McQuesten Connection Newsletter - Fall 2017

CREATED AND DISTRIBUTED BY THE MCQUESTEN COMMUNITY PLANNING TEAM

A LOOK BACK AT OUR SUMMER IN MCQUESTEN

URBAN FARM TEAM MEETINGS • Room 16 • All Welcome •
1st & 3rd Thursday of each month 12:30pm - 2:30pm

THEMCQUESTENCONNECTION2017©

MCQUESTEN COMMUNITY PLANNING TEAM: 785 BRITANNIA AVE, HAMILTON

MCQUESTEN CONNECTION CONTRIBUTORS: Pat Reid, Laura Ryan, Angus McIntyre, Adam Watson, Casey Eaton,
Kelly McKinney, Scott Stowe, Craig Waters, Brenda Silverthorne and the McQuesten Community Planning Team.

SENIOR EDITOR: Pat Reid EDITOR / DESIGN / LAYOUT: Amy Bonin

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE

COVER: McQuesten Sprout Camp: Campers picking beans at Victory Gardens PG. 8 McQuesten Urban Farm Fall Workshop Schedules
PG. 3 MYOC: New Youth Connector
PG. 4 McQuesten Boys & Girl’s Club Fall Update PG. 9 CAP: Free practical supports available for men, women and children
PG. 5 McQuesten Urban Farm Report 2017 affected by cancer
PG. 6 & 7 McQuesten Sprout Camp & Family Farm Camp update
PG. 10 The Broken Spoke Port Colborne Bike Repair

PG. 11 Bob Bratina’s Canada 150 Sesquicentennial award winner: Pat Reid
Telling Tales

Back Cover: McQuesten 16th annual Block Party Invitation

CONNECT WITH US: Have an article, community update,
picture or event you would like to
/McQuesten Connection Newsletter share in our newsletter?

/McQuestenneighbourhood Please email: [email protected]
/mcquestenconnection

THANK YOU, TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS!

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Welcoming MYOC’s Youth Connector

Angus McIntyre, Social Media Team and Founding Member Please follow
us on our
McQuesten Youth Opportunity Creators is proud to introduce Facebook
our very first staff member, Karlie Rogerson, as our very first page!
Youth Connector!
YOU CAN CONTACT HER RIGHT HERE:
She lives just outside the McQuesten area in Homeside, but she E-MAIL: [email protected]
has served as a member of MYOC since late 2014. She is a true PHONE: (905) 526-1558 x404
professional in Recreation and Public Health, having contributed
over 1000 volunteer hours between 2013 and 2017 to many www.facebook.com/MYOCHamilton/ for more
different youth related projects, including those from updates as we go along. Thank you for sticking
around and following us on this incredible journey!
The Mohawk Pokémon League, Unfiltered Facts and from our own Take care now.
group, MYOC. She was the one who wrote our Grant application
to the Youth Opportunities Fund and got it successfully approved. /MYOCHamilton/
Because of her, we now have tons of opportunities to expand our
horizons, our goals, our skills, our abilities, and reach out to more
communities, more service providers, and to collaborate to achieve
a common goal: opportunities for youth.

With her as our youth connector, MYOC can grant youth the
funding they need to create small projects, increase time for youth
recreation programming, and continue as always to build networks
and relationships with the community, recruit more youth and adult
allies, and empower youth to be strong leaders in the community.

She will be able to help you with anything that you want to do with
the MYOC. Whether you want to become a member, connect or
collaborate with MYOC, want to share an opportunity, want to
mentor or support youth and are an adult, or if you have any
general concerns or questions about MYOC, she is the person you
can contact. She will connect you to the appropriate resource,
member or support. She will collaborate with youth members to
make sure that anyone who wishes to work with us can feel
confident, safe and welcomed to our group.

You can also find her at both McQuesten and Keith planning team
meetings, Keith on the first Thursday of every month and
McQuesten on the second Monday of every month.

We are super excited for the future and what else is to come for
the MYOC!

