All Entries Tagged With: "EarthDance Farms"
EarthDance graduates growing 8 new projects
Jody Vogler, an apprentice in EarthDance Farms' 2011 training program, is one of eight "sophomore farmies" launching independent projects this year.
If you’re a gardener, chances are you’re spending these winter months planning and dreaming. The colorful new seed catalogs have started to arrive, and those barren patches in your yard are just waiting for the new possibilities of spring.
Here in Ferguson, even Missouri’s oldest organic farm is still sleeping, but that doesn’t mean the good folks of EarthDance Farms haven’t been busy. In fact, these nonprofit stewards have educated dozens of St. Louisans in the ways of organic farming and small farm management, and now eight of their 2011 apprentices are returning the favor.
During 2012, these “sophomore farmies” will continue to work in the fields at Mueller Farm and sell their produce at local farmers markets, but they will also pursue independent projects of their own. I don’t know about you, but it makes me very happy knowing that so many neat people are converging and creating just a few blocks away. Here’s what they’ll be up to in the coming months…
- Judy Vogler plans to cultivate a traditional Native American “Three Sisters” garden, featuring heirloom corn, squash, and beans.
- Early riser Ann Owens will continue to make early morning trips to the greenhouse. As Greenhouse Coordinator, she will create a guide to greenhouse pest management to be utilized by future classes of first-year farmies.
- Laura Vetter will explore natural crafting with plants and other found items on the farm.
- Katrina Gillespie will develop displays to inform visitors about Mueller Farm’s rich history.
- Faith Labeaume will study herbs as medicine.
- Anna Gall will help train new marketeers at the Ferguson Farmers Market.
- Engineering student Maria Stoica will investigate permaculture design at the farm.
- And Tim McHale will help keep EarthDance blooming as he supervises flower production this year.
Pretty cool, huh? For more info on EarthDance and how you too can get involved in the fun, visit the EarthDance Farms website or call the office at (314) 521-1006.
The Vine Market returns on November 19
Will you be serving locally grown food this Thanksgiving? 'Early Wonder' beets are just one variety of autumn veggies that you'll find at the Vine Market.
There are many, many reasons to be proud of my Ferguson community, but perhaps nothing gets me more excited than our awesome farmers market. Like a lot of locals, I usually get market withdrawal this time of year, since the outdoor venue wrapped up a few weeks ago. But thanks to the good folks at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, we’ll all be able to enjoy fresh local food even during the winter!
For the second year, St. Stephen’s is hosting The Vine Market, an indoor farmers market where you can find a nice array of locally grown vegetables and locally produced meat, cheese and baked goods. It’s not quite as large as the outdoor market, and it only takes place every third Saturday through April, but hey, who’s complaining?!
The Vine Market kicks off this Saturday, November 19, and Ferguson’s own EarthDance Farms will be there with a fabulous selection of organic autumn veggies. Look for ‘Watermelon’ and ‘White Icicle’ radishes, ‘Bolero’ carrots, ‘Gonzalez’ cabbage, ‘Red Sails’ lettuce, ‘Tyee’ spinach, ‘Purple Top’ turnips, ‘Toscana Lacinato’ kale, and ‘Bright Lights’ swiss chard, as well as garlic, shallots, acorn squash, scallions, arugula, Asian salad greens, baby pak choi, dill & cilantro, and even green tomatoes.
Need some recipe ideas? Check out A Veggie Venture from my fellow St. Louis blogger Alanna Kellogg.
The Vine Market is open Saturday from 9 to 11:30am and takes place inside St. Stephen’s beautiful gathering hall at 33 N. Clay, 63135. You can enter through the center door by the parking lot.
Bikes, houses, farmers & stars – Another fun NoCo weekend!
Live Well Ferguson's Twilight Ramble returns for its second year, offering cyclists the chance to tour some of Ferguson's many scenic byways. Photo: flickr/livewellferguson
NOCO fans, I sure hope you’re crossing your fingers for more of this beautiful fall weather, because there’s lots to do in North County this weekend! Which of these fun events are calling your name?
Live Well Ferguson Twilight Ramble – November 6, 3-7pm
In case you haven’t noticed, Ferguson is developing quite a vibrant bicycling community. The Ferguson Cycling Club just hosted a bike-in movie and a ghost tour of Bellefontaine Cemetery. Ferguson’s city employees are now using bikes to get around town. And thanks in large part to the efforts of Live Well Ferguson, the city’s healthy living initiative, we just became the first Missouri town to win national honors as a Playful City USA.
To help celebrate these milestones, Live Well is sponsoring another great two-wheel event: the second annual Twilight Ramble. Scheduled for Sunday, November 6, this casual bike ride through the streets and trails of Ferguson offers three options – 1 mile, 5 miles or 15 miles – all with gorgeous scenery. The event is free and open to all ages, but registration is required and you must wear a helmet. The first 100 participants will receive a free t-shirt. There’s also free food and live music. Plaza @ 501, 501 S. Florissant, 63135
EarthDance Farmers Formal – November 5, 6-11pm
As most of you know, I’m a big fan of EarthDance, the progressive nonprofit that works the land at Missouri’s oldest organic farm, just two blocks away here in Ferguson. EarthDance is a regular at the Ferguson Farmers Market, and has also hosted numerous events in NoCo, including the annual Pesto Festo. But this year, founder Molly Rockamann decided to take a different route.
