Agriculture and Farm Events in Ontario

Agriculture and Farm Events in Ontario
(updated July 7th, 2009)

2009 Sudbury events: 
- follow this link.

2009 Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) - Northeastern Division Events:
July 8th, 7pm @ The Temagami Municipal Theatre - Temagami Community Market Meeting: They are looking for producers to sell local products at their market. For more information, call Sabrina Picard or Caitlin Morrison at 569-3421 ext. 208

July 23rd, 9am @ “Grand Boulevard" Restaurant, Earlton - Northeastern Soil & Crop Summer Tour 2009: NEOSCIA Directors meeting. NEOSCIA members will join the Ontario Canola Growers Association Crop Tour for the afternoon session and the Temiskaming Soil and Crop Tour in the evening.

July 23rd, 12-9:30pm @ Dave Schill's, Fire # 332325, Hwy 11 North from Earlton, second farm on right –Watch for signs! - Ontario Canola Growers Association 2009 Crop Tour. The crop tour focus will be analysis and value comparison of canola growing systems. Contact: 519-763-1200 for more information. 

2009 Southern Ontario events:
July 11th, 10am @ Pykeview Farms, Wolfe Island - Young Farmer "Talk and Tour". At the Finding a Future in Beef-Under 40 Meetings participants said they wanted a chance to Tour and Talk. So the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) would like to invite you to attend an under 40 learning day on Wolfe Island July 11th, 2009. 

The day will begin with a stop at Pykeview Farms, winners of the 2009 Young Farmer competition. Jason and Christina Pyke have developed a growing market for their bison meat, and continually challenge new marketing ideas. 

Then off to lunch at the Island Grill (~ $12.00) and presentations on “Getting Your Point Across” individually, in your commodity, and in the larger industry, by John Williamson. John is a well-known, outspoken advocate for Agriculture through OCA, OFA and various local venues. As well we will take a look at some of the new programs available through Growing Forward. 

Following these presentations, we will visit Rob White, another young farmer on the island trying to balance life, work and working through succession planning to be part of the home beef operation.

If you have friends or know of anyone under or around the age of 40 who may be interested in this great networking opportunity, please let them know they are more than welcome to attend. 

We will be taking the 10:30am ferry across to Wolfe Island and recommend you are there by at least 10:00am to ensure you find parking. We will have a bus on the Island so we can park our vehicles in Kingston and walk on the Ferry. Included in the package are the ferry schedule and a map of parking in downtown Kingston. We expect parking to be somewhat tight on a Saturday morning in July, so please come ahead of time. We strongly recommend people traveling from the same area to travel together. If you are interested in checking out the Kingston Farmer’s Market ahead of time, it is a 5 minute walk from the ferry and opens at 6:00 a.m., and may give you some marketing ideas.

If you plan on attending we would appreciate it if you would give us a call so we can keep a fairly close tally on numbers for lunch and the bus. Or if you have any questions, the number for both is the same… 613-258-8295.

So hopefully you can find time to join us for “Tour and Talk” on Wolfe Island with your peer group. 

July 19th @ Everdale Farms - Starting a Farm in Erin: Explore the possibilities. More info from Everdale.
July 25th, 10am-4:30pm @ Green Being Farm (20min NW of Mount Forest) - Pasturing Pigs and Poultry. More info from FarmStart.
August 15th, 10am-3pm @ Green Being Farm (20min NW of Mount Forest) - So You're Thinking of Buying a Farm: Thinking you’d like to buy a farm? How should you begin your search? How do you find financing? How do you make an offer? Geared towards first-time buyers, these questions and many more will be covered fully in this workshop. Also included is a panel discussion which will allow you to learn from recent farm-owners about their experiences in buying a farm. More info from FarmStart.
June 20th, 10am-4pm - Foodshare's Annual General Meeting and Open House
April 19th - 20th - Ontario's Test Kitchens: Cooking up a Sustainable Food System for the 21st Century (PDF outline of the event)
May 8, Friday, 5:30-7pm @ 215 Spadina Ave., Toronto (between Dundas and Queen) - Sustainability Network Presents Elizabeth May (Federal Green Party Leader and former Sierra Club of Canada Executive Director) As She launches Her New Book "Losing Confidence"

2009 Everdale events: 
(Hillsburgh, Ont) (www.everdale.org):
April 25: SEEDY SATURDAY
May 9: Biodiesel 101
May 16: Organic Vegetable Gardening
June 6 : Power Tools 101
June 13: Everdale OPEN HOUSE
June 19-21: Straw Bale Construction
June 27: Solar Hot Water Systems
June 28 : Everdale Annual General Meeting
July 11: Everdale OPEN HOUSE
July 12: The Buzz on Bees
July 18: Intro to Cob Construction Workshop
July 25: Plastering and Finishes -Cement-Lime
August 8th: Everdale OPEN HOUSE
August 15: Goats for Dairy, Meat and Fibre
August 16: Introduction to Sheep
August 29: Canning and Preserving
September 12: Everdale CARROT FEST!
September 19: Grey Water and Water Harvesting
September 20: Mushroom Cultivation
September 26: Grey Water Systems
September 27th: Market Garden Crop Rotation
October 9-12 Everdale at the ERIN FALL FAIR
October 17th: Pastured Poultry

© The Foodshed Project 2009