Dairy Farmer Michael Schmidt stars in Milk Trial By Jury – A Comic Operetta
by Noelle Munaretto
Not many defendants mark their acquittal by staging a comic operetta. But Michael Schmidt, dairy farmer, food activist, and artistic director of Symphony in the Barn, is far from ordinary.
Adapted from a short comic operetta by Gilbert & Sullivan, Schmidt’s production of Milk Trial by Jury, opens 8pm Friday, July 30th at Symphony in the Barn, on a working farm in Durham, Ontario. This musical retelling of his legal battle with powerful lobby groups and provincial bureaucrats emerged from Schmidt’s January acquittal on charges relating to his dairy operation.
Milk Trial by Jury stars Donna Ellen Trifunovich, Resident Soloist at the Vienna State Opera. Also appearing: A Swell Chaos, high-energy neo-vaudeville starring Second City Alumni Jenny Parsons and Steve Morel.
Milk Trial runs Friday, July 30th to Sunday, August 1st with evening performances on Friday and Saturday and 2pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets at the door for $35; $10 for children. For more information or to reserve your seats, contact Symphony in the Barn at 519-369-6773 or visit www.symphonyinthebarn.com.
# # #
For more information or for interviews, contact
Michael Schmidt at 519-369-8137 or
Kimm Culkin at 519-369-3587
www.symphonyinthebarn.com
info@symphonyinthebarn.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Symphony-In-The-Barn/73186439831
Cookstown Greens Presents: Seven Reasons to Buy Local
by Noelle Munaretto
The great folks at Cookstown Greens have complied a wonderful list of reasons why you should buy local. The list, which appeared in Cookstown’s latest e-newsletter, is chock full of tips and information that can help turn you into a budding locavore! Check out their “Seven Reasons to Buy Local” below:
1. Locally grown food tastes better and is more nutritious.
Food grown in our own region was probably picked within the past few days. It is crisp, sweet and flavourful. Produce trucked or shipped from California, Florida, China, Chile, or Holland has, on average, changed ownership three times, traveled over 4,000 km, is seven days old, and used tremendous amounts of polluting fuel to reach you. Sugars are turning to starches, plant cells are shrinking, and nutrients and flavours are breaking down. Meanwhile Canadian produce frequently receives premium prices in U.S. markets because it is perceived to be more flavourful. Your customers will also find Canadian foods usually have premium flavour.
2. Locally grown food is becoming fashionable.
In the 80s it was “natural”. In the 90s it was “organic”. In the new millennium it became “ecological”. Today the buzz is “local”. It will be difficult, however, for multi-national food corporations to usurp this word. Local farmers and growers along with local chefs and restaurateurs can now perfect this concept. This is already the basis of Culinary Tourism which has become a very important industry in Europe and Asia. This concept will provide tremendous potential for our hospitality industry as we switch from “California Cuisine in Ontario” to our own “Created in Ontario Cuisine”!
3. Locally grown food benefits local communities.
With less than half a per cent of our population claiming farming as their primary occupation and with the average age reaching 57 years, farmers are a vanishing breed. (Their children see little future in this career.) According to UN studies Canada continues to have the cheapest food in the world – 20 per cent cheaper than the US, 50 per cent cheaper than UK, and a ridiculous 65 per cent cheaper than most other developed countries! Choosing local foods contributes to our own rural communities. You can gain insight into the local seasons and our traditional cuisines, and receive an introduction to the enormous variety of foods which could become available just for the asking. It can also give you access to a real farm where you and your children can experience first-hand the miracle of growing food.
4. Locally grown food preserves a healthy environment.
Farmers do much more for us than just grow food. They are also stewards of our environment. Farmers grow cover crops to store organic matter, which minimizes erosion, prevents flooding, and reduces drought. This organic matter is also very effective at cleansing the ground water of harmful organisms, and it is the most effective way to absorb carbon emissions – to reduce harmful global warming. Local food also pays to paint the barns and fences and to support local villages that provide visitors with picturesque and rejuvenating country drives.
