Kansas City Food Circle Blog: 06/01/2010

WESTPORT PLAZA FARMERS' MARKET - at Westport & Wyoming - WEDNESDAY Evening Local Food in Kansas City

With Wednesday evening rains, waterlogged or overheated fields, and various scheduling conlicts, our little midtown market has seen better seasons. However, people still come out each week and buy up so much of the food our vendors have to offer. We are working to bring more great items from more great vendors each week, so please keep up your enthusiasm for your Wednesday trek to Westport and Wyoming. With each new or returning customer, the growers gain more energy to drive them out to those fields to plant, tend and harvest.

WESTPORT PLAZA
FARMERS' MARKET

Kale and other greens

Pea and other sprouts
Basil and other herbs
Fingerlings and other potatoes
Zucchini and other squash
Beets and other roots
Beef and other meats
Sweet and other peppers
Green and other colors of eggs
Friendship and other breads
Nick Baker, Kasey Rausch and other musicians

There is going to be some delightful food and splendid music from 4:30-7:30 at the Westport Plaza Farmers' Market once again. See you there!

Take a walk, stroll, ride, or drive to the
Westport Plaza Farmers Market
at Westport and Wyoming
this Wednesday from
4:30-7:30pm
for the freshest of local,
sustainably grown offerings.

If it's from our growers, you know it's not tainted with pesticides & you can talk with our vendors about how to cook it, it it or grow some of it yourself! Goodness!

Please join our Westport Plaza Farmers' Market group in Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118365048203386

http://www.FarmersMarketKC.org

KC Organics Farmers' Market at Park Place - Leawood, KS - Wednesdays

click for a larger flyer image

KC Organics at Park Place

“The Farmer’s Market in downtown Leawood”

Open Wednesdays May 12th
through October 13th

10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Barkley Square

Go 1 mile South of I-435 on Nall

enter on 117th from Nall ( just north of AMC 20 theatre)

◆ fresh-picked, locally grown organic produce

◆ also honey, edible flowers, herbs, mushrooms, breads and baked

◆ goods, grains, sauces FT coffee and Eco-products

◆ free-range eggs and grass-fed meats

◆ soaps, body care products, natural stoneware jewelry

A Unique Market Experience in all the Best Ways

Nestled in the Grassy area amidst a Distinctive collection of

Local Shops, Restaurants and Boutiques

www.kcorganics.com

www.parkplaceleawood.com

Weekly Sustainability Announcements - SAN - Lawrence, KS

SUSTAINABILITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK, Lawrence Kansas
29 June 2010
Local Solutions for Transition to a Sustainable Economy

ECO RADIO KC ¤ WEEKLY ECOLOGICAL ISSUES RADIO SHOW
Tuesday, 29 June 2010, 12:00noon ¤ on Kansas City Community Radio
Listen at KKFI-FM 90.1, or on web-streaming at http://www.kkfi.org/

On Eco-Radio KC this week, host Richard Mabion will hold his fifth-Tuesday discussion with a member of the Kansas City sustainability community. We apologize that no details have been received by press time.

Stay tuned at 12:30 when the Bioneers radio series presents "Green-Collar Jobs: Laboring Into the Next Economy" . Labor leader Cesar Chavez helped ban DDT. Truckers are helping address appalling asthma rates at the filthy port of Los Angeles. And inner-city clergy, not suburbanites, led the latest victory against the big-box Wal-Mart stores sprawling over community open space. Unlikely allies? Environmental justice and labor leaders Manuel Pastor, Maria Elena Durazo and Rev. Alexia Salvatierra show us that in a truly sustainable economy, everybody is an environmentalist - and a healthy environment depends on economic justice.
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TAKE THE HEAT FROM THE BEACH TO DC!
Monday, 28 June 2010

With carbon driving the global climate, and the climate disruption driving the thermal homeostatic cooling engines - ie. hurricanes - it's only a matter of time before the Deepwater Horizon oil eruption is driven by tropical storms. As we enter the second week of Summer, this latest post by Bill McKibben of 350.org reminds us to keep the heat on Congress to pass a strong and effective climate and energy bill.

