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How you can Help
Seeds of Diversity
Canada Helps is running a contest for supporters to support their favourite charity.
Here is how you can help Seeds of Diversity www.seeds.ca win two possible cash prizes of $5000!
This is a new and unique way to support diversity of our food crops.
Your donations, plus the cash prize we may win, will be used to protect seeds for future generations. We challenge our supporters to out-give each other, and to send this email to their friends, put it on twitter, facebook, etc. All donation received, whether big or small, go towards Canada Helps' two winning prizes of $5000 for Seeds of Diversity. The charity that has the most givers, and the charity that raises the most money each can win $5000! If everyone of you donated $1, we may win $5000! Every donation, no matter the amount, receives an instant receipt from Canada Helps.
Seeds of Diversity has created a CanadaHelps GivingPage.
It is very easy to use - just select Seeds of Diversity and make a secure donation with a credit card - and you can leave a message too! The contest is open until Dec. 20, and closes at 12 noon ET, so please donate today!
Last chance to maintain our lead in contest! Turn $1 into $5000!
Thanks to those of you who have donated to our Canada Helps Giving Challenge. We are currently in first place for the most givers, and third for the most money raised. But that can change for the better or worse! It’s still any group’s contest to win by December 20.
Please give $1, to help us maintain the lead to win $5000.
You, your significant other, your friend, your family, can each give $1 from different email addresses so that each dollar will count towards the most givers. If you’ve given already, please donate for your partner in their name from a different email address.
Adopt a seed this way too!
!Don’t wait for the letter members will receive a letter asking them to donate to our Seed Library project. You may donate to that project through our Canada Helps giving page, rather than through our website, in order for your donation to count towards the contest. Print your Seed Adoption request in the “comments” section of the page.
For those of you who haven’t given yet, this is a new and unique way to save our future by assuring diversity of our food crops. Your donations, plus the cash prizes we may win, will be used to protect seeds for future generations. A donor for this challenge said, “Thanks for the opportunity to help in Seeds of Diversity's vital work. Our food future is at stake.” We challenge our supporters to out-give each other, and to send this email to their friends, put it on twitter, facebook, etc.
!Every donation, no matter the amount, receives an instant receipt from Canada Helps. Be sure to download your receipt when prompted.
It is very easy to use - just click on the link and make a secure donation with a credit card or interac- and you can leave a message too! The contest deadline is Dec. 20 at noon EST, so please donate today!
.
Sunday February 21, 2010
12:30pm - 6pm
New Day and Extended Hours
(Barn #2) Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St.
See the map
.
This year we are featuring the
“North American Native Plant Society” (NANPS)
.
All translations have been donated by volunteers. Please contact mail@tcgn.ca if you would like to translate part of the poster for us.
.
Sábado de Semillas
Samedi de Graines
سبت البذور
IL SABATO DEI SEMI
E SHTUNA E FARËRAVE
.
Admission:
Admission is by donation, $2 recommended or pay what you can.
.
Accessibility:
The Wichwood Barns are fully accessible. However, if you need assistance because of physical accessibility issues, please e-mail us at: mail@tcgn.ca by Friday, February 19 so that we can have an accessibility volunteer available
The Edible City: Toronto's Food from Farm to Fork
EDIBLE CITY Post-Work Book Launch:
Panel Presentations and Discussion
Wednesday, December 2
(between Queen and Dundas)
1st Floor Boardroom
5:30 pm ‐ 7:00 pm
$15 in advance/$20 at the door
Taking part:
- Wayne Roberts, contributor to NOW Magazine and Coordinator of the Toronto Food Policy Council.
- Lorraine Johnson, author of over 10 environmental and gardening books.
- Shawn Micallef, senior editor of Spacing, co‐founder of [murmur] and OCAD instructor.
and
Alternatives executive editor Nicola Ross will moderate the discussion.
Dear Toronto food fans,
The Edible City: Toronto's Food from Farm to Fork continues to slake city-dwellers' thirst for discussion about food. If you missed our event on November 15th at the Gladstone Hotel, or want another taste of Toronto food talk, please join us as Coach House Books teams with the Sustainability Network for a brand-new conversation with three of the contributors to The Edible City.
Register for the event at sustainabilitynetwork.ca.
RSVP on Facebook. (Please note that you'll still have to register at the Sustainability Network site to attend.)
Toronto Community Garden Network presents
Community Garden
Action Planning Day
Saturday November 21, 2009
1 – 4pm
Lunch served at 12pm
The Green Barn, 601 Christie St., Barn 4
See the map
Are you already involved with Community Gardens?
Are you interested in getting involved with Community Gardens?
Then this event is for you!
Help TCGN create a road map for the Community Garden Network that will best serve Toronto and best serve you. Please join us for this exciting afternoon of networking, sharing, strategizing and action planning!
A free lunch will be provided before the event.
- Action Planning Sessions
- Free Lunch
- Easy to get to by TTC
- Refreshments throughout
RSVP to Marc Michalak marcmichalak@yahoo.ca
Or Phone him at (647)215-6272
SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE FARMING
FREE Thursday Night Lecture at The Big Carrot
SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE FARMING - From Producers to Consumers
November 19th at 7:00pm
Re-connect with our spring "Farmer's Forum" guests Kris Minik of Heartwood Farm CSA, Tony Neale of Wheelbarrow Farm and Yehuda Nestel of Whole Village Farm. Learn what their views are of what it means to grown food in a sustainable way. How can we, as consumers nourish their efforts to nourish us? Find out more about CSA's, near urban farming, pasture based livestock systems and the highs and lows of the growing season of 2009!
This event is brought to you by "Field Trip".
www.fieldtriptoronto.ca
Click on poster to enlarge it.
250 Davenport Invites you to their First
Community Harvest Festival
Sunday 4th October 2009
The Members of the Community Garden at 250 Davenport
are celebrating their first Community Garden Harvest Festival on
Sunday October 4th, 2pm to 5pm.
We will be having a free corn roast (while supplies last)
Live Entertainment and DJ and Children's Acivities. Everyone welcome to join us.
Adam Vaughn will open the event and Olivia Chow will be drawing the raffle and giving a closing speech.
LIVING GREEN IN THE CITY:
the 2nd Annual Unitarian Sustainability Event in Toronto
The Unitarian Congregations of the GTA are sponsoring a Sustainability Event –
Living Green In the City
- on Saturday September 19, 2009
- from 1 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (doors open at 12:30)
- It will be held at the
- First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto
- 175 St. Clair Avenue West. (just west of Avenue Road).
The event will feature a number of presentations and exhibitors, as well as storytelling activities for children and a kid’s environmental art competition. Admission is free. Find out how people are living sustainably in our wonderful city.
Visit www.unitarian.ca/gta
Workshops At the Stop -September 2009
Workshops are free but participants must register with
Kristin Wheatcroft, kristin@thestop.org or Phone(416)652-7867 ext. 241.
September
Tomato Preserves
- Wed. Sept 2nd 2:30-5:00pm
- Green Barn map
Worm Composting in Small Spaces
- Wed. Sept. 30th, 6:30-8:30pm
- Green Barn map
Parkdale Food, Earth and Culture Festival
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009
12 noon – 5 pm
Masaryk Park, 220 Cowan Ave.
Greenest City is excited to announce the date of our
2nd Annual Food, Earth and Culture festival.
It will be held on Sunday, Sept. 27. Our festivals in the past have been tremendously successful, and we are building on that to bring an even bigger and more festive event in Parkdale this year.
(There is a slight possibility of rain on Sunday – if it does, most of the festival activities will move inside the community centre. We will also set tents up for free bike repairs, farmer’s market etc. outside. So even if Sunday looks dreary, please come down to the park with your family and friends. We are more than ready for it.)
Our list of performers now include:
- Baro Dununba (African drumming group),
- the Voyce, Tibetan Youth Group,
- Wu Denking (Chinese musician),
- Don Kerr (Children’s musician),
- JRock the Rapping Chef,
- Japanese and Filipino martial artists, and more.
Our culturally diverse and local food will be prepared by Tibet Kitchen, Roti Lady, Ali Baba and Greenest City staff and volunteers.
We will have a small farmer’s market for you to meet farmers and buy their locally grown produce.
