Melissa Pinsonneault-Craig at City Hall

This is a great step forward for sustainability in Montreal.

Bravo to Research Collective in Sustainable Landscaping and Urban Agriculture for pushing this issue forward and demanding a sensible, open-minded approach. On Wednesday, they held a press conference and a gave a free course on “Hen 101″ in front of City Hall!

Sign the petition demanding an open hearing on the issue of allowing backyard hens (version francais).

Source: Montreal Gazette

Chickens have been banned in Montreal residences since 1966. Yesterday, the environmental sustainability group CRAPAUD (Collectif en Amenagement Paysager et en Agriculture Urbaine Durable) launched a petition asking the city to hold a public consultation on the issue, and ultimately overturn the ban and allow people to keep chickens for egg production.

“We want to convey a new image to the public on what it means to keep chickens,” said the group’s spokesperson, Olivier Moreau. “We’re not saying everyone should have a chicken, but people who want to and who can do it properly should be able to.”

As a hen rested quietly on her arm, Melissa Pinsonneault-Craig, a farmer from Ormstown, spoke about the advantages of keeping the feathered creatures.

“You get fresh eggs every morning and they’re so low maintenance,” she said. “You can use vegetable scraps left over from your own meals to feed them, and their defecation can be used as fertilizer.”

As for concerns about the smell, Moreau compares a coop to a cat’s litter box.

“Obviously, if you don’t clean it properly, it’ll smell,” he said. “But in general they’re very easy to keep.”

A full-grown chicken costs about $10, and building a coop requires little more than some chicken wire and wood.

“They’re low maintenance, you can leave them food and water and they will be fine for a few days,” Moreau said.

“They’re very independent. It’s not like having a dog.”

Hens will produce unfertilized eggs without a rooster, so there’s no need to buy both a male and female, Pinsonneault-Craig said.

“This is a big advantage, because hens are very quiet,” she said. “It’s a common misconception that you need to have both.”

Several cities in Canada and the United States allow people to keep chickens for the purpose of egg production at their homes.

Vancouver, Niagara Falls, Ont., Victoria, Los Angeles and New York are among the largest cities that allow it.

This event looks to be in French only.

Presented by Toad in collaboration with the Regional Conference Elected officials, the City of Montreal and the Faculty of Sciences and the Institute of Environmental Sciences at UQAM.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 in the Grand Hall at 200 Rue Sherbrooke O;
- 5PM Opening Reception – free entry
- On the menu: wine, appetizers and games
- 6:30 p.m. Opening Conference – Free entrance – heart of the Amphitheatre Science UQAM
More info: http://www.coeurdessciences.uqam.ca/acces.html

Topics:

• Towards green cities and nurturing: Prospects and elsewhere
• Patron of the event in Earth City

Speakers:
* Louise Vandelac (sociologist, professor, activist) *
* Vikram Batt (McGill University) *
* Christopher Bryant (University of Montreal) *
* Eric Duchemin (University of Quebec at Montreal) *
* Moderator: Anne-Marie Legault (project manager at the Regional Conference the Chosen) *

This conference will gain an overview on the practice of Urban Agriculture in Montreal and around the world. Gardening class programs to community gardens, through the agricultural enterprises, institutional and home gardening, this presentation will report on the multifunctionality of agriculture in urban areas while considering the constraints and opportunities that are offered today to transform our cities and towns towards a green future.

Guest speakers will help us understand the magnitude and theoretical understanding of this growing movement here in Montrealand elsewhere.

As a big fan of eating fish, I am happy to see this. However, I am always nervous when some corporation defines what is “sustainable” farming or fishing.  From a corporate perspective, the practice is sustainable as long as it makes money.

However, from a human health and environmental preservation perspective, the same practice may not be sustainable.

Source: The Canadian Press

MONTREAL – Supermarket chain Metro Inc. has adopted a new sustainable fisheries policy that will gradually eliminate the sale of threatened species beginning in September.

The Montreal-based operator of Metro, Food Basics and Super C stores in Quebec and Ontario said the new policy affecting fresh and frozen wild and farmed seafood products will be totally in effect by June 2011.

“Metro acknowledges that sustainable fisheries and the preservation of natural resources are vital for future generations,” said Robert Sawyer, chief operating officer.

In addition to eliminating the sale of some fish, the company will change its product labelling.

