Locavore News – Events

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Author: Kyle L. McGregor

Posted: April 30, 2010

Categories: News from Sustain Ontario

  • People’s Food Policy Project webinar – Friday, April 30, 1-2:30pm, online
  • Improving Access to Affordable Healthy Food in Hamilton, May 5
  • Garden Party & Flower Tasting, May 16
  • Canadian Association for Food Studies 2010 Conference, May 28 – 30
  • 2010 National Summit on a People-Centred Economy, May 30 – June 1
  • Stewardship Forum 2010: International Year of Biodiversity, June 8
  • Growing Out of Hunger, July 13, BC
  • Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival, September 25-26, Stratford
  • Greenbelts: Local Solutions for Global Challenges, March 22 to 24, 2010

Perspectives on good food and farming by Elbert van Donkersgoed
April 30, 2010

***NEW***People’s Food Policy Project webinar – Friday, April 30, 1-2:30pm, online

This Fireside Chat is in collaboration with the People’s Food Policy Project – a pan-Canadian network of citizens and organizations that is creating Canada’s first comprehensive food sovereignty policy. The People’s Food Policy Project reflects growing concerns about the health and sustainability of our food system, and an ever more visible movement to create the elements of a different system based in a robust local food economy. You can see it in farmers’ markets, community kitchens, community gardens, and community programs to ensure everyone has food. Webinar details.

***NEW***Improving Access to Affordable Healthy Food in Hamilton, May 5

Debbie Field is the executive director of FoodShare and is a recognized leader in the world of food security. FoodShare tries to take a multifaceted, innovative and long-term approach to hunger and food issues. They are involved in: grassroots program delivery, advocacy for social assistance reform, job creation and training, nutrition education, farmland preservation and campaigns for comprehensive food labeling to name just a few of the areas they work in. Hamilton’s Mayday Festival on Wednesday May 5 at 7pm at the Sky Dragon Centre (27 King William St.). Details.

***NEW***Garden Party & Flower Tasting, May 16

Experience the beautiful Victorian-era greenhouses and a new children’s garden at Allan Gardens Children Conservatory on Sunday May 16th from 1 to 4 pm, while supporting food growing and environmental education programs in 3 inner-city schools and 2 park sites at Green Thumbs Growing Kids’ Garden Party & Flower Fundraiser. Sample a fantastic menu (see below for sample menu items) prepared by chef Anne Sorrenti, inspired by and infused with local organic seasonal flowers and herbs, and sip an assortment of delicious sunteas & creative mocktails.Details on Facebook.

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.

Canadian Association for Food Studies 2010 Conference, May 28 – 30, 2010

Opening Plenary:  “Rethinking what to put on our plates”
Food Studies: A (Scholarly) World of Translatable Concepts?
Marc Charron, School of Translation and Interpretation, University of Ottawa
Towards food sovereignty. Local food systems and public policies in Quebec and Ontario
Jean-Frédéric Lemay [ Équiterre]  and Kausar Ashraf (Centre for Trade Policy and Law, Carleton University)
Le concept de l’assiette comestible: étude de la matière et de pratiques alimentaires durables
Diane Bisson, Professeure agrégée, École de design industriel, Université de Montréal
Concordia University, Montréal Program at a Glance

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

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.

***NEW***Stewardship Forum 2010: International Year of Biodiversity, June 8

The annual Stewardship Network Ontario Forum at Black Creek Pioneer Village is planned for June 8th, 2010. Dr. John Howard, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine in the Schulich School of Medicine and Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Association for Physicians for the Environment will explore how our care for the environment has been eclipsed by health care despite the fact that when the environment is ignored, the result is poorer human health. Details form Tiffany Roschkow.

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 Out of Hunger, July 13, BC

Find out how this former professional basketball player, corporate sales executive and urban farmer is feeding 10,000 people and starting a community food revolution out of his inner-city farms in Milwaukee and Chicago. Winner of the $500,000 MacArthur Genius Fellowship in 2008, Will Allen is transforming the cultivation, production, and delivery of healthy foods to underserved urban populations. Details Simon Fraser University website.

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.

2nd European Sustainable Food Planning Conference, October 29-30

Planning for sustainable food production and consumption is an increasingly important issue for policymakers, planners, designers, farmers, suppliers, activists, business and scientists alike. In the wider contexts of global climate change, a world population of 9 billion and growing, competing food production systems and diet‐related public health concerns, are there new paradigms for urban and rural planning capable of supporting sustainable and equitable food systems? University of Brighton (UK) 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.

Greenbelts: Local Solutions for Global Challenges, March 22 to 24, 2010

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation is hosting an International Greenbelts Conference in Toronto, Canada, March 22nd – 24th, 2011. Through the sharing of diverse experience and perspectives, the Conference will spark new ideas about the possibilities that greenbelts offer, and generate new ways of tackling some of the complex challenges in near urban farming, rural vibrancy, and protecting our ecosystems and the numerous benefits they provide. Website.

AND in case you have time