What ARE you eating these days? Enjoying goodies from your freezers
and jars? Thinking of me as you open a jar of pearsauce?
I'm sure thinking of you folks a lot. Rachael and I are now in active
planning mode for 2009. I called a few farmers today to plan what
they'd grow for us this year. Miriam wants to order seeds this week
so she needs to know if we want fall cabbage and how much as well as
what kinds of winter squash. It may seem early to be ordering/needing
seeds but some farmers start seeds in greenhouses in February
(tomatoes, for example). We just finished the last of our butternut
squash. One out of 15 rotted so I think they liked our laundry room
environment. I'm going to ask Miriam to grow a few varieties that are
especially good keepers (like the Hubbards) so that I can keep squash
in my laundry room until March or April next year.
Are you wishing the buying club was going? Imagine it is January 2010.
This is what you'll be able to order from Bailey's Buying Club:
variety of squashes
potatoes
onions
carrots
garlic
pearsauce
cabbage
rutabagas
celariac
parsnip
dried beans
flours
honeys and maplesyrup
herbal teas
jams and applebutter
cheeses
popcorn
peanut butter
apples
pears
salad mix
jars of pickles/relishes
frozen meats
pasta
and more
Eating locally in the Winter can be an abundant feast - if we just get
organized! Farmers need to know that we will be there ready to buy all
year and then they'll take on the risk of storing the food. If you're
feeling dreary about local food, go look at our website. The photos
are enough to make you drool and revive your local food passions
(baileyslocalfoods.ca).
Many of you have asked me what the plan is for next year. We are
still figuring it out. We think we'll have a few pick up locations.
When you place your order on-line, you'll indicate which neighbourhood
group you are a part of. You and 40-50 other families meet at the
host house Friday afternoon or evening (depending on the host's
preference) to pick up your food much like you did at my house here
but on a smaller scale. The host house can choose if they want to add
a lemonade stand/pastry stand to the scene or add other things to make
it fit their style and their family. The host house would need to
have space indoors or under a roof (carport) for the food.
Many of you have asked me to let you know how you can help to take
this buying club to the next step. It's now becoming clear what some
of the things are we need to take the next step. Here is how you can
help:
Offer us a no-interest loan (we need about $5,000 to get started)
Join our team as a "Friday Coordinator". We're looking for two Friday
Coordinators who will take turns working at the selling sites. This
person needs to be detail oriented, highly organized, able to lift
half bushel boxes, have a decent sense of humour so that she/he can
take the food as it is delivered and divide it into the appropriate
neighbourhood groups. There will also be helpers to this Friday
Coordinator so he/she needs to be nice to work with.
Do our bookkeeping since Nina sucks at it (help!). We think this
would take 1-2hrs a week.
Fill in the feedback survey I'll be sending soon to help us plan for next year.
Offer to be a host house in your neighbourhood. Two neighbours may
want to team up as the host house so that it if one is at the cottage,
the other host's it.
Volunteer your expertise
Spread the word that convenient local food is here. Tell your friends
and family. Send them an email extolling the glories of the buying
club. Get your journalist friends to write articles about the buying
club. Add us to your website or blog.
Thank you for all of your help!
Much joy,
Nina
PS Below you'll find descriptions of really neat workshops you can
join in at Little City Farm (just on Duke St!). Foster and I are doing
the one on fermenting foods. Why put it in a jar and seal it if I can
just let it sit in a crock for a few months??
Urban Homesteading Workshop Series 2009
Little City Farm, Kitchener
More details at: www.littlecityfarm.ca
Little City Farm is a small-scale urban homestead in Kitchener. We
are dedicated to promoting urban agriculture, basic homesteading
skills, and hands-on sustainable living in the city. All workshops
listed will be held at Little City Farm, 508 Duke St. W, Kitchener.
Each workshop costs $20/person (family rate available). REGISTER AT:
info@littlecityfarm.ca / OR call 519-575-9174
Knitting Basics – January 31, 1-3 pm – with Pamela Mulloy
(pre-registration required) In this hands-on workshop you will be
introduced to the wonderful world of knitting! Learn to knit, purl,
cast on and off, as well as a few other basic stitches while creating
your own dishcloth. As well, gain knowledge about reading patterns
and different types of wool. Bring your own set of needles and a
small ball of yarn. Additional needles and yarn will be available.
Pamela is an avid knitter & member of the K-W Knitters Guild.
Fermented Foods – February 21, 1-3 pm – with Jackie McMillan
(pre-registration required)
Let your taste buds tingle! Discussion will cover background on
fermenting foods, how and why to ferment foods, health benefits, and a
spectacular taste testing of various lactic acid ferments. Workshop
participants will prepare colourful multi-vegetable sauerkraut as part
of this interactive session. Jackie recently completed an intensive
week-long workshop on Fermentation, Food Culturing & Medicine Making
at the Algonquin Tea Company.
