Friday Feel Good News

It's Friday, and in my books, that means it's time to feel good. Let's set aside the doom-and-gloom stories for a moment and focus on some good news!

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This week I was happily surprised to hear that the Local Food Procurement Policy for the City of Toronto was not scrapped after all! A couple of weeks ago it was under threat when a consultant's report was released, stating that it was unrealistic to get the City to buy 50% of its food from local sources. When a compromise was suggested, that of targeting the policy at the departments that purchase food for child care centres, long-term care homes, and shelters, one Councillor went so far as to recommend the entire policy be scrapped. So this good news is actually great news, because the motion to keep the policy under these new terms was passed at 40 votes to 1! Please read this press released from Food Forward for more details:

Attention News/City Editors:

For Immediate Release

Thursday July 14, 2011

Council gives green thumbs up to local food

TORONTO, ON – Good news comes out of City Council’s third day this week as Councillors voted nearly unanimously to keep the City’s local food procurement policy, providing fresh food at City child care centres and long-term care homes.

“This is a win for the City’s food movement, the environment and Toronto food sector jobs,” said Darcy Higgins, Executive Director of Food Forward.  “In deciding to support local food, Council sends a clear message that it cares about local farms and healthier food for its residents.”

The policy, which began in 2008, had been at risk after a tie vote at Government Management Committee brought the matter to Council.  Over the last two weeks, letters and petitions from residents and cooperation by councillors on different sides of the political spectrum helped to return support for the policy.

“Over 58,000 people in Toronto are employed in the food sector, providing 1 in every 8 jobs, and this policy will continue to generate support for good work in this sector.” said Higgins. “Toronto residents and our members hope for continued support from this Council in recognizing the benefits of expanding food programs like urban agriculture and allowing community food projects and businesses to flourish.”

Food Forward especially thanks new Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon and the Toronto Environmental Alliance for their work to support local food.

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Contact:

Darcy Higgins

Phone: 416-459-9975

Email: darcy@pushfoodforward.com

What's Growing in the Food Sector?

After receiving plenty of rain, the vegetable plants on my CSA farms will get a dose of sunshine and heat this week, and I can't wait for that first share this Sunday! To help pass the time, here's the event listing for Food Forward's Growing Good Food Jobs Forum taking place on Tuesday night:

Growing Good Food Jobs Forum with City Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon

Time: Tuesday, May 31, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Place: 8th floor Party Room, Hugh Garner Co-op, 550 Ontario St, Toronto

Can Toronto's food scene flourish? We thinks so.

Already growing leaps and bounds, the food sector provides one of eight Toronto jobs. Innovative businesses and non-profits are leading community economic development and providing new work to the City, while promoting a local, sustainable food system in which opportunities are more accessible.

Join us for a discussion with key leaders from the area's food sector to look at what's happening, what's being built and what kind of policies and projects could move us even further.

Moderated by Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon.

Speakers:

• Sri Sethuratnam, FarmStart-Up Programs Manager who's worked in agriculture for twenty years, immigrated to Canada in 2004 and now supports newcomers to get a foot in GTA sustainable farming. 
• Michael Wolfson, Food and Beverage Cluster Specialist with the City of Toronto, with thirty years experience in the food industry, working in natural foods, constulting, government and non-profits. 
• Voula Halliday, a Cordon Bleu trained chef, recipe developer and food writer, who knows Toronto's food scene and has led the way in innovating a successful and sustainable non-profit school nutrition program.

The forum is open to your questions and comments. Requesting a $5 donation if possible, or we'll throw in a Food Forward membership for just $10. We're being hosted by the Hugh Garner Co-op (nearest Sherbourne Station), adjacent their green roof, come take a look: http://www.hughgarnergreenroof.ca/

We thank Carrot Cache for its support of our forums.

April Showers Bring May Flowers... and Food!

May is upon us, and everywhere I looked today I saw Daffodils, Forsythias, and Magnolias in bloom. All of that rain in April is paying off. Now it's time for spring veggies! While we wait for the edibles (and if you're reading this on Monday night, election results), let's check out two great foodie events.

This week Food Forward is hosting its monthly networking and social event around the good food movement: Foodie Drinks. As usual, the guests will include one business and one non-profit working to better the food system. This month, we will be hearing from Ayal Dinner, coordinator of the Sorauren Farmers' Market, which is run by the West End Food Co-op. Also speaking will be Erica Lemieux, founder of City Seed Farms, a backyard farming business that has started growing veggies in the High Park neighbourhood and sells this produce at the Sorauren Market! Read up on Ayal and Erica in this recent newspaper article.

