Grazing Days

 On February 13th at noon, Octopus Books has invited Paul Slomp, the farmer behind Grazing Days to speak at an event called: Growing Food in a Hungry World – A Farmer’s Perspective.

Description: The politics behind food and agriculture in today’s world seem to be diverging. On the one hand farmers are encouraged to keep up with the latest technologies in order to increase their production to feed a rapidly growing world population. On the other hand there is an increasing demand by eaters for organic foods grown and raised in their locality. What is behind these two diverging messages? What does this mean for the future of food and agriculture?

We invite you to attend! Here are the details:

What: Growing Food in a Hungry World – A Farmer’s Perspective
When: Feb 13, 2012, 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Where: 251 Bank Street, 2nd Floor (Octopus Books@Centretown)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/159131627569605/

Grazing Days has been invited to bring a farmer’s perspective to the following discussion about Celebrating local food: Innovations and challenges! Hopefully we’ll see you there!

Celebrating local food: Innovations and challenges

Saturday October 15, 2011
464 Metcalfe St. (at Catherine)
10:00 – 15:00

With speakers from the NCC, Just Food, Centretown Community Health Centre, Community Shared Agriculture, and your input in discussion groups.

Appetizers and snacks provided by Zen Kitchen

Hosted by Paul Dewar, MP for Ottawa Centre

Space is limited, pleasure reserve by emailing paul.dewar@parl.gc.ca or calling 613.946.8682

Come one, come all to the Grazing Days Open House and Potluck!

On Saturday, 24 September 2011, Grazing Days is hosting an Open House and Potluck at the farm in Manotick Station. Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend. The event is family friendly and if you know of people who might be interested in getting some Grazing Days Beef this year, please invite them along. If you are on facebook, please RSVP here.

Itinerary:

We have some fun things planned for Saturday afternoon / evening. Please feel free to participate in as much or as little as you would like! This open house is child friendly, although some of the activities are more child friendly than others…

15:00 Farm Tour and Pasture Walk – 6191 Mitch Owens Drive

Starting at the Grazing Days farm gate a tour will head through the Grazing Days pastures and soon to be pastures. As part of the tour, you’ll get a chance to see how the cattle get moved to fresh grass every day. If you attended the pasture walk last year, check out what has changed this year.

17:00 Potluck – 6191 Mitch Owens Drive

After the Farm Tour and Pasture Walk we will head back to the starting place for a potluck and good ol’ socializing! If you plan on bringing something in a crock-pot, please remember there is no electricity available at the farm.

19:00 Campfire at the farm – 6191 Mitch Owens Drive

Please join us for some more socializing and warmth around the farm campfire.
Directions to the Farm

If you are driving to the Farm, you can get directions by clicking on this link: Directions to Grazing Days, clicking on “Directions” in the Grazing Days Balloon and typing in your starting address.
Parking

Parking will be available in along the shoulder of Mitch Owens Road.

What to Bring

General:

All of the activities for the farm open house will be happening outside so please dress accordingly. Currently, the weather forecast is calling temperatures between 15°C and 21°C with a 70% chance of showers.

1. • Rain gear
   • Something warm to wear
   • Sun Screen
   • Something to cover up against insect bites…
   • Camera
   • Comfortable shoes or rubber boots that you
     don’t mind getting dirty or wet

Potluck:

1. • Food dish to share with others
   • Something to sit on
   • Plate
   • Cutlery
   • Cup

Come One. Come All

As the 2011 grazing season is quickly drawing to a close, Grazing Days would like to invite all those who interested in seeing the farm, taking pictures, scavenging for frogs and other critters, or finding out more about the farm to the Grazing Days Open House and Potluck on the 24th of September. This has been quite an exciting year for Grazing Days as we’ve more than doubled the number of cows on the farm. Come meet them all!

The exact happenings of the Open House and Potluck will be available next week sometime, but here are the basic details:

Please invite your friends and family to join us on what will be a fun-filled afternoon. We look forward to seeing you all here and sharing our passion with you.

Rozy shows off her amazing cow colouring skills

On Friday March 25, Grazing Days celebrated its first year.

Members from the Grazing Days CSA gathered at the Montgomery Legion on 330 Kent Street and shared some delicious spoon-lickin’ Potluck dishes.

While a number of chillins (and some adults) were busy colouring their pictures of cows, Paul presented the financial summary of Grazing Days‘ first season and asked for thoughts from everybody there around the future direction that Grazing Days should be taking. People also had a chance to provide feedback by completing a feedback survey…

The night was capped off with some music from a live band – the Ted Dancin’s.

Special thanks to Andy and the Ted Dancin’s for their amazing music, to Erin and Ryan for coming up with a sweet last minute projector, to Josee for pulling together the colouring materials, and to everyone who came out to make Friday evening a smashing success! Cheers to all of you!

On Saturday, 18 September 2010, Grazing Days is hosting an Open House and Potluck at the farm in Manotick Station. Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend.

Itinerary:

We have some fun things planned for Saturday afternoon / evening. Please feel free to participate in as much or as little as you would like! This open house is child friendly, although some of the activities are more child friendly than others…

13:00 Bike Tour Leaves Ottawa for the Farm – Corner of Preston, Prince of Whales, and Queen Elizabeth Drive at Dow’s Lake.