Starting Seedlings at Home – March 21, 1-3 pm – with Angie Koch from
Fertile Ground CSA
It's time to get the garden started! Enjoy a few hours with your
hands in the dirt, learning about how and when to start various seeds,
germination success, transplanting, soil mixes, organic techniques,
where to purchase seeds, and more. Participants will take home sample
seedlings for their own garden. Sponsored by Farmers Growing Farmers,
a program of Everdale Organic Farm and Environmental Learning Centre.
Angie Koch is a local organic farmer with Fertile Ground CSA and is
also a vendor at the Kitchener Market. www.fertilegroundcsa.com
Beyond Band-Aids: A Homeopathic Approach to First Aid – April 18, 1-3
pm - with Rachel VandenBerg
Looking to stock your first aid kit with natural remedies that work?
Look no further! In this workshop you will learn the basics of
homeopathic prescribing including how to select and dose appropriate
homeopathic remedies. Focus is on the most common remedies in a
summer first aid kit. Rachel VandenBerg is a licensed naturopathic
doctor with an additional specialty in classical homeopathy. She
practices at Healing Path Centre for Natural Medicine in uptown
Waterloo. With an emphasis on women and children's health, her
practice is eclectic and open to all. www.healingpathcentre.com
7th Annual Organic Seedling Sale – May 23, 9 am-12 noon FREE!
Join us at Little City Farm as we host our 7th Annual Organic Seedling
Sale! Find organic and heirloom varieties of vegetables & herbs ready
for planting. Specializing in heirloom tomato varieties. This is a
free event. Seedlings cost $2-$3/each.
Natural Twig & Willow Construction – June 20, 1-3 pm - with Alfred
Rempel and Robert Kramer
Learn to build simple beautiful structures using natural materials
that can be sourced in your own backyard! During this hands-on
workshop we will be building a low wattle fence/arbour using locally
grown willow, dogwood, grapevine and Manitoba maple. We will also
discuss coppicing, living fences, and other forms of natural
construction.
Building a Home Composter – July 18, 1-3 pm – with Greg Roberts
Composting is the wonderful process whereby biodegradable household
and yard "waste" products decompose into extremely useful rich
humus-like soil. Discover how to make great compost, and how to build
an effective home composting system. Workshop will also include
discussion on vermicomposting (worm bins) and composting toilets.
All about Fruit Trees – August 22, 1-3 pm - To Be Confirmed
Fresh fruit picked in season from your own backyard!
From planting to tending, pruning to harvest, in this workshop you
will learn which fruit trees grow best in our climate and organic
methods for maintaining healthy trees. Also information on how to get
involved with the local Fruit Tree Project, harvesting fruit from
abandoned trees in our city.
Seed Saving Basics – September 19, 1-3 pm – with Bob Wildfong from
Seeds of Diversity Saving seeds & knowing how to grow our own food may
be some of the most important skills we can have, as food prices rise
and crop diversity declines. Attend this workshop to learn proper
techniques for collecting seeds from your own garden this season, from
beans to tomatoes, herbs to flowers. Proceeds from this workshop go
to Seeds of Diversity, Canada's Heritage Seed Program. More info at:
www.seeds.ca.
Making Natural Waldorf-Inspired Dolls – October24, 1-3 pm – with
Amaryah deGroot (pre-registration required) Learn to make simple dolls
from natural materials such as wool, cotton and silk. In the tradition
of Waldorf education, these cuddly dolls inspire children's creativity
and fantasy. Their neutral features help to develop a child's
imagination to see the doll laugh, cry, sleep, etc. Participants will
work on their own doll throughout the workshop. All materials
provided. Amaryah makes reconstructed clothing and toys from
reclaimed wool sweaters with her business Sew Oiseau.
www.sewoiseau.com
Intro to Soap Making – November 14, 1-3 pm – with Karin Kliewer
(pre-registration required) Make beautiful, natural handmade soaps
just in time to give as gifts this Christmas. Join local herbalist &
soap maker, Karin Kliewer, to learn the simple art of traditional
cold-process soap making. This is a busy hands-on workshop where
participants will be asked to bring a variety of supplies to create
their own soap. Organic herbs and basic essential oils will be
supplied. List of supplies will be emailed upon registration. Karin
operates Homestead Herbals creating natural soaps & organic herbal
products. www.littlecityfarm.ca/herbals
Living Foods: Sprouting for Winter – November 21, 1-3 pm – with Karin
Kliewer (pre-registration required)
It only takes a few minutes per day to reap the great rewards to
sprouted "living" foods. Sprouted foods add tremendous health &
vitality to your meals, and provide an inexpensive source of fresh
local greens during the winter months. Learn simple ways to
incorporate sprouted seeds, grains, beans and nuts into your diet.
We will sample and share recipes for microgreens, sunflower sprouts,
and wheatgrass, as well as sprouted "cheese", sprouted milk, sprouted
breads, and even sprouted dessert! Participants each take home a
sprouting starter kit.
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