Author Archives: Phil

About Phil

Research Associate, Nourishing Ontario

EFAO and WEFC host a Producer/Retailer Discussion Panel

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The EFAO and West End Food Coop are offering a panel discussion highlighting local growers and buyers sharing their experiences as well as buyer expectations for producers. The panel includes:

Wolfgang Pfenning of Pfennings Organic Farm
Paul Sawtell of 100Km Foods
Brent Preston of The New Farm
And More!

Location: Villa (Ignatius CSA Farm)
5420 Highway 6 North
Guelph, ON

Date: Thursday March 28th

Agenda: The panel will begin at 10:00am
Light lunch provided 12:00noon
1:00pm-3:00pm Informal networking time

If you operate a small to medium sized farm and would find out more about how your farm could start selling to retail and or through a distributor please contact Karen Maitland to register at info@efao.ca  or phone at 519-822-8606

Building Sustainable Regional Food Systems: two workshops

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March 18, 9.30 – 4.00 – Food System Sustainability – Addressing Local Barriers to Success South West Regional Gathering 2013
Grey Bruce Health Unit, 101 17th Street East, Owen Sound
Purpose of the Gathering: To bring together people from diverse sectors to identify and address current challenges to supporting a local, sustainable food system.
Participants of this workshop will:
  1. Better understand the mandates, interests and challenges faced by various sectors involved in our local food system
  2. Discuss and determine what actions might be taken to address these challenges at the local, regional, provincial or national level
  3. Learn about local initiatives which have successfully supported the local food system Identify “next steps” that are timely, relevant and actionable.

 

March 21, 9.30 – 4.00 – Finance, Farms and Food Forum
Exploring new ways to organize and raise money for sustainable food system projects
1694 Colborne St East, Brantford

This forum provides tools to help farmers and food related businesses to raise funds through the development of co-operatives, and/or by selling community bonds.
Learn:

  • how conservancies and land trusts can work with retiring farmers to help them get the price they want, while still protecting their farmland
  • how conservancies and land trusts provide long term leases for farmers seeking land, whether it be for a small 2-3 acre market garden or for livestock and crops?

Eric Holt-Gimenez to speak in Toronto

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Food Movements Unite! Strategies to transform our food systems

How are the world’s food movements converging in all of their diversity? This presentation from a renowned food movement leader will explore the practical and political implications of alliances and food regime change. Harriet Friedmann and other Toronto food leaders will comment on Eric’s talk and lead the Q+A.
Eric Holt-Gimenez is the Executive Director of Food First in the U.S.

Tuesday March 19
Metro Hall, Room 309
55 John Street, Toronto
7:00-9:00pm
Free event

Urban and peri-urban food: two discussions

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The SUPURBFOOD project (www.supurbfood.eu) is looking to identify experiences from the global South and North with recycling of nutrients, waste and water in urban and peri-urban agriculture, short chain delivery of food in urban and peri-urban areas, and multifunctional agriculture in urban and peri-urban areas in order to enrich South-North exchange and collaboration.  We are specifically interested in innovative experiences – with a special focus on the type of business models that were applied, the role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and their sustainability.

Read more…

Food System Sustainability Gathering

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South West Regional Gathering: Food System Sustainability
Addressing Local Barriers to Success

This one-day forum will bring together people from diverse sectors to identify and address current challenges to supporting a local, sustainable food system

When 
Monday, March 18, 2013
(Registration/ Networking   9:30)
Program – 10 am to 3 pm

Grey Bruce Health Unit
101 17th Street East,
Owen Sound

For further details…

Fortnightly Feast vol. 3

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2nd Annual UVM Food Systems Summit – June 2013
This June, UVM’s Food Systems Summit will be the venue for intense examination and exchange of ideas, knowledge, and practical skills. A valuable part of the summit is the The Necessary [r]Evolution for Sustainable Food Systems Conference on June 27.
Read the full story…

5th AESOP Sustainable Food Planning Conference
The next AESOP Sustainable Food Planning Conference will be held October 28 and 29 in Montpellier France. The main theme of the 2013 conference is ‘Innovations in Urban Food Systems’.
Read the full story…

Regional Sustainable Food Systems Coordinator (Oxfam)
Climate change, lack of access to agricultural markets, and financial resources, high food prices, dispute for natural resources, and gender discrimination issues are just some of the factors preventing a fair and sustainable food system for the people of Latin America. And with the aim to find lasting solutions to poverty, Oxfam is working hard to make a difference. Shaping plans and putting them into action, you’ll help us to help people to help themselves. Read the full job posting…

