Crop Mob at Heart's Content Organic Farmstead

Last Sunday Environment Hamilton tagged along on a Crop Mob organized by Mac Farmstand to Heart's Content Organic Farmstead.  Volunteers with a desire to learn more about organic farming were given the opportunity to spend a day on the farm.  We started out with a tour of the farm.

 After the tour we spent the day pulling weeds until it started raining.

During the rain we took shelter inside and helped prepare garlic for the market.

Heart's Content is an interesting farm which already operates through farmers' markets and through their CSA, which delivers weekly or bi-weekly shares that members pick up at Homegrown Hamilton, the Brantford Farmers' Market or at the farm.  Farmer Richard Turnstall also works as a Naturopathic Doctor and runs his clinic at the farm as well. 

Heart's Content is working to move beyond the confines and limitations of modern industrial farming and our greater economic system.  Their newest project is a community land trust where they are planning to buy and preserve land just outside of the green belt with help from community bond holders who will see a 4% return on their investment in the form of organic food.  For more information contact Ella Haley at ehaley1[at]gmail.com.

We Love Fenwood and Scotscraig Farms!

Despite thundering storms first thing in the morning Rural Routes participants came out in droves on Saturday.  Our first stop was Scotscraig Farm.

Malcolm and Cam along with their two industrious farm workers Kim and Elysia pose in front of our heroic HSR transportation after generously showing our group around the farm.  Some of their organic veggies are grown in a greenhouse while others are grown in their fields.

Scotscraig also raises some farm animals including chicken and sheep.

 

After Scotscraig we made our way over to Fenwood Farm where Carol showed us how they raise chickens, turkeys, emus and grow soy.

First we saw the emu which is a real strange bird that sounds like the tyrannosaurus rex in Jurassic Park and live in female dominated family structures where the male birds spend most of the time sitting on large emu eggs.

We also got to see the turkey chicks which will be ripe and ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Fenwood Farm was nice enough to BBQ some turkey hot dogs which the farm dogs were quite interested in.

Don't miss our next Rural Routes bus trips to Waterhall Farm on August 18th and Alpacas from Eighth and Mud on September 8th (date changed from September 1st!).  As usual, tickets are available at Homegrown Hamilton, 27 King William Street.  The bus departs at 10:30 am sharp outside Homegrown.

Hamilton’s Eat Locallers Are Inspired!

Thursdays Toronto Eat Local Tour was absolutely inspiring.  A select group of determined and conscious food revolutionaries woke up bright and early to catch the 7:40 Go bus into Ontario’s capital.  

At 10 we arrived at the Stop and were given a tour.  The tour started with a larger tour of the Wynchwood Barns, which used to be a facility in which the TTC used to repair their streetcars.  Now the barns are home to art studios, residents and a variety of other organizations and corporations including the Stop.

The Stop is a phenomenal hub for community activists and volunteers.  The number of programs and services are endless and there are many new projects coming out of the woodworks.  They offer after school programs and a summer camp, community action organization, community cooking, a food bank, family support, sustainable food systems education and a venue for urban agriculture with a greenhouse and a number of internationally inspired community gardens.  

As well, at the stop there is an outdoor oven, a farmers market and they raise funds by serving a fantastic dinner one night a month.  Our guide Elizabeth talked with us non-stop about the programs and services provided by the Stop for an hour and a half and we could tell that she was only scratching the surface.  For inspiration oh how to make your community a healthier, richer, greener, more sustainable place the Stop is a great place to start.

After the stop we took a streetcar and a bus over to Foodshare which is located at and integrated into a local public High School.  There our guide Opal directed us toward the kitchen which whipped up a healthy, affordable, fresh and tasty lunch inspired by Spanish cuisine.  Foodshare also hosts a greenhouse with many interesting things growing.  Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Foodshare is their ability to deliver 4000 good food boxes a month to residents across Toronto.  The facility includes conveyor belts, a refrigeration room and they recently acquired two new refrigerated to add to their fleet.  All of which is operated by a large group of hard working volunteers.

Hamilton has our own Good Food Box program and we are working to grow as large as they have become in Toronto!  Order your own Good Food Box or Eat Local Box to save money, eat healthier and help expand this fabulous program.  Find your local Good Food Box site and order now!

Finally, we finished off our tour at the Dufferin Grove Organic Farmers’ Market.  We learned about how this farmers’ market is transforming their neighbourhood and how they have managed to grow and survive over their 10 years in the community.

To help support local farmers, eat local food and support ethical food systems consider shopping at one of Hamilton’s many Farmers’Markets!