Thank you to Common Vision, PG & E, and all the volunteers who helped to care for Brookside School Farm's fruit trees on Sunday! Don't they look great?
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Sharing the Bounty 2013!
Having difficulty viewing this great slideshow, go directly to our Flickr site:
The 4th annual Sharing the Bounty fundraiser for The Gardens Project of NCO held at Saracina Vineyards this past Saturday, September 14th was a huge success. The event raised $10,000 for developing school and community gardens. Over 75 community members were treated to a unique and delicious 4 course meal prepared by local chefs:- Nicolas Petti of Mendo Bistro and the Mendocino College Culinary Arts Program,
- Phil Castro of Saucy
- Craig Strattman of Patrona Restaurant and Lounge
- Adam Weiss of Piazza de Campovida
Additionally, a tremendous thank you to the following individuals and businesses that made the event possible by donating their labor and products, thus helping create a resilient and accessible local food system in Mendocino County and beyond:
The evening's chefs and restaurant owners: Cynthia Ariosta of Saucy, Anna Beuselinck and Gary Breen of Campovida. The wineries and winemakers that provided the supreme libations for the evening: Husch Vineyards, Scharffenberger Cellars, Roederer Estates, Alex MacGregor and Saracina/Atrea, and The Apple Farm. The foundation of our local food movement, the farmers and producers: Anderson Valley High School Farm, Aqua Gardens Family Farm, Cinnamon Bear Farm, Filigreen Farm, Floodgate Farm, Green Uprising at Blackberry Bend, Live Power Community Farm, Leonardis Organics, Russian River Pistachios, Lovin' Mama Farm, Mendocino Grain Project, Mendocino Organics, Noyo Hill Farm, Ocean Harvest Sea Vegetable Company, Seely Farm Stand, Schat's Bakery, Shamrock Artisan Goat Cheese, Stella Cadente Olive Oil Company, Tres Classique, and Cuppa Joe to Go.
Special thanks also go to our volunteers from Community HealthCorps and First 5 Mendocino, Thompson's Party Rentals for giving us a great discount, Jim Stuart and UVMC for material support, Marcos Pereda for his great music, and Moira Evans for leading dinner service.
We live in an amazing community and are grateful to all for sharing the bounty to help us build school and community gardens.
Missed the event, but still want to help? Donate! Volunteer! Contact us!
See you at Sharing the Bounty 2014.
Two Times the Fun: Canning Workshops in Ukiah and Willits
If you've been wanting to learn how to can, here's two great opportunities to do it with your community. Come to one, come to both!
Pomolita Middle School, Sponsored by Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op
Tuesday, September 24th
6:00-7:30pm
Home Ec. Classroom #316
$5 for Owners, $8 for Non-Owners
RSVP here! Or call Customer Service 462-4778
Grange Commercial Kitchen in Willits, Sponsored by The Gardens Project
Saturday, October 12th
10:00am-2:00pm
$5- all supplies and fruits to can included!
More details on our events page
Pomolita Middle School, Sponsored by Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op
Tuesday, September 24th
6:00-7:30pm
Home Ec. Classroom #316
$5 for Owners, $8 for Non-Owners
RSVP here! Or call Customer Service 462-4778
Grange Commercial Kitchen in Willits, Sponsored by The Gardens Project
Saturday, October 12th
10:00am-2:00pm
$5- all supplies and fruits to can included!
More details on our events page
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
NFF Hiring New Leadership Position
Hello friends of the Food Forest,
This is an exciting time at the Food Forest. School is back in session. We're gearing up for a big expansion of our bed space. We had a blast this last weekend with our Eat Mendocino friends at our Farm-to-Table dinner. We're hosting an ag intern from Mendocino College this semester, as we say good-bye to our hard-working and beloved farm assistant Haley.
On top of all of that, we are now offering a new leadership position in the local food movement. Our Marketing and Development Director will work to sustain Noyo Food Forest's farm-to-school efforts by producing community relationships and financial resources, as well as providing local food advocacy. Read the full job description, and instructions for applying, at our website.
Interviews will be held starting September 16. Please feel free to forward this email to any interested parties.
Best wishes to you all,
The Folks at the Food Forest
This is an exciting time at the Food Forest. School is back in session. We're gearing up for a big expansion of our bed space. We had a blast this last weekend with our Eat Mendocino friends at our Farm-to-Table dinner. We're hosting an ag intern from Mendocino College this semester, as we say good-bye to our hard-working and beloved farm assistant Haley.
On top of all of that, we are now offering a new leadership position in the local food movement. Our Marketing and Development Director will work to sustain Noyo Food Forest's farm-to-school efforts by producing community relationships and financial resources, as well as providing local food advocacy. Read the full job description, and instructions for applying, at our website.
Interviews will be held starting September 16. Please feel free to forward this email to any interested parties.
Best wishes to you all,
The Folks at the Food Forest
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Classes on Cooking Veg, Local and Seasonal!
Mendocino College is offering a class this Fall on Vegetarian cooking with local, seasonal foods.
They are short a few registrants to run the class, so act quickly and register! See below!
CAM 70A
Seasonal Vegetarian
Tuesdays, 9 a.m. – 11:50 p.m.
August 20-October 8
Course Description
This 8-week, “hands-on” 3-hour class will cover how to prepare healthy, seasonal, local vegetarian dishes of this late summer/early fall season. We will learn about eating with the seasons and what is in season and review culinary techniques such as sautéing, pan-frying, braising, poaching, steaming and roasting. We will also learn how to combine and build flavors to create successful vegetarian and vegan dishes, drawing inspiration from world cuisine and traditional diets.
