From tonydelplato at gmail.com Fri May 1 10:56:56 2009 From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato) Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 10:56:56 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Mushroom and Forest Farming Workshops, 5/16 & 5/17. Finger Lakes Region, NY USA In-Reply-To: References: <0D7F2466-9228-4C68-800A-2DABF62B14FB@fingerlakespermaculture.org> Message-ID: Sorry I won't be able to make this w/e workshop but am very interested in future sessions. Any idea when the next mushroom & forest ag workshop will be? Tony Del Plato On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 11:14 PM, burns wrote: > FINGER LAKES PERMACULTURE INSTITUTE > > presents > > Mushroom Weekend: Permaculture workshops on homegrown mushrooms, forest > farming and ecology > > May 16 & May 17, 2009 > > Saturday at Cayuta Sun (http://www.cayuta.org) > > 11 a.m. > Mushroom Inoculation with Steve Sierigk > This hands-on workshop will take participants step-by-step through mushroom > inoculation of cut logs using > plug spawn. We will inoculate logs both for the Finger Lakes Permaculture > Institute and for your purchase. > Participants will take home one log for their workshop fee. We will provide > tools, but bringing your own cordless > drill would be appreciated. > > 1 p.m. > Food Forest Design with Kay McGrenaghan Cafasso > Learn about the concept of forest gardening. Design for edibles in the > different ecosystem niches of forests. We will > walk the grounds to identify some onsite species we can incorporate into a > food forest as well as discuss species not > onsite at Cayuta Sun that may be beneficial in a potential forest garden > design. > > 3 p.m. > Forest Ecology Walk with Steve Gabriel > Hike through the forests of the Cayuta Sun property area while discussing > forest ecology and sharing tools to assess > and design forest management plans for long term health and productivity. > Participants will develop an > understanding of forest patterns and succession processes that tell a story > of the past and define the future of these > incredible systems. > > Sunday at Ramp Hollow Community Farm (http://www.sapsquatch.com) > > 11 a.m. > Mushroom inoculation with Steve Sierigk > This hands-on workshop will take participants step-by-step through mushroom > inoculation of cut logs using plug > spawn. We will inoculate logs both for The Ramp Hollow farm and for your > purchase. Participants will take home > one log for their workshop fee. We will provide tools, but bringing a > cordless drill is appreciated. > > 1 p.m. > Agroforestry Strategies with Josh Dolan > Walk through the forest and learn about plans for our maple syrup sugarbush > and explore the other yields these > healthy woods have to offer. Follow the seasons of work from firewood and > lumber harvesting in fall and winter to > maple sugaring in late winter on through the ramp harvest and mushroom > inoculation in spring. Discuss future > crops and projects that could be introduced into the woodland. > > Visit each location?s website for driving directions. > A $20-50 donation to the Finger Lakes Institute is requested for a day of > workshops. > Registration and online payments can be made at > http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org > Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute, P.O. Box 54, Ithaca, NY 14850. > (607) 227-0316 > > *Please forward to friends, family, and colleagues who would enjoy these > workshops* > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > http://www.flxpermaculture.net > regional regenerative resources > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > > > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, > please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > Questions about the list? ask > sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > -- Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. - Buddha From tonydelplato at gmail.com Fri May 1 11:03:50 2009 From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato) Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 11:03:50 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Will They Ever Stop? In-Reply-To: <997932229.-234493248@org.orgDB.mail.democracyinaction.org> References: <997932229.-234493248@org.orgDB.mail.democracyinaction.org> Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Food & Water Watch Date: Fri, May 1, 2009 at 9:35 AM Subject: Will They Ever Stop? To: tonydelplato at gmail.com See Your Alert Online *Will They Ever Stop?* Write Your Senator Today! * * May 4, 2009 Dear Anthony, They're at it again. Multinational wastewater companies are trying to get their hands on your tax dollars. This Thursday, May 7, the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee will consider a change to the law that would allow privately owned wastewater utilities, for the first time, to access your federal tax dollars. But you can stop them. Writeyour senator today and ask them to oppose this change. We know that public utilities provide service that is better, cheaper, and more efficient than private utilities. A survey of the rates in more than 20 states shows a strong trend: corporations charge much more than municipalities for wastewater. Private sewer service costs up to twice as much as public service. If private wastewater utilities were eligible for funding, federal tax dollars would subsidize corporations that are overcharging ratepayers. Privatization is not the model for wastewater system rejuvenation.From high costs and inefficiency to unaccountable and irresponsible operators, a deluge of problems has swamped communities that turned to the private sector. Congress should not subsidize and incentivize such corporate abuse. If taxpayers front the money for these programs, they should be the primary beneficiaries. Sincerely, Mitch Jones Water Policy Analyst Food & Water Watch * * * * * * * Food & Water Watchis 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 * * * * * To stop receiving these email updates, *click here* . -- Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. - Buddha From nlv at clarityconnect.com Fri May 1 11:27:49 2009 From: nlv at clarityconnect.com (Nicolas Vaczek) Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 11:27:49 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] A Green Job: Energy & Sustainability Analyst Job posting in Albany Message-ID: <4935EAEA-89EA-477F-BDE5-9343883A7DEE@clarityconnect.com> http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?job_did=J8E3QK6BX598JZKRRRD&siteid=CBJUJU_Feed&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=3757874b489c46439786fac6d4b9ca4e-294492320-R4-4 From michael at fingerlakespermaculture.org Fri May 1 11:30:03 2009 From: michael at fingerlakespermaculture.org (Michael Burns) Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 11:30:03 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Mushroom and Forest Farming Workshops, 5/16 & 5/17. Finger Lakes Region, NY USA In-Reply-To: References: <0D7F2466-9228-4C68-800A-2DABF62B14FB@fingerlakespermaculture.org> Message-ID: <20322.216.162.28.201.1241191803.squirrel@mail.panix.com> We usually just do this once a year in May. Michael Burns > Sorry I won't be able to make this w/e workshop but am very interested in > future sessions. Any idea when the next mushroom & forest ag workshop will > be? > Tony Del Plato > > On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 11:14 PM, burns > wrote: > >> FINGER LAKES PERMACULTURE INSTITUTE >> >> presents >> >> Mushroom Weekend: Permaculture workshops on homegrown mushrooms, forest >> farming and ecology >> >> May 16 & May 17, 2009 >> >> Saturday at Cayuta Sun (http://www.cayuta.org) >> >> 11 a.m. >> Mushroom Inoculation with Steve Sierigk >> This hands-on workshop will take participants step-by-step through mushroom >> inoculation of cut logs using >> plug spawn. We will inoculate logs both for the Finger Lakes Permaculture >> Institute and for your purchase. >> Participants will take home one log for their workshop fee. We will provide >> tools, but bringing your own cordless >> drill would be appreciated. >> >> 1 p.m. >> Food Forest Design with Kay McGrenaghan Cafasso >> Learn about the concept of forest gardening. Design for edibles in the >> different ecosystem niches of forests. We will >> walk the grounds to identify some onsite species we can incorporate into a >> food forest as well as discuss species not >> onsite at Cayuta Sun that may be beneficial in a potential forest garden >> design. >> >> 3 p.m. >> Forest Ecology Walk with Steve Gabriel >> Hike through the forests of the Cayuta Sun property area while discussing >> forest ecology and sharing tools to assess >> and design forest management plans for long term health and productivity. >> Participants will develop an >> understanding of forest patterns and succession processes that tell a story >> of the past and define the future of these >> incredible systems. >> >> Sunday at Ramp Hollow Community Farm (http://www.sapsquatch.com) >> >> 11 a.m. >> Mushroom inoculation with Steve Sierigk >> This hands-on workshop will take participants step-by-step through mushroom >> inoculation of cut logs using plug >> spawn. We will inoculate logs both for The Ramp Hollow farm and for your >> purchase. Participants will take home >> one log for their workshop fee. We will provide tools, but bringing a >> cordless drill is appreciated. >> >> 1 p.m. >> Agroforestry Strategies with Josh Dolan >> Walk through the forest and learn about plans for our maple syrup sugarbush >> and explore the other yields these >> healthy woods have to offer. Follow the seasons of work from firewood and >> lumber harvesting in fall and winter to >> maple sugaring in late winter on through the ramp harvest and mushroom >> inoculation in spring. Discuss future >> crops and projects that could be introduced into the woodland. >> >> Visit each location?s website for driving directions. >> A $20-50 donation to the Finger Lakes Institute is requested for a day of >> workshops. >> Registration and online payments can be made at >> http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org >> Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute, P.O. Box 54, Ithaca, NY 14850. >> (607) 227-0316 >> >> *Please forward to friends, family, and colleagues who would enjoy these >> workshops* >> >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >> http://www.flxpermaculture.net >> regional regenerative resources >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, >> please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >> Questions about the list? ask >> sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org >> > > > > -- > Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness > the best relationship. - Buddha > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please > visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Michael Burns http://www.cayuta.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Earn your permaculture design certificate. The Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute offers affordable local classes. http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From tonydelplato at gmail.com Fri May 1 12:12:51 2009 From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato) Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 12:12:51 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Mushroom and Forest Farming Workshops, 5/16 & 5/17. Finger Lakes Region, NY USA In-Reply-To: <20322.216.162.28.201.1241191803.squirrel@mail.panix.com> References: <0D7F2466-9228-4C68-800A-2DABF62B14FB@fingerlakespermaculture.org> <20322.216.162.28.201.1241191803.squirrel@mail.panix.com> Message-ID: Thanks Michael, Bummer. I'll be out of town next year Tony On Fri, May 1, 2009 at 11:30 AM, Michael Burns < michael at fingerlakespermaculture.org> wrote: > We usually just do this once a year in May. > > Michael Burns > > > > Sorry I won't be able to make this w/e workshop but am very interested in > > future sessions. Any idea when the next mushroom & forest ag workshop > will > > be? > > Tony Del Plato > > > > On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 11:14 PM, burns < > michael at fingerlakespermaculture.org > >> wrote: > > > >> FINGER LAKES PERMACULTURE INSTITUTE > >> > >> presents > >> > >> Mushroom Weekend: Permaculture workshops on homegrown mushrooms, forest > >> farming and ecology > >> > >> May 16 & May 17, 2009 > >> > >> Saturday at Cayuta Sun (http://www.cayuta.org) > >> > >> 11 a.m. > >> Mushroom Inoculation with Steve Sierigk > >> This hands-on workshop will take participants step-by-step through > mushroom > >> inoculation of cut logs using > >> plug spawn. We will inoculate logs both for the Finger Lakes > Permaculture > >> Institute and for your purchase. > >> Participants will take home one log for their workshop fee. We will > provide > >> tools, but bringing your own cordless > >> drill would be appreciated. > >> > >> 1 p.m. > >> Food Forest Design with Kay McGrenaghan Cafasso > >> Learn about the concept of forest gardening. Design for edibles in the > >> different ecosystem niches of forests. We will > >> walk the grounds to identify some onsite species we can incorporate into > a > >> food forest as well as discuss species not > >> onsite at Cayuta Sun that may be beneficial in a potential forest garden > >> design. > >> > >> 3 p.m. > >> Forest Ecology Walk with Steve Gabriel > >> Hike through the forests of the Cayuta Sun property area while > discussing > >> forest ecology and sharing tools to assess > >> and design forest management plans for long term health and > productivity. > >> Participants will develop an > >> understanding of forest patterns and succession processes that tell a > story > >> of the past and define the future of these > >> incredible systems. > >> > >> Sunday at Ramp Hollow Community Farm (http://www.sapsquatch.com) > >> > >> 11 a.m. > >> Mushroom inoculation with Steve Sierigk > >> This hands-on workshop will take participants step-by-step through > mushroom > >> inoculation of cut logs using plug > >> spawn. We will inoculate logs both for The Ramp Hollow farm and for > your > >> purchase. Participants will take home > >> one log for their workshop fee. We will provide tools, but bringing a > >> cordless drill is appreciated. > >> > >> 1 p.m. > >> Agroforestry Strategies with Josh Dolan > >> Walk through the forest and learn about plans for our maple syrup > sugarbush > >> and explore the other yields these > >> healthy woods have to offer. Follow the seasons of work from firewood > and > >> lumber harvesting in fall and winter to > >> maple sugaring in late winter on through the ramp harvest and mushroom > >> inoculation in spring. Discuss future > >> crops and projects that could be introduced into the woodland. > >> > >> Visit each location?s website for driving directions. > >> A $20-50 donation to the Finger Lakes Institute is requested for a day > of > >> workshops. > >> Registration and online payments can be made at > >> http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org > >> Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute, P.O. Box 54, Ithaca, NY 14850. > >> (607) 227-0316 > >> > >> *Please forward to friends, family, and colleagues who would enjoy these > >> workshops* > >> > >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > >> http://www.flxpermaculture.net > >> regional regenerative resources > >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > >> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, > >> please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > >> > >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > >> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > >> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > >> Questions about the list? ask > >> sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org > >> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, > faithfulness > > the best relationship. - Buddha > > _______________________________________________ > > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, > please > > visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > > Questions about the list? ask > sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org > > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > > > > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > Michael Burns > http://www.cayuta.org > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > Earn your permaculture design certificate. > The Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute > offers affordable local classes. > http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, > please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > Questions about the list? ask > sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > -- Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. - Buddha From shiragolding at gmail.com Fri May 1 12:29:20 2009 From: shiragolding at gmail.com (Shira Golding) Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 12:29:20 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Swap Meet May 21st Message-ID: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR BARTER OR WORSE! SHARE YOUR GOODS, SERVICES AND LABOR AT THE LOCAL SWAP MEET! Like sharing? Have skills? Bring goods and services you'd like to share, and you'll be able to barter, give away or sell your offerings to other community members. The more we can provide for one another locally, the closer we are to sustainability! May 21st, 6-9pm 207 N. Plain St. (between Seneca and Buffalo) What to bring: - Food and Produce: veggies, teas, baked goods, jams, tofu, etc. - Body Care: tinctures, soaps, creams, etc. - Handmade Crafts: ceramics, candles, art, etc. - Stuff: electronics, housewares, tools, books, etc. - Services: massage, bike repair, web design, accounting, etc. - Labor: shoveling, hauling, planting, etc. - Bags, boxes and carts to take stuff home in Feel free to also bring potluck dishes and refreshments that can be shared during the swap meet! Guidelines: - Our goal is sustainability - please bring stuff that is locally- grown or made from local materials if possible. - Please limit what you bring to what you can fit in a lap-sized box - you can always arrange for pick-up after the meeting. - Be prepared to take back home with you whatever you don't end up bartering or giving away. - Please bring stuff that is in good condition or can be easily- repaired - no junk! To rsvp or for more information, contact Shira Golding, shiragolding at gmail.com , 607-821-0654 RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=82761914523 If you can't make this swap meet, stay tuned for the next one! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Mon May 4 15:04:51 2009 From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro) Date: Mon, 4 May 2009 15:04:51 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Presentation on worldwide Ecovillages/Sustainability Ed. Mon 5/18 Message-ID: ECOVILLAGES AS CAMPUSES FOR SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION Monday May 18 7 PM Ecovillage at Ithaca , First neighborhood (Frog) Common House Dan Greenberg, Founder and Exec. Director of Living Routes, is a dynamic presenter with a great mission and a great slide show. Ecovillages are communities striving to create cooperative lifestyles in harmony with their local environments. From appropriate technologies to holistic health; from sustainable agriculture to group facilitation, ecovillages are integrating solutions within human-scale communities and creating new cultures and "stories" in which we can live well - and lightly. In the process, they are developing real-world models of sustainable development that make ideal "campuses" where students can learn about sustainability while striving to live it. Come learn about the growing ecovillage movement worldwide (e.g., Findhorn, Scotland; Auroville, India; Sirius, MA), the possibilities and challenges of using these communities as contexts for education and social change, and the work of Living Routes, which partners with UMass-Amherst to offer study abroad programs based in ecovillages worldwide. Daniel Greenberg, Ph.D. has studied and directed community-based educational programs for over 20 years. He wrote his thesis on children and education in community, and later spent a year at Findhorn in Scotland working with children and families there. He is founder and Executive Director of Living Routes, which develops accredited ecovillage-based education programs that promote sustainability. He lives at the Sirius Community in Shutesbury, Massachusetts USA with his wife, Monique and their two daughters, Simone and Pema. http://www.LivingRoutes.org For travel directions or other info, contact Elan at elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us -- From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Mon May 4 23:02:11 2009 From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro) Date: Mon, 4 May 2009 23:02:11 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Whole Community Project on WHCU radio 8:30 this Tue Message-ID: Greetings Neighbors! > >Tune in this Tuesday 5/5 to WHCU870 FM at 8:30am >to hear Jemila Sequeira and Christine Porter >interviewed about the Whole Community Project on >"All Things Equal". If you miss the show, visit >http://whcu870.com/All-Things-Equal-Podcasts/3425883 >anytime after around 11am to hear the podcast at >your leisure. ------------------------------------------------------- Have a Wonderful Day, Jemila Sequeira -----You have received this message as a member of the Whole Community Project?s main email list for announcements, information, questions and discussions related to WCP?s mission. WCP works to ensure that every single child in Tompkins County has all the healthy food they need and plenty of opportunities for safe, fun and active play. WCP is based at Cornell Cooperative Extension, Tompkins County. Contact wcproject at cornell.edu for more information.. Join the list by sending an email to that address with the word ?join?. -- From firetendercarol at yahoo.com Tue May 5 10:55:29 2009 From: firetendercarol at yahoo.com (Carol Clarke) Date: Tue, 5 May 2009 07:55:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Building Natural Immunity - SWINE FLU INFORMATION ALERT Message-ID: <957515.43863.qm@web35507.mail.mud.yahoo.com> This came from the Weston?A Price Foundation: With all the dire warnings, where is the message about building natural immunity? Dear Members, You are all aware of the dire warnings about swine flu, the outbreak that started in the Mexican village of La Gloria and which local residents blame on infection and/or toxins coming from local confinement hog operations. The internet is abuzz with warnings bordering on hysteria (conventional media) to a variety of conspiracy theories, and even to allegations that the pandemic is a government fabrication designed to sell stockpiles of anti-viral medications. Conventional medical advice ranges from wearing face masks to taking the anti-viral drug called tamiflu (which can have many serious side effects, see http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=21087&name=TAMIFLU.) It is interesting to note that not once in all the media broadcasts have we heard any mention of building natural immunity NATURAL IMMUNITY Fortunately, we do not have to sit back and listen to the news about swine flu feeling helpless and anxious.? We can be proactive by simply nourishing ourselves and our families. Vitamins A and D in cod liver oil offer strong protection against infection of all types, as well as against environmental toxins. Vitamin C is important-either from vitamin C-rich foods like sauerkraut, or from one of the natural vitamin C supplements recommended in our Shopping Guide. Healthy gut flora provide 85 percent of our protection against disease.? Be sure to consume healthy lacto-fermented foods and beverages every day and avoid the foods that disrupt gut flora, especially refined carbohydrates. Bone broth plays a double role of supporting the immune system and helping the body detoxify.? COCONUT OIL We are grateful to Beth Beisel, registered dietitian and WAPF member for reminding us about the protective factors in coconut oil. Swine flu is a lipid coated virus (http://www.pnas.org/content/98/5/2115.full.pdf+html), and thus is inactivated by sufficient amounts of monolaurin.???