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Wellness Roadtrip

Deb — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:34:41 +0000

10:00 – 5:00 Saturday August 29

A self-guided tour in the Owen Sound District exploring remarkable opportunities for spirit, mind and body.

This area has hundreds of wellness providers who offer a wide range of options for healthy living. The first-ever one-day Wellness Roadtrip will provide participants with the opportunity to learn more about energy healing, reiki, naturopathy, Native healing and spirituality, massage, yoga, dreamwork, aromatherapy, quantum bio feedback, ion cleansing, meditation, fitness, nutrition and more. On Saturday August 29 from 10:00 – 5:00, nine wellness venues in and around Owen Sound will open their doors to provide hands-on demonstrations, presentations, product samples and answers about their specific services.

Organized by a local alliance interested in expanding understanding of the many available local health options, the Wellness Roadtrip is based on the familiar artists’ studio tour model. The Wellness Roadtrip will showcase numerous approaches to traditional and alternative healing. With their $10 ticket, participants will have access to nine sites with over two dozen local experts on hand. In addition, there will be a grand prize of a Wellness Package (valued over $2500) including healthy treatments and products for one lucky participant.

Get your Wellness Roadtrip ticket now (available at The Ginger Press and Good Health Mart)!

For more information and tickets contact
Maryann Thomas
The Ginger Press
848 Second Avenue East
Owen Sound N4K 2H3
(519) 376-4233
maryann@gingerpress.com

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Local Agri-Food Innovators Celebrated

Deb — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:44:11 +0000

McGuinty Government Rewards Seven Recipients For Their Innovations

Innovative ideas grown by Ontario farmers were celebrated today at a ceremony in Mildmay honouring local winners of the province’s regional awards for innovation excellence. These fresh ideas are contributing to the local economy, boosting the agri-food industry and giving consumers more choice.

The Premier’s Agri-Food Innovation Excellence awards are part of a $2.5-million, five-year program (now in its third year) established to recognize innovators who contribute to the success of Ontario’s agri-food sector.

Local events across the province are recognizing 55 regional award winners, who are receiving $5,000 each for their innovations. Area winners presented with their awards today are:

The Healing Arc Inc. & Everspring Farms Ltd. (Teeswater) – Bruce County

Saugeen Country Dairy (Markdale) – Grey County

WoolDrift Farm (Markdale) – Grey County

Grey Bruce Agriculture and Culinary Association – Grey and Bruce Counties

Forager Foods (Bayfield) – Huron County

Hillside Gardens Limited (Bradford) – Simcoe County

Sunrise Produce (Alliston) – Simcoe County

Winners of the $100,000 Premier’s Award and the $50,000 Minister’s Award were presented in April at the Premier’s Summit on Agri-Food.

QUOTES

“These innovations help to strengthen our local agri-food sector, which is such an important contributor to Ontario’s economy. I am pleased to recognize the achievements of these local innovators with these awards.”
- Carol Mitchell, MPP for Huron-Bruce.

QUICK FACTS

· In its first three years, the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence has attracted more than 550 applications highlighting on-farm innovations.

· Ontario’s agri-food sector is one of the province’s leading industries, contributing more than $33 billion to the economy every year.

LEARN MORE

Learn more about this year’s award winning innovations and discover the variety of previous award-winning on-farm innovations.

Learn more about other government programs supporting innovation in Ontario by visiting the Ministry of Research and Innovation website.

Regional Innovations Awarded In Mildmay

The following are Regional Award winners of the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence:

BRUCE COUNTY:

The Healing Arc Inc. & Everspring Farms Ltd. – Teeswater

Have you tasted the ‘orange of the north’? Sea Buckthorn is a multipurpose, citrus-type berry used in functional foods and for a variety of medicinal, agronomic and environmental purposes. The fruit is a source of omega 3, 6 and 9 oils and just eight berries provide the daily requirement of vitamin C and beta carotene. Sea Buckthorn can be grown in a wide range of soils, in greenhouses and is drought resistant. After six years of research and development, the growers are now selling cuttings to private and commercial sectors in Ontario and Quebec. These innovators have helped introduce the crop to Ontario and are continually working to educate consumers on its ‘berry-good’ merits.