Waterloo Region Food Charter
Vision: A healthy, just, and sustainable food system is one in which all residents have access to, and can afford to buy, safe, nutritious, and culturally acceptable food that has been produced in an environmentally sustainable way, and that supports our rural communities. Such a food system promotes social justice, population health, and profitable farms, reflects and sustains local culture, and supports ecological viability.
Read the full Charter…
Endorse the Waterloo Region Food Charter…

More Money For Food Hubs in New York State
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The state is making $3.6 million available for the creation of four new food distribution centers that link small farms and growers to large buyers.  New facilities are proposed for the North Country, the Mid-Hudson Valley, the Finger Lakes and Central New York.  So-called “food hubs” were a major topic of discussion at a recent Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group conference at Saratoga Springs City Center, with more than 400 people on hand from Maine to West Virginia.
Read the full story…

Cooperative Community Shops
Community-owned village shops continue to be one of the leading success stories of the UK co-operative and social enterprise movement. In 1992 there were just 33 community-owned shops; 20 years on there are 303, with a further 20 anticipated to open by the end of 2013. Read the full story…

Home-grown food part of a new vision of urban development
Cities feeding themselves is an idea that is gaining traction. In Burlington, Vermont, more than 8 per cent the food consumed by residents is grown within the city limits.
Read the full story…

USDA Releases Report on the Growing Importance of Food Hubs in Rural America
…”The dramatic increase in the number of food hubs since President Obama took office has been supported by state and federal efforts including USDA programs like Rural Business Enterprise Grant, Rural Business Opportunity Grant, Value-Added Producer Grant, and the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program.”  Read the full story…

Exploring New Possibilities in Land Tenure
Partner wanted for new farm
We’re looking for a farm couple / farmer with experience in any of vegetables, berries, fruit, mushrooms, medicinal herbs and / or livestock to help re-create a farm, preferably using permaculture / biodynamic principles, on this 150-year-old former dairy farm. It ís 200 acres, about 50 acres pasture / meadow, most of the rest forest, in East Meredith, NY (Delaware County, near Delhi / Oneonta).
There ís plenty of water, sun and worms. The barn burned down. The land is organic (unofficially). Would like to develop a relationship beginning with rent or lease, leading to some kind of cooperative arrangement.
This is a unique opportunity for the right people to establish an operation from scratch. To discuss possibilities, please call Carl Arnold at 718 788 5944 or 607 278 5820, or e-mail resume and letter to carlarnold at mac.com

Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Local Food Procurement (YouTube video)

… and finally

Urban Food Strategies Webinar: Foodlinks European Research Project.
In Foodlinks we are analysing and engaging in knowledge brokerage activities and creating effective linkages between scientists, civil society actors and policy makers, to promote research and practice on sustainable food systems. To achieve this, Communities of Practice (CoP) were established in different themes, one of them revolving around Urban Food Strategies, where we are tackling the rise of municipalities and city-regions as food policy makers, pointing to new relations between the government and civil society.
In the framework of this work and jointly with Purefood European Project, we are holding a webinar on Urban Food Strategies to explore recent and ongoing research in this field.

The webinar will take place on 12th of March 2013, 15:00 – 16:00 (GMT)

After a brief introduction by Professor Kevin Morgan, Jessica Jane Spayde and Jess Halliday will present different structures and governance approaches that urban food strategies (UFS) and food policy councils (FPC) use in working toward sustainable urban and peri-urban food systems.
Jessica Jane Spayde will discuss the key roles UFSs and FPCs play in urban food systems. She will also discuss the ways in which UFSs and FPCs are focusing on integrating and facilitating between civil society, government, and the private sector. They also are using their positions to raise awareness of the problems in the food system, which helps create a culture where people are more likely to demand sustainability changes from governments and private food companies.
Jess Halliday will explore how each urban food strategy is enabled and/or constrained by its multi-level governance context. Using examples from her own research on UFSs in England she will set out a framework consisting of factors that can affect the ability of a strategy to meet its own objectives. She will explain how it can be used to draw comparisons between strategies in very different governance settings, and can be used to help cities formulate strategies that are context appropriate.
After the presentations, there will be an interactive Q&A session moderated by Dr. Ana Moragues Faus.  Please join us for this exciting event.
Register here:   http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=E953DA83824931
If you have any queries about the webinar or the Foodlinks project please get in touch: MoraguesFausA1 at cardiff.ac.uk
For more information visit: http://purefoodlinks.eu
https://knowledgehub.local.gov.uk/web/foodlinksurbanfoodstrategies

 

A conversation with UN Special Rapporteur Olivier De Schutter

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Join Canadians across the country for this incredible opportunity to have the UN at your fingertips! Check the list (pdf) for an event near you, or look below for details on the Guelph and Toronto events.

