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Just Food's mission is to work towards a vibrant, just and sustainable food system in the Ottawa region.

If you would like to receive the JustFood monthly newsletter simply fill out the online form in the ‘Take Action’ section of our website: www.justfood.ca. You will automatically receive the very informative newsletter once a month.  If you haven’t received it after signing up, if you have a food event or issue that you would like posted on this newsletter, please email them directly (info@justfood.ca). If you would like to be taken off the distribution list, you may easily unsubscribe from the bottom of their newsletter.
 

Weed Gardens - the big "no no"!

Here, in the photo below, is an example of a plot that, sadly, got a member's plot lease cancelled. It is totally out of control. Weeds are several feet high. More than one member of the Board has tried in vain to contact the lease holder by email or phone for several weeks. This highlights why it is important to notify the Board of extended absences, and to provide good contact information. Meanwhile, the problem has gotten worse to the annoyance of plot neighbors who are in control of their plots. We hope to identify a new lease holder for the plot and get it under control as soon as possible.

 

Student Volunteers in the garden

On July 8 a group of summer students showed up and did some volunteering work (actually a lot of work) in 2 hours. Thought to share this photo of the group with you.
Mike Chebbo
Chair
NAGA

 

Headlands: what are they, and what are your responsibilities?

Recent plot inspections revealed an ongoing problem in the NAGA garden. Many plot keepers do not keep their headlands clear of debris, or grass, or weeds. Some people have had fencing falling into the headlands, or have placed mulch on them, or they have stored compost there, occasionally tools end up there, or they are putting rocks from their plot on them. This can result in the gardener getting a letter or warning from the Board of Directors regarding their headlands. What are headlands?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

Headland: unplowed land at the ends of furrows or near a fence.

In the NAGA garden the headlands include a strip of ground about 2 to 3 feet wide extending from the edge of your plot outside boundary. The headlands, for a variety of plot positions, are shown in the diagram below. People with corner plots (A, C, D, F) have almost double the amount of headlands to keep clean than people with 'edge' plots (B and E).

CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE

Your responsibility as a NAGA gardener is to maintain the headlands next to your plot by clearing or cutting tall weeds, tall grass, and not having ANY foreign material there including: tools, mulch, compost, rocks, and fencing.
 

News for you from Just Food

Sandy Hill Community Garden needs Volunteer Help!! - July 21

Sandy Hill Community Garden has gone through some coordination changes this year, and as a result, the garden has had a very late start.  The garden is over-grown and in need of clean-up and plot rebuilding, they are asking the Network for help.  There is not enough available resources within this garden this year to do it all themselves, they are looking for other community support on this day, as well.

 

If you know of gardeners, volunteers and community members who have the time and the willingness to help out at Sandy Hill Community Garden on July 21, please direct them to Ann at sandyhillcommunitygarden@gmail.com to get more details of the day will involve.

 

Natural Pest Control Workshop – July 17

Learn how to avoid all sorts of garden pests without the use of chemicals or pesticides. 

 

Location: Sandy Hill Community Health Center,  221 Nelson St.  

Date: July 17th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Registration is Required. 

 

Cost of workshop is $5.00 or pay-what-you-can. Please contact Gabrielle Arkett at 613-699-6850 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE  end_of_the_skype_highlighting x12 or e-mail cgnintern@justfood.ca to register.

 

Seed Saving Workshops – August 19 & August 27

Discover some methods to preserve your favourite seeds for future gardens, future meals and perhaps future generations.

 

1) Location: Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre, 2 MacNeil Court, Kanata

Date: August 19 from 6 – 8 p.m. 

Registration is required.

 

2) Location: Somerset West Community Health Centre, 55 Eccles St., Ottawa 

Date: August 27 from 6 – 8 p.m.

Registration is Required. 

 

Cost of each workshop is $5.00 or pay-what-you-can. Please contact Gabrielle Arkett at 613-699-6850 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting E  end_of_the_skype_highlighting x12 or e-mail cgnintern@justfood.ca to register. 

 

Children’s Programming at Various Garden sites – Various dates in July

Just Food will be hosting Children’s Programming at the following locations.  The programs aims to teach children about the importance of local agriculture as well as the interconnectedness of garden ecosystems, all while having fun outside in the gardens.  Children ages 6 to 12 are welcome!  

 

July 20th:  Children’s Program at the Children’s Garden - From 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The Children’s Garden is located within Robert F Leggett Park, on the corner of Main and Clegg. The #5 bus can take you directly there.  Street parking is available on Main and Clegg.

 

July 28th: Brewer Park Community Garden - From 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The Brewer Park Community Garden is located within Brewer Park on Sloan Ave.   The bus #4 or #7 can take you directly there.   Street parking is available on Brewer Way.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Agathe Moreau at 613-699-6850n_of_the_skype_highlightingFREE  end_of_the_skype_highlightingx12 or e-mail  cgnstudent@justfood.ca

 

Urban Agriculture Bike Tour – August 25th

 

Come ride your bike around some of Ottawa’s amazing community gardens with Just Food’s 7th Annual Urban Agriculture Bike Tour!  The tour will visit 5 different community gardens, where garden coordinators will talk about their garden and answer any questions.   All ages and biking skills are welcome on this leisurely 12 km bike ride!  

