Written by Denise Deby.
Sometimes so many great events come up at once that I have to fit them all in one post. That’s the way it is with food right now. Take a look at what’s happening in the next week or so:
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Face the Waste Friday, Sept. 19 and Harvest Festival, Friday, Sept. 19-Sunday, Sept. 21 at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
Although many people go hungry, there’s actually enough food produced in the world for everyone. The problem lies in how food is distributed—and part of the problem is that around a third of the food produced in the world gets wasted rather than eaten.
In North America, much of this waste happens during processing, transportation, retail sales and in people’s homes. A Toronto study indicated that one in four household food purchases ended up in the garbage, while other stats suggest that over 30 per cent of fruits and vegetables in North America don’t even get to grocery store shelves because they’re considered too unattractive.
The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is hosting Face the Waste on Friday, Sept. 19. Katrina Siks and Jason Garlough will talk about how their initiative, Hidden Harvest Ottawa, collects fruit and nuts from urban food trees that would otherwise go to waste. There’ll also be a screening of Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story (2014), a documentary by Jen Rustemeyer and Grant Baldwin about their six-month adventure living off of food that would have been discarded and what they discovered about food waste.
Face the Waste starts at 7 p.m. (doors open 6:30); register at http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/face-the-waste-talk-and-documentary-tickets-12939212533.
On Sept. 20-21, the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum continues its Harvest Festival with interactive demonstrations on how to reduce food waste. Learn how to turn vegetables into soup, check out worm composting, catch Just Eat It!: A Food Waste Story, and more. See the website for the schedule.
Just Eat It – A food waste story (Trailer) from Grant Baldwin on Vimeo.
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Just Food Public Farm Tour Sunday, Sept. 21
Just Food operates a farm site right in the city. They’re inviting people to come visit, check out the farm businesses that grow food there and learn about farming programs run by community groups for new Canadians and youth. It’s from 1:00-2:30 p.m. at 2389 Pepin Court near Innes and Tauvette Streets in Blackburn Hamlet. (See their website for further details on the event and how to get there.)
Also, every Sunday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., the farms at the Just Food site operate a Farm Stand where you can buy their fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and preserves. For more information about the farmers, see their blog at http://justfoodfarmstand.com.
If you’re interested in organic farming yourself, Just Food accepts new applicants for their Start-Up Farm Program every year. This year applications for 2015 are due September 30, 2014. There’s more information at http://justfood.ca/start-up-farm-program/.
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Feast of Fields Sunday, Sept. 21 and Organic Week Sept. 20-28
Feast of Fields is an annual celebration of local food organized by the Canadian Organic Growers. This year, Canadian Organic Growers–Ottawa St Lawrence Outaouais (COG OSO) is hosting Feast of Fields at the Moulin Wakefield Mill, from 12:30-3:30 p.m.
You’ll be able to sample creations by local chefs using organic ingredients from Ontario and Quebec farmers. There’ll also be organic beer and wine. You can take a walk through Gatineau Park or listen to live music, too.
Even better, Feast of Fields will raise funds for two great COG OSO programs: Growing up Organic, which helps schools set up organic gardens and runs education programs, and Senior Organic Gardeners, which supports gardening programs for seniors. Tickets are available in advance on Eventbrite.
Feast of Fields also kicks off Organic Week, a celebration of organic food and farming that takes place Sept. 20-28 across Canada.
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Transition Ottawa Film and Panel Discussion on The Healing Power of Plants Wednesday, Sept. 24
Transition Ottawa is hosting a screening of Numen: The Healing Power of Plants, a documentary on medicinal plants and traditional knowledge. The film invites viewers to “deepen our relationship with the natural world and reminds us of the healing made possible by re-embracing our place in the wider web of life.” After the film, local herbalists Amber Westfall of The Wild Garden and Corrie Rabbe of Radical Homestead will speak. 7-9 p.m. at the Jack Purcell Community Centre.
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The Myths of Safe Pesticides Book Launch at West End Well, Thursday, Sept. 25
As part of Organic Week, Canadian Organic Growers is holding a book launch for The Myths of Safe Pesticides. Author André Leu, president of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements and an international expert on sustainable agriculture, will speak about the book. A social hour (with refreshments) will follow.
It’s at the West End Well, 969 Wellington St. W. starting at 7 p.m. (doors open 6:30).
For more information, see http://www.cog.ca/news_events/events/Myths-Safe-Pesticides/
Green Living Ottawa 