Category Archives: Events & Programs

Bee’s & Our Food

Posted on by
Reply

beeimage

Tuesday August 15 @ 6:30pm in the Community Room

All members are invited to come down for a talk on the role of the honeybee in providing the very foods we eat and their vulnerability in the face of large scale agriculture. We will also get a first hand account of urban beekeeping practices here in the city that aim to save the honeybee – including an update on how our own hive is doing!
Snacks and refreshments will be on hand. For more information or to confirm that you are planning to attend, please contact

Ryan Hayward
416 920 7340×204 / rhayward@dianefranklingco-op.com

0

BEACH DAY!

Posted on by
Reply

beachdayimage

Saturday August 26, 10:30am – 6:30pm
Victoria Beach in Cobourg ON!

Grab your suits, DFC is going to the beach! All members are welcome to join us on our trip out to Victoria beach in Cobourg. While there, guests will have plenty of time to swim and enjoy their time by the water or venture into historic Downtown Cobourg to wander around and take in the sites.

There is space on the bus for a maximum of 35 members and there is a refundable $10.00 fee to secure your spot. If you would like to get more information or sign up to attend, please contact

Ryan Hayward
416 920 7340 x204 / rhayward@dianefranklingco-op.com

0

Shakespeare in the Park

Posted on by
Reply

shakespeareimage

7:00pm @ High Park, Show starts at 8:00pm

Canstage’s annual summer Shakespeare in the Park production is in full swing. On the program this summer is King Lear and Twelfth Knight at the lovely High Park Amphitheater.

For all members that are interested in going, DFC is planning to take in a performance of Twelfth Knight on August 23! We will handle the cost of transportation to and from the show. Guests can handle the PWYC fee if they are able. If not, we can take care of that too.
If you would like to attend or need some more information, please contact

Ryan Hayward
416 920 7340 x204 / rhayward@dianefranklingco-op.com

 

0

Max Milton Kelley & Friends at the Island Cafe

Posted on by
Reply

islandfaceimage

Wednesday August 2, 6:30pm – 10:30pm 

Much of the Toronto Islands are under water, but the businesses on Wards Island are still up and running and wanting us land folk to visit!

DFC will be hosting a trip  to the oh-so-charming Island  Café to check out a    concert by local band Max Milton Kelly & Friends! This is open to any co-op  members who would like to attend! To sign up for this event, please sign up in the main lobby of 85 Bleecker. More    information can be found at

 

Ryan Hayward
416 920 7340 x204
rhayward@dianefranklingco-op.com

0

Expressive Writing Class

Posted on by

expressivewritingimage.pub.pngTuesday August 22, 1:00pm – 3:00pm in the Community Room

DFC will be hosting its next Expressive Writing Group on Tuesday August 22 @ 1:00 pm in the Community Room with the ever amazing Honey Novick! All members are welcome to attend. No experience or background in writing is required! Just be willing share your thoughts and be creative!

We’ll use a different approach to self-expression
We’ll talk and write and share what’s important to us
Each voice is important, each story a tale to tell
We’ll create a safe and fun atmosphere

For more information please contact
Ryan Hayward 416 920 7340 x204
rhayward@dianefranklingco-op.com

0

All Abuzz about a Honey of Workshop

Posted on by
Reply

complaint%20clipart

Last night our professional bee keepers
 brought down 2 frames from our roof top apiary accommodation to the community room for us to work on.
We set about taking turns at de-capping the combs:  that is lifting off the top portion of the cells to allow the honey to be spun out.  It is a delicate job.  We used an uncapping fork with small teeth.  (In the larger industry they might use a hot knife.)  You don’t want to dig too deep.  The comb underneath should be kept intact, as much as possible.  It will be returned to the hive where our busy little worker bees will tidy it up and refill it, rather than having to build whole new combs on the frame.  This saves time and energy for our hive.
 
Once de-cap-itated the frames were moved to the extractor and we each had our turn at working the crank handle and spinning the honey free of the wax comb.  Centrifugal force caused it to run down the sides of the extractor where it was filtered to catch errant pieces of wax.  Each frame had to be spun twice to remove all the golden goodness from both sides.  Two frames roughly 1 ft X 2.5 ft each produced a surprising amount of honey, possibly, forgiving my metric math, 2 kg or 4 lbs +/-.  
It was filtered again before each individual small bottle (maybe 4 oz?) was filled from a spout and capped for future enjoyment.  Each hive produces a unique flavour of honey.  There are the standard flavours, of course, clover and buckwheat.  But here we seem to have a unique Cabbagetown flavour.  Our 8th floor rooftop hive had definite hints of pepper!  David, with the small ground level hive used for our demos, reports mint overtones to his honey.
I’m not sure what they do with the wax from the de-cap-itating but I gathered a good measure in a plastic glass.  This morning I found a lovely little puddle of even more honey in the bottom of the glass.  Someone recommended adding the comb wax to hot cereals like oatmeal.  Those bees work so hard making the stuff there have to be microscopic nutrients in there.
We have 10 more frames to harvest, which the professionals, Alvéole will do for us. 
Ryan and Alvéole estimate that we may see 13 kg of honey from our hive.  That’s 28 lbs.
The honey will be sold in the Bleecker lobby later this fall.  Ryan thought we could put the funds towards installing another hive in the courtyard!
Now that is one sweet plan to get buzzed about.

 

0

DFC Helping Hands Program Needs You!

Posted on by
Reply

halpinghands

What is the Helping Hands Program? 

The aim of the program is to pair senior co-op members (or co-op members experiencing some mobility challenges) with other members who can help with basic errands or chores. Some examples of the kinds of support might be:

o   Picking up groceries / supplies

o   Picking up prescriptions

o   Assisting with light household projects (i.e. moving some furniture etc)

o   Accompanying individual to important appointments

o   What volunteers can’t do: Banking, Laundry, Personal Care, Routine House Cleaning

How does it work? 

o   Once you are confirmed to be taking part in the program you will contact me directly with some specific help / assistance that you might need and when you need it (advance planning is key).

o   I will then reach out to co-op members that have offered their help and see who is available to assist. Once an effective match is made, I will put the two members in touch with each other.

Right now we would like to hear from members who might need some support AND members who can provide some support. If you would like to take part in this program or would like to get more information, please feel free to contact me directly.

Ryan Hayward

Community Projects Coordinator

Diane Frankling Housing Co-op

416 920 7340 x204 / rhayward@dianefranklingco-op.com

0