Date: Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Time: 7:00 - 10:00 pm

Location: Stella - 1261 Bloor St W at Lansdowne. This cafe/bar will have light snacks from neighbourhood stores for purchase along with Steamwhistle on tap and other local brews by the bottle.

Cover: This month we're asking for a $5 donation cover; we also have memberships available for $10. As always, snazzy Food Forward buttons will be available.

For more information, visit Food Forward's website, and you can RSVP on the Facebook event page.

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Not to be missed next Monday is the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council's community meeting. This month's theme is farmland preservation. Did you know that the cities and towns of Southern Ontario have been developed on top of some of Canada's best soil? That's right, we're losing Class 1 Farmland that can grow anything the climate will allow, and more of it is disappearing every year. The meeting will include a panel discussion featuring youth experts on agricultural zoning policies, the Markham Food Belt, and creating careers in sustainable agriculture. Stick around for brainstorming opportunities, the outcomes of which will help the TYFPC develop its position to be presented to the Toronto Food Policy Council in June.

Date: Monday, May 9th, 2011

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Location: Metro Hall, Room 308 - 55 John Street.

For more information, visit the TYFPC website, and you can RSVP on the Facebook event page.

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You know what's funny about elections? I have no issue going to bed early and hearing/reading about the results in the morning. I'm also not one to tent out in front of a store to be the first to get my hands on a new tech gadget... if you couldn't already guess that about me! Both the election results and the piece of electronics will be there in the morning!


Photo credit.

Connecting Youth with Jobs in the Good Food Movement

I'm delighted to announce two exciting events that will help young people who advocate for a better food system find with meaningful work!

Youth Food Fair

The Toronto Youth Food Policy Council (TYFPC) will be hosting its second annual Youth Food Fair to help "the food leaders of tomorrow meet the food leaders of today". At last year's event, nearly 300 youth and 30 food organizations came together to network the evening away. I'm betting the event will be even bigger this year! Just take a look at some of the participating organizations:

• Food Share Toronto
• Local Food Plus
• Real Food for Real Kids
• Green Thumbs Growing Kids
• Young Urban Farmers and Young Urban Farmers CSA
• Food Forward
• Everdale Organic Farm and Environmental Learning Center
• Slow Food Toronto
• Afri-Can Food Basket
• Meal Exchange
• Toronto Food Policy Council
• Sustain Ontario
• Second Harvest
• Not Far From the Tree

I've heard that this year, the structure will be similar to a speed-dating session where youth participants will have a chance to pitch their ideas (and themselves as job candidates!) to the organizations they're interested in. The pessimist in me is expecting chaos while the optimist in me is really excited! The foodie in me is looking forward to the light snacks provided by the Hot Yam!

Date: Thursday, April 7th, 2011

Time: 6:00 - 9:00 pm

Location: Wilson Lounge, New College, University of Toronto

Cost: free.

Registration: none required, just show up!

Pushing Further

Right on the heels of the Youth Food Fair, Food Forward will be hosting a mini-conference for those interested in starting a career in the food sector while making a difference in society - hey, that sounds like me! Similar to last year's Pushing Forward event, this session will feature both educational and interactive sessions to help participants discover new opportunities, learn about social entrepreneurship, get advice from business owners, and share strategies for new initiatives. Take a look at the line-up of speakers:

• Harriet Friedmann: leading food policy researcher, Geography Professor, and Fellow of the Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto
• Nogah Kornberg, Executive Director of Young Social Entrepreneurs of Canada
• Kathleen Mackintosh, Founder and Owner of Culinarium, Toronto's all-local food store
• Noelle Munaretto, Operations Manager of the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance and Event Coordinator with Young Urban Farmers CSA

At the last event, I found the networking opportunities to be the most useful, though I learned a lot from the speakers, too. You never know what kinds of conversations you're going to have in a room full of good food movement supporters!

Date: Saturday, April 9th, 2011

Time: 11:30 am - 5:00 pm

Location: Room 5260, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto

Cost: $45 for Food Forward members, $50 for non-members, $5 for Food Forward supporting members

Registration: head over to the Get Involved page; e-mail questions to darcy (at) pushfoodforward.com


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Wow, April is shaping up to be an exciting month!


Photo credits: carrots; tomatoes.

March Foodie Drinks

Announcing the March edition of Foodie Drinks! Next week Food Forward is hosting its fourth monthly networking and social event around the good food movement.

We have a special guest coming to speak: Thu Nguyen is preparing to travel to Vietnam, where she will be cooking with chefs in their homes and restaurants, as well as with KOTO, a non-profit restaurant and vocational training program designed for street and disadvantaged youth. On her trip, Thu will be working on a recipe book on this topic called My Quest.

