"One Seed at a Time" Event at the Museum of Science 3/13

Hello Gardeners,

The Concord Seed Lending Library will be represented at a table by Enid Boasberg and myself, after the speakers presentation, from 8-9pm this Wed. 3/13 at the Museum of Science. Hope some of you may consider dropping by!

Kitty

A RENO FAMILY FOUNDATION SYMPOSIUM

One Seed at a Time Wednesday, March 13 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm Admission: $15 | Buy Tickets With Cary Fowler, PhD, special advisor, executive director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust and The Fruit Hunters creative team. Tucked away beneath the snow of the Arctic Circle is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Sometimes called "the doomsday vault," it's nothing less than a backup of the planet's horticultural biodiversity. Inside the vault, Dr. Cary Fowler and his team work with seeds from hundreds of crops that have nurtured humanity since our ancestors began tilling the soil. Their goal: to ensure that the world's food supply can survive the dangers of disease, famine, climate change, and identical GMOs. Nearer the equator, documentary filmmaker Yung Chang shows us how intertwined we are with the fruits we eat in The Fruit Hunters. Guided by devoted exotic fruit lovers, he takes us on a cinematic odyssey through nature and commerce, changing not only the way we look at what we eat, but how we view our relationship to the natural world. Following the program, taste a selection of exotic fruits and enjoy a cash bar, featuring tropical Bellinis. Learn how to extract and save seeds, where to trade, exchange or swap, and make seed "bombs" for random acts of gardening--just throw and grow! Funding provided by the Reno Family Foundation Fund

LAST CALL: SEEDS OF CHANGE: RECLAIM THE LEGACY OF SEED SAVING

This week, Thursday, March 14, 7:30 PM  

Bryan Connolly, field botanist, State Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program 

Thoreau Farm, 341 Virginia Road, Concord. 

Add "how to save seeds" to your gardening skills tool kit!  

Collecting locally adapted seeds is part of our agricultural heritage and an essential part in growing our own food.  We will learn about the history and utility of seed saving in the context of climate change,  including the seed sowing and saving cycle, self pollinating crops to grow, methods to isolate cross pollinating plants, seed borne pathogens, seed cleaning and storage. We may still buy seeds from companies and swap with friends...but it is possible to start saving seeds this growing season! Come learn how. Bring a friend...or come on your own! 

Connolly is a homestead farmer, FEDCO seed producer, and author of the Northeastern Organic Farming Association seed production handbook, the "Wisdom of Plant Heritage". 

Please consider bringing your leftover open pollinated seed from last year to donate to the Concord Seed Lending Library.

The program is free though we welcome donations to offset program cost and/or contributions of seeds for the opening of the Concord Seed Lending Library in April. Space is limited!   Please RSVP to deb01742@comcast.net. For details, go to www.concordfood.ning.com.

Gardening for Life, ConcordCAN!,  the Concord Seed Lending Library and Thoreau Farm are co-sponsors of this event.

"Seeds of Change" event Thurs. March 14th at 7:30 at Thoreau Farm

 

Find out how you can easily save seeds this summer and help grow the Concord Seed Lending Library. Join us on Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 PM at Thoreau Farm, 341 Virginia Road, Concord.  

Hope to see you there!
Kitty

Lots of events coming up!

Hello Gardeners,

Please take a look at these interesting garden/food-related events from the Gardening for Life folks, coming up. We are all invited. I hope you find them interesting and get to attend several.

Kitty


GARDENING FOR LIFE NEWS

Come join us for Grow Your Food 101 with Meighan Mathews, Growing for Good and Linda Ugelow, Dancing Tomato Farm Tu. February 5, 7:30 PM @Harvey Wheeler Community Center. SPACE IS LIMITED. PLEASE RSVP TO deb01742@comcast.net

To help us bring our garden dreams to reality, join us for a presentation by two skilled speakers who will help you begin planning a small food garden before the growing season has begun. We will discuss compost, building the garden site, fencing, cold frames, seed ordering, starting seedlings at home, and lots more. Ideas - and handouts - presented to both inspire and educate. Grow Your Food: 101 has been a hit for the past three years with gardeners of varied experience. The program is free, though donations to cover costs are welcomed.  Space is limited.  RSVP by February 1 to deb01742@comcast.net.  

NEXT UP:

JOINT FEDCO SEED ORDER organized by Debbie Bier for home gardeners, community and small scale farmers is coming SOON. Deadline for the group order and details to follow at our February 5 program. Thank you Debbie!

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 17, 7 pm at Fenn School: the CONCORD MUSEUM FARM TO LECTERN SERIES PRESENTS 

JOEL SALATIN (Free, but you must RSVP!)

Joel Salatin is a full-time farmer at Polyface, a multi-generational, “beyond organic” farmYy in Virginia. Author of Folks, This Ain’t Normal -  Farmer’s Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World (on the Concord Reads booklist),  Salatin speaks in defense of small farms, local food systems, and the right to opt out of the conventional food paradigm. His humorous and conviction-based speeches are akin to theatrical performances, often receiving standing ovations. Book signing to follow. 7:00 p.m. at Fenn School; RSVP  978-369-9763  ext. 216.

WINTER FARMER'S MARKET

Wayland Winter Farmers' Market takes place weekly on Saturdays from 10 AM to 2 PM through March 9.  The market is located in the greenhouses of Russell's Garden Center, 397 Boston Post Road, Wayland, Massachusetts. Questions?  Call:  508-358-2283 .

GO TO:  http://www.russellsgardencenter.com/wayland_winter_mkt.html to see which vendors will be there each week.  

FEDCO seed order coming up!