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McQuesten Urban Farm Report 2017

Friends and Neighbours, it has been a summer of growth, We have a great team and good support staff to aid in the on

development and relationship building here in the McQuesten going development of the farm.

Hub. Mother Nature had a strange sense of humor this year We thank everyone that has come out to help in anyway they
with all the rain. Many beautiful crops have been planted and could to get their hands dirty in carving the farm out of the clay
harvested over the past weeks. and into our own little Eden.

Our farm has Swiss Chard, kale, Melons, Field Greens, Celery, We thank Plan B Farms and Shared Harvest for their vast
Potatoes, Napa Cabbage, Beans, Beets, Onions, Parsley, experience in the field of Organic Farming and the many
Lettuce, huge Strawberry and Raspberry crops, Zucchini, teachings that have helped us to flourish in the garden. As I
peppers of many kinds. write, I realize that morning is coming and dawn is breaking,

An abundance of food has been sold and donated to people time to head out to the farm and bring McQuesten greens to

in and around our community. our community.

~The Urban Farmer, Scott Stowe

Please continue to assist us in the coming weeks by volunteering,
visiting our FARMER’S MARKET ON SITE EVERY SATURDAY FROM
9:00 AM TO 3:00 PM under the wood huts.

We also have WEEKLY FOOD BOX that is full of healthy organic
local food for a low price of $15 dollars.
Email: [email protected]

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SPROUT CAMP 2017 @ THE MCQUESTEN URBAN FARM

By Kelly McKinney
This year, 2 core camp staff, 2 Focus on Youth and the McQuesten Urban Farm Team hosted
60 families over 4 weeks of camp. For the first time we also hosted “Family Camp”, half day
workshops on topics like native and wild plants, soup making, salve making and how to grow
an urban garden. We did a week of training with staff and volunteers before camp started.

We had 5 L.I.Ts volunteer with us, 2 who participated for all camp programming.

Our experiential, nature- based summer camp program at the McQuesten Urban Farm hosted
kids from diverse backgrounds, campers coming from and around McQuesten.
Our program has operated for 8 seasons, but this was it’s 3rd at the farm, with a lot of
returning campers. These campers had requests like, “Can we make zucchini bread? Can we
make popsicles? Can we pick beans? Can we play at the park? When are we going
swimming? Hike? Make a salad? Make salve? Let’s try TIE-DYE! Go to the market downtown;
go shopping for food with a toonie? Eat? Play at the library or choose a book from the Book
Mobile? Play kick baseball? Make organic, snow-cone slushies?
These were the main activities of Sprout Camp this summer and we had a rave reviews.
We would like to thank neighbours, farm staff, the HWDSB, everyone at St. Helen &
HWCDSB, Ev, Sahara, Stephanie, and SPROUT CAMP for a great season! With your rave
reviews we are planning more events and maybe March break camp?

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FAMILY FARM CAMP

4 weeks of Sprout Camp was followed by one week of half day It was an absolute hit. (Completely vegan, gluten free, with most

Family Camp Workshops: ingredients being provided by our farm).

This is the first time we have attempted the program and its style. Aug 11th Salve Making with healing plants from around the farm:

Parents could join us with their kids, or drop them off, a couple We harvested calendula, plantain and comfrey and combined

parents who regularly participate with the farm came with out their them with coconut oil. We talked about infusion and the healing

kids. properties of plants and talked about different medicinal salves.

Aug 8th: How to grow an urban farm/garden: All participants went home with the salve, but we had 25 small
Families left with resources about urban/container gardening, soil containers reserved for the farm to share at markets, community
health and separated strawberry plant from our farm, nasturtium events, as gifts, etc.
plants, and info about the farm/upcoming workshops.
The HWDSB will be creating a video around Focus on Youth
engaging at McQuesten Sprouts. Look for it on the HWDSB

Aug 9th: Edible Wilds Walk and Talk: YouTube Channel.