"It feels a bit like deja vu to write this, but this is a big week for climate and energy in Washington, D.C. President Obama is meeting with many key senators on Tuesday, and in the face of massive oil spills, and massive public outcries about it, we really could see some progress.

"The meeting's goal is to identify a policy vehicle that will tackle climate change and energy. Whatever that proposal contains, it won't do everything that we need. But it might at least get us started.

"So it would be very useful to call your Senators - Congressional Contact Directory - and make the following points:
1) We need a bill that puts an economy-wide cap on carbon--all carbon, from utilities and factories and cars and anything else that burns coal, gas, and oil. And we need those caps based on science - they have to start us on the route back towards 350.
2) We won't be fooled by a bill that merely addresses the need for oil drilling regulations or incentives for renewable energy. These things are so obvious that they require no political courage; the only way to honor the suffering in the Gulf is to make deep progress on ending our use of fossil fuel.

"If you need inspiration, take a moment to look through the photos from Hands Across the Sand last Saturday, when communities across the country took a united stand against offshore drilling and for clean energy. And if you need motivation, consider this: in the past six weeks seven countries have set new all-time temperature records. Our friends at 350 Pakistan report that the mercury hit 129 degrees last week.

"The planetary heat is on, for real. We need to put the political heat on, right now. We can do it!" Take the Heat from the Beach to DC! | 350.org
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THE METHANE MONSTER ¤ HEAT TRAP AND EXPLOSIVE

So far, CO2 is the single biggest cause of climate disruption. But methane - CH4 - is 20 times more potent for heat trapping. Methane hydrates are frozen in the tundra and deep under the seabed, but global warming from CO2 is on the verge of releasing vast quantities of methane. When methane adds to overall warming, climate disruption will go into overdrive. Methane hydrate is also what belched up the Deepwater Horizon well pipe and exploded, and subsequently froze up the BP "top hat" oil containment device.

These are two very sobering articles about the methane effect, and bring climate tipping points into stark relief. BP's Methane Monster: From the Gulf to the Globe, and Methane Time Bomb.
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PERMACULTURE-STUDENT PROJECT PRESENTATIONS & CRITIQUE ¤ FINAL SESSION
Wednesday, 30 June 2010, 6:00-9:00pm - $
12th Street Homestead, 1145 Pennsylvania St., Lawrence

The Kaw Permaculture Collaborative has conducted this Permaculture Certification Course consisting of 48 hours of lectures, video presentations, and field work. Students who have learned about food security, permaculture ethics, ecological principles, system design, sustainable soils, food production, earth works, water management, and resource efficient construction will be displaying their knowledge at this final session with a project focused on one of these topics. There will be a round-robin discussion and critique of each project.

The fees for this course will support both the K.P.C. and it's parent organization, Sustainability Action Network. For more information contact Steve Moring at 785-691-7305 or
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"GROWING FOOD FOR THE FUTURE" PERMACULTURE WORKSHOP
Saturday, 3 July 2010, 10:00am-4:30pm - $$
Vajra Farm, 14370 54th St., Oskaloosa KS (1/3 mi. east of US Hwy 59)

The workshop is an introduction to the principles of ecologically sustainable agriculture in a time of energy depletion. It will be taught by Steve Moring, certified in permaculture design through the Midwest Permaculture organization. The focus will be food security, and how implementing permaculture design on the small farm scale can mitigate the effects of declining energy resources. Steve will show what he has done at Vajra Farm with energy efficient home construction, cultivation of integrated polyculture no-till raised bed gardens and the establishment of edible forest gardens.

A $50.00 participation fee will support the activities of KPC and will include lunch, lecture and farm tour. For more information contact Steve at <smoring@grasshoppernet.com>
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LAWRENCE PEAK OIL TASK FORCE
Thursday, 8 July 2010, 4:00pm
City Manager's Conference Rm., City Hall 4th Floor, 6th & Massachusetts St.