(Our bodies convert lauric acid, found in coconut oil, to monolaurin).? According to our own Dr. Mary Enig, two to three tablespoons of coconut oil per day appears to be an adequate dosage to fight infection, even from virulent antibiotic-resistant organisms such as MSRA. There are lots of ways to get coconut oil into the diet: stir coconut oil in some tea; make macaroons; replace some of the butter in baking with coconut oil; and use it in cooking/saut?ing. Mary's oil blend (see below) is a good way to incorporate coconut oil in cooking and salad dressings. MARY'S OIL BLEND 1/3 melted coconut oil 1/3 sesame oil - expeller pressed 1/3 100% olive oil Combine oils, store in a tight container, in an area free from sunlight, and use in cooking or on salads. COCONUT SMOOTHIE Beth has shared this great smoothie recipe with us. 1 banana 1 cup frozen mango 1 cup frozen pineapple 1 cup orange juice 1/2 cup pomegranate/blueberry juice 1/2 cup natural yogurt or kefir, preferably homemade from raw milk 1/2 can coconut milk Whirl in blender and drink to your health! If you wish to be removed from the WAPF email list, email info at westonaprice.org ---------------------------------------- You are subscribed to this list as firetendercarol at yahoo.com.? To unsubscribe, send email to unsubscribe.353750.274894579.7980865901388297918-firetendercarol_yahoo.com at en.groundspring.org. Our postal address is PMB #106-380 4200 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, District of Columbia 20016 United States From owlgorge at earthlink.net Tue May 5 15:19:28 2009 From: owlgorge at earthlink.net (Anthony Ingraham) Date: Tue, 5 May 2009 15:19:28 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Montezuma Wetlands video on WCNY Message-ID: <380-2200952519192846@earthlink.net> For three Wednesdays last month, I showed Michael Ameigh's "River of Rushes: An Introduction to the Montezuma Wetlands" on Ithaca's cable public access channel 13. Michael informs me that it will be shown again this Sunday, May 10, at 3:00 p.m. on Syracuse's public television channel WCNY, which of course is a broadcast channel available to many more people. This is an excellent, information-packed, hour-long program about the ecology of these extensive marshes at the north end of Cayuga Lake. Tony Ingraham Ithaca, NY Owl Gorge Productions www.owlgorge.com From gaynicholson at gmail.com Tue May 5 23:26:14 2009 From: gaynicholson at gmail.com (Gay Nicholson) Date: Tue, 5 May 2009 23:26:14 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Reminder - forum on gas drilling on Wed night Message-ID: Open Forum on "The New Gas Drilling: What Local Governments Can Do" Wednesday, May 6, 2009 7:00 - 9:00 pm Women's Community Building, 100 W. Seneca Street, Ithaca Presenters: Dr. William Pammer, Commissioner, Planning and Environmental Management for Sullivan County (Monticello), NY Dr. Stephen Penningroth, Executive Director, Community Science Institute, Ithaca, NY Over two thousand Tompkins County land owners, and thousands more in the surrounding Southern Tier, have signed leases to permit Marcellus Shale gas drilling on their property. Many expect to see drilling begin later this year, perhaps as early as summer. While some welcome the drilling and other dread it, a common concern for all is the protection of our clean water, our land, and our quality of life. A critical question in our community is "What can local governments do to protect those resources?" http://www.co.sullivan.ny.us/documentView.asp?docid=768 Dr. Pammer will describe the work of a Gas Drilling Task Force in Sullivan County. A group of County officials spent many months researching possible impacts and the authority of local municipal governments. Their recently released Task Force report outlines 21 recommendations that will be presented to their County Legislature. The full report (84 pages) is attached; recommendations are on pages 2-5. Dr. Penningroth, biochemist and toxicologist, has studied water quality in our area for many years. He believes a reasonable estimate of drinkng water that will be contiminated near drilling sites is between 1% and 5%. He will describe why and how to test private water wells so that land owners discover problems and have solid scientific evidence should contamination occur. -- ---------------------------------------------------- Gay Nicholson, Ph.D. 607-533-7312 (home office) 607-220-8991 (cell) 1 Maple Avenue Lansing, NY 14882 gaynicholson at gmail.com Sustainable Tompkins Program Coordinator www.sustainabletompkins.org From sjr37 at cornell.edu Wed May 6 10:11:30 2009 From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra Repp) Date: Wed, 06 May 2009 10:11:30 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] 5/16: Ithaca Spring Garden Fair & Plant Sale Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20090506100716.036a1878@cornell.edu> Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale Saturday May 16, 9 AM - 1 PM at Ithaca High School The Annual Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale is the harbinger of spring arriving in time for optimal planting. This event, now in its 27th year, is an Ithaca tradition, with over 50 area growers and garden groups offering plants of all kinds for sale. You will find everything from collectible perennials and rock garden plants to bright flowering annuals of all types and colors. For the home vegetable garden, there are culinary herbs and organically grown vegetable transplants. A great variety of native trees, shrubs, and perennials are also available. Learn from the growers about what will perform best in your garden. Free soil pH testing is offered by Master Gardeners. Kids can join a fun activity at the Ithaca Children's Garden table. This sale is a celebration of the variety and beauty of plants that we can grow and enjoy during summer and some that offer winter interest. The event begins at 9 AM with outdoor and indoor exhibits and sales. Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County Master Gardener Volunteers. For information, call 607-272-2292. From dnr6 at cornell.edu Sun May 3 22:27:58 2009 From: dnr6 at cornell.edu (Daniel Roth) Date: Sun, 03 May 2009 22:27:58 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] DOE: INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLEAN ENERGY INNOVATORS Message-ID: <49FE52AE.6060400@cornell.edu> Hello all, Just in case you didnt already hear about this historic announcement last week.... Go Energy Secretary Steven Chu! -Dan -------- Original Message -------- April 27, 2009 speech from President Obama to a "A HISTORIC COMMITMENT TO RESEARCH AND EDUCATION." INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLEAN ENERGY INNOVATORS http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Fact-Sheet-A-Historic-Commitment-To-Research-And-Education/ The President will announce a joint initiative by the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation that will inspire tens of thousands of American students to pursue careers in science, engineering, and entrepreneurship related to clean energy. In the 1950s and 1960s, Sputnik and the space race inspired young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. The average age of NASA?s Mission Control during the Apollo 17 Mission, for example, was 26. President Obama believes that we have a similar opportunity to inspire today?s young people to tackle the single most important challenge of their generation ? the need to develop cheap, abundant, clean energy and accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy. The President?s initiative will empower young men and women to invent and commercialize advanced energy technologies such as efficient and cost effective methods for converting sunlight to electricity and fuel, carbon capture and sequestration, stationary and portable advanced batteries for plug-in electric cars, advanced energy storage concepts that will enable sustained energy supply from solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources, high- efficiency deployment of power across "smart grids," and carbon neutral commercial and residential buildings. The initiative ? known as RE-ENERGYSE (REgaining our ENERGY Science and Engineering Edge), will be jointly funded by the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. RE-ENERGYSE will support, for example: - An education and outreach campaign that uses movies, radio, cyber-learning, television, classroom curriculum, social networks, and local science museums to capture the imagination of young people, and teach them about the role that science and technology can play in addressing our energy challenge - Energy research opportunities for undergraduates - Educational opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities who seek careers in the clean energy sector - Partnerships between industry and two-year and four-year colleges to strengthen education for technicians in the clean energy sector, focusing on curriculum development, teacher training, and career pathways from high schools to community colleges - Interdisciplinary energy graduate programs at the master?s and Ph.D. level that integrate science, engineering, entrepreneurship, and public policy - Individual fellowships to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers involved in the frontiers of clean energy research _______________________________________________________________________ Innercircle.cc - a private network for friends & family. FREE - Try now. http://www.innercircle.cc/auth.html?referred_by_type=FOOTER&referred_by_details=climateliteracynetwork -- Daniel Roth Sustainability Coordinator Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Cornell University www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu Youth Action Team Co-Chair US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development www.uspartnership.org 607-254-8077 (office) 607-280-2312 (cell) 607-255-8461 (fax) 395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230 Ithaca, NY 14850 From mstephens at ithaca.edu Wed May 6 16:52:33 2009 From: mstephens at ithaca.edu (Maura Stephens) Date: Wed, 06 May 2009 16:52:33 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] garden design and building? Message-ID: <4A01F891.7000302@ithaca.edu> Can anyone recommend garden designers and builders who would be willing to travel to Spencer? It's a fairly big job. PLEASE CONTACT ME OFF-LIST. Don't hit reply, but write to maurastephens1 at yahoo.com. Thank you. Maura Stephens From gaynicholson at gmail.com Wed May 6 23:14:33 2009 From: gaynicholson at gmail.com (Gay Nicholson) Date: Wed, 6 May 2009 23:14:33 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Job Opening: Conference coordinator for Finger Lakes Bioneers Message-ID: *Temporary Conference Coordinator Position:* we are seeking an experienced and organized events planner to oversee the production of a 3-day Finger Lakes Bioneers conference to be held in Ithaca this October. Sustainable Tompkins is working with other local and regional groups to bring the Beaming Bioneers program to the Finger Lakes Region for the first time. Bioneers is an annual inspirational conference in San Rafael, California that is focused on innovative approaches to social justice and sustainability. This year?s conference is scheduled for Oct 16-19, 2009. A few of this year?s speakers include acclaimed leaders such as Jerome Ringo, Sarah James, Dr. Andrew Weil, Michael Pollan, Chief Almir Narayamoga, Joanna Macy, and many more. Launched in 2002, Beaming Bioneers broadcasts these keynote speakers via satellite into at least 16 cities over a period of three days. Around the US, Beaming Bioneers sites create a time and place to promote local organizations and programs, organize breakout groups tailored for our area, and provide opportunities for local vendors to promote green products and services, or to "table" to promote their causes or services. For more information, you may visit http://www.bioneers.org/conference. We are offering a contract for event planning services from June 1-October 31, 2009. The contract will cover a minimum of 20 hrs/wk of planning and coordination duties. The conference coordinator will be the primary person responsible for the conference, and will work closely with the staff of Sustainable Tompkins, and the Finger Lakes Bioneers Steering Committee and its subcommittees (Marketing, Fundraising, Logistics, Programming, Governance). The coordinator will assure that logistics relating to site, food, registration, materials, and communicating with potential and confirmed speakers and sponsors are managed smoothly and on time. The coordinator will also provide leadership for marketing and fundraising activities, volunteer supervision, and oversight of all programming and venues. Qualifications: - At least two years organizing multi-faceted conferences, seminars, or workshops - Experience with meeting logistics planning - Excellent writing, organizing, communication, and inter-personal skills - Web publishing and desktop publishing skills - Experience with managing program budgets - Detail oriented and extremely well organized - Ability to manage multiple tasks, multiple goals, and prioritize - Self motivated, hard working, and comfortable taking on significant responsibility - Able to work flexible schedules - Comfortable working with diverse audiences - Creative problem solver; able to anticipate hidden costs and potential bottlenecks Application deadline is May 18, 2009. How to Apply: email resume and cover letter to Gay Nicholson at Sustainable Tompkins: gay at sustainabletompkins.org, 607-220-8991 -- ---------------------------------------------------- Gay Nicholson, Ph.D. 607-533-7312 (home office) 607-220-8991 (cell) 1 Maple Avenue Lansing, NY 14882 gaynicholson at gmail.com Sustainable Tompkins Program Coordinator www.sustainabletompkins.org From ws at twcny.rr.com Fri May 8 10:34:09 2009 From: ws at twcny.rr.com (Wendy Skinner) Date: Fri, 8 May 2009 10:34:09 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] SewGreen News, 5-8-09 Message-ID: <1240C3091BA141C398F2D5D5EDF58026@wendyvaio> SewGreen News, May 8, 2009 www.sew-green.org CONTENTS ~~ "By the Bag" Fabric Reuse Sale, Saturday May 16 ~~ May Classes ~~ Youth Apprenticeship Opportunities ~~ Summer Planning: Your Input Requested ~~ Huge Thanks to Tree Cook ~~ Teacher Trainings in May "BY THE BAG" FABRIC SALE, Saturday, May 16 Bargains will abound at SewGreen's "by the bag" fabric sale at the Women's Community Building, 11 am to 3 pm, Saturday, May 16. Any bag you fill must be a standard grocery-size REUSABLE bag. No paper, no plastic, please! The by-the-bag price will decline hourly, from $7 a bag, to $6, $5, and $4 a bag in the last hour. If you forget to bring a reusable bag, you may buy or borrow one from us. No limit on the number of bags, which can be stuffed ridiculously full. Representatives of non-profit, charity, and educational organizations may stuff bags for free, from 3 to 3:30 pm. We'll also have some refurbished classic sewing machines -- including a couple of treadle machines -- for sale that day. Proceeds help us maintain our classes and youth apprenticeships. SALE VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED. Please let us know if you can help set up the sale, from 9 am to 11 am; work during the sale, 11 am to 3 pm; or help with clean-up (easy), from 3 to 4 pm. Volunteers who donate two hours of time may stuff a bag for free. Contact Wendy, coord at sew-green.org, 607-277-7611. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ MAY CLASSES SewGreen classes take place at our classroom in the Women's Community Building, 100 W Seneca Street, in downtown Ithaca. Other than specific classes for youngsters, classes are designed for teens and adults of both genders. All materials, including sewing machines, are supplied. Except for Open Sews, pre-registration is necessary. Scholarships are available if cost is a barrier. Contact Wendy at coord at sew-green.org or 607-277-7611 to register. Tuesday, May 12: Beginning Sewing I. 6 - 8 pm. Learn to use a sewing machine; make a tote bag. $15. Wednesday, May 13: Lunchtime Sew. Noon to 1 pm. Quick lesson and project. $7.50. Thursday, May 14: Open Sew. 6 to 9 pm. FREE sewing studio time. Friday, May 15: After-school sewing class. 3 - 4:30 pm. For ages 8 to 12. $15. Thursday, May 21: Open Sew. 6 to 9 pm. FREE sewing studio time. Friday, May 22: After-school sewing class. 3 - 4:30 pm. For ages 8 to 12. $15. Wednesday, May 27: Lunchtime Sew. Noon to 1 pm. Quick lesson and project. $7.50. Thursday, May 28: Open Sew. 6 to 9 pm. FREE sewing studio time. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES Young people, 15 to 19, may apply to SewGreen for an apprenticeship that is designed to fit their schedules, skills, and interests. Opportunities include training and opportunities to earn proficiency certificates in basic sewing, machine use, intermediate sewing, pattern-making, refashioning, team leadership, and teaching sewing to others. A general meeting for interested teens is held every Thursday, from 4 to 6 pm, in the SewGreen classroom. For more information, contact Wendy, coord at sew-green.org, 607-277-7611. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ SUMMER PLANNING SewGreen is planning its summer programming for kids, teens, and adults. We need your input! Please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=OEX9U3FhAje96ALt6oCPww_3d_3d and reply to a very short survey that asks for your preferences for class offerings and times. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ HUGE THANKS TO TREE COOK SewGreen sends its sincere thanks to Tree Cook for her one-woman charity clothing sale that this year benefited the Family Reading Partnership, Hospicare and Palliative Care Services of Tompkins County, SewGreen, and the Trumansburg Community Nursery School. For the past eight years, Tree has single-handedly organized huge sales of fabulous used clothing, to benefit various groups and causes, including Darfur refugees in 2007. We applaud this amazing woman for her Amazing Clothing Sale, which has earned money for many worthy organizations, reduced environmental impact, and set an unparalleled standard for community service. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ SEWGREEN TEACHERS NEEDED SewGreen will hold a teacher training later this month. We are looking for individuals who know how to sew and who enjoy working with diverse groups of people. Our classes are well-attended and always fun. Come join our teaching team. Contact us at coord at sew-green.org, 607-277-7611. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ SewGreen is a community not-for-profit program that operates a reuse service for textiles and sewing machines and teaches sewing and creative reuse to kids, teens, and adults. To be added or subtracted from SewGreen's newsletter distribution list, contact Wendy Skinner, SewGreen Coordinator, coord at sew-green.org, 607-277-7611. From steve at workwithnature.net Sat May 9 09:24:19 2009 From: steve at workwithnature.net (Steve Gabriel) Date: Sat, 9 May 2009 09:24:19 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] looking for odd job helping hands? Message-ID: <24121f890905090624s1a8294b4id4ab4ef9c2b71e9e@mail.gmail.com> Greetings: the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute (www.FingerLakesPermaculture.org) is hosting a number of apprentices at our Cayuta Sun location this summer. Some of them are interested in work on the side of the program. If you or anyone you know is looking for odd job or pulse type labor, these folks are good ones to contact. We have them scheduled Thursday - Saturday but other days are completey open. There is a mix if gardening, landscaping, carpentry, and general labor experience amongst them. If interested, pease send an email to info at fingerlakespermaculture.org thanks Steve Gabriel & FLPCI -- LOCAL PURE MAPLE SYRUP *support us with community supported sugaring share!* www.SAPSQUATCH.com Work With Nature *ecological design solutions* 303.815.3535 steve at WorkWithNature.net www.WorkWithNature.net Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute *design certification, apprenticeships, workshops* www.FingerLakesPermaculture.org From kristen at historicithaca.org Sat May 9 12:39:45 2009 From: kristen at historicithaca.org (Kristen Olson) Date: Sat, 9 May 2009 12:39:45 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Historic Ithaca announces annual Preservation Awards Message-ID: <010701c9d0c4$c39f3c50$4addb4f0$@org> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ithaca, New York - May 08 2009 CONTACT: Alphonse Pieper, Executive Director, Historic Ithaca, Inc., 212 Center St., Ithaca, NY 14850 PH: 607 277-3450 alphonse at historicithaca.org Historic Ithaca, Inc. announces Preservation Award winners Historic Ithaca will recognize seven projects and individuals in Tompkins County with preservation awards at the organization's annual meeting on Tuesday, May 19. The event will be held at the Unitarian Church of Ithaca from 5pm to 7pm, and is open to the public. Each year Historic Ithaca presents awards for sensitive restoration and preservation projects within Tompkins County. This year's winners are: . Justine Kalka, for the sensitive rehabilitation of the front porch of her Second-Empire style home in Brooktondale . The Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes, for the outstanding rehabilitation of the former residence at 612 West State Street in Ithaca . Avi Smith and Debby Halpern, for the complete rehabilitation and continued retail use of the circa-1880 Brookton's Market building in Brooktondale . Mary Kane Trochim and Bill Trochim, for the interior rehabilitation of office space in the circa-1890 Renvyle Building at 136 East State Street in Ithaca . Sigrid Kulkowitz and Shaul Hendel, for the creative use of salvaged materials in the renovation of the kitchen of their home in Ithaca . Mary Raddant Tomlan, in recognition of her extraordinary efforts and accomplishments in historic preservation over many years of service to the greater Ithaca community . The Ithaca Downtown Partnership, for the listing in 2005 of the Ithaca Downtown Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places and for the continuing support of the preservation of Ithaca's historic downtown commercial structures For more information, visit www.historicithaca.org or call (607) 273-6633 ABOUT HISTORIC ITHACA: Historic Ithaca is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and sustaining the legacy of the built environment in Tompkins County and the Finger Lakes region. Through education, advocacy, and action, Historic Ithaca helps to protect the significant buildings, landscapes, and communities in the local region. From dnr6 at cornell.edu Mon May 11 09:18:38 2009 From: dnr6 at cornell.edu (Daniel Roth) Date: Mon, 11 May 2009 09:18:38 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] May 18: Your invited to a Public Forum on Cornell's Action Plan Message-ID: <4A0825AE.7040206@cornell.edu> -- ANNOUNCEMENT-- PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY *May 18 forum to provide updates on Cornell's Plan for Climate Neutrality. * As the whole nation hears news about the economic potential of the green economy and green jobs, Cornell along with over 600 colleges and universities across the country are laying the groundwork for a zero-carbon future.These schools have committed to the development of "climate-neutrality" plans that have benefits to campuses, communities, and the nation. Upon committing Cornell University to this challenge President Skorton wrote: "By signing the Presidents Climate Commitment, Cornell is embarking on an important journey to do its part to address global climate change and to make American campuses more sustainable. By working together, we can make a difference for Cornell and for the world at large." In Central New York nearly all of the higher education institutions are participants including Cornell University, Syracuse University, Ithaca College, Wells College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, Onondaga Community College, and SUNY ESF. Visit www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org for background information on the national effort. *The public is invited to hear an update on Cornell's developing Climate Action Plan at a public forum on Monday, May 18, 7- 8:30 p.m., in the Tompkins County Public Library's Borg-Warner Room. Proposals and initiatives in various stages of development, both in facilities and research, will be reviewed. * *For more information, contact Donna Goss at dlg25 at cornell.edu or (607) 255-4392. * *For information on Cornell's Climate Action Plan* *http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/cap/climateactionplan.cfm* -- Daniel Roth Sustainability Coordinator Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Cornell University www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu Youth Action Team Co-Chair US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development www.uspartnership.org 607-254-8077 (office) 607-280-2312 (cell) 607-255-8461 (fax) 395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230 Ithaca, NY 14850 From owlgorge at earthlink.net Mon May 11 15:33:43 2009 From: owlgorge at earthlink.net (Anthony Ingraham) Date: Mon, 11 May 2009 15:33:43 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Tim Joseph: "State Parks in a Time of Economic Crisis: Rebuilding or Just Surviving" Message-ID: <380-220095111193343476@earthlink.net> State Parks in a Time of Economic Crisis: Rebuilding or Just Surviving In recent years, New York State Parks has identified hundreds of millions of dollars of vital infrastructure repairs and other needs that sorely require funding in order to maintain services, safety, and environmental quality in our state parks. But the economic crisis has affected the abilities of all government agencies to meet their objectives, including the Finger Lakes Region of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. On Saturday, May 16, Tim Joseph, Regional Director for the Finger Lakes State Parks and former Chair of the Tompkins County Legislature will address this issue in his presentation entitled, ?State Parks in a Time of Economic Crisis: Rebuilding or Just Surviving.? Mr. Joseph?s talk will take place at 2:00 p.m. in the auditorium at Kendal at Ithaca off N. Triphammer Road. The event is free and the public is invited. This is a special presentation offered by the Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park and is hosted through the generosity of Kendal at Ithaca. Tony Ingraham, President Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park http://friendsoftreman.wordpress.com From owlgorge at earthlink.net Mon May 11 20:44:54 2009 From: owlgorge at earthlink.net (Anthony Ingraham) Date: Mon, 11 May 2009 20:44:54 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] FW: New USGS marcellus shale gas publication Message-ID: <380-22009521204454156@earthlink.net> Water Resources and Natural Gas Production from the Marcellus Shale By Daniel J. Soeder1 and William M. Kappel2 1U.S. Geological Survey, MD-DE-DC Water Science Center, 5522 Research Park Drive, Baltimore, MD 21228 2U.S. Geological Survey, New York Water Science Center, 30 Brown Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 