Loving Spoonful

Spring must be on it’s way; Loving Spoonful is  overwhelmed with so many new projects for spring/summer 2009. We are working with several other organizations on a  number of  initiaives

We continue with food distribution from commercial donors but much of our attention is turning to GARDENING

Some of the initiatives we are working on are:

• setting up a Big 2009 garden plot at the  Oak St Community Garden to grow food for donation.  This garden will be bigger than last years and will provide opportunites for lots of people to get involved.  We want people to share their expertise and we also want people who want to learn.
• trying to identify opportunities for gleaning (harvesting the surplus after the commercial harvest is over) from local farms this summer

(Sorry, couldn’t resist the pun. )

A bunch of us have been working with the city planning department and planning committee to have Urban Agriculture defined and included as part of the new Official Plan for the City of Kingston.  We are thrilled to report that our suggested definition of urban agriculture  ” generally undertaken by individuals, and non-profit community organizations, and may take place on rooftops, in backyards and open spaces, and as community gardens.” has been adopted as the official definition for the City in the draft of the Official Plan.  

Other mentions of UA in the draft are 

• Urban Agriculture is designated as a Community Facility, along with Libraries, Community Centres, Fire Stations, Gov’t Offices, etc, in Section 3.2.8 (pg52). “Community based initiatives such as commuinty gardens and other forms of urban agriculture, and reforestation projects are permitted in all land use designations, subject to site by site evaluation.”
• In Section 3.8.2(b), UA, community gardens, and garden plots are specifically listed as permitted uses.

WE STILL NEED YOUR SUPPORT.  Please write to your own coucillor and  to the councillors on the planning committee and let them know how much you support this initiative.  Below is a short suggested letter – FEEL FREE TO WORD IT HOWEVER YOU LIKE – and a list of the email addresses of the Planning Committee. And of course, the mayor.  

Urban Agriculture/Food Production in the Official Plan

Dear Members of the Planning Committee

I would like to applaud and congratulate you on your adoption of several references to and your support for Urban Agriculture in the draft Official Plan, including its formal definition, its designation as a Community Facility, and the support of community gardens and garden plots. 

I think this move is fantastic and will be of great benefit to the development of a sustainable food system in the City of Kingston.  Integration of Urban Agriculture can improve the City’s food security, as well as the health of its citizens and the well-being of its economy and environment.  There is already a growing movement toward local production and consumption of food across the province, the nation and the world.  This move demonstrates that the City of Kingston is indeed striving to become ‘the Most Sustainable City’.

Once again I applaud your efforts and I thank you for your support. I look forward to liaising with you on future Urban Agriculture initiatives.

Sincerely, 

send those cards and letters (and email) to 

Vicki Schmolka  vschmolka@cityofkingston.ca

Steve Garrison  sgarrison@cityofkingston.ca

Bill Glover  bglover@cityofkingston.ca

Dorothy Hector  dhector@cityofkingston.ca

Ed Smith  esmith@cityofkingston.ca

Lisa Osanic  losanic@cityofkingston.ca

Harvey Rosen  hrosen@cityofkingston.ca

Despite the unpredictable and at times uncooperative weather the Oak St Harvest Party on Sept 27th was a blast.  It was held at the Oak St. Community Garden in Kingscourt neighbourhood and there was a great turnout and we all had a lot of fun.   City Councillors Vicki Schmolka and Rob Hutchison, city staff,  and many, many wonderful community members joined in the digging, harvesting about 310 lbs of potatoes which were donated to the Kingston Boys and Girls Club.  We also collected soup beans, cherry tomatoes and dried beans to plant next year.

Sheeshum and Lotus played old-tyme music, there was information on community gardens and composting, there was cider and apples and lively conversation.

Kids made the day; they did potato prints and collectively created a painting of a garden.  

They also dug and hauled; washed and sorted potatoes.  So a BIG SHOUT OUT to all the little spud-diggers who participated in the event.

The Oak St Community Gardeners are working with the City of Kingston to develop community gardens in Kingston.  We are excited about the response to the garden project this year and have high hopes for next year!  

For more information on the Oak St. Community Garden contact us at Loving Spoonful.  lovingspoonful@opirgkingston.org

Thanks to the efforts of members of the Community Garden Network, there is a new vegetable plot at Oak and Brant St’s in Kingscourt neighbourhood.  Throughout the summer, produce from this magnificent garden has been harvested for distribution to emergency meal programs in Kingston.  So far Loving Spoonful has hauled more than 200 lbs of beans, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, onions and other goodies out of the garden and distributed them to meal programs throughout the city 

On SEPTEMBER 27TH there is going to be a Harvest Celebration at the garden hosted by a bunch of food-interested community members and organizations.  Bring the kids!

Keep watching this spot for more details; we know it’s going to be great. We are going to harvest the potatoes and have some fun. We hope it will also help to galvanize support for expanding the garden.  We are inviting city staff and councillors to attend, dig a few spuds and join in a discussion about the future of the garden.  MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

Buy Local, Share Local, an innovative campaign presented by the Royal Bank of Canada and the Ontario Association of Food Banks, will be launched this Thursday, August 21st at 10:30am in Market Square.

The launch event will include a fresh food drive in support of the Partners in Mission Food Bank. The goal for the campaign is to raise 100,000 pounds of fresh, local food this fall for food banks across the province.

Renowned Canadian chef and restaurant owner, Jamie Kennedy will be in attendance at the market.

We are asking local market shoppers to purchase something extra from their favorite market vendors for donation to the Partners in Mission Food Bank.

Loving Spoonful volunteers will be on hand to help with the donations and distribution.