Locavore News – Events by Elbert van Donkersgoed

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Author: Kyle L. McGregor

Posted: April 1, 2010

Categories: News from Sustain Ontario

  • Community Food Hubs Seminar, April 7, Toronto
  • A Taste of Woolwich: Local Food within Your Reach, April 12, St. Jacobs
  • Food Inc. Coming To Huron County, April 15, Goderich
  • 2010 Ontario Institute of Agrologists  Conference & AGM, April 16 & 17, Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Walkable Local Foods: Local food buying clubs, April 27, Kitchener
  • 2010 National Summit on a People-Centred Economy, May 30 – June 1, Ottawa
  • Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival, September 25-26, Stratford

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