Happy Holidays!

Oneota Film Festival, Decorah, Iowa

And This Is My Garden has been selected to be a part of the 2012 Oneota Film Festival, January 20-22, 2012 in Decorah, Iowa, at Luther College

http://www.oneotafilmfestival.org/

Oneota Film Festival| January 20-22, 2012

Food Literacy, School & Society

On Nov. 30 Eleanor Woitowicz took part in a screening and presentation of And This Is My Garden to students of School & Society course, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba. The Mel Johnson School Gardening Project was presented earlier as a case study "illustrating real sustainability projects that school and students are engaged with".

CWB & Corporate Takeover of Food

The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) branded high-quality Canadian Wheat & Barley on the World Market, negotiated best grain prices for farmers and has been instrumental in blocking GM Wheat from entering Canada. All sales profits - minus operating costs - were returned to farmers, not to share-holders.

My parents were grain farmers for 35 years and they appreciate the multiple benefits of the CWB. For the past few months my time and energy has gone towards supporting democratic process & farmers' rights to determine the future of their farmer-owned & directed single-desk CBW. The passing of Bill C-18 - the dismantling of the CWB - is an affront to Democracy. Bill C-18 "Farmers' Marketing Freedom Act" means in actuality that marketing control will pass from farmers to multi-national grain traders, whose mandate it is to buy at the lowest price. Farmers will go from being price-setters to becoming price-takers. Family Farms will disappear at an even faster rate & Corporate Farming will further expand.
Food Literacy is now more important than ever. Growing our own food sustainably connects us to the natural cycles & it can be a political act!

‘Growing the Next Generation’ in Tahsis, BC

The BC Ministry of Health’s Produce Availability Initiative,
The Public Health Association of British Columbia and
CMESS Tahsis Farm to School present:

Growing the Next Generation
November 23 & 24, 2011

A Community Celebration to Strengthen and Sustain
Local Food Action in Tahsis, British Columbia

Join friends and neighbours for two fun and informative evenings about food sustainability, celebration, sharing, and exploring paths to community food security in Tahsis.

Wednesday evening will begin with a Meet and Greet and Chef Demo - come sample some tasty local fare and pick up a recipe to try at home. The demo will be followed with a screening of the documentary film, “And This is My Garden”, the story of how two teachers in Northern Manitoba empowered their students with food sustainability knowledge, disciplines and skills.

http://tahsiscommunitygarden.blogspot.com/2011/10/farm-to-school-tahsis-is-returning.html

Slow Motion Food Film Festival, Wolfville, NS

AND THIS IS MY GARDEN screened Nov. 11 @ Slow Motion Food Film Festival, Wolfville, NS. Programming included many great films, Farmers' Market & Wine Tasting. Chef, Michael Howell, [Tempest restaurant & Slow Food, NS] lead the Slow Food Youth Day presentation on healthy food for youth & in schools to over 500 kids at Horton High school.
http://slowmotionfilmfest.ca/high-school-students-digest-day-of-food/

Slow Motion Film Festival

Screening

Friday Nov 11, 2011 Al Whittle Theatre- Main at 4:00p.m. Slow Motion Film Festival in Nova Scotia. Director Katharina Stieffenhofer will be in attendance.

Harvest Time!

Katharina gave me this beautiful basket of produce for my birthday, tomatoes, peppers, basil and tasty nasturtium flowers.  Enjoyed by many of my friends and family, thank you!
 Film festivals around the world continue to show "And This Is My Garden" , wishing the best to the young gardeners in Wabowden!

New Hope Film Festival

AND THIS IS MY GARDEN screening Friday, July 15 @ NEW HOPE FILM FESTIVAL in New Hope, PA
http://www.newhopefilmfestival.com/
http://nhff.slated.com/2011/films/newprojectandthisismygarden_katharinastieffenhofer_nhff2011

Planet in Focus & OTF Environmental Film Festival

Thursday June 9th, 2011

DOORS OPEN FILMS START at 6:15pm at 6:30pm

Join us for the final OTF and Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival at Brian W. Fleming Public School for a free screening of the film "And This Is My Garden", followed by the opportunity to learn about and make your very own container garden.

