Cheese Making Classes at Bader Beer & Wine and Neighbors Market Coupon

Rumor has it if you attend one of Bader Beer & Wine cheese making classes, you'll get a coupon for a raw milk purchase at Neighbors Market  down on Main Street. Bader has sold out their first four Beginning Cheese Making classes, but they have a couple more schedule for Saturday March 5th and Saturday, March 19th.

Sign up for a class, learn how to make cheese and get your first batch of delicious, raw milk to make more cheese with...and support two of Vancouver's finest local businesses while you're having fun doing it.

Start a Community Garden In Your Neighborhood Park!

Here's a blurb from the folks at Vancouver-Clark parks & Recreation:


Food Gardens in Neighborhood Parks

Are you interested in working with your neighborhood association to create a community food garden in your neighborhood park? We may be able to help. Go to our policy for starting a food garden in your neighborhood park. Food gardens in your neighborhood create active spaces in the park, promote conversations with your neighbors, promote healthy lifestyles and build community.


Call 487-7100 or e-mail us  for more information.

Sharing Backyards

Gardening season is coming and it sure feels like our community has built up some momentum in the efforts to encourage and promote edible gardening. Many of our community members don't have space, time, resources or ability to make the most of their gardening ambitions. Sharing Backyards is a great online mapping and connecting tool for folks who'd like to share their gardening space or share someone else's space. There's even an opportunity to start a Sharing Backyards program for Vancouver/Clark County for anyone who might be inclined to take on a high value/low-input web project. This is a definition of community gardening at it's finest.


Check it out!

Home Orchard Society Upcoming Workshops

HOS Fruit Tree Pruning Class
Saturday, February 5th, 9am-11:50am, at the HOS Arboretum located on the Clackamas Community College campus.


HOS experts will demonstrate pruning methods applicable for a variety of fruit trees. Bring your pruning tools and appropriate outdoor wear so you can practice what you learn in this hands-on seminar!


Co-sponsored by the Home Orchard Society and Clackamas Community College. Fee: $10.00
Download Registration Form and registration instructions from this link:
http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/files/events/2011_ccc_classes.pdf

Pre-registration is highly encouraged and is through Clackamas Community College (Loretta Mills 503-594-3292), not the Home Orchard Society.


For directions:
http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/arboretum/directions/


Other Upcoming Events:


Beginning and Intermediate Fruit Tree Grafting Classes Saturday, February 19th, at Clackamas Community College.


Fruit Propagation Fair (Scion Exchange) Saturday, March 19th, 11-5 PM at the Clackamas Co. Fairgrounds


More information available at www.homeorchardsociety.org/events

How about a CSA With a Twist?

Any of my CSA farmer friends who had or are having trouble filling subscriptions might want to read about this novel concept my buddy Alan Bishop is using.

"...This year Bishop’s Homegrown is looking to create a viable alternative to the traditional CSA program by creating a farm stand coupon program which will allow customers to still share in helping us get our business going during the part of the season in which seed and implements and other essentials are being purchased while also making the relationship more convenient for the farmer and the shareholders.

In this arrangement, instead of the farmer putting together a box of produce weekly he has selected for you you will instead receive “credit” from our farm which will allow you to visit our farm stand or farm where you can make your selection of produce that we have available including also a selection of seedlings, nursery stock, seeds, compost, poultry, meat, animals and other items from our farm. This gives you the opportunity to decide what you want instead of us deciding what you want. Every $100 you invest will also get you a 10% discount which means that you will actually get 10% more produce for your food dollars."


