Give The Gift That Gives Back: Fair Trade Gift Baskets

The InterReligious Task Force on Central America is taking orders for fair trade gift baskets which will be deliverd during the upcoming holiday season. These baskets are an innocuous way to introduce high quality fair trade goods to your family, friends, teachers, associates and clients.The gifts support small farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Click here for an order form. If you are in CTown (Cleveland) on October 9th, stop by John Carroll University to meet fair trade vendors, farmers, supporters and advocates in person at the Ohio Fair Trade Expo.

Urban Farmer's Market Opens in Cincinnati's Avondale Neighborhood

On July 4, 2010, the Avondale neighborhood, in Cincinnati, Ohio declared independence from fast, processed junk food. Lisa Bussey, braving hot weather, crime and the odds, opened the Summerville Farmer's Market on 3166 Reading Road. Lisa started working on the market concept late this spring, by that time most farmers were already committed to other markets, so she opened the market with produce from her own garden (right on the lot) and supplemented with produce from wholesalers in the area. Fresh from her garden yesterday were tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, hot peppers and collards. She said the church folk (there are several in the area), were especially delighted to see her pick the greens right out of the garden! The market itself is still in development in many ways, Lisa is still physically enhancing the property (formerly a vacant lot), actively looking for vendors and just now starting to promote her fresh food oasis. While she had a decent turnout yesterday with no marketing, she recognizes the value of promoting the location (build it and they will come only goes so far). There are many perks, Reading Road is a high traffic area in the neigbhorhood, there is no competition and the lot is secured with chain link fencing. I will be working with her to get the word out. So far, that has been somewhat of a challenge given the distance (4 hours from Cleveland to Cincinnati), previous business commitments that consumed a lot of Lisa's time and the fact that she is more of an email/text versus telephone person (as I am, but that has its limits).  While this is primarily an entrepreneurial venture for Lisa (though she does have a passion for gardening), she has come to see the longer term value of the services that she is providing to the community. Viewing the venture from this green and socially responsible lens, has deepened her commitment to bringing fresh food to this food desert. One aspect of my marketing plan is to work with other urban farmers and church member  in the area to supplement Lisa's produce and baked goods  or to set up boothes at Summerville Market. This will also help to spread buzz in the community about the market and generate support. The possibilities are endless as people are starving for this kind of product and good news. She could use some moral, physical, spirtual and financial support, especially in this economy, so if you are in Cincinnati, stop by the Summerville Market  at 3166 Reading Road and give her a shout. The market will be open today from noon to 4pm.

A New Appreciation for Farmer's Markets and Community Gardens: It's Not All Peaches and Cream

Hello Friends! Excuse my two week absence, I have been either too busy or too lazy (as a survivor, you must learn self-preservation skills) to post, but I do have a lot to share. In recent months the law of attraction has really been in play. Everywhere I turn (even at work), I am encountering folk, some of whom I would not associate with gardens, involved with farming, farmer's markets or community gardens. Some examples:

• Met a college student at the women's summit that started a farmer's market downtown
• Met an environmental justice activist and attorney involved in community gardening projects
• Asked by my son's aunt Lisa to assist with the marketing of a farmer's market in an urban neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio
• Fellow treehuggers open one of only two black owned CSA's in Cleveland
• Family members manage and secure a community garden near the projects
• My brother gets into the windmill business and may build one for the community garden greenhouse
• Joined a local food group in Cincinnati (as part of an effort to promote Lisa's farmer's market) and learn of the trials and tribulations of producers trying to grow good clean food.
• Attend an annual meeting of the nation's oldest foundation and the keynote speaker, Lily Yeh (amazing and beautiful woman), is known for her community art and garden installments across the world (starting in inner city Philadelphia) . Was fortunate enough to attend a community leadership workshop she facilitated the next day.