Brian W. Fleming Public School, 905-625-3220
3255 Havenwood Drive, Mississauga, Ontario
OTF/PIF Environmental Film Festival

Visit our Special Events page for more information.

Dietitians of Canada - National Conference 2011

AND THIS IS MY GARDEN - screening June 17, Dietetics Cinema
Dietitians of Canada - National Conference 2011 , June 16 -18, Edmonton, AB
http://www.dietitians.ca/Events/Conferences/Featured-Conferences/National-Conference-2011.aspx

Peer Mentors help grow School Gardening Program

May 30th, Eleanor & Bonnie held a training session for 12 Peer Mentors - each of the Peer Mentors [Grade 9 - with 5 years of gardening experience] will help 5 young gardeners with set up and care of their gardens through the entire season

Mel Johnson School Gardening Project

2010: 73 student gardens in the community of Wabowden, Manitoba, Canada

2011 : ~ 15 more!

CAFS - EXPLORING CHANGE THROUGH FOOD

Special screening of "And This Is My Garden" May 27
- Canadian Association for Food Studies Conference, Fredericton, NB
leaving tomorrow to participate in Conference May 27 - 30
http://www.foodstudies.ca/meetings.html

Green Film Festival in Seoul, Korea

AND THIS IS MY GARDEN screening today and Sunday at Green Film Festival in Seoul, Korea- see Calendar 2011 - http://www.gffis.org/
5/19 (Thu) 13:30 [14]
5/22 (Sun) 10:30 [51]

환경재단 서울환경영화제

www.gffis.org

Riverside School Garden, Princeton, NJ

And This Is My Garden is screening May 21st, during "Healthy Children, Healthy Planet" Family Fun Day, Riverside School - largest organic school garden - in Princeton, NJ, - check out their great programming schedule!
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B9O9H8w6kF64MjFjNTUzYWUtOGFmYi00YjFjLTgzYTAtZDg1NmM5NmQzZWYx&hl=en&authkey=CLLg1zQ

TeleHealth screening to remote northern communities

Burntwood Regional Health Authority is screening
AND THIS IS MY GARDEN May 17, 3:45 - 5:45 - via TeleHealth session to 11 remote Northern Manitoba communities:
Brochet, Cross Lake, Gods River, Lac Brochet, Pukatawagon, York Landing, Wasagamack, Split Lake, Shamattawa, Gods Lake Narrow, Churchill
After trailer screening - Gardening Q & A with Eleanor Woitowics, Jennell Majeran (NHFI) & Katharina - Eleanor will demonstrate planting of various seeds - followed by screening of entire doc

Garden ABCs - Success Story!

The Mel Johnson School Gardening Project featured as GardenABCs - Success Story

http://www.gardenabcs.com/Success_Stories.html

Green Film Festival in Seoul, Korea, update

Green Film Festival in Seoul, Korea, (May 18-25, 2011)
sets screening schedule for
"And This Is My Garden"
1st. 5/19 (Thu) 13:30
2nd. 5/22 (Sun) 10:30

CAFS - EXPLORING CHANGE THROUGH FOOD

AND THIS IS MY GARDEN - scheduled for special screening at
2011 SIXTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR FOOD STUDIES
EXPLORING CHANGE THROUGH FOOD
University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University, Fredericton, on May 28 – 30, 2011 in conjunction with the 2011 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences
http://www.foodstudies.ca/meetings.html

The largest Flower in the World is opening....

Today on Earth Day the largest flower in the world is opening at the Botanical Garden Univ. Basel
watch via web-cam
http://titanwurz.unibas.ch/webcam.php

ATIMG screened in Dawson City, Yukon

Dawson City Yukon

An inspirational documentary about a group of Wabowden, nothern Manitoba school students, who have been empowered to grow their own local sustainable gardens in their backyard. With the help of their Teacher Elenor Woitoqica, you can follow their Journey throughout the growing season.

The Dawson Community Garden and CKS would like to invite you Friday April 8th at 7PM at the Danoja Zho Cultural CenterSee More

Winnipeg Film Group letter

This morning I received the regular Winnipeg Film Group email, really nice to see  recognition of Katherina's work & dedication to getting her film shown around the world,  the message in her film is so important.

"1.9 WFG member to watch Katharina Stieffenhofer
WFG Member Katharina Stieffenhofer has been generating a lot of interest and screenings with her award-winning 60 minute documentary …AND THIS IS MY GARDEN which explores a sustainable school gardening program in Wabowden, MB that is breaking new ground in education and literally growing a healthier community in the process. This inspirational documentary follows the teacher and her students through a season of this award-winning community food security project.

With screenings at dozens of venues, festivals and conferences across Canada and the US, awards at several film festivals (Most Inspirational Film Award at the EcoFocus Film Festival in Athens, GA and the Audience Award at the Princeton Environmental Film Festival) plus a feature in the current issue of the U of M’s alumni magazine, Katharina is one WFG member to watch."
http://www.winnipegfilmgroup.com/

Link to U of M article: http://umanitoba.ca/people/alumni/manitoba/

The DVD is available  from the WFG online store: https://winnipegfilmgroup.merchantsecure.com/store/index.aspx  

For more info on the film and filmmaker please check out: http://andthisismygarden.com/ 

Green Film Festival in Seoul, Korea

And This Is My Garden selected to screen @ Green Film Festival in Seoul, Korea
19 - 25 May, 2011
http://www.gffis.org/

Education for Sustainability

Greening Our Schools — Transformative Education for Sustainability

Greening the curriculum means ensuring that students are capable of taking on the 21st century challenges of global warming and climate change (the most serious threat ever to face humanity), social inequities, unsustainable lifestyles, and the urgent need to switch to a renewable energy-based economy.

The Value of School Gardens

School gardens are a wonderful way to use the schoolyard as a classroom, reconnect students with the natural world and the true source of their food, and teach them valuable gardening and agriculture concepts and skills that integrate with several subjects, such as math, science, art, health and physical education, and social studies, as well as several educational goals, including personal and social responsibility.

Julie Johnston, GreenHeart Education, is offering great educational resources for teachers and everyone else interested in Education for Sustainability
check out http://www.greenhearted.org/

Garden Organic, UK - Resources for Schools

Garden Organic, UK - is offering some great free resources for Schools
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicgardening/schools.php

Thunder Bay Environmental Film Festival

"And This Is My Garden" @ Thunder Bay Environmental Film Festival
Thunder Bay, ON - Confederation College, April 2 - 1 p.m.
http://tbefilmf.wordpress.com/the-films/

Hearts & Minds Film Festival, Wilmington, DE

"And This Is My Garden" will screen @ Hearts & Minds Film Festival
http://www.heartsandmindsfilm.org/film.htm
Wilmington, DE, USA
Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts
April 1st - 5:15 p.m.

Screenings, Festivals, Awards

I'm adding this photo again, you'll see many faces that appear in the documentary, the students and teachers continue to stay inspired and inspire others with their story.  Awhile ago some of these students were in Winnipeg to demonstrate the construction of a Geodesic Greenhouse, these structures will probably be showing up around Wabowdon and other Manitoba communities  in the spring..  it took the students only 45 minutes to assemble this one!

I help out with Katharina's website  (she directed and produced this documentary) and tonight I was busy trying to update all the screenings and presentations that she and Eleanor are involved in,  it is hard to keep up with all the activity.  To name a few, screenings coming up in Dawson City, Yukon, Thunder Bay, Ontario, FortWhyte Alive - Winnipeg, Thompson, Manitoba,  where Katharina and Eleanor are presenting together at the Northern Health Conference on March 17.  And the film just won this award -  Winner: Audience Award - Inspiring Lives - Princeton Environmental Film Festival.

I know its been pretty tough for Katharina to keep going through some of the post documentary production issues, however she rallies and continues to go out and teach about about  gardening and sustainability and healthy food and young people getting involved in gardening,  its what she is passionate about.  And her own gardening skills are quite amazing.  (she grew up farming and gardening with her family in Germany)  Maybe she'll be posting some photos of her own gardens once the season comes around, which is soon.


So, if you haven't seen her film, and have an interest in any of the issues above,   see if you can get to a screening.  (there is my big promotion..)  It is also a beautiful looking film.

