Just to let everyone know, Wednesday, April 22nd is Earth Day. For more information about how to get involved please see, www.earthday.ca.
Also, good on'ya Zehrs...they are going bag free (pay/bag) after Earth Day!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Organics: A Growing Issue
This issue we thought we should begin to open some discussion on growing produce and gardens organically. We want to enlighten you on organic certification, organic branding and simple back yard organic gardening and a little knowledge on eco footprints.
Organic certification
Organic certification is governed by an international body, The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements and also by local governments who register with this international body. In Canada organic certification falls under the Department of Justice which follows the international certifying body and adds additional regulations to IFOAM’s mandates.
The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) defines organic agriculture as:
Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.
Organic agriculture is based on agricultural management practices that
• Create ecosystems capable of ensuring sustained productivity
• Maintain soil fertility by maximizing biological soil activity
• Control weeds, pests, and diseases by
o encouraging a balanced host¬-predator relationship
o increasing beneficial insect populations
o using biological and crop controls
• Recycle plant and animal wastes
• Use crop selection and rotation
The Canadian body adds additional regulations about which chemicals must not be used and for how long. We are not going to lay each regulation out, as certification is not our main issue here but if you are interested in pursing this or are interested in knowing more check out, http://laws.justice.gc.ca and do a search under organic products. But before we leave certification we need to look at who needs certification.
Organic Branding
There are two reasons for being certified in Canada. The first is because the grower or producer wants to use the brand for selling their product. Retail stores are more likely to require certification for organic items to be stocked at their stores. The second is if the products which are grown organically are to be sold outside the boundaries of, in our case, Ontario. But there are many local organic growers who are not certified and produce quality products. Cookstown Greens and Willow Creek Farm are two we mentioned last addition. John and Shelia Klinekink are another. The Klinekink’s warned us that there is some cheating going on with organic growing because it is not regulated but the non-regulation is just fine with this anarchist and the buyer should know their grower. Purchasing however, is not what we want to encourage here, we want you to put your hand to growing your own organics.
Home Grown Organics
Back yard organics is really quite easy, very satisfying and helps with the grocery bill. Following the IFOAM steps laid out above is a good way to get started. So find a spot where you can get some produce in the ground and where it will grow. Even if you have existing flower gardens popping tomatoes and basil amongst the flowers works, they are quite happy to share. Now put away the Miracle Grow and get some manure. We use composted horse manure from Peter Vanderpost but Zerhs has a good selection also. Encourage predator insects, such as Mantis and Ladybugs. Use 1-40 soap and water spray for pests or just pick them off your plants. Finally make sure you have a spot for composting to recycle your plant material back to the ground. Congratulations you are now an IFOAM organic grower! We know some of you will not be able to grow so maybe some advice in purchasing organics would be helpful.
To Buy or Not to Buy
As you can see from above there are a few questions about buying. We do encourage local buying and so you could send us an email and we will be happy to give direction. You should also be mindful that next weekend Willow Creek Farm will being selling their heirloom tomatoes seedlings at market and Cookstown Greens also sells seedlings. Please check out their websites for details. To further help you in your purchase we came up with a series of questions you could use:
1 Is my purchase sustainable?
2 Is the product Organic?
3 Is it GMO free?
4 What environmental footprint am I making with this purchase?
5 Am I promoting justice when I buy?
Here is an example of what we mean. A local grocery store has garlic for sale. There are two choices. One is organic and the other is not. Both are from China. Both are about one dollar for a bulb. When we ask ourselves the above questions we end up with some disturbing answers. How can we be promoting justice to the worker when the end product is only $1.00? How can the product arrive in Canada without a lot of fossil fuels being burned? There is no local product available because it is winter in Canada. So the final answer for us is no garlic in the recipes for now. This may not be your answer but we do want you to think about your purchase. Thanks for the read. We look forward to your comments.
Organic certification
Organic certification is governed by an international body, The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements and also by local governments who register with this international body. In Canada organic certification falls under the Department of Justice which follows the international certifying body and adds additional regulations to IFOAM’s mandates.
The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) defines organic agriculture as:
Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.
