenbelt launch Greenbeltfresh – a dating service for Local Food

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation celebrates the launch of Greenbeltfresh.ca, an online database of Greenbelt farm products designed to help meet consumer demand for local food and help Greenbelt farmers find new market opportunities. Free and easy to use, this online tool supports the building of regional food networks in the densely populated Greater Golden Horseshoe and beyond. Commercial buyers can source their requirements by tapping into listings for over 600 farms, while individual consumers can use the Marketplace to find fresh food from local farmers’ markets, on-farm markets, pick-your-owns and more. Fresh Food Finder.

Rules create hurdles for local food

New Ontario meat processing rules threaten small-scale local food producers at the same time the provincial government seeks to boost local food sales, people in the business say. “They’re applying the same standards to us as a small producer . . . as they are to Maple Leaf,” said sheep farmer Brenda Forsyth. “It seems to be fairly random how stuff gets interpreted.” An Ontario government inspector recently supervised the disposal of about $6,000 worth of meat pies Forsyth prepared in a commercial kitchen on her farm near Wiarton and delivered frozen to a customer. Forsyth sells some of her pies at the farm and others through wholesalers and retailers. The kitchen is inspected by Grey Bruce Health Unit officials and complies with public health requirements, but it is not licensed under fairly new provincial regulations for food processors that supply retailers and wholesalers, however. Owen Sound Sun Times story.

AND IF YOU HAVE TIME

Flash Opera at the Market

On Saturday, April 24th, the Opera Company of Philadelphia teamed up with the Reading Terminal Market Italian Festival for a large-scale “Flash Opera” event! Over 30 members of the Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus and principal cast members of LA TRAVIATA performed the famed “Brindisi” in the aisles of Reading Terminal Market, entertaining hundreds of Philadelphians, and proving that the perfect accompaniment for all things Italian is a little Verdi! The Opera Company sincerely thanks members of the Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus and cast for generously volunteering their time and talents… BRAVI TUTTI!! LA TRAVIATA runs from May 7 – 16 at the Academy of Music. For tickets/info: 215-893-1018 or operaphila.org. You Tube video.

Elbert von Donkersgoed now has a blog check it out.

Perspectives on good food and farming by Elbert van Donkersgoed
April 29, 2010

Northerners eat only locally grown food for entire year

For one local family, the food on the dinner table is very close to home. Genevieve Sulatycky, along with her husband and daughter, has taken a page from a popular new book,The 100 Mile Diet. The 100 Mile Dietchronicles the journey of authors Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon, as they attempt to eat nothing but locally grown food for one year. “People think that there’s no way you can do (the 100 mile diet) in Northern Ontario,” said Sulatycky. “At this time of year it’s hard, but in the summer we were able to get 80-90% of our diet from locally grown food.” Sault Star story.

Abattoir Group Getting the Ear Of Chief Vet

A survey suggests Ontario’s small, independent abattoir operators have some major concerns about the regulations they’re facing. Louis Rousch is part of a group representing those operators. He says the survey touched on 19 different questions – but the focus was on food safety. Rousch says he’s optimistic they’re getting a good hearing from Ontario’s Chief Veterinarian on the issue. Rousch says his group met with Chief Veterinarian Doctor Deb Stark last week and have set up another meeting with her on the issue for June. CKNX Radio 920AM Wingham story.

Is the organic food craze losing health battle to ‘local’ labels?

Consumers’ passion for organic food appears to be waning after several years of rapid growth, says a report by the Canadian unit of The Nielsen Company. Sales of organic fruit and produce are still climbing but at slower rates than in previous years, according to the report by Carman Allison, called Keeping it Fresh in the New Economy. The recession has been a factor as budget-conscious shoppers traded down to cheaper non-organic brands. Organic fruits and vegetables are on average 50 per cent more expensive than their conventional counterparts, the Nielsen study found. But certified organic processors also say they face increasing competition from uncertified labels, such as “locally grown” and “natural,” which many consumers believe to be just as beneficial as organic foods. Toronto Star local.

Local Food Key Ag Reference In Throne Speech

The one reference to agriculture in this week’s provincial throne speech talked about creating new opportunities to buy local food. Agriculture Minister Carol Mitchell says the government sees it as an opportunity for the province’s farmers. Mitchell says in some countries the retailers share information with the agricultural community to help line up what’s being produced with what consumers are asking for. She says local processors can help match what farmers are producing with what consumers want to buy. Blackwell says they’ve also got a Vintage Machinery show set up for opening day. CKNX Radio 920AM Wingham story.

Ontario Wineries Want Foodland Ontario Logo Use

The group representing over 100 of the province’s wineries wants in on the Foodland Ontario program. The Ontario Viniculture Association says a number of Ontario-grown wines can’t get the Vintners Quality Alliance designation to help consumers identify them on store shelves. The O-V-A says by allowing wines to use the Foodland Ontario designation consumers would be able to find those wines made of 100 per cent Ontario grown grapes. CKNX Radio 920AM Wingham story.

