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An evening with author and natural garden advocate Lorraine Johnson on Earth Day, Monday April 22, as we talk about the intersections of climate change and biodiversity. And what we can do at the local level right here in Hamilton with insights from Lynda Lukasik, Office of Climate Change Initiatives, City of Hamilton.  

When: Talk starts at 7pm. Come early for book signing and social.
Where: 65 Hatt Street, Dundas at SHED Brewing.

Register here

Thank you to SHED Brewing for supporting local and providing the venue.

Thanks also to The Printed Word bookshop for arranging the book signing table.

With support from The Ed Smee Environmental Fund.

Dundas Repair Cafe logo




Save the Date

 

Our next REPAIR CAFE is Saturday May 11, from 10am – 1pm. 

Dundas Town Hall, upper level.

Dundas Repair Cafe poster

Join us February 10, 2024 from 10am-1pm for the Dundas Repair Cafe.

Drop in to the Dundas Town Hall (upper level) for our second Dundas Repair Cafe. Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and have your clothing and other household items repaired at no charge. Volunteers will be on hand to fix and teach you how to make simple repairs.

Featured repair stations will include:

  • Electronics repair
  • Small wooden furniture repair (new)
  • Garden shear sharpening (new)
  • De-pilling station (get your sweaters and knitwear de-pilled)
  • Clothing patching (creative or utilitarian)
  • Seam repairs
  • Button and hook fastening
  • Creative clothing embroidery
  • Sock darning, learn how to darn
  • Kids Table: The Button Project. Have fun with buttons. Use your creativity to attach buttons to a patch or pouch and take it home. Our volunteers will help to teach button sewing and  other skills if kids are ready to try.
Dundas Repair Cafe logo

On Saturday December 2, from 10am-12 pm, drop in to the Dundas Town Hall (upper level) for the launch of the NEW Dundas Repair Cafe. Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and have your clothing and other household items repaired at no charge. Volunteers will be on hand to fix and teach you how to make simple repairs.

Featured repair stations on December 2 will include:

  • De-pilling station (get your sweaters and knitwear de-pilled)
  • Clothing patching (creative or utilitarian)
  • Seam repairs
  • Button and hook fastening
  • Creative clothing embroidery
  • Sock darning, learn how to darn
  • Craft table on seasonal decorations from natural materials
  • Take the Jump information – learn how you can take action to help the environmUent
Colour photo of upcycled clear plastic jug mini greenhouses with soil and seeds to grow over winter

It was such a hit the first time around, we’re doing it again! All welcome at the Winter Sowing workshop on Saturday November 18. Starts 9:30am. Location: 33 Woodward Ave, Dundas.

Ethically sourced seeds from plants native to Ontario will be provided for species that need this type of cold, moist stratification.

The plants that grow from this initiative will be used with various community events.

In 2022 we grew 900 seedlings. Our goal this year is 1100.

Colour fall harvest of squash and apples

Join us at the Green Block to share in the celebration of a long, successful season and harvest. Monday October 23 starting at 5:30pm. We’d love for you to join us for music – as long as it’s not too cold for our musicians – a screening of photos from the season and an opportunity to provide input into shaping our community as well as visioning for Green Block Growing in the year to come.

If you are moved to bring food to share please do, but no obligation.

Also you are welcome to bring: · a mug or bowl and a utensil for food sampling we may have · a chair · and friends.

The Green Block is on Kerr Street, Dundas by the Metro parking lot.

City of Hamilton Office of Climate Change Initiatives

Alex Wilson, councillor for Hamilton Ward 13, will tell us what the City is doing to fight the province’s forced expansion, in spite of there being no justification for it. He will also share the key takeaways from that day’s Annual Report to Council by Lynda Lukasik, Director of the Office of Climate Change Initiatives.

There will be a Q&A afterwards. 

Hosted by Hamilton 350.

Wednesday, 18 October 2023, 7pm – 8:30ish

This meeting is open to all, here’s the Zoom link

Colourful images of Ontario fruit trees

Join us for a weird and wonderful “Tree Talk” with Julia Hitchcock. Get all the info you need to grow your fruit/food/nut trees. Starts 6pm at the Green Block in Dundas – on Kerr Street beside Metro parking lot.

Pawpaw Parade 2023 is also part of this event, by invitation.

Green on white pawpaw logo

Pawpaw Parade and Giveaway. Apply before October 13. 2023.

Action 13 is the “Host” for the Hamilton area.

  • tree giveaway
  • seed kits
  • tree sales

Click here for full details here!

Colourful flowers resting in a beer stine, promotion for Beers and Blooms event in Dundas on October 10

An evening with author and natural garden advocate Lorraine Johnson on Tuesday October 10 as we talk about the intersections of climate change and biodiversity. And what we can do at the local level right here in Hamilton.  

When: Talk starts at 7pm. Come early for book signing and social.
Where: 65 Hatt Street, Dundas at SHED Brewing.

Register here

Thank you to SHED Brewing for supporting local and providing the venue.

Thanks also to The Printed Word bookshop  for arranging the book signing table.

