Market Times - September 5, 2011

WEFC News

Become a Community Reviewer - Support Building Our Green Co-op!

The West End Food Co-op has been nominated to be an Early Entrant in the new Climate Spark Social Venture Challenge- please help us get points and raise money from this new social venture fund for our community co-op. We have estimated that our green renovation, bike delivery fleet and new local food markets have saved almost 450 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually- help us green the co-op by becoming a community reviewer at http://www.climatespark.ca/Challenge then review the project "Building Our Green Co-op"- thanks for the support!

Help Us Get Cooking, Preserving, and Community Building!

We’re still raising money to fund the new space—we’re raising the funds to get the production and community kitchen built and operational at the time of opening. There’s lots of ways to support us—join or pledge a rider for the Ride for Real Food; buy a community bond; volunteer or donate.

Parkdale All Candidates Forum

Come on out and get informed at the All Candidates Forum on September 13 organized jointly by Parkdale Community Health Centre (PCHC), Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre and West End Food Co-op. It will be held at St. John’s Parish Hall starting at 6:30, moderated by Angela Robertson. PCHC’s AGM will precede the forum at 5:30. See details below under community events and at the facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=244072288961320

This week at the Market

It’s the height of the season! Come on out and get all your local goodness. Peaches are still coming, apples are just starting, tomatoes are at their best, ... Yum! And come and have dinner in the park on this holiday Monday too! Back this week is Clover Road Organics- They have great organic veggies, honey, soap, meat birds (goose, duck, pheasants), and more!

Please help us save our farmers' markets!
Sign the petition to stop the current threat of huge fee increases for markets held in parks and other city property. Go to the Toronto Farmers’ Market Network website to learn more and to sign.

Community Groups at this week's Market:
 

• All One Holistic Clinic - take a moment to stop by their table as two Naturopathic doctors, and a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, will be providing Back to School Q & A. Located at 141 Roncesvalles Ave., All One emphasizes preventative medicine and the cultivation of a healthy lifestyle. They will educate you in how to take an active role in understanding how your body works by offering various services such as: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine, Registered Massage Therapy, Infra-red Thermal Imaging, and Darkfield Live Blood Analysis. 

• Learn about preserving the harvest - James Partanen (Expert Canner with WEFC) will show you how to make Peach Salsa - from 3:30 to 5:00pm

Under the Market Music Canopy this week

• From 3:00 to 4:30 – Moyo Rainos Mutamba - Enjoy Mutamba’s sweet Mbira and traditional music from Zimbabwe
• From 5.00-6.30–Mark Martyre - playing guitar and singing songs in the park! check out http://markmartyre.com

We are so fortunate to have had such wonderful musicians all summer sharing their talents with us at the market!

If you want to play music at the market or know someone you’d like to see play contact Corry and let her know!

At the Cannery

Our next Canning Workshop is September 6th. More Peach Salsa... Yum.

Remember you can support our ability to do and teach preserving with our community partners for those who wouldn’t otherwise afford to do so at Small Change Fund.

You can also check out the WEFC Cannery Page for updates and recipes.  Feel free to email Katie with questions.

Community Events and News

There are so many great things happening in September - see below for event listings, here’s a couple highlights:

• How to Host an Eat-In, Toronto, Tuesday, September 13 - Brooke Ziebell and Meredith Hayes from Foodshare's Field to Table Schools will get you excited about local food with engaging hints, tips and activities for educators, parents, students, school community members and anyone interested in celebrating Ontario produce.  As well Foodshare invites you to join them for their Eat-In Ontario fall harvest celebration happening on Friday, September 30th as part of their Recipe for Change initiative - getting food education back into the Ontario curriculum. Brooke and Meredith will show you how you can participate in this fun event with not only your school, but with your colleagues, friends and family too! So join FoodShare to learn, share and celebrate Ontario produce and food education! Details.
   
• It’s a bare pass:  Parkdale needs action on health care, housing and food security now. Press Release, September 1, 2011   TORONTO:  A report card released today, focussing on health care, housing and food security gives Parkdale a bare pass in keeping up with the growing demand for support in these areas—a troublesome find for a community that is undergoing revitalization.  But as the Parkdale community adjusts to accommodate a new group of homeowners and businesses, are others being left behind?

Three community agencies are providing an opportunity for community members to have this and other questions answered by candidates in the upcoming provincial election. On September 13, 2011, at 6:45 pm, an All Candidates Forum will be hosted at St. John’s Parish Hall at 186 Cowan Avenue. The event organized by Parkdale Community Health Centre (PCHC), Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre (PARC) and West End Food Co-op (WEFC) will include:

Cheri Di Novo, MPP Parkdale-High Park

Justin Trottier, Candidate for Parkdale-High Park, Green Party of Ontario

Cortney Pasternak, Candidate for Parkdale-High Park, Liberal Party of Ontario

Joseph Ganetakos, Candidate for Parkdale-High Park, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.

The 2011 Report Card on Health, Housing and Food Security covers the trends on these key issues in Parkdale.

For more events and information check these out:
Ecological Farmers of Ontario Events & Courses
Everdale Events & Workshops
FarmStart Current Events & Workshops
Food Forward Calendar of Toronto Good Food Events
Foodlink Waterloo Events
Sustain Ontario Calendar of Events
The Stop Community Food Centre Events Calendar
 

Get Involved with the Co-op

There are many opportunities for volunteers at the WEFC -- you can sign up to join the volunteer pool, and tell us what you'd like to do.  To support your co-op financially you can donate online now.

Choco Sol - bike powered chocolate, direct trade coffee, local hemp, fresh tortillas

Fish Shak- roti's, fish fritters, and more w/ local, seasonal ingredients

Baba Link - Herbs, berries, veggies, and preserves

Bees Universe - honey, candles, honey/bee products, eggs

Black to Eden- African beauty care-soap, sprays, lip balm, and much more!

Earth & City - mostly raw, all vegan, sweet and savoury treats with seasonal and local ingredients

Forbes Wild Foods - wild and foraged foods, maple syrup, preserves...

Exact Edge - Knife and other sharpening

Ying Ying Soy Food - organic tofu and soy products

De la Terre - Sourdough breads, baguettes, pastries, ...

Le Tibet - momos and noodles

Ali's Bakery - Breads, loaves, pastries, sweet and savoury  treats

Deer Valley Farm - Grass fed venison, poultry, & fresh mushrooms

Greengate Farm - Naturally raised beef & pork + frozen prepared  meals

Monforte Dairy - sheep, goat, & cows milk cheeses, ice cream, summer sausage

Klucha Farm - Tree fruit, vegetables, and preserves

Bizjak Farms - Tree fruit & berries

Fresh City Farms - Greens and veggies grown in the city!

The Fresh Veggies - Vegetables, asian greens, etc.

The Cutting Veg - Vegetables, herbs, flowers, salad greens

Kind Organics - sprouts, micro-greens, gourmet salad blends...

Matchbox Garden - Seeds, seedlings, seasonal veggies

Field Sparrow Farms - grass-fed naturally raised beef, veggies

Wheelbarrow Farm - Berkshire pork, veggies, sausages

City Seed Farm - just picked veggies and greens, brought to market by bicycle!

Oso Leo & Two Century Farm - apples and cider, berries, and other fruit

The Bus Kitchen -  Sweet & savoury treats made on a bus on site! Full of local and organic goodness

Defloured - gluten free gallettes, tarts, pot pies, cookies, and treats