Halton Region first region in Canada to adopt local sustainable food procurement practices

Halton Region has become the first region in Canada to adopt local sustainable food procurement practices for its municipal food services. An agreement with Local Food Plus (LFP) will bring fresh, local sustainable food to the cafeteria at Halton Regional Centre (1151 Bronte Road, view map ), and help support Ontario’s farm economy while reducing green house gas emissions. Milton News story.

The importance of supporting local food

Do you pay attention to where your food comes from?  How many carbon emissions were released into the air to get that California apple to you? Have you ever thought about how your food purchases might affect your local economy, the environment or your health? Students and faculty have begun to recognize that local food is a key way to support sustainable initiatives on the University of Guelph campus. As the number one agricultural university in the world, and with its food science department being the largest in the university, the U of G has great resources to support local food initiatives on campus, including celebrating the work Hospitality Services has made in providing local food options on campus. The Ontarion story.

Locavore by Sarah Elton

Elton takes us through a bit of the history of the Toronto Food Terminal. Huge it may be, but it does seem that it is a place where some farmers can bring their produce and sell directly (if they have the time, inclination, resources). The scarier aspect of modern food distribution is the power of the two main grocery store chains (here in Canada, Loblaw and Metro); their buyers decide what products will be featured on stores shelves, thereby influencing what is manufactured and grown to be processed. Book Review on Saving the World in My Spare Time.

Backyard chickens: Fair or fowl?

How are you going to keep them down on the farm once they’ve seen Toronto? One woman, three years into flouting Toronto’s anti-chicken bylaw, wishes that was the biggest issue on her plate when it comes to the banned backyard birds. The Toronto Chicken — the alias she uses for her blog to avoid a raid by bylaw officers — told the Sun she hopes councillors won’t stay chicken forever about allowing the birds in Hogtown yards. “(Councillor) Joe Mihevc is onboard and I think Toronto Public Health is supportive and it actually fits in so perfectly with the new food policy they are working on,” the Toronto Chicken said Tuesday. Toronto Sun story.

Greenbelt Foundation Supporting Local Food

Three of the grants awarded by the friends of the Greenbelt Foundation are related to the local food movement. The foundation is giving the York Region Food Network 45 thousand dollars. That’s for a greenbelt-grown cultural food guide for York Region. The Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance is getting 10 thousand dollars to launch its Greenbeltfresh Online Marketplace. And the Conserver Society of Hamilton is going to use its 85 hundred dollar grant for its 2010 Eat Local Map. One of the Greenbelt Foundation’s major goals is to support a robust agricultural sector in the Greenbelt. CKNX Radio 920AM Wingham story.

AND IF YOU HAVE TIME

Filament Marketing Launches “Farm Fresh Photos”

Filament Marketing, LLC announces the launch of Farm Fresh Photos, a new agricultural stock photography website developed in partnership with Distillery Design Studio of Madison, WI. Online at www.FarmFreshPhotos.com, this innovative new image library represents a collection of photographs taken by individuals deeply involved in the agriculture industry. Farm Fresh Photos provides a source of high-quality, industry stock photo options that represent the essence, emotion and freshness of agriculture – at reasonable prices. All images at FarmFreshPhotos.com are offered on a royalty-free basis, and exclusive usage rights are available. Functioning on keyword search options, Farm Fresh Photos features a lightbox where users can organize their own collection for return reference, and all images are available for online purchase through PayPal and immediate download. Support images suitable for collateral material usage, and technical images for editorial-type use are available at a lower price. AgriMarketing story.

Sustainable Pillaging

Perspectives on good food and farming by Elbert van Donkersgoed
April 26, 2010

Buy, Buy American Pie

Uncle Sam points out the problems we have when we buy cheap products from China. “Buy, Buy American Pie” was written and performed by the Capitol Steps. Visit them at www.CapSteps.com.  This is a parody and involves exaggeration. Music Video on YouTube.

Cleveland adopts local food incentives

Today’s Cleveland-Cuyahoga Food Policy Coalition meeting shed light on Cleveland’s new policy to attract and create local, sustainable business. New legislation allows the city to offer a 5% discount to local food businesses bidding for city contracts. Since most bids are decided by 5% or less, a discount for being a certified Local Sustainable Business—a process that will be determined by the Cleveland Office of Sustainability—will offer a ‘huge’ advantage. “This is the springboard for Mayor Jackson’s self-help economy,” said Jermaine Brooks of Cleveland’s Office of Equal Opportunity, which will monitor the bids and contracts along with its Minority and Female-owned bid incentive programs. “We will be known by purchasing locally.” Sustainable Cities Collective story.

Selected Food Policy Council Success Stories

The Knoxville Food Policy Council has helped build support for a dedicated School Nutrition Education Supervisor position with Knox County Schools, developed a food monitoring system, improved access to full-service grocery via public transit, and worked with the city government to incorporate food impact assessments into planning and zoning decisions. Massachusetts Food Policy Alliancewebsite.

