Columbia University Food Sustainability Project

Composting Instructings - Bins are up and running at the garden!

2011-12-02T13:35:00.003-05:00

- PLEASE READ

What to compost	What not to compost
· Plant based food scraps (including grains) or trimmings · Cleaned and crushed up egg shells · Coffee grounds and tea bags · Leaves, twigs, hay · Animal bedding	· Meat · Dairy products · Grease, fats or oils · Plastic, glass, metal · Paper · Thick Cores/Skins (corn cobs,watermelon husks, etc)

After adding compostable materials, if possible, add some “browns” or dry plant material such as leaves and twigs near the bins. Also, be sure to mix in your compost with the rest of the bins contents. If the bins are full, DO NOT leave food scraps on the ground near the bins, please save in your freezer.

Please and thank you,

Columbia Food Sustainability Project

this is a cool company!

2011-11-17T12:29:00.000-05:00

click the link if interested in the mix of "historical farming techniques with innovative new materials and ecological science to create high-yielding farm ecosystems." =D

UPCOMING EVENTS THAT COULD PROTECT US FROM HYDROFRACKING!

2011-11-17T12:27:00.000-05:00

Protect your drinking water, Protect the DRBC

WHAT IS THE DRBC? The DRBC (Delaware River Basin Commission) was funded by Congress to "protect and manage" the waters of the Delaware River. This watershed provides drinking water to 15.6 million people -- including NYC, Philadelphia, most of South Jersey and almost all of Delaware State. It reaches from upstate New York all the way to Chesapeake Bay. And yet, the DRBC is considering allowing fracking within this singular, pristine, watershed. The Delaware was named the country's most endangered river in 2010 because of this threat.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE SPECTRA PIPELINE? Drillers contracted to supply gas to NYC via the Spectra pipeline would very much like to frack the Delaware River basin. NYC would end up receiving fracked, radioactive gas from areas where drilling will cause irreversible damage to our water supply, and air pollution from these nearby drill sites will be carried to the metro area.

WHEN WILL THEY DECIDE? The DRBC will vote whether or not to allow fracking within the basin next Monday, Nov. 21st. Composed of governor-appointed commissioners from NY, NJ, PA and DE, plus the Army Corps of Engineers as the federal representative, this body needs 3 votes to pass a resolution. NJ and PA will vote pro-fracking. NY and DE very likely will vote against it. That makes the federal government (The Army Corps of Engineers) the deciding factor.

HOW CAN YOU KEEP THE DRBC SAFE? The Army Corps is tallying the number of calls for and against drilling in the Delaware River Basin. If the regulations are passed, fracking can begin in the Delaware River Basin. We must ensure this disaster does not happen. Please call by Friday:

Office of US Army Corps of Engineers
Colonel Christopher Larsen, Commander of the North Atlantic Division, USACE
Phone: 347-370-4501
Email: nad-exec@usace.army.mil

Also please call or write President Obama:
White House Comment Line, until Friday, 9-5 eastern time: 202-456-1111
White House by Email

Be there for the vote: Monday, Nov. 21st in Trenton, N.J. 8 am
Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive Trenton, N.J.

The public is not allowed to comment on the final regulations, but a 2000-seat hall is available to witness the DRBC vote on them. WE ALL NEED TO BE AT THIS MEETING.

Bus and carpool locations can be found by zip code here.

Rally at the meeting: Two training sessions in lawful, peaceful, first amendment activity will be offered Sunday evening, Nov. 20, in Trenton (6:30-9:15 PM) and in NYC (5-7:00 PM). The NYC training will be held at the Rose Auditorium at Cooper Union, 41 Cooper Square (3rd ave between E. 6th St and E. 7th Streets, just southeast of Astor Place). To sign up: Save The Delaware

Other Upcoming Events

Thursday, Nov. 17, 7-8:30pm, free
Cathedral of Saint John, 1047 Amsterdam Ave. at 112th street
A conversation with Maude Barlow, founder of the Blue Planet Project,
and Wenonah Hauter, Director of Food and Water Watch

Friday, Nov. 18th, 6:30pm, free
New York City Friends of Clearwater
Monthly meeting, songfest and potluck dinner
This month, the meeting will include elections for NYCFC officers, then, starting at 8pm, a workshop run by Edie Kantrowitz on how to write letters to the NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation commenting on their fracking SGEIS. We have only until Dec. 12th to send comments to the DEC.