http://md.water.usgs.gov/publications/fs-2009-3032/ From rrodomsky at antioch.edu Tue May 12 07:27:45 2009 From: rrodomsky at antioch.edu (Rebecca Rodomsky) Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 07:27:45 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New Roots Upcoming Information Nights Message-ID: New Roots High School Parent and Teen Information Nights There is still time to enroll in New Roots. Spaces are filling fast but we want to continue to invite the community to consider our school for their 9th and 10th graders. Below are a list of Parent and Teen Information Nights. Please feel free to join us by calling our office at (607) 339-6994 to find out the location of these events. Tuesday, May 12th from 7:00-8:30pm Monday, May 18th from 7:00-8:30pm Wednesday, May 27th from 7:00-8:30pm Thank you, Becca Rodomsky-Bish From sjr37 at cornell.edu Tue May 12 10:30:57 2009 From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra Repp) Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 10:30:57 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] 5/14: "How to Buy Local Meat", free class Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20090512101949.0333c8a0@cornell.edu> How to Buy Local Meat Thursday, May 14, 6:30-8:30 pm Tompkins County Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca Many consumers are confused by claims like "grass-fed," "natural," and "organic" and are unsure of how to use the various cuts of meat. Come to this FREE workshop to learn more about buying locally raised meats. The class will include an overview of the claims and terms used in meat marketing by Matt LeRoux and short presentations by some local livestock farmers that raise and sell meats. Participating farm are: High Point Farms (beef), Sabol's Farm (pork), Glenwood Farms (bison), BWW Farm (goat), Ellis Hollow Farm (lamb), Quinn's Irish Hill Farm (poultry) and Kingbird Farm (organic). Admission is FREE (but please preregister so we can prepare sufficient handouts) by calling Tompkins County Cooperative Extension at 607-272-2292. Questions may also be directed to Matt LeRoux at mnl28 at cornell.edu. From sjr37 at cornell.edu Tue May 12 11:46:49 2009 From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra Repp) Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 11:46:49 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] upcoming farm/gardening offerings @ Extension Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20090512101827.03364288@cornell.edu> Annual Spring Garden Fair & Plant Sale Saturday, May 16, 9:00 am-1:00 pm Ithaca High School, 1401 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca In addition to perennials sold by Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers, other garden groups join the event to offer specialty plants and gardening advice. Learn about growing rock garden plants or selecting native plants for the garden. For the vegetable garden, you will find organically grown transplants and heirloom varieties. A huge variety of colorful annuals, fragrant herbs and many specialty perennials are offered by over 40 area growers to add season-long interest to the garden. Small flowering shrubs, hardy roses and fruit crops round out the selection. Free soil pH testing will be available and educational exhibits and information offered. Kids can join the Ithaca Children's Garden for a fun hands-on activity. Bring baskets, wagons, and other containers for transporting plants. For more information, call 272-2292 or email: growline at cornell.edu Farm Irrigation Workshop Wednesday, May 20, 4:00-7:00 pm 133 Fall Creek Rd (Rt. 366), Freeville NY Learn from Steve McKay, Cornell Farm manager, what it takes to set up various types of irrigation systems. Solid set irrigation with electric and PTO-operated pumps, trickle irrigation, and small and medium irrigation reels will be demonstrated. A representative from Belle Terre Irrigation will be on hand to describe the types of parameters you need to know before getting an irrigation system designed. Workshop held at Cornell's Freeville Farm, 133 Fall Creek Road (Rt. 366) in Freeville. FREE, but please pre-register at meh39 at cornell.edu, 607-687-4020. Questions can be directed to Molly Shaw, meh39 at cornell.edu Invasive Insect Pests That Threaten New York's Forests Thursday, June 11, 6:30-8:30 pm Tompkins County Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca Our forests are threatened by invasive insects from abroad, particularly the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer, and Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. Early detection and rapid response are key to reducing damage and giving us the time to develop effective control techniques. This class by Mark Whitmore of Cornell's Natural Resources Department will discuss basic biology, outline potential impacts, and help you look for these insects so we can find them before they become a problem. Fee: $5. Pre-registration preferred. For more information, contact Pat Curran, Horticulture Program Manager, 607-272-2292 or email pc21 at cornell.edu. The Garden Conservancy's Open Days Garden Tours Saturdays, June 13 & July 11, 10:00 am-4:00 pm Proceeds from the tour benefit the Tompkins County Community Beautification Program and the Garden Conservancy. Several inspiring private gardens will be open on Saturday, June 13 and different ones will be open Saturday, July 11. The tours run from 10:00 to 4:00, are drop-in and self-guided, go rain or shine, and cost $5 per garden. Photos and directions can be found at www.ccetompkins.org (click on "beautification"), or by stopping by Cooperative Extension on the day of the tours, or by contacting Dan Klein, (607) 272-2292, ext. 123, or dek22 at cornell.edu. Integrated Pest Management for Healthier Plants Thursday, June 18, 6:30-8:30 pm Tompkins County Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca Donna Levy, Plant Health Care/ IPM Program Coordinator at Cornell Plantations, will explain what IPM is and how we can use it to keep our garden and landscape plants healthy while minimizing chemical use. Fee: $5. Limited to 20 participants; prepayment required. For more information, contact Pat Curran, Horticulture Program Manager, 607-272-2292 or email pc21 at cornell.edu. Rain Barrels and Rain Gardens Thursday, June 25, 6:30-8:30 pm Tompkins County Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca Master Gardeners and staff will discuss how to use rain barrels to capture roof water for your plants. The rain garden, an alternative solution to capturing runoff from hard surfaces, will also be described. Fee: $5. Please pre-register so that we can make sufficient handouts. For more information, contact Pat Curran, Horticulture Program Manager, 607-272-2292 or email pc21 at cornell.edu. 2nd Annual Gardener's "Pot Swap" Friday, June 26-Monday, June 29 Tompkins County Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca Are you looking for an environmentally friendly solution for disposing of the plastic containers from plants you purchased this spring? Bring your plastic nursery pots, seedling flats, plastic trays and cell packs (but no PVC!) to Cooperative Extension at 615 Willow Avenue any time during the weekend and leave them in the designated area off the parking lot near the greenhouse. You are welcome to take away as many pots as you can use! On Tuesday morning June 30, all pots and flats that remain will be trucked to Ultimate Recycling Plastics in Port Gibson (near Palmyra, NY) where they will get a new life. NOTE: Absolutely NO pots will be accepted after 9:00 a.m. on June 30th. Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County in cooperation with Ultimate Recycled Plastics. From andrejs at ozolins.com Tue May 12 15:54:30 2009 From: andrejs at ozolins.com (Andrejs Ozolins) Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 15:54:30 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Bike to Work Day -- Friday In-Reply-To: <380-220095111193343476@earthlink.net> References: <380-220095111193343476@earthlink.net> Message-ID: <4A09D3F6.9080104@ozolins.com> This Friday, May 15, is National Bike to work day. Many of you already bike to work. We hope that others will do so too. Please spread the word that we'd like to see MANY bikes on the road. Visualize with me for a moment.....Bikes spread across the road riding in groups all over Ithaca.... car traffic is reduced because there is no more room for them and they're all riding bikes....The air smells good.....We're all healthy...Neighbors look out their window to see what the fuss is and grab their bikes to join us... Kids riding with their parents....dogs close behind... For just this one day ride your bike to work and ask your friends to join you. Later we'll worry about the rest of it. Go to http://ibiketowork.org to check out the options -- then join a pre-existing route or add your own, so others can join you. Wayne Gottlieb From sjr37 at cornell.edu Wed May 13 09:23:05 2009 From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra Repp) Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 09:23:05 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Spring/Summer Arnot Conservation Education Program Workshops Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20090513091847.0387c880@cornell.edu> Sustainable Tompkins subscribers may be interested in the following workshops, to be offered at Cornell's Arnot Forest. Send questions or register by calling (607) 535-7161, or by emailing cab377 at cornell.edu. Climate Change and Your Water, Woods and Wildlife We hear about climate change and effects on polar bears and arctic sea ice, but what will it mean to New York's water, woods and wildlife? Changes in temperatures, season lengths, snowpack, and severe weather events are predicted and are already occurring. As temperature and rainfall patterns change, floods and droughts will become more common. Populations of some wildlife species may benefit, but others will decline or shift to new areas. Learn about how our forests may change, and how different kinds of wildlife may be affected. Get tips on steps you can take to manage your water, woods, and wildlife in the face of change. Date: Wednesday, May 27 Time: 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm Pre-registration Cost: $12/person Day of event Cost: $15/person Tree Identification The most important thing you can do to take care of your land is to know your forest well. Some trees are essential in order to attract certain types of wildlife. Some species will grow very well on a given site, while others will not. Different species also have different potential timber values. At this session, you'll learn how to identify some of the most important trees in your area. We'll also discuss relationships between tree species and habitat types in your forest. Date: Wednesday, June 3 Time: 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm Pre-registration Cost: $12/person Day of event Cost: $15/person GPS Basics This GPS workshop is for those who are interested learning basic GPS skills. During this class, we will provide an overview of the basic concepts of GPS including becoming familiar with the GPS screens, marking waypoints, saving tracks, and navigating to a previously marked place. GPS units will be provided. Date: Thursday, June 11 Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Pre-registration Cost: $15/person Day of event Cost: $20/person Hemlocks In Jeopardy An insect pest newly arrived in the Finger Lakes region -- the hemlock woolly adelgid -- was recently discovered in the Ithaca area and is threatening hemlock trees and the biodiversity they support. This invasive species has decimated hemlock populations across the eastern United States, where altered habitats due to the loss of the hemlocks have caused a cascade of environmental changes. Early detection of new sites of infestation is a high priority, and local conservation groups are organizing volunteer surveys as a critical first step in managing this devastating invasive species. Participants in this workshop will learn about the biology of the adelgid and the threat it poses to local hemlock forests, as well as methods for detecting hemlock woolly adelgid, and available treatment options. This workshop will include indoor presentations, and an outdoor component. Date: Sunday, June 14 Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Pre-registration Cost: $15/person Day of event Cost: $20/person Preserving Your Woods for Future Generations New York's private forestland is facing unprecedented threats as invasive pests, escalating property taxes and other negative pressures continue to force woodland owners to sell their property or liquidate their timber. During this workshop, we will discuss strategies for mitigating the major challenges to long-term woodland ownership in New York including ways to make your woods more productive and valuable, property and income tax abatement strategies, alternative non-timber income opportunities, conservation easements, and generational transfer. Date: Wednesday, June 17 Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Pre-registration Cost: $15/person Day of event Cost: $18/person Important: All courses will meet at the Arnot Lodge, unless otherwise specified. To register for programs and pay on-line, visit Arnotconservation.info. You may also register by phone (607) 535-7161, or by emailing cab377 at cornell.edu. Pre-registration allows us to notify you in case of cancellation due to severe weather or lack of enrollment. Most of our courses are held partially or entirely outdoors, so please dress for the weather! The Arnot Forest is located on Schuyler County Route 13, 1 mile north of NY Route 224, between Cayuta and Van Etten, NY. For directions and a map visit: www.arnotforest.info From mmccasla at twcny.rr.com Wed May 13 10:29:54 2009 From: mmccasla at twcny.rr.com (Margaret McCasland) Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 10:29:54 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] gas drilling: "open space" discussion of actions Message-ID: <80FA6CDC-6AB4-4D46-A663-4E02463733B6@twcny.rr.com> Please come: Shaleshock Office at the Workers Center (upstairs Autumn Leaves bookstore, commons) 6pm to 8:30 pm Wednesday, May 27th A Call to Action: Responding to shale gas drilling in our region Please come to an open-space style gathering (www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?WorkingInOpenSpace) to meet other concerned people, share ideas, have important conversations, and organize action. Refreshments will be served (bring something if you can). Childcare and activities will be available. Please forward this invitation if you know someone who wants to get involved. Shaleshock Citizens Action Alliance is a grassroots group of Finger Lakes residents who are concerned with understanding and protecting our communities and environment from exploitation by the energy industry with regards to drilling fornatural gas in the Marcellus Shale. We are made up of and committed to work with and reach out to folks who have signed leases, not signed leases, or who have been compulsorily integrated. From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Wed May 13 09:56:46 2009 From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro) Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 09:56:46 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Car-free in the Suburbs/front page NYTimes 5/12 Message-ID: In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/science/earth/12suburb.html?th&emc=th -- Elan Shapiro Sustainable Living Associates, Principal Frog's Way B&B 211 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 607-275-0249 607-592-8402 Cell "We must be the change we want to see in the world" Mohandas Gandhi From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Wed May 13 11:20:08 2009 From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro) Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 11:20:08 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Car-free in the Suburbs/front page NYTimes 5/12 Message-ID: In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/science/earth/12suburb.html?th&emc=th -- Elan Shapiro Sustainable Living Associates, Principal Frog's Way B&B 211 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 607-275-0249 607-592-8402 Cell "We must be the change we want to see in the world" Mohandas Gandhi From lennon_kat at hotmail.com Thu May 14 21:46:00 2009 From: lennon_kat at hotmail.com (Kat McCarthy) Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 01:46:00 +0000 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Volunteer for Ithaca Fest Green Team! Message-ID: Hello Friends, The Zero Waste Festival Alliance (ZWFA) is looking for volunteers to help compost, recycle, and reduce waste at Ithaca Fest! To accomplish our goal, we will need a large group of ENTHUSIASTIC AND MOTIVATED VOLUNTEERS who will: 1.Interact one-on-one with event attendees, explaining what can be recycled, what can be composted, etc. 2.Manage separation stations where we?ll separate discards into recyclables, compostables, and trash 3.Compute volumes of waste generated at each event and discuss strategies to further reduce waste volumes In exchange for service, volunteers will develop skills for becoming an effective public educator as well as develop a greater awareness of sustainable waste management. Most importantly, and as will all volunteer work, volunteers will provide an important service to your local community and global environment. The ZWFA is now CALLING FOR MOTIVATED VOLUNTEERS, of all ages, to join us. The Ithaca Festival (May 28th-31st) is the first opportunity for volunteers. Below is a list of shifts we will need to fill during the festival. We encourage volunteers to sign up for at least two shifts if possible. This will allow the volunteer to gain more experience on the job and as a public educator. Obviously, volunteering offers a broad range of social, emotional, mental, and physical benefits, but at this event, there are two more incentives, FREE SHIRT and FOOD VOUCHERS after an individual has volunteered for a defined amount of time. Please contact me at Lennon_kat at hotmail.com for sign-ups or more information. Please also pass along to anyone you feel may be interested. Thanks, Kat McCarthy and the Zero Waste Team ITHACA FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERING Thursday: 5:00pm-9:00pm Shifts Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the following times: 11:00am-2:00pm 2:00pm-5:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm 8:00pm-11:00pm Sunday: an additional set-up shift from 8:00am-11:00am ABOUT US: The Zero Waste Festival Alliance (ZWFA) is a new organization that has been created to help festivals in Tompkins County minimize waste. The group will advocate and coordinate the separation, recycling, composting, and reuse of unwanted materials during each festival. The Alliance will cultivate PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION at local events by developing an appropriate and consistent waste management program. From sjr37 at cornell.edu Fri May 15 09:36:32 2009 From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra Repp) Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 09:36:32 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] 5/16: HUGE Spring Plant Sale, 9-1 @ Ithaca High School Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20090515093413.03919c38@cornell.edu> Annual Spring Garden Fair & Plant Sale Saturday, May 16, 9:00 am-1:00 pm Ithaca High School, 1401 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca In addition to perennials sold by Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers, other garden groups join the event to offer specialty plants and gardening advice. Learn about growing rock garden plants or selecting native plants for the garden. For the vegetable garden, you will find organically grown transplants and heirloom varieties. A huge variety of colorful annuals, fragrant herbs and many specialty perennials are offered by over 50 area growers to add season-long interest to the garden. Small flowering shrubs, hardy roses and fruit crops round out the selection. Free soil pH testing will be available and educational exhibits and information offered. Kids can join the Ithaca Children's Garden for a fun hands-on activity. Bring baskets, wagons, and other containers for transporting plants. For more information, call Tompkins County Cooperative Extension at 607-272-2292 or email: growline at cornell.edu. From dnr6 at cornell.edu Fri May 15 17:08:23 2009 From: dnr6 at cornell.edu (Daniel Roth) Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 17:08:23 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Join us Monday May 18: Public Forum on Cornell's Action Plan Message-ID: <4A0DD9C7.1090801@cornell.edu> PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY May 18 forum to provide updates on Cornell's Plan for Climate Neutrality. The public is invited to hear an update on Cornell's developing Climate Action Plan at a public forum on Monday, May 18, 7- 8:30 p.m., in the Tompkins County Public Library's Borg-Warner Room. **Light Refreshments Provided** The event will begin at 7pm with a short overview by Kyu-Jung Whang, Director of Facilities Services and Co-Chair of the Presidents Climate Commitment Implementation Committee. The overview will be followed by an open-house format from 7:30 to 8:30 when participants can view informational displays and ask questions directly to Cornell representatives from utilities, transportation, planning and design, environmental compliance, communications, and academic departments. For more information, contact Donna Goss at dlg25 at cornell.edu or (607) 255-4392. For information on Cornell's Climate Action Plan http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/cap/climateactionplan.cfm -- Daniel Roth Sustainability Coordinator Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Cornell University www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu Youth Action Team Co-Chair US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development www.uspartnership.org 607-254-8077 (office) 607-280-2312 (cell) 607-255-8461 (fax) 395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230 Ithaca, NY 14850 From phillipsville at gmail.com Sun May 17 09:17:59 2009 From: phillipsville at gmail.com (Miranda Phillips) Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 09:17:59 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] wood -- local options? Message-ID: <665d29880905170617u3fb22333sbe2b7a69cddb0ae3@mail.gmail.com> Hey all, My husband and I are laying flooring in our attic. We're interested in using local wood if we can, if it's not too pricey. We'd also like to stay away from products with glues and other chemicals that off-gas. Any one have suggestions, or know who'd be a good resource to ask? many thanks! Miranda -- Miranda Phillips Sustainable Tompkins Volunteer Coordinator 402 Utica St. Ithaca, NY 14850 607 277 1241 From ska2 at cornell.edu Sun May 17 21:12:23 2009 From: ska2 at cornell.edu (Sharon K. Anderson) Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 21:12:23 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Invitation to the 2009 Cornell Iroquois Social: June 6th @ 2:30 Message-ID: The Reunion Iroquois Social will be a time to honor the contributions of indigenous cultures to our common future. Everyone is welcome, so join in the festivities as we celebrate sustainability in our communities and our universities. In the spirit of shared values the AIP, CCSF, and CNAAA look forward to seeing you on June 6th @ 2:30 at Cornell's historic Bailey Hall Square! Details: _____ You are invited to the 2009 Cornell Reunion Iroquois Social! The American Indian Program (AIP) and the Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future (CCSF) are pleased to co-sponsor the 2009 Cornell Native American Alumni Association (CNAAA) Reunion Iroquois Social in celebration of the vital role of indigenous peoples in sustainability. Singer Bill Crouse (Seneca Wolf Clan) will present the traditional opening followed by welcoming remarks by Cornell President David Skorton. The program will include traditional music, dances open to the public, giveaways, refreshing drinks, and information on exciting sustainability efforts underway at Cornell. Please join us at the Social on Saturday, June 6th at 2:30pm at Bailey Hall Square. 