Concord Community Food Report Information Sharing Session 2/2/12 at Harvey Wheeler Auditorium at 7pm

Hello Gardeners,

Please consider attending this event below to listen as well as share your ideas about farming, connections and growing food.

Kitty

Everyone eats! And, how and what we eat has a direct impact on our human and environmental health. You are invited to join the Concord Community Food Report Committee (CCFRC) on Thursday, February 2^ndfrom 7pm to 9pm at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center Auditorium for a lively discussion and information-sharing session about Concord's food system today and your visions for the future. The meeting will be facilitated by the Conway School graduate student team writing the report; with refreshments provided by Concord's own Trail's End Café.

The whole community is needed to contribute to the Food Story in Concord, so bring your ideas, work and projects to Thursday night’s discussion. Some of the questions we need to explore include: what to do to improve food and health awareness; how we can improve connections between local farmers and local buyers; can Concord better contribute to a regional food system; and can we leverage the data gathered about Concord’s food system to advance innovations in the food community. What questions do you want to ask and have answered?

The Concord Community Food Report Committee is a collaboration of people who live and/or work in Concord who are interested in food; everything from what food we like to how we procure, prepare, produce, and distribute it. All sectors of the community are represented – citizen groups, non-profit organizations, local businesses, schools, farmers and government. To learn more about the Food Report, visit the Food for Thought website: http://concordfood.ning.com/

Future of Food Documentary, 1/27/12 @7:30 @Alcott School

Please consider attending if you are interested in "The Future of Food".

The Future of Food

Friday, January 27, 2012 at 7:30 PM

Doors open at 7 PM

Alcott School, 93 Laurel St., Concord

Presented by ConcordCAN

Co-sponsored by Debra Stark of The Natural Gourmet and Walden Woods

Guest speaker and discussion leader: Charlotte Vallaeys, Cornucopia Institute

The Cornucopia Institute supports ecologically produced local, organic and authentic food. (www.cornucopia.com)

    

If you eat food, you need to see The Future of Food!

There is a revolution happening in the farm fields and on the dinner tables of America, a revolution that is transforming the very nature of the food we eat. Learn more about the consequences of our food choices on our future.  
This documentary explores the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled grocery store shelves for the past decade. It also examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multi-national corporations seek to control the world's food system.
The Future of Food explores alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture, placing organic and sustainable agriculture as real solutions to the farm crisis today.  The film has been screened at numerous film festivals and was chosen by the Oscar screening committee of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences as one of the best documentaries of 2004. It continues to receive support from organizations such as the Organic Consumers Association, the Soil Association of Britain, and Slow Food. To see the trailer, visit www.thefutureoffood.com.    For logistics/snow cancellation: www.concordfood.ning.com; www.concordCAN.org; hassoewing@verizon.net; deb01742@comcast.net

FEDCO SEED ORDER

It's that time of year again. If you'd like to get in on a group order of seeds for a much reduced rate, please see below on how to do this.

Thanks!

Kitty

Contact Group Coordinator Debbie Bier 978 369-8454 deborah.bier@caringcompanion.net 

FEDCO SEED ORDER

GARDENING FOR LIFE AND COMMUNITY GARDENS

DEADLINE Feb 28, 2012 Our Seed Group Order # = 99023

Last year by ordering together, we were able to get 50% off of our Fedco seed order! The amount of this year's discount depends upon how much we will order total. The more our combined order totals, the higher the discount.   You will NOT see discount pricing on their website -- the discount is determined after the group order is closed. We choose Fedco for a few reasons:

1) It's New England based, and a lot of their seeds are grown in New England. That means the seeds are better adapted to our climate.

2) They're a co-op, and therefore their prices are lower (lesser focus on profit-making)

3) They made a principled decision several years ago not to do business with Monsanto's Seminis, the supplier of seeds for gardeners and seed sellers all over the USA.  We are certain we will not inadvertently be doing business with Monsanto when buying Fedco.. ( check out (seedshttp://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/monsanto.htm) 

4) We can get a group discount on seeds

5) They do not charge shipping on any seed order over $40 (group or individual)

TO ORDER: Go to http://www.FedcoSeeds.com and click on "Order Seeds Online".  Create an account for yourself (just enter your zipcode and email address) and start filling your shopping cart.  Once you are done shopping and ready to check out, click "Check Out" and at almost the bottom of the page, they ask "Is this a group order".  Choose "Yes" and put in 99023 when asked.  YOU WILL NOT NEED TO PAY YET.

