COURSE STARTS tonight... (Lawrence, KS) Introduction to Permaculture Ethics, Principles and Design


re-post...

The Kaw Permaculture Collaborative and the Kansas Permaculture Institute are proud to present their first full course in the Principles of Permaculture and Sustainable Living:

Introduction to Permaculture Ethics, Principles and Design
With Steve Moring of Vajra Farm

The course consists of a series of 16, three hour sessions with lectures, video screenings and field work to be held every second week beginning *February 10th from 6 -- 9 pm at the East Lawrence Recreation Center.*

"As a community we are entering a period of energy depletion and the resulting decline in our global economy. Learn how the sustainability movement known as Permaculture promises to create an ecologically sound and economically viable system which neither pollutes nor exploits our planet."

This course consists of 48 hours of lecture leading to a Permaculture Design Certificate from the Kansas Permaculture Institute, Inc. Lecture topics include food security, permaculture ethics, ecological principles, system design, sustainable soils, food production, food forests, earth works and construction of human habitats.

A second course is our Permaculture Practicum that will consist of four, six hour field work internship program. The Practicum will begin June 12 and go to July 24, 2010, and will be held at Vajra Farm near Oskaloosa, Prairie Lovesong Farm near Tonganoxie, and Chestnut Charlie's Nut Tree Farm, North of Lawrence. The Practicum's 24 hours of field work that will culminate in fulfilling the requirement of 72 hours of instruction for a certificate in permaculture design.

For more information on course content, meeting times and locations go to websites: http://groups.google.com/group/kpc-dev/web/kpc-event-postings or http://kawpermaculture.wordpress.com,

or To register: Please contact Steve Moring at 785-691-7305
or by e-mail to smoring (@) grasshoppernet.com


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Funky First Friday Farmers Market at BADSEED - A MUST ON FRIDAYS IN THE CROSSROADS 


Howdy "oh so compassionate" Eaters
and Food Activists - 
As always the BADSEED *Winter* Farmers Market will be ripe for the pickins' this Friday from 4-8 PM.  Our gregarious gang of growers will have their usual array of organic delights available.  I will get to all that in a minute....but for now, enough about food and farmers, lets talk about SEED!!  
"SEEDS FOR HAITI"
Seed Donation Drive at the BADSEED Market
This Friday, Feb. 5th and next Friday, Feb.12th (4-8 PM)

Many of us have been touched by the recent earthquake in Haiti that has left
hundreds of thousands of people dead or in disarray. We desperately want to
help, but the idea of sending actual dollars that will most likely get
plundered before ever reaching the physical hands of those in need is
unsettling. Therefore, let's show our love and support in the form of SEEDS
- physical seeds that will produce physical food and nourishment for the the
families that sow them.

Bring a packet of seed for donation this Friday or next 
to the BADSEED Farmers Market. 

(Suggested crops and local retailers are included at the end of this e-mail).

Seeds will be organized and shipped to a reliable NGO in Naples, Florida
who will be the on-ground distributor.

Seeds should arrive in time for Haiti's next planting season which occurs in
mid-March.

A single packet of seed costs as little as $2.00, but the bounty of food
that comes from it is invaluable. Such a small sum of money is a realistic
donation for most, and for those of you who are able, larger quantities are
encouraged.

*A limited quantity of seed will be available for purchase at the BADSEED
Market for those who are unable to procure seeds before-hand.

**BIG THANKS TO LEW EDMISTER AND The Kansas City Center For Urban Agriculture FOR ORGANIZING THIS EFFORT!!!

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to your friends!!!
**If you can't get to BADSEED on the next two FRIDAYS, you can also MAIL IN SEED PACKAGES (for Haitian Food Relief) to the following addresses:

SEEDS for HAITI 
c/o KCCUA 
4223 Gibbs Road 
KC, KS 66106 

or

SEEDS for HAITI 
c/o Lew Edmister 
921B W 17th St 
KC, MO 64108 

Lew (the originator of this grassroots relief program) can be reached at 
816-842-4432 or

