While walking to my son’s daycare in this unseasonably warm Toronto weather, I noticed some circular objects spinning in the wind hanging from tree branches.  Once I got closer I saw that they were bird feeders made from bagel.  How clever!  So if you are looking to welcome birds back to your neighbourhood this Family Day weekend, try this activity at home. 

Looking for something to do with the kids on Monday? Visit "Beyond Imaginings" outdoor art exhibit and take your family for a free skating event at the Harbourfront Centre on February 21st...

Welcome to the first contest of "Guess What's in Melissa's Lunch?"  The first to identify which of the following ingredients are grown in Ontario's Greenbelt (not depending on season) will win the shirt off Melissa's back (not literally) and an I <3 Greenbelt pin!

Forget flowers or chocolate this Valentine’s Day. Instead, treat yourself or that special someone with registration for Greenbelts: Local Solutions for Global Challenges. Don’t miss this chance to attend the first ever Global Greenbelts Conference from March 22^nd to March 24^th, 2011 at the Radisson Admiral Hotel. This Conference brings together policymakers, practitioners, and advocates from around the world, while mixing panel discussions and site visits to Ontario’s Greenbelt to highlight the potential of Greenbelts to help manage urban growth, sustain farming and the vibrancy of the surrounding countryside communities, and protect valuable ecosystems.

Within the Netherlands, the four large cities of Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, and The Hague surround a unique landscape, and mainly agricultural area, the Groene Hart or Green Heart. In the 17^th century, parts of the Green Heart were used as a line of defence, whereby a system of locks, dykes, and controlled flooding of the land stopped the enemy from advancing.  In 2003, the Green heart was declared a National Landscape park.

Image from  PlaceMarketing

If you are interested in local food issues, conserving biodiversity, and learning about food crops or garden plants, then Seedy Sunday should be at the top of your list of “to-dos” this weekend! As a first-timer on the Seedy Sunday scene, I’m sure to learn a lot about seeds, gardening, and making food accessible in our local neighbourhoods....

A big thanks to Seeds of Diversity Canada, who started this event in the 1990s. Back then, it was a seed exchange with a focus on heirloom, heritage and organic varieties. Over 20 years later, the event is now held across Canada. Toronto’s Seedy Sunday (and Saturday), 14 years old, now attracts approximately 2,500 people and 50+ vendors.

Have you registered for Greenbelts: Local Solutions for Global Challenges from March 22^nd to March 24^th?
 
This Global Greenbelts Conference brings together over forty-five speakers from nine countries across the globe to discuss the potential of Greenbelts to help manage urban growth, sustain farming and the vibrancy of surrounding communities, and protect valuable ecosystems. 

World Renowned Author Margaret Atwood to Speak At the Global Greenbelts Conference, March 22-24, 2011 in Toronto...

ON THE EDGE - Issue No. 81 January 2011

The past few weeks there have been a couple of neat news stories that have caught my attention in the world of local food. As we work on providing support to the Fund’s grantees in getting more Ontario food into public institutions, many others are also doing their job to educate the public on the benefits of putting more Ontario food onto our plates...

On January 13th, a former London, Ontario city councilor Gordon Hume, spoke to the Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation (WEEDC) about the benefits of buying local and how the WEEDC can improve their agribusiness. Hume, author of The Local Food Revolution, highlighted how more municipalities need to wake up to the power they have over local food. The talk was covered by local outlet CBC News.

Photo Courtesy of http://www.dogsleddn.blogspot.com/ 

This weekend I’ve decided to get my two-year old daughter bundled up and go out and play in the snow in a new way – dog-sledding at the Kortright Centre. Ok, I realize that two year old may be a little young for the actual sledding part, but it is a great reason to get outside, tramp around in the snow, make snow angels and meet a few nice dogs. And my daughter might get a kick out of mommy sledding (something I have never tried before). We regularly get out and about to explore the Greenbelt and surrounding areas and the Kortright Centre, located in Woodbridge, Ontario, is a great example of the sort of accessible green space the Greenbelt is committed to protecting.