January 2020 Newsletter

Food News and Events in the Ottawa Region  


Just Food News and Events 

1. Jan 29 | Just Food joins call declaring that Ottawa is in a Housing Emergency 

2. Feb 26, March 4, 11 (Second Session April 11 and 25) | Fermentation Training for People Who Sell Food

3. Feb 15 | How to Start a Community Garden

4. Every Weekend | Buy Local Food This Winter

5. March 7 | Ottawa Seedy Saturday 


1. Jan 29 | Just Food joins call declaring that Ottawa is in a Housing Emergency 

Councillor Catherine McKenney is setting forward a motion to the City Council to declare a Housing Emergency in Ottawa. 

Just Food believes that the universal right to access good food is the responsibility of everyone. For everyone to be food secure, everyone must be housing secure. The current housing emergency in Ottawa must be urgently addressed. 

There are two ways you can show your support for McKenney’s declaration:

  • Sign the petition declaring Ottawa in a Housing Emergency
  • Come out to the Housing Emergency Rally on Jan 29!

When: Wednesday, January 29 from 9am – 9:30am
Where:
Marion Dewar Plaza, Ottawa City Hall (For directions, click here)

2. Feb 26, March 4, 11 (Second Session April 11 and 25) | Fermentation Training for People Who Sell Food

This fermentation training will focus on non-alcohol fermentation and its potential for incorporating into your existing food/farm business. Some topics include:

  • Lacto-fermentation such as making kimchi and tabasco style hot sauce
  • Fermenting beans and peas for making miso and tempeh
  • Grain fermentation varieties, including no-sweetener-added desserts such as sweet rice ferment or jiuniang, and using grains in vegetable lacto-fermentation
  • Dairy ferment such as kefir
  • And many more…

Please contact communitygardening@justfood.ca if you have any questions about the event.

WHEN: First session | three weekday evenings, February 26, March 4, March 11 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Second session | two weekends, April 11 and 25 from 10:00am to 3:30pm.
WHERE: Just Food Farm (2391 Pépin Court – Bus #25 and free parking) 
COST: $110 + HST             
RSVP: Click here to register

3. Feb 15 | How to Start a Community Garden

Join us on Feb 15 and learn about the steps involved in starting a community garden. How to search for land, what is essential when starting a community garden, the supports that are available, tips for organizing the garden, and much more!

The attendance of at least one garden coordinator (or a member of the garden who is working on the proposal) at a How to Start a Community Garden workshop is a requirement in order to apply for funding through the Community Garden Development Fund. The coordinator must have attended a workshop in one of the past 3 years as criteria and processes have changed throughout the years, and we encourage more than one to attend at a time. 

WHEN: Saturday, February 15 from 1:30pm – 3:30pm
WHERE: Hintonburg Community Centre, 1064 Wellington St
RSVP: Please RSVP to communitygardening@justfood.ca, and let us know if there’s something specific you would like covered!

4. Every Weekend | Buy Local Food This Winter

There may be snow on the ground, but you can still get your fix of local food by stopping by your local farmer’s market. Thankfully, the Just Food Farm Stand, the Ottawa Organic Farmer’s Market on Bank and the Ottawa Farmers’ Market at Lansdowne are still up and running throughout the winter season!

For those in the east-end, connect with the Just Food Farm Stand every Sunday from 11 am – 12 pm

WHEN: Sundays from 11am – 12pm
WHERE: Just Food Farm (2391 Pépin Court – Bus #25 and free parking) 

  • Enjoy good food from Cadence Ecological Farm, Chi Garden, Flat Earth Farm, and Capital Bees.
  • You can find your local food fix from a variety of eggs, microgreens, ferments, lamb, honey, beeswax wraps, candles and more! 
  • This winter, the Just Food Farm Stand will be having an egg CSA! Eggs are offered at $7/ dozen. Buy 7 dozens and receive the 8th dozen free.
  • For all other Farm Stand updates, please visit the Just Food Farm Stand Facebook page.  

For those downtown, drop by the Aberdeen Pavilion at the Ottawa’s Farmer’s Market at Lansdowne Park for local food, music, and crafts. 

WHEN: Sundays from 10am – 3pm 
WHERE: Aberdeen Pavillion, 1000 Exhibition Way

  • Fill your baskets with goods and good food while supporting local producers! 
  • For more information on their Winter Market, click here.

For those in the Alta Vista / Heron area, come out to the Ottawa Organic Farmers’ Market 

WHEN: Saturdays from 10am – 2pm 
WHERE: 1644 Bank Street, near Heron, at are the Canada Care Medical building behind the Canadian Tire store

  • Browse the bounty of local, organic products from meat and bread to fruits and vegetables to herbs and teas
  • For more information, click here

5. March 7 | Ottawa Seedy Saturday

Come and stop by the Ottawa Seedy Saturday on March 7! There will be plenty of fun to be had with a day of garden talks and seed sales, and seed exchanges. 

WHEN: Saturday March 7 from 10am to 3pm
WHERE: Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, Britannia Beach, 102 Greenview Ave
RSVP: For more info, please click here

Start-up Farm Program

Just Food established the Start-Up Farm Program to support new farmers in the Ottawa region. By offering access to land, shared infrastructure/equipment, and training, the program aims to enable more people in this region to start their own successful farm business.

> Read More about Just Food’s Start-up Farm program