Yay! Lets donate some seeds!  And now back to the Farmers Market - 

This Friday's Organic Offerings will include:

*Gourmet Mushrooms in shitake & oyster not to mention farm-fresh Brown Eggs
from Paul and Judy at the Mushroom Farm

*Grass-Fed Lamb including French Racks, bone-in and boneless lamb legs, lamb kabob meat, lamb shanks cut Osso Bucco style, lamb stew meat, and ground lamb.  As well as Farmstead Sheep's Milk Cheeses in an impressive array of aged and fresh varieties
from Green Dirt Farm
www.greendirtfarm.com

*Certified Organic Beef including steaks, roasts, ground, and special cuts
from Wells Family Farm
www.wellsfamilyfarms.com

*Local BULK GRAINS & NUTS
from Platte Prairie Farms!!!! 
www.prairietrading.com

*Heirloom Pumpkins for fantastic winter soups, breads, pies, and more
from Super Pov at Hun's Garden

*Whole Grains Breads, specialty loaves, and baked goodies (vegan options available)
from our friends at
 Bread of Life Bakery

*Sweet Potatoes!!!.....and moist and delicious breads, pies, cinnamon rolls, and endless sweet treats from Alice's home-grown and freshly ground wheat.  As well as Farm-Fresh Brown EGGS, Canned Goods, and Wood Carved Bowls
at Western Hills Produce

*Rich, dark, and devastating (in all the right ways) Organic & Fair Trade Coffee
from our favorite local roaster,
Harry, at Puddin’ Head


See you (and your seeds) this Friday!


Yours Truly,

Brooke
farmer & mistress of the BADSEED



BADSEED
An Urban-Organic Farm & Market Celebrating Local Food, Culture, and Community
1909 McGee*KCMO*64108


Appropriate Seeds For Haiti
& Local Seed Sources

*Haiti has a tropical climate.  Vegetables and herbs grow year-round, and farmers are able to produce both warm-weather and cool-weather crops depending on the season.  Without getting too particular, the following crops are acceptable (and of course, organic or untreated seed is encouraged) - 

Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Lima Beans, Black Beans, Southern Peas, Melons, Sweet Corn, Okra, Eggplant, Tomatoes (roma varieties do better), Hot Peppers, Cucumbers, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Kale, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Radishes, Turnips, Carrots, Cabbage, Beets, and most Culinary/Medicinal Herbs
 
Local retailers that carry (organic or heirloom) seeds include:

Planters Seed 
513 Walnut St  
Kansas City, MO 64106 
(816) 842-3651 

Local Seed Companies (for ordering on-line) include:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds 
2278 Baker Creek Road 
Mansfield, MO 65704 

Morgan County Seeds 
18761 Kelsay Road   
Barnett, MO 65011-3009 

###





###


Check out this month's 
Greenability Magazine
(Greenability is available
at BADSEED Market):
GreenabilityMagazine.com

BADSEED
An Urban-Organic Farm & Market
Celebrating Local Food, Culture,
and Community

1909 McGee*KCMO*64108

See you this Friday from 4:00 to 8:00 PM

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Are you concerned about eating genetically engineered foods because of possible health risks?

Stop Monsanto from
Contaminating Our Food

Protect Organic Food From
Genetically Engineered Crops

February 3, 2010

Many people *are* concerned about eating genetically engineered foods because of possible health risks. Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is getting closer to approving Monsanto's genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa, despite the fact that it's likely to contaminate other crops, including organic alfalfa. Almost all organic dairies are dependent upon organic alfalfa, and organic standards don't allow the use of GE crops. Tell the USDA to preserve organic and reject GE alfalfa.

The USDA has studied the possible contamination issues with this perennial crop. They admit there could be problems, but claim they don't know if the contamination of organic alfalfa would matter to consumers of organic food. This is ridiculous, since avoiding genetically engineered ingredients is one of the biggest reasons people seek out organic foods.

