Come find out how you can green your community! (Photo: Lisa Fisk)

No Plot is Too Small: Community Stewardship 101
In partnership with the Town of Richmond Hill, Evergreen invites you to participate in our upcoming workshop!

Wednesday, March 31  6–9pm
Rouge Woods Community Centre, Aspen Room
110 Shirley Drive, Richmond Hill

This workshop will offer inspiring examples, tips and tricks, and practical strategies to help you get involved in local greening projects—or even start your own! Individuals and community groups will benefit from sharing ideas about community greening initiatives and advice to ensure project success.

Topics include:

• Where Do We Start? A step-by-step advice for undertaking stewardship projects.
• Learn From Experience: Inspiring case studies of stewardship activities from across Canada.
• Cost: Free!
  

Sandwiches and refreshments will be provided and space is limited. Reserve your space by Monday, March 22 by contacting Lisa Fisk via email (lfisk@evergreen.ca) or by phone at 416-596-1495 x226.

Visit Evergreen’s online calendar of events to learn what’s happening in your area.

Renato in action at Downsview Park (Photo: Evergreen)

There are many inspiring people working to make cities more livable across Canada. Meet Renato Gabaldon, a community greening volunteer leader.

When and where? I started volunteering with Evergreen in September 2009 at Parc Downsview Park. Before this, I worked for nearly a decade in Baguio City – the summer capital of the Philippines and a sister city of Vaughan, Ontario – to protect Camp John Hay watershed reserve, a 640-hectare watershed in the middle of the city.

What’s your inspiration? Seeing people enjoy and respect the green space inside a busy city is the greatest motivation for me.

What else do you do? I am a participant in M2P, the Mentoring for Placement for Environmental Professionals program at the Toronto Region Conservation Authority. I also make time to volunteer with other great organizations like the Institute of Canadian Citizenship – WILD Canada Project, an environment educational awareness program for new citizens of Canada.

What’s getting you through the winter? I’m looking forward to spring opening at Evergreen Brick Works!

Radishes peeking out of the ground in the Community Garden at Eva's Place (Photo: Evergreen)

Royal Burgundy beans, atomic red carrots, bull’s blood beets and dinosaur kale are among the scrumptious seeds our community gardens will plant this spring thanks to a successful Seedy Saturday (on a Sunday) this past weekend. We purchased an assortment of heritage varieties including strawberry spinach and Callalloo – a leaf vegetable used for a popular Caribbean dish and a favorite among many of our community gardeners.

An estimated 2,600 people showed up to participate in Toronto’s 10th annual Seedy Saturday event at the Artscape Wychwood Barns. With the sun shining warm and bright, the main room was abuzz with energy as seed vendors from all over Ontario met to showcase heirloom seed varieties that made us swoon for the onset of spring. Organized by the Toronto Community Garden Network (TCGN) along with the help dedicated volunteers, the event provided opportunities to trade and purchase seeds, build gardening skills at workshops, and connect with a variety of interesting food advocacy groups.

Local food artisans provided a steady supply of mouth watering treats from Rawlicious gourmet pizza to soul warming hot chocolate, courtesy of Chocosol. Along with other environmental and community groups, Evergreen staff was on hand to show support for the event and encourage interested folks to get involved with one of our many projects.

At the heart of all seedy events is the “seed swap,” where seed enthusiasts come to exchange interesting and rare seed varieties that often date back generations and are accompanied by personal stories of family and food. Although tucked in a small room behind the barns, the seed exchange was a highlight of the event. Overall the event was a huge success, speaking volumes about the popularity of ecological growing practices and the growing movement that is taking place in Ontario around food.

Were you at the event? Tell us about the seeds you bought!

]]> http://blog.evergreen.ca/2010/02/26/swooning-for-sprin/feed/ 1 Mel from Development Radishes in the Community Garden at Eva's Place http://blog.evergreen.ca/2010/02/23/how-to-love-winter-colour/ http://blog.evergreen.ca/2010/02/23/how-to-love-winter-colour/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:11:08 +0000 Erin from Communications http://blog.evergreen.ca/?p=1366 ]]>

Colourful blooms can brighten up your February. (Photos: Erin Elliott)

This week, I asked Evergreen Learning Grounds’ Debby Morton how she is surviving the drab winter months without her garden. She takes her inspiration from colour, colour, colour!

Tip #1 Bloom Where You are Planted
Debby advises gardeners to deal with the long indoor evenings by taking on a horticultural challenge. “I enjoy getting orchids and amaryllis to re-bloom.”

Often people receive an amaryllis for Christmas, and it can be the gift that keeps on giving if you know how to take care of it. After it has bloomed and the warmer weather has come out, put the amaryllis outside and feed with vermicompost. At the end of the summer, cut the leaves off the plant and put it in your closet (yes — you’re reading right!). Start to water it again around November and take it out of the closet when it starts to sprout. Water as usual and you will have beautiful blooms in time for next Christmas.

Debby says that phalaenopsis orchids are another popular bloomer. “They like to be moist all the time, so cut back on watering for two weeks and put them in a cold window. After the two weeks, take them out of the cold, water as you would, and they will bloom again.”

Tip #2 Terrariums
Replicate a steamy summer day by creating an indoor container garden. “Build a terrarium out of an old aquarium or large jar and watch moss and plants thrive in their own mini rainforest.”

Tip #3 Cheat
A quick way to add colour is to buy cut flowers. “Even a single flower for a ikebana can really brighten up a room,” says Debby.

Look for fair trade florists in your area – some even deliver by bike! You don’t need a lot of flowers. “Low cost, high impact. Brings in colour!” as Debby says. You can use a small, glass vase with a “frog” (a spikey flower holder that sits at the bottom of your vase) to hold one beautiful flower and a couple of sprigs of greenery.

