Good Food Stories – Video #2!

With Earth Day right around the corner we thought April would be a perfect month to focus on ways that food and farming are helping to enhance our natural environments and combat climate change. Check out these videos to learn more about Ontarians that are growing a better environment – as well as great food!

Watch our second Good Food Stories video:

Good Food Stories: Farm Algoma

Over the summer, the Algoma Food Network and its partners undertook a project to work with Powerline Films and Sustain Ontario to produce two short documentaries on food and farming in Algoma. The first documentary looks at the potentials of farming in Algoma and the second is due to be released in the coming months.

Farm Algoma from Simon Brothers on Vimeo.

The Algoma Food Network thanks everyone was involved with this project.

OSEA’s Community Power Roadmap to Success Workshop

Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) and NORDIK Institute are hosting a hands-on workshop in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday September 23, 2011.

At this workshop OSEA will walk you through an overview for a project that will give you the basic tools required to get a community solar power project started in your own community. The goal is to engage established community-based organizations and institutional groups with assets and to build up their capacity to collaborate on their own community power projects. Community power projects can be ideal for a range of applications including arenas, community halls, churches, museums, hospitals, co-operatives, and non-profit organizations.

Where:                The Delta Hotel – G. Simpson Meeting Room AB 208 St. Mary’s River Dr. Sault Ste. Marie, ON

When:                 Friday September 23, 2011  9:00AM until Noon

Featuring:           Harry French (Guest speaker and workshop leader) Bio: http://www.ontario-sea.org/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=3128

To register for this event get your free ticket at: http://communitypowerroadmapssm.eventbrite.com

Alternatively, you can contact Community Power Coordinator Danny Goedhard to register: d_goedhard@hotmail.com   (705) 949-2301 x4378

Check out the event page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=171687042906313

If you know a community organization or community that could benefit, please forward this on!

OSEA inspires and enables the people of Ontario to improve the environment, the economy and their health by producing clean sustainable energy in their homes, businesses and communities. Full details at http://www.ontario-sea.org and www.nordikinstitute.com

 This event is part of Soo Sustainable, Sault Ste. Marie’s 1^st Annual Green Days hosted by the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre. For more info on Soo Sustainable events, visit www.ssmic.com/greenweek
 

All the best, Alex!

For the last seven months, Alexandra Jaffit has been working hard with Algoma Food Network partners to strengthen networks and market local agriculture. This past week she launched the 2011 Buy Algoma. Buy Fresh. producers directory that is making its way around to farmers’ markets, coffee shops, and points of interest around Algoma District. This directory connects rural farmers with local consumers, tourists, and restaurants who wish to source local products.

The new 2011 Buy Algoma Buy Fresh directory can be downloaded here (PDF): Buy Algoma. Buy Fresh. 2011 Directory

You can also get more detailed descriptions of what farmers’ have to offer at the Buy Algoma. Buy Fresh. website (www.BuyAlgoma.ca)

Algoma Food Network thanks Alexandra for all her hard work and wishes her the best in future endeavors. She is now a true locavore as she has just started getting food from a CSA through Desbarats Country Produce.

Goat is Good

NORDIK Institute, along with the Algoma Sheep and Lamb Producers Association, is excited to announce its research regarding local lamb and local chevon (meat goats).

There will be two focus groups, which will take place later this week, to discuss preferences to eating lamb and/or chevon, and how local producers could meet consumer’s needs. This initiative was brought about in order to determine the feasibility of a market based co-operative for lamb and meat goat producers in the Algoma District.

Sound interesting? The two focus groups are open to the general public, both taking place at Algoma University.

WHEN: Thursday June 23rd from 7-8pm and Friday June 24th from 1-2pm

WHERE: The Speak Easy, Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie

Can’t make the focus group, but still want to have a say?  Click here to fill out our online survey! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/lambandchevon

For more information please contact:

Broderick Causley
bcausley@algomau.ca
or call 705.949.2301 x4378

See more here!

Roots To Youth

“Roots to Youth is an exciting initiative which links young people with community partners in the planning
and implementation of community garden projects, healthy eating, and fitness workshops. Youth gain valuable experience by participating in the planning and implementation of the project from seed to harvest. Come out, get involved, learn what we’ve done so far and what the growing season has in store! “

For more information
please contact:
Amie Harnish
amie@saultyouthassociation.com
or call 705.946.1299

See more here!

It’s Raining

The need for water conservancy is becoming more and more apparent. Here in Sault Ste. Marie, we may be situated on the largest fresh water lake in the world -Go Us! – but that does not leave us immune to the rapidly decreasing water levels. Recently, water collection devices like Rain Barrels have made a mainstream resurgence. They make rain collection and reuse quite simple and allow you to reduce your dependency on your municipal water supply, saving you money on utility bills. The water that is collected can go a long way in maintaining your lawn, flower beds, vegetable gardens and your house plants as well. Ready-made Rain Barrels are often fitted with an intake that can directly connect to the downspout from your eaves trough, a filtering mesh for insects and small debris as well as a spigot for gravity-fed watering in the yard.

The student’s of F  H Clergue French Immersion Public school are making use of the  benefits of Rain Barrels and hope you will too!  They’re  fund-raising to help the earth and build their very own Teaching Garden on the grounds of the school. The Clergue community is excited about the opportunity for everyone to learn about gardening and agriculture in a sustainable way.

The  grade 2 students of F.H. Clergue created a list of the benefits of the Rain Barrels:

1. You will save money by not running your water!
2. Rain that falls from the ground, lands on your vehicle and picks up oils. This water goes into the sewers and back into our lakes.
3. Rain that falls into a rain barrel is then used in a garden or to water your lawn. The garden/lawn filters the water, cleaning it which will send clean water into our lakes.
4. Rain from a rain barrel is pure and clean. There are no chemicals. Use this water to water your plants inside and outside! Your plants will thank you.
5. We will benefit from a Learning Garden built at the new F.H. Clergue school that we could use to learn more about our earth.
6. With the water from a rain barrel you can wash your pet, water your garden, or clean your driveway!

To date, they’ve sold 81 barrels, and must reach their goal of 300 by April 15.

Here’s how you can go about purchasing your Rain Barrel -

1. Click on this link , order and pay online by using VISA or Mastercard.

2. Click on this link , place an order and pay with cash on pick-up.

3. Call F.H. Clergue (705-945-7136) and tell us what you want, and we’ll place the order for you!

4. Drop into F.H. Clergue and use our sign-up sheet to order your rain barrel.

“The rain barrels come in three colours, black, grey and terracotta and are $55 per barrel. Check-out our website for more information! www.rainbarrel.ca/fhc

Thank You! Merci! From Mlle Phillips’ Grade 2 Class!