Can someone clue me in?

[Marisa Meléndez]

Unfortunately I was unable to attend Monday night's meeting nor will I be able to attend tonight's discussion. Can someone please bring me up to spead by perhaps giving me some highlights?

[Geoff Buddle]

Can do, as well:
I asked my brother;
I was wondering if you could clip these for me via your VPN
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s1lc8
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pst7w

He replied;
Actually I found the shows - the first one is a series, got the first episode.
Also found a video on 100 edible plants.
We've been buying a lot of Kale, Dandelion, Chard to make salads/smoothies - good stuff..

... so when I get them I'll pass them on
Geoff

[Geoff Buddle]

Hi Marisa,
these are very generalized but time line as follows:
Meeting notes:
7-7:30 rubbing elbows and finding seats
7:30- 8 Image interpretation from the Transition Handbook exercise to get people talking, open issues and expose opinions.
8-9 Covered the 12 developmental steps to kicking-off a Transition Town, which subcommittees where formed...many suggestions, thoughts that Transition Toronto as an umbrella group for more manageable neighbourhood groups. May have a shared knowledge base (city, country or world-wide) but yard sharing resources listed by local neighbourhood.

Some things of interest that popped up were how 4 of the attendees had arrived/converged at the time. One of the ladies had come across Transition Town stuff and started a 6 week study group. She and 3 of those people attended. They are interested in doing the YIMBY (Yes, in my back yard) garden-sharing. I believe it was one of this group (TTTo-Beaches) who relayed she was committing to making her house of 22 years work into the post-carbon future. It struck a cord with me as Bill Mollison states in the 1983 PDC, wherever you are is where you have to work. If you are a broke hippie and can't afford anything but wrecked land then don't lose sight of the fact the wrecked land is going to need fixing sometime anyhow. A lot of people really getting to know how to de-carbonize different aspects of a house can sweep through a neighbourhood in short order, each success becoming incontrovertible support for the efforts. Say one person specializes making twin-wall polycarbonate "storm-windows" and installing them. The neighbourhood people who want them share the cost ($5 each per neighbourhood?) of the ladder needed to get them up to the second floor windows. He or she makes them, seasonally installs them or removes them and perhaps does window and gutter cleaning as well. There has to be someone who doesn't want storm windows and would rather go to the trouble of daily application of thermal blankets for their favourite viewing window. Someone else must know how to sew one up. "Yes mam, would you like it to be hinged or held securely by hidden magnets?" "For the size and number of windows you will need 3 yards of fabric, any print or pattern."

There was also talk about exposure for the group, TTTo logo t-shirts, the cost of the one-off and a young man volenteered that he runs workshops on screen printing. Two points here; getting the word out and hand-made locally. I'd like to see a custom aspect where people can put their own line on the back of the shirt emphasizing that the group is stronger due to its individuals. The logo and "Dabbles in gardens", "Sew not into mass-produced" or "Got canned. Now I do the canning."

I have seen a twenty-something person with one of those electric tricycles peddling around the Annex. "Go Green" I think it was selling environmentally-friendly yard-care. Perhaps he would consider slapping the TTT logo on his bike, I'm betting he'd read Permaculture-A Designer's Manual if it meant he'd gain work helping lawn owners convert to and maintain gardens. The permi-principle of "Obtain a yield-you can't work on an empty stomach" applies here, the young need to be engaged and see a benefit. Food and money to gain a harvester/helper/knows whose garden has the herb you need for your ill...

Geoff

[William (Bill) Schnurr]