Children’s activities, games, arts + crafts, bike tune-ups, Shiatsu massage tent, apple cider press, corn roasts, eco workshops and more!
It’s a packed and fun-for-all event that celebrates Parkdale, healthy food and the environment. So join us and spread the word to your family, friends and neighbours!
All of the activities above are free of charge. We are only asking for a minimum donation of $2 for a plate of our food to offset some of our costs.
So, come and join us!
If you have any questions or ideas or want to volunteer, please contact:
Gelek Badheytsang Communications Director, Greenest City
(647)438-0038
Join us for this year’s...
CHRISTIE PITS HARVEST HOE-DOWN!
Friday, September 18th, 2009, 7:00 PM
We’re having…
- A potluck dinner
- A bonfire
- Lots of games!!!
- Garden tours
- Live music
- Pizza making
Questions? Contact: cpcgTO@gmail.com
Make sure to bring a potluck item, eating
utensils & a picnic blanket!
Brought to you by…
Christie Pits Community Garden & Friends of Christie Pits
christiepits.ca
Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association
Annual Conference and AGM
GOOD FOR THE SOIL,
GOOD FOR THE SOUL.
September 18- 20, 2009
Guelph, Ontario
This year's conference will highlight the eco-friendliness of horticultural therapy and the ways in which we can nurture the earth and ourselves.
Keynote Speaker: Marjorie Harris
- Photo credit Trevor Scot.
The CHTA is delighted to welcome Marjorie Harris as the keynote speaker on Saturday the 19th.
The site of the CHTA conference, the Ignatius Jesuit Centre, , located 2 km north of Guelph, Ontario, is a place of great natural beauty and inspiration. The Centre is accessible by car, bike, or bus from downtown Guelph.
Don't miss this year's pre-conference tours including Homewood Health Centre, Guelph Enabling Garden, and St Joseph's Health Centre. The tour bus leaves Ignatius at 11.00 am and return at approximately 3.30 pm. Lunch will be provided with the tour.
The CHTA Conference offers information and inspiration both to newcomers to HT and to seasoned practitioners. Unearth your senses of humus and join us in Guelph, 18-20 September 2009.
CONFERENCE INFORMATION Click here for conference Brochure and Registration pdf's.
Agenda:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 -- 9:30am - 3pm Registration and Tour
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2009 -- 8am - 6pm Registration, Lectures and Tour
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2009 -- 8:30 - 4pm Registration, AGM Meeting and Presentations.
Please check the Registration Form for the costs of the various Sessions, presentations and tours.
The conference is located at: Ignatius Jesuit Centre of Guelph 5420 Hwy 6 NorthRR 5 Guelph, ON, N1H 6J2 www.ignatiusguelph.ca
CANCELLATION POLICY Read More >>
Seed Saving
Keeping the Growing Going!
Wednesday, September 16
6:30 - 8:00 pm
Seed-saving: Keeping the Growing Going!
Location:
Pape Public Library, 701 Pape Ave., Toronto (Pape Subway, on east side of Pape, 1/2 block south of Danforth)
Cost: $5 (COG members free)
Info: torontochapter@cog.ca
Join us as 'Maria Kasstan', a member of Seeds of Diversity, shares with us how we can save the seed from our gardens so that we can keep the cycle of growing going year after year. Seeds of Diversity works to preserve heirloom and rare plants through a network of seed-savers, and has a special project, Pollination Canada, a nation-wide survey of bees and other pollinators by citizen observers. A practical and informative session for beginner and seasoned gardeners alike.
ORGANIC FOOD FESTIVAL AT “NEW HORIZONS COMMUNITY GARDEN”
Saturday, September 12, 2009
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Tom Riley Park, Bloor/Islington
Activities include:
- · Container Gardening Workshop (free demonstration of the Living Food Box)
- · Sale of garden products and containers
- · Tour of the garden
- · Free tasting of ethnic foods
- · Fun and music
Sponsors:
City of Toronto and Social Development Canada (New Horizons for Seniors Program)
For more information please contact mail@newhorizonsgarden.ca
Website: www.newhorizonsgarden.ca
Happy Birthday to Maloca Community Garden at York University!
Celebrate with us
Maloca's 10th birthday bash
Friday September 11th
3:00-6:00 Harvesting For Saturday's Yummy treats And A Workshop
Saturday, September 12th, 2009
12 NOON to 5 PM Gardening Workshops and yummy treats
New and old friends welcome!
Click here for more information and directions to:
Maloca Community Garden At York University
Soil day with John Slack At the Garden Party Community Garden
Tuesday September 8 2009
"The Garden Party" Hosted by Redeemer Lutheran
The Theme of this presentation is:
"The Warning signs of nutrient depletion in your soil".
Learn how to keep your soil healthy and productive. This presentation is especially important for organic gardeners. It will include a soil test demonstration for the fertility of the soil .
There will be an open discussion of gardening techniques and you will be able to ask John your gardening questions, and concerns.
Location: 1691 Bloor Street West, Bloor Street West & Indian Road - Main Intersection - Bloor & Keele Street map
Date: September 8 2009
Time: 6:30 to 8pm
This lecture and demonstration is free but participants should register.
For more information, and to register, please contact Susan at perth-dupontcg@frogstar.com
Soil Day With John Slack - At Downsview Park
Wednesday September 16th at 5pm
FoodCycles is a non-profit city farm, based in the Downsview Park. It raises worms, produces nutritious, vibrant soil and grows food.
The theme of this presentation will be:
"How and why to nourish your soil".
Learn how to keep your soil healthy and productive. This presentation is especially important for organic gardeners. It will include a soil test demonstration for the fertility of the soil .
There will be an open discussion of gardening techniques and you will be able to ask John your gardening questions, and concerns.
Location: 70 Canuck Ave. Toronto Map
Date: Wednesday September 16th
Time:'from 5pm 5:00 - 6:30pm
We are planning a potluck and invite you to bring bring your favorite dish for your family or to share.
..Please bring bio-degradable, or re-usable plate and cup and cutlery
This lecture and demonstration is free but participants should register.
For more information, and to register, please contact Susan at perth-dupontcg@frogstar.com
Please Support Composting in Ontario
We ask that you vote to reject the notion that compost should be classified as hazardous special waste and retain compost's environmental integrity.
Click here to Sign the petition Please Support Composting in Ontario
The Show'N Tell Community Garden Tour
This event is a partnership of A Rocha Canada – Christians in Conservation, St. David's Anglican Church (Weston) and the host community gardens.
Visit Some of Toronto's Most Dynamic Veggie Patches
Join us on the school bus on Saturday,
September 12, 2009 - 8:45 AM to 4:15 PM
The Garden Party at Redeemer Lutheran
H.O.P.E. Community Garden
Bell Manor Community Garden at Stonegate Community Health Centre
The Parish Garden at St. Thomas's Anglican Church
The Oriole Peanut Community Garden
For all the details (including the cost), visit us in facebook.com
Or send your inquiries to ontario@arocha.org.
This event is a partnership of A Rocha Canada – Christians in Conservation,
St. David's Anglican Church (Weston) and
the host community gardens.
NEW FALL FIELD TRIP DATES
“CONNECTING CITY FOLK TO THEIR FOOD SOURCE”
Sunday September 20
COOKSTOWN GREENS
Sunday October 4
WHEELBARROW FARM
$45.00
FIELD TRIP IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ‘CITY FOLK’ TO GET OUT OF THE CITY AND INTO THE FIELDS. IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW WHERE OUR FOOD IS GROWN AND WHO IS GROWING IT!
Join us this fall for an enlightening day out of the city!
416-371-3471 www.fieldtriptoronto.ca
Winter windowsill herb garden
Winter windowsill herb garden
starter workshop:
Withrow Park Farmers' Market,
Saturday Sept. 12, at 11 a.m.
(regular market hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.),
rain or shine!
Bring the summer indoors, and enjoy fresh herbs all year.
Also find out what other food plants can overwinter indoors.
The Withrow Park Farmers' Market is located 1 block south of Greektown on the Danforth, between Carlaw and Logan, near the Chester and Paper subway stops. MAP
The workshop is part of Here: A Celebration of Local Living, featuring a bike jam, stitch-in, fresh food drive, kids activities, seed saving workshop and much more! Visit withrowpark.ca for more information.