As usual, we will be featuring one business and one non-profit working to better the food system. This month, we will be hearing from Second Harvest, a registered charity that picks up and prepares excess fresh food that would otherwise go to waste and delivers it daily to around 250 social service agencies such as shelters, community centres, and breakfast programs in the Greater Toronto Area. Our business guest will be Culinarium, a gourmet food store that features a range of organic, natural, artisanal, and/or sustainably produced products from Ontario. Besides offering produce, meats, and dairy, this store also carries unexpected items like peanuts from Vittoria, birch syrup from Thunder Bay, and saskatoon berry pie from Stratford.

Date: Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Time: 7:30 - 10:00 pm

Location: Stella - 1261 Bloor St W at Lansdowne. This cafe/bar will have light snacks from neighbourhood stores for purchase along with Steamwhistle on tap and other local brews by the bottle.

Cover: This month we're asking for a $5 donation cover; we also have memberships available for $10. As always, Food Forward buttons will be available, and we're also offering free sprouting seeds for anyone interested in growing some greens in their kitchen.

So whether you're planning out your vegetable garden and looking to share growing tips... or you've come up with an idea for making healthy, local food more accessible and would like to brainstorm ways to turn your idea into reality... or you keep hearing stories of farmers having to sell their land to developers because they can no longer sustain their activities and you want to get involved to prevent further farmland loss... then come out and mingle!

If you've never attended Foodie Drinks before and don't know where to start, come find Darcy or me - we'll be wearing funny hats, you won't be able to miss us!

For more information, visit Food Forward's website, and you can RSVP on the Facebook event page.

Foodie Fun in February

The shortest month of the year may be quickly drawing to a close, but it's not too late to meet your monthly foodie event quota! On Monday, February 28th, you will have to make a tough decision between attending Food Forward's popular Foodie Drinks social and networking event and The Stop Community Food Centre's Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) garden-sharing program orientation session. This is one of those times when I wish I could clone myself.

Foodie Drinks

Are you a politically-minded foodie? Would you like to hear about groups doing good work in support of the good food movement? Do you like Local Food Plus certified local, sustainable food? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then come to mingle, socialize, and network at February's Foodie Drinks event, where those who care about expanding access to healthy food and supporting farmers and animal welfare come together to make positive change in the community. At this month's event, we'll be learning about non-profit activist collective Justicia for Migrant Workers and their efforts at promoting the rights of migrant farm workers. We'll also get to know Hall's Kitchen, producers of handcrafted vegetarian soups, stews, and sauces free of chemicals, preservatives, additives, and GMOs. Yum!

Foodie Drinks will be taking place between 7:00 and 10:00 pm in the Melody Bar at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W). You can RSVP here. This event is open to everyone and free to attend, however a $10 donation is encouraged to cover the costs of organizing events like these and pushing good food policy forward at City Hall.

YIMBY

Looking for a garden matchmaker? Maybe you like growing your own food but don't have access to a sunny patch of soil. Maybe you have a big backyard but lack the time and/or know-how to put it to productive use. Maybe you're lucky and have had your own veggie plot for years but would like to meet other gardeners to share knowledge and support those who are new to gardening. Either way, if you live in the neighbourhoods around the Stop's two locations, then the YIMBY program is for you! The Stop is hosting this orientation session to introduce apartment dwellers and back yard owners to each other and to provide details on their tool lending library, gardening workshop schedule, and community seed exchange events.

The YIMBY orientation session will be taking place between 6:30 and 8:30 pm. For more details, including how to RSVP, check out the full event listing here.

The Future of the Food Sector

January was a busy month for food system-related events, and it looks like February will be no different. Food Forward has organized a panel discussion featuring four young leaders within the food and agricultural sectors:

• Tracy Philippi, Chair, Toronto Youth Food Policy Council
• Jason Qu, Campus Agriculture Project, University of Toronto
• Jodi Callan, Senior Environmental Planner, City of Toronto
• Ian Hepburn-Aley, Urban Agriculture and Community Food Facilitator, FoodShare

The forum will cover topics such as urban agriculture, local sustainable food procurement, food literacy, and municipal policy, and the discussion will highlight some of the programs and policies currently in development that will be shaping the food system in the future.

If you work in or are interested in food and agriculture, health and environment, or planning and policy, don't miss this event coming up on Tuesday, February 22nd, between 9:30 and 11:30 am, located in room 204 at Deer Park Library (40 St. Clair Ave E). To register, contribute $35 on Food Forward's Get Involved page or become a monthly supporter. Fair trade and local refreshments will be provided. View the event page for more details.

