Thanks to our Fruit Tree Project Volunteers

On Monday Environment Hamilton was invited to pick cherries in the back yard of a generous local Hamilton resident.

This is part of the Fruit Tree Project where volunteers have to opportunity to connect with our food systems and work with local farmers or residents who need help collecting their harvest.  This time around we picked significant harvest from two cherry trees.

All the volunteers took home a trove of cherries and we had enough left over to donate to the Melrose United Church and the Eva Rothwell Centre. 

To take part of this project as a volunteer or to provide produce to pick please contact Environment Hamilton at 905 549 0900 or Juby Lee at jlee [at] environmenthamilton.org.

Rural Roots is a SMooShing Success

It's easy to feel glum about how factory farms treat the animals we use to make produce but Saturday's rural routes trip was an inspiring experience.

We arrived to San Barr farm in sustainable style, as usual, on a stretch bus provided by Hamilton Street Rail.  Upon arrival long horn farmers Josh and Jordan greeted our group and educated us on the intricate details of their trade.

Texas Longhorn Cattle are a magnificent species which produce the leanest beef you can find.  San Barr's stock is clearly happy and healthy and many of us purchased their heart healthy ground beef which they sell at $5 per Lb.

From San Barr our group walked over to the Boar and Chick Farm next door where we got to see a wide variety of ethically raised farm animals including: pigs, chickens, cows, horses and sheep!

Don't miss out on our next Rural Routes trips including:

Saturday, July 7th - Organic chicken producer, Fenwood Farm and Organic veggie grower, Scotscraig Farm.

Saturday, August 18th - Heirloom veggie grower, Waterhall Farm.

We depart at 10:30am sharp - 27 King William St.
Tickets are $5 for seniors $7 for adults
Tickets are sold at Homegrown Hamilton. Cash only please.

For more information call Environment Hamilton at 905 549 0900.

Toronto Food Security Tour

*CORRECTION* The Food Security Tour takes place on July 5th not July 12th.

Environment Hamilton presents the 2012 Toronto Food Security Tour.  During this fantastic event food conscious Hamiltonians will have the opportunity to learn how Toronto is producing and sharing healthy, local food.  Be prepared to be inspired!

The first destination on the tour is appropriately called “TheStop”.  Here we will explore an influential project which acknowledges the inseparable relationship between food and community.   They do a great job providing frontline services to their local community, including a food bank, perinatal program, community action program, bake ovens and markets, community cooking, community advocacy, sustainable food systems education and urban agriculture. 

The Stop Community Food Centre: An Introduction from The Stop Community Food Centre on Vimeo.

Following The Stop we will be taking the bus over to FoodShare for lunch and a tour.  Food Share has been at the forefront of community building since 1985.  The organization has worked toward ensuring that all people not only have access to food, but that we have access to healthy food.

Finally, the tour will end at the Dufferin Grove Park Farmers’Market.  We will be guided through the inner workings of this Toronto farmers’ market, famous for its outdoor oven.

The tour will take place Thursday July 5^th and is an all day event.   The cost will be $15 dollars and that includes three guided tours and lunch.  Expenses for transportation are not included.  We will be taking Go Transit to travel to Toronto and then TTC to travel within Toronto.  The bus departs from the Hamilton Go Station (map) at 7:40 sharp.

Please contact Environment Hamilton at 905 549 0900 or kburson.eatlocal@environmenthamilton.org for more information and to RSVP.  Spots are limited so reserve your place as soon as possible!

Taste of Locke a GREAT success at the Locke Street Farmers' Market

On Sat. June 16th, 8 local restaurants and food shoppes prepared tasty samples using local farmers market ingredients.

NaRoma with their Sweet Potato Pizza - SOOO many people LOVED this!

Others included: Bread Bar, Cheese Shoppe on Locke, the Courtyard, Forrats Chocolate, Bitten, West Town and Il Fiasco.

The Market's newest addition - Munchies Barkery, they bake treats for humans and dogs!

The Locke Street Farmers' Market is located on Locke St and Herkimer and will run every Saturday until October from 11-2pm.

Even in the Rain Hamilton's Farmers' Markets Shine

There has been a lot of activity in the last week at Hamilton's Farmers' Markets despite constant rain.  Saturday saw the opening of the Locke Street Farmers' Market in their new location at the corner of Locke and Herkimer in the Locke Street Auto parking lot.  The farmers and restaurants on Locke St are preparing for next Saturday's Taste of Locke food festival where eateries along Locke St will be preparing mouth watering delicacies prepared from local ingredients provided by farmers' market vendors.

Also on Saturday at the Ottawa Street Farmers' Market the rain didn't stop kids from having fun at the Oliver's Garden Project where the little sprouts could plant seeds, learn yoga and take part in a cooking demo.

Dundas Farmers' Market opened with a bang as thunderstorms rocked the Hamilton area.  However, Dundas residents still came out to support their local Farmers.  Here is Mike from Paterno Nurseries taking shelter from the rain.

 Fenwood Farm was also out selling their organic Chicken and Pork products to a happy customer. 

 

Scotscraig Farm was also busy selling their seasonal produce.

 

 Both Scotscraig and Fenwood farms will be local stops on the Roural Routes bus tour on Saturday, July 7th.  Tickets are available at Homegrown Hamilton.

Malcolm and Kathie from Scotscraig Farm were nice enough to share a great seasonal recipe:

GARLIC SCAPE AND ALMOND PESTO SAUCE (one cup)

10 garlic scapes, finely chopped

1/2 cup parmesan

1/3 cup slivered almonds (toasted or not)

1/2 cup olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Simply blend all the ingredients in a food processor, a blendor or with a mortar and pestle!

Click here for a complete list of everything you need to know about Hamilton's many farmers' markets.