Weds., Nov. 30, Two sessions: 1-4 and 6-9pm
Save the Date: NYC DEC Hearings on fracking
Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers Street, just east of the West Side Highway

Like the FERC process of "reviewing" pipelines, the NY State system for deciding whether or not to frack is a stacked and biased process. Regulations will not protect us from fracking; as with the DRBC, dithering over the distance of setbacks is simply negotiating the circumstances of our own poisoning. The process must be made illegal.

As we did with such great success at the Jersey City and Manhattan Spectra hearings, we must turn out in mass numbers for this DEC (Department of Conservation) hearing. This is the final hearing on the draft SGEIS (Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement) and the only downstate hearing. Please come to testify against the dangers of fracking and to protest the biased regulatory process itself. This is an opportunity to highlight the connection between fracking and pipelines, to reiterate the dangers of radon and toxins to NYC should fracking or new pipelines be allowed.

[courtesy of the Sane Energy Project)

This Saturday - Day of Action against Fracking - Moving Planet NYC Rally

2011-09-19T10:11:00.000-04:00

CDOG /un-naturalgas.org invites you to join the
DAY OF ACTION SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

We are not upstate / downstate. We are not city / country. We are all watersheds, all people, all ecosystems.

We are UNITED against drilling.

On September 24, 2011, throughout the day, communities across NYS and beyond will demonstrate, each in their own unique way and with their own local focus, their opposition to the intensively industrializing process of extracting ‘natural’ gas that threatens the environmental and economic well-being of all residents.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About The Event

Moving Planet is a worldwide rally to move beyond fossil fuels. All over the world, people will take to the streets on bicycles, roller skates, skateboards, on foot and on any other sustainable form of transit they can dream up. We will demonstrate to our governments that a global consensus has formed: we are ready for a world after fossil fuels.

In New York City, we're organizing dozens of community marches and bike rides all over the five boroughs. You can find a march or ride in your neighborhood or create a new one!

These marches begin from noon on and will converge on a 2PM rally at the United Nations' Dag Hammarskjold Plaza on 47th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues in Manhattan.

We'll be joined by top climate scientist Dr. James Hansen, a delegation of indigenous leaders from around the world, local climate leaders like Colin Beavan ("No Impact Man"), and special guests.

The UN General Assembly will be in session at that time debating important resolutions just 2 months before the UN climate summit in Durban and in the critical run-up to Rio +20. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the strength of our movement to both US and world leaders, and to demand real climate solutions!

NYC Moves!

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter and remember to RSVP for the Facebook event!

White Roof Project - event this Sunday

2011-09-19T10:07:00.002-04:00

Dear Blog Friends,

White Roof Project has an exciting event this Sunday. I hope that you might be interested in posting it - or something about our work or the concept - on your blog. Learn more about us HERE.

This Sunday, September 25th, White Roof Project, Fourth Arts Block, Cooper Square Mutual Housing Associate, Local 94 and other partners will put the second layer of 90% solar reflective white coating down on over 35,000 square feet of roof space at East 3rd and 4th Streets at Bowery as part of the creation of an environmental model block project to make the Lower East Side smarter and more sustainable. The "model block" includes over twenty nonprofit, cooperatively owned low-income housing buildings and art spaces. This project will lower energy bills for low-income residents and could potentially reduce the ambient air temperature on the entire block. It is part of White Roof Project's effort to reduce stress on our power grid and combat the Urban Heat Island effect, which is a function of climate change as well as our urban lifestyle. This is the first model block of its kind in New York City.

On Monday, August 22nd, we put the first layer of solar-reflective white coating down on the model block. Check out our pictures and a time series slide show. Read some of the great press we received HERE, HERE and HERE.

Heather B. James
Executive Director | White Roof Project
610 864 1194 | @roofproject

FREE YOGA! Thanks to the Morningside Park Famers Market! Read below for details

2011-07-19T15:18:00.000-04:00

Free Yoga

at the

Morningside Park

(Entrance by the Farmers Market on the corner of 110^th Street & Manhattan Ave.)