Hi Geoff and Mellissa.
Last nights meeting left me further inspired, and filled with lots of new ideas. I commented on the first picture (from the handbook), which showed a roller-coaster at the peak of oil production/consumption). I now see how this could represent the huge potential for what lies ahead, particularily if momentum continues to gather, and if the movement stays positive, exciting, and fun. It seems that the model breeds spontaneous and positive action, and is there for anyone who wants to get involved. It came to me out of the blue, from a pamphlett distributed by DECA, so I think the potential for it to grow and thrive is great. I was thinking of trying to do something at the local park, on Earth Day- something symbolic like Earth Hour, something to get the word out there and generate more excitment and interest. Not sure what that is, or if there is anything already happening, but I'd like to be wearing a transition toronto t-shirt, and be doing something fun, like making t-shirts, or planting seeds. We did some planting at my daughter's birthday party, where everyone was sent home with a plant, in a hand painted pot, for their backyard garden(s). It was a bit chaotic, but the kids were loving it.
I have extra plants sprouting up, if anyone is interested (beans, tomatoes, carrots, basil). I'm not really a knowledgable gardener so i'm not sure if Earth day would be too late to start seeds or not, but if anyone is intersted, in doing something, let me know.
Many more ideas, but, gotta go.
I'm not coming home until I get the handbook. I got to Book city at 9:59 pm last night, but i will go back today and ask them to give the manual better placement in the window. There were some other related books in the window, on sale that i may pick up as well if anyoune is interested in other resources.
Other ideas: community sheds used building material blogs or postings(I guess that would be Craigslist?).
There were a lot of great ideas and discusions last night. Not sure how so many ideas can synthesized into action. but I liked the idea of the umbrella, under which smaller groups operate. Perhaps the handbook will give me a better sense.
I not sure if this posting is going out to everyone, or to just one spot. I'm not very technically savvy. I would like this to reach my east end neighbours, so I'll be better connected to this slice of the umbrella.
Bill
P.S. Living Well Is The Best Revenge , George Herbert (1593-1633)

Geoff Buddle said:

Hi Marisa,
these are very generalized but time line as follows:
Meeting notes:
7-7:30 rubbing elbows and finding seats
7:30- 8 Image interpretation from the Transition Handbook exercise to get people talking, open issues and expose opinions.
8-9 Covered the 12 developmental steps to kicking-off a Transition Town, which subcommittees where formed...many suggestions, thoughts that Transition Toronto as an umbrella group for more manageable neighbourhood groups. May have a shared knowledge base (city, country or world-wide) but yard sharing resources listed by local neighbourhood.

Some things of interest that popped up were how 4 of the attendees had arrived/converged at the time. One of the ladies had come across Transition Town stuff and started a 6 week study group. She and 3 of those people attended. They are interested in doing the YIMBY (Yes, in my back yard) garden-sharing. I believe it was one of this group (TTTo-Beaches) who relayed she was committing to making her house of 22 years work into the post-carbon future. It struck a cord with me as Bill Mollison states in the 1983 PDC, wherever you are is where you have to work. If you are a broke hippie and can't afford anything but wrecked land then don't lose sight of the fact the wrecked land is going to need fixing sometime anyhow. A lot of people really getting to know how to de-carbonize different aspects of a house can sweep through a neighbourhood in short order, each success becoming incontrovertible support for the efforts. Say one person specializes making twin-wall polycarbonate "storm-windows" and installing them. The neighbourhood people who want them share the cost ($5 each per neighbourhood?) of the ladder needed to get them up to the second floor windows. He or she makes them, seasonally installs them or removes them and perhaps does window and gutter cleaning as well. There has to be someone who doesn't want storm windows and would rather go to the trouble of daily application of thermal blankets for their favourite viewing window. Someone else must know how to sew one up. "Yes mam, would you like it to be hinged or held securely by hidden magnets?" "For the size and number of windows you will need 3 yards of fabric, any print or pattern."

There was also talk about exposure for the group, TTTo logo t-shirts, the cost of the one-off and a young man volenteered that he runs workshops on screen printing. Two points here; getting the word out and hand-made locally. I'd like to see a custom aspect where people can put their own line on the back of the shirt emphasizing that the group is stronger due to its individuals. The logo and "Dabbles in gardens", "Sew not into mass-produced" or "Got canned. Now I do the canning."

I have seen a twenty-something person with one of those electric tricycles peddling around the Annex. "Go Green" I think it was selling environmentally-friendly yard-care. Perhaps he would consider slapping the TTT logo on his bike, I'm betting he'd read Permaculture-A Designer's Manual if it meant he'd gain work helping lawn owners convert to and maintain gardens. The permi-principle of "Obtain a yield-you can't work on an empty stomach" applies here, the young need to be engaged and see a benefit. Food and money to gain a harvester/helper/knows whose garden has the herb you need for your ill...

Geoff

[Geoff Buddle]

Hi Bill,
glad you're here! One of my other posts mentions wicking beds for container gardening. I'll set one up and if you'll add the plants we could bring it to a future meeting so everyone could scrutinize it for evalution.
A personal story, this should give you a laugh. My wife and I rented a roto-tiller two years ago, tackled a 50' by 100' plot. The ground was too wet, but we had rented and I would have to come back to the city for work before long. I spent 3 days being shaken to bits, my vision was still vibrating hours after. 3,000 kg of food was the goal. I thought there must be a better way, at which point I found the new to me stuff of Permaculture. Bill Mollison states, "You can put in a family garden in 2-3 evenings brisk work, feeding 4." I was dumb-founded. Obviously he knew something I did't. We never did get more than a sixth of that plot done that year, put in 50 pounds of potatoes and pulled out thirty. Such successes would be our ruin! So born was my personal Knowledge over Naivity quest. As a result I have a number of gardening books and other e-resources I'm happy to share with you.

