Locke Street Holdiay Market - THIS Saturday is their last day!

Locke Street is having their LAST Holiday Market THIS Saturday Dec 17th.

10am-5pm 211 Locke Street S (Fenian Films)

FEATURING: local arts and crafts, holiday music, food and beverages PLUS! vendors from the Locke Street Farmers' Market.

Jerry's Berries will be selling frozen raspberries - while supplies last!

Richardsons Farm will be there selling their preserves, baked goodies, honey, maple syrup, sweet potatoes and apples!

Tool Drive at Parkview School

The Hamilton Community Garden Network (HCGN) is holding a tool drive!

Wednesday, December 14^th from 6:00-9:00pm
Parkview Secondary School, located at 60 Balsam Avenue North in Hamilton.

The Network will be collecting new or gently used tools for community garden projects throughout Hamilton, including Oliver’s Garden Project and a Community Garden Tool Trailer.

The evening also will include a student talent show (starting at 6:30pm), light refreshments for sale and the sale of herbs and house plants to support the Growing Parkview Project. This project will be growing vegetable seedlings in the spring for distribution to community gardens.

An almost-winter recipe!

This recipe comes from Foodland Ontario's great recipe database where you can find great ideas to make lots of great Ontario based meals!

Sweet Potato Apple Pancakes

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 15 Minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour


• 1/4 cup (50 mL) packed brown sugar


• 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking powder


• 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon


• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda


• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt


• 1 cup (250 mL) milk


• 2 eggs


• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla


• 3/4 cup (175 mL) mashed cooked Ontario Sweet Potatoes


• 1 Ontario Apple, cored and chopped


• Shortening, for cooking


• Ontario Maple Syrup

Preparation:

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, beat together milk, eggs and vanilla; stir in sweet potato. Add to dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Stir in apple.
Using 1/4 cup (50 mL) batter for each pancake, spoon into lightly greased skillet over medium heat; cook until tops are bubbly and edges cooked. Turn and cook until golden. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

You are invited to....

Environment Hamilton's "Festive Local Food and Frills Fair!"

Local farmers and producers are coming to our office building (22 Wilson St - Sonic Unyon Records) on Friday Dec 9th
7pm-9pm to sell their locally produced goodies.

Vendors include:
Cake and Loaf Bakery
Gathering Bliss
Homegrown Hamilton
Morden's Organic Farm
Parkside Highschool
VG Meats
Weir's Lane Lavender

As part of Environment Hamilton's Open House and James Street North Art Crawl.

Buy Local for the holidays!

Hamilton Eat Local-Slow Food Hamilton's 4th Annual HOLIDAY ECO SCHMOOZE!!

Join us at 7pm when doors open! This year's featured film is the amazing and inspiring "NOURISH PETERBOROUGH", and it's our pleasure to have Emily Blondin-Doan, the director as our special guest!! This film was chosen for screening after meeting some of the amazing people and community food groups encountered at the recent BRING FOOD HOME food conference at Trent University in October.

The film will be followed by a panel of amazing local food activists (Clare Wagner of Green Venture, Theresa Phair of City of Hamilton Housing and Sapphire Singh, the coordinator of the new Hamilton Farmers' Market Community Kitchen) and a group discussion. It's amazing what can be achieved when we work (and eat) together.  Refreshments and community will be served :-)

Only $5 (or $2 unwaged). Ticket info is coming soon but seating is definitely limited, so watch for news!

The City wants to ban Urban Chickens - what do you think?

UPDATE: Its not too late to let your City Councillor know how you feel about urban chickens.
The council will debate the New Responsible Animal By-Laws on Jan. 12th.

The controversy surrounding urban chickens continues as the City will be meeting in regards to the new animal by-laws that includes not allowing urban chickens. If you can, come to this meeting to find out more.

(Also, write to your City Councillor and let them know how you feel about the ban on raising chickens within urban Hamilton).

Details on the meeting:
November 15, 2011 at 9:30 a.m
Hamilton City Hall
Council Chambers, 2nd Floor
71 Main Street West, Hamilton

All are welcome. Anyone wishing to make a presentation is required to pre-register.

Anyone interested in making a presentation on the "Updated Animal By-law for the Entire City of Hamilton" is asked to pre-register as a delegation by no later than 12:00 noon on Monday, November 14, 2011 by contacting:

Vanessa Robicheau
City Clerks' Office, 1st Floor, 71 Main Street West, Hamilton ON L8P 4Y5
Phone: 905-546-2424 ext. 2729
Email: Vanessa.Robicheau@hamilton.ca

Presentations are limited to 5 minutes.

