Our Allies
We are continually compiling this list of groups hosting tables, workshops, or participating somehow. If you are not on the list yet, email Jean a blurb (and desired time slot if you want one) and we will weave you in somehow: jean (at) muddersday.com
Structures:
Little Foot Yurts: The festival’s main structures are from Little Foot Yurts, a small, family run business in the Valley that makes traditional Mongolian structures using coppiced red maple.
Reese Tipis: Billy and Spruce have arranged to bring in one of the ceremonial teepees from the valley. The teepee was originally made by Reese Tipi in Colorado.
The Midwifery Coalition of Nova Scotia & The Volunteer Doula Program will be hosting the red tent! For more info all abou the red tent click here
Tables, Blankets and All Around’ Goodness:
The Halifax Free Skool is a open collective where community members can meet to share and exchange knowledge, information, and skills-based learning. It is a grassroots,volunteer-based organization and a working group of the Nova Scotia Public Interest Group (NSPIRG). The goal of the Free Skool is to provide free and accessible education and skills-based learning to the people of Halifax, covering a wide variety of topics and issues. By breaking down barriers to learning, we aim to expand awareness of alternatives and develop a sense of autonomous and critical thinking.
The Free Skool currently runs workshops biweekly at the North Memorial Library on Gottingen Street - you can find more information on our Facebook group or at www.halifaxfreeskool.wikispaces.com or by emailing us at: halifaxfreeskool at gmail dot com
The Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace will be present on Mudders Day to remind us that Mother’s Day began as Mother’s Day for Peace, a combined celebration of peace and motherhood. Julia Ward Howe (in costume!) will be present to deliver the original “Mother’s Day Declaration” and to distribute copies of the declaration. In the spirit of peace, the Voice of Women is also hoping to set up a table where people can make their own white poppies for peace (Note: the white poppy for peace was first developed by a women’s cooperative guild in England in 1933).
L’Arche Cape Breton is a charitable not for profit organization, part of an international federation of communities which provide homes and meaning work for adults with developmental disabilities. It is a place where those who are vulnerable and most marginalized by society, are a the heart of community life. L’Arche is a place where we value diversity. People from all walks of life, ages and countries come to live in community together , creating a place where everyone is celebrated.
We are a community which loves to sing, make crafts, bake bread and dance. We love celebrations, meeting new people and sharing meals together. Our community has 6 houses and 6 work programs: a workshop where we make crafts, two second hand clothing stores where we also sell our crafts, a seniors program Siesta Club, Caper Club and new this summer, an organic garden project, where we hope to grow and preserve our own food. It is a great place to learn about one’s self, as well as to develop mutual relationships with people with disabilities.
Books Beyond Bars is planning to participate with a fundraiser sale of awesome second hand books we don’t have any more room to store at Dal Legal Aid. We’ll also have literature about our program of bringing books and writing workshops to women -and mothers- in prison. We will be setting up along with Manufacturing Dissent (the political info district!). booksbeyondbars at gmail dot com
Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group will likely have a table there.
Friends of the Halifax Common are hoping to create a “Common Thread” which would involve tying wool to trees, posts, etc around the perimeter of the original common just to help the public understand its original extent. If you have any scraps of wool, cotton or other natural fibre that you have no future use for please bring it to Mudder’s Day- the Friends will be in the yurt closest to the entrance.
G slings, a new eco-friendly baby carrier company will set up a blanket to sell affordable baby slings. Prices will range from $30-$50. Hug your baby!
The Ecology Action Centre has acted as a voice for Nova Scotia’s environment for over 35 years. The EAC was voted #1 Activist Organization by readers of The Coast magazine for four years running. Since 1971, the EAC has been working to build a healthier, more sustainable Nova Scotia. Today we have over 1400 members, 250 volunteers and staff, and seven active teams and committees. The Ecology Action Centre works closely with social and natural scientists and makes strong use of science in communicating its message to the public.
The Ecology Action Centre is organized into seven issues-based groups.
The Food Action Committee’s objectives are:
1) to promote the social, economic, and environmental benefits of locally-produced food; and
2) to promote socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable ways of growing, processing, and distributing food.
The Urban Farm Museum Society of Spryfield (UFMSS) is going to set up a picnic blanket at the event in support.Mudders day is a great way to celebrate women, the environment, and community. It is also a great chance to remind ourselves the gardening season is fast approaching. As well, Marjorie Willison UFMSS president and local gardening expert will give a talk on planting times and other garden starting tidbits. As well, after her talk UFMSS with the other local agriculture focused organizations will be hosting workshops on vermin compost, seedling starters, and more see the workshop section for more details.
The Urban Farm Museum Society of Spryfield (UFMSS) is a not for profit that began in 1998 with the goal of preserving the Spryfield’s agricultural heritage. UFMSS does this through active participation with two garden sites located in Spryfield. The founding garden is located on a section of the Kidston family’s traditional farmlands. The Urban Farm has five large enclosed gardening areas that house raised planting beds, a large seated planter, and a garden shed all nestled togther in a grove of trees. In 2006 we took on the project of developing another garden site in the Greystone community. This second site is now home to ten raised planting bed and has become a destination for the community children. Though a smaller site in the fall the garden’s colourful blooms are an example of all the gentle fostering from the keen neighbourhood participants.
Both UFMSS garden host free programs and events that provide the community with an opportunity to discover new gardening skills, a chance to learn about local food systems, a space in which to develop secure social networks, and the benefit of sharing all the food they grow.