St. Joe’s Plows Ahead with Local Food

Head north on Hewitt Road from Washtenaw Avenue, past Eastern Michigan’s Rynearson Stadium to the edge of the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital campus. Off to the right is a plot of land that the health provider is now returning to a previous use – farming. The centerpiece of the current effort is a 30 x 96-foot hoop house, which began construction on Monday. It will be joined by a second hoop house later in the summer, and plans call for a dozen of the structures to be built in the coming years. The vegetables grown on the plot will be used in the hospital cafeteria and patient meals, and sold at a farmers market, with excess donated to Food Gatherers. The Ann Arbor Chronicle story.

Vertical Farming

Dickson Despommier became the guru of vertical farming because his students were bummed out. A professor of environmental health at Columbia University in New York City, Despommier teaches about parasitism, environmental disruption and other assorted happy topics. Eventually his students complained; they wanted to work on something optimistic. So the class began studying the idea of rooftop gardening for cities. They quickly discarded that approach–too small-scale–in favor of something more ambitious: a 30-story urban farm with a greenhouse on every floor. “I think vertical farming is an idea that can work in a big way,” says Despommier. Time Magazine story.

The Ohio State University Public Policy Capstone: Local Food Group

The purpose of this report is to provide the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) with an overview of local food systems in several cities across North America. Specifically, this research seeks to codify and analyze local food plan parameters, problems and policy solutions from cities and regions with local food systems and to provide a comparison for Central Ohio. In conjunction with larger MORPC efforts, this report will help to illuminate the successes and setbacks of other cities’ local food production, processing, distribution and consumption. This comparative analysis of the five benchmark cities will help to establish an effective Central Ohio plan: Flint, MI; Philadelphia, PA; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN; Toronto, Canada; and San Francisco, CA. Executive Summary for Local Food Initiatives

Ferrum College hopes to use 50 percent of local foods

Offerings at the Panther’s Den cafeteria on Ferrum College’s campus Tuesday included milk and ice cream from local dairy Homestead Creamery, ground beef from a Floyd farm and lettuce from the college’s own 80-acre farm. The local menu, an everyday occurrence at the college, was on display Tuesday for U.S. Sen. Mark Warner D-Va., and U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Albemarle County, as students and school officials touted their efforts to “go green.” The school’s local food procurement and farm-to-cafeteria programs make up about 30 percent of the food used in the cafeteria, said Michael Martin, director of dining services. It’s his goal to partner with more local farms and businesses to increase the amount of local foods and services used to 50 percent in the fall. The Roanoke (Virginia) Times story.

General Election 2010: UK to be 100% organic in 50 years, pledges Green Party

UK farming could be completely organic within fifty years under Green Party plans to protect the environment and make food production more sustainable. Unveiling its manifesto on Thursday (15 April), the party said it would set targets to convert a minimum 10% of the country’s food production to organic every five years if it won the general election. Farmers Weekly Interactive story.

Food, Inc. premieres on PBS Wed., April 21st

In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that’s been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won’t go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli — the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults. Synopsis.

Chef redefines “locavore” by making cheese out of his wife’s breast milk

A popular New York chef has managed to push the boundaries of the culinary world and the locavore movement at the same time.Daniel Angereris now making cheese made from his wife’s breast milk at his NYC restaurant Klee Brasserie. The idea came eight weeks ago, when his wife began producing excess milk after giving birth. Since he went public with this invention, Angerer has discovered two things: human breast milk produces a surprisingly palatable cheese—like cow’s milk, only sweeter—and that media outlets can feed on this kind of story for weeks. Since Angerer posted his cheese story on his blog last month, it has gained attention from NBC, the Toronto Star and even the Big Money. Toronto Life story.

AND if You Have Time

New food play called “Feast” serves up tasty food memories and stirring views on food policy

Let’s face it, food policy can be pretty boring. But not in the hands of the teenagers at the Albany Park Theater Project, who opened their new show “Feast” last Friday at Eugene Field Park. The show, based on interviews and personal experiences Albany Park residents, offers three views of kids on food stamps as well as a diverse buffet of immigrant food memories. I walked in as a curious local foodie but walked out as an astonished food policy journalist with a new perspective on her beat. Chicago Tribune story.

Perspectives on good food and farming by Elbert van Donkersgoed
April 15, 2010

Local Food Procurement Policies: A Literature Review

This report examines the environmental, economic and social benefits of local food, showcases existing procurement policies in Italy, Britain, the United States, and Canada, and examines lessons learned in other jurisdictions. It is a preliminary review of some literature on local food initiatives. Review prepared by Marla MacLeod and Jennifer Scott, Ecology Action Centre, For the Nova Scotia Department of Energy. (0.25 MB PDF)

Local authority sustainable food procurement toolkit (UK)

This toolkit is intended to give an overview of the area of sustainable food procurement for local authorities. It gives the background on sustainable food procurement, the current status of procurement policy in the UK, identifies the challenges for those in local councils wishing to implement a policy and helps identify ways to overcome them. And finally gives links to practical guidance, and toolkits which will be useful if you wish to go ahead and change the way you buy or supply your food. Food Vision website.

Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act of 2007

Creates the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act and the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force. Sets out the composition of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall develop a plan for expanding and supporting a State local and organic food system and for assessing and overcoming obstacles to an increase in locally grown food and local organic food production. Sets out the contents of the plan. Effective immediately. Local Food, Farms & Jobs website.

Local Food, Farms & Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy

A Report to the Illinois General Assembly By The Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force, March 2009. “Every Illinois community would benefit from our farmers producing products for in-state purchase. I encourage and support all efforts that accomplish this goal.” Governor Pat Quinn. Local Food, Farms & Jobs website.

Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act, 2009

Based upon the work of the Task Force, Representative Julie Hamos introduced legislation, HB 3990, which has since passed the Illinois General Assembly and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. Local Food, Farms & Jobs website.

Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative: An Evaluation (UK)

Although a single department does not need to wholly own a future public sector food procurement initiative, the common view was that a strong leader does need to be identified to drive this forward. Currently, a ministerial and departmental focal point is missing. The delivery issue also needs to be addressed and the roles of Government Office and PSFPI facilitators clarified so that the quality of delivery is maintained across regions. The emerging issues identified in this evaluation highlight a number of key points to be addressed in any future public sector sustainable food procurement initiative. As a priority, the core strategy, leadership and delivery issues should be tackled to: a) Establish clarity of purpose; b) Offer clear leadership; c) Establish an evaluation stream to measure performance in ‘real time’; and d) Deliver adequate training and support to buyers and suppliers. Evaluation by Deloitte for Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. (1.3MB PDF)

SPIN: Sustainable Procurement Information Network (UK)

SPIN is the first and only website dedicated to supporting local authorities in their efforts to procure sustainably, and provides a ‘one-stop’ website containing the very best information relating to the sustainable procurement agenda. The new website is extremely easy to navigate, with comprehensive information just one click away from the home page. Local authorities and public sector organisations are urged to contribute to the content of the website. SPIN was launched and is maintained as part of an East Midlands Centre of Excellence sustainable procurement project. SPIN website.

Scotland’s Food, Sustainability & Public Procurement

This response to the Government’s consultation on a national food strategy for Scotland is written by Osbert Lancaster. I am a Fellow (and formerly executive director) of the Centre for Human Ecology and a director of Footprint Consulting Ltd, a sustainability consultancy. It is based on my ongoing research, supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, currently unpublished, which draws on the personal experience of people working on policy and practice in the public procurement of sustainable food. It is also informed by my work helping the Scottish Parliament develop and implement its responsible purchasing strategy, related consultancy work, and teaching a postgraduate course in ethical enterprise at Department of Geography and Sociology, University of Strathclyde. Recommendation: A sustainable national food strategy should be set in the context of a unique and evolving Scottish food culture.Footprint Consulting report.

Sandwell (UK) Sustainable Food Policy

The aim of the Policy is to “improve people’s access to affordable good quality food and to develop the link between the people of Sandwell and food producers in the West Midlands” There are two main aspects to the development of the Sustainable Food Policy. Firstly, the Council is reviewing its in house catering and procurement processes to develop a more sustainable approache to the provision of food. Secondly, the Council is working with the Sandwell Food Policy Board to create a ‘sustainable food system’ in Sandwell. Sustainable Procurement. Sandwell Food Policy.

Corporate social responsibility and sustainable food procurement (UK)

The research (funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation) aims to support the UK Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative by working with leading contract caterers to develop principles of sustainable food procurement and key performance indicators to measure progress in putting them into practice. Report.

Sustainable Food Procurement for Foodservice Companies (UK)

A particular focus of concern in recent years has been the issues of food origin, food processing, food technologies and the environmental issues associated with food production and food transport. It is these issues that are immensely complex to manage, monitor and report against for contract catering businesses. However, it is evident that consumers (client companies, individual clients and the public sector as a whole) are increasingly interested in the issues associated with food. It is also evident that any report from this sector that does not include reference to food provenance cannot be considered complete. Esmee Fairbairn Foundation report. (2.4MB PDF)

Local and Regional Procurement Project

The Local and Regional Procurement Project (Pilot Program) was authorized as a pilot program under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill). The Farm Bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement a five-year local and regional purchase pilot program in developing countries from fiscal year (FY) 2009 through 2012. The primary objective of the USDA pilot program is to use local and regional purchasing to help quickly meet urgent food needs due to food crises and disasters. This will protect against a decline in food consumption, save lives, and reduce suffering. United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service website.