Pesto Festo, EarthDance’s biggest fundraiser, has now morphed into the Farmers Formal…..a slightly more upscale event that will be held at Washington University’s College Hall (as opposed to the Savoy in Ferguson). Tickets are $75 per person and that includes a full dinner courtesy of Bon Appetit, an open bar with beer, wine and cocktails, silent and live auctions, and live music by the One Take Band and the Bottoms Up Blues Gang. Wear your best farmer duds and get ready to feast on local vegetables, meats and cheeses! You can get your tickets and more info right here.
Catch a glimpse of the Andromeda Galaxy at the UMSL Observatory's free open house this Saturday night.
UMSL Observatory Open House – November 5, 7:30pm
If you haven’t been to UMSL’s observatory yet, you’re truly missing out on one of the coolest attractions in North County. It’s just a simple metal shed sitting just beyond a softball field, but its high-powered telescope offers a brilliant view of the magnificent universe that surrounds us. This month, the observatory will offer viewings of Jupiter, Uranus, the Ring Nebula and the Andromeda Galaxy, as well as the first-quarter moon. And the best part is, it’s all free! Just walk up and get in line, and if you have any questions about the stars, there will be an expert nearby. For directions and more info, look here. Kids welcome!
Discover Your Dream Home in Ferguson – November 6, 1:30 – 4pm
The real estate market may be down right now, but for many people in a decent financial position, the time has never been better to buy! Deals abound all across the metro area, but here in Ferguson you can really stretch your dollar. So why not learn more about the city’s housing stock at this free one-day event, where you can also hear about financing options and local schools and get a tour of various open houses. My own broker, Pearce Neikirk, will be participating. (Can’t wait to tell you about one of his newest listings tomorrow….)
Carmen Dence & Grupo Atlantico – November 5, 7:30pm
Finally, one last event to talk about….and this one is exotic! As part of UMSL’s upcoming Women in the Arts international conference, the university is hosting a very special performance by Carmen Sofia Dence, a Colombian-American folkloric dancer and choreographer who founded the St. Louis-based dance troupe Grupo Atlantico. Free and open to the public, “Bullerengue” is the name of the program, which celebrates the music and dance of Colombia and Panama and of course features beautiful costumes! Unity Lutheran Church, 8454 Glen Echo Drive, 63121
Hope to see you at one or more of these unique local events!
Pesto Festo returns Saturday with a fresh twist
Do you make delicious pesto? If so, you could win a cash prize at the Ferguson Farmers Market on July 16.
Just like the gardener always looking for new ways to boost his green thumb, the Ferguson nonprofit EarthDance Farms is forever cultivating fun, fresh ideas for spreading the word about organic farming. For three years, founder Molly Rockamann hosted Pesto Festo – her organization’s main fundraiser – as an indoor shindig here in Ferguson, drawing hundreds of green-minded revelers. But for 2011, she and her “freshman farmies” (a group of 30+ apprentices who work the soil at Ferguson’s Mueller Farm) will be taking their festival outdoors…
It’s this Saturday, July 16, at the Ferguson Farmers Market, and the lineup looks to be super fun. You’ll find yoga classes, live music, informational booths and, of course, a pesto contest. That’s along with all of the usual goodies at the market.
I happen to be one of the judges for the pesto contest, so if you decide that you’d rather not use cilantro in your recipe, just know that my feelings will not be hurt. Hint, hint…
In any case, here are the full details on Pesto Festo. Hope to see you there!
On Saturday, July 16th, EarthDance will be hosting Pesto Festo at the Ferguson Farmers Market. This community celebration of local FARMS—Food, Art, Relationships, Music…Sustainably!—invites all attendants of the farmers market to revel in the basil season and engage in a variety of family-friendly activities that promote both their health and the health of the environment. Highlights of the day’s festival will include a pesto cooking contest, a yoga class, a raw-foods cooking demonstration, and a musical performance from the Folk School. The City of Ferguson has generously agreed to close off Spot Drive for special vendors and educational, interactive booths promoting environmental stewardship and community building.
The Day’s Events
8:00 a.m. Market opens
8:15-9:00 Yoga Class
9:30 Pesto must be registered at the contest booth
10:00-11:00 Pesto Judging
10:00-10:30 Raw-foods cooking demonstration from Operation Food Search
10:30-11:00 STL Hoop Performance
11:00 Pesto Cook-Off winners will be announced
11:05 The Lulu’s from the Folk School will perform
12:00 p.m. Market closes
Pesto Cooking Contest Guidelines
This contest is for pesto sauces, but that will, by no means, limit your creativity! Think kale pesto, cilantro pesto, marjoram pesto, creamy pesto…
- Your pesto sauce and accompanying crudités must be registered at the contest booth by 9:30AM
- Three judges, including Shannon Howard of nocostl.com, will be critiquing your pesto sauce based on presentation, originality, and taste.
- Judges will announce the top three winners at 11:00AM
- The winners will receive $50 (first place), $25 (second place), and $10 (third place) Ferguson Farmers Market bucks, and, the top recipe will be featured at EarthDance’s Farmers Formal on November 5th!
For more information, visit the EarthDance website or contact rachel@earthdancefarms.org.
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K