Email info@rootcellarsrock.ca to add your community food events to this listing or future months!
International Compost Awareness Week
When: May 6 - 12 Where: International
Across the United States U.K., Australia, and Canada, composting advocates will be encouraging everyone to use Compost! All types of composting events — from “do it yourself” composting in your backyard to large-scale community-wide composting — can be promoted during the week. The theme for 2012 is: Compost!…Replenish the Earth for Generations. Find out more about Compost Awareness Week in Canada from the the week's Facebook page, Compost Council of Canada, our local MMSB, and MUN Botanical Garden (see below). Composting will be the hot topic all week on the Root Cellars Rock Facebook page as well!
International Compost Awareness Week at MUN Botanical Garden
When: May 6 - 12 Where: MUN Botanical Garden, 306 Mt. Scio Rd., St. John's Cost: Free
Come to MUN Botanical Garden and celebrate composting! FREE lunch time compost and gardening information demonstrations, offered weekdays, noon – 1 p.m. (Registration is not required). Thanks to MMSB, a compost bin will be given away daily after each lecture.
- Monday, May 7 – The ABC's of Composting
- Tuesday, May 8 - Vermicomposting (Worm Composting)
- Wednesday, May 9 - Getting the Most From Your Soil
- Thursday, May 10 - Waking Up Your Spring Garden Bed
- Friday, May 11 – Spring Gardening Q&A – Be sure to bring your gardening questions for our staff to answer.
Family program on Sunday, May 6th. More information at www.mun.ca/botgarden/events/
Hunger Awareness Week
When: May 7- 11 Where: Across Canada
Hunger Awareness Week is about raising awareness of the solvable problem of hunger in Canada. Food banks across the country hold events to tell the story of the work they do, and the stories of hungry Canadians assisted by food banks. For more information visit the website.
On May 9th, to raise awareness for Hunger Awareness Week on Parliament Hill, Food Banks Canada has asked all Parliamentarians and their staff to fast for the day so that they can experience what it's like to feel hunger during an average day. Read more here.
Meal Exchange volunteers are taking part in the 24-for-Hunger campaign to raise awareness about hunger and food insecurity issues, share their stories and inspire others to take action. Make a direct donation to support their efforts today!
Public Talk: Blow Me Down Community Garden
When: Wednesday, May 9 Time: 8 pm Where: Grenfell Campus, MUN LC301, Corner Brook
Guest speakers: Katie Temple & Simon Jansen
The Blow Me Down Community Garden was started by the Western Environment Centre in 2010 to promote awareness of the connections between our food system and the health of our planet. We also wanted to help build our community’s food skills. The garden is now a great success story! The garden currently has 35 plots rented out by a diverse mix of young couples, seniors, families and students. The garden is run by a volunteer committee of 5-6 members, but all gardeners are involved in the garden in some way.
We all help with keeping the garden tidy, organizing workshops and harvest parties, maintaining tools and overall making sure the community garden runs as it should. One day we’d love to see community gardens in all the nooks and crannies on the west coast!
The Public is Welcome! Bring a Friend! See You There!
Fruit Growing for the Home Gardener Workshop at MUN Botanical Garden
When: Wednesday, May 9 Time: 7 pm - 9 pm Where: MUN Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Road, St. John's
Growing edible fruit-bearing trees and shrubs in Newfoundland can be a challenge. Some are reasonably easy, others more challenging. This workshop will discuss those types and selections which perform best in Newfoundland and hints on how to grow them to maximize fruit production. This course will take place indoors. Pre-registration is required. For more information on fees or to register, please contact Lifelong Learning at 864-7979.
More gardening workshops at MUN Botanical Garden throughout May and June listed here.
St. Patrick's Organic Community Garden Open House
When: Saturday, May 12 Time: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Where: St. Clare Avenue, Carbonear
St. Patrick's Organic Community Garden is opening in May 2012. The garden has been created in an effort to help build local sustainable food sources, as well as offer educational opportunities to the greater community. The garden organizers believe that everyone has the right to healthy, sustainable, local food, and that we are part of the answer to making this a reality for everyone in the area.
This will be the first day in the garden getting the beds ready for planting! The soil and other materials will be arriving on this day. There will be refreshments for all those participating. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear, such as rubber or work boots, sun hats, and layered clothing, as the event will be going all day. You do not need to dedicate your whole day, just part of it. This event will be open to all ages, children and seniors are encourage to get involved, there will be many skilled people available to help.
If you are interested in getting involved either as a volunteer or by having a bed, visit the group on Facebook.
Cavell Park Community Garden Site Preparation Day
When: Saturday May 12, 2012 Time: 10 am to 2 pm Where: Cavell Park at the end of Cavell Avenue in St. John's, map: http://g.co/maps/mbzkd
Call for volunteers! We need to level the site with crushed stone and gravel before we can install the garden beds. Bring your shovels, gloves, wheelbarrows, tampers, rakes and anything else you think might be useful!
All welcome! Visit their website or Facebook group to get more connected with this new community garden.
Tapping Nature’s Treasures: Syrup from Birch Trees
When: Saturday May 12, 2012 Time: 10:30 am to 4 pm Where: Tree Of Life in Salmonier. It is about 1 hour southwest of St. John’s. Take TCH west to Route 90 then take Exit 35 and proceed south about 24 km.
Fee: $15 (includes lunch)
Instructor: Craig Lewis, Sap World Co. Ltd.
Find out about the many current uses and benefits of birch trees. There are many nutraceutical and medicinal products being created from the birch trees in the Northern Hemisphere. InNewfoundland, this industry is in its infancy and yet has a huge potential. Sap World Co. Ltd. is creating a new industry inNewfoundland, and will give a detailed background on birch and its many derived products throughout the world. For this workshop, a demonstration gravitation tubing system for harvesting birch sap is being set-up at the Tree Of Life in Salmonier for participants to view first hand after lunch.
