Homegrown Indiana Farm Tour

Sunday, September 30 from 2:15 pm – 7:15 pm

Leaving from and returning to City Hall
Cost: $25
Registration: Register by September 24 in the Parks Office or online at www.bloomington.in.gov/farmersmarket (the code is 36505A). There are no refunds after the registration deadline. Prior to the deadline, September 24, there is a $3 administrative fee for cancellations.

Join us for an afternoon immersed in a farm’s diverse ecosystem. Ewenique Farms offers a special opportunity to learn more about a myriad of all-natural farm practices. We will tour the farm and enjoy the sun on a hay wagon, then share the afternoon with lambs and longhorn calves while learning to separate the chaff from the wheat and grind the grain. The evening concludes with a simple meal of seasonal soup, home-baked bread from Muddy Fork, and cookies.

The seeds of “Ewe”nique Farm were planted more than 100 years ago, when the family initially began farming the area. “Ewe”nique strives to protect the land, promote nutrient-dense diets and improve the local ecology. The family stays close to their roots by pasturing sheep, grinding their own grains for breads and pastry, and following organic methods of production.

Detailed information is available at www.bloomington.in.gov/farmersmarket or by contacting Marcia Veldman at 349-3738 or veldmanm@bloomington.in.gov. Co-sponsored by the Local Growers Guild and Bloomingfoods Market and Deli, with special thanks to Muddy Fork Farm and Harvest Moon Flower Farm.

Participant Tips and Itinerary

• Dress comfortably and in layers. Other than the time on the bus, we will be outside all day, walking on uneven terrain.
• You may want to bring a hat, sunscreen, a snack and water.
• The tour takes place rain or shine. The schedule may be altered in the event of severe weather.
• It’s just over an hour’s drive on school buses. You may want to bring a pillow.
• Itinerary (this is to give you a general idea of the flow of the day, times may vary)

o          1:30 pm           Check-in Begins

o          2:15 pm           Buses depart Showers Common

o          3:30 pm           Arrive at “Ewe”nique Farm

o          5 pm                Dinner on the Farm

o          6:00 pm           Buses depart

LGG Potluck and Informal Discussion on Growing Food and Caring for Livestock in Drought

Sunday, August 26 @ 5:30PM
Blue Farm (1188 N. Sewell Road, Bloomington, IN)
Facebook RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/events/273635502738572/

As we faced drought this year and are likely to continue battling it in years to come, what strategies have worked or not so far and how can we as a community prepare to provide an abundance of harvests in the onslaught of adverse conditions? Are there ways of retaining water locally without the use of expensive and fossil fuel intense irrigation systems? And if using irrigation systems, what are the appropriate technologies we should be investing in?

This spring we saw unusually warm temperatures and rains of intense proportions. How do we prepare for these shifts in temperatures and how do we harvest and store this excess of water? Looking ahead to fall, what crops have grown well in our region? What cover crops work well? And how do we extend our growing season with easy low cost solutions suitable for many scales?

These questions hopefully will give a context for the conversation we hope to have. One that utilizes the knowledge gained by our community and one that unifies us to share our failures and successes together. This will hopefully be an active space of collaboration and a fun environment of licking plates clean and plenty of laughter. Thank you for supporting our local community, we hope to see you there!

Cheers,

LGG

Bloomingfoods Presents an Evening with Dr. Drew Ramsey

Tuesday, August 28th at 5:30PM
Bloomingfoods Near West Side, Community Room (316 W. 6th St.)
$35 for dinner and a copy of “The Hapiness Diet” OR $15 for dinner only (prepared by Bloomingfoods)

Join us for a special dinner, a book signing, and a conversation about food and mood.

“Everything you need for a healthy, happy brain can be found on a farm.  Plants and animals provide the vitamins, minerals, fats, and phytonutrients that are necessary for optimal brain function.”

Happiness is a biological event and in order for our brains to fire on all cylinders, they must be properly nourished.  Most books about attaining happiness focus only on improving psychological well-being and your outlook on life.  Dr. Drew Ramsey holds the perspective that the food many of us eat contributes to the soaring rates of mood disorders in this country.  Before we can start changing our outlook, we need to start changing what’s on our plates.

Dr. Drew Ramsey, a member-owner of Bloomingfoods, grew up eating from the family garden on a Crawford County, IN farm. He completed his specialty training in adult psychiatry at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute, received an M.D. from Indiana University School of Medicine in 2000 and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Earlham College.  He is an assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.  Visit http://drewramseymd.com

For more information, call 812-339-4442, ext. 204 or email Jean Kautt, Member Services Coordinator at at memberservices@bloomingfoods.coop

Reservations required by August 24th, email memberservices@bloomingfoods.coop.

Local Growers’ Guild Annual Meeting

As someone interested in local foods, we invite you to join the Local Growers’ Guild Board of Directors and Guild Manager for our Annual Meeting this Sunday, July 15th. You’ll hear about the new activities of the LGG, such as our fall grower workshops and instructive videos giving you a glimpse of member farms. We’ll introduce you to Farm Connect, an online buying club we hope to initiate for LGG members. We’ll also have time to visit with one another, share some food, and take a stroll through the Butler Vineyards. There will be opportunities for you to get involved in our projects too!

The LGG Annual Meeting will be take place at 4pm on Sunday, July 15th at Butler Winery (6200 E. Robinson Rd.). Located high above the Bean Blossom Valley, Butler Winery is one of the oldest wineries in Indiana. Wine tasting and light refreshments. If possible, please bring a potluck item and your own dishware.

www.localgrowers.org

Facebook Invite

Farm Bill Action needed now in support of small and sustainable farms

Here’s an important message from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition about the 2012 Farm Bill, which doesn’t do much for our grower members. Please consider taking action today!

Dear Members of the Local Growers’ Guild,

The Senate Agriculture Committee’s version of the 2012 Farm Bill is up for debate by the full Senate this week.  But it looks like they forgot to include a few things in the farm bill—like robust funding for rural development and beginning and socially disadvantaged farmer programs.

That’s right!  Programs that boost jobs through rural entrepreneurship, invest in the future of American agriculture, and provide assistance to historically underserved farmers received little to no funding in the Committee’s bill.

How could these important programs get left behind?

Fortunately, there is still a chance to ensure that these programs are not forgotten.  Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), along with other interested Senators, is considering offering an amendment in the next few days that restores funding to crucial rural development and beginning and socially disadvantaged farmer programs, including:

• Value-Added Producer Grants

• Rural Microentrepeneur Assistance Program

• Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program

• Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Program (Section 2501)

Will you support this effort to ensure the 2012 Farm Bill creates jobs in rural America and invests in the next generation of farmers?  

Call your Senators TODAY and ask for their support on this amendment:

Tell your Senators:  Please ensure that rural communities and the future of American agriculture are not left out of the farm bill.  Senator Sherrod Brown is considering an amendment that funds important programs like Value-Added Producer Grants and the Rural Microentrepeneur Assistance Program – two programs that create jobs and spur economic growth through food and farms.  And this potential amendment invests critical funding in the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Program – two programs that support the future of American agriculture.  Please support our rural communities and future farmers by reaching out to Senator Brown and supporting this amendment.

Your Senators need to hear that you want a farm bill with real reform and real improvements for our rural places and the future of farming.  Don’t delay—the Senate is about to start debate on the 2012 Farm Bill, so they need to hear from you TODAY.

Thank you for all that you do,

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Grassroots Team

P.S.  When you call, tell us how it went!  And help us spread the word by sharing this message!