Air pollution derived from gasoline powered lawn mowers, contributes 5% and 80,000 tonnes of air pollution in Canada annually (Source Environment Canada). Noise from gasoline powered lawn mowers at around 90-100 decibles is aggrivating, not to mention how it disturbs the neighbors early each morning. Solution? Corldless lawn mowers and equipment charged by alternative solar energy. If you are interested in doing your part for the enviroment we would be happy to help you with that in the Oak Bay area. http://www.cleanairlandscaping.ca

Here's some info from the 2009 Program (we haen't recevied the 2010 info yet)

Carol-Ann Rolls

Block watch Society BC

Island Zone rep

Grate 2 cups of zucchini.  (I use a hand grater).  Squeeze a large organic orange and add the juice to the grated zucchini. Grate the orange rind (using the large side of the hand grater) and mix with the zucchini.  Let this sit in a glass bowl while mixing the other ingredients.

Add the following ingedients into a large bowl and beat with mixer until smooth and glossy and even bubbly. I use an electric hand-held mixer & sometimes sift the dry ingredients together first, but when time is tight, I skip the sifting. With organic ingredients, the outcome is even more delicious.

2 1/2 cups flour (suggest using organic whole wheat pastry flour)

1/2 cup cocoa (organic cocoa is wonderful & let cocoa overflow generously)

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cup melted butter (OK to substitute olive oil)

2 cups sugar (organic or brown)

2 tsp. vanilla

3 large eggs

1/2 cup of milk (usually goat milk, but sometimes yogurt, or juice)

Once all the above ingredients are well beaten up, add in the grated zucchini mixture and mix some more, usually by hand.  Oh yes, then add a cup, or so, of chocolate chips & mix these in by hand. Spoon batter into muffin cups or two buttered glass loaf pans or two round cake tins. 

Cook at 350 degrees. The loaf pans take about an hour. Muffins/cupcakes and cakes cook faster. I do my baking using the convection setting to get an even heat. Loafs/muffins/cakes are done when a wooden toothpick comes out clean. I do not add icing unless making a birthday cake, and then a chocolate butter icing (made with cocoa) is yummy.

This zucchini cake recipe freezes really well.

Sorry for the delay in posting your comments....we're still working out the admin of the site, and will be far more diligent in the future.

michellekirby said:

Post edited 7:02 pm - September 6, 2009 by michellekirby
Post edited 7:04 pm - September 6, 2009 by michellekirby

I'm working on some ideas for the fall. I'd love to hear what you think…

A Community Thanksgiving Feast in late September or October? A potluck for fun, or a catered fundraiser? Scout Hall, or the Windsor Pavillion? Musical friends to play for us, and some kind of inspirational community-focussed activity or talk?

A Tree Planting Day -  This could be Garry Oaks to add to our native tree canopy, or perhaps a Nut tree planting day. I got the nut tree idea from Transition Communities http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....GHrWPtCvg0, as a way to build our local food supply.

We could do this on Maple Leaf Day (last wednesday in September, the 30th) or in November as was recommended to me by an Arbourist friend.

Anyone have any feedback to share?

Oak Bay was to have organized a Tree Appreciation Day modelled after Saanich and the City. Has there been any word?

As far as timing goes, the first Sunday in November has traditionally been the day for planting native plants in areas that will not receive regular watering. The rationale is that our seasonal monsoons seem to occur during or more often shortly after the event thus assisting with the watering and continuing to water in the plants at such a vulnerable time in their establishment. Also it was after halloween and perhaps less subject to vandalism. The only time it was delayed until the second sunday of Nov. was if it was the first and we thought the kids we relied on for the planting through their service groups would be too hung over from the sweets.

Root development occurs mostly over the cool moist times of the year and the fall is chosen because it provides the longest period of moisture before summer drought sets in. The plants will still require periodic watering but less frequently and the plant survival rate will be higher.

On a nuttier note: If you haven't already heard through one of the groups trying to reach you, we are trying to take advantage of this bumper crop year of Garry oak acorns and are encouraging their collection, sorting and delivering to the drop off spot....my driveway.

973 Falkland Road, two doors down from McNeil on the left.(east)

We are looking for acorns that are plump and brown and free of defects and pass the float test. ie you put the acorns in a deep bucket of water and those that float to the surface are defective and can be composted. the rest should be drained and dried and put in preferably a paper bag to discourage rot.

The acorns will be planted and expertly grown on at the Pacific forestry centre and returned to the community in a few years for growing on by homeowners and other community groups.This is the future generation of our precious oaks. Please help. Get your school kids involved. There are beautiful big oaks at Monterey and close to Willows and at the SMUS junior school.

Thanks

Ron Carter

1.  I definitely want to make these events inclusive, meaning all ages and affordable.

2.  Food and music are great ways to bring people together, and make for a fun event.

A Community Thanksgiving Feast in late September or October? A potluck for fun, or a catered fundraiser? Scout Hall, or the Windsor Pavillion? Musical friends to play for us, and some kind of inspirational community-focussed activity or talk?

A Tree Planting Day -  This could be Garry Oaks to add to our native tree canopy, or perhaps a Nut tree planting day. I got the nut tree idea from Transition Communities http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....GHrWPtCvg0, as a way to build our local food supply.

We could do this on Maple Leaf Day (last wednesday in September, the 30th) or in November as was recommended to me by an Arbourist friend.

Anyone have any feedback to share?

Jill and I organized a Block Party on July 1st for a number of years in our neighbourhood.  We kept it simple, some music, some kids games, face painting and hot dogs/juice.

The key is to apply to close your street through City Hall.  You need to do this right away as council is sitting down for the summer after June 22nd.

I have heard that there are planning kits available from the Municipality, but haven't had time to investigate this yet.It would be helpful if this info was available online, as most working people don't have a chance to get to the Municipal Hall during their office hours. Maybe I will try and post the info here when I get a hold of it, so that it's more easily available.

Does anyone have any ideas on what else we could do at a Block Party aside from my favourite past-time in the summer….eating (local)!