The winter windowsill herb garden starter workshop is pay what you can; a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Seeds of Diversity Canada!
Seeds of Survival - 20th Anniversary Benefit Concert
August 17, 8:30pm - Hugh's Room, 2261 Dundas St. W.
Canadian songsmith James Keelaghan, a steadfast supporter of USC Canada’s Seeds of Survival (SoS) program, is teaming up with fellow folk musicians for a historic concert to benefit farming communities in Africa and Asia.
Join James at Hugh’s Room on August 17th for an inspiring evening of soulful song and music. We’ll enjoy the artistry of stellar singer-songwriters including Peggy Seeger, Rob & Steve Richie (of Tanglefoot), Vance Gilbert, and Sheena Grobb . The musicians have generously agreed to donate all proceeds from the concert to benefit Seeds of Survival – USC Canada’s flagship food sovereignty program – and the mountain farmers of Ethiopia and Nepal.
From the African Highlands to the Himalayas, mountain farmers face challenging conditions. Though mountains are biodiversity hot spots and the source for as much as 80% of the world’s fresh water, it’s hard to grow food and make a living on steep mountain slopes. The SoS program continues a 20-year tradition of working with farmers to grow healthy food in harsh mountain landscapes, without damaging these fragile ecosystems.
The concert takes place:
Date: August 17th
Location: Hugh's Room, 2261 Dundas St. W.
Tickets cost: $20 in advance ($22 at the door)
Tickets are available at Hugh’s Room in person, by phone (416-531-6604),
And online at http://www.hughsroom.com.
For more information contact Sarah at smohan@usc-canada.org
or call her at (613)234-6827x230.
And visit USC Canada’s website now to download the event poster.
Parkview Neighbourhood Garden Summer Corn Roast
Saturday August 15 from Noon - 2 PM
34 Parkview Avenue, Toronto
Come and see how our new neighbourhood garden is growing, meet your neighbours, get involved with our gardening group, and snack on some delicious roasted corn!
Please join us in the garden, at 34 Parkview Avenue (near North York Centre subway station), on Saturday August 15 any time between noon and 2 PM. It will be a wonderful afternoon of cameraderie and thriving plants, including:
- roasted corn & refreshments
- tours of the garden
- raffle draws
Please bring your own cups and containers for the corn roast.
For additional information, please use the "contact" tab on our website
-www.parkviewneighbourhoodgarden.org
-or contact Meredith at (416)225-3130. Meet you at the garden!
The Toronto Community Garden Network is proud to present:
Free Community Garden Bus Tours for 2009!
Two Tours: August 15th in Scarborough
and September 12th in North York
The TCGN and the Toronto Community Food Animators are offering two free community garden bus tours. These tours are an opportunity to get inspired, meet community gardeners, learn about gardening and have lots of fun! Each tour will visit three very different and exciting gardens. Children are welcome.
The tours will take place on August 15th in Scarborough, and September 12 in North York, from 10 am to 3pm.
A free lunch will be served.
Space is limited.
Interested attendees should register before August 8th for Scarborough and
And register before September 5th for North York.
For more information, contact:
Norma Dickinson - (416) 476-8324
Workshops At the Stop -August 2009
Workshops are free but participants must register with
Kristin Wheatcroft, kristin@thestop.org or Phone(416)652-7867 ext. 241.
August 2009
Growing Great Tomatoes
- Wed. August 5th 6:00-8:00pm
- Green Barn map
Soap Making
- Wed. Aug. 19th 6:00-8:00pm
- 1884 Davenport Rd. map
Tomato Preserves
- Wed. Aug. 26, 2:30-5:00pm
- 1884 Davenport Rd. map
Garlic And Seed Saving for August
Harvesting Garlic and seeds Workshop
With a bit of a Garden tour too
This is a series of workshops harvesting different varieties of Garlic. It includes: Russian, Mountain Top, Sweet Haven, and Music.
Where: Perth Dupont Community Garden
When: Every Saturday starting Aug 1, 2009
- Aug 1, 2009
- Aug 8, 2009
- Aug 15, 2009
- Aug 22, 2009
Garlic Party on Aug 29, 2009 at 2:30PM
Rain Date - Garlic Party - has been moved to:
September 5th2009 Starting at 2:30
Time: All the workshops will start at 2:30PM
What: We will be harvesting some different varieties of Garlic, Including Russian, Mountain Top, Sweet Haven, and Music. and talking about seed saving. As well, we will show you how to bring home your harvest with out wilting, and other harvesting techniques to make the best of all your gardening work.
Workshops are free but participants should register.
For more information, and to register, please contact Susan at perth-dupontcg@frogstar.com
www.perth-dupont.parkcommons.ca
The Perth Dupont Community Garden is located in the Symington Avenue Playground Map
The entrance to the Park and the garden is from Perth Ave.
Container Gardening Workshop
Container Gardening allows people with limited space to grow vegetables on their balconies or porches. Learn the steps required to convert a medium-sized bin into an edible garden that fits on your balcony or porch. It’s not too late to get growing with starter plants or herbs and it’s not too early to get ready for next year. This is a family-friendly event.
Experienced community gardener Zora Ignjatovic conducts this hands-on workshop for people with limited space to garden.
This ties in with issues of Food Security, Air Quality, Local Food, Health, Active Living and Beautification.
Here are the details:
Event: Container Gardening Workshop
When: Thursday, August 6 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Where: Ralph Thornton Centre – 2nd Floor (765 Queen Street East)
Cost: FREE
Call Matt at (416)392-6810 ext. 234
or Email to RSVP: matta@ralphthornton.org
Get your Container Garden ready for the "Edible Containers Show" aproaching shortly at the Withrow Farmers Market
- Saturday August 8th
Home Farm Horticultural Therapy Education
-Practical Training-
Fall 2009
30 Hours of hands-on instruction over 5 Days
Hosted at The Julien Project in Guelph, Ontario
Monday September 14th – Friday September 18th
9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. daily
This exciting education opportunity will provide students the rare opportunity to experience and learn from a thriving new Horticultural Therapy organization, guided by a Horticultural Therapist.
Training takes places at the Ignatius Jesuit Centre of Guelph www.ignatiusguelph.ca, home of The Julien Project, a registered charity. Come experience this incredible site for learning, including The Julien Project accessible courtyard garden.
Training will involve: Read More >>
Get your garden off drugs!
You don’t have to be a master gardener to play a starring role in this year’s David Suzuki Digs My Garden contest. You just have to be a passionate storyteller who believes pesticide-free growing is the way of the future.
Share the story of your garden—win a signed Robert Bateman print, and Aaron’s favorite shirt (an the right).
If you'd like to win prizes for showing us your pesticide-free garden — we're looking for you! You don't have to be an expert gardener, simply gardening organically gives you a chance to win.
We're ready to give away a dozen of our super-popular David Suzuki Digs My Garden T-Shirts, books, heritage seed packages, and other cool prizes, just for sending in your entry. And if your garden is voted most popular? You win a signed Robert Bateman print "Summer Garden -- Young Robin"
But the coolest prize is the David Suzuki Digs My Garden T-Shirt: let Aaron explain why it’s his favorite shirt in this video.
Just send a photo and the story of how you garden pesticide-free
to: gardens@davidsuzuki.org with PHOTO AND STORY in the subject line.
Images must not exceed 4MB, stories should be 200 words or less. Deadline August 1st, 2009.
Remember, just entering gives you a chance to win a David Suzuki Digs My Garden 100% Pesticide-Free T-Shirt and other prizes.
Click here to To enter, or find out more about this contest: www.davidsuzuki.org
Deadline for entries is Aug 1st, 2009.
Multi-cultral Association of Bosnian Seniors and Friends
Join us for Children's Day At The Bosnian Community Garden
Saturday July 25, 2009
4:00 - 6:00 pm
at Tom Riley Park, Bloor/Islington
- Enjoy the garden bounties
- Tour the amazing children’s garden
- Learn about herbs and teas
- Meet new friends
- Refreshments – pot-luck
www.newhorizonsgarden.ca
Edible Container Garden Show
Withrow Park Farmers’ Market
and
Toronto Balconies Bloom
are introducing their first
Collaborative Edible Container Garden Show
Saturday Aug. 8, 2009,
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
rain or shine,
at the Withrow Park Farmers' Market.
photo by Anna Prior ...showing Preston Empanadas.