Organic agriculture is based on agricultural management practices that
• Create ecosystems capable of ensuring sustained productivity
• Maintain soil fertility by maximizing biological soil activity
• Control weeds, pests, and diseases by
o encouraging a balanced host¬-predator relationship
o increasing beneficial insect populations
o using biological and crop controls
• Recycle plant and animal wastes
• Use crop selection and rotation
The Canadian body adds additional regulations about which chemicals must not be used and for how long. We are not going to lay each regulation out, as certification is not our main issue here but if you are interested in pursing this or are interested in knowing more check out, http://laws.justice.gc.ca and do a search under organic products. But before we leave certification we need to look at who needs certification.
Organic Branding
There are two reasons for being certified in Canada. The first is because the grower or producer wants to use the brand for selling their product. Retail stores are more likely to require certification for organic items to be stocked at their stores. The second is if the products which are grown organically are to be sold outside the boundaries of, in our case, Ontario. But there are many local organic growers who are not certified and produce quality products. Cookstown Greens and Willow Creek Farm are two we mentioned last addition. John and Shelia Klinekink are another. The Klinekink’s warned us that there is some cheating going on with organic growing because it is not regulated but the non-regulation is just fine with this anarchist and the buyer should know their grower. Purchasing however, is not what we want to encourage here, we want you to put your hand to growing your own organics.
Home Grown Organics
Back yard organics is really quite easy, very satisfying and helps with the grocery bill. Following the IFOAM steps laid out above is a good way to get started. So find a spot where you can get some produce in the ground and where it will grow. Even if you have existing flower gardens popping tomatoes and basil amongst the flowers works, they are quite happy to share. Now put away the Miracle Grow and get some manure. We use composted horse manure from Peter Vanderpost but Zerhs has a good selection also. Encourage predator insects, such as Mantis and Ladybugs. Use 1-40 soap and water spray for pests or just pick them off your plants. Finally make sure you have a spot for composting to recycle your plant material back to the ground. Congratulations you are now an IFOAM organic grower! We know some of you will not be able to grow so maybe some advice in purchasing organics would be helpful.
To Buy or Not to Buy
As you can see from above there are a few questions about buying. We do encourage local buying and so you could send us an email and we will be happy to give direction. You should also be mindful that next weekend Willow Creek Farm will being selling their heirloom tomatoes seedlings at market and Cookstown Greens also sells seedlings. Please check out their websites for details. To further help you in your purchase we came up with a series of questions you could use:
1 Is my purchase sustainable?
2 Is the product Organic?
3 Is it GMO free?
4 What environmental footprint am I making with this purchase?
5 Am I promoting justice when I buy?
Here is an example of what we mean. A local grocery store has garlic for sale. There are two choices. One is organic and the other is not. Both are from China. Both are about one dollar for a bulb. When we ask ourselves the above questions we end up with some disturbing answers. How can we be promoting justice to the worker when the end product is only $1.00? How can the product arrive in Canada without a lot of fossil fuels being burned? There is no local product available because it is winter in Canada. So the final answer for us is no garlic in the recipes for now. This may not be your answer but we do want you to think about your purchase. Thanks for the read. We look forward to your comments.
Mix it up!
Now that spring is here, everyone is thinking outdoor; patios, decks, gardens, lawns. I tend to have my head stuck in the garden, practically willing plants out of the ground. But I know a fair number of people who, although they may like gardens, love their lawns. Vast green expanses of perfection, perfect for walking barefoot on, having a picnic on, or riding over with your mower.
These beautiful green gems are however, difficult to maintain, can be costly, frequently sprayed with chemical and not nearly as good for the earth and air as a garden or trees. So...what to do?
If you have a lawn or are planning or putting in a lawn you can make some positive changes and keep your green spread, by turning it into a bio-diverse lawn. Simply grow two or more low, mowable, green ground covers. My favorite blend for
Seed
- Available from Wildflower farm in
- Mother-of-thyme, Richters or garden centres
- White clover, farm seed and supply
There are also a fair number of steppables and other ground covers that can handle traffic. Find ones suited to your sun/shade conditions. Talk to owners at garden centres and find a hardy-grass seed that needs the least amount of mowing.
Remember, lawns don't need to be perfect and variety can be much prettier. Lawn grass is not even native to our province nor is it sustainable. Diversifying your lawn also helps combat grubs, a fierce problem in our area thanks to all those cute little June bugs. A flat green healthy space of diverse lawn is useful and essential to good design. Be wise and explore your options and let the dandelions grow.
