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WRFoodNews August 27, 2010
Please find below the latest update on Waterloo Region's food system as described on the website of the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable at www.wrfoodsystem.ca. Join discussions of the topics below and many more on our Discussion Forum.
1. City of Waterloo to consider supporting Community Gardens
The City of Waterloo is considering following the lead of the City of Kitchener and putting dollars aside to support the creation of community gardens on City lands. Staff would deliver water, remove yard waste and erect signs for the gardens, and in return, neighbours would agree to plant, maintain and harvest them. See full story in today's Record.
2. What exactly does produce grown close to home mean?
It depends on what your definition of home is – which may be something different than the one your supermarket chain is using. Should locavores be pleased or chuffed by the fact that the big supermarket chains are recognizing the demand for local food? See links to a recent Globe & Mail article on Loblaws' "grown close to home" campaign, videos of the Loblaws ad, and chime in with your opinions on the Roundtable's Discussion Forum.
3. Toronto moves to implement Food Strategy
An August 20th memo from Toronto Medical Officer of Health David McKeown provides an update on the City's Food Strategy, which was approved by its Board of Health on June 28th. All City departments have been asked to identify ways to integrate food initiatives into their work. Read the full memo and links to the Toronto Food Connections website on the Roundtable's Discussion Forum.
4. Prison Farms protest continues
The campaign to prevent Canada's six prison farms from being dismantled continues, despite the recent removal of the last cattle from Ontario's only prison farm in Kingston. The Save Our Prison Farms websitehas extensive background on the issue, links to many of the numerous media articles from the past couple of months, and ways for people to add their voice to the movement to save the farms. The impact of this national issue was felt in Waterloo Region in early August, when protestors came to the Livestock Exchange in St Jacobs to educate would-be purchasers of the cattle which had been removed from the Kingston prison farm. See links to local media coverage and more on the Roundtable's Discussion Forum.
5. Growing interest in organic food spikes demand for Organic Seeds
Waterloo resident and gardener extraodinaire Bob Wildfong was quoted in a Globe & Mail article on August 25 on the growing demand for organic seeds. Wildfong, Executive Director of Seeds of Diversity Canada, explained how the demand for organic seeds far outpaces the current supply, and asserted that the regulatory burden of becoming certified organic is a challenge for new entrants to the organic industry.
6. Upcoming Food Events
Full details on upcoming food-related events in Waterloo Region can be viewed under Upcoming Eventson the Roundtable's website. To share news of your event, email details to the Roundtable's Site Administrator, who will post it to the website. Some upcoming highlights include:
Potatofest, Saturday, August 28, 10am, Laepple Farm, Petersburg
Food You Can Do, Saturday, August 28, 5pm, Garden Party, St Agatha
Saving Seeds, Saturday, September 11, 3pm, Little City Farm, Kitchener
Taste Real, Sunday, September 12, 1pm, Deerfield's Farm, Erin
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