Further progress has been made on editing and refining the chapters of the draft Peak Oil Plan, now developing into a consistent format. The final document is due to be completed by the end of August. The public is welcome at the meetings to provide input. Meetings are open to the public, and the public is encouraged to attend. And the Peak Oil Task Force web page has developed an extensive list of resources (click on "resources") including other cities' action plans such as San Francisco and Portland, videos, advocacy groups like Post Carbon Institute and Transition Boulder County, and key data and reports.
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URBAN-SUBURBAN PERMACULTURE TRAINING ¤ 4-DAY INTENSIVE
Thursday-Sunday, 8-11 July 2010 - $$
Midwest Permaculture, 125 Crescent Lane, Stelle, IL 60919

This training is a foundation in permaculture design for the suburban or city dweller who wants to transform their immediate environment into something beautiful and productive. Not a 'hands-on' training, about 65 percent of the time will be spent in the classroom covering the permaculture design principles and sharing example after example of how these are applied. There will be some time spent outside exploring patterns and features of the landscape. The goal is for students to come away with a new pair of permaculture eyes able to see the urban food growing possibilities. This training can lead, in part, to a Certificate of Completion of a Permaculture Design Course. For more info and to register, go to Suburban-Urban Permaculture Training 4-Day Intensive, or call (815)256-2215.
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SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK - MONTHLY MEETING
Sunday, 11 July 2010, 4:00pm
Local Burger, 7th & Vermont St., Lawrence KS

Local Solutions for Transition to a Sustainable Economy
S.A.N. organizes societal scale action for ecological sustainability both in our personal lives, and through public policy changes. "Be the change you want to see". The S.A.N. meeting agenda will include:

report on bicycle facility initiatives
finalize plans for 18 July Permaculture Tour (see below)
brainstorm a solar food dehydrator workshop
S.A.N. Vision Statement discussion
S.A.N.web site developments
Lawrence Peak Oil Plan, draft review

Please join us
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MONSANTO: CONTROLLING OUR FOOD ¤ A FRENCH DOCUMENTARY FILM

Anything that gets between ourselves and our food is viewed as a threat. Interfering with our ability to grow our own food safely threatens our food security. And the hubris to claim that trans-genetic manipulation entitles one to ownership of species that evolved over centuries is the ultimate food threat, and undermines the very essence of life. Monsanto has the dubious distinction of achieving all three.

Monsanto was founded in 1901 by John Queeny as a chemical company, the first product being the synthetic sweetener, saccharine. From that health threatening start, Monsanto went downhill into products like the herbicide 2,4,5-T which contains dioxin and is one half of Agent Orange, bovine growth hormone, PCB's that cause cancer, neurological and reproductive disorders, liver damage, immune suppression, etc., and of course, Roundup.

With their products becoming increasingly banned and liabilities mounting, Monsanto cut and ran. In 1997 they tried to disassociate themselves from their past by spinning off their chemical operations into a new company named Solutia. They then rebranded themselves as an agricultural company, retained their Roundup, and claimed that "Monsanto is a relatively new company". In fact, Monsanto Technology LLC is a biotechnology company with the same name and corporate headquarters, many of the same executives and other employees, and responsibility for liabilities arising out of activities in the industrial chemical business.

Award-winning French journalist and filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin is the author of "The World According to Monsanto", and the creator of the film by the same name. In this interview, Monsanto: New World Agricultural Order | Marie-Monique Robin interview, she provides a concise synopsis of Monsanto's crimes and history and future intent. If one cares to dig further into Monsanto's dirt, her film, Monsanto: Controlling Our Food | Marie-Monique Robin documentary is a real eye opener. But sit back because it is a very info-dense 1 hour and 49 minutes.
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ADVANCING RENEWABLES IN THE MIDWEST ¤ UNIV. OF MISSOURI, COLUMBIA
Thursday, 15 July 2010, 8:00am-5:00pm - $$
Anheuser-Bush Natural Resource Building & Bond Life Science Center Monsanto Auditorium