Toronto Local Food Procurement Policy and Implementation Plan – Update

In October 2008, Council adopted a Local Food Procurement Policy, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas and smog causing emissions generated by the import of food from outside Ontario as part of the implementation of the Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan. The policy demonstrates that the City of Toronto is committed to progressively increasing the percentage of food being served at City-owned facilities or purchased for City operations from local sources. Children’s Services, jointly with the Toronto Environment Office, is implementing the first phase of the Local Food Procurement Policy and Implementation Plan, as adopted by Council in October 2008. Staff report.

AND if You Have Time

Double-decker ‘bustaurant’ serves up high-end cuisine

Aiming to go well beyond the taco truck that’s so ubiquitous on the streets of LA, local entrepreneurs Travis Schmidt and Jason Freeman began with a vintage double-decker, and then spent six months adding a full kitchen downstairs and open-air seating on top. Now, what might well be America’s first “bustaurant” is officially called World Fare, a mobile restaurant that serves up a variety of high-end dishes from around the world. One favourite, for example, is the Bunny Chow, an originally South African street worker food that features a hollowed out loaf of bread filled with chicken curry, coconut milk, chick peas, cashews and cilantro. Also notable are World Fare’s house-made “drinks in a bag,” including strawberry basil lemonade. Like several of the recent contenders we’ve seen, World Fare keeps its fans updated via Twitter; weekly schedules are also posted online. Springwise story.

Perspectives on good food and farming
April 8, 2010

Financing the Co-operative Movement – For better or for worse?

Faced with banks and agencies that expect profits to override other concerns, the co-operative movement is beginning to look within for solutions, but challenges remain. Co-operatives seeking to build an organization that redistributes resources and decision-making to their members or their community are faced with the awkward situation of seeking funds from institutions that will steer them towards values opposed to their own. Amanda Wilson writes in The Dominion, news from the grassroots.

Canadian young farmers being asked to ‘Step Up’

A nationwide program is looking for young Canadians serious about farming as an occupation. Offered through the Canadian Farm Business Management Council, Step Up pairs experienced farm managers with young farmers who are just starting their careers. Once the young farmer is enrolled, he or she is matched with a mentor. Today’s Farmer story.

Clear Channel

Everyone wants local food, but is the current distribution channel set up for it? A recent CRFA survey of Canadian chefs revealed that the number 1 trend in foodservice today is local and sustainable food. But while chefs want to create local menus and customers want to order those dishes, there are significant challenges inherent in the current distribution channel that’s making it tough for everyone involved. With that in mind, F&H asked some key industry stakeholders to talk about sourcing and distributing local food. Not surprisingly, all had strong feelings on the subject. Food Service World story.

Chickens may soon be welcome in Calgary coops

Urban chicken farms could soon be coming to a backyard near you. The city has dropped all charges against anyone who raises chickens in the city in favour of a pilot project to see if backyard chicken coops can really fly. Paul Hughes was supposed to appear in court Thursday to support another woman charged with raising chickens in her backyard, instead he is at home celebrating a victory. Hughes is president of the Canadian Liberated Urban Chick Klub or CLUCK and has been fighting for a year for the right to keep chickens on city property. Calgary CTV story.

Alberta Sustainable Agriculture Apprentice Program

The Alberta Sustainable Agriculture Apprenticeship Program supports people interested in getting into sustainable agriculture by providing on–farm experience and training through an apprenticeship style program. Becky Lipton, founder and coordinatorinterview.

Best Locavore Experience near Toronto

One of Canada’s most maddeningly elusive chefs just got a little more accessible. Star chef Michael Stadtländer left Toronto in 1993 and moved to Eigensinn Farm, two hours outside the city, where he made dinner twice a week for just a dozen diners a night. But it’s easier to get a place at the table now that he’s opened Haisai, a 28-seat restaurant and bakery down the road. Stadtländer’s daily set menu is an ode to self-sufficiency. It might include red-wattles ham from a beast more boar than pig; he raises the animal, butchers the meat, then cold-smokes it for six months and air-dries it for five more. Stadtländer designed and built much of the solar-powered restaurant himself. Food and Wine Magazine story.

Your own goat = homegrown dairy

There are dog people and cat people. And then, there are dairy-loving goat people. Shelley Hess is one of the latter. In a fenced area at the end of her driveway, the resident of North Saanich, B.C., keeps three goats named Kalinga, Poppy and Nikki. They serve both as pets and a source of dairy for her family. Globe and Mail story.

Toward better milk, healthier cows

The Atlantic Dairy and Forage Institute in New Brunswick wants to build an $8.5 million expansion in order to improve the quality of milk. The privately owned, non-profit working farm with more than 50 cows is the province’s only research station for the dairy industry. Executive director Wiebe Dykstra said its work includes improving the quality of the feed in order to increase the quality of the milk produced by the cows. “Enhance it by maybe making it so there’s more omega-3 in it and less saturated fat,” he said. CBC Newsstory.

