Event: LOCAL 101 - Eating Food You Know, From People You Know

Just got this message from Grant, and wanted to share!

Info: http://www.foragefoods.com/local-101/

LOCAL 101 - Eating Food You Know, From People You Know
an afternoon of presentations on local food and agriculture featuring
local farmers and cooks
this event is for everyone who eats!

Saturday, March 28th at the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Center - Social Hall
Doors Open 1:00PM, Event Begins 1:30PM
featuring a cash bar and samples of food from local farmers and producers sponsored by Slow Food Calgary, Forage, and SAIT Hospitality and Tourism

$15 Advance Tickets available from Forage
In Person (cash, debit, Visa, Mastercard)
Over the Phone (between 10AM and 7PM), (403)269-6551 (Mastercard, Visa) and we’ll have a Ticket Pick Up Table at the event
Tickets are also available at Sunnyside Grocery until Friday, March 27th

$20 Tickets at the door are CASH ONLY $10 Students

The Agenda:
1:00 PM Doors Open
1:30 PM Welcome and Introduction
Wade Sirois – Forage and Infuse Catering
Food You Know

1:45 PM Alberta Products and Availabilities
Jennifer Cockrall-King – Edible Prairie Journal and Food Writer
what are our local products and when are they available

2:00 PM Where to Find Local Products
Dee Hobsbawn-Smith
farmer’s markets, at the farm, retail, CSAs, etc.

2:15 PM What Does It Cost?
Mark Klaudt – Route 40 Soup Company
a frank look at the costs associated with agriculture on a small and sustainable level, regulators, certifications, marketing boards, processing, restaurants

2:30 PM The Importance of Bees
Cherie Andrews – Chinook Honey and Chinook Arch Meadery
a holistic look at the importance of bees and issues like CCD and GMO
crop contamination

2:45 PM Break
bottled water, tap water, fruit, veggies offered
From People You Know

3:00 PM The Experience From the Kitchen
Wade Sirois – Forage and Infuse Catering
a cook’s viewpoint on working with local products in the home kitchen and the professional kitchen

3:15 PM The Experience From the Farm
Kris Vester – Blue Mountain Bio-Dynamic Farm: a farmer’s viewpoint on providing local products

3:30 PM The Future of Farming in Alberta
Peter Haase – Buffalo Horn Ranch
the opportunities and challenges for the future, succession, regulations, land use, young farmers, seed)

3:45 PM Who is Your Food From?
introduction to the local farmers/producers/cooks in attendance who will come across the stage and introduce themselves

4:00 PM Question and Answer Period
moderated by Tony Marshall – Highwood Crossing

4:20 PM Closing Comments
Tony Marshall – Highwood Crossing

4:30 PM Mix and Mingle
cash bar with Wild Rose Velvet Fog Beer, Chinook Arch Mead, Kayben Farm Black Currant Ginger punch, Okanagan wines
sampling of local foods presented by Slow Food Calgary, SAIT Hospitality and Tourism, Forage
5:40 PM Bar Closes
6:00 PM Event Complete

This looks like it will be a fabulous event, and I wish I were in town to attend!

"Group Calls for Urban Chickens"

Metro Calgary published a story today about the push to legalize chickens in Calgary. Unfortunately, they confused a few of the details (I'm not involved in CLUCK- as much as I would love to be associated with the work they're doing,) but it is really great to see media starting to pick up on specific issues related to urban agriculture. Thanks Jennifer!

Here's the story, written by Jennifer Hillicker:

If you can’t afford to buy fresh meat in today’s economy, one Calgary group has a solution — raise it at home.

The Calgary Liberated Urban Chicken Klub (CLUCK) wants city council to update the Calgary Municipal Code in order to permit the responsible raising of backyard chickens.

“The major benefit of backyard chickens is food security,” said Rachel Simpson, who is involved with CLUCK through Calgary Urban Agriculture. “It’s pretty key, especially in Calgary right now. Calgary is a little bit lacking as far as how much food we get locally and how much food people grow themselves. The idea of growing your own food develops a pride in your community.”

The group is petitioning city council to follow in Vancouver’s footsteps, which approved bylaws to legalize the keeping of urban hens on March 5.

They say benefits include the fact that chickens produce a rich fertilizer by-product, they eat table scraps, reducing municipal organic waste, and they produce fresh, healthy eggs.

Baby steps...

It's very exciting to note that the city of Calgary has approved 6 new community gardens on parks land, and has put together a process for communities who want to apply for garden space. There is a long way to go in making Calgary a more liveable city with a strong foundation of food security, but this is a huge step in the right direction.

Check out the application here.

Workshops workshops workshops!

Just a quick update to let you know what kinds of exciting workshops are available to all of you in the next little while.

First off, Seedy Saturday is coming up on March 21st, so get ready for an exciting event! Admission is only $2, and there will be a variety of Free workshops for attendees. It will be held at the Montgomery community centre. Here's what they have to say:

"This family event will have displays by local seed savers, prairie seed companies, native plant collectors, conservation groups, community gardeners, organic growers; as well as, a seed exchange table, refreshments, presenters, entertainment, and a kids corner"

Integrated Pest Management and Seed Saving workshops will be held - and I believe a few more are being lined up... Anyone know details?

Check them out on facebook.

You can also attend the Calgary Horticultural Society's Garden Show for an amazing variety of workshops, clinics, consult-an-experts and more! There's a summary of what's happening on their website here.

We also have some interest in the composting workshop we'd like to host, but if there's anyone else who would like to be involved, please feel free to comment, or drop me a line.