“Also, placing evergreen arrangements out doors in urns give you winter interest on your balcony or front porch,” says Debby.

She reminds us that pussy willows are in season now and provide a great, fuzzy addition to your flower arrangement.

Come join us at Toronto’s Seedy Saturday this Sunday, February 21 from 12:30pm to 6pm at the Artscape Wychwood Barns!

This event, organized by the Toronto Community Garden Network, will include gardening workshops, delicious food and activities for youth. You’ll also have the opportunity to buy and trade heirloom seeds in preparation for the spring!

Evergreen will join some great organizations including Seeds of Diversity Canada, The North American Native Plant Society and FoodShare.

The Artscape Wychwood Barns is located at 601 Christie Street, just south of St. Clair. For more information, please visit the Toronto Community Green Network website.

On Wednesday, February 10 the Youth Challenge International (YCI) is presenting “The Ties that Bind,” an event planned to bring awareness to food security and hunger issues globally and locally. The event will feature a number of guest speakers (including staff from Evergreen), live music, refreshments and raffle prizes.

Come join us and other organizations as we share our experiences in addressing issues of hunger and poverty through our work in Urban Agriculture and Community Food Programs.

Evergreen’s Aimee Carson and Becky Idems will introduce our spectrum of programs and focus on our work as it relates to food security, community development as well as programs for youth.

This should be a great evening and also a great opportunity for sharing and learning. To find out more click here.

“They might even introduce you by name to a white pine they’ve planted at Sawmill Creek Park in Mississauga. They’ll surely tell you that white pine is easily identified by their needles in bundles of five, and be able to estimate the age of this provincial tree.”

When the class wrote letters to Evergreen, recounting their experience at a recent planting they attended, we were all glad to take a break from our regular routine and read their joyful accounts.

Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Geoff Cape in Davos.

Evergreen’s executive director Geoff Cape is blogging from The World Economic Forum.

If Davos 2009 was dominated by the financial crisis, 2010 is dominated by ideas around sustainability. After two days here in at the World Economic Forum, I can report with confidence that the green agenda is fully represented. I am impressed so far.

It begins with the front-of-program positioning of the “Greener Davos,” which involves elaborate public transit services for all participants (rather than the usual black Mercedes), pedometers for all and recycling programs for all waste. There is a very long list of sessions on topics such as green design, the state of the oceans, climate change, energy, transportation, water and waste management. Others are related to shifting consumer behaviour, the environmental challenge of short-term profit motives and the protection of our global commons: air, water and soil.

One session that looked at consumers’ purchasing interest suggested that 90 percent of the buying public want to purchase green products. A large retailer in India referenced five major trends and all five related to green issues in one way or another.  In a session devoted to Haiti, Bill Clinton referenced the need to rebuild a green Haiti, and the need for massive reforestation programs across the country.

This year’s theme is under the “Global Redesign Initiative” banner with “Rethink, Redesign and Rebuild” as the slogan. As you can imagine, much of this rethinking is focused on global financial issues including the role of the state, the role of big banks, executive compensation and the need to rebuild trust. There is no shortage of rhetoric and pandering politicians and CEO’s, but there are also many sincere and committed leaders from all sectors and all corners of the globe. Dan Esty, Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy at Yale University and panelist at this fall’s Brick Works Forum is here, as are several others who participated at our event. HRH Prince Charles’ brother Andrew is present as well.

In total there are 2,500 people here, and I feel very lucky to be one of them.

Colin aims to help corporations leave a lighter footprint. (Photo: Becky Lamb)

There are many inspiring people working to make cities more livable across Canada. Meet Colin Campbell, a project intern in our development department.

When and where: I’ve been volunteering in Evergreen’s downtown Toronto office since November 2009.

What’s your passion? Assisting businesses to efficiently operate with respect for people and the environment is the job for me.

Why volunteer? At Evergreen I am able to learn more about large non-profit organizations and their methods of influencing corporate responsibility and sustainability. I want to make a positive impact on the environment and the communities within it, in the best way I can.

Most memorable moment: Once, before leaving for an important meeting, I grabbed a travel mug to take water with me. One sip and I realized that a coffee-lover had prior use of the mug, and the taste lingered in my water. All I could do was try to take small sips and not cringe in front of a potential sponsor!

What else do you do? I co-direct a youth sports camp during the week, but spend a lot of time training as a triathlete. I will be participating in four competitions this season. I love the outdoors, being active, and riding my bike whenever I can!

Geoff Cape is blogging from Davos.

Evergreen’s executive director Geoff Cape is blogging from The World Economic Forum.

This is going to be a big year for Evergreen. It is hard to know how to put it into context this early, but I am optimistic for the adventure ahead.

Over the next 15 days I will be attending three special events.  My first stop is the mountain village of Davos, Switzerland for the 40th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. It will be my second visit to this unique gathering of 2,000 people from around the world.

After this, I will return home to Toronto just long enough to change before heading to Washington to accept a National Geographic award for Evergreen Brick Works.  From there, I will check in with my dear family and the growing pile on my desk before heading to Vancouver to participate in a Sustainability Forum hosted by Walmart.

My head is spinning just thinking of it all.

After the first four hours in Davos, I feel like a kid in a candy shop. There are a many interesting sessions, panels and presentations.  So far, I’ve been to ones on germs and globalization, sustainability and the energy sector, and the “Global Commons,” which focuses on the protection of oceans, air and other valuable resources.  Later, I will attend one on sustainable design.  On Friday I am scheduled to facilitate a session myself.

I have met some remarkable people so far, and there are endless faces–some recognizable from previous meetings, but others, only from television.  I will report back with my thoughts along the way, so stay tuned!