On Feb 29, I will send our group's order in, and I will let the group know how much of a discount we qualified for. (I will pay for it).  I will also let you know when the seeds come in. Due to the possibility that some seeds will not arrive due to certain varieties being sold out, how much you owe won't be known until I receive the seeds.  You can pay me when you get your seeds shipped in March.

MOOSE TUBERS (taters, onions, shallots):

DEADLINE: FEB 28, 2012 Our Moose Tuber Group Order # = 79009

We likely won't qualify for a discount on a group Moose Tubers order (we'd need 1000+ lbs combined!), but we can save on shipping, given that potatoes are heavy.  Where there are multiple people ordering the same variety, we can save by buying a larger package and splitting it.

TO ORDER: Go to http://www.FedcoSeeds.com and click on "Moose Tubers".  Create an account for yourself (just enter your zipcode and email address) and start filling your shopping cart.  Once you are done shopping and ready to check out, click "Check Out" and at almost the bottom of the page, they ask "Is this a group order".  Choose "Yes" and put in 79009 when asked.  YOU WILL NOT NEED TO PAY YET. On Feb 29, I will send our group's order in (I'm the group coordinator) and I will the group know how much of a discount we qualified for. (I will pay for it). 

I will also let you know when the tubers come in. Due to the possibility that some tubers will not arrive due to certain varieties being sold out, how much you owe won't be known until I receive the tubers.  You can pay me when you get your tubers. These do not start to ship earlier than early April.

Grow Your Food 101 on Thursday, January 12 at 7:30 pm @Harvey Wheeler Community Center

A reminder to sign up ASAP for our first of 2012 Garden/Life program Grow Your Food 101 on Thursday, January 12 at 7:30 pm with Hasso Ewing and Robin Wilkerson @ Harvey Wheeler Community Center in West Concord.  SPACE IS LIMITED TO ENSURE INTERACTION: WE HAVE ROOM FOR 6 MORE! Come on your own, or bring a friend! Please RSVP by Jan 10 to: deb01742@comcast.net.

This mid-winter workshop is designed to help you begin planning a small food garden before the growing season has begun. We will discuss compost, building the garden site, fencing, coldframes, seed ordering, starting seedlings at home, and lots more. Ideas - and handouts - presented to both inspire and educate.

Robin Wilkerson is a long time vegetable gardener in Lincoln, MA. She keeps a small flock of chickens that help her keep weeds at bay. Hasso Ewing, the primary vege grower at Black Brook Farm in Carlisle, wants everyone to experience the joy of growing, and eating, from your own food gardens.

You will enjoy this fast paced, practical presentation by a duo who have appeared with popular acclaim by CC Adult Education and the Concord Public Library.

See you on January 12!

Best wishes to you and yours for a healthy, happy new year.

Debbie Barr

“The Future of Food” Friday, January 27, Alcott Auditorium, 7:30 PM

FOCUS ON FOOD CONTINUES WITH FILM SCREENINGS, SUSTAINABLE CONCORD COFFEES AND SPEAKERS.

Come join the conversation!

ConcordCAN & Debra’s Natural Gourmet Co-host screening of “The Future of Food”

Friday, January 27, Alcott Auditorium, 7:30 PM

There is a revolution happening in the farm fields and on the dinner tables of America, a revolution that is transforming the very nature of the food we eat. This documentary explores the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled grocery store shelves for the past decade. It also examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multi-national corporations seek to control the world's food system. "One of 2005's must-see documentaries" -San Francisco Chronicle.

Go to http://www.thefutureoffood.com/onlinevideo.html  for details, and to watch the official trailer.  Facilitated discussion will follow the screening.

Food Related News: U-Turn in use of antibiotics in animal feed

Excerpt from article on USFDA change in policy re: antibiotics in animal feed linked by Garden/Life member Launa Zimmaro:  

"Environmental and consumer groups have condemned the US Food and Drug Administration's move to renege on its long-held policy to regulate the use of human antibiotics in animal feed.  Last week, the agency quietly announced it was withdrawing its plan to limit the use of antibiotics fed to healthy livestock intended for human consumption.

    

Critics say the U-turn, which comes amid the FDA's own stated concerns over food safety, is at odds with its obligations to protect the public.  The groups also criticised the timing of the announcement, which was made during the holiday season and disclosed only in the federal register.  The use of low doses of antibiotics in agricultural animal feed contributes to drug-resistant superbugs, according to food and health experts."  Reported by The Guardian UKand 10 other news media.

http://www.readersupportednews.org/news-section2/312-16/9174-fda-takes-u-turn-in-regulation-of-antibiotics-in-animal-feed