Events

If you know of an event that should be listed here, contact us with the subject line event listing.

COG Events Events for Farmers General Workshops/Events Conferences/Lectures Farm Tours Local and Organic Food Festivals/Celebrations Past COG PWW Events

 

COG Events

COG PWW Annual General Meeting

Thursday, February 16th 12:00pm-4:00pm

Queen Street Commons Café (The Working Centre), 43 Queen St S, Kitchener

Come join us for our AGM and take part in an exercise of reviewing our chapter’s past and looking to our future. We will also be electing our 2012 Steering Committee and creating other volunteer opportunities. See our Volunteer Nomination Form for details and either bring along with you or contact us beforehand with your interest.

 

Growing Strawberries Organically

Saturday, March 3 10:00am-4:30pm Please arrive early to allow us to start on time

Bloomingdale Community Centre, 1031 Snyder's Flats Rd, Bloomingdale

This workshop is for organic growers wanting to diversify their farm or improve the quality and quantity of their organic strawberries, or conventional growers wanting to explore organic strawberries as an option, or simply to reduce their pesticide usage while still raising quality berries.

Cost includes lunch and a copy of Growing Strawberries Organically: $70 ($60 members), $35 per additional person from same farm business (excludes book)

Facilitated by: Rob Wallbridge, Songberry Organic Farm

See full workshop details and register here.

The Growing Strawberries Organically workshop is eligible for cost-share funding through the Business Development for Farm Businesses program, one of the Best Practices suites of programs under Growing Forward, a federal-provincial, territorial initiative. For more information on program requirements, please call 1-800-265-9751 x64213 or visit: www.ontariosoilcrop.org/en/bdfbhome.  

 

Making the Transition to Small Scale Organic Production

February 28, 2012 & March 20, 2012 1:00-3:00pm

Conference call

This workshop is geared to experienced small-scale produce farmers who are interested in transitioning to certified organic production. The workshop is delivered over two 2-hour sessions via conference call, with some independent work required in-between sessions. Upon registration, participants will receive a workbook and toll-free number call-in details. The facilitator will be available by phone/email for questions or support with completing workbook activities in-between sessions.

Objectives include helping workshop participants to:

-Learn about the process of transitioning

-Understand the aspects of the Canadian Organic Standards that are directly relevant to small-scale produce farming

-Understand the “who”, “what” and “how” of organic certification

-Understand how to develop a comprehensive organic plan for their farm

-Meet other market gardeners and have an opportunity to network

Facilitated by: Theresa Schumilas, Garden Party

Cost: $70 ($60 members), $35 for additional people from the same farm business

See full workshop details and register here.

The Making the Transition to Small Scale Organic Production workshop is eligible for cost-share funding through the Business Development for Farm Businesses program, one of the Best Practices suites of programs under Growing Forward, a federal-provincial, territorial initiative. For more information on program requirements, please call 1-800-265-9751 x64213 or visit: www.ontariosoilcrop.org/en/bdfbhome.  

 

Record Keeping for Organic Farming

Saturday, March 10th 9:00am-4:00pm

St.Brigid's Villa, Ignatius Jesuit Centre, 5420 Hwy 6 N, Guelph

Click here for directions

One of the most important aspects of organic certification is the requirement to maintain records which enable the inspector to conduct a field to table audit of organic production. This one-day workshop will help you learn the best way to set up a record keeping system, what types of records you need to keep and how your farm operation can benefit from improved record keeping. This course is targeted to producers who are: 1) already organic, 2) in transition to organic, or 3) interested in transitioning to organic.

Facilitated by: Maureen Bostock, organic farmer and inspector

Cost includes lunch and a copy of Record Keeping for Organic Growers: $70 ($60 members), $35 per additional person from same farm business (excludes book)

See full workshop details and register here.