You can read the entire post by following the link below:
http://homegrowngoodness.blogspot.com/2011/01/2011-bishops-homegrown-farmstand-credit.html

Don't forget to check out Alan's open source vegetable seed catalog:
http://faceoftheearthseed.blogspot.com/

And last, but not least, his very informative and friendly horticultural/agricultural/cultural bulletin board:
http://alanbishop.proboards.com/index.cgi

Wild Bill Cole @ Neighbors Market - 1-29-2011

If you want to know about wild fungus and other wild edibles, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better source of wisdom  than Bill Cole. He and his lovely wife Laura run Nature's Wild Harvest/Nature's Choice . You can find their products at area farmers' markets as well as Neighbors Market . You can catch Bill in a rare live performance (talking about the art of wildcrafting) at Neighbors this Saturday @ noon.

Check it out!

Seed Saving Workshop Illustration Contest!

We are looking for black & white illustrations or photographs for use in flyers and other promotional materials for two March seed saving workshops presented by Sarah Kleeger and Andrew Still from The Seed Ambassadors & Adaptive Seeds. Subject matter should include seed sowing, seeds, seed germination, or be of a similar horticultural nature. Submissions are due no later than February 10th. The workshops are scheduled for Saturday, March 19th in White Salmon, WA (hosted by the Gorge Grown Food Network) and on Sunday, March 20th in Vancouver, WA (hosted by Neighbors Markets, Slow Food Southwest WA and Urban Abundance). All submissions will become property of Clark County Food & Farm and will NOT be used for any commercial purpose, other than this workshop series, without permission of the submitter. 

Clark County Food & Farm is offering FIVE FREE packets of seeds from the Adaptive Seeds 2011 Catalog to one lucky winner!


Please submit all entries via e-mail in .png, .jpeg or .tif format. Highest quality images are preferred. Enter as often as you like. The winner will be announced on February 11th.


More info on the workshops coming soon!

Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop

The City of Vancouver Urban Forestry team and Clark County Environmental Services would like to invite you to participate in a Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop!


What: An opportunity to learn how to prune or improve on existing skills
Where: 78th St. Heritage Farm, 1919 NE 78th Ave, permaculture food forest
When: Thursday, January 27th from 1-4 p.m.
Who: Anybody and everybody is welcome, so long as you don’t mind getting a little dirty and handling pruners
Why: Free of charge, a great chance to learn, and you will be helping establish a healthy food forest!


The Food Forest


What is a Food Forest?
A permaculture forest garden mimics the architecture and beneficial relationships of a natural forest. Food forests are not ‘natural’, but are designed and managed ecosystems that are very rich in biodiversity and productivity.


Food Forests:
• Produce food
• Produce forage for
• insects, pollinators, chickens,and song birds
• Create wildlife habitat
• Nuture our bodies through herbal teas and concoctions
• Create beauty and a sense of well being


Join us for this hands-on workshop. Learn the biology and fundamentals of proper fruit tree pruning then put your new skills into practice on the terraced food forest located at the Heritage Farm. Participants should bring gloves and pruners. Some will be provided but only in limited numbers.


Space is limited, please call 487-8308 or email jessica.antoine@cityofvancouver.us to reserve your spot


Heritage Farm
4400 NE 78th Ave
www.cityofvancouver.us/urbanforestry

Battle Ground Wine Loop Tour This Weekend! 1.22.2011

Are you in the loop? 


Stop and taste wine at all three wineries on Sat. Jan. 22nd between noon and 5 and be entered to win a $50 gift certificate. Tasting is free. No purchase necessary.


OLEQUA CELLARS
24218 NE 142nd Ave.
Battle Ground , WA 98604
360.666.8012
olequa.com


HEISEN HOUSE VINEYARDS
28005 NE 172nd Ave.
Battle Ground , WA 98604
360.713.2359
heisenhousevineyards.com


RUSTY GRAPE VINEYARDS
16712 NE 219th St.
Battle Ground, WA 98604
360.513.9338
rustygrape.com

Bishop's Homegrown 2011 Face of the Earth Seed Catalog

Well, Alan Bishop (my friend, super farmer, plant breeder and social activist) of Bishop's Homegrown finally managed to get a seed catalog of sorts together for 2011.

http://faceoftheearthseed.blogspot.com/

I can't recommend his seeds highly enough. Alan is offering seeds from stable and unstable plant lines in his seed rack. While growing unstable lines may not be for everyone, the benefits of growing from seed like Alan's (as well as seed from the Ken Ettlinger Long Island Seed Project, Tom Wagner of Tater-Mater Seeds and others) are many.