Metro said its “balanced policy” takes into account official scientific opinions, along with the views of “all stakeholders,” including governments, non-government organizations and suppliers.

The company said it consulted Jean-Claude Brethes, professor at the Institut des sciences de la mer of the University of Quebec at Rimouski.

Metro said it will only purchase fish whose renewal is ensured given their individual stocks and catch rates.

Fisheries and aquafarms supplying the chain will be forced to prove that they use sustainable fishing methods.

All Day Urban Permaculture Workshops, Movie Screening, and Potluck @ P3 Permaculture

Where: 1247 Rue Ste-Elizabeth
When: May 1st, 11am- 7pm
(Workshops and movies ongoing, Potluck From 3-7pm)

Are you interested in your food security? Are you in search of a new approach to designing sustainable human settlements? Or maybe you are just interested in new avenues of sustainable social development?

Join us on May 1st to discover and celebrate Permaculture. Get a chance to participate in our three great DIY Urban Permaculture workshops: How to make Seed Balls, Window Farms: R&DIY,and self watering planters for our Roof top garden. Help to green our roof and take a self-watering planter home.

We will be having a potluck so bring anything you like, we will be trying to follow the 100 mile diet and ethical food theme however it may not be feasible for everyone, so do not be shy, to just bring something to share.

All supplies will be on site, however, more tools and materials are welcome.

Movies to be screened:
Introduction to Permaculture
In Fear of Falling Food
Permaculture In Practice
Food Maters

Graham Calder
514.747.4699

Passover has many lessons, one of which is that a community must be able to provide for itself the necessities of life. When it can’t, a community is dependent on others for charity and support.

Haiti is a perfect example of a country that once supported itself, and then through free trade policies, became dependent on others. They lost food sovereignty.

Bill Clinton recently expressed regret over his free trade policies that flooded the country with cheap imported rice, “I had to live everyday with the consequences of the loss of capacity to produce a rice crop in Haiti to feed those people because of what I did; nobody else.”

So, sustainability is a condition that always must be satisfied in order to consider any economic goal worthwhile.

Source: Huffington Post

It is especially fitting that President Clinton’s mea culpa comes as the Jewish community worldwide prepares to observe Passover. The story of Passover is a stark reminder that communities cannot rely solely on others to provide for their needs. Until people are empowered to help themselves, in-kind assistance from the outside is useful only in the immediate aftermath of acute emergencies. Long-term needs must be met principally through a community-led approach. The lesson we take from Passover is that once the Israelites spoke out against slavery their prayers for freedom were finally answered.

Today, the people of Haiti are speaking as loud as they can. They desperately want a voice and central role in the reconstruction of their country, including the ability to meet the country’s nutritional needs with food produced by Haitians in Haiti. In fact, President Rene Preval, himself a rice grower, has asked for international food aid to be replaced by financial support for farmers and the re-development of the agricultural sector. Preval knows that sustained success in rebuilding depends on food sovereignty, or the ability for Haitian farmers to grow their own crops and feed their own communities.

In case you need more reasons to eat local, organic foods here is a sad, but hilarious clip where British school children can’t identify a variety of common vegetables.

What would happen if McDonald’s or Tim Horton’s stopped serving, or what if the processed food section in the supermarkets went dry? Would kids try to eat grass and rocks because they don’t know where their food comes from?

This is a great opportunity to get your hands in the dirt this summer, eat delicious fresh veggies grown right in NDG and be part of a great community!

Source: Action Communiterre

• Join a collective garden in your neighbourhood.
• Bring fresh vegetables home to your family.
• Meet other people who share the same interests.

To register, come to one of these meetings:
Thursday April 1st at 6pm
Wednesday April 7th at 6pm
Monday April 12th at 6pm
Tuesday April 20th at 6pm

6244 Sherbrooke West
More Info :
animation@actioncommuniterre.qc.ca
or 514-484-0223
……………………………………….

ACTION COMMUNITERRE

• Jardiner en groupe au jardin près de chez vous.
• Ramener des légumes frais pour votre famille.
• Rencontrer d’autres personnes qui aiment la même chose.