Paul, the Grazing Days farmer, rides out to the farm from Ottawa every day. Some people might wish to get the whole Grazing Days experience and join him on this 21km bike ride (one way). There is also a chance to join the group part way for a 10km (one way) bike ride – Click Here for more details…

15:00 Farm Tour and Pasture Walk – 6191 Mitch Owens Drive

Starting at the Grazing Days farm gate a tour will head through the Grazing Days pastures and soon to be pastures. As part of the tour, you’ll get a chance to see how the cattle get moved to fresh grass every day.

17:00 Potluck – 6110 Mitch Owens Drive

We will head to Roots and Shoots Farm and meet up with the Roots and Shoots CSA members for a potluck and good ol’ socializing!

18:00 Tour of the Roots and Shoots Vegetable Gardens – 6110 Mitch Owens Drive

After the potluck, the farmers at Roots and Shoots Farm will be offering a quick tour of their vegetable gardens.

19:00 Campfire at the farm – 6110 Mitch Owens Drive

Please join us for some more socializing and warmth around the farm campfire.

Directions to the Farm

If you are driving to the Farm, you can get directions by clicking on this link: Directions to Grazing Days, clicking on “Directions” in the Grazing Days Balloon and typing in your starting address.

Parking

Parking will be available in along the shoulder of Mitch Owens Road, and limited parking will be available in a Grazing Days field.

What to Bring

General:

All of the activities for the farm open house will be happening outside so please dress accordingly. Currently, the weather forecast is calling temperatures between 6°C and 20°C with a 30% chance of showers.

• Rain gear
• Something warm to wear
• Sun Screen
• Something to cover up against insect bites…
• Camera

Bike Tour:

• Comfortable Bike
• Water
• Snack for along the way
• Lights for the bike ride home (Sunset will be at 19:02 and you may want to bring lights depending on how long you plan to stay at the farm.)

Farm Tour and Pasture Walk:

• Comfortable shoes or rubber boots that you don’t mind getting dirty or wet

Potluck:

• Food dish to share with others
• Something to sit on
• Plate
• Cutlery
• Cup

On Saturday, September 18, 2010 a group of cyclists will leave Ottawa to cycle to the Grazing Days farm in Manotick Station. Please join us for this fantastic bike ride!

There are two options to choose from – the 21 km option (one way) and the 10 km option (one way). It doesn’t matter how fast or how slow you bike, there should be lots of time for you to make it to the farm in time for the Farm Tour and Pasture Walk.

21 Km Option:

Meeting Point: – Corner of Preston, Prince of Whales, and Queen Elizabeth Drive at Dow’s Lake

Departure Time: 13:00 Saturday, September 18^th, 2010

Break: At 11 Km – in the Hilton Garden Inn Parking Lot (2400 Alert Rd) we will wait for the arrival of the people joining us for the last 10 Km of the bike ride. We will most likely have about 15 minutes to drink some water and have a snack. We will continue on at 14:00…

Route: Please see the attached maps

• Start: At the corner of Preston, Prince of Whales and Queen Elizabeth Drive at Dow’s Lake – head south on the NCC bike path on the West side of Dow’s Lake
• 1.47km: Stay left on the path
• 1.63km: Cross the canal over the locks
• 1.67km: Head down the stairs, turn right and continue South on the NCC bike path
• 3.3km: Head through the tunnel and hang a left
• 3.5km: Stay on the South sidewalk of the Hog’s Back Bridge and head East
• 3.6km: Hang a right and follow the NCC bike path South through Mooney’s Bay Park
• 5.0km: Cross Riverside Drive onto Walkley and head East. If the traffic on the road is not your cup of tea, ride on the South sidewalk.
• 5.9km: Turn South onto McCarthy Rd.
• 8.5km: Cross Hunt Club and continue South on Downpatrick
• 9.25km: Turn South onto Uplands Drive
• 11.2km: Turn South onto Alert Road
• 11.4km: Turn into the Hilton Garden Inn Parking Lot 2400 Alert Rd
• 11.4km: Continue South along Alert Road
• 13.8km: Turn left and continue South onto High Road
• 14.5km: Go through the gate and continue South on Bowesville Rd
• 20.6km: Turn right and go West along Mitch Owens Rd
• 21 km: Turn right into the Grazing Days field.

10 Km Option:

Meeting Point: – Hilton Garden Inn Parking Lot (2400 Alert Rd)

Departure Time: 14:00 Saturday, September 18^th, 2010

Getting Here: Bus #s 97 and 99 have bike racks and stop close to this Parking Lot. If you do have a car, there are several parking options around the Hilton Garden Inn…

Route: Please see the attached maps

• Start (11.4km): Hilton Garden Inn Parking Lot (2400 Alert Rd). Turn right and head South along Alert Road
• 2.4km (13.8km): Turn left and continue South onto High Road
• 3.1km (14.5km): Go through the gate and continue South on Bowesville Rd
• 9.2km (20.6km): Turn right and go West along Mitch Owens Rd
• 9.6km (21km): Turn right into the Grazing Days field.

Return Ride:

There is nothing officially planned for the return ride back to the city. Since some people will want to stay at the farm for the potluck and vegetable garden tours, and others will want to head back into the city – people are on their own in getting back to the city. You may want to consider arranging for a ride back into the city so that you don’t get stuck cycling home in the dark…

Route: