Picking
admin
As We Fish and Farm

I came to Newfoundland for the first time just over four years ago. I can still vividly recall taking the ferry across from Nova Scotia in the late winter, listening to the groaning sounds of the ice around the boat. Within two months of arriving I made my first trip to Bonne Bay, a remote fjord on the west coast of the island. I went to learn about the food system and fisheries in the region as part of a PhD program I was beginning at Memorial University that fall.

As We Fish and Farm
Picking, Preparing
admin
DIY Maple Syrup

Maple syrup conjures up images of towering arboretums in places like Quebec or Vermont, but it’s a little known secret that the rugged and hardy maple trees of Newfoundland make darn fine maple syrup. With nothing more than a half dozen maple trees, some old salt beef containers and a handful of 25 cent metal tree taps, you’re good to go and can expect to end up with over a dozen bottles of hand made maple syrup.

DIY Maple Syrup
Picking, Planting, Preparing
Andreae C
My front yard grocery store
My front yard grocery store
Events, Picking, Planting
Costa Kasimos
Bits and Pieces: Along the Shore

Spectacular vistas, whales breaching, ice bergs floating by, and a foragers paradise. We are blessed with many wilderness areas that offer abundant edible plants. I rarely go on a hike without stopping to have a little taste of this or that. In this post, I will touch upon some of the edibles currently available in our wonderful wilderness.

Bits and Pieces: Along the Shore
Planting
Matthew Middleton
Growing In A Potato Box

Thanks to the listing from Seeds of Diversity, I was able to locate a gentleman in Newfoundland who has a great deal of experience growing a wide variety of potatoes here. Last week, I recieved by my set of samples from George, and here's what my benefactor told me about the varieties:

Red Dutch: A very dry, yellow flesh red from Holland in the 1940’s. An excellent potato. Late maturing.

Northern White: A white flesh variety, from Quebec apparently, from the early 1900’s. Very high yield. Good taste.

Growing In A Potato Box

Events

Little Green Thumbs — Indoor Gardening in NL Elementary Schools: A Free Teleconference From FSN

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034 Join FSN this Thursday for a free teleconference about a program putting children in touch with where their food comes from.

Register by contacting Sarah Ferber at 237-4026 or sarahferber@foodsecuritynews.com. Registration is recommended by Wednesday, March 18.

March 19: Little Green Thumbs

Thursday, March 19th, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm (NST)

Where does my food really come from? How is it grown? How does it get to me?

These are not simple questions, and contemporary life often prevents us from learning the answers first hand.

Little Green Thumbs is a straightforward attempt to solve the problem: Put a garden in a classroom to help kids learn about their food. The program is in 72 classrooms across the island, and since 2013, using grow kits, some soil and seeds, it has helped more than 18,000 kids learn about our food system in a fun way.

Christa Wright, Coordinator of Agriculture in the Classroom, is presenting this free teleconference. You can find out more about the program at Agriculture in the Classroom Newfoundland & Labrador

Register by contacting Sarah Ferber at 237-4026 or sarahferber@foodsecuritynews.com. Registration is recommended by Wednesday, March 18.

Youth Out on the Land and Sea: A New Teleconference Series from FSN

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Join FSN for this two-part teleconference series about programs that are bringing young people back in touch with the land and the sea. Programs which connect youth to their natural environment and food heritage can help improve their physical, emotional, and social resilience. In turn, this affects community connectedness and community wellbeing.

To register for one or both of the teleconferences email info@foodsecuritynews.com or call (709) 237-4026. Registration is recommended by the day before each teleconference to be sure you get the materials in time.

Going Off, Growing Strong — a program which offers young people the experience of going out on the land to learn about hunting, trapping, fishing, and other skills with experienced hunters.

February 10: Aullak, Sangilivallianginnatuk

Tues. Feb. 10 2pm in Labrador, 2:30pm in Newfoundland

Aullak, Sangilivallianginnatuk (Going Off, Growing Strong) in Nain is the first program of its kind in Canada, and is inspiring similar efforts across the North. The program offers youth the experience of going out on the land to learn about hunting, trapping, fishing, and other skills with experienced hunters. Food harvested through the program is donated to the Community Freezer and delivered to elders at their homes. Presenter Dorothy Angnatok, the program’s Coordinator, will share stories about the program and her ideas for engaging youth. Going Off, Growing Strong was recently highlighted in Clara’s Big Ride and just received $150,000 from Bell Aliant to support their amazing work. Learn more from this recent interview with Dorothy on the Marilyn Dennis Show.

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February 17: Fishing for Success

Tues. Feb. 17 2pm in Labrador, 2:30pm in Newfoundland

Fishing for Success is a non-profit community dedicated to the preservation and celebration of the traditional fishing knowledge and culture which sustained Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for generations. Their vision is that one day every child in Newfoundland and Labrador will once again be taught the traditional fishing knowledge and skills of the people who came before them. The program has a goal to instill a sense of pride, of place, and a longing to protect and conserve their natural home. Kimberly Orren will introduce the program and share her ideas for putting young people in touch with traditional food skills and knowledge.

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Understanding Soil & Building Great Garden Soil

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Understanding Soil & Building Great Garden Soil

Great gardens start with soil but many of us don't know enough about the incredible resource beneath our feet to be able to help our gardens thrive. Join FSN for two upcoming educational teleconferences all about soil! Part 1: Understanding Soil (Jan 22) and Part 2: Building Great Garden Soil (Jan 28). Register soon to save your spot on the line. These sessions will inspire you to plan your garden this winter and make 2015 your best growing season yet!