Bringing the UN to Guelph – join Food Secure Canada for a conversation with the Special Rapporteur on the right to food !

When : on March 4th, 2013 from 12pm to 1h30pm EST.
Where : University of Guelph, Hutt Building, Room 234
Hosts : FarmStart / Guelph Sustainable Food Researchers Group
RSVP : sri@farmstart.ca or call Sri Sethuratnum at 519-836-7046 ext. 107

Public Event @ The University of Toronto:
The webinar will also be live-streamed at the University of Toronto. All are welcome to attend.

Claude T. Bissell Building, Room 205, 140 St. George Street.
11:30am – 1:30pm
Includes introductory speaker and informal post-discussion
No RSVP required
Contact Charles Levkoe charles.levkoe@utoronto.ca

By teleconference from Geneva, Olivier De Schutter, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, will present the main results of the report of his mission to Canada and participate in discussion with key Canadian stakeholders such as yourselves. Get a chance to hear more and ask questions on the topics addressed in the preliminary report such as poverty, growing inequity, health, obesity, sustainable agriculture and food systems, and the rights of First Nations, Northern and remote communities to healthy and affordable food. This event is in collaboration with Food Secure Canada.
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Fortnightly Feast

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3 Upcoming Webinars:

Food Hubs – The Missing Link for Farm to Cafeteria

Farm to Cafeteria Canada‘s “Dig In” webinar series, in cooperation with the Ontario Farm to School Challenge, are pleased to bring you an exciting opportunity to learn about local food hubs serving the needs of school food programs. Julia Erlbaum, Founder and Principal Consultant at Real Food Colorado, will discuss her experience with existing food hub models and programs that support schools’ ability to access and use more locally-grown food.

This webinar will be held Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 3pm and will be 30 minutes long. To register, please go to Sustain Ontario‘s webex site

 

Land and Site Management

Join the National Incubator Farm Training Initiative (NIFTI) for a webinar on managing shared infrastructure and incubator sites. Partners from the Intervale Center, the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project, the International Rescue Committee and the Minnesota Food Association will discuss a wide variety of topics including leasing land, soil fertility management, infrastructure development, urban farming initiatives and general site maintenance (budget, staffing, etc.).

This webinar is designed for those interested in or already operating land-based beginning farmer training programs. We will include ample time at the end for participant questions.

Please note, a recording of this webinar will be available online afterwards at https://nifti.wikispaces.com/Webinars.
Title: NIFTI Webinar 5 – Land and Site Management
Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Time: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now

 

Webinars on Social Enterprise for Nonprofits

February 27: Intro to Social Enterprise and Earned Revenue Strategies for Nonprofits
(presented in English at 10:30am and French at 1:00pm)

Is your nonprofit interested in generating funds that aren’t designated to a particular project?  Is your organization already exploring business ideas?
Are you a social entrepreneur with an idea for a community enterprise?
Are you wondering if your business idea is feasible?

The Rural Social Enterprise Constellation (RSEC) is pleased to present our Social Enterprise Webinar Series, beginning on February 27.  This series is sponsored by the Rural Social Enterprise Constellation (RSEC) of the Ontario Nonprofit Network and will be of particular interest to rural nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs.  For more information about the RSEC Project visit Rural Social Enterprise Constellation

Registration will open on February 1

 

Abbey Gardens: the Haliburton County Food Hub

“The Food Hub will retail local food products from our Gardens and from local partner growers, bringing Convenience to local food shopping and increasing the distribution capacity of our local food supply systems.”

 

“Sustainable Foods Summit Calls for Greater Supply Chain Efficiencies”

…offering large and small-scale adaptations to improve sustainable outcomes

 

The rise of Generation Y in the sustainable marketplace

Often considered to be “born green” because they grew up in a society where eco-consciousness was becoming a norm, and often to baby boomer parents who founded the environmental movement, it is only recently that Generation Y has begun to show leadership in the sustainable marketplace.

 

Althaea Herb Farm Barter and Volunteer Positions for 2013

Althaea Herb Farm is located 1/2 km. outside of Guelph, ON and is accessable by bus, walking or car-pool.
There are 2 positions on offer this year:
# 1 – Barter positions – 5 hrs. / wk. commitment. Trade your labor for plants, fresh herbs, dried herbs, tinctures, etc.
# 2 – General Volunteers – agree to be on phone / e-mail list and they’ll call / e-mail when they need help.
Get in touch for more details.

 

Greenbelt Fund Green Papers — Volume 4

Access: Identifying Processed Food Origin

 

FarmOn: A Community of Social Learning

“Some say you can’t make a living faming: we respectfully disagree.”

 

… and for something completely different:

Horse meat – the hardest thing to digest is that it’s your fault