The show is open for participation to urban gardeners from 3 years old to 103 years young, and participation conditions are to use salvaged, recycled, or DIY handcrafted containers, and 70% of the plant material has to be edible (either the whole plant or parts of it). What to grow is only limited by your imagination: grow a mini herb garden in a shoe, or an edible flower garden in an old car tire. If you can get it to the show without the use of a truck and a crane, the size is up to you, but we prefer you use sustainable transportation options: wheelbarrow, wagon, bike trailer, bundle buggy, TTC, carpool…
Help spread the enthusiasm and experience for growing edible containers by exhibiting your funky bucket of homegrown eats at this first-time event!
Send your submission by Friday July 24 with a description of your design, materials used, motivation behind the design, and a couple of sentences about yourself and your urban small space gardening experience to contact@torontobalconiesbloom.ca, listing “ECG show” in the subject line.
We still need volunteers for the preparation of the event and on the day of, and if you can help please contact Roberta at withrowpfm@gmail.com or at 416-461-2825.
The Withrow Park Farmers' Market is located one block south of Greektown on the Danforth, between Carlaw and Logan. Closest subway stops are Chester and Pape. Visit withrowpark.ca and torontobalconiesbloom.ca for more information about the show organizers.
Map
Christie Pits Community Garden Fundraiser
Christie Pits Community Garden Fundraiser
Friday July 10th
@ the Press Club (850 Dundas St. West)
with musical guests... Picastro (duo) Cool Dad
DJs: Darren Pelcz Jordan Richie
$5
Speaker session and discussion at 8 PM with Ravenna Barker of Foodshare.
The Christie Pits Community Garden was established this year through the support of a dedicated team of volunteers and the City of Toronto.
"Our mission is to promote urban food production and community building in and beyond the Christie-Ossington area. The Christie Pits Community Garden will provide a forum to connect with neighbours and share our cumulative knowledge on plants and food. Together we will create an accessible space that operates on principles of inclusion and respect for each other and the environment."
Sponsored by Great Lakes Brewery.
Making Seed Balls
Wed. July 15
3PM
688 Broadview (south west of the Loblaws)
You are invited into the garden, Wednesday July 15, for a special seed balls workshop. We will gather in the garden to get our hands dirty and form clods of dirt and clay containing live vegetation that can be lobbed into favourite vacant lots, deposited over fences into abandoned construction sites, or dropped lovingly into the corners of our city parks - -
-transforming forlorn urban spaces into vibrant growing green spaces!
Together we will learn this playful guerilla gardening tactic. When our seed balls are good and dry, perhaps we will take a bike ride through the city, spreading our seed (balls) wherever we go. Please come out to this event. It is free but donations (to Green Oasis on Broadview) are appreciated. Hope to see you there!
Green Oasis on Broadview
For more information on seed balls, check out:
- this wiki article
- this page by “heavy petal” (cute!)
- this video demo by Richard Reynolds
Toronto Urban Growers - TUG
Toronto Urban Growers - City Wide Gathering
When: Thursday July 9th from 9am - 1pm
Where: FoodShare 90 Croatia Street.
What: to share our growing knowledge, comment on the city's new urban agriculture policies-June 16th meeting at City Hall-, and report back on activities over the last few months, to hear from all of the TUG working groups, and to plan the next steps for TUG.
The agenda for the meeting is as follows.
- 9:00-9:20 Coffee and snacks
- 9:20-9:50 Welcome, Agenda review and Introductions
- 9:50-10:30 Update and discussion on the city's new urban agriculture policies
- 10:30-10:50 Update from working groups
- 10:50-11:10 Other updates
- 11:10-11:25 Break
- 11:25-12:00 Working group discussions and action planning
- 12:00-12:35 Discussion about how to Scale up Urban Agriculture in Toronto*
- 12:35-1:00 Next steps and Wrap up
- 1:00-1:30 Lunch will be provided by FoodShare for $7.00
If you would like to join us for lunch, please RSVP to Camille by emailing camille@foodshare.net
or by calling 416 363 6441 x225.
*Scaling up Urban Agriculture in Toronto
For 35 minutes, we will continue the discussion of how to scale up urban agriculture in Toronto. At the TUG Nov. 17, 2008, participants identified the following main barriers to urban farming in Toronto:
- Soil Compost/ Safety/ Quality
- Land Access
- Land Zoning
- Funding/ Resources/Infrastructure
- Diversity and Equity in Access
- Marketing /Infrastructure
- Training
- Network and Communication
We will split into 3 groups to continue the discussion. The groups will be led by James Kuhns, Rod MacRae and Joe Nasr, who were recently selected to work on a Metcalf solution paper titled, Building the Infrastructure Required for Scaling up Urban Agriculture in Toronto.
They will be seeking your feedback on 6 areas that are critical to taking urban agriculture to the next level:
- Physical infrastructure
- Growing space infrastructure
- Food-chain infrastructure
- Financial infrastructure
- Knowledge infrastructure
Governance, Management and Coordination infrastructure
We look forward to hearing your ideas on this important subject.
Map to FoodShare (Entrance off Brock Ave.)
-*-For more information about the June 16th meeting at City Hall please click here
About TUG
Toronto Urban Growers is a working group focused on networking, communication, advocacy to support urban growing in Toronto. Please spread the word, and get the urban growers and supporters that you know connected.
We also have a wordpress site, which will be our future home. At this point the website is well set up, but needs to have a bunch of content added. To start dreaming about what you'd like to add, go to urbangrowers.wordpress.com
The Bain Co-op Beautification Project
A Cleaning and Greening Project with Native Plants North of the Bain Co-op on the south side of Sparkhall (a neglected site) across from the award winning CMHC Healthy House.
You will have an opportunity to learn gardening and restoration basics with Dagmar Baur, award winning gardener in a unique and beautiful community.
The Project will start with volunteer training on safety, tool use, watering, native restoration
Volunteer training will commence around July 16th.
We will set specific volunteer days after July 20th and into August.
Contact Dagmar Baur at dbgardens@gmail.com to sign up.
Parkview Neighbourhood Garden Strawberry Social
When: Sunday July 5 from 2-5 PM
Where: 34 Parkview Avenue, Toronto
Come and see how our new neighbourhood garden is growing, meet your neighbours, get involved with our gardening group, and sample some yummy strawberry snacks!
Please join us in the garden, at 34 Parkview Avenue (near North York Centre subway station), on Sunday, July 5th any time between 2 and 5 PM. It will be a wonderful afternoon of camaraderie and thriving plants, including:
- free refreshments
- children's activities
- prize draws
Please bring your own cups and containers for the strawberry snacks.
For additional information, please use the "contact" tab on our website -
www.parkviewneighbourhoodgarden.org -
or contact Meredith at 416-225-3130.
Meet you at the garden!
Veggie Plant Giveaway!
Christie Pits Community Garden
During The
Big on Bloor Event!
The Christie Pits Garden is raising money for an event that we are planning on the following weekend June 26th We have around 250 vegetable plants to give away to the community and we'll be asking for small donations .
Map
Day: Saturday June 20th 2009
Time: The plant giveaway we will begin at 12 noon, and go until about five.
Location: The Community Garden in the Christie Pits Park is located at the south west corner of the park
Announcing TCGN and FoodShare Plant Giveaway
This Friday, June 12, 2009
from 3 pm- 7pm
FoodShare, 90 Croatia Street,
Map to FoodShare (Entrance off Brock Ave.)
on the side of the Brock entrance. 90 Croatia Street is 1 block west of Dufferin and 1 block south of Bloor St.
Come get free plants donated by the City of Toronto, FoodShare, Urban Harvest, and others. Community Gardens can take two flats of plants. Individuals can take five plants. At 6:30, remaining plants will be divided equitably among all gardeners present. The give away is first come, first serve, and the best plants always go fast!
Please feel free to bring any extra plants that you’d like to give away, or perennials that you want to divide.
Please remember to bring whatever you will need to take the plants away with you (your own boxes, bags, flats, strong friends...)
CUPCAKE SOCIAL - CLOTHING SWAP
A fundraiser to support Christie Pits Community Garden
Join us Sunday the 21th,
at the
Press Club 850 Dundas St. W.
