Tag Archives: Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security

Every Good Recipe Starts with a Seed!

The Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN) helps to support local gardeners and farmers in growing healthy, nutritious food by providing them with good seeds, and information on research-supported farming practices.
In conjunction with The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, ACORN hosts seed field days, runs workshops on seed production, organizes seed mentorship programs, and supports research and seed collection projects that strengthen local seed libraries.
This new video, part of the Nourishing Communities Social and Informal Economies of Food video series, demonstrates the lasting value that lessons in seed saving can have in your community.

Food Trade Game

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Come celebrate World Food Day 2015 by playing the Food Trade Game!

October 16th is World Food Day. To mark the occasion, on October 15th Wilfrid Laurier University’s Centre for Sustainable Food Systems is hosting a Food Trade Game.
The game is a fun way of experiencing the realities of our global food system through role-playing and simulation. Randall Coleman will be facilitating, and we will be joined by special guest Aabir Dey of the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security. If you are in or near the Waterloo area, come join us! Details and registration: http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/world-food-day-2015-play-the-food-trade-game-tickets-18424457047

Seed Saving in Northern Ontario

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Workshop Series – Sault St. Marie & Sudbury

(La version française suivra)

The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security the Sault Ste. Marie Horticultural Society and FarmStart (with funding from FedNor and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation) are pleased to bring Michelle Smith of Northwind Farm all the way from Cape Breton to Sault Ste. Marie to offer an in-depth seed production workshop series for farmers and gardeners. These workshops are offered in conjunction with Seedy Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie– come early to take part in the seed exchange, tradeshow, and other seedy activities!

Local food should come from local seed. But what are the challenges of producing high quality local seed in Northern Ontario? How can we overcome those challenges? Most seed-saving resources do not offer tips on how to grow seed in marginal climates or regions that experience shorter growing seasons. Learn how to push the limits of your region, from market gardener and seed-saver, Michelle Smith of Northwind Farm. Michelle has been growing vegetables and open-pollinated, heirloom seeds in the challenging climates of Cape Breton for 30 years. Check out this excellent series of workshops we have put together to save seed in Northern Ontario:

Sault St. Marie information, dates, descriptions & registration

Sudbury information, dates, descriptions & registration

*Veuillez noter que ces ateliers sont seulement offerts en anglais.*

L’Initiative de la famille Bauta sur la sécurité des semences au Canada, la Société d’horticulture de Sault Ste. Marie et FarmStart (avec l’aide financière de FedNor et de la Société de gestion du Fonds du patrimoine du Nord de l’Ontario) sont fiers d’accueillir nul autre que Michelle Smith de la ferme Northwind, qui se déplace du Cap-Breton jusqu’à Sault Ste. Marie pour offrir aux fermiers et fermières une série d’ateliers approfondis sur la production de semence. Ces ateliers sont offerts dans le cadre de la Fête des semences de Sault Ste Marie, samedi le 7 mars 2015 – arrivez tôt pour profiter de la table d’échange de semence, des expositions, et des autres activités spéciales de la journée!

Notre nourriture locale devrait provenir de semences locales. Par contre, au nord de l’Ontario, il y a plusieurs défis à relever afin de produire des semences viables. Comment pouvons-nous les surmonter? Les ressources qui nous sont présentement disponibles ne nous donnent malheureusement aucune directive en ce qui concerne la production de semences dans un climat marginal ou dans une région ayant une courte saison de croissance. Apprenez comment profiter pleinement de ce que peut offrir votre région avec l’aide de Michelle Smith, maraîchère chevronnée et experte en conservation de semences. Depuis plus de 30 ans, Michelle cultive une vaste gamme de semences patrimoniales à pollinisation libre dans les conditions climatiques rudes du Cap-Breton. Elle est donc fière de pouvoir vous partager ses connaissances dans ces prochains ateliers :

Sault St. Marie information, dates, descriptions & registration

Sudbury information, dates, descriptions & registration

Seeding the Future

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SEED CONNECTIONS CONFERENCE

November 7th, 8th, 9th, 2014
MacDonald Campus of McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec

The Eastern Canadian Organic Seed Growers Network (ECOSGN) Seed Connections conference is a fully bilingual event bringing together farmers, seed-savers, seed companies, community gardeners, researchers, and experts on organic seed production to share knowledge, skills, and experience over a packed, 3-day agenda!

Brought to you by ECOSGN, The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security and Seeds of Diversity Canada

Seed Facilitation Fund

The goal of the Seed Facilitation Fund is to help build a diverse and resilient seed system by strengthening the capacity of ecological vegetable seed and field crop producers. The Fund provides financial support to organizations and individuals who share the values and goals of our program, and who are undertaking initiatives that help advance the following objectives:

To increase the quality, quantity and diversity of ecologically grown Canadian seed
To promote public access to seed
To facilitate information-sharing and collaboration among individuals and organizations committed to advancing an ecological and diverse seed system in Canada
To respect, advance, and promote the knowledge of farmers in seed and food production

Applicants may submit proposals for a maximum of $8,000per project. In total, approximately $200,000 will be allocated across the country in 2015.

TIMELINE
This call for proposals is launched October 6, 2014
The deadline for applications is November 17, 2014
Click here for applications and details…

Atlantic Canada Regional Seed Bank

from the Herald News, October 20, 2014
A seed of survival was planted at Dalhousie University’s agriculture campus on Monday.

“Up to 10,000 plant species or maybe more are at risk of extinction,” said Stephanie Hughes, regional co-ordinator for the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security.

That said, Hughes and partners Dalhousie, USC Canada and Seeds of Diversity Canada announced the first regional seed bank in Atlantic Canada, to be housed at the university’s plant and animal science department. The bank is intended to help farmers create a stronger local food system, while focusing on high-quality, diverse, local seed that has agronomic, historical and cultural importance to the region.
Read more…