Tree Fest Ottawa has organized a neighbourhood edible tree walk and workshop with Hidden Harvest Ottawa. The local walkabout will be held on Wednesday October 7, from 12-1:30pm at Civic Gardens Lansdowne Park.
Hidden Harvest Ottawa is a local organization whose goal is to provide neighbourhood food to local residents without having it go to waste. They encourage Ottawa residents to plant fruit and nut bearing trees which can feed the community. They offer high quality food bearing trees for sale to Ottawa residents interested in planting on their property.
This tree planting also adds to the local tree canopy creating a greener more environmentally friendly city. Local food is harvested and stays local. In return, locals will rely less on the big chain supermarkets which ship food in transport trucks from across the province and continent. In turn, the fruit locals eat is fresher, organic and less pollution is added to the atmosphere. Hidden Harvest Ottawa “ aims to increase our food security, address climate change and evolve our culture to be a food-tree friendly city.”
HHO also organizes harvests for trees within the city. Homeowners allow for these harvesters to come onto their property to pick the edible fruits and nuts. Some trees fall on city owned property. As HHO’s website touts “The bounty from harvest events is shared amongst the nearest food agency, the homeowner, the harvesters, and Hidden Harvest Ottawa (HHO). With volunteer support, these harvest events will provide the opportunity, education, infrastructure and legal means for people to access the edible fruit and nut trees around them”
On Wednesday October 7, from 12-1:30 pm join other local environmental foodies on a short walk around Lansdowne Park and the surrounding neighbourhood. On the walkabout tour learn about local fruits and nuts, how to identify the trees, and lastly how to make sure these foods reach the tables of our community and do not go to waste.
For the walking tour, please meet at the Civic Gardens Lansdowne Park near the Photosynthesis Photography Exhibit. The walk will take place if weather permitting.
For more information on Hidden Harvest Ottawa, please visit:
http://ottawa.hiddenharvest.ca/