MEETING TOPICS

 
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OF THE OCTOBER WORKSHOP 
 
Social Enterprise Workshop – “100 Mile Harvest”
 
Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) – Owen Sound
Report of a “social enterprise workshop” held on tuesday, october 11, 2011 in Owen Sound
Facilitator: Barry Randall, L. B. Randall & Associates/Grey Bruce Sustainability Network Inc.
Purpose of session
To brainstorm, discuss and plan actions in support of the 100 Mile Harvest theme. As the theme for the evening, local food production, processing and distribution, as well as food preparation participants were asked to respond to several questions in a “roundtable” small group setting. As a group dedicated to “enlightenment, engagement and energetic living” the CFUW identifies the following actions points[1]:
·         The pursuit of knowledge
·         The promotion of public education
·         Active participation in public affairs
·         The advancement of human rights
As introduction to the “100 Mile Harvest” theme, Barry presented a short series of images that conveyed some of the reasons why consuming locally produced food is key to community sustainability. A copy of the presentation is attached.
Social enterprise “incubator” breakout
Following is the collective responses (unedited) of the small group sessions to the 4 questions asked.
1.       What are the assets your group and community has that support the idea of the 100 mile harvest?
·         Gardeners, scholarships for students, Friendship Centre has a community garden; City will provide land, need org to run; United Way Community Garden; Mental Health Community Garden; garden at farmer’s market
·         Community gardens in urban area
·         150 year old market; local farms; tourists; meat, eggs and fish suppliers locally; we are over producing!
·         All sorts of local meats, fish, apples, farmland, water, farmer’s markets and local markets, local awareness, local grocery stores are an unused asset; schools (home ec?), local culinary arts program; local cottage industries; local mental health initiatives; young people, church groups; seasonal residents bring appreciation of what is here;
·         OS Farmer’s Market and other local markets, local farmers, allotment gardens, small groups support local gardeners; issue of distribution, timely and affordable
·         Farmer’s Markets, artist co-ops, Transition Town, Keady Market, Elk farms, CSA’s, Lots of available land.
 
2.       What are the skills your group and community has and needs to engage in the 100 Mile Harvest?
·         Policy development, community connectedness/awareness, gardening skills, enthusiasm, recipes, cooking skills
·         Pick your own – freeze and preserve, knowledgeable gardeners, industrious, voice to encourage, teach, instruct and advertise; find and encourage producers; local corn, strawberries, maple syrup
·         Community farming expertise, Georgian food industry knowledge; school greenhouses, learn to grow food; public land for public growing; ideas, leadership, educated, well read, planning, socially conscious
·         Gardening, farming, recipes, cooking, educated, teach kids to cook, municipal people, BALL, library, Georgian College, Rocky Raccoon, Grey Roots Museum and Moreston Village, promotional skills
·         Unused farmland and other garden plots, victory gardens, space around OS hospital; has to be accessible to people; communicate the availability of community garden plots
·         Media, farmers, financial, advertising, experienced gardeners, direct scholarship fund to students studying this area; community gardens, Help Ann get Around the Sound back! WE need political will.
 
3.       What is a priority action Initiative that CFUW or another social enterprise could take on to further the 100 Mile Harvest idea?
·         Scholarship could focus on food.
·         Support for OS market, apples picking, Good food box
·         Investigate Around the Sound
·         Persuade Farmer’s Market to be open more often every week
·         Lobby local grocery stores to by locally, set up a new interest group; lobby, cooking, educational, intergenerational partnering for nutritional foods, help around the sound, scholarships, policy development, lobbying grocery stores, Interest group theme
·         Encourage local council to support these themes
 
4.       What is the next step CFUW will take to ensure the priority initiative (s) is hatched?
The following is a synopsis of some of the ideas generated during the brainstorm. It is simply meant as a jumping off point for your next steps….clearly a “draft”.
 
PROPOSAL – To establish an “100 Mile Harvest” Interest Group growing from the existing “Gardening” group.
GOAL – To raise community and political awareness of the importance of local food consumption, production and distribution through action oriented projects.
OBJECTIVES/actions          
a.        Engage and intergenerational audience
b.       Support Around the Sound
c.        Establish a youth/adult cooking class/kitchen;
d.       Lobby Politicians; grocery stores, markets
e.       Create “food” scholarship program
Parting Comment from Barry
First of all let me say that it was a pleasure to work with the CFUW on such an important topic. The knowledge, experience and energy in the room during the “brainstorm” was truly tangible. Comments afterward were also very positive and several people expressed interest in some kind of follow-up activity. Hopefully this brief summary of what went on at the gathering will be a solid footing for your next steps.
Good luck with whatever initiative you choose to tackle; I have no doubt it will be successful. Feel free to re-connect should you require any further facilitation services.
Thanks for the opportunity to work with your group.
Barry Randall
L. B. Randall & Associates
Grey Bruce Sustainability Network Inc.
 
Phone: 1-519-889-0695
Randall@wightman.ca

Curried Pumpkin Soup with Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 T. unsalted butter 1 cup water
1 onion finely chopped

2 T. tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pie pumpkin baked until tender (OR 1540 ml. can pumpkim puree)
3 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tsps Patak’s Madras curry paste freshly ground peppar
2 cups chicken or veg. stock
Sour cream for garnish

I used a fresh pie pumpkin. Cut it into 4 pieces. Roast at 400 degrees F. on 
an oiled cookie  sheet until tender, about 45 minutes.

Method:

1. In a large soup pot, I start with 1 T. of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic 
sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the butter, melt, then add the mushrooms. 
Saute for another about 4 minutes, then stir in the curry paste, to taste.

2. Add the vegetable stock, water, tomato paste and the pumpkin puree.  I 
scooped out all the pumpkin & put it in my food processor to puree it with a
bit of the stock water.  Reduce heat, cover & simmer for about 10 minutes, 
stirring occasionally so it does not stick.

3. Season with peppar  to taste and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Good Luck!