McDonald’s Canada thinks small

Downsizing is impacting the menu even at one of the world’s largest restaurant chains, as McDonald’s Canada announced the national debut of McMini sandwiches. McDonald’s Canada first launched the item as a limited-time offer in Quebec, where it received a lot of positive feedback, the company said in a news release. McMini sandwiches are served on mini bakery-style baguettes with a choice of crispy or grilled all-white chicken breast and two gourmet sauces, Spicy Thai and Pesto. Menu price is $1.99. MeatingPlace story.

Kettle Valley Food Co-Op Receives Funding From Canadian Government

In the name of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Veterans Affairs, Minister of State (Agriculture), The Honourable Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway announced that the Government of Canada is supporting local food production with $17,700 in funding for the Kettle Valley Food Co-op. This project, funded under the Government of Canada’s Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI), will develop tools to recruit and train member producers and consumers. “Co-operatives are used to address a variety of community needs,” said Minister Day. “They have a successful track record of lowering costs and opening markets – a great benefit to rural communities.” The Boundary Sentinel story.

AND if You Have Time

Meat meets meat in KFC’s no-bun sandwich

KFC is putting its chicken where its buns were. Today, the nation’s largest chicken fast-food chain announced plans to nationally roll out a breadless chicken sandwich that uses two boneless chicken fillets as the bun — then squeezes two pieces of bacon, two slices of cheese and some sauce in between. USA Today story. KFC press release.

Perspectives on good food and farming
April 6, 2010

Food Inc. Movie to Be Broadcast on PBS and the Web

Food, Inc. asks: How much do we know about the food we buy at our local supermarkets and serve to our families? Though our food appears the same as ever, it has been radically transformed. Whether you’re a foodie or just a food lover … Whether your tastes lean towards comfort food or haute cuisine, the POV (Point of View) series invites you to get your pots, pans, televisions, computers and friends ready for the special broadcast of the Academy Award-nominated documentary Food, Inc., on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 9 p.m. on PBS, in celebration of Earth Day. (Check local listings) AgriMarketing story.

State Assembly committee in Wisconsin approved bill that legalizes the sale of raw milk

They don’t call it the Dairy State for nothing: a State Assembly committee in Wisconsin voted 8 to 1 to approved a bill that would legalize the sale of raw (that is, unpasteurized) milk. While the bill still has to be approved by the entire Assembly, there’s high pressure from the dairy lobby as well as consumer choice advocacy groups. The danger in selling raw milk is that it can easily become contaminated with bacteria, and Federal law prohibits its sale in the US, although there are certain routes for individual states to bypass regulations. Proponents of the bill argue that banning raw milk is akin to banning sushi: “It’s about allowing adults to make decisions,” says Assemblyman Chris Danou, the bill’s sponsor. Pierce County Herald (Wisconsin) story.

Got a recipe? It’s Locavore Monday at the Sun

We got a copy of “Dishing Up Maryland” in the mail, and in the spirit of the book, we want to give it away to a reader with the best local recipe. That means a recipe that incorporates the most local foods, that is the most creative use of local foods or that has such a wonderful story behind it that we can’t resist. It’s spring, and a seasonal recipe would be nice, but we won’t hold you to that.Baltimore Sun story.

Brick oven bread baker to open in Phoenixville

Seeking an escape from the chains of corporate America, Jerome Sheehan sought to embrace a fresh, localized trade that would allow for him to individually give back to the community. A resident of Wayne, soon Phoenixville, the corporate accountant transformed into a courageous locavore, and through discussions with Rich Holck Jr. of Artisans Gallery and Cafe, became invested in the techniques of artisanal brick oven baking. A speedy alteration of lifestyle encapsulated Sheehan as he was inspired to immerse himself in learning the desirable and intense craft of bread baking by volunteering at Camp Hills Village of Kimberton, as well as accepting a full-time apprenticeship under Sweetwater Bakery’s artisan bakers Jolynn and Saul Schwartz. The Phoenix story.

Berkshire Region to Celebrate Earth Day Throughout April

Berkshire Living presents Amy Cotler, author of “The Locavore Way,” on Sunday, April 11, at 11 a.m. at Triplex Cinema. The free public forum is part of the magazine’s “Rest of the Story” series and an outgrowth of “Livin’ La Vida Locavore” in the March-April special food and dining issue. Editor-in-Chief Seth Rogovoy will moderate. Cotler will discuss how to prepare, preserve and eat fresh, seasonal food year-round. A book signing will follow. Berkshire Guide to Community story (Massachusetts).

CABE scholar claims golf course margins could provide space for growing food

Golf courses could help the drive for urban food production by creating allotments on their margins, according to Lantra and English Heritage botanical and heritage consultant and 2009 CABE scholar Pamela Smith. She suggested using golf courses for grow your own at a London Parks & Green Spaces Forum meeting on food growing after seeing the idea in action at Jackson Park in Chicago.Horticulture Week story.