All of these encounters were not the result of conscious attempts to meet these people, but through my thoughts (turn on the Twilight Zone soundtrack). The power of attraction. Now I'm just waiting on that $100 million to show up in my account! Through these encounters I have learned that the process of growing organic food, starting and running a farmer's market and nurturing a community garden in the city can be complex and unwieldy. Worthwhile, but not as romantic as it may seem. Here is what I learned:

• There are many challenges to starting a farmer's market or community garden in the city, two of the greatest are security and community support/engagement. It is essential to treat the residents with respect and dignity and to involve them early in the process. One should also be aware of criminal elements and gangs in the city and have some sort of outreach to involve them in the process (this is crucial to success), but there will always be folks who want to have what they want, when they want it and how they want it, so tight security is a MUST. I know of two gardens that have 24 hour security. Security and community engagement is also crucial to attract farmers or local food producers. One member of the local food group told me that Lisa may have difficulty attracting farmers due to the perception of crime in the area. Wow! Understandable, but the revelation still caught me off guard.
• One must be prepared to educate, enlighten and be enlightened. Due to decades long absences of grocery stores in many urban areas (food deserts) and the explosion of packaged, processed foods, many of us are unfamiliar with how to prepare meals with a variety of fresh produce. The concept of making a salad without iceberg lettuce is unfathomable. What in the world does one do with a squash, much less an eggplant? I can certainly relate to this, because to this day, I go to farmers markets and see some veggies and feel clueless about how I would prepare them, so I keep moving until I find some greens or tomatoes. Heck, many young people don't even know how to cook , having been raised on canned/boxed food found in the dollar stores and "dollar menu" items. Someone told me that their daughter prefers boxed macaroni and cheese to homemade. What??!!! Having been raised on boxed mac and cheese myself, I almost passed out with palate pleasing pleasure the first time that I had some homemade mac and cheese at a church community dinner, but I digress. The CSA has been great for me, because you get what you get and I have added diversity and fresh new flavors/combinations to my produce diet. Many residents, like most Americans are unfamiliar with the connection of diet to overall health and the benefits of eating a plant based diet. There are also perceptions about the affordability of fruit and vegetables. So there is a need to a lot of advance work and complementary marketing of your market or garden to show people WIIFM - "what's in it for me". That should really be your mantra, because that is what most people care about - themselves. So you have to make your case and make it in a fun, exciting and engaging way.Cooking demonstrations, cooking contests, health fairs that show the diet/health connection, music and drama, art and engaging children are all ways of introducing people to good living through diet. Tracye Lynn McWhirter, the author of the new book By Any Greens Necessary: A Revolutionary Guide for Black Women Who Want to Eat Great, Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Look Phat, has done a great job of this. In fact, I think the title of her book and her activities, exemplifies the message of this post.
• Appreciation for the efforts of the food producers is essential. On a daily basis through the food group emails, I learn of the challenges these folks tackle in growing healthy food for our consumption. They battle insects, moles, groundhogs, fungus, isolation, ambivilance, poverty, lack of technical expertise and ignorance in an effort to show up at the farmer's markets every week with their bright bounty of love. So please be mindful of this and thank them for what they do and truly feel blessed  by God when you are eating this good stuff. Be mindful as you eat of all of the work that went into bringing these delights to our table.
• Persistance, perseverance, an open mind and faith are tools you will need to build the farmer's market or community garden of your dreams. Sometimes it may take years for your idea to catch on, but if you really believe in your mission, you should be prepared to suffer through the trials, disappointments, dismay, ignorance, disrespect and non-chalance, but when the spark finally catches that dried up, gnarled, thirsty piece of kindling, watch out! You will have a glorious, bright, warm bonfire on your hands  that everyone wants to enjoy. You will light up the lives and spirits of the community. So keep on keeping on. A good book that gives actual accounts of people surviving and thriving in the community garden setting is Edens Lost & Found: How Ordinary Citizens Are Restoring Our Great American Cities, you can read more about Lily Yeh there.
• Finally, don't leave good business sense at home, understand the expenses associated with each venture and the amount of revenue needed to generate a profit. Even a non-profit organization fairs well if you are maximizing the return on your investment of time and resources and generating more than you put in.The excess can be used to expand your programs or save for a rainy day.Also, understand that when dealing with folks, property and food, insurance is crucial as well as strong liability reduction measures.

Okay, my fingers hurt, so it much be time to signoff. Hopefully, this post has given you a better sense of what it takes to green our communities and our meals.