From 6 - 9 p.m.
Bring 1-5 pieces of clothing to swap, Suggested Donation of $5
Door Prizes!
TELECONFERENCE FOR ACGA MEMBERS
To Join ACGA Click Here
Join us for
A Q & A about the ACGA's 30th Anniversary Conference
with ACGA Board Members Betsy Johnson and Bill Maynard
June 10, 4 p.m. EST, 3 p.m. CST, 2 p.m. MST, 1 p.m. PST
Join us in July for
Community Gardens and Farmers Markets
July 15, 4 p.m. EST
All Teleconferences are recorded and are available for download from the ACGA website.
Register today by emailing your name, ACGA membership number, organization, city, and short description of your garden/program to share with other participants: info@communitygarden.org, or call toll-free (877) 275-2242.
Please register 24 hrs. prior to the teleconference to allow for processing. Those who register will receive a reply email from ACGA with the telephone number and access code you will need to use to enter the call. Conference calls typically last 60-90 minutes and involve a portion of time for questions and answers from the guest speaker and the audience.
ACCESS PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS
Teleconferences sponsored by Adrienne Young
Leslieville Tree Festival
When the community of Leslieville joined the City of York in 1884, it provided old Toronto with fresh food from market gardens, bricks from the clay-works operations, and thousands of trees from namesake George Leslie’s nursery to shade the city’s ever-growing streets and parks.
Join us in celebrating the spirit of old Leslieville on June 20, and help us pay tribute to a neighbourhood that has maintained a unique community spirit and local charm to this day
June 20 2009 Leslie Grove Park
Queen and Jones | 12 noon to 5pm
Walking tour starts at 10am at 1444 Queen St. E
Here's a quick sample of the festivities:
- A Heritage Toronto walking tour featuring stories about the history of Leslieville (starts at 10 am from 1444 Queen St. E and ends in park at 12 noon)
- A plaque and tree planting at 12 noon dedicated to George Leslie, the community's namesake and provider of many of Toronto's present-day trees
- A main stage featuring Juno-nominated, Green Toronto Award winner Chris McKhool and local band the Burning Boyz
- Kids' tree-related crafts and activities, including the return of the popular Tree Detective
- Native plant sale and fresh, organic food from local farmers and vendors
- A wide array of "green" goods, local art and handmade crafts
- Educational displays from environmental groups
- Seminar with Douglas Green, experienced organic gardener, author of "A Guide to Canadian Vegetable Gardening"
Celebrating 125 years of
Life in Leslieville
Jobs of the Future: Where will you work?
posted May 26, 2009
Date: June 18, 2009
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Flemingdon Neighbourhood Services 10 Gateway Boulevard, Suite #104 Toronto
Link to Google Map
The "green economy" is promising new jobs for everyone, but where are these jobs? Where do you get training? What resources are available?
This information session will feature a panel of informed employers who will talk about job opportunities that exist today.
Jobs such as:
posted May 26, 2009
Christie Pits Community Garden Groundbreaking Event
Date: Sunday May 31
Time: 11am (Pizza around 2pm)
Location: Christie Pits Park!
Map
The garden area is in the south west corner of the park
What to Bring: bring your gloves, shovels, watering cans, (and your water bottles), wheelbarrows and get ready to dig!
Help us get the Christie Pits Community Garden off the ground!
We will be digging, planting, creating paths and eating pizza on Sunday to get this garden growing. There will be experienced gardeners on hand to answer questions, fresh pizza from the Christie Pits bake oven, a visit from Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone and music for your enjoyment. In exchange, bring your gloves, shovels, watering cans, wheelbarrows and get ready to dig!
The soil in Christie Pits is in desperate need of compost. We built compost tumblers so that we will have rich, organic compost in 3 weeks. Bring us your vegetable scraps, egg shells and coffee grinds so we can get the compost started. Please note: with the exception of egg shells, compost donations need to be vegan and oil free in order to cut down on odours and have a quick turn around time.
Pizza and water will be supplied, please bring your own water bottle so we can cut down on waste.
Even if you are not directly involved in the garden, if you have questions, contributions, or just want to get your hands dirty for a day come see us on Sunday, we have lots to do!
Second Base Youth Shelter Garden
please contact the e-mail address below for the more current information
Volunteers are needed at the homeless youth shelter, Second Base, in Scarborough.
The chef, who teaches the kids cooking skills and does general cooking for them, wants to organize a vegetable garden in the full-sun backyard of this shelter.
If you or anyone you know is interested in volunteering for an upcoming gardening initiative at Second Base Youth Shelter we would love to have your support. If you wish to volunteer on the project please attend an information session being hosted at Second Base on May 20th at 7pm in the drop-in space. This orientation session will be kept brief, but we will be discussing plans for the date of planting as well as the direction and vision of the program and how it will impact the youth.
Skills needed for this stage of planning:
- we need people with good gardening skills to help plan the layout of the garden and when and where things should get planted.
- we also need people with experience in working with youth and the challenges they face,
- we will need people with leadership skills, that have experience using general gardening tools and can show the youths and other volunteers how to use them.
- we are also looking for a long term volunteer to help teach the staff and youth how to maintain the garden for the season.
- we also appreciate general volunteers, people with good hearts
- If you aren’t currently a staff member or volunteer at Second Base please be sure to bring photo ID for a police check.
- Volunteers must be twenty-two years of age and older.
Soil Day With John Slack
At the Perth Dupont community Garden
Monday May 18th, 5pm
Come and join the Perth Dupont Community Garden as we welcome John Slack and learn about soil.
Soil Day is a tour of the garden with John. You will learn about the soil life, the soil health, and how to care for your soil. As he does soil tests in different areas of the garden, you can ask him your gardening questions.
He will be bringing his soil testing equipment. The City does some soil tests for Gardens located in Parks, but that is just for toxic stuff. John does testing to see the fertility of the soil.
The Perth Dupont Community Garden is located just north of Bloor St. and west of Lansdowne Ave. We are one block west of Symington Ave, just a short walk up Perth Ave. north of Dupont St. The entrance to the garden is on Perth Ave, Location.
For more information contact mail@tcgn.ca
and visit the Perth Dupont website: www.perth-dupont.parkcommons.ca
Garden Jane
Please read the note from the desk of Garden Jane, it is inspiring and informative!
Click on poster to enlarge it.
Plant Fair Saturday May 9
Join us at
Parkdale School & Community Centre
75 Lansdowne at Seaforth
Volunteers can start as early as 7am
Members’ Advance Sale 9–10am
Assemble in the Vendors’ gym
Plant Fair for the general public 11am to 2pm
Here’s the Hort. secret to a successful Plant Fair...
It’s your generosity with plant divisions from your garden.
The perennial divisions contributed by members are the core of our fundraising success. Without your spade work and generosity we can’t do it. Don’t forget to label your divisions thoroughly and include photos if you can. It makes for a guaranteed sale if you show the plant at its best. A sample pdf document is down-loadable that to may find useful for plant labeling. (not available yet)
Take your divisions to one of the drop off locations listed below before Friday May 8
'''Drop off locations:
97 Fermanaugh Avenue (near Roncesvalles)
112 Robinson Street (North of Queen at Claremont)
129 Evans Avenue (East of Jane and South of Annette)
not far from the tree presents...
Spring Blossom Fest!
Sunday, May 10th (1:00-4:00pm)
at the Spadina Museum Orchard
285 Spadina Road, next to Casa Loma
Spadina Museum's 50-odd fruit trees are ready to perform for you. Many will be in full blossom on Sunday, May 10th. So we've orchestrated an afternoon of lazy fun for you to enjoy. The Spring Blossom Fest is a great Mother's Day destination, and a really relaxed way to spend your Sunday. Oh and it's FREE.
Attractions:
- blossoms
- DJ Quim in the orchard
- get your portrait taken (on your own, with friends, or with your mom!) by the famous Rannie Turingan.
- get a tour of the orchard with heritage horticulturalist Wendy Woodword (at 2pm)
- picnic blankets will be strewn between the blossoming trees
- blossom-less trees will be adorned with playful artistic installations for this special occasion
- apples will be offered for everybody
Here's a map (with subway stations)
Laura Reinsborough, Project Coordinator
Get your garden off drugs!