We are always seeking individuals interested in helping us continue to provide our many programs. Please, if you would like further information or are able to help contact UFMSS at urbanfarmspryfield (at) gmail (dot) com
Pumpkin Moon Farm is a certified organic herb farm in the Annapolis Valley. We will be bringing our organic seeds, seed potatos, and several perennial plant varieties to the Mudder’s Day celebration! Potted plants include valerian, lungwort, sweet cicely, lemon balm, elecampane, nettles, rhubarb, chives, comfrey, oregano, scullcap, and other hard-to-find medicinal herbs. Seeds include heritage tomatos and beans, mesclun greens, sunflowers, and a variety of flowers, culinary herbs, and medicinal herbs. We will also offer bulk dried raspberry leaf and nettles, and our beautiful handmade gardener’s soap. Free motherwort plants (Mudderwort?!) are just one of the other ‘treats’ we have in mind. See you there!
Meristem Gardening Cooperative- will be there with a with bike cart full of plants n’ pots
Tai Chi Society Atlantic Region was established in 1980. Taoist Tai Chi internal art of taijiquan cultivates mind and People. People of all ages can learn and benefit from the gentle turning and stretching movements of this art. Health benefits include improved balance, circulation, posture, increased flexibility and strength along with reduced stress.
The Halifax Make Poverty History Coalition Group is pleased to be participating in Mudder’s Day 2008. Our volunteers will be on site promoting the Make Poverty History Campaign and selling White Bands – the global symbol of this campaign, now the largest social justice movement in the world. Make Poverty History Canada is calling for
- More and better aid
- Trade justice
- Debt cancellation
- End child poverty in Canada
You can get involved right now by reading some of the startling facts and figures and signing onto the petition at www.makepovertyhistory.ca. When you do, you’ll be joining 250,000 other Canadians, leading organizations (inc. Oxfam and Canadian Crossroads International), experts (inc. Stephen Lewis) and celebrities (inc. Sarah McLachlan and the Barenaked Ladies) in this global call to action.
For more information about Make Poverty History and our local activities, please email mphhalifax (at) gmail (dot) com. Or you can join our mailing list at MPH Halifax - Google Group to be kept uptodate on local activities, meetings and actions. If you’re on Facebook, you can find us here: Facebook Group (Make Poverty History Halifax)
Extreme poverty is not natural. It is not necessary.
Our generation CAN Make Poverty History.
We have a plan to make it happen.
Come find out how.
Oxfam is planning a Pail Walker action with kids and parents. We will have water races through an obstacle course, face painting, nature crafts, and two ladybugs walking around to promote our water activities. Folks will have a chance to donate to Oxfam, and to sign on to our “Public Services For All” campaign. We’ll be bringing 2 canopy tents, and hope to set up 3 obstacle courses with tunnels, hoola hoops, etc.
Pail Walker is a fun, co-operative water relay activity for children (and their parents). Sponsored by Oxfam Canada, this activity provides children with a hands-on way to appreciate the difficulties of hauling water in communities with few public services. It is also a simple act of solidarity with women and children around the globe.
The Pail Walker races will begin at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
In many countries, women and girls haul 20 litres of water six kilometres a day just to meet basic household needs. For millions of women and girls this exhausting task is the only way their families will have water to cook, to clean, to bathe and to drink. Please see the page on Oxfam’s pailwalker event for more info.
Natural History Museum our plan is to set-up with a blanket somewhere and promote the museum and the importance of pollinators with a craft and likely a couple of demos.
Capoiera! Will be doing a demo!
Many commercial crops are sprayed with a wide array of carcinogenic chemicals or are genetically altered, having uncalculated long term effects on both the consumer and the environment. Organic food, however, is grown without chemical sprays and some is not genetically modified. The Grainery aims to provide organic and locally grown food that is nutritious, tasty and affordable, while minimizing environmental degradation.
Everyone is welcome to shop at the Grainery. The Grainery is located at 2385 Agricola St. Call us at 446-3301 to make sure we are open. You can also find us at the market on Saturdays.
“Halifax Gastronomic Arts Collective” . To celebrate the bounty all around us, HGAC merges fine cuisine with a compilation of art forms to provide an all-sensory experience. This is achieved while supporting local resources by making use of goods and services from artisans and other providers within the community, bringing awareness to sustainable practices. Come witness the abundance of winter harvest at a dinner event hosted by the HGAC: a group of multi disciplinary artists spreading the lore of good eating. Contact us at hgac at mindbound dot ca.
Transmission Meditation and Share International: Without sharing there is no justice. Without justice there is no peace. Without peace there is no world possible.
HRM Parent is an online community for families with kids under 6 in HRM. We connect parents in and around the HRM to local events, information, services, products – and to each other. Visit us at Mudder’s Day for a taste of what HRM Parent has to offer: we will be handing out useful info sheets/calendars of activities and programs for kids, come and browse the site to see it in action (assuming it’s not raining we will be bringing laptops!), plus put your name in for our special Mudder’s Day giveaway of a pack of beautiful Barefoot Books!
Beth Lenco is an artist and shamanic practitioner living in Portuguese Cove. Her work is about nurturing our connection with the earth through art and sacred shamanic practices. She is available for shamanic healing,mentoring, and creativity coaching.
Wendy Demarchant
HomeGrown Organic Foods
Dalhousie Women’s Centre
Cloth Valley Diapers
Adsum Centre for Women and Children wanted to, but won’t make it this year.
More to come! ….send me (jean (at) mudddersday.com) your blurbs to get on the list here.