Peace.

Locavore 365 - Find & trade locally grown food, vegetables, fruit

Locavore 365 - Find & trade locally grown food, vegetables, fruit You may know about localharvest.org, the site which helps you find farmers markets and farmers in your area, but what about Locavore365? This site is like a Craigslist or Freecycle for local food. Transalation - you may be able to get fresh local produce for free! One less excuse to eat more fruits and veggies.Try it out and let me know how it works for you in your area. I didn't meet with much success in my area, as it appears my vendors are not aware of the service, so I will have to pass it on to the merchants that I deal with. You can also, just add a vendor. The concept is great, let's make it a success!

A Farmer's Market In The Making

Now that the Elite Women's Economic Development Summit is behind me (see photos), I am working on a new green economic development project - marketing and promoting an urban farmers market that is being launched by my son's aunt in Cincinnati, Ohio. His auntie Lisa is truly a renaissance women - a holder of a Masters in Public Administration, a commercial property owner, she roasts and grounds her own coffee beans, gardens, bakes a mean pie and can put in electrical wiring for an entire building. Her latest venture, is to start a farmers market in an urban area of the Queen City. She started constructing the exterior features of the area and is seeking farmers and vendors currently. My son and I are going to assist her with the marketing and promotion of the market. Michael will create a Facebook page and I will assist with the other aspects of marketing. I found some great local food networks and initiatives that she can link into and I will find her a market mentor in Cleveland. We will also seek support of the community stakeholders, which shouldn't be a hard sell because the only grocery store in the area is a convenient store according to a neighborhood website. Check out this article by Yolanda Adams on the need for an urban farmers market in the city. Based on my research, an idea time to start was March, but we are going to run with it and see where it takes us. There are some great resources available online for anyone interested in starting a farmers market. What kinds of features, amenities and activities do you think would make a farmers market a success in an urban neighborhood?

Tune In To These Green Radio Shows

Found a few green radio programs that you may want to add to your favorites:

Heritage Radio Network - Housed in two shipping containers with an organic green roof. Features farmers, chefs, artists and artisans of the green kind. (Brooklyn, N.Y.)

An Organic Conversation - Hosted by an organic foods activist and musicians, topics centered around healthy living and green choices. (San Francisco)

Go Green Sangha - Created and hosted by woman extraordinaire, Ananda Leeke and covers green living, mindfulness, arts, inner healing and innerpreneurship. Very informative and relaxing. (Washington, D.C.)

The Food Chain - Hard-hitting food policy issues.

Living On Earth - Weekly public radio environmental news and information program.

Agro-Imperialism: Africa's Resources Targeted

Let's see, at first it was spices, gold and bronze, then it was people, then came gold again and diamonds, followed by oil and now the latest grab for African resources is land to feed the hungry. Not the hungry people of Africa, but the very well fed and wealthy populations of the Middle East, most notably Saudi Arabia. We must realize that though some nations are very wealthy, they have minimal national sources of food and sometimes water, so when global food prices rise, there is a lot of nervousness. Many nations have invested in African land to provide for their agricultural needs. Hey, don't get me wrong, I think it would be great for investments to be made in African agriculture as long as these investments are good for the people and the planet. But history has shown that rarely do the people or the continent benefit from outside investments in its resources. How ironic is it that our ancestors were at one time shipped to other countries to work the fields and today things have progressed to the point that they can work the fields for minimal wages in their own country? I hope that African leaders and activists don't allow the continent to become the biggest plantation in world history. Click here to read more.

Vouchers double value of food stamps at Boston farmers' markets - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe

Vouchers double value of food stamps at Boston farmers' markets - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe In an effort to improve access to healthy produce in urban areas and to expand demand and markets for local food producers, at least six communities nationwide (it's a start), including Atlanta and San Diego, have introduced double voucher programs for residents using food stamps. Hopefully this access, coupled with efforts to raise nutritional awareness among urban residents will reduce our mortality rates; because look around, we are having some issues in the health department. Adult onset diabetes, high blood pressure, premature development and obesity are afflicting so many of our children, something needs to be done. A good start at home would be to have a vegetarian potluck or a cooking demonstration for your neighbors and extended family, you could then expand to teaching classes at inner city housing authorities and community centers. Bring a yummy, but healthy dish to your next potluck affair at work or baby shower. Model the way. Check out Soul Food Vegetarian and Grub cookbooks by Bryant Terry, Black Vegetarians website and Post Punk Kitchen blog for some great vegetarian recipes.