Registration is suggested in order to better estimate snack needs.

 

When: Sunday August 25th from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Starting point :  Brewer Park Community Garden at 1:00 p.m. 

Ending point: Brewer Park Community Garden at 5:00 p.m.

Parking:  Street parking is available on Brewer Way. 

Suggested $5 donation to go to Just Food’s Start-Up Farm Project 

 

For more information or to register, please contact Agathe Moreau at 613-699-6850 begin_of_the_skype_highlightingEE nd_of_the_skype_highlighting x12 or e-mail cgnstudent@justfood.ca

 

** Please note: The Ottawa Farmers’ Market will be taking place on August 25th at Brewer Park from 8:00am to 3:00pm.  Parking spaces may be limited as a result.  Show up early to take a stroll around the market and discover the great variety of fresh and local products before joining the bike tour!

 

Terri O'Neill

Just Food

Coordinator

Community Gardening Network of Ottawa

Community Garden Development Fund

communitygardening@justfood.ca

613-699-6850 begin_of_the_skype_highlightinend_of_the_skype_highlighting x12

www.justfood.ca

Help wanted to prepare new planters!

Hi to all NAGA gardeners,

As part of our commitment to expand west on the section between our main site and the fire station, we received a grant from the City of Ottawa to build new wooden planters.

A lot of the material from last year is still usable, therefore we went ahead and bought enough cedar logs 6X6 enough to build 10 more planters for next season.

Lee Coates, our hard working NAGA Director, has taken onto his shoulder this baby project last year and got a lot of experience putting things together.

This year, he would need some help to prepare the wooden logs: measuring, cutting, and organizing them by order.

However, he works on a retired schedule: 9 am to 12pm, or 1 pm to 3 pm.

If you are available and willing to help him, even if it is a one or two time only, please contact him directly. Email nagagardens @ gmail com for his contact info.

We are looking to prepare at least one or two planters this Friday (12th) and or Monday (15th) in order to maximize the use of some students who are coming over on Monday afternoon to help around the gardens. We plan to use their help to stack up the cedar logs and to fill each planter with sand and soil as we build it up.

Please show Lee some appreciation for the hard work he does and give him a hand or two.

Thanks

Mike Chebbo
Chair
NAGA

 

Plant a Row Grow a Row 2013

Hello Gardeners,
How are your gardens growing? At least we haven't had to water much until lately!

As you may remember, the Nepean Allotment Garden Association, is participating in Plant a Row, Grow a Row, with food donated going to the Ottawa Food Bank partner, The Debra Dynes Family House. We will be picking up donations every Tuesday morning around 10AM, starting this coming Tuesday, July 9. Please drop your donation off as close to Tuesday morning as possible. There will be a bin in the tool shed for your donation. If you are donating something delicate like lettuce, consider putting it in a bag, or putting the root end in a small container of water to keep it from wilting.

I know it is early in the season and we may not have lots in our gardens, but there are over 150 of us in the garden. If you have one extra lettuce, or zucchini, or handful of herbs, please consider making a donation. If everyone gives a little bit, it adds up to a whole lot.

If you have any questions or concerns about Plant a Row Grow a Row, the Ottawa Food Bank, or The Debra Dynes Family House, please check out these links.
http://debradynes.ncf.ca/index.html
http://ottawafoodbank.ca/
http://www.growarow.org/

If you still have questions, please contact Amanda at a.lncstr atsign gmail dot com, or Louise at donohue.miller atsign sympatico dot ca.

Thanks so much for your participation! See you at the garden.

Amanda
NAGA Member

Farmer Training Workshop: Understanding Soils - A holistic approach to soil fertility and management - 21 July 2013

Healthy soil is the foundation of agricultural production. This workshop will investigate the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of soil composition. We will look at the roles of various minerals and nutrients, soil microlife, and the interactions that make soil nutrients available to plants. A range of integrated strategies will be offered to increase soil fertility, from cover cropping, crop rotation and tillage practices, to the balanced application of soil amendments, compost and manure. ‘Don’t separate yourself from the soil!’

Workshop presenter, Norbert Weiler’s family has farmed the same land in Germany for 250 years. His Amish Mennonite background gives him a practical approach to farming, with wisdom handed down over generations. Norbert has been farming in Canada for 40 years, including livestock and plant crops. In addition to his family heritage, he continues to learn and draw on many methods including organics, biodynamics, permaculture and others, to offer a holistic understanding of working with soil in agriculture.

When: Sunday July 21, 6-9pm
Where: Just Food Farm, 2389 Pepin Court, Ottawa
Cost: $45, payable in cash at the door