This annual one-day conference aims to educate and facilitate dialog on current renewable energy and energy efficiency trends and opportunities. The program will include topics of state renewable portfolio standards, residential Energy Star programs, utility and regulatory initiatives to reduce fossil fuels, climate change science and legislation, co-generation and bio-reactor projects, and more. Registration is $25 for non-professionals and $75 for professionals, with a $25 late fee after 2 July. For more info go to Advancing Renewables in the Midwest 2010: Univ of MO.
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2ND ANNUAL PERMACULTURE FARM & GARDEN TOUR ¤ KAW VALLEY AREA
Sunday, 18 July 2010, 9:00am-5:00pm - $
a guided tour of six sites in Lawrence and vicinity

Sponsored by the Sustainability Action Network & the Kaw Permaculture Collaborative , this will be a guided tour of six permaculture operations, four urban, and two rural. Permaculture is a design science by which we pattern our surroundings to harmonize with nature rather than to subdue nature. The end result is a farm or garden that is a low-input, self-organizing, mature polyculture ecosystem.

Tour schedule: guided tour in sequence

9:00am, Forest Floor Permaculture, 1311 Prairie Ave., Lawrence
10:00am, Adamson intensive urban permaculture, Lawrence
11:00am, Zell suburban transition permaculture, Lawrence
12:00pm, BYO sack lunch, 3033 Kasold Dr., Lawrence
1:00pm, Karlin Permaculture Farm, Lawrence
2:00pm, Lehrman suburban extensive permaculture, Lawrence
3:00pm, Vajra Farm Permaculture, Oskaloosa

¤ Do folks need to RSVP?

¤ answer: YES - at paradigm(a)ixks.com

¤ Is there a charge for the tour?

¤ answer: YES - $5.00

¤ How can someone without a car participate?

¤ answer: no bus will be provided; carpool to rural sites, and bicycle to urban sites

¤ Will it be canceled for bad weather? Is there a rain date?

¤ answer: tour happens rain or shine, within reason; dress appropriately

For more info call (785)691-7305 or (785)832-1300.
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5TH ANNUAL DIALOG ON SUSTAINABILITY ¤ GREEN JOBS
Thursday, 22 July 2010, 8:00am-5:00pm - FREE
Leadership Studies Bldg., K-State University, Manhattan KS

Participants in this one-day event are the K-State Sustainability Office, the Horticulture & Forestry Dept., Architecture & Landscape Architecture, the School of Engineering, and several outside agencies. Sessions will be held throughout the day on Kansas wind/renewable energy efforts, "greening" our food systems, and developing a vision for sustainable communities and local economies. Activities will include panel discussions, small group dialogs, posters, exhibits and more. Please pre-register by sending your name and contact information (affiliation, phone and e-mail address) to Sheree Walsh, smw(a)ksu.edu. For more info go to Dialog on Sustainability 2010: K-State U.

The SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK, Inc. is a Kansas not-for-profit organization. DONATIONS ARE APPRECIATED, and checks can be mailed to P.O.Box 1064, Lawrence KS 66044. Our mission is to advocate and organize societal scale action to address sustainability issues. The triple crises of Energy-Ecology-Economy are building so rapidly that large scale action is needed immediately and methodically to overcome institutional barriers and advance public policy that preserves ecological sustainability. Our focus is to build a relocalized economy-ecology in concert with the Transition Town movement occurring in many other communities. To join the Sustainability Action Network please contact us at paradigm(a)ixks.com