Riverside School Garden, Princeton, NJ

a 65 x 35 instructional organic garden that is mostly curriculum driven

Riverside School, features the largest organic teaching garden in Princeton, NJ, will screen "And This Is My Garden"
during their "Healthy Children, Healthy Planet 2011" spring fair on, May 21, 2011

check out their wonderful Outdoor Classroom Teaching Garden
http://rs.prs.k12.nj.us/OutdoorClassroom

Winner: Audience Award - Inspiring Lives

"And This Is My Garden" Winner: Audience Award - Inspiring Lives
Princeton Environmental Film Festival
http://www.princeton.lib.nj.us/peff/

Congratulations Eleanor Woitowicz, Bonnie Monias & Mel Johnson School Gardeners!

AND THIS IS MY GARDEN TO SCREEN AT FORTWHYTE ALIVE

Community Supported Agriculture & Farm Tour

If you're interested in learning more about FortWhyte Farms and sharing in the harvest this coming season, please attend this information session and tour. The session will be preceded and followed by a viewing of the documentary ...And This Is My Garden, which was produced in association with Buffalo Gal Pictures, about an innovative school gardening program in a northern Manitoba community.

Sunday, March 13th - 12 to 4 p.m.

12pm & 3pm: ...And This is My Garden showing in the Interpretive Centre
1pm: Community Supported Agriculture Presentation
2pm: Farm and Greenhouse Tour

Register at (204) 989-8355
FREE with regular admission

ATIMG screening in Whitehorse, Yukon

"And This Is My Garden"is screening on Thursday, March 3rd, in Whitehorse, Yukon, at the Potluck Co-op AGM - their common goal: "....eating more and more Yukon-grown organic food"

http://potluckcoop.ca/

Students construct Geodesic Greenhouse frame

Look at what students can accomplish when given the opportunity, training & support!



Students from Mel Johnson School & Grand Rapids School construct Geodesic Greenhouse frame in ~ 45 min. while participants of the FSD Annual School Committee Conference look on

Manitoba Healthy Schools Conference

Taking Action: Moving Evidence into Practice

Breakout Session:
A2 – Community Gardens – “and this is my garden”
Katharina Stieffenhofer co-presented with Don McCaskill, Assistant Superintendent, Frontier School Division

http://www.gov.mb.ca/healthyschools/conference.html

An Edible Education - The Bendale Project

"This is the cutting edge of edible education. What Bendale has is one step beyond a simple school garden but not quite an urban farm. It’s believed to be Canada’s first school-based market garden. It proves the educational value of food and all the ways it can be worked into the curriculum. And, if all goes as planned, Bendale will serve as a model for schools across the country. " Jennifer Bain

http://www.thestar.com/living/food/article/884942--an-edible-education

Carman, MB Film Screenings and School Garden Connections

All 3 screenings yesterday were fun, well attended & received
Susan, school gardener, PS 295 school, Brooklyn, NY phoned Eleanor re. starting letter exchange between ~ 13 students from both schools
Eleanor is taking a workshop on Video Skyping today - perhaps the students will connect with each other via Skype soon - dreaming big, maybe visit each other some day?

  

 

 

Screenings were:

10:00 a.m. Carman, MB, Wednesday Morning Group
2:30 p.m. Carman Elementary School
7:00 p.m. Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, University of Manitoba

 (from - Katharina posting from facebook)

The School Garden Sharing Site - A great resource

check out the GardenABCs - The School Garden Sharing Site - full of great resources and info for anyone interested in edible school gardening and Food Literacy

http://www.gardenabcs.com/Home_Page.html

Inspiration for Gardening & Good Food!

 Susan, the wonderful school garden librarian from PS 295 in Brooklyn, NY, sent us a ton of really great links - so far my favourite is Maira Kalman's "Back to the Land" - NY Times - an absolutely delightful journey [of the mind] to Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard with a few stops along the way. Enjoy!
http://kalman.blog...s.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/back-to-the-land/?th&emc=th

Back to the Land

kalman.blogs.nytimes.com

What does it say about us that we eat so much fast food and eat food so fast?
 from Katharina