Foodie Politics

It's late, so I'll be really quick about this: tonight I was one of about 50 people to attend The Local Politics of Food panel discussion, and the energy in the room was palpable. Among many other interesting points, Avia Eek stressed the importance of asking political candidates to be clear about their platforms as they relate to the food system; Joe Mihevc urged us to reconsider the dichotomy between viewing urban centres only as places for business, commerce, education, and finance, and rural areas as space used exclusively for farming; and Faisal Moola supported treating farms as ecosystems because they provide an incredible number of ecological benefits that we take for granted. Moderator Sarah Thomson asked how we can take action, and the responses varied from starting community gardens to supporting the establishment of foodbelts (agricultural greenbelts) to changing people's mindsets about the aesthetics of produce so that no food is wasted simply because it isn't perfectly unblemished on supermarket shelves. Finally, I really liked how Jacob Kearey Moreland  closed the discussion by highlighting that what sustains us are the connections we have with each other and the planet. Now that more people are realizing this, things are beginning to change.

A big thank you to Darcy at Food Forward and Jacob with Dig In! Campus Agriculture for organizing this event.

Talking About Food... and Eating It, Too!

I used to think January was a dead month: many people take a few weeks to recover from the holidays (excessive eating and exposure to family members will do that), and for those of us living in more wintry climates, any interest in going outside is easily replaced by the desire to keep warm under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate.

Then I met Food Forward, and my naive worldview went out the window... and immediately froze in mid-air and shattered on contact with the sidewalk. Later someone slipped on it and fell. You get the idea. If you only attend two events this month (okay three, because you should also come to the free screening of The Economics of Happiness), these are the ones for you:

The Local Politics of Food

This panel discussion will feature three exciting speakers: Toronto City Councillor and urban agriculture advocate Joe Mihevc, King Township Councillor and farmer Avia Eek, and David Suzuki Foundation Science Director and conservation expert Faisal Moola. If you attend, you will be in good company indeed! The discussion, moderated by Women's Post publisher and former mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson, will cover some of the issues and solutions that municipalities are working on in relation to the food system and how residents can take action and bring about community change.

Come out and ask these experts your burning food system questions on Wednesday, January 26th, between 7:00 and 8:30 pm in the South Dining Room at Hart House (7 Hart House Circle, University of Toronto). You can RSVP here. 

Foodie Drinks

What happens when you invite a bunch of politically-minded foodies to a hip bar, introduce them to groups doing good work to support the good food movement, offer them Local Food Plus certified food, then let them mingle, socialize, and network? You get Foodie Drinks, where those who care about expanding access to healthy food and supporting farmers and animal welfare come together to make positive change in the community. This month's event will feature Arlene Hazzan Green and Marc Green, founders of The Backyard Urban Farm Company, and Laura Reinsborough, founder of Not Far From The Tree, who will speak about the good work they are doing to support the local food system.

Don't be shy, come out and make new friends who share your foodie values on Monday, January 31st, between 7:00 and 10:00 pm in the Melody Bar at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W). You can RSVP here.

Both The Local Politics of Food and Foodie Drinks are open to everyone and free to attend, however a $10 donation is encouraged to cover the costs of organizing event like these and pushing good food policy forward at City Hall.

Photo credit.

Season's Greetings and Food (but No Gravy) to Mayor Ford

Want to light three candles with one flame? If you can make a donation to Food Forward by tomorrow (sorry for the short notice), a personalized greeting card will be delivered to Rob Ford in your honour, along with a selection of yummy local produce. Not only will you be sharing holiday cheer with Toronto's new mayor, this action also helps support Food Forward's work and advocates for the need to strengthen our local food system. You can also thank a Councillor for advancing the good food movement or encourage one to become more involved. Look up the one serving your ward on the City of Toronto's website.

Full details can be found here.

Photo credit.

Will You Eat Real On No Fast Food Day?

This Friday (December 17th) is No Fast Food Day, also known as Eat Real Day. I hope you will join me in eating healthy food, either prepared at home with ingredients from your local market or grocer, or while dining out at a neighbourhood restaurant. The goal that Food Forward had in mind when creating this day was to stimulate discussion around some of the problems with fast food: environmental destruction, social inequities, health problems, and factory farm conditions.

So take some time on Thursday to plan your day. I promise it's easier than you think: wake up early enough to eat breakfast at home instead of on the go to start the day off right; bring leftovers to work and skip the cafeteria at lunch; grab that afternoon tea/coffee and snack at a local, independent café that makes their baked goods in-house every morning (or better yet, replace the cookie with an apple); and invite your friends over for a home-cooked meal in the evening!