We need to tell the USDA loud and clear that consumers want foods that are free from genetic engineering. Tell the USDA that consumers do care, and they should reject genetically engineered alfalfa.

http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2027

Thanks for taking action,

Sarah, Alex, Noelle and the Food Team
Food & Water Watch
goodfood (at) fwwatch.org


Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.

Talk to Us | Support Us | Subscribe

Protect Organic Food from Genetically Engineered Crops!

Tell the USDA to
reject Monsanto's GE Alfalfa.


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What is the True Cost of Food?

IS HEALTHY FOOD TOO EXPENSIVE?

ttp://saferdiet.com/is-healthy-food-too-expensive

February 2, 2010 by admin
Filed under Weight Loss


25 Comments

LISTEN to the entire interview with Food Inc.’s Joel Salatin at www.blogtalkradio.com

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Kansas City Food Policy Coalition (FPC) Hires First Director

Beth Low Will Lead the
Greater Kansas City
Food Policy Coalition

I am pleased to announce the hiring of Beth Low as the first director of the Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition (FPC). Beth's responsibilities include directing the FPC's work, creating a presence for the coalition in regional food system activities, and advancing the FPC's public policy agenda.

Since 2005, Beth has represented the 39th district in the Missouri General Assembly. She is finishing her term this year. Prior to that, she was the program director for the Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition. She has also served as a PRN social worker at Hope House in Jackson County.

I would like to thank my colleagues from the FPC who participated in the selection process. Their efforts are deeply appreciated.

Beth's contact information is as follows:
Phone: 816-585-4738 (after February 8)
Mail:
c/o KC Healthy Kids,
PO Box 480227,
Kansas City, MO 64148

With the creation of the Food Policy Coalition and Beth's hiring as our first director, Greater Kansas City is at the forefront of the national movement to make systemic changes to improve our food system.

Please join me in welcoming her.

Sincerely,
Gretchen H. Kunkel
President, KC Healthy Kids


##

 SAVE THE DATE!
Mark Winne,
author of Closing the Food Gap and foremost expert on food policy councils, will be coming to Kansas City on March 2 to speak and provide technical assistance to the FPC. Additional information will be emailed soon. Please mark your calendars.

##

ABOUT US
The mission of the Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition is to advocate for a healthy food system and promote policies that positively impact the nutritional, economic, social, and environmental health of Greater Kansas City.

##

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Vote With Your Wallet Each Time You Eat




Free Market for Farmers’ Markets

There’s an interesting editorial in the Kansas City Star written by somebody who was revolted by a front page photo of pigs in a modern factory farm. Instead of rallying her readers to implore government action on the matter, the author encouraged them to “vote with your wallet each time you eat.” She specifically mentioned the Kansas City Food Circle as a resource for finding “responsible” food; the group describes itself as “an all-volunteer, grassroots organization created to promote the development of a permanently sustainable local food system.”

The power of consumers to influence producers with their money is something we’ve discussedbefore on Show-Me Daily. It is not a pipe dream, either, considering that companies like McDonald’s are listening. Entire businesses (like Whole Foods) have sprung up around the environmentally-conscious consumer.

Last semester, as a final project for my research methods class, my group conducted a survey about people’s meat-buying habits and their knowledge of farm conditions. Although I can’t mention specific results — we conducted the project for educational purposes only — we generally observed that most people claimed price to be the biggest factor when they bought meat. After we showed them pictures and information about industrial farms, a significant percentage said that knowledge of farming practices and conditions would affect their future purchasing decisions.

If these sort of things are important to you, voting with your wallet — and encouraging your friends to do the same — is the best way for the market to select for companies that most closely align with societal norms. One common misperception about free markets is that profit is the only important factor, and that the only way for a company to survive is for it to offer the lowest prices — and cut quality accordingly. But that’s merely a straw man: Product quality and any number of social considerations, including “eco-consciousness,” can have value for consumers.