Grey Bruce Agriculture and Culinary Association – Grey and Bruce Counties

The whole really is stronger than the sum of its parts when producers, processors, restaurants and tour operators band together to promote the benefits of local foods. This association now has 157 paid members who are enjoying the increased consumer traffic and profits that come from cross-promotion. Locals and tourists like the convenience of the Buy Local Buy Fresh map, and it helps restaurants coordinate their use of local food.

GREY COUNTY:

Saugeen Country Dairy – Markdale

If you have a yearning for yogurt, this farm’s for you. At Saugeen Country Dairy, the owners operate both a certified organic dairy farm and an on-farm dairy. It is the first on-farm dairy in Ontario to make and sell organic yogurt, which it has been doing since 1994. This yogurt has a short list of ingredients with all the milk produced on the farm. And it has been profitable. After 14 years of steady sales growth they process more than 300,000 litres and employ three full time and five part time staff.

WoolDrift Farm – Markdale

WoolDrift Farm, the first commercial sheep milking operation in the province, has shepherded the growth of Ontario’s sheep milk industry. Owners Chris Buschbeck and Axel Meister were the first to import East Friesian dairy sheep embryos into Canada and continuously improved the genetics of the flock, resulting in sales across North America. These innovators have been instrumental in founding the Ontario Dairy Sheep Association and have attracted farmers to the sheep milk market through various educational symposiums and workshops. Today, more than 50 Ontario farmers are milking sheep commercially, producing 1.5 million litres of milk which is poured into artisan cheeses, yogurt, ricotta and feta cheese.

HURON COUNTY:

Forager Foods Inc. – Bayfield

Forager Foods Inc. offers one-stop shopping with a local flavour. And it’s looking to broaden support for Ontario agri-businesses by creating a network of similar stores across southwestern Ontario. With 21 local and regional food partners currently supplying products to a 900 square-foot retail food specialty store, customers can choose from an array of locally-produced foods. These include meats, deli, artisan cheeses, Lake Huron fish, prepared foods, fresh vegetables and pantry items. Most are grown from within 45 minutes or less of the storefront. The applicant’s background as a chef helps consumers pair foods for an enjoyable and regional food experience.

SIMCOE COUNTY:

Hillside Gardens Limited – Bradford

Ron Gleason is helping to strengthen the gate-to-plate connection. He redesigned an existing software program for use as a farm traceability program. It’s capable of tracing all field activities from harvest, to packing, to shipping dates and destinations. Lot IDs are assigned in each step in the process, and the end product is dated with a bar code sticker. The wireless, computerized system will only allow product that has been assigned to a load to be picked and scanned. This improves many aspects of the business, from inventory rotation and quality issues to recall efficiency and inventory control. The system provides “real time” inventory and work is underway to expand its capabilities. Hillside Gardens is also the winner of the $50,000 Minister’s award.

Sunrise Produce – Alliston

The chips are never down at Sunrise Produce. The farm’s experienced potato breeders and growers, Peter and Carla VanderZaag, have developed three new potato varieties that can be made into the popular snack all year-round. Most other chipping varieties maintain their quality for only two to three months. The three innovative potato lines can be processed any time, from the moment they are placed in storage until the following summer. The new varieties were officially registered in 2007 and have been adopted by other producers. Last year, 300 acres of the new varieties were grown in Ontario. There is significant market growth potential for these potatoes, including in the U.S.

ABOUT THE AWARDS PROGRAM

Awards – The five-year, $2.5 million Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence is now in its third year. The Premier’s Award can be up to $100,000; the Minister’s award can be up to $50,000. There are up to 55 regional awards, valued at $5,000 each.

Who is eligible? – A farmer, primary producer, groups of farmers, combination of agri-food businesses or an agri-food related organization are all eligible for recognition under this initiative. A farmer must be one of the applicants of any group. This program is not intended for the research community as there are other government recognition programs available to this sector. Applicant/nominees must reside in Ontario and be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada. Ontario public service staff and immediate family are not eligible to apply for this program.

Types of eligible innovations – Examples of innovations for this program include (but are not limited to) improved farm practices, responding to consumer demands, environmental stewardship, health and safety on the farm, energy innovations, education and marketing of agriculture to society, and promoting local food.

