Locavore events by Elbert van Donkersgoed
Posted: January 15, 2010
Categories: Events / News from Sustain Ontario
Perspectives on good food and farming
January 15, 2010
***NEW***Niagara Icewine Festival – starts January 16 and runs for 17 days
The 17-day festival begins Friday and spans three weekends, featuring events in Jordan on Jan. 16 and 17, Niagara-on-the- Lake and St. Catharines on Jan. 23 and 24 and a winery passport weekend on Jan. 30 and 31. St. Catharines Standardstory about the Mowat family and their 50 creations using the sweet elixir, often served as a post-supper sipper.
***NEW***Viability of Canadian Agriculture – Updates for 2010, January 18
This webinar provides an update of the performance of the Canadian Agriculture sector in recent years, including an assessment of the impact of the current global financial crisis. The performance of Canadian farmers and producers in individual provinces are compared with the performance of US farmers, showing that Canadian farmers are much more overcapitalizerd and debt burdened than US farmers. Canadian farmers now have over 6 times more debt and 3.7 times more equity capital invested per dollar of farm income earned than our US counterparts, and are 6 times more vulnerable to rising interest rates. George Brinkman webinar on Agriwebinar.com.
***NEW***The Craig Award, January 20
In memory of Craig Persia Ogryzlo, Niagara Cooks launches the first of its kind research scholarship program through Niagara College for innovation in agriculture. January 20, 2010. 4:00 pm. Wine Visitor + Education Centre, Niagara College. Wine & Cheese to follow. RSVP: Lynn Ogryzlo. Niagara cooks website.
How to Grow Winter-Harvest Vegetables, January 23 (in BC)
“The Full Circle Workshop” with Carol McIntyre. Four 2010 dates: Jan 23, Mar 6, May 30 and Oct 3. Starts with seeds, ends with winter prep. $50. Details
Crop Planning for Vegetable Growers, January 23
How much, when and what do you plant for those farm gate, market or subscription customers? This full day workshop offered by FarmStart is based on the recent publication from Canadian Organic Growers (COG), Crop Planning for Diversified Vegetable Growers, by Frédéric Thériault and Daniel Brisebois.Details on FarmStart website.
Grown Close to Home – Really! January 26, 2010
Tired of food that looks and tastes like it has traveled miles to your plate? Not really sure where the “Grown Close to Home” food in the grocery stores comes from? Concerned about pesticides and chemicals on your food? Want to eat more local, sustainable food? Join us for a panel discussion about where, why, and how to eat local and sustainable foods in Waterloo Region. Get connected to your food and some of the farmers who grow it. January 26, 2010, 7-9pm, Kitchener Public Library Main Branch, 85 Queen St N, Kitchener.
Creative Economy Seminar Series, Starting January 26
The Creative Economy has emerged as the number one research issue for rural Eastern Ontario. With support from the Prince Edward/Lennox & Addington CFDC, The Monieson Centre is hosting a five-part public lecture series on how rural businesses and communities can thrive in this new economy. Seminar topics include Defining the Creative Economy; Issues and Challenges for Rural Communities; and Rural Policy Implications. Details on the Monieson Centre website.
Dirt! The Movie, January 28
FoodCycles is hosting a screening of DIRT! The Movie at Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor St W Toronto, (6:30-8:30 PM). In addition, FoodCycles is fundraising for its education work. Tickets will be available online (http://bit.ly/5mvEPT) and at the door on a sliding scale of $10-20. There will be a reception at 6:30 PM and the movie will start at 7 PM and end at 8:30 PM. You can buy sprouts, vegetable earrings or memberships during the reception. Trailer. Details.
Ignite! Guelph Entrepreneurship Course, February 1 to 5
Invest five half-days and learn what it takes to start and grow a business. This intensive course will immerse you in the language, culture, tools and tactics of entrepreneurial business. Designed for researchers, graduate students, entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial. Course content will be delivered mainly by business leaders who have “been there, done that, got the stained and torn t-shirtâ€. Keynote speaker EVERY DAY and Business “War Stories†throughout. Includes attendance at the January 28 GPI Breakfast. Funding assistance available. For details, click here. Details on website of Guelph Partnership for Innovation.
***NEW***Direct Marketing Workshop with the Ottawa Valley Food Co-op, February 6
A one-day workshop for farmers and producers on marketing your products directly to consumers, facilitated by an experienced direct marketing farmer from the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario. This workshop will review all aspects of selling your product; from promotion, packaging and displays to pricing. Farmers’ Markets, CSA’s, road side stands, pick your own farms and food co-ops will be reviewed as will marketing to stores and restaurants. Details on Ottawa Valley Food Cooperative website.