Children also seemed more interested in picking beans than wild
plants like purslane. The Focus on Youth Students prepared a Plant Now the Farm Team continues to make plans for school
programming starting this Sept, as well as engaging Hillcrest
Guide that the farm has for future use. It included information
about the edible and medicinal benefits that are found around the Students, Kiwanis and the Early Year Centres as usual.

farm. We have wanted a guide to share information with people We have also been making our own Farm Shirts and other

who volunteer at the farm. ‘swag’, but silk screening has been so interesting for community

Aug 10th: Soup Making: members to watch they help with the process and try. Several

We made a gazpacho and a carrot-zucchini soup that were a hit. have brought in their own t-shirts to print!

We also lead Focus on Youth, leaving home for college and

university, through meal making. They had the final say as to Check out our upcoming workshops on the next page!
ingredients and spicing of the carrot -zucchini soup.

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JUNE – OCTOBER

September 9 - Canning (Part 2) GROW AT OUR FARM!
Class cost: $10, or PWYC
10am – 12pm McQuesten Community Centre, room #16 Inquires? Contact
In this second part of our canning workshop, we will learn canning tips
and tricks and will be creating a delicious preserved Pomodoro sauce [email protected]
(tomato) and salsa. 785 Britannia Ave, Hamilton
[email protected]
September 23 – Fall Planting & Garden Care
Class cost: $10, or PWYC
10am – 12pm McQuesten Community Centre, room #16
This workshop focuses on trees, bulbs, and crops for next year, soil
building, healthy soils, healthy food, and healthy bodies.

October 7 – Seasonal Celebration
Class cost: $10, or PWYC
10am – 12pm McQuesten Community Centre, room #16
Join the McQuesten Urban Farm for a seasonal celebration and garlic
harvesting. Bring the family and come help us pick (and take some
home!) garlic at the farm. Light refreshments will be available.

October 14 – The basics of Fermented Food
Class cost: $10, or PWYC
10am – 12pm McQuesten Community Centre, room #16
Learn the basics and nutritional benefits of fermented foods like kimchi,
kraut and kombucha! We will be learning how to make a “quick
ferment” Kimchi (cabbage and carrots).

October 28 – Bread Making Basics
Class cost: $5, or PWYC
10am – 12pm McQuesten Community Centre, room #16
Learn the basics of making bread. Participants will create and taste
their very own bread creations in this workshop.

Come see what all of the fuss is about...

McQuesten Urban Farm Meetings

1st & 3rd Thursday of the month @ 12:30pm to 2:30pm, room #16

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CAP - Free practical supports available for men, women and children affected by cancer

Upon being diagnosed When contacting CAP, you are likely to connect with one of our
with cancer, individuals volunteers. Currently, CAP has over 180 impressive men, women and
can experience an youth contributing their time in some capacity with the organization.
incredibly wide range of
emotions and are typically It is our volunteers, alongside of our small staff team, that answer the
faced with having to phone, issue products and properly fit and issue home health
make many decisions in a equipment.
very short amount of time.
Similarly, it is volunteers that coordinate transportation and provide
Day-to-day routines can scheduled rides. And, it is also our volunteers that complete your initial
be disrupted, personal intake, which is non-intrusive and takes less than 10 minutes. We are
needs can change and aware that by the time individuals start accessing CAP, they have likely
expenses can start to already completed many pages of paperwork and have had to answer
mount. Cancer has the many of the same questions. We want to avoid putting anyone through
potential to be a very such a lengthy process, yet again.
overwhelming diagnosis.
Services can be accessed Monday to Friday,
There are many from 9:00am to 4:30pm.
worthwhile programs and
services available in Anyone who is unable to get into the CAP house during these times, in
Hamilton, to support order to secure equipment or products, can make alternative
individuals and families arrangements by calling and arranging a day and time that works best
affected by cancer. The Cancer Assistance Program (CAP) is one of for them.
these services.

