20 MB - University of Toronto Magazine

to the environment. These are responsiblefarmers and we’re doing theresponsible thing by supporting them.”But U of T’s first year of partnershipwith local farms was a struggle. Withtoo few LFP farmers providing too littleproduce, students were hard pressed tosee a difference in campus cafeterias.With U of T’s commitment, along withseveral Toronto restaurants and a fewretailers, some 40 to 50 farmers havejoined LFP and the program can nowoffer a greater variety of fresh produce,dairy and meats. Lokker estimates thatabout 15 to 20 per cent of the food inhis kitchen is LFP-certified and hehopes to push that to 40 per cent in thecoming years.Recently, the chef also became directorof food services for the St. Georgecampus. The role involves championingimprovements at the cafeterias, andLokker’s major project has been promotingLFP and healthy eating options.“It’s taken off like wild fire,” he says.Now 10 of 12 cafeterias are servingLFP foods in some format – whether ina fresh-fruit fridge or salad bar or atcatered events.Students are a finicky lot when itcomes to food, but at tonight’s themenight, there aren’t the usual complaints.As students navigate trays betweenbuild-your-own salad, pasta and stirfrystations, they take note of displaysabout the local foods being served.Cheapest wholesome bite on campus:The $5 local, seasonal and usually organichot vegan lunch at Hot Yam café in theInternational Student Centre on Thursdays,12-2 p.m.How to meet a farmer:Watch for the Uof T farmers’ market duringthe spring and summer at Uof T’s foodand beverage website www.food-beverage.utoronto.ca.Some stop to chat to Stefan Oellingerof Kerr Farms. He answers questionsabout farming, shows pictures on hislaptop of ripe tomato fields and cattlegrazing on lush pasture land. His laststop was Morrison Hall at UniversityCollege. “Students are really interestedin agriculture,” he says. “This is anopportunity to talk to a farmer right inthe city.”While students are concerned withreducing their carbon footprint andsupporting local farmers, they careabout the taste and quality of the foodfirst, according to Chris Melnick-MacDonald, a third-year student andresidence-council representative. “Studentsare talking about this. The qualityis exceptional. The food is really cleantastingand flavourful.”Lokker stands by the informationtable, beaming. “This is the best job I’vehad in my life,” he says. “I’m working inan environment where people want todo the responsible thing. I’m workingwith youth. They’re at a point whenthey get to decide what they’ll eat, howthey will live their life. If we can influencethem to eat well, to eat responsibly,we’re able to touch students for the restof their lives.”Margaret Webb (BA 1985 UC) is theauthor of Apples to Oysters: A FoodLover’s Tour of Canadian Farms(Penguin) to be released on April 12.Uof T’s Local Food NetworkWhere to taste local flavours:89 Chestnut Residence; New College; UniversityCollege;Hart House catering;RobartsLibrary; Medical Sciences Building; SidneySmith Hall; Sandford Fleming Building; OISEand Gerstein Science Information Centre.A talk series with bite:Food for Talk, a monthly series about foodissues, www.utoronto.ca/cuhi/seminars/foodfortalk.html.– M.W.Awardingoutstandingnative studentsCandace Brunette and AlexandraSmith recently won thePresident’s Award for outstandingnative students of the year.The award isbased on academic achievement and contributionsto the native community. Brunette(BA 2007 WOODS), this year’s undergraduatewinner,is now pursuing an MA in educationat OISE.She is also an emerging playwrightand poet,and has presented her playOld Truck at Native Earth’s WeesageechakFestival in Toronto.Smith,a third-year medicalstudent,is this year’s graduate recipient.She is creator and co-director of the IndigenousPeoples’ Health Initiative, and hasbeen co-chair of the U of T student groupDiversity in Medicine.Professor Emeritus Joseph Schatzkerof surgery has been named to the Order ofCanada, this country’s highest honour forlifetime achievement. Schatzker, who hasbeen named a member, is an expert intrauma and fracture management. Six professorshave been named Order of Ontariorecipients:Richard Bond,a University Professorin astronomy and astrophysics; TakMak, a University Professor in biomedicalphysics and immunology; Janice GrossStein,a University Professor in political scienceand director of the Munk Centre forInternational Studies; Roderick McInnesof molecular genetics;Frances Shepherdof medicine;and Paul Walfish,a professoremeritus of medicine.Two U of T scientists have received KillamResearch Fellowships,Canada’s most distinguishedresearch award.Professors ElizabethEdwards and Molly Shoichet, bothin the department of chemical engineeringand applied chemistry, were two of 10researchers chosen for the award. Edwards’research has looked at how microbes breakdown solvents such as dry-cleaning anddegreasing agents. Shoichet is breaking newground in tissue engineering research.WWW.MAGAZINE.UTORONTO.CA 15