Hello all,

Debbie Bier is putting together another FEDCO seed group order which we are invited to participate in, if you like. I know I'm going to! Please see the details below and note the order is due by Feb. 25th! Thanks.

Kitty

I have opened 2 group orders for Fedco (http://www.fedcoseeds.com). One for seeds, the other for Moose Tubers (potatoes and onions sets, etc).  You may join in either or both to enjoy discounted prices and savings on group shipping. Our group is concordma

WHY FEDCO? They are a cooperative, have good pricing, are sworn to not get seed from any source that sells GMOs, are New England based, they have many heirloom varieties, and much of their seed is grown in New England.

DISCOUNT. What discount? We don't know yet.  Last year we saved 30%!  It depends upon the total ordered by the group. The more we order as a group, the higher the discount. Last year, we had over $600 in combined orders, so qualified for 30% off. 

Whatever discount rate we qualify for as a group will be the rate we get through mid-September for additional group orders. There is a minimum for a group order - something like $25 or $50. If folks want another order with a later closing date, I will open another one when this one is over... Let me know. 

DEADLINES. I have set the deadline earlier this year.  It takes a couple of weeks after the order is closed to get the seeds. I will let you know when they arrive. Please see the deadline info below. Use the order numbers when you check out instead of paying Fedco (you will pay me instead). 

PAYMENT. Here is how payment will work this year. I have in the past floated the group the total and had you pay me when you picked up your orders. I found that our big order is not something I can manage to float for the group. So this year I ask that when you check out your order, that you send me payment in full for it. Check, cash or paypal to this email address work fine.  I WILL OWE EVERYONE $ when the seeds come in. That will be for the group discount due you, and any out of stock items.  I'm sorry, but I cannot extend the group discount to anyone who doesn't pay me within 5 days of order closing (see dates below). 

FEDCO WEBSITE. You can save an in-progress shopping cart on their site, which is really helpful! Just sign in with your email address and zip code. You can finalize and check out your order any time before 5 pm on the dates below.  

This is what cooperation for mutual benefit looks like!  None if us could qualify for discounted pricing alone. Thank you all.

GROUP NAME: concordma Seeds: 99064, deadline Feb 25, 2013' 5 pm Moose tubers: 69037, deadline March 1, 2013, 5 pm

Best,

Debbie Bier

63 Prescott Rd, Concord

 978 884-4769  (cell)

 978 369-8454  (direct)

"Genetic Roulette" Film, Friday 10/19/12 @7:30pm

Hello Cousins Field Community Gardeners,

Below is another event we are invited to by the ConcordCAN folks for the "Focus on Food" film series. Hope you all may consider attending!

Kitty

CONCORDCAN!  PRESENTS

Friday Night Focus on Food Film Series

Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of our Lives

Friday, October 19, 7:30 pm

Trinitarian Congregational Church

54 Walden Street, Concord Center

Doors open at 7 PM (Hubbard Street Entrance)

Are you and your family on the wrong side of a bet about the safety of the food you and your children eat?  When the US government allowed untested genetically engineered groups into our food supply, it was a gamble of unprecedented proportions.

Twenty years later, scientists report a growing body of evidence that connects GMO's with health problems, environmental damage and violation of consumer rights.  

Transparency is a fundamental principle to support a democratic society. Dr. Henry Vaillant, Former Chief of the Department of Medicine and Trustee, Emerson Hospital, says:  "You are what you eat and you are entitled to know if your food has been genetically modified."

Genetic Roulette provides compelling evidence to explain the deteriorating health of Americans, especially among children, and offers a recipe for protecting ourselves and our future...including food labeling. Learn more about the GMO labeling referendum in California!

93% of Americans believe GMO's should be labeled.

We thank Debra Stark of West Concord’s “Natural Gourmet” who highly recommended the film for our Focus on Food series, and is an advocate for non-GMO foods.

Sustainable Coffee TOMORROW, Tuesday Oct 16 at 7:30 AM

Hello Cousins Field Community Gardeners,

Our Gardens for Life friends have invited us to another interesting discussion happening TOMORROW morning at 7:30 - 9am at Harvey Wheeler. See below for more details.

Kitty

What do you think defines a healthy community? Maybe non-GMO, organic and local food is high on your list! Perhaps it could be enough community and neighborhood gardens for all who want to grow our own food?

In any case....here is our chance to learn about the Healthy Concord project, and why your voice is so important! Come to ConcordCAN's Sustainable Coffee TOMORROW, Tuesday Oct 16 at 7:30 AM. See details below. Questions? email deb01742@comcast.net.

Debbie Barr

Sustainable Concord Coffee

Tuesday, October 16, 7:30 to 9AM

Harvey Wheeler Community Center, Clock Tower Room,

Main Street, West Concord

"Public Health and Sustainability in Concord"

Special Guests: Susan Rask and Jill Block

Susan Rask, Concord’s Public Health Director, will discuss the topic of public health and sustainability. She will then introduce Jill Block, who is a staff consultant hired by the Division of Public Health to implement a “Healthy Communities” grant. Our conversation will begin with a very broad definition of what it means to have a healthy community, encompassing mental, emotional, spiritual and environmental health. 

Given this context, we will talk about what Concord needs to be a truly healthy and sustainable community.

We'll have strong coffee, deviled eggs, and more.

Bring your cup, co-workers and friends!

ConcordCAN! hosts monthly Sustainable Concord Coffees the third Tuesday of every month.

We hope that through regular dialogues on sustainability, learning from local experts, and getting to know each other,

Concord will progress more efficiently and effectively toward greater community self-reliance.