Tag: Uncategorized

This post from The City Greens: Quinn Proposes Regional Food Market In Lower Manhattan. (New Councilwoman Margaret Chin is also on board.)

For those of us who have enjoyed the New Amsterdam Market over the past year, or who are interested in the encouragement of local and sustainable agriculture (that’s you, right?) this is welcome news.

Paula Crossfield of Civil Eats picks up on this inspiring and entertaining TED Talk by Jamie Oliver this week accepting his $100,000 TED Prize.

I went to a great workshop at Just Food the other night, and was reminded that they’re connected to a bunch of things that might be of interest to our members. (Just Food is the organization that helps connect communities in NYC with local farms — they got us started back in 2008.)

First of all, there’s the CSA in NYC Conference coming up on Feb. 28. Several of our core members are going to be attending, but the conference is open to anyone at all who’s interested in the current state of CSAs in the city.

On the way out of their office, I picked up some flyers that looked interesting:

• Bee Native is a non-profit hoping to strengthen the health and increase the population of honey bees in the U.S. (And I learned that an old tradition of newlyweds drinking mead — honey wine — for the month after their wedding is where the word “honeymoon” comes from.)
• Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer is promoting a 10-point Food Charter, “Principles for a sustainable food system,” including environment, education, and community. You can sign on to his food pledge.
• A new cookbook called “Big Green Cookbook” gives lots of recipes and kitchen tips to help you reduce your carbon food-print.

For those of you hooked in to such things, Just Food has a useful Twitter feed and a lively Facebook page.

Education Alliance is gearing up to do several joint events with Just Food, the great organization that brings CSA to NYC (and helped get us started up two years ago). The first one will be a raw cooking demonstration and tasting on February 9 with Stephanie Tourles, author of Raw Energy. See here for details.

NYC Parks & Recreation sponsors MulchFest 2010 — instead of throwing your tree in the trash, drag it over to Corlears Hook Park on Saturday and Sunday, January 9 and 10, between 10am and 2pm. They’ll be collecting trees to chip down for mulch throughout the city’s parks.

Update: Apparently NYC Sanitation Dep’t is collecting trees this year for mulch as well, from Jan. 4 through Jan. 15. Just leave the tree out on the curb for regular pickup, with no ornaments, stands, or bags. (There had been talk in the fall of suspending this program for budgetary reasons, but apparently it’s been restored.)

Blizzard? Schblizzard! The New Amsterdam Wintermarket will be open as planned:

Lovely, cheesy video about the White House garden getting covered for winter crops:

Planting the Winter Garden | The White House

Woodbridge Farm will be delivering pork shares again to the city this
coming Saturday. For those of you who missed out last time or need
another share (!) please email Dave and Julia to let them know:

woodbridgefarm@sbcglobal.net

The Mini Share is $150 and is roughly 17lbs of pork consisting of
bacon, sausage, ham, chops, ribs, shoulder.

Distribution will be at Roots & Vines (409 Grand St between Suffolk St
& Clinton St) from 3:30 to 6:00.

Happy Holidays!

Moira came across this site about Window Farms — the idea is to grow food inside your own apartment, like some urban, indoor, modern wonder of the world.

Some of you probably already grow some herbs inside, or have a potted plant or two. The problem, as with everything else in the city, is finding enough floor space for everything you want to grow. So here’s a good vertical solution.

If you register for their forum, you can download a PDF with D-I-Y instructions. (They’re also trying to put some kits together, but they don’t seem to have these available yet.)

Let us know in the comments below if you have any other innovative ways of farming indoors.

Below, a message from our friends and fine fruit purveyors at Breezy Hill–an invite to the Grand Opening of U-Pick Apple season, plus a discount!

This weekend, September 5th and 6th, we’re having a grand opening at Stone Ridge Orchard for the U-Pick Apple season. We want to extend a special invitation to our CSA members to join us this weekend. There will be live music (local group Rented Mule is scheduled for this first weekend), wine & cheese tasting, and local artists set up in the heart of the orchard. It’s not just this weekend, but every Saturday and Sunday 12-4 until November 1. The farm stand and U-Pick will be open seven days a week for your convenience. We offer our fresh fruit, cider, baked goods, and more at the stand.

If any CSA members come to the orchard, they’ll receive a discount on the U-Pick apples. At the moment we’re evaluating our prices, and once we set our prices, we’ll be able to give you the discounted price.

Stone Ridge Orchard is at 3012 Route 213, Stone Ridge, NY 12484. It’s about two hours north from the heart of New York City. Just jump on I-87, take exit 18 at New Paltz, and follow Main Street through New Paltz. Turn right on NY-32, then after seven miles turn left to follow Main St/Rte 213. After five miles, we’d love to have you!

Thanks!

The Staff at Breezy Hill