Exploring Your New Farm Dream Courses, Starts February 10
Thinking about starting your own farm business? Want to learn more about the opportunities and realities of farming? This is the course for you! Exploring Your New Farm Dream: Is Starting an Agricultural Business Right for You? is a course designed to help aspiring farmers learn what it takes to start and manage a commercial agricultural business, and decide whether this is the right path. FarmStart is offering the course in both Kitchener and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Both courses include 4 evening sessions and 1 day of farm tours. Details on FarmStart website.
The Chicken & Egg Dance Rehatched! February 13 (in BC)
Good old-fashioned family fun! This time around, the dance will support the work of Farm Folk City Folk, Vancouver Farmers Markets and BC Association of Regenerative Agriculture. To see a video of last year’s dance, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeEoqvz9Kl0. Details on Vancouver Farmers Market website.
***NEW***Seedy Saturday, February 21
Seedy Saturday – on a Sunday! Seedy Saturdays and Sundays are Toronto’s most exciting eco-fairs. We have a Seed exchange, and Heirloom seeds for sale. There will be gardening workshops, and kids activities. Find out about Seedy Saturdays and Sundays across Canada at Seeds of Diversity. Detailson Toronto Community Garden Network website.
The Threat of Gravel Pits to Agriculture and Food, February 23, 2010
Over 7,000 acres of the best potato land in Dufferin County has been bought by a company that seeks to mine the land for the mineral aggregates below the surface. Across the province, many more acres of prime agricultural farmland lie on top of valuable aggregates, and existing provincial and municipal policies do little to prevent their conversion to gravel pits. Come hear from a panel of local farmers and activists talk about the threat to our food production and what can be done about it. February 23, 2010, 7-9pm, Kitchener Public Library Main Branch, 85 Queen St N, Kitchener.
Cultural Mapping and Cultural Planning: Making the Connection, March 2 &3
The Ontario Workshop is scheduled to take place March 2-3, 2010 at the MaRS Centre, Toronto. The workshop is presented by the CCNC in partnership with the City of Toronto, Municipal Cultural Planning Incorporated and the Martin Prosperity Institute. Cultural Mapping and Cultural Planning: Making the Connection will include presentations on Creative City Network of Canada’s cultural planning and mapping toolkits, panel discussions from those in the field and a facilitated discussion on what’s next will give you the knowledge and connections to move the cultural planning agenda forward in your community. Join cultural planning practitioners from across Ontario for an inspiring and informative workshop on cultural planning and mapping. Visit creativecity.ca to register.
â€Bring Food Home†Conference, March 4 to 6
This conference will feature a daily plenary, workshop choice in five programming streams, networking space and special events. Each day of the conference is organized to present a different aspect of food security and local sustainable food systems. Day one is devoted to technical training and tours, day two examines projects and policy and day three draws the participants together to develop a plan for future collaboration and action. Joel Salatin, an alternative farmer from Virginia that was featured in Michael Pollan’s “Omnivore’s Dilemmaâ€, has been invited to give the opening keynote. The balance of the speakers is food and farming experts from across the province. Registration on the Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition website.
Value Chain Management Workshop, March 5
The best lessons tend to come from those who have done it themselves, and the Canadian Farm Business Management Council’s latest workshop will bring the innovators and trend setters to you.Kitchener, partner FoodNet Ontario. Details.
Sustainable Living Symposium 2010, March 20 & 21 Loyalist College, Belleville
Local, affordable, and do-able lifestyle solutions for right now will be demonstrated and discussed at the 5th Annual Sustainable Living Symposium. Living within our environmental and economic means has become even more important during this time of climate change and economic turmoil. Local experts will show you how to implement earth-friendly and cost-effective solutions such as urban food gardens, environmentally friendly cleaning products, renewable energy and more. The focus is on local solutions, local services, and local businesses. You’ll work with your neighbours and local experts to find out how to make a difference today, for a sustainable tomorrow. Details on Quinte Sustainability website.
AND in case you have time
Care for a bite out of the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall never looked so tasty: a team of Chinese confectioners have built a 10 metre (33 ft) long replica of the structure entirely out of chocolate in a bid to entice Chinese to eat more of the sweet stuff. The chocolate wall is made from solid dark chocolate bricks stuck together with white chocolate and is one of the attractions at the World Chocolate Wonderland exhibition and trade show which will open to the public later this month. Chocolatier Wang Qilu said his version of the ancient wall was a feat of engineering in itself, with a carefully constructed crumbling section at one end to resemble the real thing. He also had to make sure his materials did not melt. The Economic Times story.