Venez vous inscrire :
Jeudi 1er avril à 18h
Mercredi 7 avril à 18h
Lundi 12 avril à 18h
Mardi 20 avril à 18h

6244 Sherbrooke Ouest
Info :
animation@actioncommuniterre.qc.ca
ou 514-484-0223

Apple trees are one of the few fruits that can be grown easily in southern Quebec and have been used for centuries to make cider, jams and sauces. One day, I’d like to have an apple orchard of my own.

What: Theory and Practice of Organic Apple Tree Maintenance

When: Saturday, March 20th, 9AM to 4PM

Where: Lobinière, Quebec

Duration: 6 hours

Description: In collaboration with the Collective regional agricultural training, Team Haunted Farm organizes a course on mastering techniques based on the size and maintenance of organic apples.

There will be further concepts such as the physiological development of apple trees, their major pests, the basic techniques of pruning with distinctions appropriate for different sizes of trees (from training, annual maintenance, fruiting and most importantly, restructuring of old apple trees).

At the end of training, participants will be able to make the right size of Apple tree, the recultivation of abandoned apple trees and to develop a plan to fight against the major integrated pests.

Cost: The cost of this course is about $ 50 (or less, the total fee is divided in proportion to the number of entries). Depending on the interests of participants in a sequence can then be available on the cuttings (in April) and planting (Fall).

Who: The trainer is John Lamontagne, CFP professional arborist of Fierbourg. For more information and to book your spot, place contact (as soon as possible!) Lea, Coordinator for Productions Haunted Farm.

Looking forward to prune in your company for the finest apples this fall!

*** Possible barter tuition cons of 5 hours work size in the orchard the next day (ie Sunday AM March 21) and / or work the size of the orchard in exchange for the equivalent  vegetables (summer 2010); to negotiate with Lea. ***

* Chance of carpooling and lodging on site. *

Contact: Lea Charest, for the Haunted Farm
585 rang St-Eustache, Lobinière, Quebec
796-3277, leacharet418@hotmail.com

I have been eating a lot of raw food for about 9 months now and the difference in my energy level is amazing. I hope to eat this way forever.

In addition to personal health benefits, eating raw foods is more sustainable as it requires less energy, fewer chemicals and fewer pollutants to produce.

If you want to see more evidence of how good raw food diets are for your health and for sustainable living, see this movie. Wednesday February 24th at 7PM at Coop la maison verte: 5785, Sherbrooke st. West, Metro Vendome + bus #10

Source: Raw in Montreal

“Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 days is an independent documentary film directed by lead editor Aaron Butler that chronicles six Americans with “incurable” diabetes switching their diet and getting off insulin. The film follows each participant’s remarkable journey and captures the medical, physical, and emotional transformations brought on by this diet and lifestyle change. We witness moments of struggle, support, and hope as what is revealed, with startling clarity, is that diet can reverse diabetes and change lives.

Buy the DVD “Simply Raw”

10th Annual Seedy Weekend Seed Fair in Montreal at the Montreal Botanical Gardens

This event aims to promote seeds of the open-pollinated variety which have been grown locally and sustainably.

Please note this year’s changes outlined below as there have been quite a few. You can contact Action Communiterre for a more in-depth interview at animation@actioncommuniterre.qc.ca

This year’s seedy weekend will take place over two days, Saturday, February 13th and Sunday, February 14^th 2010 in order to accommodate the public’s growing interest in this event. For that same reason, the layout of the room will also be modified to allow for greater circulation. The fair will run from 10 :00am to 4 :30pm. Access is free, but a voluntary donation would be greatly appreciated, as the event is organized as a fundraising opportunity for Action Communiterre (a non-profit, community organization that sponsors collective gardening and works on issues related to urban agriculture and food security) and les Amis du Jardin Botanique de Montréal, who’s mission is to support the Botanical Gardens and it’s cultural, educative and scientific development. There are however fees for parking at the Botanical Gardens.

There will also be a snack kiosk in one of the adjacent rooms catered by Au Pois Chique, a non-profit organization taking care of a local ‘meals on wheels’.

Location :
Montreal Botanical Gardens
Pavillon d’accueil
4101 Sherbrooke Street East, Montreal

To get there: The parking lot entrance of the Botanical Garden is located on Sherbrooke Street, between Pie IX and Viau. The Botanical Gardens is also accessible by metro, Pie IX station
Important notice: The parking lot now has parking meters. The cost is $10, payable by coin, or by credit card