4pm approximate end time. Indigenous peoples have been implementing the principle of sustainability for millennia. Here, among New York's Finger Lakes, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) peoples, who cared for the region before Cornell, live by the principle: In every decision we must consider the impact on the seventh generation. As New York State's land grant university for over 140 years, Cornell respects this ethic as a way to make the Big Red and Planet Earth places where all generations can prosper. Around the world, a fundamental aspect of indigenous peoples' cultural heritage is a collective relationship with their lands and "natural resources" (relatives) that considers how today's actions will impact future generations. Indigenous peoples compose about 3/4 of the world's distinct cultures, and maintain diverse ecological knowledge and practices that steward much of the world's biodiversity. These traditions provide valuable insights into today's sustainability challenges in areas such as food, water, energy, and climate change. For more information contact Kathy Halbig at (607)255-5991 or klh37 at cornell.edu Cornell American Indian Program - www.aip.cornell.edu Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future - www.ccsf.cornell.edu -- Daniel Roth Sustainability Coordinator Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Cornell University www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu Youth Action Team Co-Chair US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development www.uspartnership.org 607-254-8077 (office) 607-280-2312 (cell) 607-255-8461 (fax) 395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230 Ithaca, NY 14850 From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Sun May 17 21:48:18 2009 From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro) Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 21:48:18 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Presentation on worldwide Ecovillages/Sustainability Ed. Mon 5/18 Message-ID: ECOVILLAGES AS CAMPUSES FOR SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION Monday May 18 7 PM Ecovillage at Ithaca , First neighborhood (Frog) Common House Dan Greenberg, Founder and Exec. Director of Living Routes, is a dynamic presenter with a great mission and a great slide show. Ecovillages are communities striving to create cooperative lifestyles in harmony with their local environments. From appropriate technologies to holistic health; from sustainable agriculture to group facilitation, ecovillages are integrating solutions within human-scale communities and creating new cultures and "stories" in which we can live well - and lightly. In the process, they are developing real-world models of sustainable development that make ideal "campuses" where students can learn about sustainability while striving to live it. Come learn about the growing ecovillage movement worldwide (e.g., Findhorn, Scotland; Auroville, India; Sirius, MA), the possibilities and challenges of using these communities as contexts for education and social change, and the work of Living Routes, which partners with UMass-Amherst to offer study abroad programs based in ecovillages worldwide. Daniel Greenberg, Ph.D. has studied and directed community-based educational programs for over 20 years. He wrote his thesis on children and education in community, and later spent a year at Findhorn in Scotland working with children and families there. He is founder and Executive Director of Living Routes, which develops accredited ecovillage-based education programs that promote sustainability. He lives at the Sirius Community in Shutesbury, Massachusetts USA with his wife, Monique and their two daughters, Simone and Pema. http://www.LivingRoutes.org For travel directions or other info, contact Elan at elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us -- From dnr6 at cornell.edu Mon May 18 13:25:35 2009 From: dnr6 at cornell.edu (Daniel Roth) Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 13:25:35 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Join us Tonight: Public Forum on Cornell's Action Plan Message-ID: <4A119A0F.3010800@cornell.edu> Hello all, The public is invited to hear an update on Cornell's developing Climate Action Plan at a public forum tonight, Monday May 18, 7- 8:30 p.m., in the Tompkins County Public Library's Borg-Warner Room. **Light Refreshments Provided** The event will begin at 7pm with a short overview by Kyu-Jung Whang, Vice President of Facilities Services and Co-Chair of the Presidents Climate Commitment Implementation Committee. The overview will be followed by an open-house format from 7:30 to 8:30 when participants can view informational displays and ask questions directly to Cornell representatives from utilities, transportation, planning and design, environmental compliance, communications, and academic departments. For more information, contact Donna Goss at dlg25 at cornell.edu or (607) 255-4392. For information on Cornell's Climate Action Plan http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/cap/climateactionplan.cfm -- Daniel Roth Sustainability Coordinator Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Cornell University www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu Youth Action Team Co-Chair US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development www.uspartnership.org 607-254-8077 (office) 607-280-2312 (cell) 607-255-8461 (fax) 395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230 Ithaca, NY 14850 From simonstl at simonstl.com Mon May 18 16:21:48 2009 From: simonstl at simonstl.com (Simon St.Laurent) Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 16:21:48 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] list guidelines Message-ID: <4A11C35C.6090005@simonstl.com> I meant to post this monthly, but it seems that I haven't posted it since November. Here it is again, in the interest of keeping this list flowing smoothly. One item I'd add: please don't BCC ('blind carbon copy') the list. The list software requires administrators to go through and manually approve such messages, which will at the very least delay your messages. Thanks, Simon St.Laurent List admin DOs AND DON'Ts FOR THE SUSTAINABLE TOMPKINS MAIL LIST This is a set of guidelines for users of the mail list SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org. We send it out every month to remind everyone of practices that will help us all get maximum use from the list. DO go to http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins for information on how to unsubscribe or choose digest mode for this mail list. DO use the Sustainable Tompkins list to post notices about local and regional sustainability events and to ask questions, share opinions, and give answers on topics related to sustainable living in Tompkins County. DON'T use the list to solicit funds, sell merchandise, find homes for kittens, post your resume, post partisan political messages, or advertise the rental/sale of real estate. DO use the subject line to specifically describe the content of your message in a way that allows other list subscribers to skip material that they're not interested in reading. If you change the subject in the middle of a discussion, change the subject line as well. DON'T include attachments (the list software won't send them) or try to include graphics or electronic business card signatures in your messages. Instead, link to the material you're referring to or include the text right in the body of your message. DO provide complete contact information, and always remember to include dates and locations in any message referring to a specific event. DON'T try to include formatting (bold, italics, bullets, fonts, colors, etc.) in your message. Many users will not be able to display your formatting, and it may show up as embedded symbols in your posting. DO use simple text forms for emoticons (colon-hyphen-parenthesis to make a smiley face, for example) rather than embedding pictures from a menu. DON'T post information for the same event too often. DO enter your event in the web-based ST calendar (see details below). DON'T just let earlier messages pile up under your reply; it drives the digest users crazy. Either remove them altogether (there is an option in your mail reader to do this automatically if you wish) or just quote the parts to which you are replying directly. Remember: The list works in a self-regulated way, owing its effectiveness and success to its subscribers. It is an open forum, and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Sustainable Tompkins. Please post your community events on the Sustainable Tompkins online calendar at www.sustainabletompkins.org (click ?Events Calendar? on upper right side). The calendar is an excellent way for organizations and individuals to promote upcoming events related to social, environmental, and economic issues in the Tompkins County area. Our new event calendar process allows anyone from the public to submit an event. Your event will appear on the calendar after it has been approved by the website administrator. If you have questions, please contact us at sean at sustainabletompkins.org. We look forward to seeing your upcoming events! From kristen at historicithaca.org Tue May 19 10:13:59 2009 From: kristen at historicithaca.org (Kristen Olson) Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 10:13:59 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Tonight: Historic Ithaca's Annual Meeting and Preservation Awards Message-ID: <008801c9d88c$0e88fed0$2b9afc70$@org> Tonight: Historic Ithaca's Annual Meeting and Preservation Awards Historic Ithaca will recognize seven projects and individuals in Tompkins County with preservation awards at the organization's annual meeting today, Tuesday May 19. The event will be held at the Unitarian Church of Ithaca from 5pm to 7pm, and is open to the public. Each year Historic Ithaca presents awards for sensitive restoration and preservation projects within Tompkins County. This year's winners are: . Justine Kalka, for the sensitive rehabilitation of the front porch of her Second-Empire style home in Brooktondale . The Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes, for the outstanding rehabilitation of the former residence at 612 West State Street in Ithaca . Avi Smith and Debby Halpern, for the complete rehabilitation and continued retail use of the circa-1880 Brookton's Market building in Brooktondale . Mary Kane Trochim and Bill Trochim, for the interior rehabilitation of office space in the circa-1890 Renvyle Building at 136 East State Street in Ithaca . Sigrid Kulkowitz and Shaul Hendel, for the creative use of salvaged materials in the renovation of the kitchen of their home in Ithaca . Mary Raddant Tomlan, in recognition of her extraordinary efforts and accomplishments in historic preservation over many years of service to the greater Ithaca community . The Ithaca Downtown Partnership, for the listing in 2005 of the Ithaca Downtown Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places and for the continuing support of the preservation of Ithaca's historic downtown commercial structures For more information, visit www.historicithaca.org or call (607) 273-6633 ABOUT HISTORIC ITHACA: Historic Ithaca is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and sustaining the legacy of the built environment in Tompkins County and the Finger Lakes region. Through education, advocacy, and action, Historic Ithaca helps to protect the significant buildings, landscapes, and communities in the local region. From kristen at historicithaca.org Tue May 19 11:18:57 2009 From: kristen at historicithaca.org (Kristen Olson) Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 11:18:57 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] wood -- local options? In-Reply-To: <665d29880905170617u3fb22333sbe2b7a69cddb0ae3@mail.gmail.com> References: <665d29880905170617u3fb22333sbe2b7a69cddb0ae3@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <00c401c9d895$21ffaaa0$65feffe0$@org> One sustainable flooring option is reclaimed wood. Significant Elements, Historic Ithaca's nonprofit architectural salvage warehouse, has salvaged wood flooring, typically available for about $2/square foot. For more information, see our website, www.significantelements.org. Good luck with your project! Kristen Olson Preservation Services Coordinator Historic Ithaca -----Original Message----- From: sustainabletompkins-bounces at lists.mutualaid.org [mailto:sustainabletompkins-bounces at lists.mutualaid.org] On Behalf Of Miranda Phillips Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 9:18 AM To: sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org Subject: [SustainableTompkins] wood -- local options? Hey all, My husband and I are laying flooring in our attic. We're interested in using local wood if we can, if it's not too pricey. We'd also like to stay away from products with glues and other chemicals that off-gas. Any one have suggestions, or know who'd be a good resource to ask? many thanks! Miranda -- Miranda Phillips Sustainable Tompkins Volunteer Coordinator 402 Utica St. Ithaca, NY 14850 607 277 1241 _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org From marywoodsen at nasw.org Tue May 19 11:07:58 2009 From: marywoodsen at nasw.org (Mary M. Woodsen) Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 11:07:58 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] invitation: Greensprings lecture series Message-ID: Sorry to be so late in posting this! ------------------------------ Dear Friends of Greensprings, We're inaugurating a lecture series --- the Greensprings Lecture Series. Our kick-off speaker is Mark Harris, author of Grave Matters, which tells the story of the natural burial movement in North America. This lecture commemorates our 3rd anniversary. Save the date: Wednesday, May 20, 7 p.m., at the Unitarian Church, 306 North Aurora Street, Ithaca. Mark's presentation is a visual tour of North America's growing green burial movement. Drawn from his research and travels, his images of natural burials include those that take place in backyard gravesites, at sea, and in natural cemeteries. Mark also surveys home funerals and burial via memorial reef ball, a honeycombed dome that contains cremains---ashes of the deceased. Archival photographs show early American funerals and their progression to the more involved send-offs of today. The presentation begins with a 5-minute slideshow about Greensprings. There'll be plenty of time to chat with Mark Harris afterward or have your book signed. Our cosponsor for the lecture series is Greg Garvan and Money With a Mission, a comprehensive fee-only financial life planning and asset management service that helps people connect their financial lives to their green values. Coming attractions: Stop by our table at the Gorges Green Expo on May 31 at Stewart Park on Cayuga Lake, sponsored by the Ithaca Festival. Come to our Annual Meeting and Picnic at Greensprings on Saturday, June 6 at noon. Dates to remember: May 20th - Presentation by Mark Harris, author of Grave Matters May 31st - Gorges Green Expo at Stewart Park June 6th - Annual Meeting and Picnic at Greensprings -- Mary M. Woodsen 607 233 4174 home 917 842 0987 cell Greensprings Natural Cemetery Association P.O. Box 415, 293 Irish Hill Road Newfield, NY 14867 607 564 7577 * www.naturalburial.org Greensprings--breaking new ground From levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com Tue May 19 15:54:31 2009 From: levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com (Patricia Haines) Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 12:54:31 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Bonton fund-raiser "Community Day" Message-ID: <531031.53983.qm@web62108.mail.re1.yahoo.com> I'm not sure the Bonton is the best place to advocate sustainability ... but you'll see below that they invite community groups to participate in their "community days" as a focus for fund-raising - ? From: ds04404 Subject: FW: March 1st Community Day @ The Bonton To: TC-HSC-L at cornell.edu Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 7:49 AM ? -----Original Message----- From: bounce-2254514-8138398 at list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-2254514-8138398 at list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of ds04404 Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 11:13 AM To: TC-HSC-L at cornell.edu Subject:??November 14th?Community Day @ The Bonton ? Hello Everyone, This is just a friendly reminder,? that The Bonton has a Very effective fundraising program.? www.communitydayevent.com Organizations that we have helped: Tompkins Co. SPCA Cortland Co. SPCA Lansing Soccer Chatholic Charities Cortland Area Communities That Care Special Olympics Cayuga Highland Search and Rescue This is just to name a few, we hope to hear from your Organization as the event is ,November 14th 2009?. Please give us a call or email, Pamela Ross Nancy Zakour Jennifer Palmquist 257-5333 From tonydelplato at gmail.com Thu May 21 07:55:20 2009 From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato) Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 07:55:20 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] The Almond & the Bee: Crop Pollination May Kill Colonies Message-ID: Tony Del Plato has sent you the following program from FORA.tv: [image: success] The Almond & the Bee: Crop Pollination May Kill Colonies - *In Defense of Food* author Michael Pollan says the high demand of pollinating central California's almond crop may be contributing to the collapse of bee colonies. Pollan says bees are shipped in from around the globe and even given "high fructose corn syrup so they will be sturdy enough to attack the almond crop." -- A wise man once said that a black man would be president when pigs fly. Sure enough, 100 days into Obama's presidency, Swine Flu. From levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com Thu May 21 14:53:37 2009 From: levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com (Patricia Haines) Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 11:53:37 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SustainableTompkins] bio-char workshop this weekend Message-ID: <652451.31519.qm@web62103.mail.re1.yahoo.com> I have just learned from Erica Bush - creator of Level Green's Pine Tree Pavilion and one of the artists selected for this year's Art in the Heart of the City outdoor exhibition - that she will be leading a workshop series on creating a bio-char oven. In Danby - 10-4 on Saturday May 22nd and Sunday May 23rd, and and 10-2 on Tuesday May 26th. $75. Contact Erica at the email above or call 351-3849 for details. ? Her webiste also provides details - as well as providing examples of the wonderful natural building work she's been doing since she left Ithaca three years ago. I can say from personal experience that she is extremely knowledgable, an excellent instructor, and a delight to work with. ? Patricia Haines LEVEL GREEN - fostering sustainable community through collaborative initiatives in hospitality, education and the arts, in the 150 year-old democratic spirit of the Danish Folk School. 1519 Slaterville Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 339-9472 From shiragolding at gmail.com Thu May 21 17:04:11 2009 From: shiragolding at gmail.com (Shira Golding) Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 17:04:11 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] 7pm Swap Meet Tonight Message-ID: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR BARTER OR WORSE! SHARE YOUR GOODS, SERVICES AND LABOR AT THE LOCAL SWAP MEET! Like sharing? Have skills? Bring goods and services you'd like to share, and you'll be able to barter, give away or sell your offerings to other community members. The more we can provide for one another locally, the closer we are to sustainability! May 21st, 7-9pm 207 N. Plain St. (between Seneca and Buffalo) What to bring: - Food and Produce: veggies, teas, baked goods, jams, tofu, etc. - Body Care: tinctures, soaps, creams, etc. - Handmade Crafts: ceramics, candles, art, etc. - Stuff: electronics, housewares, tools, books, etc. - Services: massage, bike repair, web design, accounting, etc. - Labor: shoveling, hauling, planting, etc. - Bags, boxes and carts to take stuff home in Feel free to also bring potluck dishes and refreshments that can be shared during the swap meet! Guidelines: - Our goal is sustainability - please bring stuff that is locally- grown or made from local materials if possible. - Please limit what you bring to what you can fit in a lap-sized box - you can always arrange for pick-up after the meeting. - Be prepared to take back home with you whatever you don't end up bartering or giving away. - Please bring stuff that is in good condition or can be easily- repaired - no junk! To rsvp or for more information, contact Shira Golding, shiragolding at gmail.com , 607-821-0654 RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=82761914523 If you can't make this swap meet, stay tuned for the next one! Brought to you by the newly formed Share Tompkins! Join our email list to stay in the loop about future events: https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/sharetompkins ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From jcn at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Thu May 21 20:48:28 2009 From: jcn at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Joe Nolan) Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 20:48:28 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] wood -- local options? In-Reply-To: <665d29880905170617u3fb22333sbe2b7a69cddb0ae3@mail.gmail.com> References: <665d29880905170617u3fb22333sbe2b7a69cddb0ae3@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4A15F65C.3020500@ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us> There are several local sawmills that we've bought local lumber from (circa 5 yrs ago) but I'm not sure what their current status is. I'd ask any carpenter who's been around Ithaca a long time. You can save some $$ by face nailing planks rather than getting it milled tongue & groove. From tjs1 at cornell.edu Fri May 22 12:36:02 2009 From: tjs1 at cornell.edu (Thomas Shelley) Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 12:36:02 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Off topic--Wanted: Duck Weed Message-ID: <200905221637.n4MGbSIO004853@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu> Dear Friends--I realize this is a little off topic.... I am looking for someone who has a pond with duckweed on it. I would like to get some common duck weed (Lemna Sp.) to seed our pond. We want to feed the duck weed to our chickens as it is a superior chicken food. I realize that it might be a little early in the season for duck weed to start up, but hopefully I can find some somewhere. Thanks. Tom ****************************************** Tom Shelley 118 E. Court St. Ithaca, NY 14850 607 342-0864 tjs1 at cornell.edu http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 4-27-09; many new photos of chickens.) http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php (Just updated 4-27-09; many new photos of chickens.) Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion* What Does Zero Waste Mean? "If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned, or removed from production." Berkeley Zero Waste Resolution See http://www.cityofberkeley.info/council8/newsletter.pdf *noun: a shoot or bud of a plant, esp. one for planting or grafting From vrockney at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Fri May 22 16:04:55 2009 From: vrockney at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Valorie Rockney) Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 16:04:55 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Coming Soon! - Solar Food Dehydrators Message-ID: <389D97B0-AC94-4C5A-972E-34E69594C274@ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us> Dear fan of local food, Are you looking for simpler, lower-energy ways to preserve summer's bounty? Want organic sun-dried tomatoes or dried cherries without the astronomical prices? A solar food dehyrator may be just the thing. My friends and neighbors, Otto Ottoson and Graham O, built a solar food dehydrator last summer, using slightly modified plans from the book The Solar Food Dryer: How to Make and Use Your Own Low-Cost, Hi gh Performance, Sun-Powered Food Dehydrator, by Eben V. Fodor.http:// www.amazon.com/Solar-Food-Dryer-Performance-Sun-Powered/product- reviews/0865715440/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful? ie=UTF8&coliid=&showViewpoints=1&colid=&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescendin g Using the designs in the book, you can build your own solar dryer. But for those of us who are busy or whose carpentry skills aren't so great, Otto and Graham can build them for us (Otto is a carpenter.). While Otto has his power tools set up to make the three dehydrators people have already ordered, he can readily make a few more. They would cost around $300 - $400 each (depending on the number of orders) and would be ready by late June, in time for this year's harvest. The basic dehydrator is made from plywood, with an option for solid pine construction at a somewhat higher cost. (Obviously this costs more than a conventional electric food dryer made from plastic, but we believe the solar dryer to be a much better product.) On sunny days the dehydrators run completely on passive solar energy. If the day turns cloudy or rainy, there's an electric backup. The standard plans use light bulbs; Otto prefers a small heating element which uses the electricity for heat rather than for unneeded light. The dryers are screened to keep out insects and other pests, and adjustable venting allows you to control the temperature. It is quiet because there is no fan; air circulates by natural convection (hot air rises and cool air flows in from below). The solar dehydrator works great. I tried it with tomatoes, green peppers, and even onions. Best of all were the cherries, which I doled out like candy all winter long. I liked the solar food dryer much better than a conventional electric dehydrator, which I found noisy and hot. If you'd like more information, or you might be interested in ordering one, please contact me at vrockney at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us, or 272-4921 before 9 pm. You're welcome to forward this to others who might be interested. Thanks, Valorie From gjem5760 at yahoo.com Sun May 24 21:27:21 2009 From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz) Date: Sun, 24 May 2009 18:27:21 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SustainableTompkins] wood -- local options? Message-ID: <934554.20471.qm@web44909.