Come and shop at the Farmers Market

(9am-5pm every Saturday)

and take a free yoga class with Lara from Land Yoga!

Please bring your own yoga mat!

Every Saturday -

4pm to 5pm

(class will be cancelled if it rains)

Sunflower-power!

2011-07-19T15:11:00.000-04:00

Our garden is so popular! Especially the sunflowers...people are drawn to their beauty! :)

Click the link to see more photos by the same photographer!

And contact ksg2116@columbia.edu (me!) to join us.

Want to know the weather at our garden?

2011-07-19T14:58:00.001-04:00

Check out this weather station at a nearby green roof.
http://128.59.122.78/command=RTMC&screen=Weather%20Station%20Columbia%20University%20%28CU%29

Pictures of the Garden!

2011-07-06T23:58:00.004-04:00

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150237195277284.322240.503872283&l=b421eda380

Cool Food Desert Map!

2011-06-17T13:57:00.000-04:00

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FoodDesert/fooddesert.html

Hot off the press...or server or whatever.

Great article on agriculture and climate change!

2011-06-06T10:18:00.000-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/science/earth/05harvest.html

---pic link goes here---

Cool ways to start your starts

2011-05-03T16:54:00.008-04:00

Hey Gartenkinder,

This week, design blog NOTCOT posted a selection of home and community gardening links. Some of the featured products are great for growing starts, like a $20 hand press for turning regular sheets of newspaper into biodegradable pots. The post is full of cool closeup photos.

Check it out: http://bit.ly/jjC2NX

Great Op-Ed in Washington Post!

2011-05-03T01:32:00.001-04:00

Why being a foodie isn't elitist. by Erik Schlosser author of "Fast Food Nation".

want to grow your own food?? join the Columbia Community Garden this summer!

2011-05-01T10:42:00.000-04:00

If you are interested in working on the garden AT ALL, please fill out this google spreadsheet!

A sneak peak at the sustainable food you could be growing/harvesting/eating - all for FREE!

Sustainability in Photographs

2011-04-13T16:39:00.004-04:00

In the three years since its inception, the Prix Pictet has become the world's leading prize for photography in the field of sustainability. With a prize of CHF 100,000 the international jury honour a photographer whose work artistically presents a convincing narrative about critical environmental issues.

Check it out.

http://www.prixpictet.com/

Morningside Heights CSA (Fall 2011)

2011-04-03T15:48:00.000-04:00

Sign-up for the Morningside Height's CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)!
Pupin Plaza: Saturday, April 23rd, 10am-3pm

Want cheap, healthy, sustainable produce for the entire fall season?
Want to learn how to cook new and exciting veggies?
Want to support a local farm?
...then get a Fall 2011 Farm Share from the Morningside Height's CSA!

Farm Share Details:
- $200 each, for 10-weeks of produce to feed 4 people (that's $5 per person, per week!)
- Optional egg share: 1 dozen eggs, bi-weekly, for an extra $22.50 total
- Pay in cash or check only
- Please have money ready at sign-up
- The first sign up will be at the Earth Week Closing Celebration at the Columbia Community Garden!
(Saturday, April 23rd, 10am-3pm. Pupin Plaza) See below for more details on this event.

Email any questions you may have to morningsideheightscsa@gmail.com

Happy Spring!

EARTH WEEK CLOSING CELEBRATION!

2011-03-31T18:54:00.002-04:00

Columbia University Earth Week 2011
Closing Celebration at the
Columbia Community Garden

The Columbia University Food Sustainability Project,
& Postcrypt Folk Arts Underground invite YOU to come help us in the garden, in exchange for some sustainable food from local, and acoustic tunes provided by the Columbia Bluegrass Band, and the Bach Society.

Saturday, April 23^rd10am-3pm
Pupin Plaza

GIVE BACK to the community

CELEBRATE our hard work
EDUCATE, or LEARN
DANCE!

