Greenhouse Training
Organic Seedling Production
On Saturday, January 23 and Sunday, January 24 — from 9-12 both days — we are offering a 2-session intensive workshop for those looking to learn greenhouse production of organic seedlings.
These sessions are led by Sophie Clark of Trout Lily Organic Seedlings, and cover topics from operations to configurations (irrigation to ventilation) as well as lessons learned on timing, expedience, convenience and efficiency. The sessions will not be recorded, attendance is ‘live’ only.
When: 9:00a.m. – 12:00 on January 23 and 24, 2021
Where: Online via Zoom
Pre-requisites: None
Language: English
Cost: $70 (Some subsidized spots for those with serious financial barriers)
For questions or more information contact: phil@justfood.ca
To register, please e-transfer the workshop fee ($70) to financials@justfood.ca and send an email with your password and contact information to Carmen (works Wed-Fri) at info@justfood.ca
Ottawa (virtual) Screening of Gather
For anyone who missed the first screening of Gather — a film that celebrates and honours the critical and leading role Indigenous peoples play in protecting biodiversity on Earth as the basis of our shared food — we hope you can join the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health and Just Food for a second and final screening of the film from February 4-6
While the Indigenous food sovereignty projects in the film are based in lands south and west of here, their importance will resonate with viewers all over Turtle Island.
This is a free event, with the request that those watching, who can, will donate to Wabano’s Indigenous Food Sovereignty Project, (please choose Wabano Indigenous Food Sovereignty Project on the drop-down list) housed at Just Food Community Farm, with funds going to purchase seeds, tools and other materials for food production starting in 2021.
Gather will be open for viewing for 55 hours!
Watch at your own leisure from Thursday, February 4th at 5 PM to Saturday, February 6th at 11:59 PM
Length of film: 1 hour, 14 minutes
Register by noon on Wednesday, February 3rd here
You’ll be sent the movie link by email by noon on February 4th
Please click here to donate to Wabano (and please choose Wabano Indigenous Food Sovereignty Project on the drop-down list).
We’re also very grateful to the many people who donated to the
Wabano Centre’s Indigenous Food Sovereignty Project. All proceeds from the film screening will go towards Wabano’s food project
at the Just Food Community Farm in 2021.
More info:
The Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health is an award-winning and internationally recognized healthcare facility located in Ottawa, Ontario. Wabano’s unique model of care emphasizes the importance of nurturing the mind, body and spirit through the provision of a full medical clinic, mental wellness and addictions services, community and cultural programs, and community outreach. The result has been the creation of a place of belonging where culture flourishes in support of Ottawa’s Indigenous community.
Just Food is a community-based, non-profit organization working towards vibrant, just and sustainable food and farming systems in the Ottawa region.
Training for New Farmers
Training Series for New Farmers: Vegetable Production
Starting Tuesday, February 2 we are offering a 12-session series of online workshops for new farmers, focused on vegetable production and covering a diverse set of topics to start (or enhance) your farm enterprise. The training series will not be recorded, attendance is ‘live’ only.
When: February 2 – April 24 (see full calendar below), mostly Tuesday / Thursday evenings 6-9 pm
Where: Online via Zoom
Pre-requisites: None
Language: English
Cost: 12 workshops plus a review of your farm enterprise plan for $500
(Some subsidized spots for those with serious financial barriers)
To take one to three workshops contact Carmen (working Wed-Fri) through info@justfood.ca
For questions or more information contact: phil@justfood.ca
To register, please send an email with your contact information to Carmen (works Wed-Fri) at info@justfood.ca and e-transfer the workshop fee ($500) to financials@justfood.ca
Trainers:
Mat Levinson – Capital Greens
Phil Mount – Flat Earth Farm
Dan Van Vliet – Van Vliet Horticulture
Simon Neufeld, MSc, CCA – Chief Agronomist, Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc.
Moe Garahan – Just Food Community Farm+ Guest trainers
Full 2021 Calendar – Training Series for New Farmers: Vegetable Production
1. Tuesday, February 2 (6-9 PM)
Organic certification and record-keeping
2. Tuesday, February 9 (6-9 PM)
Crop planning and production (includes organic record-keeping, planning for pest control)
3. Thursday, February 11 (6-9 PM)
Introduction to Farm Business Planning (includes CSA model)
4. Tuesday, February 16 (6-9 PM)
Best practices for Starts and Transplanting; Equipment / irrigation supplies and sourcing
5. Thursday, Feb 18 (6-9 PM)
Marketing, pricing and sales
6. Tuesday, Feb 23 (6-9 PM)
Accessing Land; Land tenure agreements
7. Thursday, Feb 25 (6-9 PM)
Soil fertility through organic production practices
8. Tuesday, March 2 (6-9 PM)
Financial Planning, Investment Strategies and Farm Taxes
9. Tuesday, March 9 (6-9 PM)
Intensive vegetable production techniques (including pest control)
10. Tuesday, March 23 (6-9 PM)
Post-harvest handling
11. Tuesday, March 30 (6-9 PM)
Farm Safety
12. Saturday, April 24 – 10-3
Small-scale farm infrastructure & equipment use – on site at Just Food Community Farm
Start-Up Farm Program
Spots are available at the Just Food Community Farm for those interested in incubating a plant-based farm enterprise idea for the 2021 season (4 spots) and/or an artisanal poultry business (1 spot) for the 2022 growing season.
