Community Composting 30K Celebration!

Tuesday, March 12
823 Ellice Avenue
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Celebrate 2 years and 30,000 pounds of Community Composting in the West End!

For the past two years, we have collected organic waste from local businesses by bicycle and delivered it to nearby compost bins, diverting 30,000 pounds of waste from the landfill.

Join us for an evening of refreshments, mingling, and learning to celebrate this landmark accomplishment!

• Hear the experiences of Jonnies Sticky Buns, a community gardener, and our composting coordinator with the program.
• Discover how you can contribute to our localized nutrient cycling system by composting and gardening right here in your neighbourhood!
• Find out what other communities and cities are doing with their organic waste and help us is imagine what more our neighbourhood could accomplish.

For more, contact Bowen at 204.774.7005 or composting(at)dmsmca.ca. Join our Facebook event and tell your friends!

Seedy Saturday

March 9 from 10:00 - 3:00
Canadian Mennonite University, South Campus
600 Shaftesbury Blvd.

Winnipeg is hosting it's 13th annual Seedy Saturday, which brings together gardeners, farmers, seed growers and seed savers, native plant enthusiasts, conservation groups, horticultural societies, and anyone ready to dream about spring in the company of friends. Come out for a day of great connections and new ideas. Buy or exchange seeds and participate in a workshop to learn more about seed saving and gardening in Manitoba.

This event has been organized by the Winnipeg Community Garden Network, Seeds of Diversity Canada and Friends of Gardens Manitoba with support from the Canadian Mennonite University and USC Canada.

Admission by donation.

Visit Seedy Saturday Winnipeg for more information.

Growing Local Conference

Friday, March 1 from 7:30 - 3:30
Saturday, March 2 from 8:00 - 4:00
Marlboro Hotel, 331 Smith Street

This year's conference includes:

• DIY hands-on food skills and production workshops
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Indigenous and Northern Issues
• Food Justice
• Health

Registration closes February 22. With a great lineup of workshops, displays and networking opportunities, this 6th annual conference is sure to sell out again. Register now!

More information can be found on the Food Matters Manitoba website.

Photos from the Garden Tour

Wellington School Garden

Kelly's Dye Garden

University of Winnipeg Bike Lab

Before I die wall at the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre

Sunflower at the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre Community Garden

Inner City Garden Tour

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Tour starts at Orioles Community Garden (corner of St. Matthews and Burnell). Take the low-floor bus or ride your bike to 8 inner city community gardens. Enjoy an evening of garden wisdom, inspiring stories and seeing first hand some of the changes that come with greening the community.

For more information, contact Robyn at 204-774-7005 ext. 104 or greening(at)dmsmca.ca.

Jane's Walk

There are two Jane's Walks coming up in our neighbourhood this weekend. These are free walking tours that help people get in touch with their communities and with each other.

So You Think You Know the West End? Think Again!
Guided by: Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner, West End BIZ
Sunday, May 6th at 2 p.m.

Burnell Street
Guided by: Christian Cassidy, history buff West End Dumplings blogger
Sunday, May 6th at 2 p.m.

Orioles Community Garden will be featured as part of the Burnell Street walk. Hope to see you!

Massive West End Spring Clean-Up

The clean-up was cancelled last weekend due to predictions of rain, which never happened. But no matter... This weekend is supposed to be nicer anyway! See you Saturday, April 28 from 1 - 4 p.m.

Gather at the location of your choice:
DMSMCA Offices - 823 Ellice Ave.
Magnus Eliason Rec Centre - 430 Langside Street
West Central Women's Resource Centre - 640 Ellice Ave.
Ma Mawi Spence Site - 443 Spence Street

Come out and help clean up your neighbourhood! Garbage bags, gloves and snacks provided.

For more information contact Robyn at 774-7005 or greening(at)dmsmca.ca.

5th Annual Gardening Saturday

March 13, 2012 form 9am to 4pm
Canadian Mennonite University, North Campus.

Check out the Friends of Gardens Manitoba website for more details!

Seedy Saturday

A celebration of seeds and prairie gardeners!
March 3, 2012 10:00am to 3:00 pm
Canadian Mennonite University, South Campus

At Winnipeg’s 12th annual Seedy Saturday, find inspiration for your garden, learn about local biodiversity and global conservation issues, and take part in the community seed exchange. Lots of seeds for sale too!

Volunteers from The Friends of Gardens Manitoba, the Winnipeg Community Garden Network and Seeds of Diversity Canada join forces to present our local version of this national phenomenon.

Our Seedy Saturday brings together gardeners, farmers, seed growers and seed savers, native plant enthusiasts, conservation groups, horticultural societies --- anyone ready to dream about spring in the company of friends --- for a day of great connections and new ideas.

Details on the presentation schedule and the display and vendor lineup will be posted as soon as they are available.

At the heart of every Seedy Saturday is the seed swap. Bring your seeds, roots, plants and stories to share.

Admission is by donation.

Fruit Share Manitoba TEDx Talk

Getty Stewart of Fruit Share Manitoba will be doing a TEDx talk on February 9, 2012. Only 100 lucky people get to be there in person, but TEDx Manitoba will be available to everyone online in real-time. Whether you just take in a few talks or the full day, watch it alone or gather a group, it’s really simple. Just log on to TEDx Manitoba. The live stream will be there for you.

Want to plan out your day in advance? Check out the complete schedule.  Fruit Share is one of 15 topics that will be part of the event. Check it out at 9:20 am.

All the Dirt: Reflections on Successful, Cooperative Organic Farming

A Reading and Discussion with Farmer Robin Tunnicliffe
Monday, January 30, 7:00 p.m.
Canadian Mennonite University (500 Shaftsbury Avenue, Winnipeg), in the Great Hall

*Free Admission *

Come meet Robin Tunnicliffe – Farmer, USC Canada Board Member, a founder of Saanich Organics, and author of the brand new book, All the Dirt.

