Employment Opportunity of Interest

The new organisation made up of the people who brought you Just Food Edmonton, city-farm, Little Green Thumbs, and the Community Garden Network is seeking an Executive Director.

Check out the posting on the Community Garden Blog!

Beans talk by BEEcycle

Planting season is right around the corner, and here is a neat product to connect kids to growing.

It's ultra-cool design, interactive elements and designer colours will appeal to everyone, and parents will be especially impressed with it's sterility. From here, families can move up to the mini composting pod! From there - who knows!?! - maybe that dark coloured stuff outside has some potential after all...

Family-Friendly Waste Management

Happy Family Day!

David Suzuki has some great advice for families in this article in the Daily Gleaner. I love the story of his grandson on the hunt for worms, and the sobering comment from his daughter about being the change you want to see in the world.

If someone as busy as David Suzuki can make time for his family I guess I can too. One tip I learned* is to enter your home through a less familiar door. Park in a different place and pay attention to your journey into your home; take a side trip through the yard; pause on the landing and take a good look around. By taking the time to experience your home through fresh eyes you will be better prepared for the good things waiting inside.
*from Give Me A Break,

Last week, Tracy R-A (class of 97) sent me David Suzuki's call to action on cosmetics, and around the office we have been Oohing and Aahing over the plans for the Airport Lands. Here are two opportunities for families to discuss an issue and take action together. What better lesson for this week than civic responsibility.

If your letter is about waste reduction we will even let you claim your hours on myVolunteerPage.com under the Building Awareness and Encouraging Proper Waste Handling

Thanks for being part of our MC\RFamily!

Straw Bale give-away on Family Day

Rose called me today to tell me about a fun Family-Day event at the Steele Heights Community Skate Rink.

The part you will want to know, is that after the skating, and hayrides, and hot chocolate are done, they are giving away their straw bales.

Pick one up at 5825 140 Ave around 7pm; first come, first served.

Harvey (class of 2008) puts straw in in his doghouse to keep his dog, McCauley, toasty warm all winter.

Straw also makes great mulch around your strawberries, or a bottom layer in your compost bin. If you can get enough you can even build with it.

One MC/R Grad who would be interested in this giveaway is Greg dJ (class of 2009) who might use it in an unexpected way (those of you who follow his blog can probably guess what that will be). Poor Carissa...

Happy Family Day!

The pumpkin seeds are in

....and waiting for you to sign-up and get growing in this year's -the 10th!- Annual Compost Giants Pumpkin Growing Competition.

Ask us for the Registration Sheet, fill it in and fax it to the Composting Council of Canada. After that, for just the sign-up fee of $25 (plus the happy tax), destiny, your garden, and the generous addition of TLC (with the C = Compost) take over .... the precious pumpkin seeds from the Howard Dill Family will be bundled and sent by Canada Post to help you on your path and goal of being proclaimed the 2011 Grand Compost Champion of the Pumpkin Patch.

Just how much fun can you & your team have this gardening season?

Find out by signing up now for the 10th Annual Compost Giants Pumpkin Growing Competition.

Susan

Susan Antler

Executive Director

The Compost Council of Canada

www.compost.org