It was an exciting hour for the students and employees of Durham College’s (DC) Centre for Food (CFF) when, on Wednesday, September 30, CTV’s Anwar Knight broadcast live during the News at Noon.

Sharing the CFF’s field-to-fork vision with viewers, Knight spent time learning about the programs and touring the spaces within the centre, beginning with a look at the fields outside the CFF. Knight then visited one of the culinary labs where students were preparing dishes using produce harvested that day. While there Peter Lee, a culinary professor and program coordinator at the CFF, discussed the importance of the field-to-fork philosophy to the student’s curriculum and local food movement.

Knight also visited the CFF’s greenhouses, speaking with Shane Jones, a professor from the School of Science & Engineering Technology, about his cold frame technology research. He also spent time with Bistro ‘67’s executive chef Ron Subden discussing edible flowers, even sampling a surprisingly delicious popcorn seedling.

“We were thrilled to welcome Anwar Knight and CTV to see the CFF first-hand,” said David Hawey, chair, Centre for Food. “There is such diversity in the work we’re doing and what we’re teaching the students; the best way to understand it is to see it first-hand. Opportunities like these really help share our vision.”

For anyone interested in learning more about the programs offered at the Centre for Food or Bistro ’67, the CFF’s green-certified teaching restaurant visit www.durhamcollege.ca/cff.

The CTV News at Noon live-eye can be viewed here. Clips from the visit can be found throughout the broadcast.

Visitors to the South Village Courtyard at Durham College (DC) and University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)’s joint Oshawa campus were likely to think they had been transported to a farmer’s market as the institutions hosted their second-ever Campus Market on October 1.

As part of the DC and UOIT Sustainability offices’ commitment to raising awareness about the availability of locally grown food, students, employees and members of the community were treated to a variety of fresh items from local vendors, including meat, vegetables and baked goods. Food trucks were also onsite serving up their wares.

DC’s culinary and horticultural students participated by assisting in the harvesting of crops from outside the Centre for Food (CFF), which were then sold at the market, providing them with an opportunity to bring the CFF’s field-to-fork vision to life.

For anyone looking to purchase fresh, local food year-round, be sure to visit Pantry, the unique retail store located on the first floor of the CFF. There they will find an assortment of delicious, high-quality foods prepared by the college’s culinary students, from fresh-baked breads to frozen entrees and pickled vegetables, jams and jellies.

In an effort to bring the political process to students and the wider community, Durham College (DC), Trent University Durham and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) co-hosted two federal candidates’ debates on DC and UOIT’s shared campus, on September 30. A candidate and networking exposition was also offered.

Candidates running to become a federal Member of Parliament, representing the Oshawa and Durham ridings, engaged in separate 60-minute debates while the networking expo gave students and community members the opportunity to discuss issues and speak with the candidates representing the Conservative, Green, Liberal and New Democratic parties.

“Providing opportunities for our students to become engaged, politically savvy citizens is very important,” said Tony Doyle, chief of staff, Durham College. “For many, this is the first time they are old enough to vote; we want to provide a venue for all students to learn as much as possible about the candidates, the parties and the election process. We hope these efforts will result in a very large student turnout on election day.”

In addition to the debates and networking showcase, there is broad interest both on- and off-campus in connecting students to the election. A number of DC professors have established election-specific assignments within courses, student clubs have arranged sessions on campus with local candidates, and the college worked with Elections Canada to set-up information booths at its Oshawa and Whitby campuses.

The federal election will be held on Monday, October 19.

On Thursday, September 24 Durham College (DC) hosted its first-ever Harvest Dinner at the Centre for Food, in celebration of the fall season. One hundred members of the community gathered to enjoy a meal featuring a variety of food, including produce and herbs that were planted, picked and prepared by DC students and to celebrate the college’s first crop yield.

The multi-course meal, served family style, was inspired by the CFF’s field-to-fork vision, which is based on the harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sale and consumption of food – in particular the production of local food for local consumers. CFF ambassador and celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy was on-hand to assist with menu planning and worked with the culinary students in the kitchen while guests dined under the stars, surrounded by the CFF’s fields and greenhouses.

“Not only was the Harvest Dinner an excellent opportunity to celebrate the fall season with the community, it was also the culmination of several years of hard work on the part of Durham College employees and students,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “The vision has also come together through the generosity of the broader community. We now have the dedicated resources and energy to bring the field-to-fork vision to life and it’s thrilling to see it all coming together.”

Highlights from the dinner included smoked loin of Ontario pork (beef and chicken were also available) with a beet and apple chutney, Linwood Acres trout with lemon geranium and chili peppers and a harvest vegetable medley consisting of carrots, cauliflower, roasted baby corn, Brussels sprouts, green beans and onions. Dessert consisted of several tarts, pumpkin cheesecake and strawberry rhubarb mini pies.

“As the ambassador for the Centre for Food, I was very excited to be part of this harvest celebration,” said Chef Jamie Kennedy. “Celebrating fresh, seasonal and local food is at the heart of my culinary philosophy and fall is a one of my favourite times of the year. It was great to be able to share the season with the students and wider community.”

For anyone who missed out on the Harvest Dinner, they can stop by Bistro ’67, the CFF’s green-certified, teaching-inspired restaurant, to enjoy more of the centre’s produce yields. Chef Kennedy will be onsite on select Thursdays throughout the year for a special dining experience. These evenings will feature great food, inspired by Chef Kennedy and the CFF’s philosophy, served in a creative learning environment that represents what happens when communities, local farmers and education work together. Upcoming dates include Thursday, October 22 and Thursday, November 19.

On Tuesday, August 25, representatives from the 100 Men of Scugog group were on-hand at Durham College’s (DC) Centre for Food at the Whitby campus to present President Don Lovisa with a cheque for $4,400. The funds, to be administered over four years, will be used to support a new bursary for DC students from the Scugog region who are in financial need.

“We are honoured that 100 Men of Scugog has chosen the Durham College Foundation for one of its annual donations,” said Lovisa. “The establishment of this bursary will support Scugog students in their post-secondary studies, making a college education available to those who may not otherwise have the financial resources. This bursary will help support students as they develop the skills needed to be successful in their future careers.”

Each year the 100 Men of Scugog nominates community institutions and organizations to receive funding. Members of the group commit to donating $100 four times per year and together decide where those funds go.

“We know how important Durham College is to our community and were moved by the fact that many students struggle to pay,” said Richard Gauder, one of the founding members of 100 Men of Scugog. “We also heard that 60 per cent of students aren’t coming to the college from high school. There are single moms, people who need to retrain after losing a job and others. We thought, why not lend a helping hand? By helping these students, we’re in turn supporting the township of Scugog, which is the reason we started the 100 Men group. We know this bursary will provide assistance to the recipients and help them achieve their dreams.”

100 Men of Scugog joins many businesses, service clubs, associations, foundations and individuals who have donated to DC. In 2015, $267,950 in bursaries which were awarded to 220 students and $105,390 in scholarships which were presented to 115 students. For more information regarding bursaries and scholarships, please visit http://www.durhamcollege.ca/admissions/general-information/scholarships-bursaries-and-awards.

For more information on 100 Men go to www.100men.ca.