Photographs from online source. From left to right: dandelion, white clover, thyme
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Heirloom Vegetables
We want to start off by saying thank you for taking a look at the inaugural instalment of our blog. Please read on and take a moment to add your comment to our article.
The Big Deal about Heirlooms
Photography by: Aaron Harcourt
We thought it would be best to begin with some local information, so we have two stories on heirloom vegetables right here in our backyard. There is a difference between hybrid and heirloom vegetables. A hybrid vegetable is one that is the offspring produced by crossing two individuals of unlike genetic constitution; specifically; the offspring of two plants of different races, varieties, species, etc. Hybrids are produced for their uniformity and vigour. For example the orange carrot is a hybrid produced for its suitability to certain soils. Hybrids are the result of a marriage between two homozygous parents, which produce heterozygous offspring. There are two major disadvantages to hybrid vegetables, one is the grower must purchase new seed each year from the companies that breed and therefore control hybrid seeds. We could say more about seed control but we will save that for another instalment. The second and more significant reason is flavour. When a grower ops for uniformity and vigour, flavour is often sacrificed.
Heirlooms are any treasured possession handed down from generation to generation. This is a definition for heirlooms-in-general but it gives you the idea that we are trying to convey, an heirloom vegetable has been around for generations. If you went to your local grocery store and found a black carrot you would think it was either bad or a new fad but the black carrot has been around, an heirloom. Heirlooms are grown and served for their colour and flavour.
Heirlooms for the Table
Dave Cohlmeyer of Cookstown Greens has been growing and serving heirloom vegetables for many years. He has provided vegetables for dinners served to Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and both Bushes and most recently President Obama. His provisions have landed on the plates of visiting monarchs including Queen Elizabeth II and regularly supply both the Prime Minister’s and Governor General’s chefs. These vegetables are grown on his farm in the rich soil of Essa and include; red, white and black carrots, fingerling potatoes, various types of beets and the titan leek, to name just a few. Cohlmeyer sells out of the Brick Works in Toronto but these heirlooms are available directly from his farm. You can contact Dave at 705-458-9077 or visit on the web at www.cookstowngreens.com. That’s the market but what about the garden?
Heirlooms for the Garden
For your garden you could visit Kelly Gregory and Crystal Anderson of Willow Creek Farm. These two organic gardeners supply about 2,000 heirloom tomato seedlings, half the available heirlooms worldwide. They started out in a basement apartment with 30-35 varieties and continue to search the world for seeds. They now have their operation on Willow Creek Farm just south of Erin. Erin is about forty-five minutes south-west of Alliston or two hours on your bike. They sell out of a local farmers market in Inglewood or directly from their Willow Creek Market Garden. Gregory and Anderson’s tomatoes are “open pollinated” a true heirloom qualification which means their tomatoes are pollinated by insects, birds, wind or other natural mechanisms. The result is tomatoes that are rich in flavour and not like other cardboard tasting ones. Each year, come June, they sell out their seedlings to customers eager to have flavour on their table and their most popular varieties are Brandywines, Green Zebras, Lemon boy and Purple Calabash. If you are interested in these heirloom seedlings they will be available at Everdale Organic Farm and Environmental Learning Centre near Hillsburgh on April 25 only. You can also buy their tomatoes and their other organic vegetables at the Inglewood market, Wednesday afternoons from 4-7pm, starting June 10. More information is available at www.willowcreekheirlooms.com.
Photography (above) by: Willow Creek Farm
Sources:
The Alliston Herald, February 25, 2009.
The Hills, Spring, 2009.
www.yourdictionary.com.
The Big Deal about Heirlooms
Photography by: Aaron Harcourt
We thought it would be best to begin with some local information, so we have two stories on heirloom vegetables right here in our backyard. There is a difference between hybrid and heirloom vegetables. A hybrid vegetable is one that is the offspring produced by crossing two individuals of unlike genetic constitution; specifically; the offspring of two plants of different races, varieties, species, etc. Hybrids are produced for their uniformity and vigour. For example the orange carrot is a hybrid produced for its suitability to certain soils. Hybrids are the result of a marriage between two homozygous parents, which produce heterozygous offspring. There are two major disadvantages to hybrid vegetables, one is the grower must purchase new seed each year from the companies that breed and therefore control hybrid seeds. We could say more about seed control but we will save that for another instalment. The second and more significant reason is flavour. When a grower ops for uniformity and vigour, flavour is often sacrificed.