Geoff

[William (Bill) Schnurr]

Hi Geoff. Just deleted my latest responseby mistake. Will try to be resilient and recap what i was going to post.
My backayard garden plans have smaller targets than 3000kg. The plot is a whopping 12 square feet (used to be the backyard sandbox). I'm planning to add on another section, so I'll have a sprawling, 12' long tract. This may involve a chain saw, to remove the stump from a nice big Dutch Elm, which died a few years back. ( Where's that community shed when you need it). Would love to put a green roof on the garage or the 2nd floor flat roof, but that will have to be a dream for now. I did construct one green roof, as part of an addition, in 2006. Could not find anyone who was interested in doing such a small green roof, so I reluctantly had to do it myself. It was a bit painful, but I'm glad I had the experience. There was one component, known as the water retension board,(Windidrain), which sounds like the wicking beds you mentioned.
You are welcome to any extra plants or seeds I have, but I have to warn you, they were purchased at Canadian Tire. The tomatos, beans, and basil are Martha Stewart Living, certified, organic seeds. The cucumber, carrot, and lettuce are from Berton Seeds, and are not designated organic....(I hope that doesn't mean they're inorganic...?////..:::#l:>() .
In any case, I'm planning to get the beans to climb up the fence, and I'm going to try out this "upsidedown, hanging, tomato pot,( also from Canadian Tire((what can I say, I'm hooked)). Hopefully, this will help to increase the yeild.

Also, I made it to Book City By 9:56pm tonight, enough time to pick up the handbook. Looking forward to finding out whether or not permiculture has anything to do with the Arctic. Also bought another good book called-- World Changing: A Users Guide for the 21st Century. It's thick(600 pages). About 100 chapters, amongst seven sections>Stuff>Shelter>Cities>Community>Business>Politics>Planet. On sale for $17.99(reg $45.00). If anyone wants to borrow it,let me know. I'll be focussing on the handbook. Still considering the T4T in Geulph in May. Doesn't look like I'll have much time for the third book I bought>Learn to Play the Guitar. Oh well, ohwellohwellohwell. Maybe one song.
Other thoughts: dId anyone hear tonight's Ideas program on CBC. Jeremy ...Reifkin?.. It was really good.
Also, I used to be a member of an east end food coop named Stone Soup, on Danforth @ Woodbine. One of the founders, Manfred, is a documentary film maker, who made a short doc about the coop. I could probably get a copy of it, if anyone is interested. It might give an interesting perspective on how things have changed since then?
Bill
P.S. Geoff, perhaps the missing 20lbs of potatoes, were harvested as resilience.

Geoff Buddle said:

Hi Bill,
glad you're here! One of my other posts mentions wicking beds for container gardening. I'll set one up and if you'll add the plants we could bring it to a future meeting so everyone could scrutinize it for evalution.
A personal story, this should give you a laugh. My wife and I rented a roto-tiller two years ago, tackled a 50' by 100' plot. The ground was too wet, but we had rented and I would have to come back to the city for work before long. I spent 3 days being shaken to bits, my vision was still vibrating hours after. 3,000 kg of food was the goal. I thought there must be a better way, at which point I found the new to me stuff of Permaculture. Bill Mollison states, "You can put in a family garden in 2-3 evenings brisk work, feeding 4." I was dumb-founded. Obviously he knew something I did't. We never did get more than a sixth of that plot done that year, put in 50 pounds of potatoes and pulled out thirty. Such successes would be our ruin! So born was my personal Knowledge over Naivity quest. As a result I have a number of gardening books and other e-resources I'm happy to share with you.

Geoff

[Marisa Meléndez]

Wow! Thanks so much for all the info, Guys. Just a note on a minor topic though... I like the idea of T-shirt advertising but it would be nice perhaps for people to get their own blank shirt from a second hand store rather than having them made. There's thousands of quality used clothes available, it would be a shame to create more. It's just a thought.