Eco-Farming Can Double Food Production In 10 Years, Says New UN Report

2011-03-28T12:36:00.001-04:00

Eco-Farming Can Double Food Production In 10 Years, Says New UN Report

Greenpeace Ship in NYC this Weekend

2011-02-05T14:16:00.004-05:00

This weekend the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise will be in New York City. And they're giving free tours! The appearance is part of Greenpeace's latest campaign to spread awareness of the environmental hazards of coal and to push for clean renewable energy. They're calling it the Coal Free Future Tour.

From the Greenpeace website:

"The tour began in Wilmington, NC, and plans to stop in Philadelphia, PA; New York, NY; Boston MA, with a few more potential stops along the way. The tour is bringing together communities and energizing and supporting local campaigns. A variety of activities are planned at each stop, including free open boat tours, non-violent protest trainings, codmmunity meetings, and candlelight vigils.

"Pollution from coal-fired power plants is responsible for 13,200 deaths, 20,000 heart attacks, 217,600 asthma attacks, and 1,627,800 lost work days a year. And coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of global warming pollution in the US."

Here’s what the schedule looks like...

Free Open Boat Tours
Chelsea Piers at Pier 59 (11th Ave and W 17th St by the Chelsea Golf Club)

*Sat 2/5 - Open Boat 10-4pm (w/ Flux Factory)
*Sun 2/6 - Open Boat 10-4pm (w/ Flux Factory)
*Mon 2/7 - Open Boat 12-6pm (w/ Flux Factory)
Thur 2/10 - Open Boat 12-6pm
Fri 2/11 - Open Boat 12-6pm

(RSVP Recommended)

[via Greenpeace.org]

CUFSP Meeting Recap 1/25

2011-01-26T13:10:00.002-05:00

Hey CUFSPers!

Thanks for another great meeting last night -- we had a number of new members (exciting!!), and everyone came with such great ideas and excitement.

A few announcements from meeting:
------------------------------

-
1. Special Guest Speaker at next week's meeting!
We are very excited that Jeff Deasy, CEO and President of American Feast (Specialty Foods/Sustainable Slow Food Products), will be attending our next meeting to give a presentation on his experience founding and running a small, eco-friendly business in an economy that is driven by big business, which tends to value profit over sustainability and ethics. His talk will be followed by a Q&A period. He will also be speaking about an internship opportunity, so all who are interested in interning at a sustainable foods business should attend this event to find out more information on how to apply! The event will be held in Hamilton, Room 511, from 8:30-9:30 PM, Tuesday, February 1st

2. BEE COMMITTEE MEETING - Tonight at 9pm, 401 Hamilton (and all Wednesday's to follow)
At this meeting, the bee team will be meeting with College Beekeepers, an organization that helps colleges develop beekeeping projects on/off campus, and discussing how to move forward with the project. If you are interested in joining this committee, please email Patricia Sazani at patriciasazani@gmail.com, or just show up to the meeting!

3. Spring Break CUFSP WWOOF TripOn of our members, Rose, is organizing a farming opportunity for spring break, at a small organic farm (WITH SHEEP!) in upstate NY, and is gathering initial interest before moving forward with the program. The woman who owns the farm will feed all who help for the 4-5 day period, and provide housing/accomodations of course. If this sounds appealing to you (no commitment necessary at this point), email Rose at rad2147@barnard.edu
4. Earth Week Brainstorming
Please continue to think about how CUFSP can participate in Earth Week this year! Last night we discussed having a garden "first planting" celebration with the Columbia Bluegrass band, sustainable catering (from campus groups), and education on food sustainability. We also discussed collaborating with other groups to create a guide to sustainable living that is specific to Columbia University, and joining the Ecoreps in their "eco-polluza" event, perhaps selling or raffling off various herb seedlings/plants. Continue to bring your ideas to meetings, or email me about this!

5. Additional Updates:
-We completed our Vertical Farming prototype last Sunday, it is now in Tina and Ana's dorm on the Brooks Hall eco-floor in Barnard. Let us know if you want to take a visit to see it.

-We will be setting up 7 new worm bins in the next few weeks, with a total increase of 4 lbs. of worms, and 2lbs./week of food waste turned into priceless compost!

