Update on Community Gardening in Ontario
1. Apr 16 | Webinar and Safety Recommendations Information
Free Taped Gardening Webinars
2. FREE Online Gardening Workshops | Get a Head Start on your Growing Season including Seed Starting
Live Gardening Webinars (Good for Getting Your Questions Answered)
3. Apr 18 & 20 | Small Plot Garden Design for Front Yard, Back Yard and Garden Boxes
4. Apr 18 & 21 | Container, Balcony and Window Sill Gardening
5. Apr 19 & 23 | Vermicomposting Design for Your Garden
6. Apr 22, 27 and May 2 | Basic Organic Gardening
7. Apr 26 | Outdoor Compost and Ways for Soil Building
8. Apr 25 & 29 | Seed Saving Up Above – Garden Planning Considerations
9. May 6 & 9 | Herbalism Workshop – Herbs to Grow and Weeds to Keep
More training webinars coming soon!
1. Apr 16 | Webinar and Safety Recommendations Information
Hear an update first-hand on the efforts to declare community gardening as an essential service in Ontario.
WHEN: Thursday, April 16 at 4:30pm
WHERE: Online (via Zoom)
RSVP: For more information, click here
Learn more about the consultations, efforts and actions that have taken place with the OCGN. This includes the most recent letter and proposed safety protocols sent to the Ontario Government.
We thank all of you who have signed the initial petition and emailed Members of Parliament to urge Ontario to include community gardens as essential food services. If you haven’t signed already, you still can here. This update will detail the response of these actions as well as the development of proposed safety protocols.
This webinar is hosted by Moe Garahan of Just Food and Rhonda Teitel-Payne of Toronto Urban Growers, Co-Chairs of the Ontario Community Growing Network (OCGN).
2. FREE Online Gardening Workshops | Get a Head Start on your Growing Season including Starting Seeds
We will be posting free, pre-recorded workshops to learn the gardening basics from instructors who are experienced. There are two workshops currently available with more workshops coming soon:
- Urban Organic Vegetable and Herb Gardening – Container and Small Space Gardening
- Indoor Seed Starting
Please stay tuned to the page Gardening Workshops on the Just Food website to view more free gardening workshops as they become available.
These online workshops are produced by Community Gardening Network at Just Food, in partnership with community partners and garden instructors.
Live Gardening Webinars
Please note: All of our 2020 Gardening Workshops will be online until further notice. Our goal is to enable as many gardeners as possible to grow food successfully in our region. All facilitators are experienced gardeners who have teaching experience and understand growing conditions in our region.
3. Apr 18 & 20 | Small Plot Garden Design for Front Yard, Back Yard and Garden Boxes
Have a backyard and do not know how to convert it into a food garden? Or that front yard with perfect sunlight but worry about the look of having a tomato trellis? What about those beautiful garden boxes you’ve always wanted to make?
Two Identical Sessions:
April 18
WHEN: Saturday, April 18 at 10am
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
RSVP: Click here to register for April 18
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend April 18 for free)
April 20
WHEN: Monday, April 20 at 7pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
RSVP: Click here to register for April 20
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
This workshop focuses on designing small food gardens outdoors, around your house or in a small plot, without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. It is good for both beginners or intermediate gardeners who have questions or want to confirm their practices growing food in the Ottawa region.
4. Apr 18 & 21 | Container, Balcony and Window Sill Gardening
Want to grow vegetables and herbs on your balcony or window sill? Container gardening is a great way of growing food if you know how. Small space can be very productive if you learn a few things about how to design it.
Two identical sessions
April 18
WHEN: Saturday, April 18 at 2pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register for April 18
April 21
WHEN: Tuesday, April 21 at 7pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register for April 21
This workshop focuses on using small space and light for growing food INDOORS, or on your BALCONY, without the use of pesticides or herbicides. Both beginners or intermediate gardeners can learn the basics and get useful tips on planting and harvesting your own pots of fresh produce!
5. Apr 19 & 23 | Vermicomposting Design for Your Garden
Just Food, in partnership with Box Of Life, brings this exciting workshop on using worms to make compost! Composting with red wiggler earthworms is easy, odour and bug free, and one of the quickest ways to create organic fertilizer from kitchen scraps. Why throw food into landfill when you can be a compost hero instead?
Two identical sessions
April 19
WHEN: Sunday, April 19 at 2pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register for April 19
April 23
WHEN: Thursday, April 23 at 7pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register for April 23
This workshop focuses on what you need to know to build your own vermicomposing system at home. It covers the basics of designing and running a vermi-composter. You can bring your questions and get tips for your system too.
6. Apr 22, 27 and May 2 | Basic Organic Gardening
Interested in organic gardening but don’t know where to start? This workshop is great for any gardener wishing to brush up on their gardening theory before the season. Whether you have never gardened before or hoping to boost your confidence in your abilities, you are sure to learn something at this workshop.
Two identical sessions and one French session:
April 22
WHEN: Wednesday, April 22 at 7pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register for April 22
Le 27 avril
QUAND: lundi 27 avril à 19:00
OÙ: En ligne (Zoom – les participants peuvent avoir l’accès gratuit en utilisant un ordinateur ou un téléphone via l’internet, or par télécharger l’app Zoom)
PRIX: 5 $ par personne
(Si le paiement c’est un problème, cliquez ce lien pour demander de participer gratuitement)
REGISTRER: Veuillez registrer ici pour le 27 avril
May 2
WHEN: Saturday, May 2 at 2pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register for May 2
This workshop focuses on growing common variety vegetables in the Ottawa region in various settings – your living room, small space and yards – without the use of pesticides or herbicides.
7. Apr 26 | Outdoor Compost and Ways for Soil Building
Good soil is the basis for good gardening. Compost is the most important nutrient to give to your garden, especially in. It’s also free and easy to make in your own home when you know how. Composting is an environmentally-friendly way to ‘up-cycle’ your kitchen waste and yard waste.
WHEN: Sunday, April 26 at 7pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register
This workshop will teach the various ways of making compost, and how to use this ‘black gold’ to build healthy soil for your gardening success. Whether you are new to gardening or want to learn more about composting design for your garden, to ask questions.
8. Apr 25 & 29 | Seed Saving Up Above – Garden Planning Considerations
Just Food, in partnership with Gaia Organic Seed, brings this workshop just in time when you are starting and planning your garden this year. This workshop will equip you with the necessary skills to harvest your own seeds successfully for growing in the next years to come.
April 25
WHEN: Saturday, April 25 at 2pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register
April 29
WHEN: Wednesday, April 29 at 7pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register
This workshop focuses on what you need to know to be able to harvest seeds from your own garden plot or pot. Plants naturally go to seed, but to grow vegetables for seeds, there are basic principles to follow and techniques to use.
9. May 6 & 9 | Herbalism Workshop – Herbs to Grow and Weeds to Keep
Just Food, in partnership with Amber Westfall of the Wild Garden, presents this workshop on herbalism! Do not miss this inspiring session with Amber that may just elevate your relationship with your garden plants to a new level.
May 6
WHEN: Wednesday, May 6 at 6:30pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register
May 9
WHEN: Saturday, May 9 at 2pm
WHERE: Online (Zoom meeting – participants can access for free using a computer or phone via internet browser, or by downloading the Zoom app)
COST: $5 per person
(If payment is an issue, click this link to request to attend for free)
RSVP: Click here to register
Learn about adding good and healing herbs into your gardening project and how to meet those ‘weeds’ that might be worth keeping!
