From Waste to Want!

Did you know that 40% of residential waste can be composted?

International Compost Awareness week is coming up May 3 – 9. We’re kicking off the week on Sunday, May 3 — come to The Forks between 11 am and 2 pm and get the scoop on what’s cool about compost:

• Take home some nutrient-packed compost for free!
• Tour The Forks composting program
• Pick up free yard waste bags and learn about the city’s curbside leaf and yard waste program
• Watch a composting demonstration to learn how easy it is to compost in your backyard
• Get a chance to win a bag of worm castings
• Peek into active worm bins and find out more about vermicomposting and manure management

Why compost?

The composting program is part of our Target Zero initiative: zero garbage, zero water waste and zero carbon emissions. Composting is a way to keep garbage out of landfills and it turns food waste into nutrient-rich compost for our gardens. Learn more about composting at The Forks by clicking here.

How it works

The composting process at The Forks begins in these compost bins. We collect food waste twice a week from vendors in The Forks Market and our composting partners downtown, such as the University of Winnipeg, Red River College, and Inn at The Forks.

The food waste (greens) gets mixed with wood chips (browns) in this giant mixer.

The mixture is placed in an in-vessel composter called the BIOvator, a long horizontal cylinder that creates the perfect environment for the microbes to do their thing. Trillions of microbes get to work breaking down all the food waste, turning it into nutrient-rich compost. Typically the mix is in the BIOvator for about two weeks.

The compost comes out of the BIOvator looking like this:

Since some materials take longer to compost than others, the compost gets screened so only the fine “dirt-like” bits get used and the larger particles go through the process again.

Once the compost has been screened it’s ready to go! It looks like dirt, smells like dirt, but it has a whole bunch of nutrients that, when added to our gardens, make the plants flourish. Compost also helps the soil retain moisture so we don’t have to water as often.

Find out more about composting at the Green Action Centre website or visit manitobacomposting.com or check out this awesome video:

(Video by: Green Action Centre)

Meet me at the Busk Stop

The trees are budding and the days are getting longer which can only mean one thing: it’s time for the annual busker auditions!

Every year, we host auditions to see who makes the cut and gets to entertain you on your strolls through The Forks.

There will be fiddling, a portrait sketch artist, mandolin, ukulele, juggling, African drumming, and tons more. Come watch this year’s busker auditions on May 1 & 2 and cheer for your favourite performers.

Where: Centre Court at The Forks Market
When: Friday, May 1 from 2 to 6p.m.  | Saturday, May 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.\
Cost: FREE!

The Adventures of Mom & Me!

Happy Earth Day! If you're someone who cares for little ones, you're probably curious about ways you can make a difference in protecting our earth. You might be wondering about cloth diapers? Or trying to find natural products that would work for you and your kiddos.

If you’re a mom-to-be or are already enjoying the wild ride that is motherhood, the Naturally Mom & Me Showcase is a great place to get started on your eco-friendly adventure. Join us this Friday, April 24 from  9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Tower Atrium at The Forks Market.



Sherry Sobey from Generation Green is bringing together some of Manitoba’s manufacturers and experts to help educate and show you great products for your family that are being made in your own backyard. Some of the manufacturers will even be rolling out brand new products at this event.

The showcase will include both tables with products on display and presentations. Here are some of the local businesses you’ll find:

• Mama Pacha – all-natural, herbal skincare products 
• Colibri – eco-friendly reusable snack bags, organic baby wraps
• Tree Hugger – reusable cloth pads
• Sew Dandee – silk screened onesies, wet tee pees
• CuddlyWrap by Peapod Creations – baby wraps
• Little Feather Designs – Bibdanas, bunny ear teething wrings
• Over the Rainbow – play silks

There will be four presentations over the course of the day to inform and inspire you:


 10:30 a.m. - Prenatal & Postnatal Fitness Q & A with Fit 4 Two instructor Natalie Kulczycki
12:30 p.m. - Nutrition during your childbearing years with Tressa Main from Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods
2 p.m. - Find out what a doula can do for you with Birth Roots Doula Collective
3:30 p.m. - Learn the basics of babywearing with Winnipeg Babywearers

A special 10% discount will apply to all products at the showcase, and there will be a draw for an amazing prize pack filled with the products on display. You can enter the draw in any or all of the following ways:

• Join the event on Facebook
• Get a passport card when you arrive at the showcase get it signed at each table or presentation you visit 
• Spend $20 or more at the showcase and get extra tickets for the draw

Generation Green will be going beyond the Manitoba border and displaying some of Sherry's favourite Canadian products, such as First Food Organics, a baby food and snack producer.

Along with showcasing great local products and services, Sherry wanted the event to partner with moms in our community who could use our support. The North End Women’s Centre will be accepting optional donations—monetary and new/gently used receiving blankets.