Written submissions for inclusion in the meeting agenda are welcomed and will be accepted by e-mail or mail at the above noted address, or by fax 905-546-2095, until 12:00 noon on Monday, November 14, 2011.

For comments or questions regarding the revised By-law, contact either:

Sue O’Dwyer
Manager of Animal Services (Acting)
247 Dartnall Road, Hamilton ON L8W 3V9
Phone: 905-546-2424 ext. 2597
Email: Sue.O'Dwyer@hamilton.ca

or

Karen Edwards
Program Development Officer
247 Dartnall Road, Hamilton ON L8W 3V9
Phone: 905-546-2424 ext. 1789
Email: Karen.Edwards@hamilton.ca

Deets:
http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PlanningEcDev/Divisions/ParkingBylawServices/AnimalControl/ByLawsDogOwners/AnimalControlBylaw.htm

Article in The Spec:
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/621513--back-yard-chicken-ban-ruffles-feathers

Just Food: The Right to Food Exhibition

   Starting November 25th, at the Worker' Art & Heritage Centre, there will be the Just Food: The Right to Food exhibition. It features Canadian and international artists exploring food access, security issues, and well as 'the right to food'. This exhibition is curated by the Mennonite Heritage Centre in Winnipeg. Karen Thiessen, whose work is featured in the show, will be doing a featured talk at the opening ceremonies. 

 

   In addition WAHC will present special screening of  Yung Chang’s Earth to Mouth a 2002 film that explores life at Wing Fong Farms, a Chinese-Canadian owned farm near Newcastle, Ontario.Earth to Mouth is presented in conjunction with the third annual Hamilton edition of the Canadian Labour International Film Festival.

Hamilton Food Charter

A city advisory committee, the Community Food Security Stakeholder Committee is setting out to write a food charter. This charter will creat a vision that will guide food policies in our city. And we want your imput.
   We invision a food charter that will:
- promote healthy, safe, nutritious, and accessible food system
- support sustinance practices and promote the economic viability of our farmers
- support a just food system
- support a vibrant local food system
But we need to hear from you! Whast would you include in a Food Charter? Be part of creating a food charter for Hamilton. A Food Charter would help shape "A Healthy, Sustainable and Just Food System for the Community of Hamilton".

To contribute to the charter, register by calling 546-CITY (905-546-2489) for one of the six public consultations. Please identify any accessibility needs at the time.

A Halloween Recipe

 Happy Halloween!

 Here is a recipe from Foodland Ontario that is sure to be enjoyed by all.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin Squares

Chock full of cranberries and pumpkin flavour, these moist orange-spiked squares are ideal for dessert or weekend breakfast treats. Tuck one or two into packed lunches for a treat kids will love.

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30 to 40 Minutes
Servings: 15 squares or 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) pumpkin pie spice
• 2-1/2 tsp (12 mL) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped fresh Ontario Cranberries
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnuts
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup (120 mL) packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) milk
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated orange rind
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) cooked Ontario Pumpkin purée

Topping:
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter, softened

Preparation:

Topping:
In bowl, combine sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice and butter; set aside.
In large bowl stir together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir in cranberries and walnuts.
In separate bowl, beat egg; mix in brown sugar, orange juice, milk, oil and orange rind. Blend in pumpkin purée. Pour over flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Spoon into greased 8-inch (2 L) square cake pan. Sprinkle with topping.
Bake in 375ºF (190ºC) oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Run knife around edges to loosen. Turn out onto wire rack and let cool. Cut into squares. (Alternatively spoon batter into 12 large greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling to top. Sprinkle with topping. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until firm to the touch.) Serve warm or at room temperature.

10th Anniversary Celebration

   Here  at EH everything is just starting to quite down after our 10th Anniversary Celebration. It was a very eventful evening filled with bidding on the silent auction, listening to great music from both Sarah Harmer and Dawn & Marra, and of course eating the wonderful food that was prepared for us. Thanks go out to Chef & Wife for all of their delicious hors d'oeuvres that were distributed through out the night. Another thanks go out to our refreshment suppliers Steamwhistle brewery and Puddicombes. There was a great deal of people that volunteered through out the night that are all greatly appriciated.
   The evening started out very smooth, and before we knew it everything was under way. People mingled as the found their seats, or browsed the silent auction. There was lots to see in the silent auction, and all of the items went very nicely. Through out the evening we saw speeches, watched a video, and ate delicious desserts and cake. Sarah Harmer did an amazing job, and over all the evening was a great success.
   Thank you to everyone who supported and came out to celebrate with us!