Ron Lewis's Garden in Naughton, Ontario New! Local honey - Douglas Apiares here in Sudbury!
Learn about protecting pollinators in North America.
Learn about open-pollination and plant hybridization Toronto Community Garden
Network Learn how to start tomato
seedlings indoors Carrot growing tips
Local food consumption habits (Sudbury Soils Study)
Biodiversity Outcome Framework of Canada
Inventory of Canadian heritage seed companies
.
Growing our foodshed sustainably means growing a food system that works
within a natural system. Biodiversity is the essence of ecosystem resilience and environmental health. The more resilient and ecosystem is, the more an ecosystem is able to
cope with environmental changes, such as climate warming.
How resilient is your garden? Can you save your own seeds?
Is you garden prepared for climatic extremes, such as drought or heavy
rainfall? Did you know that you can often select heritage and
heirloom varieties of plants that are cold resistant, or have other
qualities that might be useful as we adapt to climate change. It
also means recognizing things such as the
importance of seed saving as a way to increase the adaptability of
plants to the climate and local growing conditions.
Contribute the biodiversity of the food
system and also support natural ecosystems by attracting pollinators, such
as bees and butterflies, to your garden.
Seed
Saving Information here
Here is a neat looking cold frame to
build...uses straw bales for insulation.
A biodiverse food system, one that lots of variety, is more
resilient to disease. Plant specific diseases are less easily
transferred if you have an abundance of plants. Biodiversity also offers us greater dietary diversity
too. So, what grows in your garden? Do you grow heritage
varieties? Did you know that tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant are
all members of the same family and require the same climatic and
cultural conditions to grow? There is so much to learn about food
growing, and it is important to collect information on what grows best
in our region, and how we can enhance local food biodiversity - and our
food security.
When purchasing from a store or greenhouse, make a note of the plant
variety and the hardiness zone that the plant was bred
for. Sudbury is in hardiness zone 3 to 4a - we have various
microclimates, because of the topography, within the local area.
Learn what varieties of apple trees are suitable for the Sudbury
hardiness zone, and some tricks to growing squash, melons and pumpkins
in this interview with Ron Lewis, from Sudbury, Ontario. (Sept 15th,
2009) here.
Understand
how deficiencies in minerals and nutrients impact plant health. Compost is a good choice to add to most soils if you have deficiencies. Have your soil tested for pH
seek professional advice to correct.