Tour du Chocolat

Semi-sweet, dark, light, milk chocolate- the options are endless and delicious. On April 18-19, The Forks Market is partnering with Ciao! to present the Tour du Chocolat, a unique Forks take on chocolate. For only $7, you can purchase a passport and try everything from chocolate perogies to deep fried mars bars. We have over 20 samples at our shops for you to savour, and you won't want to miss a single one.

We also have three students from the Pastry Art program at Louis Riel Arts &Technology Centre joining us for the festivities. Each student will be sculpting with chocolate to create a masterpiece that will be auctioned off at the end of the two-day event. We talked to each of the students to find out what they will be creating and a few of their favourite chocolate treats!




Hoping to pursue a career in pastry arts, Quin entered the pastry program in September. She's excited to be graduating in June.

What is Quin going to sculpt?

The only sculpture I have ever made was a small isomalt sugar sculpture, but prior to hearing about the chocolate festival, I had never attempted to make anything out of chocolate before. I'm anxious to see the end product, but I'm also very nervous that things won't turn out as planned.

I hope to create a bit of an underwater themed piece simply because as I was sketching out my plan, that is what became of the shapes I was creating

What's Quin's favourite chocolate?

As I am more of a sour jujube type of person, I find it hard to pick only one favorite chocolate, but I always find myself leaning towards anything milk chocolate filled with caramel.

Leandra entered the program at Louis Riel Arts &Technology Centre because she wanted to learn more about styles and techniques as a pastry chef. This is her first time working on chocolate like this and she's really looking forward to it.

What is Leandra going to sculpt?

The creation that I want to achieve is a carriage like the one off of Cinderella. Why did I choose this? Well, the new Cinderella movie that just came out it inspired me. The details of the carriage and how it was all gold it was such a phenomenal prop in the movie. And to try and hopefully create something like that would be amazing!

What is Leandra's favourite chocolate?

My favorite is milk chocolate or dark . I love both kinds, but not for any particular reason. I am just a fan of chocolate I guess.

Only 18 years old, Erica has been working hard to learn the skills of a baker. A soon-to-be graduate of the program, Erica is also new to sculpting chocolate, but is looking forward to the challenge.

What is Erica going to sculpt?

For my chocolate sculpture I am hoping to create something weird shaped using different shapes and sizes.

What is Erica's favourite chocolate?

My favorite type of chocolate is milk chocolate because I think it tastes the best and it has a nice and smooth mouth feel.

Saddle up for the Rodeo- Interstellar Rodeo that is.

Interstellar Rodeo has been slowly creeping into Winnipeg’s consciousness after three great festivals in Edmonton. Adding Winnipeg as Interstellar Rodeo’s second home was a natural. Winnipeg is a music-lovers town. We punch well above our weight when it comes to the talent that oozes out of here, and we are well known to be prolific and discerning when it comes to making and taking in live music.  Our festivals are renowned – every summer weekend boasts musical opportunities of all genres and vibes, and even our winter has shot up as a music festival season with events like Festival du Voyageur and Big Fun. Interstellar fits right in to the scene. It’s an urban festival – easily accessible by foot, bike, bus, car and even boat.

Our inaugural 2015 Winnipeg festival features a slick set of excellent artists – the unofficial theme has something to do with badasses. While very different musically, artists like Sinead O’Connor, Steve Earle and Tanya Tagaq are not afraid to tell their truths. Personally, I think every summer festival should end on a Blue Rodeo high; and so this one shall, right after a summer stunner of a set by Vance Joy who is burning up the airwaves and is about to hit the road with Taylor Swift!

When I think about Interstellar Rodeo, much of my excitement comes from envisioning it at The Forks. That museum in the background? After show drinks at SMITH? (maybe a breakfast cinnamon bun from Tall Grass…). I just can’t wait to sip exquisitely paired wine on one of those berms, watching Winnipeggers enjoy the site, the sights and seeing some old favorites like Dwight Yoakam, and likely find some new great bands to love.

Guest Post by: Sara Stasiuk

{fan of good music}

Interstellar Rodeo Winnipeg Artists & Schedule

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015

Hawksley Workman

Tanya Tagaq

Sinead O’Connor

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2015

Amelia Curran

NQ Arbuckle

Elliott BROOD

Justin Townes Earle

Steve Earle & The Dukes

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

Dwight Yoakam

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2015

Jason Plumb and the Willing

Black Joe Lewis

Rhiannon Giddens

The Lone Bellow

July Talk

Vance Joy

Blue Rodeo

Tickets:

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 10 at 8 a.m. 

Prices range from $48.75 (Youth single-day tickets) to $225.00 (Adult weekend transferable passes). 

There are limited quantities of First Mover Weekend Passes, which are just over $140 (1/3 off the advance price.)

For more ticket details, click here.