It’s always great when you get to go to those gatherings that are filled with people who are involved in community and are doing something they believe in. I went down to Forest Lawn to be a part of a gathering of people to bake pizzas in a cob oven.
I didn’t know what a cob oven was either. So I asked around meekly, admitted to having no idea other than the oven part and gleemed straws of information.
This is what my pal Google tells me.
‘It is a wood fired oven made from a mixture of mud or clay, sand and straw, which is what “cob” is. It is built to retain the heat from a fire built inside of it.’
Huh. Good to know.
Anyone with hands and feet can make one. It seemed to keep warm for a very long time. This particular oven was shaped like a turtle.
So we made delicious pizzas, dressed in Kale and corn and nice peppers, while outside (Hello Cold! I’d like to say we are friends, but we are so not). I met some really interesting, engaged people who are looking to make a difference in this City.
One fellow works for Community Natural Foods during the day. But by night (actually not, I just threw that in for kicks) he is working on a project developing hemp into a building material. It would be really insulating and a good material to work with.
The lady who was also the host of the event with a little one on the way lives in the basement of this house in Forest Lawn that is owned by her mother. It allows her access to the land so that they can garden and put a cob oven. She was talking about how expensive owning a house is in Calgary and how this a choice to be able to do what they want to. Like being involved in community projects.
There are a lot of organizations around the City that are working to create change. Leadership Calgary is an interesting one. Civic Camp is a group looking to improve where you live. There are many methods to reach social innovation in this City. And I just found out about more.