Invasive plants are creeping into natural areas like Dundas Valley

Join us for an exciting event where you’ll learn to identify the common invasive plants that pose the biggest threat to our natural ecosystem.

Empower yourself by learning how to remove the invaders from your urban property and prevent them from escaping into our natural conservation lands and parks.
 
Don’t worry if you’re not an expert gardener, this session is a fantastic learning opportunity for everyone who loves nature to come together and make an impact that will help improve local biodiversity.
 
Funded in part by the City of Hamilton Clean and Green Project – Soil, Seeds and Sustainability.


Watch the recorded session here.

 

Stop Sprawl Greenbelt Rally in Hamilton
Garden Journeys Open Days 2023
Players-Guild-Summer-Market
Tree stump with new growth emerging in the foreground

Living Design Process workshop “Playing Nature’s Tune”
Saturday July 15, 2023 at 10am-12pm

How can we harmonize our lives with life’s creative melody?

Green Block Growing presents an interactive Living Design Process (LDP) workshop.

Spend your morning at the Green Block with your LDP guide Adrian Hodgson, Design Jam Permaculture, as we immerse ourselves in an experiential creative process that aims to spark a fresh perspective.

“Living Design Process”

What if how we created a building, or a garden, or even a conversation resonated deeply with how a tree or embryo grows?

Living Design Process is an exploration of how it might go if our change-making were at one with the way life continually creates itself

.. as a radical and transformative approach to how we humans understand and enact our role as expressions of Earth.

By consciously evolving how we create, LDP brings new levels of life, beauty and wholeness to what we create.

Cost: FREE or pay as you like (proceeds go to Green Block Growing events –suggested donation $0-$20, or some alternative means of support). All ages are welcome 

Location: At the “Green Block” on Kerr St (off Hatt St. and Ogilvie St., behind the Metro grocery store parking lot)

Rain or shine

Close up view of summer wheat against a summer sunset

Since ancient times friends and family have gathered to celebrate the return of light, sunlight, life, fertility, and the potential for a good harvest. Join us at the Green Block in Dundas to celebrate the solstice and the beginning of summer.

This gathering is on Saturday June 24 from 10:00am – noon at the “Green Block” on Kerr Street beside the Metro grocery store. Rain or shine.

This gathering is a celebration of the summer solstice and will have a special emphasis on kids. There will be activities including, bee house making, origami and planting of a sunflower to take home. There will also be a microscope for looking at the life in the soil, and more!

Large white text on black background, logo for Take The Jump

Starting Thursday June 1 we’re excited to partner with the UK-based climate group “Take the Jump” for their first ever North American “climate ambassador” sessions. 

REGISTER HERE

Format: Online each Thursday at 6pm EST for five (5) weeks.
Sessions will be recorded.

Details: This online course will give you all the tools you need to communicate about making sustainable changes, and Taking the Jump, in a way that will avoid conflict, inspire people, and lead to positive outcomes. The course includes various learning materials and plenty of chances to practice communicating.Session topics are: 

  1. Connecting with others (June 1) – Exploring the barriers to making a change
  2. Change through inspiration (June 8) – Exciting others about what’s possible
  3. Communication Toolkit (June 15) – Principles and steps for communicating, plus practice sessions. 
  4. Deepening (une 22) – Recaps, practice and FAQ’s
  5. Becoming an Ambassador (June 22) – Groups, workshops, and resources 
Event at the Green Block in Dundas. Growing vegetables and Ontario native plants together. Local chef, hand made soap, plant sale.

Plant Sale Our volunteers have been hard at work growing Ontario native plants from seed.

Limited supply. $2 each or 3 for $5

It is equally important to build a garden that benefits nature as well as fight food insecurity.

This event will focus on companion planting and growing your veg with the help of native pollinator plants.

-Planting demos
-Proteins in the garden
-Handmade soaps
-Eat less meet

Featuring local chef “Chef Nancy” with recipies for earth to table and cooking for the climate.

Plant “this” not “that” advice.

Plant sale too

Saturday May 13th at the Green Block in Dundas. From 10am – noon, rain or shine.

We live in an urban setting and space for growing is often limited to a balcony, a deck or a small corner of a back yard.  

Come and learn about food production and native pollinator plants in  containers of all kinds of shapes and materials.  

Learn how to build a self watering wicking bed container and learn how to build a vertical garden with a wood palette.



Our popular “Saturdays in Spring” in-person events are back for 2023!

April 29 “From the Garden”
Come to the Green Block at Kerr St. by Metro. We’ll be there 10am – 12pm.

April 15 “Water and Wildflowers”

More details about events in May and June coming soon.

Colour photo showing spencer creek trail head sign with person cleaning up the creek by using their kayak.
Join us on Earth Day Saturday April 22nd and help clean up Lower Spencer Creek. Gloves and bags provided. Rain or shine.
 
Starts at 10am at the bridge where Spencer Creek goes under Cootes Drive near McMaster University. We’ll head west (upstream) from there.
 