The Record Keeping for Organic Farming workshop is eligible for cost-share funding through the Business Development for Farm Businesses program, one of the Best Practices suites of programs under Growing Forward, a federal-provincial, territorial initiative. For more information on program requirements, please call 1-800-265-9751 x64213 or visit: www.ontariosoilcrop.org/en/bdfbhome.  

Events for Farmers

 

Growing Strawberries Organically

Saturday, March 3 10:00am-4:30pm Please arrive early to allow us to start on time

Bloomingdale Community Centre, 1031 Snyder's Flats Rd, Bloomingdale

This workshop is for organic growers wanting to diversify their farm or improve the quality and quantity of their organic strawberries, or conventional growers wanting to explore organic strawberries as an option, or simply to reduce their pesticide usage while still raising quality berries.

Cost includes lunch and a copy of Growing Strawberries Organically: $70 ($60 members), $35 per additional person from same farm business (excludes book)

Facilitated by: Rob Wallbridge, Songberry Organic Farm

See full workshop details and register here.

The Growing Strawberries Organically workshop is eligible for cost-share funding through the Business Development for Farm Businesses program, one of the Best Practices suites of programs under Growing Forward, a federal-provincial, territorial initiative. For more information on program requirements, please call 1-800-265-9751 x64213 or visit: www.ontariosoilcrop.org/en/bdfbhome.  

 

Making the Transition to Small Scale Organic Production

February 28, 2012 & March 20, 2012 1:00-3:00pm

Conference call

This workshop is geared to experienced small-scale produce farmers who are interested in transitioning to certified organic production. The workshop is delivered over two 2-hour sessions via conference call, with some independent work required in-between sessions. Upon registration, participants will receive a workbook and toll-free number call-in details. The facilitator will be available by phone/email for questions or support with completing workbook activities in-between sessions.

Objectives include helping workshop participants to:

-Learn about the process of transitioning

-Understand the aspects of the Canadian Organic Standards that are directly relevant to small-scale produce farming

-Understand the “who”, “what” and “how” of organic certification

-Understand how to develop a comprehensive organic plan for their farm

-Meet other market gardeners and have an opportunity to network

Facilitated by: Theresa Schumilas, Garden Party

Cost: $70 ($60 members), $35 for additional people from the same farm business

See full workshop details and register here.

The Making the Transition to Small Scale Organic Production workshop is eligible for cost-share funding through the Business Development for Farm Businesses program, one of the Best Practices suites of programs under Growing Forward, a federal-provincial, territorial initiative. For more information on program requirements, please call 1-800-265-9751 x64213 or visit: www.ontariosoilcrop.org/en/bdfbhome.  

 

Record Keeping for Organic Farming

Saturday, March 10th 9:00am-4:00pm

St.Brigid's Villa, Ignatius Jesuit Centre, 5420 Hwy 6 N, Guelph

Click here for directions

One of the most important aspects of organic certification is the requirement to maintain records which enable the inspector to conduct a field to table audit of organic production. This one-day workshop will help you learn the best way to set up a record keeping system, what types of records you need to keep and how your farm operation can benefit from improved record keeping. This course is targeted to producers who are: 1) already organic, 2) in transition to organic, or 3) interested in transitioning to organic.

Facilitated by: Maureen Bostock, organic farmer and inspector

Cost includes lunch and a copy of Record Keeping for Organic Growers: $70 ($60 members), $35 per additional person from same farm business (excludes book)

See full workshop details and register here.

The Record Keeping for Organic Farming workshop is eligible for cost-share funding through the Business Development for Farm Businesses program, one of the Best Practices suites of programs under Growing Forward, a federal-provincial, territorial initiative. For more information on program requirements, please call 1-800-265-9751 x64213 or visit: www.ontariosoilcrop.org/en/bdfbhome.  

 

Everdale's Farmer Training is Starting

Are you ready to farm? No matter what stage you'’re at in your thinking, Everdale has a course for you. We combine curriculum-based learning with
presentations from experienced farmers and mentorship to guide you on your
journey. Please see our website or contact david.alexander@everdale.org for more details.