Our current projects include:
1) Transition Kaw Valley - initiating transition to a relocalized post-carbon economy, and municipal level Peak Oil response planning.
2) Kaw Permaculture Collaborative - developing skills and resources for poly-cropping sustainable food production.
3) Energy Conservation & Renewables - advancing a green economy through decentralized technologies and regulations, for conservation and renewable energy.
4) Land Consortium - organizing interested stakeholders to acquire prime farmland in the urban fringe for land-based economic development and regional food security.
5) Water Rights and Watersheds - protecting the water commons, the source of all life, from privatization and contamination, and restoring our watersheds.
6) Electric & Human Powered Vehicles - promoting neighborhood electric vehicles and utility tricycles, including infrastructure and pro-active regulations.
7) Weekly Sustainability Announcements - informing and encouraging others to become active in the Sustainability Action Network, or other action driven groups.
8) Collaboration with sister organizations - such as: The Light Center eco-village; Kaw Valley Food System farm-based economic development; Citizens for Responsible Planning; Films for Action; Kansas River Valley Growers fighting for local water rights; national efforts by the Sustainable Energy Network; KC Metro groups like the Kansas City Food Circle and the All Species Project, etc.

We welcome suggestions for items to be included. Please send items to paradigm(a)ixks.com

To subscribe to this list, please send an e-mail to paradigm(a)ixks.com with the subject line reading “subscribe to Sustainability Announcements”.

If you do not care to continue on this announcements list, please respond "unsubscribe to Sustainability Announcements" at paradigm(a)ixks.com

Troostwood Youth Garden Market - FRIDAY & SATURDAY at 52nd & Paseo

Friday Market

5pm-8pm

Saturday Market

8am - 2pm

Troostwood Youth Garden
5142 Paseo
Kansas City, Missouri 64110

View Large Map
816-444-5788
eMail: Managers (@) TroostwoodYouthGarden.info
Neighborhood youth are providing fresh and healthy vegetables from A to Z. All foods grown on-site using organic methods. We are members of JJ FArms. Please call if you have questions.

www.TroostwoodYouthGarden.info

~

Join Troostwood Market on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=79989349469

Farmers' Community Market at Brookside ~ SATURDAYS ~ 8am-1pm

The weather gods have been testing us of late. For those of you who missed the straight line winds or micro-burst or whatever it was last Saturday. Tents were flying, and a bit of panic was in the air, for a brief moment. Then, I saw a women’s handbag flying about 40 feet in the air and caught by Alex of Mood Wood Farms. What ensued after the shock, was a caucophony of laughter, farmers and shoppers alike working in a community effort to save what we could in the soggy mess.

Thanks to you shoppers, who stayed to help! We feel the love!

Nothing but sunshine and loads of sweat-blessed treats for us this Saturday. And, we welcome our new fruit and berry farmers Pat Mabary and Diane Packingham from Canaan Fruits. You’ve been asking for more berries and here they come!!

Canaan Fruits

We will be bringing:

Blueberries

Black currants

Red currants

Pink currants

5 or 6 bales of straw

Blackberries are still a few weeks away.

We are looking forward to our new venture!

Thanks,

Pat Mabary

Diane Packingham

“Heavenly fruits from Freeman, Missouri”

Green Dirt Farm:

We'll be bringing some lovely, ripe, Bossa and Woolly Rind. We'll also

have some young Prairie Tomme, Dirt Lover and plenty of Fresh.

We will have lamb as well. Please come early to get the best selection.

Hope to see you there!

Bear Creek Farms

A hot busy week, but lots accomplished so feeling good.

At market we'll have - cabbage, purple, orange and white cauliflower, broccoli, swiss chard, kale, lots of zucchini, a few tomatoes (yeah!), cucumbers, onions, potatoes, kohlrabi, and more.

See you at market!

Jeanna and Lonnie
Robbins and Jim

From Blue Door Farm:

As I look at the forecast this Wednesday afternoon it is showing me a sunny Saturday, free of pesky thunderstorms, floods and straightline winds. Please, oh, please let it be.

Blue Door will be bringing:

- more of those tasty Red Gold new potatoes

- fat, fresh-dug Candy onions and tasty scallions

- the versatility kings - zucchini and summer squash.

- yummy, blue/green "Winterbor" kale.

New this week? Carrots!

Also new this week? The folks behind the table! I'm taking a Saturday off, so Joe and Robert will be manning the booth. Joe has been working with me all season, so can tell you all about the veggies. Pay no attention to what he says about me however - it's all lies! :) Robert is a new, hardworking volunteer. I'd like to keep them both coming back, so be nice to them, okay?