Wear rubber boots if you have them and help Neal from the shoreline. He’ll be in his kayak. Neal has been cleaning up local waterways for years, we’re excited to join him on this Earth Day outing.
 
RSVP @13forAction or 13forAction@gmail.com
 
After the clean-up we’re heading over to nearby Kaga Park for refreshements and conversation if you’d like to join.
Text describing the All About Berries webinar displayed over a colourful background of juicy strawberries

Monday March 6 | 6:30-7:30pm

Join us with Pat Kozowyk of Baba Link Farm to talk about berry varieties, planting them and care. 

Zoom link here

Bold yellow letters over the photo of green farmfields. For the Save Farmland mega rally December 4 in Hamilton at 1pm

This is the BIG one. We need you there! Bring a sign, bring a friend. Wear green.

Starts at 1pm and will wrap up around 2pm after speeches from well known community advocates.

#GreenbeltGrab
#SaveFarmland
#RepealBill23

Colourful sign for Urgent rally on Nov 19 at 11am in Dundas

As part of a province wide Day of Action join the Pop Up Rally in Dundas on Saturday November 19. Bring a sign!

We are speaking up to:
-stop sprawl
-save the Greenbelt
-against Bill 23 “More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022”

* Access our Bill 23 Toolkit here

Meet at 11am near the Spencer Trail at the southwest corner of the intersection at Cootes Drive and East Street N. in Dundas (across from the former Canadian Tire).

Speech bubble on white background with colour blocked date across the bottom, promoting Table Talk event to discuss Ontario's Bill 23

Ontario’s Bill 23 “More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022” defines the province’s own Housing Task Force. So what’s really behind this rouse to build much needed affordable housing? 

More than just climate at stake here, the impacts of the proposed changes with this Bill are staggering. 

Join us to talk, to listen, to share and find out what you can do. We all need to stand up against this threat.

Bill 23 Toolkit and resources available as well.

Large oak tree in fall colours at the Dundas Driving Park

Come meet the “big trees” of the Dundas Driving Park. Learn their history and their nature on this introduction to the augmented reality walking tour.

Bring a mobile device (iPhone, iPad) if you have one. And a mug for warm apple cider from local farm.

For more details follow Dundas Driving Park AR Tree Tour group on Facebook (Meta).

Fall Program

From site prep and soil conditions, to plant selection and growing native plants, these sessions offer tips and shared learning experiences for gardeners of all levels. 

Sept 10, Sept 19, Nov 26; various times. 

Two gardeners smiling, with tools. Gray scale photo with white block lettering.

New time! Now starts at 6:30pm

Do you like plants and gardening? Got food security or growing your own on your mind? If you live in the Dundas area and want to meet like minded people, come by the Green Block on Kerr Street, beside the Metro.

Every Monday from 7 to 8:30pm to meet, chat, and grow together. Drop-in when you can, all welcome. Hosted by Action 13 and the Community Permaculture Lab.

Green grasses blend into a yellow background with the text Spare a Square, promoting a speaking event with Lorrain Johnson on July 27 at 7pm.
Renowned author and Ontario native plant advocate Lorraine Johnson will start us off with a quick pep talk on our ability to protect biodiversity and to deeply, profoundly enjoy ourselves while doing so.
 
Action 13 will share how you can get involved in the Spare a Square parks pilot we’re proposing to the City for Ward 13, to bring pollinator havens to your local park. This is a community-led pilot, no garden required just a passion for pollinators and biodiversity! 
 
We’re also giving away a copy of Lorraine Johnson’s and Sheila Colla’s new book, A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee: Creating Habitat Gardens for Native Pollinators. 
 
Three topics – one Zoom party – less than an hour. 
Native wildflowers with orange text captions
2022.July.04  Drop by for a chat with Butterflyway Rangers about gardening for the local ecosystem, habitat and pollinators. Receive a tailored sample of locally grown native plant to get started in your pollinator garden.
 
Donations for the plants are welcome (but not necessary); any and all will be put toward continuing to bring the community more resources and native pollinator plants.
Two sparrows nestled in natural toned graphic for the Green Block event

2022.May.28  Get Growing, not Mowing – demonstrations and information about container gardening, growing your own veg, habitat for bees and birds. 

2022.Spring  Our first outdoor series, all are welcome. April 2 “Observe and Interact” permaculture experience, April 16 “Green Block Spring Kick-off” and April 30 “Wings and Wildflowers” walk.

event poster for March 26 walk

2022.March.26  Join us for the first of our “Saturdays in Spring” in-person events! Saturday March 26 as we walk and talk with guide and local water expert Caroline, along the lower Spencer Creek in Dundas.

Event poster in purple tones, showing silouettes of a group rallying for climate action.

2022.March.03  What is the City of Hamilton doing about the climate crisis? How are others stepping up to the challenge? 

Join us for a 90-minute climate conversation. Hear from local experts about how climate change is affecting us in Hamilton. Join a breakout group on the topic of your choice and talk with others who also want to make a difference. 

Whether you are just starting out on your climate journey or perhaps you’re already well on your way, we want to hear what you have to say about climate change in(action).

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