Small potatoes – Maybe Not?

We’ve recently taken a 3^rd harvest from our garden on the Grand Parade, amounting to nine bins of fresh produce for those in need of it most – those being served by the good folks at the Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank.  I know that having the garden next to City Hall has been one of the most rewarding small projects I’ve taken on in awhile, and it certainly reminds me of one’s appreciation for the care and reward involved in cultivating fresh, local food.  As we all know, it always tastes better when you’ve watched it grow yourself.

Yet, our garden is a very small part of a very big picture.

The Ecology Action Centre’s recent local food report shows us that the majority of the money we spend on food (approximately 87%, according to their metric) does not go back to Nova Scotia farmers.  Our food travels immense distances from field to fork (on average 8240km, according to the EAC), adding unwanted environmental and transportation costs to our food choices.  Plus, it means we’re dependant on global markets to ensure our food supply.

Throughout the modern world, food-related health concerns are rampant – though ironically, some countries are starving, while some others (such as our own) are literally eating themselves sick (could it be all those additives and preservatives?).  We are growing up without a meaningful connection to the food we eat, and I believe it needs to be re-established.

Thankfully, there is renewed energy in Halifax concerning local food issues, and it is building.  Our new Farmers’ Market is swinging into action, Campus Action on Food recently launched their ‘Edible Campus’ project at Dalhousie University, and a young lady by the name of Emily Van Halem has chosen to spend a good chunk of her ‘Feel Good Food Tour’ in Nova Scotia while she searches for locally-grown inspiration.  The July issue of Municipal World magazine even tackled food issues head on, to the point that editor Susan Gardner devoted the ‘editor’s corner’ introduction almost solely to an issue we have grown familiar with in the HRM. 

You betcha! It was:

Urban Chickens.

A number of major Canadian cities (Vancouver, Saskatoon, Victoria) have already legalized urban chickens, and others (Ottawa, Calgary, London, Kingston, Toronto) are in discussions on the issue.  This issue appears to be growing, not diminishing…

And that’s a blog chat for sometime in the future.

Veggies from Grand Parade Garden

Big news from the garden in the Grand Parade! It is time to do a little harvesting. Some lettuce, swiss chard and kale are definitely ready. I’m letting my friends at St. Joseph Children’s Centre know that when it dries up a bit we are going to harvest some of the food in our garden. Exciting!

Greatest Show on Earth- Our Tattoo

If you are around Grand Parade any noon this week, you will be treated to a perfomance by one of the acts in this years Tattoo. But don’t stop at this appetizer – go for the whole meal and attend the Tattoo -considered by many the best in the world. I will be there Wednesday evening with guests from Sister City Hakodate. http://www.nstattoo.ca/

Sister Cities

Last week we had visitors from our Sister city in Norfolk Virginia. They had a productive rounds of meetings while taking in the Fleet Review, the Queen’s visit and the Tattoo. We are working on collaborations of mutual benefit with Dalhousie and Old Dominion universities and the Black Business Initiative and Norfolk State University.  There is also many possibilities regarding the modelling and simulations industry. Norfolk Sister Cities has an interesting website at-http://www.norfolkvasistercities.org/

This week our Sister City friends from Hakodate in Japan are in town. I will be greeting Mayor Nishio and his official delegation tomorrow and attending the Tattoo with them Wednesday.  We send a large Christmas tree each year to Hakodate for their Christmas Fantasy.  For more about Hakodate visit http://www.wa-pedia.com/japan-guide/hakodate.shtml

Our Sister City ties are the municipal approach to diplomacy.  Stronger relationship culturally, economically and educationally are of mutual benefit to both cities.

A clean harbour

The reports from the recommissioned wastewater treatment plant are all good. Everything is back in order and running properly. The harbour will be clean for the fleet review and the royal visit.

We just need a little more warm weather to bring the temperature of the water up to a bearable level and we can go for a swim. Start looking for those swim suits

“City of Trees”

Living in an uban forest we all need to find ways to nurture our trees.  Consider the contribution thy make to our environment.

Food Grown Here

The Grand Parade garden is finally underway.

I like to toil in the soil but, unfortunately, it’s hard to find the time to do so. Solution? A little plot of earth, right here outside City Hall. .

The soil is ready and, once the vegetables and potatoes are planted, I’ll be able to pop out regularly to do the weeding, then be back at my desk in no time flat.

Actually, the garden is a joint project with a group of children from nearby St. Joseph’s Children Centre. They’ve agreed to help me during their regular outings in the Grand Parade and it should be a good learning experience for everyone, including me!

In the fall, we’ll donate everything to the Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank because, for them, fresh produce can be hard to come by.

Do you have any opportunity to plant a small plot?  Greening the community is really about exercise, good things to eat, nice conversations about the garden, a cleaner environment and fun.

Welcome to my blog!

Communication is important to me.  The more conversations and exchanges I have the better.  Shaping ideas this way leads to better decisions.

I have been using social media for a while.  It is time to blog.

I invite you to comment on the what makes for a good blog.  Any ideas?