-We will be making CUFSP shirts/canvas bags out of sustainable dies (perhaps indigo!), stay tuned for more information, or let us know if you have any experience/access to silk-screening equipmentnatural dies.

-We recently ordered seeds from the Hudson Valley Seed Library (and gained membership there!) to start in the greenhouse:
*Ideal Market Green Bean
*Danvers Carrot
*Catskill Brussel Sprouts
*Black Beauty Eggplant
*Sugar Baby Watermelon
*Jimmy Nardello's Sweet Pepper
*Early Wonder Tall Top Beet
*Muncher Cucumber
*Cosmonaut Volkov Tomato
*New Yorker Tomato
If you have any additional crop requests -- please email your requests to our garden manager, Madeline Pantalena, at mvp2115@barnard.edu
------------------------------ or making -

That's all for this week -- I hope to see you at our meeting next week, with our special guest, Jeff Deasy.

Peace, love, and gardens,
Kristina Gsell
SEAS 2012, Earth and Environmental Engineering
CUFSP President

USDA Fires Organic Farming Specialist for Expressing Opinions

2011-01-19T12:47:00.000-05:00

Jeff Deasy, owner of American Feast (a sustainable foods business and website), has just written an articel for AlterNet, entitled "USDA Fires Organic Farming Specialist for Expressing Opinions." He brought 20 years of experience in organic farming to his government service and he had played a key role in the development of the USDA's organic standards.

Click here for the full article.

We are excited to invite Jeff to come speak with the club about his experience running an eco-friendly business! Stay tuned for more info.

10 Foodie Subcultures

2011-01-19T12:06:00.002-05:00

It's our natural instinct to crave and adore food, but some people have a greater affinity for the items that nourish our bodies more than others. We call these people foodies. Foodies are food aficionados, who love to eat, cook, study and talk about food on the regular. Foodies often fit into their own subculture of enthusiasts, who share a similar likening for a particular cuisine, drink or diet. Check out these 10 foodie subcultures that are truly fascinating:

Locavores: Locavores are foodies who strive to eat only foods grown locally, specifically within a 100-mile radius of their home. Locavores believe that buying local and/or organic food is better for your health, the environment and it supports local businesses. It originally began as a San Francisco-area challenge, but has recently been adopted by people around the country as a healthier and more responsible way of eating. Locavores encourage people to shop at farmers' markets before going to grocery stores can, and, if you're going to go out to eat, then choose restaurants that use local foods in their dishes.
Raw Foodists: Raw foodism is a fascinating diet and foodie subculture that promotes eating uncooked food for optimal health benefits. Those who follow the raw food diet stand by the scientific findings that cooking destroys enzymes and nutrients in food. Their diet consists of 75 to 100 percent live, organic uncooked and unprocessed foods, including raw meat, vegetables, fruits and dairy. This foodie subculture is particularly fascinating because they strive to eat food in its purest state and have reverted back to a primal diet.
Adventurous Eaters: Adventurous eaters, like the Gastronauts club, aren't afraid to eat weird foods from around the world. These brave souls scope out the rarest and most peculiar foods they can find and eat what most people wouldn't dare touch. This foodie subculture is truly fascinating because they display an open-mindedness and willingness to try all types of food, regardless if it crawls or not.
Road Trips for Foodies: These foodies combine their love for traveling and food by hitting the road to find the best eats around the country and the world. Whether they are traveling to Portugal for chocolate, England for ales or to Canada for bannock, this foodie subculture goes far and wide to eat well. Road Trips for Foodies and other traveling foodie clubs are fascinating because they love food so much that they will plan a whole trip around eating.
State Fair Food: From corn dogs, fried Twinkies to funnel cakes, state fair food has been a fan favorite among kids, families and even foodies. From a culinary perspective, state fairs produce some of the most innovative and creative foods around the country. Foodies who crave some nostalgia can get their fix eating their favorite childhood snacks while playing games and riding rollercoasters.
Competitive Eaters: Stuffing your mouth full of hot dogs, meatballs and hot wings may not seem like a typical foodie event, but these competitors, and those who watch them, love food to the extreme. Sure, they are competing for cash prizes and the bragging rights, but this subculture of foodies has a deep appreciation for food, digestion and the sport of eating.
Fruitarians: Fruitarians practice a vegan diet that consists of only eating fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables and grains. Fruitarians tend to have different definitions and practices. For example, some fruitarians only eat foods that fall naturally from a plant, while others do not eat grains because they think it's unnatural. This unique foodie subculture is fascinating because they are truly in tune with what they are eating and how it affects their body.
International Chili Society: Chili cookoffs are no joke to the International Chili Society. Not only does the ICS host and judge the biggest and best chili cookoffs and festivals in the world, but they also foster new business opportunities and promote the cooking and enjoyment of chili around the world. These diehard foodies have to be commended for their competitive spirit and undying love for a good bowl of chili.
Micro Beer Club: Even though beer is not a food, its fans would beg to differ. Not only is beer one of the world's oldest alcoholic beverages, but it has a following unlike any other food group. Beer lovers around the world attend breweries, beer festivals and are beer club members so they can share their knowledge and love for beer with others. The Micro Beer Club even sends members different beers to try every month to expand their tastes and keep them up to date on the latest beer crazes.
National Barbeque Association: The National Barbeque Association is home to a community of BBQ fanatics who want to share their love for this finger lickin' good stuff. These foodies also have a genuine interest in the BBQ business and how the delicious food impacts communities around the country. As with chili, barbeque cookoffs are nationwide and draw huge crowds of foodies who want to try all the rubs, marinades and sauces known to mankind.