Heirlooms are any treasured possession handed down from generation to generation. This is a definition for heirlooms-in-general but it gives you the idea that we are trying to convey, an heirloom vegetable has been around for generations. If you went to your local grocery store and found a black carrot you would think it was either bad or a new fad but the black carrot has been around, an heirloom. Heirlooms are grown and served for their colour and flavour.
Heirlooms for the Table
Dave Cohlmeyer of Cookstown Greens has been growing and serving heirloom vegetables for many years. He has provided vegetables for dinners served to Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and both Bushes and most recently President Obama. His provisions have landed on the plates of visiting monarchs including Queen Elizabeth II and regularly supply both the Prime Minister’s and Governor General’s chefs. These vegetables are grown on his farm in the rich soil of Essa and include; red, white and black carrots, fingerling potatoes, various types of beets and the titan leek, to name just a few. Cohlmeyer sells out of the Brick Works in Toronto but these heirlooms are available directly from his farm. You can contact Dave at 705-458-9077 or visit on the web at www.cookstowngreens.com. That’s the market but what about the garden?
Heirlooms for the Garden
For your garden you could visit Kelly Gregory and Crystal Anderson of Willow Creek Farm. These two organic gardeners supply about 2,000 heirloom tomato seedlings, half the available heirlooms worldwide. They started out in a basement apartment with 30-35 varieties and continue to search the world for seeds. They now have their operation on Willow Creek Farm just south of Erin. Erin is about forty-five minutes south-west of Alliston or two hours on your bike. They sell out of a local farmers market in Inglewood or directly from their Willow Creek Market Garden. Gregory and Anderson’s tomatoes are “open pollinated” a true heirloom qualification which means their tomatoes are pollinated by insects, birds, wind or other natural mechanisms. The result is tomatoes that are rich in flavour and not like other cardboard tasting ones. Each year, come June, they sell out their seedlings to customers eager to have flavour on their table and their most popular varieties are Brandywines, Green Zebras, Lemon boy and Purple Calabash. If you are interested in these heirloom seedlings they will be available at Everdale Organic Farm and Environmental Learning Centre near Hillsburgh on April 25 only. You can also buy their tomatoes and their other organic vegetables at the Inglewood market, Wednesday afternoons from 4-7pm, starting June 10. More information is available at www.willowcreekheirlooms.com.
Photography (above) by: Willow Creek Farm
Sources:
The Alliston Herald, February 25, 2009.
The Hills, Spring, 2009.
www.yourdictionary.com.
Mission Statement
All around us we hear the rising voices of people desiring real change. We as a whole, need to begin shifting our focus from ourselves and our conveniences, to global and community issues, ranging from our environment and agro-ecology, to consumer awareness and injustice.
So how do we go about making these changes, really? How do we move away from super-consumptive lifestyles and navigate through the seas of conflicting and confusing information.
We need to bridge-the-gap between people who want to change and the resources and ways in which to really do this. Bringing people and their local, sustainable and fair resources together is what we are all about. We need to share our knowledge and wisdom as well as encourage more people to think, speak, and act out for the preservation of our community and environment.
This is a place that hopefully, will help people find practical and creative solutions and give others the ability to share their ingenuity and wisdom.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Bio's
Wes Harcourt~ has been around long enough to know that stone knives are better than plastic. He loves all things related to food, especially growing, purchasing, cooking and eating but his biggest concern with food is food justice. Not a justice related to the food but justice related to the people connected to the food. The questions that need to be asked are, “Is my growing, purchasing, cooking and eating promoting justice for the people involved with my food.” Wes’ hope is that as he researches and contributes to this blog that justice is increased in our world. He hopes that through his love for these things that love is increased in our world and more people experience justice as we grow in our knowledge and understanding of how our food is grown, purchased, cooked and eaten. You may also want to know that Wes has been married to Terry for more then thirty years, has two wonderful children, Aaron and Chaya.
Sarah Sondergaard~ I am the wife of an amazing man, mother of four insanely energetic boys, lover of food, dirt and all things that grow. I am and always will be a mountain girl, coming from the West and the
Aaron Harcourt~ was born in
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