You don’t have to be a master gardener to play a starring role in this year’s David Suzuki Digs My Garden contest. You just have to be a passionate storyteller who believes pesticide-free growing is the way of the future.
Share the story of your garden—win a signed Robert Bateman print, and Aaron’s favorite shirt (an the right).
If you'd like to win prizes for showing us your pesticide-free garden — we're looking for you! You don't have to be an expert gardener, simply gardening organically gives you a chance to win.
We're ready to give away a dozen of our super-popular David Suzuki Digs My Garden T-Shirts, books, heritage seed packages, and other cool prizes, just for sending in your entry. And if your garden is voted most popular? You win a signed Robert Bateman print "Summer Garden -- Young Robin"
But the coolest prize is the David Suzuki Digs My Garden T-Shirt: let Aaron explain why it’s his favorite shirt in this video.
Just send a photo and the story of how you garden pesticide-free
to: gardens@davidsuzuki.org with PHOTO AND STORY in the subject line.
Images must not exceed 4MB, stories should be 200 words or less. Deadline August 1st, 2009.
Remember, just entering gives you a chance to win a David Suzuki Digs My Garden 100% Pesticide-Free T-Shirt and other prizes.
Click here to To enter, or find out more about this contest: www.davidsuzuki.org
Deadline for entries is Aug 1st, 2009.
East York Community Garden
EAST YORK COMMUNITY GARDEN
REVITALIZATION
MEETING
Wednesday, May 6th
7:30 pm
@ the Seniors’ Apartment Bldg beside the Garden at 9 Haldon Ave.
LET’S GET THIS GARDEN GOING AGAIN!
Address e-mails to:
East York Community Garden eastyorkgarden@hotmail.com for more information.
Website: www.eycg.ca
Bickford Park Planting Day
Want to get to know your neighbours?
Make your community cleaner and greener?
Come out and join
the Bickford Park
Planting Day
What: Bickford Park Planting Day
When: Sunday, April 26, 2009, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Where: Bickford Park (North of Harbord, West of Grace, South of Bloor, East of Montrose) We will meet at 11:00 at the north east corner of the park (that would be Grace Street).
What Could You Bring: A trowel, shovel, wheelbarrow, perennials and shrubs to donate.
Click here for the map .
For more information contact Friends of Bickford Park at: bickfordpark@hotmail.com .
Seedlings for Community Gardens
The Stop Community Food Centre is growing a limited number of vegetable and herb seedlings for community gardens in our greenhouse at the Green Barn .
Seedling Pick-up
Friday, May 22 3:00-7:00 p.m.
601 Christie St. Barn 4
See the map
You must register in advance.
Contact Kristen at kristen@thestop.org
or call (416)651 7867 ext. 21
in order to pick up your seedlings.
There is a limited number of seedlings, so this offer is only open to community gardens and we ask that only one representative from each garden come to pick up plants. We regret that we cannot deliver.
Feel free to bring bulbs and perennials to exchange!
Compost Bin Building Bonanza!!
FoodShare Toronto will be building, five - three-bin (nine feet long) composters for local community gardens. Come Join us!
---So Sorry--- Both event days have been filled, but please check the FoodShare website for other opportunities to volunteer. //www.foodshare.net
Prep-build event:
When: Thursday, April 16th from 2-5:30
Where: FoodShare 90 Croatia St.
Main building event:
When: Saturday, April 18th from 9:30 - 3pm
Where: FoodShare FoodShare 90 Croatia St.
This is your chance to learn how to build a compost bin, and have lots of fun while doing it!
We are looking for both people who have carpentry-type experience,
and those who wish to learn.
If you can't make the Saturday, we are having a prep-build on...
Thursday, April 16th from 2-5:30 followed by a supper. So come on out for some fun, physical work, a chance to sharpen up your carpentry skills and put some of your creative energy into a great project!
RSVP to Angela by April 16th by email: angela@foodshare.net
or by phone 416-363-6441 ex 227.
FoodShare is just off the Bloor Subway line at the Dufferin Station stop, at Brock and Croatia St. (near the Dufferin Mall).
FoodShare map and directions here: //www.foodshare.net/whoweare03.htm.
Or call us for more detailed directions (416)363-6441.
Organic Turf Management
From the desk of Garden Jane
I hope this finds you happy and well! The Garden Jane gang is definitely up for spring planting. We passed time this winter with enjoyable discussions of 'No Work' gardening and studies of soil life.
And now that spring has turned the first corner, it is time to start some seeds and consider joining us for a workshop, discussion, story or activity. On Sat April 18th we run the first Introduction to Organic Gardening and Permaculture workshop of the season. The workshop continues to evolve and there is lots of new content this year. There are May dates for that workshop too, as well as the Soil Food Web (Organic Soils) workshop. The crux of organic gardening is in the soil, so consider that one if you are serious about growing organic.
Kids and families can join us for a new season of story telling and activities in several places. And for gardeners looking to connect to other beings in spirit, there is a new Deep Gardening for Social Change workshop too. The question we consider is how to get peaceful with diverse life forms. Any self aware gardener knows that can be a challenge. (We can be all **love and light** while the garden is the way we like it, but if a cucumber beetle family shows up in the hood, peace is a Big Issue.)
Deep Gardening for Social Change
From the desk of Garden Jane
Deep Gardening for Social Change
(part of Toronto Community Development Institute)
Fri April 24th, 10 am - 5 pm
$65-$75 or attend institute for another 2-3 days for an additional $40/day.
This workshop delves into deep gardening as a way to change the way we eat, grow and relate to food. Deep gardening integrates several organic approaches, including biodynamics, permaculture and sustainable agriculture. While non-denominational, deep gardening is influenced by Buddhism, earth-based spiritualism and nature-based religions. Come prepared to garden.
Register from Friday Apr 27th at www.torontocdi.ca
For more information on services, events or workshops, contact:
Jane Hayes at permagarden@yahoo.com
or (416)536-9144.
www.gardenjane.com
Introduction to Organic Gardening and Permaculture
From the desk of Garden Jane
Sat Apr 18th 10 am - 3 pm
or
Sat May 9th 10 am - 3 pm
or
Sat May 30th, 10 am - 3 pm
$50-75 sliding scale (incl. take home resources).
This hands on workshop introduces organic gardening, permaculture theory and seasonal hands on activities.
Topics:
- vegetable gardening;
- permaculture design;
- organic and permaculture practices;
- plant guilds (plants that grow well together, help soil tilth and support the larger ecosystem);
- dynamic accumulators (plants that accumulate nutrients & feed the soil); spring planting; soil building;
- cover crops & mulches; organic pest control.
It will be held at the High Park Childrens Garden.
Pre-registration required.
For more information on services, events or workshops, contact:
Jane Hayes at permagarden@yahoo.com
or (416)536-9144.
www.gardenjane.com
The Soil Food Web
From the desk of Garden Jane
The Soil Food Web (Intermediate)
Sun May 31st, 10 am - 1 pm
$30-45 sliding scale.
This workshop is for garden keeners who want to learn more about soil science and the soil food web. Topics: pH; Nitrogen and other macro and micro-nutrients; bacteria, fungi and other members of the food web; low and medium tech ways to make good compost tea and how to use it.
Good for those who have taken Intro to Organic Gardening.
This Workshop will be held at the High Park Children's Garden.
Pre-registration required.
For more information on services, events or workshops, contact:
Jane Hayes at permagarden@yahoo.com
or (416)536-9144.
www.gardenjane.com
Click on poster to enlarge it.
Bathurst-Finch Community Garden
We are starting a community garden in the Bathurst-Finch neighbourhood, referred to by the City of Toronto as Westminster Branson. If you have a green thumb, enjoy working with plants and would like to grow your own produce, please join us and participate to our public meeting to:
- Learn more about community gardens
- Form a steering committee
- Help advocate to the city the use of a garden site
- Help raise funds
WHEN: April 1st 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: 60 Rockford Rd. at the Rockford Primary School
For more information call (647)436-0835
or e-mail us at: BFgarden@gmail.com
Celebrate Spring with West End Flower Fairies!
Hello friends of West End Flower Fairies!