Sign up to count your participation here, and encourage your friends to participate in the challenge, too! Join the discussion by sharing your healthy food ideas and fast food issues by tweeting with the hashtag #eatreal, and sharing on Food Forward's Facebook event page.

Bon appetit!

Announcing the First Ever "Foodie Drinks"!

I'm pleased to pass on the word that this Wednesday, December 8th, Food Forward is inviting local foodies who want to make Toronto a better place to come to the downstairs room at The Blake House (449 Jarvis between Wellesley and Carlton) between 7 and 10 pm. The first ever Foodie Drinks event is the place to be if you want to network within this growing community, discuss local food politics, and generally have fun! Attendees will also be treated to a presentation on one food business and one local organization working to make a difference. The event is free, but you are encouraged to "buy a drink for Food Forward" if you can make a $10 donation to help support current and future projects.

If you can make it, please let Food Forward know on their event page.

See you there!

The power of networking.

[Photo credit]

Pushing Forward with 100 Hands

This afternoon I had the pleasure of attending a workshop on developing a career in the sustainable food movement. "Pushing Forward" was organized by Food Forward Advocacy Alliance, a food system advocacy group based out of Toronto working with the public, politicians, and those involved in the food sector to strengthen the city's food movement. The workshop doubled as a fundraiser, with proceeds supporting Food Forward's work and programming.

Eglinton Park Heritage Garden

The goal of the event was to provide interactive sessions for people interested in getting a meaningful job or starting a social enterprise in the food or environmental sector. The day was structured around a series of educational talks delivered by speakers whose enthusiasm for their work was infectious. The 50 workshop participants (that's where the 100 hands in my title came from) heard four great success stories:

Chris Wong, co-founder of Young Urban Farmers (helping residents grow their own food in the city) and its non-profit sibling CSA, told us about the importance of being passionate and having a can-do spirit when trying to make it as an entrepreneur. He pointed out that starting a business often brings about a fear of failure, but that this fear can be transformed into motivation because the worst case scenario is spending the rest of one's life regretting never having tried.

Anne Freeman, coordinator of the Dufferin Grove Farmers' Market and the Greenbelt Farmers' Market Network, explained the myriad of details involved in creating and operating farmers' markets and other small food business start-ups. In addition to passion and drive, she underscored the need for planning and cost analysis before venturing into business. Anne also provided great tips and directed us to useful resources, including the Toronto Food Strategy project / Food Connections and Toronto Public Health food handler training courses.

Melissa Shin, Managing Editor for Corporate Knights Magazine (a.k.a. the "magazine for clean capitalism", showcasing the leaders and losers of the corporate world with respect to their environmental and social impacts), spoke about facing adversity with passion and being gutsy enough to do what you love. She remarked that while we may not want corporations to run the world, they current do; so it's necessary to work with them to achieve our goals.

Nogah Kornberg, Executive Director of Young Social Entrepreneurs of Canada (a hub for connections, education, and support for young people in social enterprise), remarked that as a high school teacher, she has often been asked by students how to choose between pursuing a career that interests them vs. one that pays the bills. Outraged that youth are convinced these are mutually exclusive concepts, Nogah became a big proponent of social enterprise: working towards meeting social and economic goals simultaneously.

Riverdale Farm Farmers' Market

After these four informative talks, we moved on to the more interactive portion of the day. In order to take advantage of the great wealth of knowledge present in the room, Nogah invited five workshop participants to briefly outline their ideas for pushing the sustainable food movement forward. The rest of us created little groups around these "masterminds" and furthered their ideas through feedback, questions, and the raising of problems that needed solving. It was incredible how in ten short minutes, one person's vision was boosted by eight brains coming at the idea from a variety of perspectives. I sat with a driver for FoodShare's Good Food Box program who wants to distribute healthy snack packs to convenience stores in food deserts, and our group came up with lots of suggestions to improve the feasibility of his idea.

Finally, although I could not stay for the post-event social at a nearby pub (serving local beers, naturally), I had a chance to chat with Food Forward volunteer Michelle Gruda (whose blog you should read). We talked about how exciting it was to hear from people who have been able to pursue careers they love, but agreed that the missing piece is knowing how to turn an idea into a successful business. Between the two of us, we were easily able to identify areas that desperately need change and come up with half a dozen objectives, but how do these concepts become detailed proposals?

In the coming weeks and months I hope to devote more time and energy to answering this question, and with some luck I will find myself working on a project and keeping you up to speed on my progress through this blog!


Photo credit: Eglinton Park Heritage Garden - Toronto Community Garden Network ; Riverdale Farm Farmers' Market - The Friends of Riverdale Farm.