9 Celebrity Chefs Who Skipped Culinary School

2011-01-12T17:15:00.000-05:00

Hi Kristina & CUFSP,

We at onlinecollege.org recently came across your blog and were excited to share with you an article “9 Celebrity Chefs Who Skipped Culinary School” was recently published on our blog at (http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/01/11/9-celebrity-chefs-who-skipped-culinary-school/), and we hoped that you would be interested in featuring or mentioning it in one of your posts.

It has been a sincere pleasure to read your great content.

Thanks for your time,
Kaitlyn cole

NYC Gets Biotech Hacker Space Open to All

2010-12-23T02:16:00.004-05:00

Want to genetically engineering your own breed of superkale to plant in the garden this spring, but your professor won't let you use the PCR machine on the weekends? Check out Genspace, an open-to-the-public biolab starting up in Brooklyn with a hands-on genetics class this January (I think). This place looks way better equipped than that mobile meth lab they found parked down the street from my old house. It was recently profiled in Wired Magazine. Here's a snippet from the report by Dave Mosher in Wired Science:

Out of concerns for bioterrorism and illegal drug production, the FBI and New York Police Department were initially alarmed by the idea of a public biotech lab in they city. But Grushkin [Genspace co-founder Dan Gruskhkin] said a lot of sit-down meetings with the agencies have convinced them.
"The FBI now uses pictures of our space to show people what a [methamphetamine] drug lab doesn't look like," Grushkin said. One of the FBI contacts even showed up at the grand opening last week to congratulate Grushkin.
Genspace's seven current lab members already have projects underway, including a bacteria-powered arsenic-detection kit and a biofuel algae experiment (part of a collaboration with startup Bodega Algae). Grushkin plans to create transgenic, multicolored microganisms that will "race" across a growth plate, primarily for fun but also for educational purposes. Jorgensen wants to use the new space to support personal genetic testing.

Check out Specialty Foods Sustainable/Sustainable Slow Foods Products from American Feast

2010-12-13T12:07:00.000-05:00

"Fine Foods from America's Creative Kitchens and Family Farms delivered to your door!"

Specialty Foods - American Feast

Dear Visitor,

Welcome to American Feast. Our new company is dedicated to presenting our customers with the best possible selection of specialty foods from all regions of the United States. We want to give our customers the best of American fare for the joy of home cooking and entertaining family and friends.

We believe that the great variety and superb quality of American foods deserve recognition among the world's best. Working to perfect our mix through an ongoing hunt for the best of American foods will continue for the life of our company. Cooking enthusiasts will find an entertaining mix of unique foods that are just not available at local stores. Along with offering very special foods we intend to provide our visitors with a continuous stream of useful information for preparing distinctive meals and selecting foods with great health benefits.

