Speed dating for farmers

I learned from this tweet from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, that the London Economic Development Commission is hosting this event:

LOCAL FOODS FARMER/FOOD BUYER SPEED NETWORKING EVENT
"Connecting Farmers and Food Buyers to tap into the Buy Local food market place"
March 31, 2009, Western Fair

We desperately need to make better connections between Windsor and Essex County and an event like this could do wonders towards starting up relationships between our tourism and agriculture industries. Too bad our own Windsor Economic Development Corporation have other things on their mind...

Upcoming Local Landscaping Classes

This year we're pleased to offer another series of our Naturalized Landscaping Course. These weekly, 6 part classes combine the best of traditional landscaping concepts with tried and true approaches to incorporating native plants, attracting wildlife and other environmentally sustainable techniques. Since first being introduced in 2002, this course has benefitted over 600 area residents. This year, we're pleased to offer four editions of this course at four convenient locations, which are as follows:

Essex, beginning on Monday March 9. * Tecumseh, beginning on Tuesday, March 10. * Windsor, beginning on Wednesday, March 11. * Kingsville, beginning on Thursday, March 12

All classes begin at 7:00 PM and typically last about 2 hours. Registration for each person is $50, which include a complete annual membership. Most classes can accomodate 20 participants and are open to both new and experienced gardeners. Registrations are now underway will continue as long as there is still vacancy in each class. To secure your spot in a class or to learn more, call Dan at 519-259-2407. [Naturalized Habitat Network]

Space - The Eternal Frontier

I'm still thinking about last night's Talk20 event. Because I had brought my family to Artcite I couldn't pop over to Phog afterwards to see who was continuing the conversations that had begun after the slideshows were over.

While cities have always facinated people, there has been a definate resurgence in exploring public spaces and making them more liveable. If I had to put a local starting point on it, I would say that it began about five years ago with the launch of Spacing Magazine and The Green Corridor project. Since then, initiatives such as Scaledown Windsor and FedUp! Windsor have emerged alongside long-standing groups such as the CEA and ArtCite to encourage and coordinate local action for a better city. Adding to this confluence are new faculty at the University of Windsor such as Jamey Essex and Michael Darroch joining the likes of Veronika Mogyorody among others who have been engaged in working with the community as part of their practice.

Its funny that many folks predicted that cyberspace would diminish the role of real space in our lives but all evidence seems to show the opposite is happening. Social software, online maps, and location-aware devices such as GPS receivers, digital cameras and cell phones are making us more aware of where we are.

The City As Playground : The Slides

Slides and speakers notes (found in the actions menu) are available through this link to the presentation.

Much thanks to Jodi Green and Artcite for the opportunity to be part of such a fun event.

Local peas and beans

from blenheim
Originally uploaded by Mita

We're eating less meat at our house for all the reasons that you, no doubt, are already familiar with. And when possible, we try to buy local.

I found these split peas and red beans at a nearby A&P. They are from Thompsons ("since 1924") in Blenheim, Ontario.

I'm finding the culture of Agriculture quite fascinating. For example, I just learned that the Ontario Bean Producers Marketing Board is dedicated only to promoting White Pea Beans. This is why there is also the Ontario Coloured Bean Growers Association.

Buying local for Valentine’s Day

"This Valentine’s Day, why not try fresh Ontario flowers? The perfect example, say Ontario flower growers, are potted miniature roses - ideal for the upcoming Valentine’s occasion." [Food & Farming Canada]

Pecha Kucha Windsor - February 19 at Artcite

Join us for Windsor's first Pecha Kucha event, a fun-filled evening of words and images.

Pecha Kucha (or talk20, as it is known in the U.S.) is a public lecture format conceived in 2003 by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham. The format: each presenter shows twenty slides; each slide remains on screen for twenty seconds (thus, each presenter speaks for 6 minutes and 40 seconds total).

Time : Thursday, February 19, 2009, 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Host/Location: Artcite Inc, 109 University Avenue West, Windsor

For our first Pecha Kucha evening, six presenters will speak about what they love about Windsor, what they hate, their perspective on the challenges currently faced by our community, how to fix it.

Our presenters:

• Mita Williams (Leddy Library, University of Windsor): "The City as Playground"
• Justin Langlois (MFA Candidate in Visual Arts, University of Windsor): "How to Fix the City: Social Practice in Windsor"
• Pina and Adriano Ciotoli (co-owners, WindsorEats.com): "Eat Your City"
• Andrew Foot (InternationalMetropolis.com): "Architectural Desecration"
• Tom Lucier (owner, Phog Lounge): "No More Bemoaning: Growing Windsor's Creative Class"
• Rod Strickland (Professor, School of Visual Arts, University of Windsor): "Open Corridor"

See if I can beat the clock!

Road trips for Charity

Through an email from Nancy Johns Gallery & Framing I learned of a Facebook group worth sharing: Road Trips For Charity:

We run fun bus trips to lots of fun places to raise needed donations for local charities. It is volunteer organized. No money is raised ONLY needed donations. We love going to all the events, shopping trips, wine tours, Mexican Towne on Mondays, Cedar Point, sporting events, concerts, dinner spots, nightclubs, the list goes on!... We only charge what the fix cost is to run the bus! It's completely volunteer organized event. It's people helping people. The idea is to capture the spirit of community and volunteersim, make a difference in our communities, raise awareness and donations for the charities! Have lots of fun!

City pays for 20 years downpayment on ketchup

No municipal taxes for 20 years. Free water for 20 years. A $10,000 building purchased by the town. A free sewer line.

It’s difficult to judge what that would have meant to a town of 2,500 with no paved streets at a time when a loaf of bread cost pennies.

With a vote of 551 to 18, Leamington said an overwhelming yes to the H.J. Heinz Company.

In today's Windsor Star is an homage to Heinz Canada. The Pittsburgh PA company decided to settle in Canada one hundred years ago.

I find it fascinating that cities have been trying to lure businesses with tax exemptions and free immenities for so long. Perhaps my assumption that this was only a modern practice is ill founded. Have municipalities alway engaged in this practice?