Most importantly you are helping independent seedsmen who are busting their tails to ensure the supply of new, diverse and non-patented seeds.

You will have the ability to select individual plants that bear favorable traits for your specific garden, climate, taste or breeding project.
You'll have a garden full of interesting and surprising things that will taste better than anything you can find in a store.
You'll be contributing to the future of our nation's food system security.

Some of the finest tasting and most beautiful fruits and vegetables I have ever grown came from Alan, Tom and Ken.

I know there are many great companies out there, but here's a short list of folks I have personally done business with and highly recommend to get you started.

• Abundant Life Seed Co.
• Adaptive Seeds - The Seed Ambassadors Project
• Amish Land Heirloom Seeds
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
• Bountiful Gardens Heirloom & Open Pollinated Varieties
• Bunch Grapes - Lon J. Rombough, Grape Grower Extraordinaire
• Fedco Seeds
• Fillaree Farms
• Franchi Seeds
• Full Circle Seeds
• Garlicsmiths
• Gourmet Garlic Garden
• Gourmet Seeds Intl.
• High Mowing Seeds
• Hip-Gnosis Seed Development Project (Alan Bishop)
• Horizon Herbs
• Irish Eyes & Garden City Seeds
• JL Hudson Seedsman
• Kitazawa Seeds - Asian Specialty
• Kusa Seed Society - Grains
• Marianna's Heirloom Seeds
• Moose Tubers (Fedco)
• Mother Earth's Seed & Plant Finder
• Native Seeds/SEARCH
• Nichols Garden Nursery
• One Green World - Fruit Trees & Berries
• Peace Seeds - Alan Kapuler
• Peter's Seed Research
• Pinetree Garden Seeds
• Prairie Garden Seeds
• Rain Tree Nursery - Fruit Trees, Berries & Other Edible Bush/Vine Fruits
• Redwood City Seed Co.
• Sandhill Preservation Center
• Seed Savers Exchange
• Seeds of Change
• Sourcepoint Seeds - Grains & Legumes
• Sustainable Mtn Agriculture Center Inc. - Heirloom Beans
• Tater-Mater's Seed Potatoes (Tom Wagner)
• Tatiana's Tomato Seeds
• Territorial Seed
• The Italian Cook's Seed Co.
• Trees of Antiquity - Huge Selection of Fruit Trees
• Turtle Tree Seed
• Uprising Seeds
• Victory Seed Co.
• Wild Garden Seed

Seed Planting Dates

Here's a link to a nifty little web page created by the folks at The Old Farmer's Almanac. Just enter your city or zip code into the space and you'll get a chart which shows seed planting dates (including moon favorable dates for all of you who are biodynamically inclined).

http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/

Tom Wagner Potato Sampler Available Now!

I've grown a number of Tom's children and l guarantee you will NOT find a better source for the best tasting and most nutrient packed potatoes you've ever had anywhere. Here's the word from the Tater-Mater himself:


This winter and until about April I am offering my Potato Sampler again. It is an 8 lb. box sent postpaid and delivered in two days or so. I usually put about 5 to 20 varieties together. The varieties could be little known varieties from around the world or exclusive varieties out of my potato breeding program. I ask $40 to cover shipping costs and the rest to support my research.

I usually give my address to folks over emails, but here it is: 

Tom Wagner
Tater Mater Seeds
8407 18th Ave. West 
7-203
Everett, WA 98204
425 894-1123

I have many of the standards such as Yukon Gold, Norland, Kennebec, Cobblers, but if you want some potatoes to try that you wont find at any of the other places offering seed potatoes just send me a line, email, or phone call. The picture on the right is a shot of my "John Tom Kaighin" potato variety.