American Feast champions food from sustainable farms over food from factories and slow food over fast food. The company seeks natural products from America's family farms and the family-owned businesses that create specialty foods from their own recipes. By working with entrepreneurial families the company delivers an imaginative mix from the bounty of American agriculture and culinary delights from the country's most creative kitchens.

We are enthusiastic about steadily advancing our own knowledge of American foods by working with our Advisor Chef Jesse Frost, preparing meals, doing research, attending cooking classes and listening to our customers. If you would like to share some of your knowledge with us or make any comment on our offerings we'd love to hear from you. If you have something you want to share you can email me at jdeasy@americanfeast.com.

Thanks for visiting and have fun with some great American food!

Jeff Deasy
President & CEO

20 Great TED Talks for Total Foodies

2010-12-13T11:47:00.003-05:00

Vertical Farming!

2010-12-01T23:18:00.001-05:00

Check out this video about a vertical setup at a zoo in England. Very cool.

3 Awesome Events Coming Up!

2010-11-03T12:15:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, hope that you all had a great fall break!
Come check out CUFSP at any or all of these events coming up:

1)Vertical Farming Committee Planning Session: TONIGHT (Wednesday) from 7-8 pm in the ADP House (526 W 114 St). Come help us determine what work needs to be done for our proposal to demonstrate a vertical farming scheme in Lerner Hall, and to install our first apparatus in one of our dorms! We will be "dividing and conquering" all of these tasks, so the more people who help, the better!

2) EcoReps/Greenborough Delish-a-thon: Come support CUFSP's Team (Team Super Kale) in this sustainable foods cook off, this Thursday, November 4th. We will be cooking in room 4R Potluck House (606 114th St) from 6-7:30pm, if you want to lend a hand -- or just come to the event at 7:30-10pm in Greenborough House (604 114th St) to try our dish (and all the others)! Admission is one non-perishable food item to be donated to Broadway Presbyterian Food Pantry, get their early while the food lasts.

3) Wormshop -- Part 1: This Sunday, November 7^th, 12 – 1 pm, John Jay Lounge

Want to turn pounds of food waste into priceless vermi-compost?

Want to learn about mother nature’s best recyclers?

Then join the CU Food Sustainability Project in our

Worm Composting Informational Demonstration

Tell all your friends, bring anyone who you think may be interested. There is no commitment necessary to attend this, it is purely informational and will allow you to make your decision on getting a worm composting bin of your own.

Hope to see you guys at any of these, but if not, I'll see you Tuesday (8:30 in 304 Hamilton) at our meeting!

Peace, love, and gardens,

Kristina

A Rain Garden is Coming to Russell Courtyard, Teachers College

2010-11-03T11:53:00.002-04:00

Here's a copy of the article:

"TC Awarded the $10,000 FilterForGood Eco-Challenge Grant

TC has been chosen as one of five schools across the nation to receive the 2010 $10,000 FilterForGood Eco-Challenge Grant from Brita, Inc. Colin Schumacher, a M.A. candidate in Inclusive Elementary Education and teacher at the Rita Gold Early Childhood Center, received the grant on behalf of the Teachers College Go Green Committee. The grant will be used to construct a rain garden demonstration site in TC’s Russell Courtyard, which will include an array of native plant species, a composting center, rain collection barrels and children’s mosaics created in collaboration with the Art and Art Education Program.

Rain gardens collect water from surrounding rooftops and use the root systems of native plants to absorb storm water and filter it from pollutants. In New York City, “storm water washes across miles of concrete, carrying with it transportation chemicals, salt and numerous other pollutants,” Schumacher says. “With water treatment facilities exceeding capacity, every year billions of gallons of untreated storm water and raw sewage are released into nearby watersheds. Rain gardens, green roofs and public parks are all essential components to a comprehensive storm water management plan for New York City.”

Schumacher has been involved in educating the community about environmental sustainability since he enrolled at Teachers College in the spring of 2008. At that time, he founded a community garden which has since been cared for and maintained by the preschool children of the Rita Gold Center. Schumacher plans to collaborate with elementary school teachers to “design and teach curriculum on storm water runoff and rain garden ecology.” Participating classrooms will have the opportunity to design tiles for the Russell Courtyard garden under the guidance of TC artists.