Free Public Workshop: Designing a Lead Safe Yard or Vegetable Garden
When: Saturday, May 12 Time: 10 am – 1 pm Where: St. John’s City Hall – Foran/Greene Room
Are you concerned about lead in your soil? Would you like to know how to make your yard safe for children or for growing food?Are you planning a community garden? Join us for for a free public workshop!
Featuring: Introduction by Dr. Trevor Bell of Lead NL; Special Guest Speaker: Luisa Oliveira of Boston
Luisa is a a landscape architect, city planner and initiator of the ‘Safer Soil” Program. She will help you to prepare a lead-safe garden plan for your own yard or community garden!
Seating is limited. Pre-registration is recommended. Contact Lori Heath at 738-7542 or safersoil@gmail.com
Co-sponsored by Common Ground/St. John’s Safer Soil, LeadNL, FEASt (Food Education Action St. John’s), The Food Security Network NL, Landscape NL and The Newfoundland and Labrador Environment Network. Visit the“Safer Soil” Facebook page, www.safersoil.ning.com, or www.leadnl.ca.
Webinar: Healthy Food, Healthy Living: Strengthening Local Food Connections in Healthcare
When: Tuesday, May 15 Time: 8 pm - 9:30 pm (Newfoundland time)
Free Public Panel Discussion and Webinar. Please join Food Forward, Sustain Ontario, and Farm to Cafeteria Canada for a panel discussion about local food success stories in Toronto healthcare facilities. Join our inspirational panel of speakers in a conversation about how their innovative healthcare food initiatives and experiences have brought more fresh, local and sustainable food to healthcare facilities across Toronto. Sustain Ontario will be providing a FREE Webinar service. (Click to register!) Registration closes May 14th.
Panelists: Heather Fletcher – Food Services Manager, St. Michael’s Hospital Elena Hall – Green Team Member/Seed to Feed Organizer, Princess Margaret Hospital Franco Naccarato – Program Manager, Broader Public Sector Investment Fund
For more information on the webinar, please contact Carolyn Young at carolyn@sustainontario.ca
They Are What You Eat: The Relationship Between Maternal Diet and Child Health
When: Wednesday, May 16 Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Where: Suncor Energy Fluvarium, 5 Nagle's Place, St. John's
Join three experts from Memorial University for an interactive discussion on how food choices during pregnancy can impact the child's health well into adulthood.
Speakers: Dr. Robert Bertolo, Canada Research Chair in Human Nutrition Dr. Sukhinder Kaur Cheema, Professor of Biochemistry Dr. Joan Crane, Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist & Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Refreshments will be served and everyone is welcome. Register for this free event by calling (709) 864-4073 or emailing mcwhelan@mun.ca. For more information on Café Scientifique, visit the website.
NL Regional Assembly 2012: Oxfam Canada
When: Thursday May 17 Time: 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm Where: The Lantern, 35 Barnes Rd, St. John's
Register today to see what Oxfam has been doing locally and nationally, and globally and to network within the Oxfam community. The assembly brings together new and long-standing members, volunteers, and donors to learn and discuss sustainable development, women’s rights, and the future of supporter engagement at Oxfam Canada. Learn more about Oxfam and help us build a strong, dynamic voice for sustainable development, social justice, and women’s rights.
Light meal and refreshments will be provided. If you have questions, contact Bill Hynd.
Register today! All are welcome!
Free FSN Teleconference: University Food: Highlighting the University of Winnipeg’s Sustainable Food Programs
When: Wednesday, May 23rd Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (Newfoundland Time)
Universities play a vital role in a community’s food system through producing and purchasing food, feeding students and staff, and disposing of food waste and packaging. Universities across North America are looking at new ways to improve their local food systems by incorporating food production on campus, developing sustainable and local food procurement practices, and adopting recycling and composting programs.
FSN’s new institutional food policy committee is hosting a series of teleconferences highlighting healthy and sustainable University food policies across Canada, starting off with the innovative work at the University of Winnipeg. Presenter Alana Lajoie-O’Malley, from the University’s Campus Sustainability Office will provide an overview of the University of Winnipeg’s Green Procurement Policy and their Diversity Food Services Program.
Presenter: Alana Lajoie-O’Malley, Manager, Campus Sustainability Office, The University of Winnipeg
The presentation will be followed by an opportunity for questions and discussion.
REGISTER by Monday, May 21st, by contacting Rick Kelly at richardkelly@foodsecuritynews.
About FSN teleconferences: Participants call in to a free 1-800 number which connects them to the presenter and all the other participants. Before the teleconference FSN distributes, via email, the call-in instructions as well as a PDF presentation to follow along with on your own computer.
Becoming an Outdoors Woman of Newfoundland and Labrador
When: June 22- 24 all day (register soon) Where: Lavrock Camp & Conference Centre, Salmonier Line, Route 90, Holyrood
Are you interested in gaining confidence in outdoor pursuits and becoming more aware of our natural environment? The goal of the Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program is to provide women with an opportunity to learn skills that will enhance and encourage them to participate in fishing, hunting, canoeing and other forms of outdoor recreation. Participants learn and improve their outdoor skills through the guidance of experienced and enthusiastic instructors in a non-threatening, comfortable atmosphere. Although the program is targeted to women, men are also welcome to participate.
All classes are at an introductory level for people who have little or no experience and all equipment is provided. Workshop fees ($225.00) cover accommodations on Friday and Saturday night; seven meals from lunch on Friday to lunch on Sunday, course instruction and demonstration equipment. For more information or to receive a registration package, call 709-229-7888 or email brendapike@gov.nl.ca
