Community Environment Day – Saturday April 25th - Fred Hamilton Park

It’s not in TBP, but hey, FHP are good neighbours and it’s all about the big picture - our environment. 10am to 2pm at Fred Hamilton Park, which runs along Shaw just south of College. Safe disposal of household hazardous waste amongst others, you know the drill by now e.g. drop off old electronics, household hazardous waste and other materials and much more. http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=e20d433112b02410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

Compost Day – Saturday May 2nd

This is where your leaf and yard waste ends up – in a lovely compost pile in the park – for free!  Councillor Mike Layton hosts ‘Compost Day’ and you will find our pile at the north end of the park near Dundas, east of Crawford between 10am to 11am Saturday May 2nd.  Please remember to bring your own shovels and containers.  Happy gardening! More deets www.toronto.ca/compost

Farmers’ Market starts May 5^th, 3pm to 7pm

Our 9^th season brings our committed vendors to the community for delicious local produce, product and just plain wonderful stuff.  Aye, winter she be a harsh one and may well push back when some produce arrives on the tables….but we should have asparagus, root veggies (cold storage) and some leafy greens.  Of course seedlings galore to get your own little garden going. Not to mention our amazing roster of  prepared food artisans for those on the go.  Oh and psst… Broken Stone Winery will be coming.  Tweets @tbfarmersmarket, like us on facebook and visit our dedicated site www.tbfm.ca (under renos, keep checking it’ll be up soon!)

Adopt-A-Tree

The Adopt-a-Tree Program is gearing up for another great season of newsaplings and graduates alike! More information will be sent out next week about the start of the season, confirming your tree if you are a current adopter, and info on how to sign up if you're interested in adopting a tree (there's no cost, just your time!). We expect to get  many new trees this year and need as many hands as possible!  

This weekend is 'Community clean up day.'  The Friends haven't organized our usual clean up of the park this year.  BUT, fair partk patrons, this does not prevent you from going out there and doing some trash pick up all on your own.  Why do we need anyone to tell us when to clean up the park?  Exactly. This shoud be an ongoing effort by the community. It's a way to take ownership and be responsible citizens. Set an example for your kids and friends - they will be so impressed.  Highschool students, if you want some volunteer hours, let us know, we will be happy to coordinate. If you can't do it this weekend, do it any old time you like.  Because we want to keep the park consistently clean of garbage, food waste and pet waste so that we can lounge and frolick on the green space uninhibited.  Welcome summer!

How did the market come about?  It's a question that many ask.  Here's the basic story.....In 2005 community members were talking about their desire to have a farmers' market in our park. Dufferin Park FM was wonderful, but was just a tad far for us locals. The idea was presented at a Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park meeting, had a call out for people to join a committee to help get it off the ground.  No one stepped up so it went on the back burner.  Then in 2006, I met Scott Cinello, who was totally into it.  We started work on it a year before launch. We put together a proposal with all the logictical and organizational details. Our Councillor at the time, Joe Pantalone, was on board and arranged a meeting with city department stake holders.  We also got over 600 support signatures!  That was important as it showed the city that the community wanted it and would come out to support it.  

2007 was the inaugural year.  Each year since it becomes more solidified in the community and into their shopping routine.  We have supported our farmers/vendors and watched them flourish with the success of the market.  And educated the community about local farm practices and when the Ontario growing season is.  It is important to understand that the market is operated on large by community volunteers - the market depends on these dedicated people to maintain operations.  TBFM is one of the remaining truly independent, community based/operated farmers' market in the GTA.  No organization behind it, other than the forever support of the Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park, which is a volunteer community group i.e. see this site for more ;-).  The market is self-sustaining and when possible, gives back to the Friends.

TBFM is a food focused farmers' market.  We do not consider non-food vendors.  Participation is by invitation season to season.  Prior to each season management extends invitations to renewing Vendors and potential new Vendors - if space availability permits.  There is scant turnover.  TBFM is a modest sized market and it is thoughtfully curated to keep it viable for participating farmers/vendors.  All farmers markets must adhere to 50%+1 farmer to non-farmer ratio as per Board of Health rules and to have an official 'farmers market status'.

Thank you to the all the patrons for their continual support of our neighbourhood market.  

Visit our dedicated site; www.tbfm.ca that has links to our social media platforms for more current news.

Carolyn

Market Manager

Park People have issued some excellent tool kits that explains the how-to put on events in your park and/or how to initiate community building fun! They are excellent resources.  The link to their website is below failing that, pdf's of handbooks below.

www.parkpeople.ca/parktoolkit

ParkPeople_ParkToolkit_Guidebook_2014.pdf

ParkPeople_ParkToolkit_Firepit_2014.pdf

ParkPeople_ParkToolkit_Movie_2014.pdf

ParkPeople_ParkToolkit_Nature_2014.pdf

Visit our dedicated website for more information.

The Trinity Bellwoods Farmers' Market was founded in 2007 by community volunteers. And continues to be run by volunteers who generously give their time to sustain operations.

'The market's mandate is to support and increase access to fresh, local, sustainable and organically grown agriculture, with prepared foods, the same for ingredients.To educate the community in the food they eat, the source from which it comes and how it is grown and/or prepared.  We like slow food, not fast food and eating at hearth and home with your loved ones'.  

All participating vendors have gone through an application and approval process adherent to our mandate.  Vendors are not permitted to participate without prior arrangement.

The market does not consider vendors that; use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, products containing GMO's, that are re-sellers/peddlers, purchase at the Food Terminal, import goods, are of craft, skincare products, nutritional supplements, service providers, product representatives and pet food

TIME: Tuesdays 3pm to 7pm - Rain or Shine
LOCATION: Dundas W. & Shaw/Crawford. Search address 1053 Dundas W
ACCESS: foot, bike, wheelchair, TTC.

If you have to arrive by vehicle, do not park where the pylons are - east curb of Shaw from Church to Dundas St. & south curb of Dundas from Shaw to beyond east of Crawford - this area is reserved for vendor vehicles and we have a city permit.  Thank you for your cooperation!   

• Please bring your reusable shopping bags.
• Please make efforts to arrive by foot, bike or TTC.
• No smoking/vaping in designated market area.
• Pets must be on leash.
• Cyclists, please walk your bike in market area. 
• Alcohol consumption is not permitted in the park.

To futher our commitment to the environment we have a Free 'leave a bag/take a bag' program.  Donate your clean re-useable shopping bags for others to use, take a bag if you forget yours - you can boomerang it the next week.  We only accept bags clean of food and pet residue for our allergen friends. We do not accept single use plastic bags. We encourage use of reuseable bags for our vendors and patrons where ever possible.