Can you believe it's already October? As we dive into this month the community is buzzing with exciting activities for the long weekend and beyond. Let's embark on some fun and discover the vibrant events lined up for the upcoming weeks
Saturday October 7:
Richard Peters shares Anishinaabemowin names for plants with us + snacks! - Toronto Plant Market and Native Plant Supply
10am to 12pm
327 Bering Avenue Toronto, ON M8Z 3A5
The Toronto Plant Market welcomes Anishinaabe, language learner and greenery enthusiast Richard Peters to share a morning of snacks, jokes (including the 8th Grandfather Teaching), and how he reconnected with his traditional language, which helped him solidify his cultural perspectives. He will share some knowledge he has gained, including building relations with non-Indigenous folks, and some Anishinaabemowin names for plants.
What he now views as a lifelong process was sparked in part by when COVID-19 put his work on hold.
At the start, Peters relied on online forums and borrowed books to gain a foothold in a dialect he knew little about. His dedication and desire to learn has since led to a diploma in Anishinaabemowin and Program Development, through Georgian College and is considering future plans to enroll in Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences (IESS) at Trent University.
Peters counts SpruceLab’s Earth Tending Green Infrastructure Training, a landscape program underpinned by Indigenous Knowledge, amongst his green credentials.
He looks forward to sharing his story, with the hope you may be inspired to study the language he’s come to love, and discussing a mutual devotion to plants.
Peters’ is from Tadoule Lake, Manitoba (Sayisi Dene First Nation) and Chi-Mnising, Ontario (Beausoleil First Nation), and lives in Otonabee with his girlfriend and her two children.
The Toronto Plant Market is meant to be an inclusive space and this event is pay what you can. However, there will be a donation box and all proceeds will go towards the costs associated with the continual creation of anishinaabemowin language kits. See you at market!
Gigii-mikaanaamin gaa-wanisinisinog - We found, that which was never lost
October Fall MRKT at Mimico Square
11am to 4pm
2445 Lakeshore Blvd W (at Mimico Ave)
Friday October 13
Build a Johnson-Su Compost Bioreactor with Sean Smith from Crooked Farmz! - Toronto Plant Market and Native Plant Supply
10am to 1pm
327 Bering Avenue Toronto, ON M8Z 3A5
Join us at the Toronto Plant Market and Native Plant Supply for an intermediate workshop: Building a Johnson-Su Composting Bioreactor! Yes, it is as cool as it sounds.
Soil and compost expert Sean Smith from Crooked Farmz will be showing us how to use low-cost materials and green waste to build one of these compost piles that will, “cook,” without turning, for two years. At the end of the two year period, the pile will be teeming with bacterial life and mycelium that you can be used to inoculate soils that have been degraded by over tilling, degenerative agriculture, or just stressful city life.
In healthy soil, the microorganisms have important functions including converting nutrients for plants (pre-chewing their food), building soil structure, improving how soil absorbs water, and allowing soil to draw down and sequester more carbon. All important things! All things the city and country can use more of.
We’re doing a sliding scale for this one. Suggested donation 40$ and we will be asking people to RSVP here.
Bring your work clothes, closed toed shoes and gloves. This will be dirty work.
There will be a vegan lunch provided by Toronto Plant Market. You can also DM us @torontoplantmarket to reserve a spot and talk to Katie about PWYC.
The system was developed by Dr. David C. Johnson, molecular biologist and research scientist at the University of New Mexico.
Thank you for caring about soil health! See you at the market.
Save The Date: (more information coming your way soon)
October 14 - Toronto Community Bikeways Coalition Bloor West Celebration Ride
October 15 - Silver Creek 18th Annual Walk-A-Thon
November 25 - New Toronto Holiday Market
I am always on the look out for local events that are community-oriented and that may be of interest to others in the area. If you happen to hear of anything happening or you are planning an event in the community and would like to share it with all of us, please feel free to email the details to TheEtobicokeVoice@gmail.com .