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> In 2003 we purchased rough sawn pine and hemlock 1x10 lumber from Stover Lumber in Trumansburg.? They had their own sawmill then.? The wood however was not kiln dried.?It wasn't a problem for us as we were using it for a fence, but this should be taken into consideration. ? We've also purchased various hardwoods from Danby Hardwoods.? ? There are a number of hardwood sawmills to our south, including Double Aught off Rte. 96 between Candor and Owego.? The mail sell direct if the quantity if high enough. ? ? George Frantz From sjr37 at cornell.edu Tue May 26 08:37:20 2009 From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra Repp) Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 08:37:20 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Writer's Alchemy Summer Writing Program on Sustainability Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20090526082006.036b3530@cornell.edu> This is posted on behalf of a colleague. Please contact her directly with any questions. A WRITER'S ALCHEMY: Summer Writing Program A Writer's Alchemy will be hosting two summer writing programs. The first will be from July 6-10th, from 1-5pm. The second will be from July 20-24th, from 1-5pm. Each week is $125.00 per participant with discounts for siblings. Healthy snacks will be served. Ages 11-19. All levels of skill are welcome. Ability to have a good time is necessary...Each week is limited to 10 participants. The Summer Writing Program foci will be on Issues of Sustainability. We will be writing for the online Ithaca Journal. Please keep in mind that while sustainability is most often used to refer to environmental issues, there is so much more to the word... Have a conversation with your child about sustainability and what it means to them. Where does s/he believe that "sustainability" is necessary? For registration: Send child's name, parents' name(s), address, phone, food allergies and emergency contact info to: A Writer's Alchemy 511 North Albany Street Ithaca, NY 14850. Please remember to specify which week you want. Please make checks payable to A Writer's Alchemy. There will be no refunds after July 5, 2009. We will be taking photographs of participants and possibly publishing to Website/brochure (currently under development). When registering, please clearly state your wishes with regard to our photographing your child. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. My contact information is below. You can also reach me at 607 273-1755 or patrice_lockertanthony at yahoo.com. Best Regards, Patrice Gail Patrice Lockert Anthony Founder and Executive Director, A Writer's Alchemy 511 North Albany Street Ithaca, New York, USA 14850 607 342-5454 From nlv at clarityconnect.com Tue May 26 10:29:54 2009 From: nlv at clarityconnect.com (Nicolas Vaczek) Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 10:29:54 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] wind power talk at CU Message-ID: http://www.cornell.edu/events/profile.cfm?id=30518&instance=2009-06-12 16:30:00 From sjr37 at cornell.edu Tue May 26 14:42:18 2009 From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra Repp) Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 14:42:18 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Home Food Preservation Workshops at Cooperative Extension Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20090526123802.02eca440@cornell.edu> COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFERS SUMMER WORKSHOPS IN HOME FOOD PRESERVATION A selection of hands-on workshops on home food preservation methods will be offered throughout the summer months by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County. Topics will coincide with the growing season, so participants can learn to preserve various kinds of produce while it is available at local farm stands and markets. "Fresh from the Garden: Homemade Jam" will be offered on Tuesday, June 30 from 6:30-9:00 pm. Participants will use freshly-picked local fruit to make strawberry jam using a reduced-sugar recipe, and also a strawberry freezer jam. Participants each will take home a jar of jam made at the workshop. "Canning Tomatoes and Fruits" will be offered twice: on Friday, July 10 at 12:30-3:00 pm, and again on Thursday, July 16 at 6:30-9:00pm. This class covers how to safely can tomatoes and fruits using a boiling water bath canner. Participants will receive updated information on canning methods. "Canning Vegetables and Meats" also will be offered twice, on Friday, July 24 at 12:30-3:00 pm, and again on Tuesday, July 28 at 6:30-9:00 pm. Participants will learn the procedures for safely canning low-acid vegetables and meats in a pressure canner. They will receive updated information on canning techniques, and will learn about the different types of pressure canners and why they must be used instead of a water bath canner for these foods. "Freezing and Drying Foods" will be offered on Tuesday, August 11 at 10:30am-12:30 pm. This class will cover how to freeze fruits and vegetables to get the best results. Participants also will learn tips on blanching, packaging, and how to avoid the biggest freezing errors, as well as methods for dehydrating fruits, vegetables and jerky at home. "Making and Canning Fresh Salsa" will be offered on Tuesday, August 18 at 6:30-9:00 pm. It covers how to make salsa using fresh local ingredients, and how to preserve it by using a boiling water bath canner. These small-group workshops are $15 each, and are held in the Cooperative Extension Education Center at 615 Willow Avenue in Ithaca. Space is limited, and advance registration and pre-payment are required. For more information, please call Carole Fisher at 272-2292 or email crf11 at cornell.edu. -30- From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Tue May 26 15:02:38 2009 From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro) Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 15:02:38 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Coming Soon! - Solar Food Dehydrators In-Reply-To: <389D97B0-AC94-4C5A-972E-34E69594C274@ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us> References: <389D97B0-AC94-4C5A-972E-34E69594C274@ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us> Message-ID: Nice job, valorie!!! -- Elan Shapiro Sustainable Living Associates, Principal Frog's Way B&B 211 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 607-275-0249 607-592-8402 Cell "We must be the change we want to see in the world" Mohandas Gandhi From owlgorge at earthlink.net Tue May 26 16:54:25 2009 From: owlgorge at earthlink.net (Anthony Ingraham) Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 16:54:25 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fed legislation to regulate nat. gas drilling? Message-ID: <380-220095226205425578@earthlink.net> http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/05/26-3 Published on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 by ProPublica Natural Gas Politics by Abrahm Lustgarten Four years after Vice President Dick Cheney spearheaded a massive energy bill that exempted natural gas drilling from federal clean water laws, Congress is having second thoughts about the environmental dangers posed by the burgeoning industry. With growing evidence that the drilling can damage water supplies, Democratic leaders in Congress are circulating legislation that would repeal the extraordinary exemption and for the first time require companies to disclose all chemicals used in the key drilling process, called hydraulic fracturing See the article including Rep. Maurice Hinchey's comment at http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/05/26-3 From marywoodsen at nasw.org Tue May 26 21:30:12 2009 From: marywoodsen at nasw.org (Mary M. Woodsen) Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 21:30:12 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Invitation: Picnic and Annual Meeting, Greensprings Message-ID: Dear Greensprings Friends and Members, Greensprings hosts its 2009 Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 6. Come to our Open House at noon for lunch. Our casseroles, fresh-baked bread, and fruit salad are all homemade. Because we've got some wonderful news to share--member Herb Engman, from whom we've been buying the cemetery land, has donated the entire property to Greensprings--we'll celebrate with Herb's favorite cake. After lunch and conversation, join us for informal walks at 12:45 p.m. We'll take you where you'd like to go--through our burial sites or up to the overlook, or into the woods to learn a little about the plants that grow there. The annual meeting follows at 1:30 p.m. Learn more about how Greensprings works. Members--those who have bought or inherited a site--can vote for trustees. Note to lot purchasers: If you haven't yet chosen your lots, the Annual Meeting wouldn't be the best day to do so. Please call our Executive Director, Joel Rabinowitz, at 607-898-5113 to make an appointment to visit, or discuss your lot location. In a nutshell Open House at Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve 293 Irish Hill Road Newfield, NY 14867 June 6, 2009 12:00 p.m.: lunch (soup, fruit, cider, soda, fresh-baked bread, CAKE, more ?) 12:45 p.m.: informal walks 1:30 p.m.: Annual Meeting, Greensprings Natural Cemetery Association, Inc. If you'd like to bring a potluck dish to share, why ... go right ahead. But it's by no means expected. Know that hikers, picnickers, and skiers are always welcome on our 100 acres, which is bordered on three sides by Arnot Forest and Newfield State Forest. A caretaker lives on site. Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve is dedicated to simple, eco-friendly burials. For more information about Greensprings, go to or call 607 564 7577. DIRECTIONS: From Ithaca: Take Route 13 (Elmira Road) south 4.5 miles from city limits. (Follow sign for Elmira--right lane--where route 34&96 split off.) At sign for Newfield, turn left. You will be on Main Street. Go all the way through the village. After post office sign (on right), bear left on Van Kirk Road. Continue south 4 miles. Where Van Kirk bends nearly 90 degrees to left, slow down, then go straight onto Irish Hill Road. Continue 1.2 miles to Greensprings. From Elmira (Interstate-86/NY Route 17): Take Exit 54 onto Route 13 north; drive about 19 miles. Look for sign for Trumbull Corners Road. (This intersection is about 7.8 miles after the Rt. 13-Rt. 224 crossroad.) Turn right at Trumbull Corners Road. At stop sign, turn right. Take first left turn onto Van Kirk Road. Continue south 4 miles; where Van Kirk bends nearly 90 degrees to left, slow down, then go straight onto Irish Hill Road. Continue about 1.2 miles to Greensprings. From Binghamton (I-86/NY Rt. 17): Drive west on I-86/NY Rt. 17 to Owego. At Exit 64, take NY Rt. 96 north about 10 miles to Candor. At Candor, follow Rt. 96 where it turns left. (Do NOT follow Rt. 96B north.) Drive west on Rt. 96 about 9 miles to Spencer. At the blinking red light in Spencer continue straight on NY Rt. 34 south. (Do NOT follow Rts. 34 & 96 north!) Drive almost 4 miles to Van Etten. Rt. 34 turns to the south here--you need to go straight onto NY Rt. 224. Continue on Rt. 224 about 5.5 miles. Turn right onto Jackson Hollow Road (also County Rt. 13). Stay on the main paved road for about 5.2 miles. After about 2.7 miles, you will cross into Tompkins County, and where Jackson Hollow turns right, continue straight on Van Kirk Road. At 5.2 miles (from NY Rt. 224), Van Kirk Road turns sharply to the right. That's where you turn sharply left on Irish Hill Road. Drive about 1.2 miles to the Greensprings entrance, which will be on your left. -- Mary M. Woodsen 607 233 4174 home 917 842 0987 cell Greensprings Natural Cemetery Association P.O. Box 415, 293 Irish Hill Road Newfield, NY 14867 607 564 7577 * www.naturalburial.org Greensprings--breaking new ground From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com Wed May 27 10:22:44 2009 From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon) Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 10:22:44 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] wind power talk at CU In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20090527102220.02105450@pop.lightlink.com> The link didn't work for me. Joel At 10:29 AM 5/26/09 -0400, you wrote: >http://www.cornell.edu/events/profile.cfm?id=30518&instance=2009-06-12 >16:30:00 > >_______________________________________________ >For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, >please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > >RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org From bosak at pinax.com Wed May 27 11:00:14 2009 From: bosak at pinax.com (Jon Bosak) Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 11:00:14 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] wind power talk at CU In-Reply-To: <5.2.1.1.2.20090527102220.02105450@pop.lightlink.com> References: <5.2.1.1.2.20090527102220.02105450@pop.lightlink.com> Message-ID: <4A1D557E.4000703@pinax.com> Try http://www.cornell.edu/events/profile.cfm?id=30518&instance=2009-06-12%2016:30:00 Jon Joel and Sarah Gagnon wrote: > The link didn't work for me. > > Joel > > At 10:29 AM 5/26/09 -0400, you wrote: > >> http://www.cornell.edu/events/profile.cfm?id=30518&instance=2009-06-12 >> 16:30:00 From nlv at clarityconnect.com Wed May 27 12:03:35 2009 From: nlv at clarityconnect.com (Nicolas Vaczek) Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 12:03:35 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] two Cornell sustainability get-togethers Message-ID: <21E4F798-B131-4AF4-9D7C-55569D509878@clarityconnect.com> Cornell Workshop on Large-Scale Wind Generated Power- where Hunt is speaking http://cfd.mae.cornell.edu/~caughey/WindPower_09/ AND http://www.computational-sustainability.org/compsust09/program.php From brbish at newrootsschool.org Wed May 27 15:01:57 2009 From: brbish at newrootsschool.org (Rebecca Rodomsky-Bish) Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 15:01:57 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New Roots: Enroll Now! Message-ID: <6fb4e5ef0905271201l2ae75d9ci3edc1a7728149daf@mail.gmail.com> Greetings STers, Please spread the word... New Roots Charter High School is still accepting applications for our founding 9th and 10th grade classes in the fall of 2009, but space is limited as we have about 25 spots left! Located in downtown Ithaca in the Clinton House and Women's Community Building, New Roots will prepare a diverse student body to meet the challenges of citizenship, work, and lifelong learning in the 21st century. Attending an upcoming Parent and Teen Information Night is a great way to learn more about our tuition-free public school and whether it's a good fit for you and your teen. We ask that attendees call our offices for details and to RSVP. *June Parent and Teen Information Nights:* Monday, June 1st 7:00-8:30pm Thursday, June 4th 7:00-8:30pm Wednesday, June 10th 7:00-8:30pm Thursday, June 18th 7:00-8:30pm Monday, June 22nd 7:00-8:30pm -- Becca Rodomsky-Bish New Roots Outreach Coordinator Science Faculty P.O. Box 936, Ithaca, NY 14851 p: 607-339-6994 f: 607-697-0446 From levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com Wed May 27 15:54:18 2009 From: levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com (Patricia Haines) Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 12:54:18 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Much to the proud of! Message-ID: <325664.33264.qm@web62108.mail.re1.yahoo.com> Thanks, Gay, for all you contribute to ST and our community - the Bioneer cudos below are well-deserved! ? Change-Maker of the Month Gay Nicholson is CEO of Sustainable Tompkins, a coalition she helped create in 2003 in Ithaca, NY. Under Gay's leadership, we are excited to welcome Ithaca, NY as one of the newest Beaming Bioneers partner site. We applaud Nicholson's work helping to strategize the best ways for businesses, organizations, and municipalities in the region to become truly sustainable. LEVEL GREEN - fostering sustainable community through collaborative initiatives in hospitality, education and the arts, in the 150 year-old democratic spirit of the Danish Folk School. 1519 Slaterville Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 339-9472 From mstephens at ithaca.edu Wed May 27 20:07:39 2009 From: mstephens at ithaca.edu (Maura Stephens) Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 20:07:39 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] One Woman's Treasure: Profile of Diane Cohen of Finger Lakes ReUse Message-ID: <4A1DD5CB.3040801@ithaca.edu> Thought you might like to read this story about Ithaca College alumna Diane Cohen and Finger Lakes ReUse: http://www.ithaca.edu/icview/6347/ Feel free to post a comment at bottom. Best wishes, Maura Stephens editor, ICView From Cnielsen56 at aol.com Wed May 27 20:28:18 2009 From: Cnielsen56 at aol.com (Cnielsen56 at aol.com) Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 20:28:18 EDT Subject: [SustainableTompkins] two Cornell sustainability get-togethers Message-ID: What do you mean by "where Hunt is speaking"? The link says the registration was extended to this past Monday (Memorial Day)... Has it been extended again? In a message dated 5/27/2009 12:05:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, nlv at clarityconnect.com writes: Cornell Workshop on Large-Scale Wind Generated Power- where Hunt is speaking http://cfd.mae.cornell.edu/~caughey/WindPower_09/ AND http://www.computational-sustainability.org/compsust09/program.php _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org **************Dinner Made Easy Newsletter - Simple Meal Ideas for Your Family. Sign Up Now! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221991367x1201443283/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.doubleclick.net%2Fclk%3B215225819%3B37274678%3Bs% 3Fhttp:%2F%2Frecipes.dinnermadeeasy.com%2F%3FESRC%3D622) From dnr6 at cornell.edu Wed May 27 16:43:25 2009 From: dnr6 at cornell.edu (Daniel Roth) Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 16:43:25 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Join us June 6th: 2009 Cornell Iroquois Social Dance - Celebrate Indiginous Peoples and Sustainability Message-ID: <4A1DA5ED.7070608@cornell.edu> * The 2009 Cornell Iroquois Social is 10 days away. Help us spread the word through your listserves and friends. * The American Indian Program (AIP) and the Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future (CCSF) are pleased to co-sponsor the 2009 Cornell Native American Alumni Association (CNAAA) */Reunion Iroquois Social /*in celebration of the vital role of indigenous peoples in sustainability. *Singer Bill Crouse (Seneca Wolf Clan)* will present the traditional opening followed by welcoming remarks by *Cornell President David Skorton*. The program will include traditional music, dances open to the public, giveaways, refreshing drinks, and information on exciting sustainability efforts underway at Cornell. Please join us at the Social on *Saturday, June 6^th * at *2:30pm* at *Bailey Hall Square*. 4pm approximate end time. Indigenous peoples have been implementing the principle of sustainability for millennia. Here, among New York's Finger Lakes, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) peoples, who cared for the region before Cornell, live by the principle: /In every decision we must consider the impact on the seventh generation./ As New York State's land grant university for over 140 years, Cornell respects this ethic as a way to make the Big Red and Planet Earth places where all generations can prosper. Around the world, a fundamental aspect of indigenous peoples' cultural heritage is a collective relationship with their lands and "natural resources" (relatives) that considers how today's actions will impact future generations. Indigenous peoples compose about 3/4 of the world's distinct cultures, and maintain diverse ecological knowledge and practices that steward much of the world's biodiversity. These traditions provide valuable insights into today's sustainability challenges in areas such as food, water, energy, and climate change. The Reunion Iroquois Social will be a time for Cornell alumni and the general public to honor the contributions of indigenous cultures to our common future. Everyone is welcome, so join us in the festivities as we celebrate sustainability in our communities and our universities. In the spirit of shared values the AIP, CCSF, and CNAAA look forward to seeing you on June 6^th at Cornell's historic Bailey Hall Square! For more information contact Kathy Halbig at (607)255-5991 or klh37 at cornell.edu *Cornell American Indian Program - www.aip.cornell.edu* *Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future -- www.ccsf.cornell.edu* -- Daniel Roth Sustainability Coordinator Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Cornell University www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu Youth Action Team Co-Chair US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development www.uspartnership.org 607-254-8077 (office) 607-280-2312 (cell) 607-255-8461 (fax) 395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230 Ithaca, NY 14850 From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Wed May 27 23:09:33 2009 From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro) Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 23:09:33 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] In Defense of Michael Pollan - Let Freedom Ring! Message-ID: > >Make a Call for Academic Freedom > >Last week, Washington State University announced >that it was pulling Michael Pollan's >best-selling book The Omnivore's Dilemma from >its required Common Reading Program for all >incoming freshman due to pressure from corporate >agribusiness. > >This type of censorship cannot stand! > >In March of this year, a university committee >had selected Pollan's book, which takes a >careful look at how America produces its food, >and decided that it was an excellent choice for >the student body of the land grant university. > >Unfortunately, WSU administrators later removed >the book from the required common reading >program. While top WSU officials attributed >removal of Pollan's book from the reading >program to hard financial times, despite the >fact the 4,000 copies of the book have already >been purchased, some faculty members have spoken >out. > >End Corporate Influence and Fear at America's Land Grant Universities > >One WSU professor, quoted in The Chronicle of >Higher Education - anonymously, for fear of >losing their job, stated that Pollan's book was >pulled "because of the politics of the >agriculture industry?and that President Floyd >decided that this was not a battle he wanted to >wage." > >It's time that this type of corporate control >over land grant education and research end. > >We believe that academic freedom and vigorous >debate on all intellectual issues should be >encouraged at every university, especially land >grant universities charged with turning out the >next generation of leaders of 21st century >agriculture. > >If you want university research to be free of >the corruptive influence of corporate >agribusiness, you need to call or write today. > >Stand up for Michael Pollan and Academic Freedom! > >Let WSU President Elson Floyd know that you >support the university's original decision for >all incoming freshman to read The Omnivore's >Dilemma and believe he should honor that >commitment. > >Sustainably Yours, >Food Democracy Now! > >If you'd like to see Food Democracy Now!'s >grassroots work continue, >please >consider donating as little as $10 or $25. We >appreciate your support! >http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/?page_id=9 > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Write >or Call WSU President Elson Floyd Today at: > >Washington State University >Office of the President - President Elson Floyd >Phone Number: 509-335-6666 > >Sample Phone Script: >Please tell WSU President Floyd to: > >I'm calling today to ask the President Floyd >stand firm on academic freedom and include The >Omnivore's Dilemma in the university's Common >Reading Program. > >It's important that students at land grant >universities be exposed to all ideas, especially >those that challenge the orthodoxies of our >times. Academic freedom at universities and >freedom of speech are the foundation of a >democracy and I believe that The Omnivore's >Dilemma is a crucial part of the ongoing debate >in society about how food is produced in America >and its impact on our nation's citizens. > >We encourage all interactions with WSU staff, >whether written or spoken to be polite and >respectful. > >Email: PresidentsOffice at wsu.edu > >Sample Letter: >Subject: Support Michael Pollan and Academic Freedom > >Dear President Floyd, > >I appreciate Washington State University's >original decision to select Michael Pollan's >award-winning book The Omnivore's Dilemma to be >read by all incoming freshman as part of the >university's Common Reading Program. > >Pollan's work is important, not because it takes >a critical look at industrial agriculture, as it >has been commonly portrayed in the media, but >because Pollan gives a rational critique of >organic practices and companies as well. > >Regretfully, that original decision to include >this important book, which was hailed by WSU >scholars and students alike, has been reversed >because of undue industry pressure. Since 4,000 >copies of the book have already been bought, it >would not only be a crime against academic >freedom, but it would be financially wasteful as >well. > >Today, I join with thousands of Americans across >the country asking that you stand up for >intellectual honesty and academic freedom by >reinstating the decision to allow all incoming >freshman to read this harmless, yet wonderful >book so they can make the decision themselves. > >It's a shame that WSU's freshman may be denied >the opportunity to read this important book as a >result of industry influence. > >We stand behind you to make the right decision >and let academic freedom ring, please reinstate >Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma into the >Common Reading Program. > >Sincerely, >[Your name here >City, State] > >If you like you can: >Invite President Floyd to an event to speak on >academic freedom >you >can contact him here: >http://pubforms.wsu.edu/president/renderer.aspx?FormID=1 > >Phone: 509/335-7932 or > >Email: gkdruffel at wsu.edu > >Sources: >1. WSU Selects "Omnivore's Dilemma" as 2009 >Common Reading Book for Freshmen - March 26, 2009 >http://www.wsunews.