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Community Supported Agriculture: Cityfresh

This is my first Cityfresh bounty of the season! (Excuse the blurry photo, I can never find my digital camera when I need it, so I always seem to use the Blackberry). All of this tasty fresh grub for $24. Pictured are collards, squash, zucchini, onions, garlic, black raspberries, potatoes, cabbage, beans, basil, beets and parsley! Cityfresh is a unique CSA program that provides access to locally grown food to urban locations throughout two counties near Cleveland, Ohio. Shares of produce can be purchased with WIC, food stamp and other government vouchers and are half-priced for low income individuals, so this share would have been $12.

This Week In The Garden: What's A Rural Looking Man Like You Doing With Collards?

Collard greens that I need to plant. Interesting story here. Checked out the new Burke Lakefront Airport farmer's market this week and stopped at the booth of an older white farmer looking gentlemen. He had on display a small variety of starter plants and harvested vegetables. I was looking for some collard greens, but was highly doubtful that he would have them, much less know what they were. I stared at him for a minute and he asked if he could help me. Spotting what looked to be collard plants, I asked "Do you have any collards?" -surely those weren't collards - "or kale or mustard ?"(Cuz you know, he may not be familiar with collards) Turns out that they were collards and he had about 20 other collard plants in the back! Duh, Gloria! There is a lesson here. Post-racial America? We have a long way to go - on all sides.

Anyway, pictured with the collards are 'mater' plants that I hope will top my delicious cooked greens (assuming I don't fry 'em up in cornmeal first!) Greens and tomatoes are excellent cancer fighters. Okay, so the next time you head for the farmers market - keep an open mind.

Profit over Organics: Natural Doesn't Always Equal Organic

Profit over Organics: Nation’s Largest Dairy Marketer Sets Up Competing Market Category Interesting news about Silk and Horizon dairy products. Many products formerly made of organic beans, now using conventionally grown beans and conventional farming practices. This article points out how the "natural" label doesn't always meet the standards of certified organic labels. For those of you seeking to avoid pesticides, herbicides and sludge fertilized products or that care about animal living conditions, this is important information.

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Food Inc. - Being Served At A Grocery Store Near You

Official Food, Inc. Movie Site - Hungry For Change? - About the Film Since I started this blog about 18 months ago, I have become increasingly suspicious about my food. This concern stems from several food recalls, a greater awareness of how food is grown and processed and the fact that much of it is sourced from large corporate agri-businesses. Though not always the case, I have found that many large corporations will do whatever it takes to drive profits, even if human lives are at risk. In fact, my businesses courses taught us that our primary goal as managers was to maximize shareholder wealth. We see where that got us (refer to your 401k statement). The good news is that more companies are coming around to the idea that shareholder wealth can be put at risk if the impact of a companies actions to their stakeholders aren't properly considered. Stakeholders include employees, communities and government. Hence the concept of the triple bottom line (people, planet, profit) is gaining ground as an appropriate measuring stick for a companies performance. This movie should further open our eyes to the practices of the companies that grow the food that is supposed to sustain us. I would encourage you and your family/friends to watch this, so that we can educate ourselves on what we are consuming and push for these companies to gage their success using measures of quality not quantity.

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Love Your Neighbor - Lower Your Carbon Footprint

Here is another story highlighting the plight of our brothers and sisters in Africa as a result of climate change. In this situation a middle class farmer is struggling to keep his coffee farm as longer and wetter rainy seasons affect his crop. As a result many farmers in Uganda are retiring from that occupation. Not sure of your carbon shoe size? Use some of the calculator tools featured on this site and then go to Amandla! to purchase items to help you shrink your footprint, grow your savings and help out our neighbors across the Atlantic.