Join Robin as she reads from her book and relates the experiences of three young women following their dreams to become successful organic farmers and business partners. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

This is a free event, sponsored by USC Canada. For further information, please contact Kenton Lobe.

Growing Local Conference

Registration is now open for the 5th annual Growing Local Conference, which will be held February 23 - 25, 2012. Check out the website for all the details on speakers, workshops, displays and social events.

InFARMation (and Beer!) III

This local food movement… what have we grown so far?

Wednesday, May 18 · 7:30pm - 11:30pm

The Park Theatre, 698 Osborne Street

This time we’ll be InFARMing the masses about two innovative and rapidly growing local food movements in Manitoba: the Harvest Moon Local Food Initiative, local food buying clubs and the South Osborne Urban Community Co-Op. Both organizations have a lot of exciting initiatives on their plate this upcoming season – join us to hear all about our beginnings and where we’re headed from here.

As usual there will be short presentations and discussion, but this InFARMation (and Beer!) is first and foremost a celebration.

The “Slow Dancers” will be rocking the house and as always there will be plenty of delicious local food specials, local beer, great friends and good times.

Admission to InFARMation (and Beer!) is always *free!*

Thanks to Heifer International, the Manitoba Cooperative Association, United Way of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba's Cooperative Promotion Board for their support of this event.

Lipton Garden Opening & Maintenance Bee

Sunday, May 29, 2011
11am - 3pm

The opening of the garden is a time for gardeners to find out their plot number, sign the Gardener Guidelines form and to begin planting. This will also be a time for gardeners to volunteer some time toward the overall upkeep of the garden including weeding the area around the garden and planting in the communal beds.

Orioles Garden Opening & Maintenance Bee

Saturday, May 28, 2011
11am - 3pm

The opening is a time for gardeners to find out their plot number, sign the Gardeners Guidelines form and to begin planting. This will also be a time for gardeners to volunteer some time towards the upkeep of the garden. This could include some painting (with non-toxic milk paint), topping up beds with soil, weeding the area around the garden and turning the compost bins.

HUGE West End Spring Clean Up!

Please join us from 1 – 4 pm and help with the clean up efforts!

Saturday April 30th
Meet at 823 Ellice Ave (former West End Library at Ellice & Arlington)
Volunteers will be provided with tools, supplies, guidance and food.

Come out rain or shine to help us clean up our neighbourhood. This year the DMSMCA will be collaborating with other West End groups to make the clean up efforts span the West End neighbourhood. We’ll be working together with Spence Neighbourhood Association, West Central Women’s Resource Centre and St. Matthews Maryland Community Ministry.


Bring your sense of community pride as well as your appetite, food will be served afterward at St. Matthews Maryland Ministry at 641 St. Matthews.


This year we’re hoping to make our portion of the West End Clean Up vehicle free and offer garbage pick up via bicycle trailer. If you have a bike trailer to offer to us we would be very grateful! We are also in need of a photographer to capture all those great clean up moments! Please contact Robyn at greening@dmsmca.ca if you would like to offer your photography skills or your bike trailer (stipends are available).

Contact Robyn at greening(at)dmsmca.ca for more information.

Gardening Saturday

The Friends of The Assiniboine Park Conservatory present:

Gardening Saturday
March 26, 2011
9am - 4pm

Canadian Mennonite University - North Campus
500 Shaftesbury Bldv.

Admission: $5

For more information go to: www.friendsconservatory.com

Riverview Community Conversation Series presents: Food, Inc.

Food, Inc.
Sunday, November 28, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Riverview Community Centre
90 Ashland Ave.

In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on the U.S. food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of the U.S. government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Their nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and the environment. Consumers have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but they also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. North American society is riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.

It’s Free! Everyone is Welcome.

For more information, e-mail: urban.community.cooperative(at)gmail.com.


Brought to you by the South Osborne Urban Community Cooperative and the Community-Led Emissions Reduction Program South Osborne.

Riverview Community Conversation Series presents: The Power of Community

The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil
Sunday, November 7th, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Riverview Community Centre

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba's economy went into a tailspin. With imports of oil cut by more than half – and food by 80 percent – people were desperate. This film tells of the hardships and struggles as well as the community and creativity of the Cuban people during this difficult time. Cubans share how they transitioned from a highly mechanized, industrial agricultural system to one using organic methods of farming and local, urban gardens. It is an unusual look into the Cuban culture during this economic crisis, which they call "The Special Period." The film opens with a short history of Peak Oil, a term for the time in our history when world oil production will reach its all-time peak and begin to decline forever. Cuba, the only country that has faced such a crisis – the massive reduction of fossil fuels – is an example of options and hope.

Brought to you by the South Osborne Urban Community Cooperative and the Community-Led Emissions Reduction Program South Osborne.

Gimme Some Truth Presents: The Garden

The Garden by Scott Hamilton Kennedy

Friday October 22 At 7:30 PM
Cinematheque, 100 Arthur Street
Tickets $10


The Academy-Award nominated documentary The Garden tells the story of an  urban garden in South Central Los Angeles which began as a form of healing after the LA race riots of 1992 and the farmers' struggle to hold onto the land as city and other interest groups try to take it away from them. At 14 acres andover 300 families it was the largest community garden in the country.  

The Garden chronicles their battle, and in doing so, brings to light issues of environmental sustainability, social justice and race relations. Director Scott Hamilton Kennedy from Los Angeles will attend this screening and the Q and A to follow. 

More information about The Garden, about the GST forum and other films playing is at: 
http://www.gimmesometruth.ca