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=14154&PageID=&ReferrerCode=uggc%3A%2F%2Fjjj.jfharjf.jfh.rqh%2Fcntrf%2Ffrnepu.nfc%3FCntrVQ%3D%26Xrljbeqf%3Dzvpunry+cbyyna > >2. WSU Common Reading Program - Cans Michael >Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma - May 1, 2009 >http://commonreading.wsu.edu/ > >3. WSU's Book Controversy Shines Light on Big >Ag's Influence on Land Grant Schools - May 23, >2009 >http://www.livablefutureblog.com/2009/05/wsus-book-controversy-shines-light-on-big-ags-influence-on-land-grant-schools/ > >4. Washington State's Dilemma: How to Serve Up a >Book Criticizing the Food Industry - May 21, 2009 >http://chronicle.com/daily/2009/05/18512n.htm > >5. Washington State University - Say It Isn't >So. Hey, Michael Pollan, I'll Pay Your Way to >Pullman >http://www.marlerblog.com/2009/05/articles/lawyer-oped/washington-state-university-say-it-isnt-so-hey-michael-pollan-ill-pay-your-way-to-pullman/ > > > > >If you no longer wish to receive these emails, >please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" >in the subject line or simply click on the >following link: > >Unsubscribe > >Food Democracy Now! >909 2nd Ave >Clear Lake, Iowa 50428 >US > > >Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy. > > > -- Elan Shapiro Sustainable Living Associates, Principal Frog's Way B&B 211 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 607-275-0249 607-592-8402 Cell "We must be the change we want to see in the world" Mohandas Gandhi From alisonfromme at nasw.org Thu May 28 07:07:47 2009 From: alisonfromme at nasw.org (Alison Fromme) Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 07:07:47 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] In Defense of Michael Pollan - Let Freedom Ring! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Wow, I hadn't heard about this. Looks like they already reversed their decision, thanks to a private donation. Here's an update: http://www.wsunews.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=14626&TypeID=1 -Alison (WSU alumna, MS 2004) On May 27, 2009, at 11:09 PM, Elan Shapiro wrote: >> >> Make a Call for Academic Freedom >> >> Last week, Washington State University announced that it was >> pulling Michael Pollan's best-selling book The Omnivore's Dilemma >> from its required Common Reading Program for all incoming freshman >> due to pressure from corporate agribusiness. >> >> This type of censorship cannot stand! >> >> In March of this year, a university committee had selected Pollan's >> book, which takes a careful look at how America produces its food, >> and decided that it was an excellent choice for the student body of >> the land grant university. >> >> Unfortunately, WSU administrators later removed the book from the >> required common reading program. While top WSU officials attributed >> removal of Pollan's book from the reading program to hard financial >> times, despite the fact the 4,000 copies of the book have already >> been purchased, some faculty members have spoken out. >> >> End Corporate Influence and Fear at America's Land Grant Universities >> >> One WSU professor, quoted in The Chronicle of Higher Education - >> anonymously, for fear of losing their job, stated that Pollan's >> book was pulled "because of the politics of the agriculture >> industry?and that President Floyd decided that this was not a >> battle he wanted to wage." >> >> It's time that this type of corporate control over land grant >> education and research end. >> >> We believe that academic freedom and vigorous debate on all >> intellectual issues should be encouraged at every university, >> especially land grant universities charged with turning out the >> next generation of leaders of 21st century agriculture. >> >> If you want university research to be free of the corruptive >> influence of corporate agribusiness, you need to call or write today. >> >> Stand up for Michael Pollan and Academic Freedom! >> >> Let WSU President Elson Floyd know that you support the >> university's original decision for all incoming freshman to read >> The Omnivore's Dilemma and believe he should honor that commitment. >> >> Sustainably Yours, >> Food Democracy Now! >> >> If you'd like to see Food Democracy Now!'s grassroots work >> continue, > >please consider donating as little as $10 or $25. We appreciate >> your support! >> http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/?page_id=9 >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> > >Write or Call WSU President Elson Floyd Today at: >> >> Washington State University >> Office of the President - President Elson Floyd >> Phone Number: 509-335-6666 >> >> Sample Phone Script: >> Please tell WSU President Floyd to: >> >> I'm calling today to ask the President Floyd stand firm on academic >> freedom and include The Omnivore's Dilemma in the university's >> Common Reading Program. >> >> It's important that students at land grant universities be exposed >> to all ideas, especially those that challenge the orthodoxies of >> our times. Academic freedom at universities and freedom of speech >> are the foundation of a democracy and I believe that The Omnivore's >> Dilemma is a crucial part of the ongoing debate in society about >> how food is produced in America and its impact on our nation's >> citizens. >> >> We encourage all interactions with WSU staff, whether written or >> spoken to be polite and respectful. >> >> Email: PresidentsOffice at wsu.edu >> >> Sample Letter: >> Subject: Support Michael Pollan and Academic Freedom >> >> Dear President Floyd, >> >> I appreciate Washington State University's original decision to >> select Michael Pollan's award-winning book The Omnivore's Dilemma >> to be read by all incoming freshman as part of the university's >> Common Reading Program. >> >> Pollan's work is important, not because it takes a critical look at >> industrial agriculture, as it has been commonly portrayed in the >> media, but because Pollan gives a rational critique of organic >> practices and companies as well. >> >> Regretfully, that original decision to include this important book, >> which was hailed by WSU scholars and students alike, has been >> reversed because of undue industry pressure. Since 4,000 copies of >> the book have already been bought, it would not only be a crime >> against academic freedom, but it would be financially wasteful as >> well. >> >> Today, I join with thousands of Americans across the country asking >> that you stand up for intellectual honesty and academic freedom by >> reinstating the decision to allow all incoming freshman to read >> this harmless, yet wonderful book so they can make the decision >> themselves. >> >> It's a shame that WSU's freshman may be denied the opportunity to >> read this important book as a result of industry influence. >> >> We stand behind you to make the right decision and let academic >> freedom ring, please reinstate Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's >> Dilemma into the Common Reading Program. >> >> Sincerely, >> [Your name here >> City, State] >> >> If you like you can: >> Invite President Floyd to an event to speak on academic freedom > >you can contact him here: > >http://pubforms.wsu.edu/president/renderer.aspx?FormID=1 >> >> Phone: 509/335-7932 or >> >> Email: gkdruffel at wsu.edu >> >> Sources: >> 1. WSU Selects "Omnivore's Dilemma" as 2009 Common Reading Book for >> Freshmen - March 26, 2009 >> > >http://www.wsunews.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=14154&PageID=&ReferrerCode=uggc%3A%2F%2Fjjj.jfharjf.jfh.rqh%2Fcntrf%2Ffrnepu.nfc%3FCntrVQ%3D%26Xrljbeqf%3Dzvpunry+cbyyna >> >> 2. WSU Common Reading Program - Cans Michael Pollan's The >> Omnivore's Dilemma - May 1, 2009 >> http://commonreading.wsu.edu/ >> >> 3. WSU's Book Controversy Shines Light on Big Ag's Influence on >> Land Grant Schools - May 23, 2009 >> > >http://www.livablefutureblog.com/2009/05/wsus-book-controversy-shines-light-on-big-ags-influence-on-land-grant-schools/ >> >> 4. Washington State's Dilemma: How to Serve Up a Book Criticizing >> the Food Industry - May 21, 2009 >> http://chronicle.com/daily/2009/05/18512n.htm >> >> 5. Washington State University - Say It Isn't So. Hey, Michael >> Pollan, I'll Pay Your Way to Pullman >> > >http://www.marlerblog.com/2009/05/articles/lawyer-oped/washington-state-university-say-it-isnt-so-hey-michael-pollan-ill-pay-your-way-to-pullman/ >> >> >> >> >> If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this >> message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on >> the following link: > > Unsubscribe >> >> Food Democracy Now! >> 909 2nd Ave >> Clear Lake, Iowa 50428 >> US >> >> Read the >> VerticalResponse marketing policy. >> >> >> > > -- > Elan Shapiro > Sustainable Living Associates, Principal > Frog's Way B&B > 211 Rachel Carson Way > Ithaca, NY 14850 > 607-275-0249 607-592-8402 Cell > > "We must be the change we want to see in the world" > Mohandas Gandhi > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County > area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org Alison Fromme Freelance Writer Ithaca, NY USA 510-295-5567 alisonfromme at nasw.org website: www.alisonfromme.com blog: www.ithacasfoodweb.com From brew_bird at yahoo.com Thu May 28 12:52:22 2009 From: brew_bird at yahoo.com (Eric Banford) Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 09:52:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SustainableTompkins] In Defense of Michael Pollan - Let Freedom Ring! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <839681.96345.qm@web52508.mail.re2.yahoo.com> William Marler is the one who stepped forward with the donation, his blog entry on this can be found here, you can add comments at the bottom: http://www.marlerblog.com/2009/05/articles/lawyer-oped/washinton-state-university-a-place-where-speaking-your-mind-is-encouraged-michael-pollan-will-be-coming/ Eric ________________________________ From: Alison Fromme To: Sustainable Tompkins County listserv Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 7:07:47 AM Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] In Defense of Michael Pollan - Let Freedom Ring! Wow, I hadn't heard about this. Looks like they already reversed their decision, thanks to a private donation. Here's an update: http://www.wsunews.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=14626&TypeID=1 -Alison (WSU alumna, MS 2004) From levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com Fri May 29 07:18:23 2009 From: levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com (levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com) Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 11:18:23 +0000 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Old tiles for downtown art mosaic? Message-ID: <1014382726-1243595865-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1539793228-@bxe1271.bisx.prod.on.blackberry> One of this year's downtown artists - natural builder Erica Bush - is looking for colorful old tiles she can break up to create a mosaic for the top of her playful climbing bench near the playground on the Commons. She'd welcome such donations - check out her work-in-progress, due for completion by tuesday, when she has to head back to California. Erica also designed and built Level Green's Pine Tree Pavilion, a green building demonstration project that welcomes visitors to its quiet home back in the woods. Patricia Haines 339-9472 Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry From bosak at pinax.com Fri May 29 09:36:15 2009 From: bosak at pinax.com (Jon Bosak) Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 09:36:15 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] fw: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad Message-ID: <4A1FE4CF.7050008@pinax.com> The New York Times May 29, 2009 Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad By KATIE ZEZIMA RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. -- When Ken Preston went organic on his dairy farm here in 2005, he figured that doing so would guarantee him what had long been elusive: a stable, high price for the milk from his cows. Sure enough, his income soared 20 percent, and he could finally afford a Chevy Silverado pickup to help out. The dairy conglomerate that distributed his milk wanted everything Mr. Preston could supply. Supermarket orders were skyrocketing. But soon the price of organic feed shot up. Then the recession hit, and families looking to save on groceries found organic milk easy to do without. Ultimately the conglomerate, with a glut of product, said it would not renew his contract next month, leaving him with nowhere to sell his milk, a victim of trends that are crippling many organic dairy farmers from coast to coast. For those farmers, the promises of going organic -- a steady paycheck and salvation for small family farms -- have collapsed in the last six months. As the trend toward organic food consumption slows after years of explosive growth, no sector is in direr shape than the $1.3 billion organic milk industry. Farmers nationwide have been told to cut milk production by as much as 20 percent, and many are talking of shutting down. "I probably wouldn?t have gone organic if I knew it would end this way," said Mr. Preston, 53. Here in New England, where dairy farms are as much a part of the landscape as whitewashed churches and rocky beaches, organic dairy farmers are bearing the brunt of the nationwide slowdown, in part because of the cost of transporting feed from the Midwest. The contracts of 10 of Maine?s 65 organic dairies will not be renewed by HP Hood, one of the region?s three large processors. In Vermont, 32 dairy farms have closed since Dec. 1, significantly altering the face of New England?s dairy industry. "We expect to lose a lot more farms this year," said Roger Allbee, Vermont?s secretary of agriculture. Hood and the two other big processors, Horizon Organic and Organic Valley, say cutting contracts, pay and production are necessary to absorb overproduction and offset softening demand. Organic Valley, a nationwide cooperative, told Maine organic dairy farmers last month that its sales growth had dropped to near zero from about 20 percent six months ago. "Our inventory is overstocked," said John B. Cleary, the cooperative?s New England regional pool coordinator. For many farmers, the changes coincide with crushing debt resulting from the cost of turning organic, which can run hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition, the price of organic feed has doubled in the last year. Credit has dried up for some, and others say it is nearly impossible to sell cows and so thin their herds. And while processors project growth of about 6 percent in organic milk sales this year (a decline from the 12.7 percent reported for 2008 by the Organic Trade Association), some analysts say that forecast is far too optimistic. The United States Department of Agriculture says sales of organic whole milk in February were 2.5 percent lower than in February last year, with sales of organic reduced-fat milk 15 percent lower. "We?re in big trouble," said Craig Russell, an organic dairy farmer in Brookfield, Vt., who owes $500,000, mostly from converting his farm to organic in 2006. Mr. Russell quit a day job as an accountant to farm full time last year. "I made more money in six months than in five years of conventional farming," he said, but his farm is now barely hanging on. The price he receives from the distributor dropped another $1 per hundredweight on May 1, just when he most needed money to prepare for the summer grazing season. "It?s going to cost me more to make milk than sell milk," he said. In an effort to provide a safety net, Vermont last month expanded a low-interest loan program for farmers. While most conventional farmers are accustomed to withstanding price volatility, "organic hasn?t weathered this kind of storm," said Mr. Allbee, the state?s agriculture secretary. Farmers are finding that organic food is not for every consumer, he said, "and doesn?t guarantee that you will have a market forever." Some farmers are considering selling their organic milk on the conventional market just to make some quick money. Others are looking to sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk directly to the public. The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill this month to increase the amount of raw milk a farmer can sell that way. At the annual meeting of the Maine Organic Milk Producers last month in Waterville, farmers debated whether they could tap into the locavore movement, marketing their milk as local food. Russell Libby, the organization?s executive director, wondered, "Is it possible to produce a product with a Maine label on it?" Right now it is not, because some Maine milk is processed out of state. But farmers like Aaron Bell, whose contract with Hood will not be renewed when it expires, thinks the idea will save their farms. "We?re so remote, we?re high and dry otherwise," said Mr. Bell, whose farm is in Maine?s easternmost reaches. "Unless we find our own market." Back in 2006, Mr. Bell carried the banner for organic dairy farming, appearing with his wife on Martha Stewart?s show to promote small family farms. He still believes in organic food, but not so much in the business model. "They say it?s heaven for the small farmer," he said, "but the small farmer is the one screaming the loudest right now." Bruce Drinkman, who milks 60 cows on his organic farm in Glenwood City, Wis., has seen his income drop 40 percent since Jan. 1. To keep the farm going, he has dipped into his retirement savings and dropped his health insurance. But without a loan, his wife has had to draw money from her I.R.A. to help out. "Our Plan B is if we don?t have a decent year, we?re done," said Mr. Drinkman, who has farmed for 30 years. "I?m 46," he said. "I wonder what I will do if I can?t farm anymore." From bosak at ibiblio.org Fri May 29 09:37:27 2009 From: bosak at ibiblio.org (Jon Bosak) Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 09:37:27 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] fw: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad Message-ID: <4A1FE517.6040004@ibiblio.org> The New York Times May 29, 2009 Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad By KATIE ZEZIMA RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. -- When Ken Preston went organic on his dairy farm here in 2005, he figured that doing so would guarantee him what had long been elusive: a stable, high price for the milk from his cows. Sure enough, his income soared 20 percent, and he could finally afford a Chevy Silverado pickup to help out. The dairy conglomerate that distributed his milk wanted everything Mr. Preston could supply. Supermarket orders were skyrocketing. But soon the price of organic feed shot up. Then the recession hit, and families looking to save on groceries found organic milk easy to do without. Ultimately the conglomerate, with a glut of product, said it would not renew his contract next month, leaving him with nowhere to sell his milk, a victim of trends that are crippling many organic dairy farmers from coast to coast. For those farmers, the promises of going organic -- a steady paycheck and salvation for small family farms -- have collapsed in the last six months. As the trend toward organic food consumption slows after years of explosive growth, no sector is in direr shape than the $1.3 billion organic milk industry. Farmers nationwide have been told to cut milk production by as much as 20 percent, and many are talking of shutting down. "I probably wouldn?t have gone organic if I knew it would end this way," said Mr. Preston, 53. Here in New England, where dairy farms are as much a part of the landscape as whitewashed churches and rocky beaches, organic dairy farmers are bearing the brunt of the nationwide slowdown, in part because of the cost of transporting feed from the Midwest. The contracts of 10 of Maine?s 65 organic dairies will not be renewed by HP Hood, one of the region?s three large processors. In Vermont, 32 dairy farms have closed since Dec. 1, significantly altering the face of New England?s dairy industry. "We expect to lose a lot more farms this year," said Roger Allbee, Vermont?s secretary of agriculture. Hood and the two other big processors, Horizon Organic and Organic Valley, say cutting contracts, pay and production are necessary to absorb overproduction and offset softening demand. Organic Valley, a nationwide cooperative, told Maine organic dairy farmers last month that its sales growth had dropped to near zero from about 20 percent six months ago. "Our inventory is overstocked," said John B. Cleary, the cooperative?s New England regional pool coordinator. For many farmers, the changes coincide with crushing debt resulting from the cost of turning organic, which can run hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition, the price of organic feed has doubled in the last year. Credit has dried up for some, and others say it is nearly impossible to sell cows and so thin their herds. And while processors project growth of about 6 percent in organic milk sales this year (a decline from the 12.7 percent reported for 2008 by the Organic Trade Association), some analysts say that forecast is far too optimistic. The United States Department of Agriculture says sales of organic whole milk in February were 2.5 percent lower than in February last year, with sales of organic reduced-fat milk 15 percent lower. "We?re in big trouble," said Craig Russell, an organic dairy farmer in Brookfield, Vt., who owes $500,000, mostly from converting his farm to organic in 2006. Mr. Russell quit a day job as an accountant to farm full time last year. "I made more money in six months than in five years of conventional farming," he said, but his farm is now barely hanging on. The price he receives from the distributor dropped another $1 per hundredweight on May 1, just when he most needed money to prepare for the summer grazing season. "It?s going to cost me more to make milk than sell milk," he said. In an effort to provide a safety net, Vermont last month expanded a low-interest loan program for farmers. While most conventional farmers are accustomed to withstanding price volatility, "organic hasn?t weathered this kind of storm," said Mr. Allbee, the state?s agriculture secretary. Farmers are finding that organic food is not for every consumer, he said, "and doesn?t guarantee that you will have a market forever." Some farmers are considering selling their organic milk on the conventional market just to make some quick money. Others are looking to sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk directly to the public. The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill this month to increase the amount of raw milk a farmer can sell that way. At the annual meeting of the Maine Organic Milk Producers last month in Waterville, farmers debated whether they could tap into the locavore movement, marketing their milk as local food. Russell Libby, the organization?s executive director, wondered, "Is it possible to produce a product with a Maine label on it?" Right now it is not, because some Maine milk is processed out of state. But farmers like Aaron Bell, whose contract with Hood will not be renewed when it expires, thinks the idea will save their farms. "We?re so remote, we?re high and dry otherwise," said Mr. Bell, whose farm is in Maine?s easternmost reaches. "Unless we find our own market." Back in 2006, Mr. Bell carried the banner for organic dairy farming, appearing with his wife on Martha Stewart?s show to promote small family farms. He still believes in organic food, but not so much in the business model. "They say it?s heaven for the small farmer," he said, "but the small farmer is the one screaming the loudest right now." Bruce Drinkman, who milks 60 cows on his organic farm in Glenwood City, Wis., has seen his income drop 40 percent since Jan. 1. To keep the farm going, he has dipped into his retirement savings and dropped his health insurance. But without a loan, his wife has had to draw money from her I.R.A. to help out. "Our Plan B is if we don?t have a decent year, we?re done," said Mr. Drinkman, who has farmed for 30 years. "I?m 46," he said. "I wonder what I will do if I can?t farm anymore." From mmccasla at twcny.rr.com Fri May 29 11:16:41 2009 From: mmccasla at twcny.rr.com (Margaret McCasland) Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 11:16:41 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] unconventional gas drilling events in June RSVP TODAY for 1st event Message-ID: JUNE EVENTS RELATING TO UNCONVENTIONAL GAS DRILLING NOTE: RSVP FRIDAY May 29 for 1st event June 3rd The League of Women Voters annual dinner meeting. Wednesday, June 3 at Tinelli's Hathaway House. A social hour with cash bar will begin at 6:00PM with dinner to follow at 6:30PM. Program: Faucets of Fire: The Science and Politics of Gas Drilling in New York, Stanley R Scobie, PhD., Retired Professor, Binghamton University and Consultant on Gas Drilling Law. Dr. Scobie, member of the Binghamton League, has written a brief on Gas Drilling for the NYS League of Women Voters as part of our Natural Resources agenda. He also wrote an op-ed for the Women's Coalition series of voter issues published in the Cortland Standard prior to last fall's election. Cost is $20.00, payable at the door (meal included). Reservations will be needed by Friday, May 29. Please call Nancy Hansen at 756-8237 or Sharon Stevans at 756-7049. June 6th Saturday, June 6th at 2:30pm at Bailey Hall Square, Cornell. The American Indian Program (AIP) and the Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future (CCSF) are pleased to co-sponsor the 2009 Cornell Native American Alumni Association (CNAAA) Reunion Iroquois Social in celebration of the vital role of indigenous peoples in sustainability. Please join us at the Social on Saturday, June 6th at 2:30pm at Bailey Hall Square. 