Have a happy farmers' market!

- Laura

From the KC Center for Urban Agriculture’s Community Farm

S U M M E R T I M E equals T O M A T O E S, G R E E N B E A N S and plenty of B A S I L. So, we’ll bring all we’ve got! CHERRY TOMATOES gift-wrapped for that special someone. FAVA BEANS with tasty summer recipes to take on a Sunday picnic. Since we ran out of new POTATOES last week we’ll dig extra and print out our newest favorite recipe. The SUGAR SNAP PEAS are surprising everyone with how they are holding on and still producing lovelies. And thank goodness the SUMMER SQUASH and CUCUMBERS are finally sizing up. The prettiest items on the table will be without a doubt our fantastic CANDY ONIONS. Really. Find them right next to the SPRING BUNCHING ONIONS, SCALLIONS and LEEKS. BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER and CABBAGE. Of course, they’ll be SALAD MIX, LETTUCE MIX, MICROGREENS, ARUGULA, WILD EDIBLE PURSLANE, FUNKY FRESH BRAISING MIX. KALE, SWISS CHARD, COLLARD GREENS, MUSTARD GREENS, KOHLRABI, BEETS, TURNIPS and CARROTS. and of course, fresh cut HERBS including LEMONGRASS, SORREL, ROSEMARY and many others.

We’ll bring the last of the basil transplants.

The guys- DANIEL, BOBBY and LES will be running the stand this week. They might even carry your produce to your car if you smile nicely.

Have a great Saturday! And as always, thank you for supporting GROWING FOOD IN THE CITY.

Red Ridge Farm

Amy and Jim will be back with their flowers, produce, garden pretties, and maybe a few more transplants.

Benedict Builders will have their sustainably and humanely raised meats, eggs, honey and artisanal cheeses.

We'll have some great music from our favorite band - the Freestate Ramblers.

Now just because you don't see a vendors name doesn't mean they won't be there. It may mean they were in the field and too busy harvesting their goodies. What surprises await?!!

Buy Organic, Buy Local, By Brookside

Saturdays 8 to 1 pm at 63rd and Wornall

Visit www.breakingthroughconcrete.com to view a story about our vendor Kansas City  Center for Urban Agrigulture and see a great picture of farmer Lonnie from Bear  Creek setting up at the Brookside Farmers Market!



Farmers' Community Market
at Brookside

Saturdays, 8am to 1pm
under the white tents at theBorder Star Montessori School
63rd & Wornall, Kansas City, MO 64113

The Farmers' Community Market at Brookside is Dedicated to Creating a Unique Partnership between the Community and Farmers who provide High Quality, Local and Organic Products in an atmosphere that is mutually beneficial, wholesome and fun.The Market also helps to support the Border Star PTA.

Market Friends! We are on Facebook. Please, take a minute to visit our page and suggest it to your friends!
If you are on Facebook, do a search for Farmers Community Market.
If you are not on Facebook, click on the direct link listed below:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Kansas-City-MO/Farmers-Community-Market-at-Brookside/115620695123742
Thank you for your continued support!
Pam Bramlett – Market Manager
Farmers’ Community Market at Brookside
Pam (a) farmerscommunitymarket.com
Phone 913-217-8535
Buy Organic, Buy Local, By Brookside
www.farmerscommunitymarket.com

KC Organics at Minor Park - Saturdays, just East of Red Bridge Rd & Holmes (KCMO)

Farmers Market - KC Organics (Minor Park - KCMO)

Saturdays 8am – 12:30pm
(Timezone: Central Time)

E 110th St & Red Bridge Road, Kansas City, MO (map)

KC Organics and Natural Farmers Market
“The Farmer’s Market in a Park”
Open Saturdays May 2nd through October 17th
8:00 am to 12:30 pm, in Minor Park
Go 1 mile South of I-435 on Holmes,then east on Red Bridge Road