About us

Campus Crops is a student run urban gardening initiative at McGill University's downtown campus. We want to grow food on campus, by students, for students. We have been running garden behind the School of Environment building at 3534 University since 2007. In 2009 we started a terrace garden behind the James Administration building. We're really excited to keep improving these two spaces, and need lots of helping hands for the summer ahead! Get in touch and get gardening!

Monday, October 7, 2013

New meeting hours!


Meeting hours have been changed for the semester.

General meetings - Mondays at 5:30pm. 

We talk about day-to-day management of the group, activities, orientation, envisioning, etc. Not very formal unless it needs to, it is for people who are interested in making decisions regarding the struggles and activities of Campus Crops.

Workshop meetings - Saturdays at 2pm. 

Organizing tool for everyone who has interest in food politics and agriculture/gardening, and ideas for workshops, events and activities to bring those topics to other people at McGill or elsewhere.

Gardening hours - Saturdays at 3pm and Tuesdays at 3pm.

Gardening in the gardens with other gardeners.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Guide to urban agriculture and sustainable food in Montréal



We share with you here the zine/guide we put up for Rad Frosh 2013. It contains a non-exhaustive list of CSAs, markets, local food, and organic/sustainable stores in Montréal, as well as resources for urban gardeners and freegans.

You can download it in web format or print format, or simply read it below.

  Web by syloglu



Friday, August 23, 2013

Seed-saving workshop August 31

Join us at the garden for a 30-minute workshop on seed-saving on Saturday August 31 at 4:30pm. We will demonstrate, using plants we grow in the garden, how to save seeds from most of the crops you love.

Seed-saving, if done properly, is a cheap way to get quality seeds for the next year's garden with just a little bit of extra planning and work. With more experience, you can start selecting seeds from particular plants to get crops that will suit your preferences.

The workshop will be followed by the usual gardening tasks, namely watering and/or harvesting.
Find the Facebook event here.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Garden update: harvest!


It's been a while since we posted anything about our crops. Hopefully your plants have been growing as well (or even better) than ours so far!

First of all, we have been uploading photos of our gardens regularly since early July. A slideshow showing the growth of our crops through time can be found on the right-hand side of the blog ("Watch the garden grow!").

And we also finally built our own spiral garden! We had to find bricks first, so we ended up making it quite late and our herb seedlings didn't really appreciate, but now it's up and the herbs are not doing that bad. Have a look!

Freshly made.

Freshly planted.

About a month later.

=================================

We also started harvesting some of our crops and are waiting for others to fully ripen.

The rattlesnake beans.

The cherry tomatoes.

The peas.

The strawberry blite.

The spaghetti squash (so many!!).

The beets.

The ground cherries.

The pepper.

The sunflowers.

The tomatillos.

The tomatoes.
==================================
Although our strawberry blite has started to die (we're not even sure if that's normal), a ton of strawberry blite seedlings have popped out of the grown to replace the dead plants.

Dying one by one.

Many strawberry blite seedlings replacing their parent plant. Obviously, the two bigger seedlings in the middle of the picture are strawberry blite, but so are all the tiny seedlings around them.

Basically a mat of seedlings. The pink-red berries of the strawberry blite can hold a good amount of seeds.

A close-up view of the seedling mat. Somewhat pleasant to look at.

======================================

Quite a messy blog post, but we hope you enjoyed the photos. We'll close on a top view of the whole garden, taken this August 5, 2013. We'll be back with more news from the garden, some workshops and possibly other cool stuff for the school year!

We must admit it DOES look great!




















Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Seasonal availability of fruits and vegetables in Quebec


Here's a nice table we adapted from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of Quebec (MAPAQ).

Note that the seasonal availability may change depending on the growing season, the region, the specific market, the producers, etc.

Also, corn, oats, rye, buckwheat, barley, spelt, kamut and soy DO grow in Quebec, contrarily to what some people think. SOBAYA noodles are a good example of a product made of locally-grown grains (made in Quebec from grains grown in Quebec).


Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The Midnight Kitchen is hiring!

***MK is hiring for 5 positions! ***

Deadline is August 9th at Midnight.


Please provide a cover letter and list 3 references. A maximum 1 page cover letter will be accepted through email at mkhiring2013@gmail.com or mail courrier at: Midnight Kitchen 3480 Mctavish street room 414 Montreal, QC H3A 0E7

You can apply for multiple positions but please submit a different cv for each position applied for. 

The Midnight Kitchen is a non-profit, volunteer run collective dedicated to serving healthy food to as many people as possible. We aim to empower individuals and communities by providing a working alternative to current market based systems for food collection and distribution. We provide education on food issues, and a space for an exchange of ideas within the community. We recognize that much of the politics surrounding food production and distribution are part of a larger system of oppression. By reclaiming control over the distribution of food in our community we are acting in the pursuit of social and environmental justice and we will support others who share these goals. We organize and act according to principles of anti-oppression.