Chefs to processors: Tell us your story

Foodservice customers want beef, pork and poultry processors to tell them more about the proteins they are buying — where the animal lived, how it was treated, how it was slaughtered and how the cuts were prepared — a panel of chefs told processors at the annual North American Meat Processors Management Conference in Chicago on Saturday. MeatingPlaced story.

Re-moralise the market, re-localise the economy, re-capitalise the poor

It is now clear that we are at one of those epoch-changing moments in British political history. Just as the ‘Winter of Discontent’ in 78/79 marked a paradigm shift, an utter and complete reversal of the pre-existing order and the arrival of something new, something revolutionary and something transformative – so the present unprecedented debt crisis of 2008/2009 is doing the same. Phillip Blond writing in ResPublica.

Study finds no health risks in compost use

Growers who use compost can feel doubly confident about its benefits after research commissioned by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) showed that it poses no health risks to humans, animals or the environment. Horticulture Week story.

International Field Studies in Sustainable Agriculture – Cuba

When the Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba went from high input monoculture to world leadership in sustainable agriculture virtually overnight. By combining the interactive learning capabilities of an online course and a three week field studies trip to Cuba in May, students explore the Cuban model and its relevance for food production in other countries, in particular Canada. Course posting on University of British Columbia Distance Learning website.

AND if You Have Time

Marketing Junk Food: Hey Kid, Eat This

The Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest has analyzed 128 food and entertainment companies on how they market to children, and most came up way short. Though McDonald’s only scored a C-, it did better than most companies in the study. Mars Inc. came out on top with a B+, mostly because of its policy of not advertising directly to children under the age of 12.Watch some of the videos on Eat Me Daily.

The theme of the Conference, Nourishing Our Neighbours While Feeding Billions, will contribute to the current debate about local food and its role in sustainable food systems and to look at food as a global commodity. The theme has attracted an excellent group of speakers. In addition, a Friday afternoon pre‐conference tour has been organized for those who wish to arrive early to learn innovative approaches of some agricultural and environmental enterprises in the Niagara Region.

For the full details, please read the conference brochure.



When: Monday, April 12, 5-8 pm
Where: Calvary United Church, 48 Hawksville Rd., St. Jacobs

Cost: FREE! Donations welcome

Contacts: Carol 519-883-2004 ext. 5336 or Barb 519-669-3961

Discover why people are buying locally at our annual food festivity — expanded by popular demand!

• Purchase and learn from local farmers
• Relish tasty samples from local chefs and restaurants
• Enjoy savoury cooking demonstrations
• Take part in fun kids’ activities

Click here to view the event flyer

Drop in to hear:

5:30 pm – Helpful Hints for Preserving Foods,  Edna and Melinda from Country Flavour

6:00 pm - The Inside Story of Healthy Local Food,  Kevin and Ann Snyder, Kevin Stemmler

6:30 pm - The Basics of  Preserving Foods at Home,  Nancy and Jessie Gingrich

7:00 pm – Why People Buy Locally Produced Food,  Ellen Desjardins and Nina Bailey

Sponsored by:

Elmira Produce Auction
Foodlink  www.foodlink.ca
Region of Waterloo Public Health www.region.waterloo.on.ca
Woolwich Healthy Communities www.healthywoolwich.org

To see the original post at HealthyWoolwich.org click here.

Perspectives on good food and farming
April 1, 2010

Community Food Hubs Seminar, April 7, Toronto

Towards Sustainable Food: An Introduction to the BRASS Research Centre and the work of the BRASS Food Group with Alex Franklin and Julie Newton (Cardiff University). Wednesday, April 7, 2010, 10AM-11:30AM, Oakham House, 63 Gould Street in the Oakham Lounge (2nd Floor) (http://www.ryerson.ca/maps/) Community food hubs are increasingly being employed by sustainability advocates as a model for coordinating the supply of food from groups of local producers to consumers. As well as reducing food miles and providing new economic opportunities, food hubs can also be used to promote connections between consumers and proximate rural productive spaces.

***NEW***A Taste of Woolwich: Local Food within Your Reach, April 12, St. Jacobs

Find out why more and more of us are buying tasty local food we can trust and where to find it.  Meet your local farmers and the growing number of retailers supporting them. Enjoy food samples, chef demonstrations, informative workshops and children’s activities.  Monday, April 12 at 5-8pm at Calvary United Church, 48 Hawksville Rd., St. Jacobs. Free! Details

Food Inc. Coming To Huron County, April 15, Goderich

A film coming into Goderich next month has drawn some attention from the president of the Huron Federation of Agriculture. Food Inc. is an Oscar-nominated film on the food industry in the U-S. Wayne Black hasn’t seen it yet – but reviews suggest it’s taking a pretty negative look at the industry. He thinks it may not be a bad idea for farmers to have a look at the film. Black says as long as consumers and farmers watch the film with an open mind – realising it has a specific slant on the industry – it could generate some good discussion.The screening of Food Inc. in Goderich on April 15th is sponsored by the Huron-Bruce NDP. CKNX Radio 920AM Wingham story

***NEW***2010 Ontario Institute of Agrologists  Conference & AGM, April 16 & 17, Niagara-on-the-Lake

The theme of the Conference, Nourishing Our Neighbours While Feeding Billions, will contribute to the current debate about local food and its role in sustainable food systems and to look at food as a global commodity. The theme has attracted an excellent group of speakers. In addition, a Friday afternoon pre‐conference tour has been organized for those who wish to arrive early to learn innovative approaches of some agricultural and environmental enterprises in the Niagara Region. Conference brochure.