We are having a Spring Soiree in celebration and support of West End Flower Fairy Community Gardens on April 16 at Buddha Dog on Ronces! Please join us to kick off the gardening season in style - come learn more about WEFF, catch up with your garden old pals, meet new volunteers, and have a really teensy hot dog! They'll be entertainment, info displays, local wine and beer, and raffle prizes. It'll be lots of fun - don't miss it!
What: Spring Soiree in celebration and support of West End Flower Fairy Community Gardens
When: Thursday, April 16 at 7pm
Where: Buddha Dog, 163 Roncesvalles Avenue
For more information contact the Emerson Garden Flower Fairy
At the West End Flower Fairies westendflowerfairies@hotmail.com
And click here to see the description of the gardens of the West End Flower Fairies .
Come celebrate with us
Seeds Of Diversity
Protecting the Peoples Seeds
for 25 Years
Celebrate our 25th Anniversary
on Sunday April 5, 2009
9:00 - 4:00
at the Toronto Botanical Gardens
posted February 14, 2009
Will your kids go a little CRAZY over March Break?
Need something to do with them?
Join us for activities at the H.O.P.E. Community Garden
Wednesday March 18th & Friday March 20th
2 pm - 4 pm
Kids will make art, listen to stories and plant seeds.
Parents, we need you or a guardian there...
But you get to RELAX, make new friends and join in the activities if you want.
Dress for the outdoors. Rain or shine. We’ll have yummy snacks too.
Who:Children, ages 3-9 and a parent or guardian
Where: Masaryk Park, 220 Cowan Ave. (meet in the garden)
Cost: $5 per child (includes snack for all) Read More >>
Tree Tenders Training
May 5th, 12th, 19th, and 23rd
Tree Tenders Training (4 day course)
This program, comprised of 15 hours of training over four non-consecutive days, is designed for individuals who want to gain tree-related knowledge and skills.
If you’ve always wanted to learn more about how trees work, tree planting and tree care, this is the course for you! Each session provides fifteen hours of arboriculture training over four classes, which includes a combination of indoor and outdoor instruction. The final day of each session will feature a tree planting activity in Riverdale Park.
Some spots available for May - next course to be held in September.
Register online at www.leaftoronto.org/tree-tenders-registration .
Note: Completion of the first Tree Tenders course qualifies you to take further training with LEAF in the fall about how to initiate and manage your own community engagement projects.
Location: Riverdale Library, 370 Broadview Ave.
Located at the corner of Broadview Ave and Gerrard St East, Toronto
Time (please note you must attend each session in order to complete training):
- Tuesday May 5th: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
- Tuesday May 12th: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
- Tuesday May 19th: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
- Saturday May 23rd: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
For the Map click here .
Subway and parking info: City Parking lot located on Gerrard St. East, south side west of Broadview Ave. Limited street parking on side streets.
TTC streetcars: King #504, Dundas #505, Gerrard #506, they stop in front of the branch at all corners of Broadview & Gerrard.
Closest subway station: Broadview.
TTC Routes for routes and schedules.
Urban Forest Orientation Session
Thursday March 19th
Come to this free public information session to learn about our fascinating urban forest.
Learn what urban forestry programs, services and resources exist across the city. Meet people who are involved in interesting projects and campaigns and find out where you can fit in and volunteer! Share your ideas on how to protect and improve Toronto's urban forest.
Registration is recommended but not required.
To register call (416_413-9244 x 14
or register online at www.leaftoronto.org/event-registration-form .
Date: Thursday March 19th
Location: High Park Library,
Community Room (main floor),
228 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto
Time: 7 pm - 8:30 pm
For the mapclick here.
Subway and parking info: There is paid meter parking and limited 1 hour parking on side streets.
TTC Directions: Take the 504 streetcar from Dundas West Subway Station and get off at Fern Ave.
TTC Routes for routes and schedules.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Riverdale Meadow Community Garden Fiver Tours
Back Again by Popular Demand!
Sunday 15 March 2009
Sunday 22 March 2009
and
Sunday 5 April 2009
Sunday 19 April 2009
Cost $5- per person;
NO pre-registration - just show up on time...
We begin punctually at 2:00 pm.
Each tours run at least an hour, maybe a good bit more (depending on attendance numbers).
Riverdale Meadow Community Garden, at City Adult Learning Centre, 1 Danforth Avenue, west of Broadview; back of the school on the south meadow.
Wear sensible Canadian winter attire, including heavy footwear, scarves, hats, and wind-resistant coats. (We are located on the side of the Don Valley, where the winter winds blow, and the garden is on uneven natural terrain.)
This tour is an conversational lecture, with a informal question-and-answer as we progress from plot to plot in the garden. View a wide range of ColdFrames, from simple ground-level wire cage frames, to wire sign frame structures, simple wooden frames, through Low Raised Beds, to Tall Raised Beds in a range of microclimates. Learn about a range of covers (lights) with which to top frames, and about planting and watering strategies. See soil solarization for earliest spring head-starts in action. See simple structures used for hardening-off plants to outdoor climates for early planting-out of your own windowsill-started seedlings.
A book of photos demonstrating strategies adopted in previous years will also be available for viewing.
Published materials about related activities developed in this garden will be available for sale.
See riverdalemeadow.ca for related activities over recent years.
Christie Pits Community Garden
The members of the Christie Pits Community Garden would like to extend an invitation to their neighbours in the Christie Pits area (residing on or around Crawford and Shaw streets on the west, Barton Ave. and Pendrith St. on the north, and Christie and Clinton Streets on the east, and Bloor St. on the south.
Please come join us!
A new community vegetable garden has been approved in Christie Pits Park and we would like an interchange of support, in the community. We are inviting anyone who needs a space to garden, wants to participate in gardening workshops, or has questions about how a community garden will improve their neighborhood, to come to this very important meeting.
For more information please visit: christiepits.ca and click on FUTURE
E-mail: christiepitscommunitygarden@gmail.com
ColdFrames and Season Extension Techniques
Back Again by Popular Demand!
Building ColdFrame Workshops:
Saturday 7 March 2009
Saturday 14 March 2009
and
Saturday 4 April 2009
Saturday 11 April 2009
'all above run from 2:00pm - 5:00pm' (...and we begin punctually...)
Each date is a separate workshop covering similar material, and each above date requires individual pre-registration.
ColdFrames and Season Extension Techniques: covering both construction of simple wire cage frames and building wooden ColdFrames and Raised Beds; including a brief Garden Tour for examples of micro-climates, and of our successes (and failures).
Riverdale Meadow Community Garden, at City Adult Learning Centre, 1 Danforth Avenue, west of Broadview; back of the school on the south meadow.
Building wooden frames involves demonstrations and hands-on activities using power tools. Bring your own cordless drill, if you have one, and work gloves. All materials will be supplied; and the Raised Beds and ColdFrames built will be used in Riverdale Meadow Community Garden. These workshops will teach you how to build your own frames using recycled materials. You will learn how create shelters to grow foods outdoors for early head-starts each spring, for extending the seasons in the fall, and for growing foods outdoors through the winter that all use only the power of the sun.
How To Start a Community Garden
Learn how to start a community garden in your neighbourhood at this exciting 2-day workshop.
We’ll cover the basics: from finding land to finding gardeners to finding resources.
REGISTER NOW! Space is limited. Lunch is provided, Please ask if you need childcare
SLIDING SCALE: Agency Staff—$60, Students/Waged Workers—$20, Unwaged—free
PLEASE TALK TO US IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COST
NORTH YORK
Saturday February 7 AND 14
9:30 am—3:00 pm
Lawrence Heights Community Centre
5 Replin Road
(NEAR LAWRENCE AND ALLEN)
Please contact Ian to register: (416)363-6441 x 241 or
SCARBOROUGH
Saturday February 21 AND March 14
9:30 am—3:00 pm
85 Gilder Drive -Recreation Room-
(NEAR EGLINTON AND BRIMLEY)
Please contact Amanda to register: (416)652-7867 x 236 or
FREE Urban Forest Orientation Session
Date: Tuesday February 24th
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Location: North York Civic Centre, Committee Room 4, 5100 Yonge St. Toronto (at North York Centre subway stop)
This session will provide ideas, information and contacts for individuals and groups who want to get involved in tree planting and care as well as tree protection in their own neighbourhoods. If you want to find out more about what urban forestry programs, services and resources exist across the city, or if you are interested in volunteer opportunities, this event is for you! There will also be time to network with others in attendance. Meet people who are involved in interesting projects and campaigns and find out where you can fit in! Share your ideas on how to protect and improve Toronto's urban forest.