We are hiring for the following positions:

Driver/Pick-up Coordinator (6-8 hrs per week/8 months, pay scale $11.96, start date: August 26th)

Volunteer Coordinator (8-10 hrs per week/ 8 months, pay scale $14.30, start date: August 26th)

Kitchen Coordinator (12-14 hrs per week/ 8 months, pay scale: $14.56, start date: September 2nd)

Outreach Coordinator (16-18 hrs per week/ 12 months, pay scale: $15.08, start date: August 26th)

Finance Coordinator (16-18 hrs per week/ 12 months, pay scale: $15.08, start date: August 26th)

*The Midnight Kitchen is a collective that uses consensus decision making and is non-hierarchical, all applicants should be prepared to work collaboratively and make decisions in a group*

We conduct hiring on the basis of employment equity. Employment equity is designed to compensate for the nonexistence of a level playing field with regards to people's experiences and job qualifications, given the structural injustice that affects marginalized groups within capitalism. These groups include but are not limited to: indigenous people, people of color, women, queer people, trans* people, people with disabilities, and working class people.

if you wish to be considered for employment equity, include the following sentence in your cover letter ‘I would like to be included for employment equity.’ Please note that we do not require applicants to specify the basis on which they are applying for employment equity.

------ Descriptions Below -------

 

1. Outreach  Coordinator
  •     Networking with other organizations both on and off campus.
  •     Work a minimum of 3h/week in the kitchen (i.e. at least one coordinating shift)
  •     Organizing a minimum of 2 workshops on social justice topics and other events per semester including the summer, this includes coordinating the annual ‘Put Your Politics where Your Mouth Is’ series, as directed by the Midnight Kitchen collective
  •     Working to update the MK library and purchase new books
  •     Communicating with Alternative Libraries database and attempting to incorporate the Midnight Kitchen Library
  •     Attending Midnight Kitchen collective meetings and updating the collective on political programming, networking, and outreach projects.
  •     Designing workshops that Midnight Kitchen can present
  •     Coordinating making and serving food at the Annual Anarchist Bookfair (summer)
  •     Writing a detailed exit report
  •     Maintaining a log of hours worked
  •     Working with the collective to brainstorm and generate ways that Midnight Kitchen can take political action outside of daily servings and solidarity servings
  •     Coordinating two issues of the Midnight Kitchen newsletter a year (in collaboration with volunteers and the collective)

 

Desired skillset:

* Knowledge of social justice and anti-oppression

* Organized and able to work autonomously

* Creative and flexible

-* Outgoing

*Experience with consensus decision-making

* Good communication skills

* Experience collaborating on special projects

* Experience with event or workshop planning

* Experience working with other Montreal community based organizations and knowledge of them

* Bilingual (asset)

* Cooking skills (asset)

* Knowledge of radical student organising at McGill (asset)
 

2. Volunteer Coordinator

Individual responsibilities include:

  •     Creating and updating volunteer schedules
  •     Work at least 3h a week in the kitchen (coordinate 1 shift)
  •     Responding to requests from individuals wishing to become involved with Midnight Kitchen
  •     Working with outreach coordinators on outreach and political materials
  •     Reporting to the collective at meetings regarding volunteer management and recruitment
  •     Bottom-lining strategizing and generating mechanisms for recruitment and retention of new collective members
  •     Acting as a liaison for incoming volunteers
  •     Working with kitchen coordinator to coordinate volunteer and kitchen orientations
  •     Coordinating at least 1 politically oriented volunteer event per semester
  •     Ensure cooking coordinating shifts are covered
  •     Enabling communication between cooking coordinators
  •     Coordinating Midnight Kitchen presence and volunteers at McGill Activities Night volunteer fairs
  •     Writing a detailed exit report

Desired Skillset:

*Approachable and friendly

*Knowledge of social justice and anti-oppression

* Organized and able to work autonomously

* Creative and flexible

* Experience with consensus decision-making

* Good communication skills

* Experience coordinating volunteers

* Experience working with students or youth

* Experience facilitating workshops or orientations

* Bilingual (asset)

* Cooking skills (asset)

 

3.     Administrative Coordinator

Individual Responsibilities Include:

  •     Managing MK finances in an organized and transparent fashion
  •     Managing daily operations (handling petty cash and reimbursements)
  •     Working with Kitchen Coordinator to ensure replacement and repairs of broken equipment
  •     Prepare a finance update for every collective meeting
  •     Working with the Kitchen Coordinator to coordinate bulk food orders
  •     Working with Kitchen Coordinator and Midnight Kitchen collective to research the potential for large equipment purchases, as needed, and research and apply for grants as needed.
  •     Working with the SSMU (Students’ Society of McGill University) VP of finances and Operations to draft budget for next financial year
  •     Managing the Midnight Kitchen discretionary fund [if palpable]
  •     Working a minimum of 3h/week in the kitchen (i.e. at least one coordinating shift)
  •     Writing contracts for next paid positions
  •     Writing detailed exit report
  •     Develop policy binder for reference to every Midnight Kitchen collective meeting
  •     Looking into health insurance for staff
  •     Maintaining a log of hours worked
  •     Work with other students services with paid positions to figure out possibilities of a union, for people who work under SSMU.