4pm approximate end time. Indigenous peoples have been implementing the principle of sustainability for millennia. Here, among New York's Finger Lakes, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) peoples, who cared for the region before Cornell, live by the principle: In every decision we must consider the impact on the seventh generation. As New York State?s land grant university for over 140 years, Cornell respects this ethic as a way to make the Big Red and Planet Earth places where all generations can prosper. For more information contact Kathy Halbig at (607)255-5991 or klh37 at cornell.eduCornell American Indian Program - www.aip.cornell.edu Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future ? www.ccsf.cornell.edu June 9th Lobby Day: Albany We have begun making appointments with legislators on June 9. The plan is to gather there perhaps around 9:30 AM in the cafe on the concourse. Roger Downs (Sierra Club) will address the group briefly about what we will be doing that day. If people want to be sure to have an appointment w/ their legislator, it's important to get the info ASAP re: who their reps are. So far we've got about 10-12 people coming from various counties--Otsego, Chenango, Tompkins, Tioga. Hoping also for folks from Broome, Chemung, Madison. Lobbying will end w/ the governor's office (hopefully). Info we would like to have from each person: Name, email, phone #, county, senator and assemblyperson. We plan to send you lobby material via email ahead of time for people to study. We've discovered that the actual time we will have w/ legislators or their aides will be very short. But the contacts we make will be very useful for future communication. Contact Paddy Lane ocountygas at gmail.com June 10th Drilling in the Marcellus Shale: How our Many Faiths Respond Wednesday, June 10 at 7:00 pm. UU Society of Ithaca, 306 N Aurora St, Ithaca (Unitarian Church Sanctuary and Parlor) Sponsored by Interfaith Action for Healing Earth June 13-14th Shaleshock Campout and Picnic Saturday-Sunday, June 13-14 WHAT: lunch, discussion, dinner, music and camping by Buttermilk Falls. Hiking on Sunday morning. Some potential discussion topics are ?What is your role??, Natural Gas and the Big Picture, Approaches to Action, Supporting Each Other, Next Steps. WHERE: Buttermilk Falls State Park, Ithaca, NY SCHEDULE: Saturday, June 13 Noon- casual picnic lunch ? bring your own food and some to share 3 pm- discussion groups 6:30 pm- cookout ? bring your own food and some to share ? wood for the fire will be provided. 9 pm- music and campfire. Sunday, June 14 9 am ? morning hike CAMPING: Spend the night under the stars-- bring your tent and sleeping bag?campsite rentals are $19, up to seven people at each site ?we can split the cost. Be sure to bring a few dollars if you plan to camp. Come on down! http://nysparks. state.ny. us/parks/ info.asp? parkID=25 June 15th Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition Event: Monday, June 15th at 7:30 Broome Community College Health and Home Forum, sponsored by BRSC (Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition) with co-sponsors Shaleshock and Citizen?s Energy Alliance. Details TBA: line-up right now includes Theo Colborn calling in, Ron Gula from PA (a farmer who delivers warnings about leasing/contaminations from personal experience), and a rep from Shaleshock. June 23rd Getting Your Voice Heard in the Natural Gas Debate: with a Focus on the New York State Regulatory Process. Museum of the Earth, 1259 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca, NY Wilma Subra is Coming to Ithaca!! Presented by Catskill Mountainkeeper. As the search for natural gas in the Catskill region progresses and new regulations are looming, Catskill Mountainkeeper announces the next forum on gas drilling. The event will be held on June 23rd at the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, NY. Wilma Subra as keynote speaker for the event. As space is limited, we are suggesting people pre- register for this FREE event at 845-482-5400 or info at catskillmountainkeeper.org. June 30th This now date for potential regional legislative summit on gas issue in Norwich. Stay tuned. From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com Fri May 29 12:29:14 2009 From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon) Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 12:29:14 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] fw: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad In-Reply-To: <4A1FE4CF.7050008@pinax.com> Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20090529122719.00aa5580@pop.lightlink.com> The milk surplus would probably disappear if producers stopped feeding grain, something they could easily do in the summer grazing period. Joel At 09:36 AM 5/29/09 -0400, you wrote: >The New York Times >May 29, 2009 >Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad >By KATIE ZEZIMA > >RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. -- When Ken Preston went organic on his dairy >farm here in 2005, he figured that doing so would guarantee him >what had long been elusive: a stable, high price for the milk from >his cows. > >Sure enough, his income soared 20 percent, and he could finally >afford a Chevy Silverado pickup to help out. The dairy >conglomerate that distributed his milk wanted everything >Mr. Preston could supply. Supermarket orders were skyrocketing. > >But soon the price of organic feed shot up. Then the recession >hit, and families looking to save on groceries found organic milk >easy to do without. Ultimately the conglomerate, with a glut of >product, said it would not renew his contract next month, leaving >him with nowhere to sell his milk, a victim of trends that are >crippling many organic dairy farmers from coast to coast. > >For those farmers, the promises of going organic -- a steady >paycheck and salvation for small family farms -- have collapsed in >the last six months. As the trend toward organic food consumption >slows after years of explosive growth, no sector is in direr shape >than the $1.3 billion organic milk industry. Farmers nationwide >have been told to cut milk production by as much as 20 percent, >and many are talking of shutting down. > >"I probably wouldn't have gone organic if I knew it would end this >way," said Mr. Preston, 53. > >Here in New England, where dairy farms are as much a part of the >landscape as whitewashed churches and rocky beaches, organic dairy >farmers are bearing the brunt of the nationwide slowdown, in part >because of the cost of transporting feed from the Midwest. The >contracts of 10 of Maine's 65 organic dairies will not be renewed >by HP Hood, one of the region's three large processors. In >Vermont, 32 dairy farms have closed since Dec. 1, significantly >altering the face of New England's dairy industry. > >"We expect to lose a lot more farms this year," said Roger Allbee, >Vermont's secretary of agriculture. > >Hood and the two other big processors, Horizon Organic and Organic >Valley, say cutting contracts, pay and production are necessary to >absorb overproduction and offset softening demand. Organic Valley, >a nationwide cooperative, told Maine organic dairy farmers last >month that its sales growth had dropped to near zero from about 20 >percent six months ago. > >"Our inventory is overstocked," said John B. Cleary, the >cooperative's New England regional pool coordinator. > >For many farmers, the changes coincide with crushing debt >resulting from the cost of turning organic, which can run hundreds >of thousands of dollars. In addition, the price of organic feed >has doubled in the last year. Credit has dried up for some, and >others say it is nearly impossible to sell cows and so thin their >herds. > >And while processors project growth of about 6 percent in organic >milk sales this year (a decline from the 12.7 percent reported for >2008 by the Organic Trade Association), some analysts say that >forecast is far too optimistic. The United States Department of >Agriculture says sales of organic whole milk in February were 2.5 >percent lower than in February last year, with sales of organic >reduced-fat milk 15 percent lower. > >"We're in big trouble," said Craig Russell, an organic dairy >farmer in Brookfield, Vt., who owes $500,000, mostly from >converting his farm to organic in 2006. > >Mr. Russell quit a day job as an accountant to farm full time last >year. "I made more money in six months than in five years of >conventional farming," he said, but his farm is now barely hanging >on. The price he receives from the distributor dropped another $1 >per hundredweight on May 1, just when he most needed money to >prepare for the summer grazing season. > >"It's going to cost me more to make milk than sell milk," he said. > >In an effort to provide a safety net, Vermont last month expanded >a low-interest loan program for farmers. > >While most conventional farmers are accustomed to withstanding >price volatility, "organic hasn't weathered this kind of storm," >said Mr. Allbee, the state's agriculture secretary. Farmers are >finding that organic food is not for every consumer, he said, "and >doesn't guarantee that you will have a market forever." > >Some farmers are considering selling their organic milk on the >conventional market just to make some quick money. Others are >looking to sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk directly to the >public. The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill this >month to increase the amount of raw milk a farmer can sell that >way. > >At the annual meeting of the Maine Organic Milk Producers last >month in Waterville, farmers debated whether they could tap into >the locavore movement, marketing their milk as local food. Russell >Libby, the organization's executive director, wondered, "Is it >possible to produce a product with a Maine label on it?" > >Right now it is not, because some Maine milk is processed out of >state. But farmers like Aaron Bell, whose contract with Hood will >not be renewed when it expires, thinks the idea will save their >farms. > >"We're so remote, we're high and dry otherwise," said Mr. Bell, >whose farm is in Maine's easternmost reaches. "Unless we find our >own market." > >Back in 2006, Mr. Bell carried the banner for organic dairy >farming, appearing with his wife on Martha Stewart's show to >promote small family farms. He still believes in organic food, but >not so much in the business model. > >"They say it's heaven for the small farmer," he said, "but the >small farmer is the one screaming the loudest right now." > >Bruce Drinkman, who milks 60 cows on his organic farm in Glenwood >City, Wis., has seen his income drop 40 percent since Jan. 1. To >keep the farm going, he has dipped into his retirement savings and >dropped his health insurance. But without a loan, his wife has had >to draw money from her I.R.A. to help out. > >"Our Plan B is if we don't have a decent year, we're done," said >Mr. Drinkman, who has farmed for 30 years. > >"I'm 46," he said. "I wonder what I will do if I can't farm >anymore." > > >_______________________________________________ >For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, >please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > >RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org From fpegi at hotmail.com Fri May 29 13:07:17 2009 From: fpegi at hotmail.com (Pegi Ficken) Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 12:07:17 -0500 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] fw: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad In-Reply-To: <5.2.1.1.2.20090529122719.00aa5580@pop.lightlink.com> References: <4A1FE4CF.7050008@pinax.com> <5.2.1.1.2.20090529122719.00aa5580@pop.lightlink.com> Message-ID: The milk surplus would probably disappear if Kraft stopped importing it. Pegi > Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 12:29:14 -0400 > To: sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com > Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] fw: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad > > The milk surplus would probably disappear if producers stopped feeding > grain, something they could easily do in the summer grazing period. > > Joel > > At 09:36 AM 5/29/09 -0400, you wrote: > >The New York Times > >May 29, 2009 > >Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad > >By KATIE ZEZIMA > > > >RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. -- When Ken Preston went organic on his dairy > >farm here in 2005, he figured that doing so would guarantee him > >what had long been elusive: a stable, high price for the milk from > >his cows. > > > >Sure enough, his income soared 20 percent, and he could finally > >afford a Chevy Silverado pickup to help out. The dairy > >conglomerate that distributed his milk wanted everything > >Mr. Preston could supply. Supermarket orders were skyrocketing. > > > >But soon the price of organic feed shot up. Then the recession > >hit, and families looking to save on groceries found organic milk > >easy to do without. Ultimately the conglomerate, with a glut of > >product, said it would not renew his contract next month, leaving > >him with nowhere to sell his milk, a victim of trends that are > >crippling many organic dairy farmers from coast to coast. > > > >For those farmers, the promises of going organic -- a steady > >paycheck and salvation for small family farms -- have collapsed in > >the last six months. As the trend toward organic food consumption > >slows after years of explosive growth, no sector is in direr shape > >than the $1.3 billion organic milk industry. Farmers nationwide > >have been told to cut milk production by as much as 20 percent, > >and many are talking of shutting down. > > > >"I probably wouldn't have gone organic if I knew it would end this > >way," said Mr. Preston, 53. > > > >Here in New England, where dairy farms are as much a part of the > >landscape as whitewashed churches and rocky beaches, organic dairy > >farmers are bearing the brunt of the nationwide slowdown, in part > >because of the cost of transporting feed from the Midwest. The > >contracts of 10 of Maine's 65 organic dairies will not be renewed > >by HP Hood, one of the region's three large processors. In > >Vermont, 32 dairy farms have closed since Dec. 1, significantly > >altering the face of New England's dairy industry. > > > >"We expect to lose a lot more farms this year," said Roger Allbee, > >Vermont's secretary of agriculture. > > > >Hood and the two other big processors, Horizon Organic and Organic > >Valley, say cutting contracts, pay and production are necessary to > >absorb overproduction and offset softening demand. Organic Valley, > >a nationwide cooperative, told Maine organic dairy farmers last > >month that its sales growth had dropped to near zero from about 20 > >percent six months ago. > > > >"Our inventory is overstocked," said John B. Cleary, the > >cooperative's New England regional pool coordinator. > > > >For many farmers, the changes coincide with crushing debt > >resulting from the cost of turning organic, which can run hundreds > >of thousands of dollars. In addition, the price of organic feed > >has doubled in the last year. Credit has dried up for some, and > >others say it is nearly impossible to sell cows and so thin their > >herds. > > > >And while processors project growth of about 6 percent in organic > >milk sales this year (a decline from the 12.7 percent reported for > >2008 by the Organic Trade Association), some analysts say that > >forecast is far too optimistic. The United States Department of > >Agriculture says sales of organic whole milk in February were 2.5 > >percent lower than in February last year, with sales of organic > >reduced-fat milk 15 percent lower. > > > >"We're in big trouble," said Craig Russell, an organic dairy > >farmer in Brookfield, Vt., who owes $500,000, mostly from > >converting his farm to organic in 2006. > > > >Mr. Russell quit a day job as an accountant to farm full time last > >year. "I made more money in six months than in five years of > >conventional farming," he said, but his farm is now barely hanging > >on. The price he receives from the distributor dropped another $1 > >per hundredweight on May 1, just when he most needed money to > >prepare for the summer grazing season. > > > >"It's going to cost me more to make milk than sell milk," he said. > > > >In an effort to provide a safety net, Vermont last month expanded > >a low-interest loan program for farmers. > > > >While most conventional farmers are accustomed to withstanding > >price volatility, "organic hasn't weathered this kind of storm," > >said Mr. Allbee, the state's agriculture secretary. Farmers are > >finding that organic food is not for every consumer, he said, "and > >doesn't guarantee that you will have a market forever." > > > >Some farmers are considering selling their organic milk on the > >conventional market just to make some quick money. Others are > >looking to sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk directly to the > >public. The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill this > >month to increase the amount of raw milk a farmer can sell that > >way. > > > >At the annual meeting of the Maine Organic Milk Producers last > >month in Waterville, farmers debated whether they could tap into > >the locavore movement, marketing their milk as local food. Russell > >Libby, the organization's executive director, wondered, "Is it > >possible to produce a product with a Maine label on it?" > > > >Right now it is not, because some Maine milk is processed out of > >state. But farmers like Aaron Bell, whose contract with Hood will > >not be renewed when it expires, thinks the idea will save their > >farms. > > > >"We're so remote, we're high and dry otherwise," said Mr. Bell, > >whose farm is in Maine's easternmost reaches. "Unless we find our > >own market." > > > >Back in 2006, Mr. Bell carried the banner for organic dairy > >farming, appearing with his wife on Martha Stewart's show to > >promote small family farms. He still believes in organic food, but > >not so much in the business model. > > > >"They say it's heaven for the small farmer," he said, "but the > >small farmer is the one screaming the loudest right now." > > > >Bruce Drinkman, who milks 60 cows on his organic farm in Glenwood > >City, Wis., has seen his income drop 40 percent since Jan. 1. To > >keep the farm going, he has dipped into his retirement savings and > >dropped his health insurance. But without a loan, his wife has had > >to draw money from her I.R.A. to help out. > > > >"Our Plan B is if we don't have a decent year, we're done," said > >Mr. Drinkman, who has farmed for 30 years. > > > >"I'm 46," he said. "I wonder what I will do if I can't farm > >anymore." > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, > >please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > > >RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > >SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > >http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > >Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org > >free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live?: Keep your life in sync. http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_BR_life_in_synch_052009 From marloco at verizon.net Fri May 29 12:51:19 2009 From: marloco at verizon.net (marlo capoccia) Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 12:51:19 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] fw: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad In-Reply-To: <5.2.1.1.2.20090529122719.00aa5580@pop.lightlink.com> References: <5.2.1.1.2.20090529122719.00aa5580@pop.lightlink.com> Message-ID: <47620C1C-B2B2-48E3-B6FE-89167F4F0B62@verizon.net> is that because grazing cows produce less milk? -marlo On May 29, 2009, at 12:29 PM, Joel and Sarah Gagnon wrote: > The milk surplus would probably disappear if producers stopped > feeding grain, something they could easily do in the summer grazing > period. > > Joel > > At 09:36 AM 5/29/09 -0400, you wrote: >> The New York Times >> May 29, 2009 >> Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad >> By KATIE ZEZIMA >> >> RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. -- When Ken Preston went organic on his dairy >> farm here in 2005, he figured that doing so would guarantee him >> what had long been elusive: a stable, high price for the milk from >> his cows. >> >> Sure enough, his income soared 20 percent, and he could finally >> afford a Chevy Silverado pickup to help out. The dairy >> conglomerate that distributed his milk wanted everything >> Mr. Preston could supply. Supermarket orders were skyrocketing. >> >> But soon the price of organic feed shot up. Then the recession >> hit, and families looking to save on groceries found organic milk >> easy to do without. Ultimately the conglomerate, with a glut of >> product, said it would not renew his contract next month, leaving >> him with nowhere to sell his milk, a victim of trends that are >> crippling many organic dairy farmers from coast to coast. >> >> For those farmers, the promises of going organic -- a steady >> paycheck and salvation for small family farms -- have collapsed in >> the last six months. As the trend toward organic food consumption >> slows after years of explosive growth, no sector is in direr shape >> than the $1.3 billion organic milk industry. Farmers nationwide >> have been told to cut milk production by as much as 20 percent, >> and many are talking of shutting down. >> >> "I probably wouldn't have gone organic if I knew it would end this >> way," said Mr. Preston, 53. >> >> Here in New England, where dairy farms are as much a part of the >> landscape as whitewashed churches and rocky beaches, organic dairy >> farmers are bearing the brunt of the nationwide slowdown, in part >> because of the cost of transporting feed from the Midwest. The >> contracts of 10 of Maine's 65 organic dairies will not be renewed >> by HP Hood, one of the region's three large processors. In >> Vermont, 32 dairy farms have closed since Dec. 1, significantly >> altering the face of New England's dairy industry. >> >> "We expect to lose a lot more farms this year," said Roger Allbee, >> Vermont's secretary of agriculture. >> >> Hood and the two other big processors, Horizon Organic and Organic >> Valley, say cutting contracts, pay and production are necessary to >> absorb overproduction and offset softening demand. Organic Valley, >> a nationwide cooperative, told Maine organic dairy farmers last >> month that its sales growth had dropped to near zero from about 20 >> percent six months ago. >> >> "Our inventory is overstocked," said John B. Cleary, the >> cooperative's New England regional pool coordinator. >> >> For many farmers, the changes coincide with crushing debt >> resulting from the cost of turning organic, which can run hundreds >> of thousands of dollars. In addition, the price of organic feed >> has doubled in the last year. Credit has dried up for some, and >> others say it is nearly impossible to sell cows and so thin their >> herds. >> >> And while processors project growth of about 6 percent in organic >> milk sales this year (a decline from the 12.7 percent reported for >> 2008 by the Organic Trade Association), some analysts say that >> forecast is far too optimistic. The United States Department of >> Agriculture says sales of organic whole milk in February were 2.5 >> percent lower than in February last year, with sales of organic >> reduced-fat milk 15 percent lower. >> >> "We're in big trouble," said Craig Russell, an organic dairy >> farmer in Brookfield, Vt., who owes $500,000, mostly from >> converting his farm to organic in 2006. >> >> Mr. Russell quit a day job as an accountant to farm full time last >> year. "I made more money in six months than in five years of >> conventional farming," he said, but his farm is now barely hanging >> on. The price he receives from the distributor dropped another $1 >> per hundredweight on May 1, just when he most needed money to >> prepare for the summer grazing season. >> >> "It's going to cost me more to make milk than sell milk," he said. >> >> In an effort to provide a safety net, Vermont last month expanded >> a low-interest loan program for farmers. >> >> While most conventional farmers are accustomed to withstanding >> price volatility, "organic hasn't weathered this kind of storm," >> said Mr. Allbee, the state's agriculture secretary. Farmers are >> finding that organic food is not for every consumer, he said, "and >> doesn't guarantee that you will have a market forever." >> >> Some farmers are considering selling their organic milk on the >> conventional market just to make some quick money. Others are >> looking to sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk directly to the >> public. The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill this >> month to increase the amount of raw milk a farmer can sell that >> way. >> >> At the annual meeting of the Maine Organic Milk Producers last >> month in Waterville, farmers debated whether they could tap into >> the locavore movement, marketing their milk as local food. Russell >> Libby, the organization's executive director, wondered, "Is it >> possible to produce a product with a Maine label on it?" >> >> Right now it is not, because some Maine milk is processed out of >> state. But farmers like Aaron Bell, whose contract with Hood will >> not be renewed when it expires, thinks the idea will