The Cancer Assistance Program provides practical supports,
at no cost, to assist individuals in accessing care, improve
day-to-day quality of life and reduce some of the financial
burden that goes hand-in-hand with a cancer diagnosis.

AVAILABLE SERVICES INCLUDE: TO CONTACT CAP:
Call: 905-383-9797
• Transportation to and from cancer related medical Drop in: 569 Concession Street (the little house on
appointments, including treatment, tests, appointments the corner of Concession Street and Cliff Avenue)
with doctors, nutritionists, social workers, dentists (when E-mail [email protected]
treatment causes damage to gums), etc.,
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON
• Loans of home health equipment (e.g., wheelchairs,
transport changes, raised toilet seats, walkers, rollators, Cancer_Assist
commodes, bath chairs, etc.) – individuals can borrow as
many pieces as necessary for as long as necessary,

• Access to parking for appointments taking place at the
Juravinski Cancer Centre (JCC) and Juravinski Hospital
(limited as only three spots are available),

• Monthly issuances of oral nutritional supplements (two six
-packs/month), adult incontinence products (two packages/
month) and disposable bed liners (30/month),

• The provision of wigs, alternative head coverings, breast
prostheses and mastectomy bras.

In order to access transportation and parking, individuals in need can
simply call the CAP house. In order to secure equipment or products,
individuals must currently attend the CAP house at 569 Concession
Street, located four blocks west of the JCC. If the person with the cancer
diagnosis is unable to access services for
any reason, a loved one or another
support person can register and secure
necessary items on their behalf.

No appointment is
necessary…just show up!

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Bikes, Bikes and More Bikes!

By Brenda Silverthorne

On Saturday June 24th the McQuesten Planning Team hosted a
Canada 150th Anniversary event.

“The Broken Spoke” of the Port Colborne High School was one of
the many organizations participating in this successful event. “The
Broken Spoke” engages a student in the understanding and benefits
of refurbishing bicycles to provide enjoyment and transportation for
themselves and those less fortunate.

Aubrey Foley, the creator and instructor of the program is about
giving back to the community. “The Broken Spoke” has created a
movement in donating bikes around the world! To date 4,215
bikes have found new homes.

The McQuesten neighbourhood is now apart of the movement! The
Broken Spoke donated 29 bikes to children in our neighbourhood
at the Canada 150 event.

A huge “thank you” to Aubrey and his team!

2. Come share your creativity

Write a poem, send us a story, share with us some
great photography, let us see you kissing babies,
rolling around with your dogs or cuddling with your
cat. Create a video,

LET YOUR IMAGINATION RUN WILD!

1. Invite your neighbours 3. Do you have a great idea
to have in our neighbourhood?
To join our Facebook page:
McQuesten Connection to Are you willing to help in that project?
See our social media newsletters
We will help you, you are not alone!

Do you have a skill you would like to share
with your neighbours?

Connect with us: [email protected]

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Bob Bratina’s Canada 150 Sesquicentennial award winner: Pat Reid

McQuesten’s very own Pat Reid was awarded
with the Canada 150 Sesquicentennial
award by local MP Bob Bratina.
Reid received the award for her many years of
volunteering, leadership and vision of
McQuesten Urban Farm.
“So many great volunteers were nominated for
my Canada 150 Sesquicentennial award and 15
of them received a special pin to acknowledge
their commitment to making the community a
better place.
One of them was Pat Reid, who volunteers with
the McQuesten Community Planning team,
Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction, City
Housing board and is the founder of McQuesten
Urban Farm,” wrote Bob Bratina on his Facebook
page.

McQuesten Community Planning Team Meetings

2nd Monday of each Month • 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Westfield Heritage Village, Rockton Ontario

COURTESY BUS PICK-UP @ MCQUESTEN

Pick up location

McQuesten Community Centre (St. Helen’s Community Centre)
785 Britannia Ave, Hamilton, L8H 2B6

Date: Sunday September 17th
Pick up time: 9:30 AM sharp

Contact: [email protected]

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Look for our Winter newsletter in December 2017