Student Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course the student will: Be able to describe and apply modern vegetarian cooking and techniques. Explain the importance of local products. Be able to prepare a variety of vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Nature of the Course
Classes will consist of lectures and demonstrations, guest presentations and hands-on experience.
Registration
It's easy! On-line at www.mendocino.edu
They are short a few registrants to run the class, so act quickly and register! See below!
CAM 70A
Seasonal Vegetarian
Tuesdays, 9 a.m. – 11:50 p.m.
August 20-October 8
Course Description
This 8-week, “hands-on” 3-hour class will cover how to prepare healthy, seasonal, local vegetarian dishes of this late summer/early fall season. We will learn about eating with the seasons and what is in season and review culinary techniques such as sautéing, pan-frying, braising, poaching, steaming and roasting. We will also learn how to combine and build flavors to create successful vegetarian and vegan dishes, drawing inspiration from world cuisine and traditional diets.
Student Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course the student will: Be able to describe and apply modern vegetarian cooking and techniques. Explain the importance of local products. Be able to prepare a variety of vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Nature of the Course
Classes will consist of lectures and demonstrations, guest presentations and hands-on experience.
Registration
It's easy! On-line at www.mendocino.edu
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Breathing New Life Into Brookside School Farm
Students in Willits might not realize it, but they belong to a school district that has been busy breaking ground in the local food movement. Over the past several years, the Willits Unified School District has changed the way it feeds its students. WUSD Food Service Director Christy Wisdom has been leading the charge to increase healthy, whole, and local foods served in the school’s cafeterias. Wisdom and her dedicated team partnered with the Farm2Fork project of North Coast Opportunities—Community Action in February 2012, and together they have continued to reshape the face of food in WUSD.
A piece of the puzzle has been missing for many involved in food services at WUSD, however. In 2006, a revolutionary idea was born at Brookside Elementary: what if available public property on school grounds could be used to grow food for the school and community at large?
The idea was warmly embraced, and the one-acre Brookside School Farm was born under the vision and hard work of Jason Bradford. His goal was to design a productive demonstration farm that could both feed and educate the people it served. After six successful seasons that included a popular CSA program, funding for the garden ran out in the winter of 2012. The land has been fallow ever since.
The now-empty garden represents the loss of a successful program, but it also provides a unique opportunity for WUSD to continue its trend of thinking outside the box. After months of discussions and strategic planning, WUSD, in partnership with the Farm2Fork project of North Coast Opportunities—Community Action, announced a new plan for the future of Brookside School Farm.
The school district, in short, wants to “license” the land, essentially granting permission to operate a farm on the property. Proposals are being accepted from experienced farmers, businesses, and non-profits who are interested in operating Brookside Farm. The chosen applicant will be asked to sign a 3-year license agreement, with the stipulation that at least 15% of the garden must be dedicated to growing food for the school. The farm also has to remain accessible for educational activities.
Brookside School Farm already has significant infrastructure that the operator will have full access to, including a hoop house, vegetable washing station, rainwater catchment system, solar power, tools, and equipment. Water will also be supplied, rounding out what is an already appealing package for many farmers. Beyond these equipment and water provisions, the operator will be fully responsible for all expenses and for generating income from the land.
“This is a unique opportunity,” says Susan Lightfoot, Farm2Fork Coordinator. “It’s a great fit for someone with production experience and people skills, a passion for healthy local food, a commitment to community-based agriculture, and a love of children.” It might sound like a tall order, but for the right person or organization, Brookside School Farm has the potential to be both a community asset as well as a profitable business.
Proposals must be submitted by 4pm on Friday, August 30. Anyone interested should contact Lightfoot at (707) 467-3238 or slightfoot@ncoinc.org.
A piece of the puzzle has been missing for many involved in food services at WUSD, however. In 2006, a revolutionary idea was born at Brookside Elementary: what if available public property on school grounds could be used to grow food for the school and community at large?
The idea was warmly embraced, and the one-acre Brookside School Farm was born under the vision and hard work of Jason Bradford. His goal was to design a productive demonstration farm that could both feed and educate the people it served. After six successful seasons that included a popular CSA program, funding for the garden ran out in the winter of 2012. The land has been fallow ever since.
The school district, in short, wants to “license” the land, essentially granting permission to operate a farm on the property. Proposals are being accepted from experienced farmers, businesses, and non-profits who are interested in operating Brookside Farm. The chosen applicant will be asked to sign a 3-year license agreement, with the stipulation that at least 15% of the garden must be dedicated to growing food for the school. The farm also has to remain accessible for educational activities.
Brookside School Farm already has significant infrastructure that the operator will have full access to, including a hoop house, vegetable washing station, rainwater catchment system, solar power, tools, and equipment. Water will also be supplied, rounding out what is an already appealing package for many farmers. Beyond these equipment and water provisions, the operator will be fully responsible for all expenses and for generating income from the land.
“This is a unique opportunity,” says Susan Lightfoot, Farm2Fork Coordinator. “It’s a great fit for someone with production experience and people skills, a passion for healthy local food, a commitment to community-based agriculture, and a love of children.” It might sound like a tall order, but for the right person or organization, Brookside School Farm has the potential to be both a community asset as well as a profitable business.
Proposals must be submitted by 4pm on Friday, August 30. Anyone interested should contact Lightfoot at (707) 467-3238 or slightfoot@ncoinc.org.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