save their >> farms. >> >> "We're so remote, we're high and dry otherwise," said Mr. Bell, >> whose farm is in Maine's easternmost reaches. "Unless we find our >> own market." >> >> Back in 2006, Mr. Bell carried the banner for organic dairy >> farming, appearing with his wife on Martha Stewart's show to >> promote small family farms. He still believes in organic food, but >> not so much in the business model. >> >> "They say it's heaven for the small farmer," he said, "but the >> small farmer is the one screaming the loudest right now." >> >> Bruce Drinkman, who milks 60 cows on his organic farm in Glenwood >> City, Wis., has seen his income drop 40 percent since Jan. 1. To >> keep the farm going, he has dipped into his retirement savings and >> dropped his health insurance. But without a loan, his wife has had >> to draw money from her I.R.A. to help out. >> >> "Our Plan B is if we don't have a decent year, we're done," said >> Mr. Drinkman, who has farmed for 30 years. >> >> "I'm 46," he said. "I wonder what I will do if I can't farm >> anymore." >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County >> area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County > area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org Marlo Capoccia Garden Gate www.gardengatedelivery.com 607 342 6228 ?You don?t ever want a crisis to go to waste; it?s an opportunity to do important things that you would otherwise avoid.? Rahm Emanuel From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com Sat May 30 10:36:08 2009 From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon) Date: Sat, 30 May 2009 10:36:08 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] fw: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad In-Reply-To: <47620C1C-B2B2-48E3-B6FE-89167F4F0B62@verizon.net> References: <5.2.1.1.2.20090529122719.00aa5580@pop.lightlink.com> <5.2.1.1.2.20090529122719.00aa5580@pop.lightlink.com> Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20090530101426.0210fda0@pop.lightlink.com> Yes. Not because they are grazing, but because to tap the full genetic potential to produce milk, high-energy feeds like grain need to be added to the diet. There is nothing natural about doing that, of course. Cows can and do produce plenty of milk for their offspring while on diets consisting of nothing but forage. Milk is produced in New Zealand without supplemental grain, using grazing only. Here in the US, the feeding of grain has been promoted for decades as a way to increase production and , not incidentally, get rid of otherwise excess grain production. In the cheap energy period of the last century, it made sense to feed relatively inexpensive grain to maximize production (and cows were bred for ever-increasing milk production) since milk is produced after meeting the cow's maintenance requirements and the ratio of milk over maintenance got better and better as production increased. It also made economic sense to confine the cows and bring the feed to them (that reduced the maintenance energy requirement). As a result, we ended up with very large herds in confined feeding situations eating a very unnatural diet. All this will change once energy prices rise again. As the cost of producing grain rises, not to mention the cost of hauling feed to the cows kept in large confinement facilities, grazing-based milk production relying on cows to do what they are "designed" to do -- eat grass -- will become more competitive. Not mentioned in the article is that many of the small organic dairy farmers are being undercut by very large scale confined animal feeding operations feeding organically-produced feed. I think it is a stretch calling such operations organic. The movement would be well served if organic milk were limited to grazing-based production. It is a complicated issue, however, since here in the north all producers have to keep their cows in barns over the winter and haul feed to them. Joel At 12:51 PM 5/29/09 -0400, you wrote: >is that because grazing cows produce less milk? > >-marlo >On May 29, 2009, at 12:29 PM, Joel and Sarah Gagnon wrote: > >>The milk surplus would probably disappear if producers stopped >>feeding grain, something they could easily do in the summer grazing >>period. >> >>Joel >> >>At 09:36 AM 5/29/09 -0400, you wrote: >>>The New York Times >>>May 29, 2009 >>>Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad >>>By KATIE ZEZIMA >>> >>>RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. -- When Ken Preston went organic on his dairy >>>farm here in 2005, he figured that doing so would guarantee him >>>what had long been elusive: a stable, high price for the milk from >>>his cows. >>> >>>Sure enough, his income soared 20 percent, and he could finally >>>afford a Chevy Silverado pickup to help out. The dairy >>>conglomerate that distributed his milk wanted everything >>>Mr. Preston could supply. Supermarket orders were skyrocketing. >>> >>>But soon the price of organic feed shot up. Then the recession >>>hit, and families looking to save on groceries found organic milk >>>easy to do without. Ultimately the conglomerate, with a glut of >>>product, said it would not renew his contract next month, leaving >>>him with nowhere to sell his milk, a victim of trends that are >>>crippling many organic dairy farmers from coast to coast. >>> >>>For those farmers, the promises of going organic -- a steady >>>paycheck and salvation for small family farms -- have collapsed in >>>the last six months. As the trend toward organic food consumption >>>slows after years of explosive growth, no sector is in direr shape >>>than the $1.3 billion organic milk industry. Farmers nationwide >>>have been told to cut milk production by as much as 20 percent, >>>and many are talking of shutting down. >>> >>>"I probably wouldn't have gone organic if I knew it would end this >>>way," said Mr. Preston, 53. >>> >>>Here in New England, where dairy farms are as much a part of the >>>landscape as whitewashed churches and rocky beaches, organic dairy >>>farmers are bearing the brunt of the nationwide slowdown, in part >>>because of the cost of transporting feed from the Midwest. The >>>contracts of 10 of Maine's 65 organic dairies will not be renewed >>>by HP Hood, one of the region's three large processors. In >>>Vermont, 32 dairy farms have closed since Dec. 1, significantly >>>altering the face of New England's dairy industry. >>> >>>"We expect to lose a lot more farms this year," said Roger Allbee, >>>Vermont's secretary of agriculture. >>> >>>Hood and the two other big processors, Horizon Organic and Organic >>>Valley, say cutting contracts, pay and production are necessary to >>>absorb overproduction and offset softening demand. Organic Valley, >>>a nationwide cooperative, told Maine organic dairy farmers last >>>month that its sales growth had dropped to near zero from about 20 >>>percent six months ago. >>> >>>"Our inventory is overstocked," said John B. Cleary, the >>>cooperative's New England regional pool coordinator. >>> >>>For many farmers, the changes coincide with crushing debt >>>resulting from the cost of turning organic, which can run hundreds >>>of thousands of dollars. In addition, the price of organic feed >>>has doubled in the last year. Credit has dried up for some, and >>>others say it is nearly impossible to sell cows and so thin their >>>herds. >>> >>>And while processors project growth of about 6 percent in organic >>>milk sales this year (a decline from the 12.7 percent reported for >>>2008 by the Organic Trade Association), some analysts say that >>>forecast is far too optimistic. The United States Department of >>>Agriculture says sales of organic whole milk in February were 2.5 >>>percent lower than in February last year, with sales of organic >>>reduced-fat milk 15 percent lower. >>> >>>"We're in big trouble," said Craig Russell, an organic dairy >>>farmer in Brookfield, Vt., who owes $500,000, mostly from >>>converting his farm to organic in 2006. >>> >>>Mr. Russell quit a day job as an accountant to farm full time last >>>year. "I made more money in six months than in five years of >>>conventional farming," he said, but his farm is now barely hanging >>>on. The price he receives from the distributor dropped another $1 >>>per hundredweight on May 1, just when he most needed money to >>>prepare for the summer grazing season. >>> >>>"It's going to cost me more to make milk than sell milk," he said. >>> >>>In an effort to provide a safety net, Vermont last month expanded >>>a low-interest loan program for farmers. >>> >>>While most conventional farmers are accustomed to withstanding >>>price volatility, "organic hasn't weathered this kind of storm," >>>said Mr. Allbee, the state's agriculture secretary. Farmers are >>>finding that organic food is not for every consumer, he said, "and >>>doesn't guarantee that you will have a market forever." >>> >>>Some farmers are considering selling their organic milk on the >>>conventional market just to make some quick money. Others are >>>looking to sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk directly to the >>>public. The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill this >>>month to increase the amount of raw milk a farmer can sell that >>>way. >>> >>>At the annual meeting of the Maine Organic Milk Producers last >>>month in Waterville, farmers debated whether they could tap into >>>the locavore movement, marketing their milk as local food. Russell >>>Libby, the organization's executive director, wondered, "Is it >>>possible to produce a product with a Maine label on it?" >>> >>>Right now it is not, because some Maine milk is processed out of >>>state. But farmers like Aaron Bell, whose contract with Hood will >>>not be renewed when it expires, thinks the idea will save their >>>farms. >>> >>>"We're so remote, we're high and dry otherwise," said Mr. Bell, >>>whose farm is in Maine's easternmost reaches. "Unless we find our >>>own market." >>> >>>Back in 2006, Mr. Bell carried the banner for organic dairy >>>farming, appearing with his wife on Martha Stewart's show to >>>promote small family farms. He still believes in organic food, but >>>not so much in the business model. >>> >>>"They say it's heaven for the small farmer," he said, "but the >>>small farmer is the one screaming the loudest right now." >>> >>>Bruce Drinkman, who milks 60 cows on his organic farm in Glenwood >>>City, Wis., has seen his income drop 40 percent since Jan. 1. To >>>keep the farm going, he has dipped into his retirement savings and >>>dropped his health insurance. But without a loan, his wife has had >>>to draw money from her I.R.A. to help out. >>> >>>"Our Plan B is if we don't have a decent year, we're done," said >>>Mr. Drinkman, who has farmed for 30 years. >>> >>>"I'm 46," he said. "I wonder what I will do if I can't farm >>>anymore." >>> >>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County >>>area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >>> >>>RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >>>SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >>>http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >>>Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >>>free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org >>_______________________________________________ >>For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County >>area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >>RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >>SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >>http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >>Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >>free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > >Marlo Capoccia >Garden Gate >www.gardengatedelivery.com >607 342 6228 > >"You don't ever want a crisis to go to waste; it's an opportunity to >do important things that you would otherwise avoid." Rahm Emanuel > >_______________________________________________ >For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, >please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > >RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org From andrejs at ozolins.com Sat May 30 18:33:41 2009 From: andrejs at ozolins.com (Andrejs Ozolins) Date: Sat, 30 May 2009 18:33:41 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Ithaca Festival -- come to Stewart Park by bike! Message-ID: <4A21B445.1080104@ozolins.com> The Ithaca Festival relocates to Stewart Park for a full Sunday of events. Avoid the hassles of a car or even the bus -- come to Stewart Park by bike and leave it with the valet bike parking crew. Those who are doing the FLCC Sunday ride -- just head over to Stewart Park afterward for a great afternoon of music, food, friends. Yes, a safe and hassle-free way to have your bike with you! We have hundreds of cyclists in Ithaca, so let's see a record-setting turnout this year! (I've signed up to be there to take care of your bike all afternoon. Don't let me fall into idleness.) Andrejs From firetendercarol at yahoo.com Sun May 31 12:44:29 2009 From: firetendercarol at yahoo.com (Carol Clarke) Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 09:44:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SustainableTompkins] fw: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad Message-ID: <607790.73970.qm@web35505.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Just one note in addition?to this excellent comment: ?With hardy breeds of cows, the cows can stay out all winter in a sheltered pasture with hay brought out to them.?? It's not necessary to have the cows in a barn in the winter; probably good to have a lean-to for shelter from the wind, but there are plenty of breeds that can be pastured cows year-round.? At Chase Hill Farm, in Orange, Massachusetts, which mainly produces organic cheese from grass-fed cow milk, (with a?small volume of raw milk sold from the farm) ?the cows are seasonally dried off for three months in the winter and spend the winter on pasture in a hollow surrounded by woods, and these are Jersey/Normandie mix.? They get hay grown organically on the same farm (brought out to them by draft horses!) so they are completely grass-fed, and are pastured year-round.? ? --- On Sat, 5/30/09, Joel and Sarah Gagnon wrote: From: Joel and Sarah Gagnon Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] fw: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" Date: Saturday, May 30, 2009, 10:36 AM Yes. Not because they are grazing, but because to tap the full genetic potential to produce milk, high-energy feeds like grain need to be added to the diet. There is nothing natural about doing that, of course. Cows can and do produce plenty of milk for their offspring while on diets consisting of nothing but forage. Milk is produced in New Zealand without supplemental grain, using grazing only. Here in the US, the feeding of grain has been promoted for decades as a way to increase production and , not incidentally, get rid of otherwise excess grain production. In the cheap energy period of the last century, it made sense to feed relatively inexpensive grain to maximize production (and cows were bred for ever-increasing milk production) since milk is produced after meeting the cow's maintenance requirements and the ratio of milk over maintenance got better and better as production increased. It also made economic sense to confine the cows and bring the feed to them (that reduced the maintenance energy requirement). As a result, we ended up with very large herds in confined feeding situations eating a very unnatural diet. All this will change once energy prices rise again. As the cost of producing grain rises, not to mention the cost of hauling feed to the cows kept in large confinement facilities, grazing-based milk production relying on cows to do what they are "designed" to do -- eat grass -- will become more competitive. Not mentioned in the article is that many of the small organic dairy farmers are being undercut by very large scale confined animal feeding operations feeding organically-produced feed. I think it is a stretch calling such operations organic. The movement would be well served if organic milk were limited to grazing-based production. It is a complicated issue, however, since here in the north all producers have to keep their cows in barns over the winter and haul feed to them. Joel At 12:51 PM 5/29/09 -0400, you wrote: >is that because grazing cows produce less milk? > >-marlo >On May 29, 2009, at 12:29 PM, Joel and Sarah Gagnon wrote: > >>The milk surplus would probably disappear if producers stopped >>feeding grain, something they could easily do in the summer grazing >>period. >> >>Joel >> >>At 09:36 AM 5/29/09 -0400, you wrote: >>>The New York Times >>>May 29, 2009 >>>Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad >>>By KATIE ZEZIMA >>> >>>RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. -- When Ken Preston went organic on his dairy >>>farm here in 2005, he figured that doing so would guarantee him >>>what had long been elusive: a stable, high price for the milk from >>>his cows. >>> >>>Sure enough, his income soared 20 percent, and he could finally >>>afford a Chevy Silverado pickup to help out. The dairy >>>conglomerate that distributed his milk wanted everything >>>Mr. Preston could supply. Supermarket orders were skyrocketing. >>> >>>But soon the price of organic feed shot up. Then the recession >>>hit, and families looking to save on groceries found organic milk >>>easy to do without. Ultimately the conglomerate, with a glut of >>>product, said it would not renew his contract next month, leaving >>>him with nowhere to sell his milk, a victim of trends that are >>>crippling many organic dairy farmers from coast to coast. >>> >>>For those farmers, the promises of going organic -- a steady >>>paycheck and salvation for small family farms -- have collapsed in >>>the last six months. As the trend toward organic food consumption >>>slows after years of explosive growth, no sector is in direr shape >>>than the $1.3 billion organic milk industry. Farmers nationwide >>>have been told to cut milk production by as much as 20 percent, >>>and many are talking of shutting down. >>> >>>"I probably wouldn't have gone organic if I knew it would end this >>>way," said Mr. Preston, 53. >>> >>>Here in New England, where dairy farms are as much a part of the >>>landscape as whitewashed churches and rocky beaches, organic dairy >>>farmers are bearing the brunt of the nationwide slowdown, in part >>>because of the cost of transporting feed from the Midwest. The >>>contracts of 10 of Maine's 65 organic dairies will not be renewed >>>by HP Hood, one of the region's three large processors. In >>>Vermont, 32 dairy farms have closed since Dec. 1, significantly >>>altering the face of New England's dairy industry. >>> >>>"We expect to lose a lot more farms this year," said Roger Allbee, >>>Vermont's secretary of agriculture. >>> >>>Hood and the two other big processors, Horizon Organic and Organic >>>Valley, say cutting contracts, pay and production are necessary to >>>absorb overproduction and offset softening demand. Organic Valley, >>>a nationwide cooperative, told Maine organic dairy farmers last >>>month that its sales growth had dropped to near zero from about 20 >>>percent six months ago. >>> >>>"Our inventory is overstocked," said John B. Cleary, the >>>cooperative's New England regional pool coordinator. >>> >>>For many farmers, the changes coincide with crushing debt >>>resulting from the cost of turning organic, which can run hundreds >>>of thousands of dollars. In addition, the price of organic feed >>>has doubled in the last year. Credit has dried up for some, and >>>others say it is nearly impossible to sell cows and so thin their >>>herds. >>> >>>And while processors project growth of about 6 percent in organic >>>milk sales this year (a decline from the 12.7 percent reported for >>>2008 by the Organic Trade Association), some analysts say that >>>forecast is far too optimistic. The United States Department of >>>Agriculture says sales of organic whole milk in February were 2.5 >>>percent lower than in February last year, with sales of organic >>>reduced-fat milk 15 percent lower. >>> >>>"We're in big trouble," said Craig Russell, an organic dairy >>>farmer in Brookfield, Vt., who owes $500,000, mostly from >>>converting his farm to organic in 2006. >>> >>>Mr. Russell quit a day job as an accountant to farm full time last >>>year. "I made more money in six months than in five years of >>>conventional farming," he said, but his farm is now barely hanging >>>on. The price he receives from the distributor dropped another $1 >>>per hundredweight on May 1, just when he most needed money to >>>prepare for the summer grazing season. >>> >>>"It's going to cost me more to make milk than sell milk," he said. >>> >>>In an effort to provide a safety net, Vermont last month expanded >>>a low-interest loan program for farmers. >>> >>>While most conventional farmers are accustomed to withstanding >>>price volatility, "organic hasn't weathered this kind of storm," >>>said Mr. Allbee, the state's agriculture secretary. Farmers are >>>finding that organic food is not for every consumer, he said, "and >>>doesn't guarantee that you will have a market forever." >>> >>>Some farmers are considering selling their organic milk on the >>>conventional market just to make some quick money. Others are >>>looking to sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk directly to the >>>public. The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill this >>>month to increase the amount of raw milk a farmer can sell that >>>way. >>> >>>At the annual meeting of the Maine Organic Milk Producers last >>>month in Waterville, farmers debated whether they could tap into >>>the locavore movement, marketing their milk as local food. Russell >>>Libby, the organization's executive director, wondered, "Is it >>>possible to produce a product with a Maine label on it?" >>> >>>Right now it is not, because some Maine milk is processed out of >>>state. But farmers like Aaron Bell, whose contract with Hood will >>>not be renewed when it expires, thinks the idea will save their >>>farms. >>> >>>"We're so remote, we're high and dry otherwise," said Mr. Bell, >>>whose farm is in Maine's easternmost reaches. "Unless we find our >>>own market." >>> >>>Back in 2006, Mr. Bell carried the banner for organic dairy >>>farming, appearing with his wife on Martha Stewart's show to >>>promote small family farms. He still believes in organic food, but >>>not so much in the business model. >>> >>>"They say it's heaven for the small farmer," he said, "but the >>>small farmer is the one screaming the loudest right now." >>> >>>Bruce Drinkman, who milks 60 cows on his organic farm in Glenwood >>>City, Wis., has seen his income drop 40 percent since Jan. 1. To >>>keep the farm going, he has dipped into his retirement savings and >>>dropped his health insurance. But without a loan, his wife has had >>>to draw money from her I.R.A. to help out. >>> >>>"Our Plan B is if we don't have a decent year, we're done," said >>>Mr. Drinkman, who has farmed for 30 years. >>> >>>"I'm 46," he said. "I wonder what I will do if I can't farm >>>anymore." >>> >>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County >>>area, please visit:? http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >>> >>>RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >>>SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >>>http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >>>Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >>>free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org >>_______________________________________________ >>For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County >>area, please visit:? http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >>RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >>SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >>http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >>Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >>free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > >Marlo Capoccia >Garden Gate >www.gardengatedelivery.com >607 342 6228 > >"You don't ever want a crisis to go to waste; it's an opportunity to >do important things that you would otherwise avoid." Rahm Emanuel > >_______________________________________________ >For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, >please visit:? http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > >RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org >http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org >free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit:? http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us Sun May 31 13:31:59 2009 From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro) Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 13:31:59 -0400 Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Green Promise Seen in Switch to LED Lighting Message-ID: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/science/earth/30degrees.html?em Green Promise Seen in Switch to LED Lighting Jeffrey Sauger for The New York Times By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL and FELICITY BARRINGER May 29, 2009 *By Degrees* /Bursting the Bulb/ This is the second in a series of articles about stopgap measures that could limit global warming. Future articles will address appliance-efficiency standards, transportation, reducing global-warming gases other than carbon dioxide and other efforts. Previous Article in the Series ? Enlarge This Image Jeffrey Sauger for The New York Times -- Elan Shapiro Sustainable Living Associates, Principal Frog's Way B&B 211 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 607-275-0249 607-592-8402 Cell "We must be the change we want to see in the world" Mohandas Gandhi