the Heirloom Expo - September 2017

 the Heirloom Expo - September 5^th – 7^th, 2017 in Santa Rosa, CA2017

7th annual National Heirloom Exposition on September 5, 6, 7 in Santa Rosa, California.  We are again seeking volunteers to help us spread the word. We need your help especially if you live on the West Coast and would like to distribute brochures to let people know about the expo, please email us at info@theheirloomexpo.com.  Please consider sharing the info with your garden groups, educational organizations, churches, pure food societies, etc.
   
The National Heirloom Expo features three full days of nationally and internationally acclaimed speakers that include Vandana Shiva, Ronnie Cummins, Jeffrey Smith, Robert Kennedy, Jr., along with many more.  More than 4000 varieties of local produce will by displayed.  Purchase gardening supplies, seeds, sustainable living goods, and so much more from 300 vendors.  The exhibit hall will be home to more than 150 heirloom related exhibits.
 
Please email us at info@theheirloomexpo.com and let us know how many brochures you can distribute to let more people know about this exciting event.

Why send them photos and stories pertaining to your or another’s garden.

Please email your photos and stories to seeds@rareseeds.com and to the attention of Kathy.
 

Local Food is Asking the question:

“Why is seed preservation of great importance to all Eaters?”. 

Hope you, or someone you know makes it to 

Heirloom Expo 2017!

Dear Readers,


Thank you for being out there. I hope that 2013 brings you much happiness, joy and great food!


I just posted an update to Local Food News. Following my brief note is an article written by a new local about a great organization, Food NOT BOMBS!


Patricia's Wellness Arts Cafe & Quilter's Comfort Teas is almost ready to announce the winner of the 2nd Annual "Name the Tea Contest". The selection of jellies, herbal, coffee, beer and wine has increased. Currently all are made using Certified Organic or locally sourced herbs from growers using organic and sustainable practices.


Visit Food News at for lots of articles and information concerning food, gardening, and food in the news.


May your gardens be abundant.



FOOD NOT BOMBS!


Bloomington, as most readers would agree, has a notable, functional, people-powered food security infrastructure to address hunger resulting from poverty. The product of decades of continuous hard work, the folks of these community organizations provide the town with a peace of mind that would otherwise not be available, and is (unfortunately) seldom found on this scale in towns throughout the US.


Most of these folks come together with a pretty straightforward goal: provide a consistent source of wholesome nutrition for every member of the community. Food security, like physical and health security, is considered by many a basic human right, and with it comes a collective responsibility. These issues are handled in many ways, from neighbors providing mutual aid, to centralized services provided by local, state and federal government. Some believe that food security can and should be kept without encouraging the exploitation of those providing and receiving these vital services(a constant risk when the solutions to such basic human rights issues are made into commodities). One group of Bloomington residents respond to this concern by not only providing free, nutritious food, but by sourcing it outside any monetary system. Free food, made free.


With the slogan 'Solidarity, not Charity!', B-Town Food Not Bombs has been a fixture in the local community, on and off, for nearly ten years and FNB has been around globally since 1980. As the group's name indicates, they can trace their roots to the Nuclear Disarmament movement of the '80s and are committed against violence and state aggression. The central difference between FNB and other groups/collectives is their penchant for sourcing their delicious (as the author and many residents can attest) vegan or vegetarian meals from no-cost, local sources. These are often vendors such as grocery stores, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) groups, local farmers and backyardeners whose donated food would have gone to waste for one reason or another, but is otherwise perfectly good and ready for our and our neighbor's plate.


The 'feeding frenzies' are free to all and take place in public spaces (here at Peoples Park most Sunday evenings) as a way to combat hunger but to also encourage real, meaningful discussion and action against poverty and homelessness...an issue that, even here, is kept more silent than it can and should be. That said, the folks are genuine, friendly and encourage a sense of community with all who attend. Cliquish-ness is discouraged by a common ground; fixing hunger.


So, as a member's invitation went one Sunday, 'B-Town Food Not Bombs presents a real, tasty meal! Come one, come all at 5:45 p.m. to People's Park. Bring the whole household, even pets! Tell a friend, tell a foe.' I'll see you there, in hunger and solidarity.


Kyle F is a recently transplanted Bloomington resident interested in food security and community-powered projects in general.'

IN FOOD News

Hello,

I hope you are embracing the beauty of this season and the increased opportunities to go-local! Take a walk through the Farmers Market, and not only will you be subjected to a visual feast, you will also have the opportunity to enjoy seeing so many people enjoying one another, as much as they are enjoying the produce surrounding them.

At the Great Unleashing back in April, interest groups were formed by people interested in pursuing the transition of our local food system. Click here for connections to Transition Bloomington and other Community Building resources

Local Food News, (#3 in a recent Google Search) of Local Food Bloomington (#1 search for a few years) has recently been updated on the web. Local Food Fairy looks forward to your comments, and appreciates your tax deductible donations in support of the oldest local food resource in Bloomington, Indiana.

In the current update, you will find something about Farmers and their fight against Monsanto, Dairy Labels, the Food Supply Chain, water, organic wines and much more.