5. Locally grown food maintains security.
For each dollar we spend on food, first-world governments spend two tax dollars to hold prices down (Financial Post Sept. 1996). Primarily this goes to support cheap transportation and to support industry and university research for high yield industrial agriculture. Excess food drives down profits to the point where farmers and shippers must take potentially dangerous shortcuts. Then governments around the world must bail out their farmers to maintain a secure food source. Poor people around the world are going hungry only because they have no money to buy food. If there really was a food shortage, food prices would be rising dramatically. With so many people hungry for no fault of their own they become frustrated with nothing left to lose. This is a seed for terrorism.
6. Locally grown food preserves genetic diversity.
In the modern industrial agriculture system, only a few varieties fit the requirement of simultaneous ripening for single-pass harvesting; tough enough to withstand harvest equipment, packing lines, and long-distance shipping; and stable enough to withstand extended storage. Local farmers, on-the-other-hand, choose from the many varieties bred for extended harvest periods; textures so crisp they require careful hand-harvesting; and flavour that makes a chef’s job easier. Lack of demand has meant that over 95% of varieties available a century ago have now become extinct! Remaining heirloom varieties can contribute to a unique, worth-checking-out, local cuisine for our hospitality industry.
7. Locally grown food is typically GMO-free.
Although biotechnology companies are trying to commercialize genetically modified produce, they are currently licensing them only to large factory-style farms. Local farmers do not have access to genetically modified seeds (and most would not use them even if they did). A June 2001 survey by ABC News showed 93 per cent of Americans want labels on genetically modified foods so they can avoid them. Canadian studies demonstrate similar support. But under pressure from global industry lobbyists, Ottawa defeated the bill for Canada to join most of the world in requiring GMO labeling. Buying local remains the most reliable way to avoid these risky and unpopular organisms that your customers clearly want to avoid.
Volunteers needed for 2010 Picnic at the Brickworks
by Noelle Munaretto
Slow Food Toronto is looking for volunteers for its annual Picnic at the Brickworks event. They need over 100 volunteers to ensure the success of this event.
Slow Food Toronto says:
We are looking for individuals with a friendly personality, a positive, hard-working attitude and a commitment to the event. You must be 19 years old or older as alcohol will be served. To view the full details click here.
All volunteers will receive orientation and supervision the day of the event, as required by their role. Team leaders will need to attend an orientation session prior to the event.
All volunteers will be able to enjoy cuisine provide by farmers and chefs during the event and are invited to the Picnic post-reception!
What we are currently looking for:
* Volunteer Leads to assist with managing other volunteers (some event management experience required)
* Welcome Hosts and Registration Attendants to help welcome guests
* Silent Auction and Raffle Coordinators
* Food and Beverage Personnel to assist with chef stations
* Individuals to assist with the set up and tear down of the event venue.
* Traffic Attendants and Parking Sales Coordinators
Shifts will vary depending on position (approximately 4–6 hours). Below are general timelines for availability. The event itself runs from noon until 4pm.
* Friday, October 1 – 10:00 to 4:00 (Evergreen Offices)
* Saturday, October 2 – 1 t0 5pm
* Sunday, October 3 – 9am to 3pm
* Sunday, October 3 – 1 to 6pm
* Sunday, October 3 – 4 to 7pm
If this sounds like you: Please e-mail your name, phone number(s), e-mail address, preferred role and availability to Theresa McDiarmid at theresa@slowfood.to. We will do our best to accommodate your position requests. Your time and enthusiasm is greatly appreciated! Looking forward to working with you!
Tickets for the 2010 Picnic at the Brickworks now on sale
by Noelle Munaretto
Tickets for the 2010 Picnic at the Brick Works are now on sale!
Purchase your tickets before August 20 and take advantage of the fantastic early bird special!
$90 (after Aug 20 $110; Slow Food Toronto members and Evergreen donors)
$100 (after Aug 20 $120; general admission)
Evergreen Brickworks Blueberry Festival
by Laura Buckley
Sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America
Featuring our favourite bright blue berry, the Wild Blueberry Festival will be packed with cool events all day long.
OCTA Canada Food Day Photo Contest
by Noelle Munaretto
July 27, 2010, TORONTO – Are you ready to celebrate Canada Food Day? At the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OCTA), we definitely are!