Desired Skillset:

*Experience with accounting and Spred sheets (necessary)

*knowledgeable of Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) finances, administration and policy (asset)

* General knowledge of social justice and anti-oppression

* Organizational skills

* Ability to work autonomously

* Strong communication skills

* Experience in applying for grants (asset)

* Bilingual (asset)

*Experience navigating bureaucracy

 

4. Kitchen Coordinator

Individual responsibilities include:
  • Working with Administrative/Finance Coordinator to ensure replacement and repairs of broken equipment
  • Working with Administrative/Finance Coordinator to coordinate bulk food order
  • Attending collective meetings and reporting back on kitchen operations and logistics
  • Working with Administrative/Finance Coordinator and Midnight Kitchen collective to research the potential for large equipment purchases, as needed.
  • Increasing the physical accessibility of space and safety
  • Working a minimum of 3h/week in the kitchen (i.e. at least one coordinating shift)
  •  Coordinating food safety trainings as necessary
  • Working with the Administrative/Finance Coordinator on making small purchases to maintain the daily functioning of the kitchen (i.e. keeping the kitchen stocked with dish rags, soap, oven mitts, etc.)
  • Writing a detailed exit report

*Working with SSMU on booking the kitchen and other policies, coordinating all kitchen bookings.

 

Desired Skillset:

* General knowledge of social justice and anti-oppression

* Organizational skills

* Ability to work autonomously

*Experience with grant writing (asset)

* Strong communication skills

* Bilingual (asset)

*Experience managing bureaucracy

*Experience working in a commercial kitchen, knowledge of food security measures.
 

5. Pickup Coordinator/Driver

Tasks include:

  • Driving to Midnight Kitchen food pickup locations, collecting food donations, and delivering it to the Midnight Kitchen two times per week
  • Doing other driving based on organizational needs as determined by the collective
  • Liaising with the Midnight Kitchen collective to ensure that all pickups occur as scheduled
  • Working with the Midnight Kitchen collective to communicate with food donors and maintain positive relationships
  • Writing a detailed exit report

 

Desired Skillset:

* General knowledge of social justice and anti-oppression
* A Valid Drivers’ license

* Access to a vehicle of sufficient size for the three weekly pickups

* Ability to lift boxes that weigh approximately 20lbs

- Bilingualism (an asset)


Tasks shared among all paid positions include (Finance, Outreach, Kitchen, and Volunteer):

  •  Working on internal relationship building and internal capacity of the collective. This includes having a minimum of one workshop on: consensus, facilitation, and anti-oppression in the fall and winters semesters (total of 3 workshops/semester). Suggestion: Coordinate a minimum of 3 collective dinners or events each semester.
  •     Keeping the office and kitchen clean and organized including keeping computer and printer functional
  •     Maintaining communication with the Students’ Society of McGill University executive
  •     Respond to emails and other Midnight Kitchen correspondence, including emails, in a timely fashion.
  •     Coordinate hiring procedures and have positions evaluated and contracts approved by the time new people are hired (including summer position)
  •     Work on documentation and maintain collective memory (including keeping records of your work, and compiling and organizing collective and committee meeting minutes)
  •     Being aware of and up-to-date on all policy
  •     Generating strategy/mechanisms for actively recruitment of new collective members throughout the year
  •     Updating outreach media, promo materials, website, facebook, consider twitter.
  •     Working on making the kitchen a more physically accessible space (have an accessibility audit)
  •     Working on maintaining MK internal network. Try to generate mechanisms to stay in touch with past volunteers/collective members.
  •     Keeping track of events and meetings in order to respond to general inquiries
  •     Assisting with the annual ‘Put Your Politics where Your Mouth Is’ workshop series, as directed by the Midnight Kitchen collective
  •     Ensuring that the task of facilitating collective meeting is rotated
  •     Coordinating a collective “Visioning” meeting once a semester
  •     Shared tasks with volunteer collective members whenever possible.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Gardening hours Summer 2013

Our gardening hours for this summer will be:

Mondays: 4-6pm (followed by a meeting at 6pm)
Wednesdays: 11am-1pm
Saturdays: 2-4pm

No need to commit to a particular gardening time. Join us regularly (or not) in the garden!

For any questions, email us at campuscrops@gmail.com