As always, there is a lot happening in the area of local food. The Bloomington, Indiana Farmers markets are bustling with diverse beauty and delectable abundance.

For information about
Bloomington, IN Farmers Markets, CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture
Indiana Farmers Markets
Gardening Resources
Community Food Resources

Are you a market gardener, local food shopper, observer of local foods growth in the area? We want to hear from you. Send us pictures, reviews, stories, and other information about going local with food and all things connected to share.

Also, our sister, Indiana Holistic Health Network - http://www.indianaholistichealth.net, recently published a new Healing CRANE Newsletter which you may find of interest. http://www.indianaholistichealth.net/newsletter3-3.htm.

Bloomington, Indiana is a city going-local in many areas! Let us know what you are interested in and share what you know because it may be an inspiration to others.

Free Discussion on Organic Gardening with Daniel Atlas

Free Discussion on Organic Gardening with IU Alumni Daniel Atlas

On Monday, April 27, 2009, Daniel Atlas will be discussing the importance of organic gardening and local agriculture. The format is a meet and greet and will be at Finch's Brasserie, 514 E Kirkwood Ave, 5:30pm-8pm. The discussion will include the release of his debut book titled Gardening with SPROUTS: A How-To Guide to Organic Gardening and Design. The book is an 83 page, full-color instructional guide detailing information ranging from setting up a garden and planting seeds to harvesting crops, to treating and preventing common garden pests and diseases. The book is essentially gardening through the eyes of SPROUTS (Students PRoducing organics Under The Sun), a student organization and organic garden at the corner of 8th Street and Fess Ave on the Indiana University campus.

Daniel is a 2008 IU alumni who received degrees in an IMP titled "Sustainability, Awareness, and Community Development," and a second major in Religious Studies. He is a cofounder of the SPROUTS garden which was established in 2005.

Come celebrate this joyous occasion with Daniel and learn how to start your own garden too! There will be food, drinks, a raffle drawing, and a gift for those who purchase a book.
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For more information, please contact sprouts@indiana.edu. SPROUTS (Students Producing Organics Under The Sun) is a student organization and student garden at Indiana University. Their mission is to promote sustainably and locally grown produce and food literacy. *SPROUTS is looking for volunteers for the summer too.

If interested please email the contact above or come to one of our workdays which are every Saturday 11am-3pm.* Come learn how to garden with us!!
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Open Polinated Seeds Only, Please!

I have often been asked, "When did you decide to garden organically and why do you prefer open pollinated seeds"? It was in the late 70's while living in Arizona. I knew that I wanted to pursue a simple lifestyle that included gardening. I was reading some Ruth Stout, Scott and Helen Nearing and Communities Magazines. One Tucson spring, I signed up for a class presented by "Meals for Millions"; a group working to develop a traditional approach to local gardening. I fell in love with the entire process of growing my own food, consuming it and saving seeds for the next season. I poured over Farmstead Magazine and Organic Garden and became very interested in saving seed, which led me to the Seed Savers Exchange, Gardens for All, biodynamics and alleopathy.

By the time I arrived in Bloomington, I was very interested in seed saving and establishing an heirloom garden. It was in searching for info on setting up my seed storehouse, that I found the Graham Center. I think that was in 1982 or 83. Some information in the publication sent ( I still have it in my garden files) shocked me. There was information about the poor state of our USDA Seed Banks and a statement (this is not verbatim) that of all the food resources that the USDA had cataloged at the turn of the century, less than three percent were left according to the current catalog and that the majority of the seeds maintained were mostly in tomatoes! I was horrified at the staggering losses and have never gotten over the shock of those numbers. The thousands of years of human work in creating a stable food source, and its loss in a short time, because of lack of attention and appreciation. I was already for open-pollinated seeds, and now knew that I would have trouble purchasing any other type.

Even then, it was clear that there were patterns at work to take control of food away from people. I learned that a number of countries had seed laws, that other countries were fighting to keep them off of their seeds. That there were places where it was illegal for farmers to save, and in some cases to sell, saved seeds.
That there are seed list and that there were a few companies beginning to buy up seeds. I saw companies pushing hybrid seeds out left and right, and people gobbling them up along with the fertilizers. I had never been fond of fertilizers. Even as a kid, I had decided that they were connected to my allergies.

Something in me said that the greedy folks were going to make things worse for everyone. I became further committed to open-pollinated seeds and in 1983 I hosted my first seed exchange in Brown County. I shared seeds I had gotten from gardeners all over the country. I shared seed I had gotten on my search in the community. I contacted old farmers and got seeds or starts. One year, I had a small seed business, Clear Sky. I saw the blooming of people interested in sustainability and community on my local level.

Now I leap into the present, and the nightmare of seed loss has increased. The seed companies have been reduced in numbers, of course the varieties available for use have been reduced, farmers are being sued. Some companies are working hard to make laws to take control of our food (and water), modify them and couple the seeds ability to grow with varieties of chemicals, many petroleum based.

Genetically modified seeds and chemical weed killers, are poison and toxic to the life on this planet.