Talk Pigs With April Jones of Gus & Co. @ Salt, Fire & Time - 2.9.2011

Feb 9th — Heritage pork shares, and pig farming with April Jones Gus & Co. Farm.April raises Tamworth pigs in Ridgefield, WA. This is a chance to learn about how she raises them, we will talk about grain feeds with her sister, Anna, an expert from Montana as well as the advantages/disadavantages to doing so. She raises and sells the animals as pork shares, so come and learn more about the why and how of participating. We will also talk a bit about how to use that whole pig once you’ve gotten it. $10/person 6:30pm

Gus & Co. Farm is owned by Gus the Dog and operated by April Jones.  On 24 acres near Ridgefield, Washington, Farmer Jones grows a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, and fruits.  In addition, she is particularly passionate about her small herd of heritage, pasture raised hogs.

Anna Jones-Crabtree, P.E., Ph.D. is a Sustainability Coordinator for the Federal Government. She and her husband Doug, have started Vilicus Farms, a 1280 acre grain, legume and oilseed farm in north central Montana to grow food as well as a new crop of farmers.

DIY Soda With Jacqueline Freeman of Friendly Haven Rise & Tressa From Salt, Fire & Time - 1.26.2011

January 26th — Fermented Sodas (w/ Jacqueline Freeman & Tressa!): 

This class we will discuss, taste and demonstrate how to make your own kombucha, water kefir, lacto-fermented sodas and more. We can help troubleshoot your current experiments with fizzy fun drinks or alleviate your fear to try it at home. Take home a kombucha scoby or water kefir grains!

Recipes to include coconut water kefir, basic kombucha, verbena soda, and root beer.

$40/person 

6:30pm

Marketing Workshop for Producers - 2.22.2011

Check out this upcoming class sponsored by the Clark County Farm Bureau and the Vancouver Farmers Market. Click on the image below for a larger view.

Food & Film Series from the Vancouver Watersheds Council

A monthly film series on the 3rd Tuesday at 6pm, we will show films that bring light to water related issues both in our local community, and around the world. Through community partnerships with the Vancouver Watersheds Council, Clark County Environmental Services and the City of Vancouver we will bring the filmmakers and local experts together for a panel discussion. Following each film there will be a forum to discuss the issues and how to take action. FOOD and CHILDCARE will be provided.

Mission: To educate the community through environmental documentaries and panel discussions with local experts and filmmakers.

Films schedule for viewing:

"Deep Green"
"Water Before Anything"
"The Great Salmon Run"
"Thirst"
"The End of the Line"
"Blue Gold"

Food and children’s activities will be provided.

When: January 18, February 15, March 15, April 19, May 17, June 21;  6-9 p.m.

Where: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4505 East 18th Street, Vancouver

Contact Info

Email:emily@vancouverwatersheds.org
Phone:360-852-3297

Potluck & A Movie @ Neighbors Market - 1.18.2011

Time	Tuesday, January 18 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location	Downtown Vancouver - RSVP req'd
Created By	Summer Steenbarger @ Dee Creek Farm
More Info	Dee Creek Farm and Neighbors Market are hosting a Potluck & a Movie on January 18th, 6pm! This will be held downtown at Neighbors Market. RSVP's required as space is limited (no walk ins). We will be showing the film "Ingredients" (www.ingredientsfilm.com). "American food is in a state of crisis. Health, food costs and our environment are all in jeopardy. A movement to put good food back on the table is emerging. What began 30 years ago with chefs demanding better flavor, has inspired consumers to seek relationships with nearby farmers. This is local food." Lots of NW farmers (and a restaurant) featured! You will need to bring your own chair! We will have a donation jar for speaker rentals. RSVP by contacting Summer at Dee Creek Farm: Summer Steenbarger Email: summer@deecreekfarm.com Blog: http://summersperspective.wordpress.com/