Music for a Greenbelt

Sarah Harmer Photo By Brianstendenis.com

Music for a Greenbelt

The Harvest Picnic, in its fifth year, celebrates music, the Ontario Greenbelt and local farmers. Every year musicians, community members, farmers and activists gather at Christie Lake Conservation area to put on a killer show and bring attention to the value of the Greenbelt.

The Harvest Picnic, in its fifth year, celebrates music, the Ontario Greenbelt and local farmers. Every year musicians, community members, farmers and activists gather at Christie Lake Conservation area to put on a killer show and bring attention to the value of the Greenbelt.

Frequent Harvest Picnic performer Sarah Harmer spoke with A\J years ago about the impact of music on the environmental movement, an idea that rings true throughout the picnic.

“Music can get into a lot of different hearts and souls and ears. It can be a powerful, almost subliminal force,” said Harmer. When she spoke with A\J, back in 2011, Harmer was in the midst of fighting to protect Mount Nemo, nestled along the Niagara Escarpment and just outside the Greenbelt, from being turned into a quarry. Harmer and her fellow activists won that battle in 2012.

Now, at the 10-year review of Ontario’s Greenbelt, community events like the Harvest Picnic are more important than ever to bring attention to the value of greenbelts and our need to protect farmland and forests for future generations.

Jack Johnson, Björk and Sarah Harmer all grace A\J’s Music issue (37:4, 2011) 

Find a Terra Lightfoot interview & other coverage of the Harvest Picnic here