Today we were part of an all day tour organized in part by STEP, The Sustainable Technology Eduation Project (STEP) at the University of Waterloo. STEP is a working group of the University of Waterloo Sustainability Project, and aims to research, promote, educate, and demonstrate the feasibility of renewable energy technologies (both on campus and in the community).
The tour group visited a number of sites in our region, looking at sustainable initiatives around energy, techonology (e.g. greywater filtration systems, solar hot water), and sustainable building (e.g. strawbale, geothermal). We were very happy to meet them and talk about our experiences as a small, owner-built, homescale model of what we hope urban sustainability can look like. In particular, the strawbale construction, cob oven, coldframes, passive solar greenhouse, and greywater system were of interest to the group. Next year we are hoping to look into solar hot water heating (to heat our radiant floor hot water), as well as install a living roof on the new addition. When talking to these kinds of groups there are always more ideas and projects to dream about...
More on STEP: www.step.uwaterloo.ca
Showing posts with label tours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tours. Show all posts
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tours to Little City Farm
We have had a busy September (one of the reasons I have not had time to write here)!
We were happy to host a second open house event, as various friends, co-workers and neighbours were not able to attend our July opening celebration. We baked wood-fired bread, gave garden walks, explained the greywater system and peeked in the greenhouse, showed off the chickens, and toured our newly renovated bed & breakfast space in the second floor of our house. Thanks to all who came, and for the many lovely "farm warming" gifts, cards and well-wishes! We appreciate everyone's support so much!
We were also happy to tour a group of university students who are involved with a community garden project through WPIRG (Waterloo Public Interest Resource Group) at the University of Waterloo. This group of about 10 students has gotten together to grow their own product just north of the campus, and work communally to share the produce among themselves and other volunteers.
From this group, we met a woman who is also involved as an intern at the Ignatius Farm outside of Guelph (30 minutes from here), through the CRAFT farmer-internship program. She organized to bring the whole group of interns from her farm a few weeks later, also to tour our place. As several of the interns are thinking more of urban farming or small-scale market gardening/CSA, rather than large-scale farming, they had many questions regarding how we are managing to do things here in the city. We were so happy to meet them, and are going to visit their farm tomorrow to learn more about the great work done at Ignatius.
We were happy to host a second open house event, as various friends, co-workers and neighbours were not able to attend our July opening celebration. We baked wood-fired bread, gave garden walks, explained the greywater system and peeked in the greenhouse, showed off the chickens, and toured our newly renovated bed & breakfast space in the second floor of our house. Thanks to all who came, and for the many lovely "farm warming" gifts, cards and well-wishes! We appreciate everyone's support so much!
We were also happy to tour a group of university students who are involved with a community garden project through WPIRG (Waterloo Public Interest Resource Group) at the University of Waterloo. This group of about 10 students has gotten together to grow their own product just north of the campus, and work communally to share the produce among themselves and other volunteers.
From this group, we met a woman who is also involved as an intern at the Ignatius Farm outside of Guelph (30 minutes from here), through the CRAFT farmer-internship program. She organized to bring the whole group of interns from her farm a few weeks later, also to tour our place. As several of the interns are thinking more of urban farming or small-scale market gardening/CSA, rather than large-scale farming, they had many questions regarding how we are managing to do things here in the city. We were so happy to meet them, and are going to visit their farm tomorrow to learn more about the great work done at Ignatius.
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