EnMark Associates

All things organic, local and sustainable are on the agenda for the upcoming Hamilton food policy conference (a first). “Hammering Out a Food Policy for Hamilton: Preparing the Ground” is set for Thursday, February 10th at the Royal Botanical Gardens and will feature speakers (including Gord Hume, author of Local Food Revolution), presentations, workshops and networking. Registration deadline is February 4th. Cost for the full day event is $30 including refreshments and lunch (local and healthy, of course!).

The event is hosted by the Community Food Security Stakeholders Committee, Hamilton Eat Local, and Slow Food Hamilton. These groups may not be particularly well known but are part of an increasing movement to connect local residents with the foods they eat. They will mark February as Farm Month, for example, with various events (for details go to www.environmenthamilton.org) including a gathering at the newly-renovated Hamilton Farmers’ Market and a food film festival on Locke St.

Growing your own vegetables this year? Interested in ways to eat local all year round? Or just wondering what sustainable agricultural policy looks like? These events are for you. A nice opportunity to escape winter and think about seeds, soil and Savoy cabbage instead of snow and shovels for a bit. And, if you’re a parent, these promise many teachable moments…how far, for example, did the items on your dinner menu tonight have to travel before making it to your table? Do your teens know where they can get a locavore pizza? Did you know you can volunteer for a local fruit tree project to pick (and share) fruit that would otherwise go to waste? Fun to find out, and important information for community members who agree that  local food is better food.