[William (Bill) Schnurr]

Good idea. Or alternatively, we could find some shirts made responsibly, and support the retailer of those shirts, working in the cost of purchasing "blanks" into the selling price of the T-shirt. I love reusing. Just wondering if we want to make the t-shirts all the same to make them more recognizable, at first. But I think the main thing is getting people wearing them, especially at any upcoming events, like the bike repair tune-up, or on earth day. Does anyone have any ideas for a transition event on earth day?.. I will post any that come up, but I'll warn you, some of my nicknames are Big Ideas Bill, and Tangent Man. So I won't be offended if any ideas don't fly, or need a few grains of salt.
Bill

Marisa Meléndez said:

Wow! Thanks so much for all the info, Guys. Just a note on a minor topic though... I like the idea of T-shirt advertising but it would be nice perhaps for people to get their own blank shirt from a second hand store rather than having them made. There's thousands of quality used clothes available, it would be a shame to create more. It's just a thought.

[Jessica Lemieux]

This sounds really positive! I've just moved to Toronto from New Zealand where there is a really strong Transition Towns movement on the go. I'm keen to find out whats happening here in Ontario - when is the next gathering?

[Marisa Meléndez]

Hi Jessica,

Welcome to Toronto and to this group! It will be exciting to hear what you know about groups in New Zealand. As for the next meeting, I messaged Martina about it and she had this to say:

"Great to hear other people's enthusiasm too! Good question on the next meeting - I've been wondering the same thing. Actually, I think we haven't set a date because the Steering Committee needs to meet first, to discuss our direction, details on how to engage our work groups more, and overall what our next steps. Should be."

Cheers!

Jessica Lemieux said:

This sounds really positive! I've just moved to Toronto from New Zealand where there is a really strong Transition Towns movement on the go. I'm keen to find out whats happening here in Ontario - when is the next gathering?

[Jessica Lemieux]

Thanks! :-)

If anyone is keen for a cuppa tea to chat since we all have similar interests I'd be very happy to swap stories!

[William (Bill) Schnurr]

Hi Jessica, welcome to the "town". I'd be interested in gathering for tea and chatting about our transition town. I'm feeling a bit out of the loop, since I've been swamped with work, and a hectic schedule of goings on, since the last meeting. I haven't even cracked open the transition town handbook. So maybe an arranged gathering would work to get back in the loop.
I'm wondering if anyone has found other people tuning in to the idea of transition towns. i think thereis an appetite for the model, which keeps me hoping. This week, I demolished an old cedar deck, and rather than the wood going to landfill, it was salvaged for another client, who is going to use it to make a backyard pergola. i'm going to propose that the pergola doubles as a clohes drying area, by using retractable close lines, stretchd accross the rafters or from post to post. it's great when you can salvage somthing, and even better when you find someone to put it to use. Garage sales, and Value Village are great for this reason as well. Hope to be able to gather somewhere/time soon. Actually, i think there is an event tomorrow.
bye for now, bill
e>Jessica Lemieux said:

Thanks! :-)

If anyone is keen for a cuppa tea to chat since we all have similar interests I'd be very happy to swap stories!

[Jessica Lemieux]

Hi Bill,

That's great! Do you know where I can find the transition towns handbook? I tried Book City on Bloor but no dice.

This week is pretty busy but either Saturday or a day next week would be good. Would Tuesday after work suit you? I live and work near UofT perhaps we could meet somewhere near there or the Annex?

Have a great day!

Jess

William (Bill) Schnurr said:

Hi Jessica, welcome to the "town". I'd be interested in gathering for tea and chatting about our transition town. I'm feeling a bit out of the loop, since I've been swamped with work, and a hectic schedule of goings on, since the last meeting. I haven't even cracked open the transition town handbook. So maybe an arranged gathering would work to get back in the loop.
I'm wondering if anyone has found other people tuning in to the idea of transition towns. i think thereis an appetite for the model, which keeps me hoping. This week, I demolished an old cedar deck, and rather than the wood going to landfill, it was salvaged for another client, who is going to use it to make a backyard pergola. i'm going to propose that the pergola doubles as a clohes drying area, by using retractable close lines, stretchd accross the rafters or from post to post. it's great when you can salvage somthing, and even better when you find someone to put it to use. Garage sales, and Value Village are great for this reason as well. Hope to be able to gather somewhere/time soon. Actually, i think there is an event tomorrow.
bye for now, bill
e>Jessica Lemieux said:

Thanks! :-)

If anyone is keen for a cuppa tea to chat since we all have similar interests I'd be very happy to swap stories!