Jane Muegge
Regional Information Co-ordinator
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs

jane.muegge@ontario.ca

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The United Way of Bruce Grey – backpack collection program 2008

Jesse — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:34:12 +0000

The United Way of Bruce Grey’s backpack collection program has more than doubled in requests for 2008.

“It’s a little scary” confessed United Way of Bruce Grey Executive Director Francesca Dobbyn, “changes to families on government assistance had significantly increased the demand.”

In 2007 the United Way gave out 594 full stocked backpacks for low income families in the Bruce Grey region, this years list is already at 1400.

“We are working with community partners to raise large donations up front so we can place a bulk order with our suppliers,” Dobbyn explains. The Power Workers Union has made the largest single donation of $3 000 with other Unions also contributing.

“It costs about $100 per backpack for anyone older than 9, so with over half of the requests for children over 9, we are in trouble” Dobbyn said.

The United Way usually doesn’t make it’s appeal until August, but with the opportunity to do a bulk purchase, the sooner dollars are raised, the sooner this massive increase in demand can be met.

The United Way of Bruce Grey uses local service providers and agencies to provide the list of children in need, “we know these children are in need, as we are talking to the workers and staff that interact with them on a daily basis” Dobbyn explained. Dobbyn blames the high cost of transportation and the significant increases in food costs, as well as government assistance level changes for the increase in demand.

Donations can be made by calling 519 376 1560.

For more information please contact Francesca Dobbyn at 519 376 1560

-30-

United Way of Bruce Grey
380 9th St. East
Owen Sound, Ontario, N4K 1P1
ph: 519-376-1560 fax: 519-376-5458
www.unitedwayofbrucegrey.com
www.informationbrucegrey.ca
www.volunteerconnection.ca

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Poetry Slam at the Owen Sound Library

Ryan — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:02:30 +0000

Here are a few more details about the Words Aloud Poetry Slam event being held at the Owen Sound Public Library. Thanks to Nadia Danyluk for sending this info along.

Poetry Slam

The Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library, in association with the Words Aloud Spoken Word and Storytelling Festival, and Owen Sound’s Poet Laureate, Liz Zetlin, presents, Poetry Slam, an afternoon of dynamic spoken word performances.

Slam poetry is a competitive spoken word style that is characterized by poets performing their own creative work to an audience that judges each performer on a numeric scale. A winning poet must perform a fast, lively piece which is both physically and vocally dynamic. Accessible to youth, dubious to academics, slam poetry has engendered critical controversy: is it the new wave or the death of an art? Come to the Owen Sound Poetry Slam and make up your own mind.

The Poetry Slam will take place on Saturday November 3rd, in the Library Auditorium, 824 First Avenue West, Owen Sound. Tickets are $2 each and are available for purchase in advance at the Library. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Individuals interested in performing are encouraged to arrive early. This event is rated PG-13.

Come check out the winning Toronto Slam Team and host Dave Silverberg. The Toronto Slam Team presents a high-energy, mentally nourishing spoken word competition, featuring Arianna Pozzuoli, Krystle Mullin, White Noise Machine, and Amanda Hiebert, the four members of the Toronto Team who represented the city at the 2007 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. What you hear will blow your socks off!

The event will conclude with a session by international award-winning poet Shane Koyczan, one of the world’s premier spoken word performers. Based in Vancouver, Shane was the first poet from outside the USA to win the prestigious National Poetry Slam. His book, Visiting Hours, was hailed as a “book of the year” by The Guardian and the Globe and Mail. Shane has performed to full houses around the world. His lyricism inspires audiences and readers alike because Shane’s poems speak directly to the heart.

For those not content just being part of the crowd, the Poetry Slam will also feature an open mic where local poets and spoken word artists are invited to share their best creative efforts and stand alongside national poetry giants. Register at the door to perform your own poetry on stage, and get your slam on!

This event will be filmed as part of a documentary chronicling the Words Aloud Festival.

For more information about the Poetry Slam call Nadia at 519-376-6623 ext. 4, email ndanyluk@owensound.library.on.ca, visit the Teen Buzz section of the Library’s website at www.owensound.library.on.ca, or stop into the Library.

For more information about the Words Aloud Spoken Word and Storytelling Festival you can read our events post or visit the festival’s website at www.wordsaloud.ca.

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