To help celebrate this amazing national food event on July 31, 2010, OCTA is asking its fans, members and followers to send us their photos from Canada Food Day.
Wherever you are, whomever you’re hanging out with, or whatever you’re eating, snap a digital photo and send it in .jpg form to:
noelle@ontarioculinary.com
Subject: Canada Food Day Photo
- Be sure to include in the email your full name, and a caption for the photo
We’ll create a photo album with these great snapshots to be posted on our Facebook page! And – the best part – all those who submit a photo will be entered into a draw for two passes to the Conscious Food Festival at Historic Fort York in Toronto, running Aug. 14 & 15, 2010.
So get some Canadian grub, grab your camera, and send us your Canada Food Day photo!
Note: Photos will be accepted until Friday Aug. 6, 2010 | Draw will take place Monday Aug. 9, 2010. | Only one photo per sender will be accepted.
GREENBELT‐GROWN WORLD CROPS FEED THE GTA
by Noelle Munaretto
The Stop Community Food Centre, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association are pleased to announce $88,000 from the Greenbelt Foundation to diversify food production in Ontario’s Greenbelt.
Rhonda Teitel‐Payne, The Stop’s Urban Agriculture Manager said, “The goal of this project is to strengthen the viability of farming in the Greenbelt by helping farmers access new markets created by the expanding population of immigrants in the GTA, supporting them in growing crops from around the world and connecting them with immigrant consumers and urban community food organizations.”
For this initiative, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre has identified five different fruits and vegetables that have traditionally been imported but can be successfully grown in southern Ontario. Ahmed Bilal, project lead at Vineland, is determining optimal cultivation and harvesting procedures for callaloo, fuzzy melon, okra, eggplant and yard long beans.
“We have every reason to increase crop production and diversification in Ontario and become more responsive to what the consumer wants. This project bridges the gap between production opportunities in the Greenbelt and market demand in the GTA,” said Dr. Jim Brandle, CEO, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. Produce grown as part of the project will be distributed through Toronto‐based community food programs and markets such as The Stop.
Participants in The Stop’s new Global Roots Garden, a demonstration garden featuring food typically grown by seven of Toronto’s major ethnic communities, will provide their own horticultural knowledge, inspection and taste‐testing of the crops. Urban growers will also have opportunities to visit Greenbelt farms and exchange experiences.
“At The Stop we feel these types of projects are absolutely necessary if we want both the farmland and the farmers to be there to feed our city in the future,” said Rhonda Teitel‐Payne.
This project follows a four‐year initiative led by Peter Mitchell at the University of Guelph’s Centre for Land and Water Stewardship, where Greenbelt tours were held for GTA immigrant communities and five new ethnic crops were demonstrated on Greenbelt farms. The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association will assist by facilitating relationships between growers and consumers and sharing information across the province.
About The Stop Community Food Centre
Located in Toronto’s west end, The Stop Community Food Centre works to increase access to food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community and challenges inequality. From its origins as one of Canada’s first food banks, The Stop has blossomed into a thriving community hub where neighbours participate in a broad range of programs that provide healthy food, as well as foster social connections, build food skills and promote engagement in civic issues. Underlying all of The Stop’s efforts is the view that food should be a basic human right.
About Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre is an independent, not‐for‐profit organization that was created to be a world‐class centre for horticultural science and innovation. In its capacity to enable and foster relationships with industry, academia and government, Vineland works to deliver premium product and production innovations. Vineland brings a global perspective to the Canadian horticulture industry and offers a broad range of lasting benefits to stakeholders both locally and internationally.
About Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association
The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) is the umbrella organization for 28 commodity‐based farm associations in the province. The OFVGA serves as the official representative for the province’s fruit and vegetable sector to national and international bodies.
Further information:
Jason McBride, Communications Coordinator, The Stop Community Food Centre, 416‐948‐3493, jason@thestop.org
Isabel Dopta, Director, Communications and Stakeholder Relations Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, 905‐562‐032
A Vintage year for Peaches – Chef Ricardo Larrivee recognizes Niagara’s best harvest
by Noelle Munaretto
In addition to early and bountiful harvests, the sun and heat are producing incredibly sweet fruit and abundantly flavourful vegetables – especially Niagara’s peaches! If there’s anyone not buying local food this summer, they’re missing out on extraordinary local food.