Price is a limiting factor for some people, and they may not be willing or able to pay a higher price in order to make purchases that satisfy whatever environmental concerns they may have — and that should be their prerogative. Many people say they want environmental concessions, but they may not be willing to pay the difference in price that those concessions would require. Government regulations can therefore harm some number people by increasing compliance costs and therefore raising the price of food. By using the market as a tool to affect change instead, people can make their own cost/environmental-consciousness trade-offs. Voting with money allows companies with successful business plans — for some, that will mean alternative production methods or types of food — to succeed. It is the most democratic of processes, because each person is able to decide where they wish to draw the line.

Posted by Caitlin Hartsell at 10:57 a.m. in Individual Liberty | Permalink | © 2010

http://www.showmedaily.org/2010/02/free-market-for-farmers-markets.html
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Local Haitian Relief Effort ~ K.C. Shows Love and Support in the Form of SEEDS

"SEEDS FOR HAITI"

Seed Donation Drive at the
BADSEED (Local Organic) Farmers' Market
(1909 McGee, KCMO)

Two (2) Fridays, Feb. 5th and 12th (4-8 PM)

Many of us have been touched by the recent earthquake in Haiti that has left hundreds of thousands of people dead or in disarray. We desperately want to help, but the idea of sending actual dollars that will most likely get plundered before ever reaching the physical hands of those in need is unsettling. Therefore, let's show our love and support in the form of SEEDS - physical seeds that will produce physical food and nourishment for the the families that sow them.

Bring a packet of seed for donation (this Friday or next) to the BADSEED Farmers Market. (Suggested crops and local retailers are listed below). Seeds will be organized and shipped to a reliable NGO in Naples, Florida who will be the on-ground distributor.

Seeds should arrive in time for Haiti's next planting season which occurs in mid-March.

A single packet of seed costs as little as $2.00, but the bounty of food that comes from it is invaluable. Such a small sum of money is a realistic donation for most, and for those of you who are able, larger quantities are encouraged.

*A limited quantity of seed will be available for purchase at the BADSEED Market for those who are unable to procure seeds before-hand.

**BIG THANKS TO LEW EDMINSTER AND KCCUA FOR ORGANIZING THIS EFFORT!!!!!!

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to your friends!!!


BADSEED
"An Urban-Organic Farm & Market
Celebrating Local Food,
Culture, and Community"

##

Appropriate Seeds For Haiti
& Local Seed Sources:

Haiti has a tropical climate. Vegetables and herbs grow year-round, and farmers are able to produce both warm-weather and cool-weather crops depending on the season.

Without getting too particular, the following crops are acceptable (and of course, organic or untreated seed is encouraged) - Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Lima Beans, Black Beans, Southern Peas, Melons, Sweet Corn, Okra, Eggplant, Tomatoes (roma varieties do better), Hot Peppers, Cucumbers, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Kale, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Radishes, Turnips, Carrots, Cabbage, Beets, and most Culinary/Medicinal Herbs

Local retailers that
carry (organic) seed
include:

Planters Seed
513 Walnut St
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 842-3651

Local Seed Companies (for ordering on-line) include:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
2278 Baker Creek Road
Mansfield, MO 65704
www.rareseeds.com

Morgan County Seeds
18761 Kelsay Road
Barnett, MO 65011-3009
www.morgancountyseeds.com

##

If you can't get to BADSEED on the
next two (2) FRIDAYS, you can also
MAIL IN YOUR SEED PACKAGE DONATIONS
to the following addresses:

SEEDS for HAITI
c/o KCCUA
4223 Gibbs Road
KC, KS 66106

or

SEEDS for HAITI
c/o Lew Edmister
921B W 17th St
KC, MO 64108

Lew (the originator of this grassroots relief program) can be reached at
816-842-4432 or
herbngardener (@) kc. rr. com

~~

Rebuilding Haiti’s Food System
http://www.sustainabletable.org/2010/01/rebuilding-haitis-food-system/


Looking to Agriculture to Help Rebuild in Haiti
http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/looking-to-agriculture-to-help-rebuild-in-haiti/

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