 

General Workshops/Events

 

Conferences/Lectures

 

Farm Tours

 

Local and Organic Food Festivals/Celebrations

 

Past COG PWW Events (as of March 2011)

Organic Week 2011

October 15-22

All across Canada!

Check out www.organicweek.ca for details on plans for the upcoming second annual, week-long celebration of Canada organics. COG PWW local events are listed below. You can also track all the Organic Week buzz on Facebook and Twitter.

Take a Bite Out of Climate Change Bus Tour
Saturday, October 22nd

9:00am-3:00pm
Join us on a biodiesel-powered bus tour of three local organic farms in Wellington County and learn about the climate-change mitigating potential of local organic agriculture. We’ll visit Ignatius Farm, Everdale Organic Farm, and Mapleton’s Organic to see organic farming in practice and discuss the links between agriculture, food and climate change along the way with Ralph Martin, Loblaw Chair in Sustainable Food Production at the University of Guelph. Cost $10/person. Meet at Ignatius Farm Workshop at 9:00am. Biodiesel supplied by Everpure Biodiesel Coop and bus services provided by Sharp Bus Lines. Tour schedule is as follows:

9:00-10:00 Tour Ignatius Farm
10:00-10:30 Travel to Everdale
10:30-11:30 Tour Everdale
11:30-12:30 Travel to Mapleton's
12:30-1:00 Lunch Break (Mapleton's Restaurant open)
1:00-2:00 Tour Mapleton’s
2:00-3:00 Travel back to Ignatius 

Organic Week Event Planning Committee - Second Meeting!

Wednesday, September 14th, 2-4pm
COG PWW Office - Suite 230, Orchard Park Office Centre, Ignatius Jesuit Centre, Guelph OR phone conference

Join us in our follow-up session to our first brainstorming meeting for the second annual, week-long celebration of organics in Canada. Since our last meeting we have begun planning a series of events for Organic Week (Oct 15-22) including farm tours, film screenings, organic dinners and bake sales, and even a climate-change-themed bus tour of local organic farms! Come help us continue to plan and develop a promotional strategy for all the week's activities. If you plan to call in, please contact us for details.

 

Organic Week Event Planning Committee - First Meeting!

Tuesday, August 9th, 1-3pm
COG PWW Office - Suit 230, Orchard Park Office Centre, Ignatius Jesuit Centre OR phone conference

Join us in our first brainstorming session as we plan for the second annual, week-long celebration of organics in Canada. There is much going on at the national level to update on and connect to, as well as many regional opportunities. Come with ideas or a willingness to help organize! If our office is not a convenient location, we will be setting up a conference call so you can call in and still be a part of the conversation. If you plan to call in, please contact us for details.

 

Organic Backyard Workshops

Various locations and dates

Cathy Hansen, local organic farmer, will be delivering workshops on applying organic farming practices to your backyard or community garden in KW & Guelph over the course of February and March. Workshops are based on COG PWW's resource The Organic Backyard. Check flyers for local details.

Waterloo

Guelph

 

Organic Stone Soup: A Local Organic Food Skills Fair

Saturday, March 19th, 2011 - 11:00am-2:00pm

St. George's Church, 99 Woolwich St, Guelph

Pay what you can - free parking

Join COG PWW for a family fun event all about helping yourself to local organic. There will be a storytelling and children's activities about organic food and farming, as well as a series of food demonstrations on growing, buying, cooking, and preserving local organic food. A simple soup lunch will be served and other organic goods will be available for purchase at a mini organic farmers' market.

• Storytelling by Guelph storyteller Brad Woods of the Great Wooden Trio
• Children's activities coordinated by Everdale Organic Farm and Environmental Learning Centre
• Soup prepared by Green Table Foods
• Workshops by Cathy Hansen, Krista Long, Sarah's Kitchen Gardens, and Food is Good

See event flyer here. Read the Organic Stone Soup story here.