Working with the Niagara Culinary Trail Ricardo will host an elaborate celebrity event in the peach orchards on the Kurtz farm in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In what promises to be this summer’s best food and wine event, Ricardo will give a pre-dinner, private cooking demonstration followed by a 5-course peach inspired dinner prepared by five of Niagara’s top chefs. To top off the evening, Ricardo has a secret surprise for everyone who attends.
info@kurtzorchards.com
www.NiagaraCulinaryTrail.com
The beloved local food series HARVEST WEDNESDAYS return to the Gladstone Hotel for a fifth harvest season!
by Noelle Munaretto
The beloved local food series HARVEST WEDNESDAYS return to the Gladstone Hotel for a fifth harvest season!
5th ANNUAL HARVEST WEDNESDAYS
Gladstone Hotel Brings the Farm to Table Experience to Queen West
What is Harvest Wednesdays?
Each month on a Wednesday of Chef Marc Breton offers urbanites farm fresh fare and an opportunity to experience the unparalleled flavour of foods harvested during in the natural rhythm of our local growing season. Each month Chef Breton’s menu is inspired by the fresh produce harvested by farmer Sherry Patterson of Chick-a-Biddy Acres CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) as well as local meats, cheeses, wines and beers from our Harvest Wednesday Partners. Chef Breton’s preparation offers a simple flavour forward approach to enjoy this fresh food.
The harvest changes from month to month, and so does the menu!
There are two ways to enjoy Harvest Wednesdays
Cocktail party style “Tasting” events kick off each month with tastes of the season in progress and an opportunity to meet with local producers. Four Tasting events July through October include seasonal hors d’oeuvres, wine, and beer tastings and live music. $19.95pp
2010 tasting Dates August 18, September 15, October 13, November 10
OR
Bi monthly dinner starting with Hors d’oeuvres, followed by family style 3 course harvest dinner. Dinner will include a guest speaker from one of Harvest Wednesday’s participants. $49.95 pp
2010 Prix Fixe Dates September 29, October 27
Check www.gladstonehotel.com for full details
HARVEST WEDNESDAYS ARE…
INSPIRED BY THE PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY SHARED AGRICULTURE
This event is inspired by the Gladstone’s investment in four ‘shares’ of a local Community Shared Agriculture Farm, Chick-a-Biddy Acres. Chef Breton’s menus are inspired by the weekly harvest delivered by the farmer. By extension all the guests of Harvest Wednesday support the farmer directly by attending the event.
What is Community Shared Agriculture?
Community Shared Agriculture is a concept that allows people to reclaim a connection to the production of food. It allows farmers to be supported locally and for people to eat food grown in their area, not shipped across the continent. C.S.A. farmers grow food for a predetermined group of consumers who pay and annual fee to purchase their ‘share’ of the harvest. It is a relationship of shared bounty and shared risks. The movement is a popular one. At Present there are over six hundred successful C.S.A.s across North America. C.S.A. members have access to a healthy alternative, one that allows them to eat what is in season.
ENRICHED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS
Harvest Wednesday’s draws on partnerships with local producers big and small to provide guests with the enhanced experience sampling local wines, meats, cheeses, and specialty food products as well as access to information about food advocate groups, community partners and even local musicians. The Gladstone delivers a full on experience!
ACCESSIBLE NOT JUST FOR THE ELITE
The pricing of this event is accessible for a reason. We want to introduce this food to everybody. The politics of this event strive to bring local and artisanal foods to regular folks and facilitate connections to local producers.
Prices start at only $19.95 for our all inclusive Tasting events to the incredible value of $49.95 for the sit down family style harvest dinners.
FOCUSED ON SEASONAL, LOCAL, AND FRESH
For many of us eating in season is a new experience as we get to know the natural rhythm of the local growing season we are richly rewarded by the unparalleled flavour of food that was picked that morning.
Eating in season, means you are getting the most nutritional value, the kinds our bodies need, appropriate to the seasons. Harvest Wednesdays provides this enriched experience to urbanites connecting city dwellers to the land that feeds