Walkable Local Foods: Local food buying clubs, April 27, Kitchener

Want to be able to walk to pick up local foods? It is possible! Uptown Waterloo has a food buying club that makes eating local convenient and fun for its 500 members. Your neighbourhood can have one too. Come find out how to set up a local food buying club in your neighbourhood. Tuesday, April 27, 2010 ,7-9pm, KPL Main Branch, 85 Queen St N, Kitchener. Healthy Food System Series.

Taking Root: 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, May 17 to 19, Detroit

Farm to Cafeteria programs are taking root in schools, hospitals, colleges, daycares, and other institutions. Come to Detroit for the 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference to learn how you can start and scale up a program in your community. Join us for trips to local farms, school lunchrooms and processing facilities; workshops on issues such as federal and state policy, experiential education, sustainability and economic development and sessions geared towards youth, producers and food service providers. Conference website.

2010 National Summit on a People-Centred Economy, May 30 – June 1, Ottawa

From cooperatives that have existed for more than a century, to the latest innovative social enterprises, citizen-led efforts to build a people-centred economy are rich in their history and diversity. In the face of recent economic turmoil and growing ecological crises, these approaches are more relevant than ever. The 2010 National Summit on a People-Centred Economy will be an unprecedented gathering of leaders and representatives of the community economic development, cooperative and social economy sectors to build a common agenda and mobilize action for a secure, sustainable economy that puts people and the planet first. Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario. The Canadian CED Network conference website.

Workshop on Economics of Local Food Markets, New Jersey, June 15 & 16

Local Food Markets is a high-visibility issue area distinguished by a number of economic and marketing questions that demand research-based answers. The goal of the workshop is to highlight current research and bring together researchers, extension educators, private sector participants, and policy makers to exchange ideas and develop a common set of priority research and education needs for local food systems. The synthesis of ideas that result from this workshop will be disseminated in a variety of relevant outlets to encourage collaboration on local foods research and extension. The format will include two thematic sessions emphasizing rural and urban local food issues. Each session will begin with a presentation by an invited speaker selected for expertise in practical or theoretical aspects of local food markets. About the workshop.

Growing Power’s National-International Urban & Small Farm Conference, September 10 to 12, Milwaukee

Come to Milwaukee and help grow the good food revolution. Hosted by Growing Power—a national organization headed by the sustainable urban farmer and MacArthur Fellow Will Allen—this international conference will teach the participant how to plan, develop and grow small farms in urban and rural areas. Learn how you can grow food year-round, no matter what the climate, and how you can build markets for small farms. See how you can play a part in creating a new food system that fosters better health and more closely-knit communities. Conference website.

Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival, September 25-26, Stratford

Renowned Canadian chefs, award-winning food writers, local farmers and artisans, exclusive Ontario VQA wines, craft brews and Stratford’s musical artists invite you to come join them to celebrate glorious food. Wander farmers markets in search of edible treasures, hands-on culinary demonstrations for adults and kids, outdoor musical concerts, street carnivals, theatre and an authentic Perth County BBQ. Continue with more concerts, street carnivals, culinary demonstrations and York Street Tasting with over 30 chefs paired with 30 local producers and VQA wines for an afternoon of sampling and imbibing in tents. It all happens in Stratford’s historic downtown shopping and garden district. Details on the Savour Stratford website.

Faith and the Future of the Countryside 2010, November 3 to 5, Swanwick, Derbyshire, UK

A major ecumenical conference exploring the sustainability of rural communities and their churches, and making recommendations for their future. This event will also mark 20 years from the publication of Faith in the Countryside and the completion of the Archbishop’s Commission on Rural Areas. Four conference themes of rural communities, economy, environment and rural church reflect the breadth of issues covered in the original report. Church of England website

AND in case you have time

Sampling the Food at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The high point was definitely getting a first sip of butterbeer.  Last week at Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I was not only lucky enough to be able to get a tour of Hogwarts castle, but also to get a first tasting of some of the “Potter”-themed food and drinks the park will be providing. The restaurant menu for The Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head Pub is up at MTV Movies, but here is a chance to give you a chance to read what you really want to know: how it all tastes! Terri Schwartz Commentary on MTV Movie Blog