Free and open to the public. Registration is recommended but not required.
To register online go to leaftoronto.org/event-registration-form or call 416-413-9244 x14 for more information.
posted February 10, 2009
FREE LEAFy Drinks Thursday February 12th
Date: Thursday February 12th
Location: Victory Cafe,
581 Markham St.
Time: 7 pm - 10 pm
Map here
Subway and parking info here
Are you passionate about Toronto's urban forest? Join LEAF staff and volunteers at the Victory Cafe for LEAFy drinks on Thursday February 12th to have a pint and meet other Toronto tree lovers. If you're looking for ways to get involved, volunteer, or you're just eager to meet and greet others who share your love of Toronto's trees, this is the place for you. The event ends at 10 pm, so come early to get in the most chit-chat!
We'll be on the second floor with a bright green sign on our table so you'll know where we are.
If you're planning to bring a group of five or more, please RSVP to robin@leaftoronto.org so we can reserve more space
posted January 26, 2009
Ecological New Farmers Conference
Everdale and FarmStart present:
Ecological New Farmers Conference
- New Growers New Ideas
Sunday March 8th 2009
The Ecological New Farmers Conference is a one-day event for new or aspiring farmers. Come to the Toronto Botanical Gardens on Sunday, March 8 to hear new farmers' stories and learn from experienced growers.
We'll be offering a full day of workshops on a variety of topics including vegetable crop production planning, mixed livestock production, soil health, urban agriculture and regulations affecting vegetable & meat producers.
There will be 2 streams of workshops:
Explorers: - for those actively exploring the idea of farming but not yet certain if a farming future is in the cards.
Planners: - for those committed to full or part-time work in the field of agriculture, heading into their 1st or 2nd season.
More info: at www.everdale.org/newfarmersconference
Questions? Contact Angie at newfarmersconference@farmstart.ca
posted January 26, 2009
A SPIN Farming Workshop
Everdale's Farmers Growing Farmers Program and FoodShare are pleased to offer:
A SPIN Farming Workshop
Friday, February 6th 2009
1 pm - 5 pm
An overview of the Small Plot INtensive method with Paula Sobie, a SPIN farming expert and experienced urban grower from the West Coast!
This workshop will provide an overview of the essential aspects of starting and running an urban growing business. Topics covered will be: an overview of the SPIN method, top crops and strategies for making your enterprise profitable, working with land owners and business partners, urban growing strategies and an overview of start-up & operating costs.
Cost: $30 general public - per person
'''$40 organization - per person
To Register: www.everdale.org/node/231
Questions? Contact Harris at growingfarmers@everdale.org
The workshop will take place at FoodShare located at 90 Croatia St.
For directions see: www.foodshare.net/whoweare03.htm
Check out: www.spinfarming.com/
Resources available for sale on-line.
-- Farmers Growing Farmers
Everdale Farm
Winter office: (647)367-1816
posted January 15, 2009
Organic Turf and Soil workshops
Organic Soil and Turf Management Workshops for Professionals
Gaia Collage is pleased to present their Soil and Turf Workshops here in Toronto at the Center for Urban Ecology (Ecocenter)
Humber Aboretum
205 Humber College Blvd.,
www.humberarboretum.on.ca/inform.htm
Dates: Fri Mar 27, Sat Mar 28, Sun Mar 29 8:30-5:30
Parking is $7.00 per day in the long term parking lot. Food is available at various college facilities and (on Sunday) at the student residence. But we still ask people to bring their own lunch just in case.
If you have been wanting to move away from using chemicals to manage your landscapes, then the Organic Soil Management workshop will help prepare you to make this paradigm shift!
Soil is the foundation of landscape health. Whether you grow ornamental gardens, turf or vegetables, you need to understand how soil works.
Not just a lifeless and sterile ‘growing medium’ - soil is the exact opposite. It's an ecosystem, and needs to be managed as such. Soil processes are universal, regardless of what you are growing. Our job is primarily one of fine-tuning.
The greatest biodiversity on earth occurs (or should occur) in the top few inches of soil. Soil ecosystem health and plant health are inseparably linked.
What You Will Learn
posted January 13, 2009
Seedy Saturday 2009
Toronto’s Seedy Saturday is moving to a new venue this year! It’s an exciting move, bringing with it many new opportunities
Saturday February 28, 2009
open
from 2:00 pm until 6:00 pm
(Barn #2) Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St.
See the map
Seedy Saturday is Toronto's BEST Eco Fair,
With Seed exchange, Heirloom seeds for sale, gardening workshops, and kids activities.
The Theme this year is POTATOES, to read a bit more about heirloom potatoes please click here
Seedy Saturday is the day when the new gardening season begins in earnest. You can have an opportunity to learn more about gardening, hone and share your gardening skills, and buy or exchange vegetable and flower seeds.
We are seeking to ensure that there is an ample supply of heritage and organic seeds available. There will be organic gardening supplies, soil amendments, tools and resources. Environmental organizations and community groups will have information tables on topics of interest to gardeners.
And, as always, there will be food and beverage stands to enhance the overall experience and atmosphere.
What are the Artscape Wychwood Barns?
The Barns are located at 601 Christie Street, just south of St. Clair Avenue. Read More >>
AGRICULTURAL EXHIBIT
The universal story of birth, life, and death - of sowing, cultivation, and harvest – comes to life in this richly layered multimedia exhibition
A powerful photo essay by award-winning Toronto photographer, Vincenzo Pietropaolo, brings the story home by portraying the lives of Mexican farm workers here in Ontario as well as back home in their own communities.
Oct 3, 2008 – Jan 18, 2009
Harvest of Memories: Mexican Days of the Dead
http://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/exbonnow.aspx
AGRICULTURAL EXHIBIT
posted January 12, 2009
Presentation - Genetically Modified Food Crops
Presentation Thursday, January 15 2009,
7 pm at Friends House,
60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto
(at Bloor, one block north on Bedford)
Presentation on safety issues of genetically modified food crops
Arpad Pusztai, PhD degree from the University of London in biochemistry and physiology, former Senior Scientist at the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland
Thursday, January 15 2009, 7 pm at Friends House, 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto
(at Bloor, one block north on Bedford)
Arpad Pusztai will speak on his research into the safety issues of genetically modified food crops. Susan Bardocz, Professor of Nutrition at the Agricultural Faculty of University of Debrecen, and his wife, will also be available to speak on her research on the safety of GM foods.
For more information about Dr Pusztai and Dr Bardocz please check out our website at cielap.org
This event is co-sponsored by CIELAP, Quaker Institute for the Future, and
Bio-Ag Consultants and Distributors
Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy
130 Spadina Ave, Suite 305,
Toronto, ON,
M5V 2L4 Phone: 416-923-3529
Email: cielap@cielap.org
Website: cielap.org
posted January 05, 2009
Canadian Organic Growers is pleased and excited to be holding their 3rd annual conference
Growing and Eating for Nourishment and Nourishing the Future
Saturday, February 21, 2009 in downtown Toronto.
February 21, – one-day conference
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location: 89 Chestnut St., U of Toronto Conference Centre
Presented by Canadian Organic Growers $65 ($85 after Jan 15); COG members $55
Includes an organic lunch and mini-market!
Info and registration: www.cog.ca/toronto
Please Call: (416)466-9584 or E-mail: conference@cog.ca
If you care about the foods you eat, growing for quality, and the larger benefits of organic living, this one-day conference is for you. It’s time to acknowledge the science behind the benefits of organic food, and it’s time to act on what we know.
Keynote speaker is Carlo Leifert, the project leader of the largest, most comprehensive organic study every undertaken involving 30 research institutions, companies and universities throughout Europe and beyond. Using science to delineate fact from fiction, the variety and scope of results will amaze you. Panels include Growing for Nourishment, Pregnancy and Organic, All About Your Meat, Organic Restaurants, Importing DDT, Organic Makeover, Preserving and Canning, The Organic Wine Story and more. For a complete agenda, see www.cog.ca/toronto .
Content last modified on January 26, 2010, at 05:33 PM EST