Soupstock 2012 - Still Fighting the Mega-Quarry

Hello again.  Now I know the answer to what starting school would do to my posting.  This has been such a huge workload that I really haven’t had time to write posts, with all the writing I have to do for my classes and all the time the program occupies – both in and out of class.  But when time allows, I will continue to make posts, and this one is important.

It has now been a year that I have been following the fight against a mega-quarry in prime farmland in Melancthon Township.  Last year I attended Foodstock, a fundraiser on a potato farm in the region that had over 70 local chefs providing tastes of their cuisines.  While the mega-quarry is not a reality yet, the application is still alive and making its way through the various permit processes.  The Canadian Chefs Congress along with the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT)  continue to fight the project and are still raising money for legal representation to be sure the voice of sustainability is heard.  This year, there will be another big event, and this one will be in the city, with the expectation of more participation and a crowd that could top the 28,000 that attended Foodstock last year.

Now the cause has a large additional ally, the David Suzuki Foundation, perhaps Canada’s most respected environmental organization.  This year the event is Soupstock, and it will be held Sunday, October 21, 2012 at Woodbine Park in Toronto, Ontario, from 11am-4pm.  

View Larger Map

 As the name suggests, all the chefs will be serving soups, something I’m pretty sure was inspired by that cold, windy and rainy day we had at Foodstock last year.  The cost of the event is also being handled in a somewhat different way.  While last year it was a $10 suggested donation to enter, this year entry is free but the servings of soup will be pre-purchased with tickets.  $10 will buy three servings of soup.  Similar to last year, participants will be expected to bring their own bowl and spoon.  Seeing as they are charging $10 for only 3 portions, I am guessing the servings of soup may actually be full, or close to full, servings as opposed to tiny tastings that they had last year.  There are well over 100 chefs this time, I’m sure a result of relocating to Toronto.  Notable attendees include returning chefs Michael Stadtlander, Jamie Kennedy and Brad Long, and other chefs joining include Susur Lee, perhaps Canada’s most talented chef, and Greg Rennet, the chef from Painter’s Hall right here in Barrie, the subject of one of my posts this summer.  The set list for the musical portion of the day is also considerably more extensive.

I will be attending this year as well.  While I am very busy, Soupstock is taking place during my reading week, when I will not be in Barrie and will have access to transportation.  Furthermore, this time I have a larger network of friends and colleagues and I will make an effort to spread the word and suggest to many of my classmates that this would be a worthwhile event.  Since some of them live in the Toronto area and might be home for reading week, I hope some of them may be able to attend and lend their support to this cause.

Again, I ask any of my readers who live in the Greater Toronto Area to please consider attending this event and lend your support to this very important cause.  You can taste soup of some of the best chefs in the country and keep up the fight against the mega-quarry.  For information about the mega-quarry visit the Soupstock website or refer to my post from last year.  And in addition to my voice, I include this message from David Suzuki of the David Suzuki Foundation.

***********************************************************************
Oh, and of course, one more thing.  Happy Birthday to me!!  I'm 31 now, and at least I'm finally making some progress towards my future.