Pre-requisites: Completion of Just Food’s New Farmer Training Workshops (See above). If you have taken an equivalent, please email phil@justfood.ca for verification.
For those interested in artisanal chicken incubation, please send a documnet outlining relevant background information and experience to phil@justfood.ca
Language of support: English
Details here: https://justfood.ca/start-up-farm-program/
Farmer Training Topics Coming Soon…
This Winter:
- Value-add Food Processing
- Greenhouse start-up
- Livestock production
This Summer:
English as Second Language New Farmer Training
(including supports in French and Arabic)
If you are interested in these, please contact comms@justfood.ca
More details coming soon!
The Seeds and Soil Home Garden Project
Just Food and the City of Ottawa’s Human Needs Task Force are partnering to provide
free seeds and soil to 3000 households living on lower income or who lost income because of COVID-19 in Ottawa.
Are you looking for a way to increase your food supply with a garden?
There is still time to plant greens, beans and other food for your home use.
Home gardens are a great way to grow your own food, stay active, and support positive
mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Distribution starting Tuesday, June 16. First come – first served!
All information can be found here: https://justfood.ca/garden2020/ or https://alimentationjuste.ca/jardin2020
Ottawa Food Garden Project
On World Hunger Day, City of Ottawa announces support for more people to start food gardens at their homes
On May 27th, Ottawa City Council voted to support household food gardens. Councillor Theresa Kavanagh’s motion, The Ottawa Food Garden Project, an initiative that supports household food production, unanimously passed at City Council yesterday. This initiative will enable residents to request free soil and seeds to create or enhance their own home food garden.
The motion, seconded by rural Councillor George Darouze, requests that the City’s Human Needs Task Force (HNTF) work with Just Food to identify solutions for funding and immediate human resource and volunteer solutions required to support the project.
The Ottawa Food Garden Project is a food security initiative that also encourages residents to get active at home during the COVID-19 emergency. This citywide initiative, in partnership with HNTF and Just Food, will help to support residents in growing their own gardens in response to COVID-19.
Councillor Kavanagh noted, “With this motion passing, we will be able to partner with social service agencies and reach a lot more families struggling with lower incomes right now than we ever could with the current resources at Just Food.”
Councillor Darouze highlights that “COVID-19 has led to significant increased food and income insecurity in Ottawa. The demand for community food production has also increased.”
The City of Ottawa currently funds and partners with Just Food on their Community Gardening Network and Community Garden Development Fund to enhance the capacity of community food production in Ottawa. The demand by households in Ottawa for assistance to garden has surpassed the capacity of Just Food staff and volunteers to respond in a timely fashion, given the short growing season and need for planting to happen in the next few weeks.
Just Food has confirmed the purchase of $5,000 worth of seeds for distribution to Ottawa families with the goal of serving a minimum of 3000 families. Greely Sand and Gravel, who are also partners to the project, have committed to a significant donation of soil. “We are proud to build upon our longstanding community gardening partnerships throughout Ottawa and support this project to ensure families have what they need to get started”, says Brent Pyper, owner of Greely Sand and Gravel.
“Supporting community food production mitigates the pressure on emergency food distribution channels and builds long-term food security and community resiliency”, says Just Food Executive Director Moe Garahan. The Ottawa Food Policy Council is supportive of the City of Ottawa providing increased COVID-19 emergency support for household food production.
Councillor Kavanagh thanks Just Food, The City of Ottawa Human Needs Task Force, her colleague Councillor George Derouze and Greely Sand and Gravel company for their cooperation in getting this project going in a timely manner.
More information will be available on the JustFood.ca website within the week as to how to get involved.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Councillor Theresa Kavanagh – BayWard@ottawa.ca
Councillor George Darouze – George.Darouze@ottawa.ca
Just Food Executive Director Moe Garahan – moe@justfood.ca
Indigenous Voices on Food Security
The COVID-19 global pandemic has worsened the existing food security problems among many communities, including Indigenous communities.
Federally-funded emergency food supports are being used to tackle the food challenges brought on by the closure of borders, rise of unemployment, and food hoarding. However, these supports are inadequate for Indigenous communities including Indigenous community members living in Ottawa.
To read more, please check out Elisa Levi and Tabitha Robin’s COVID-19 Did Not Cause Food Insecurity In Indigenous Communities But It Will Make It Worse published by Yellowhead Institute.