Plans for the garden are already underway, with instillation of the garden structure scheduled to begin in early April. The native plants and children’s art will be installed in late May following commencement.

For more information about the rain garden, or to get involved, please e-mail Colin Schumacher at cjs2149@columbia.edu. For more information about the Go Green Committee, please contact me at gogreentc@gmail.com or visit our website http://blogs.tc.columbia.edu/gogreen.

As always, keep it green!"

Teachers College will also be putting in children's garden soon (16 large square planters and a dozen window box planters),
Stay tuned for more information on how to help out!

Almost Half of the Food in the US is Wasted!

2010-11-01T21:40:00.003-04:00

Check out this NY Times article on food waste.

Just Food and Partners Announce Launch of Farm School NYC: The New York City School of Urban Agriculture

2010-10-26T11:11:00.003-04:00

You can now become a certified urban farmer!

A Floating Urban Farm

2010-10-19T20:22:00.010-04:00

Last weekend, Sam, Patricia and I went to visit the Science Barge in Yonkers, NY.

The Science Barge is a prototype sustainable urban farm floating on the Hudson River. About an acre of food can grow on the barge without any pesticides, runoff, or carbon emissions. The energy needed to power the Barge comes from solar panels, wind turbines, and biofuels. Hydroponic and aeroponic growing methods are used in the greenhouse, using solely collected rainwater and purified river water. Thus, the Barge is completely off the grid.

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants in mineral nutrient solutions in water, usually without soil. Usually, a pump is needed to circulate the solutions, which can require a good deal of energy. The Barge had a number of different hydroponic systems, and it was interesting to see their different requirements and yields.

The pumpless window farm, modeled after the instructions from windowfarms.org (http://www.windowfarms.org/), did not have a pump at all. Though this used the least energy, Gwen, the greenhouse specialist, expressed that they have had some problems with this system.

Their most successful system was an energy-intensive gutter-like system that required constant pumping. Special solutions were prepared for different parts of a plant's life cycle. This was the most efficient on a large-scale, and when the required energy was available (and sustainable!). They also had an energy-intensive pumped viney-plant system.

They used an aeroponic system that was connected to a fish tank. The fish's waste provided the nutrients for the plants, and the plants filtered the water.

The VertiGrow system only needed to be pumped once a day and was more reliable than the Window Farm system. They suggested we explore this method in our pursuit of hydroponics. And we will.

The Barge has volunteer hours and visiting hours every weekend! For more information, go to http://www.groundworkhv.org/programs/environmental-education/science-barge/ .

Peace,
Mara

FALL WORK DAY THIS SUNDAY - CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!

2010-10-15T16:51:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone,

We need your help this Sunday, from 10am-1pm, for one of our final workdays of the season!

List of Tasks:

-Planting our cover crops (Austrian Snow Peas, Hairy Vetch, Winter Rye)

-Planting garlic (to be harvested next summer)

-Making a Scarecrow! Bring CLOTHES to donate to him! (Pants, boots, straw hat?)

-Building a lid for our outdoor compost bin/attaching a latch for the door

-Making a permanent sign for the garden, that will be securely staked into the ground

-Harvesting lots and lots of herbs and broccoli!

This workday will also be a Potluck!

The forecast says 67 and Sunny, so come enjoy one of the last warm days of the year at the garden! :)

Hope to see you soon, for part, or all of the event.

Cheers,

Kristina

Check out eco-ideas.net, a "hub for striking and fun ideas that make a green difference"!

2010-10-13T15:56:00.003-04:00

CUFSP has been invited to share our own ideas/videos on the site, so keep this in mind as we proceed with all of our awesome projects this year!

Here's some more information about the site:
"Want to learn how to build a house out of six million empty beer bottles or grill a
chicken in 14 minutes using only mirrors? Then come to eco-ideas.net/, a global environmental
communication portal launched by Panasonic as part of its commitment to promote the power of
ideas and to accelerate the shift to greener lifestyles.
URL: http://eco-ideas.net/

Learn how your everyday lifestyle choices impact the environment and make a difference by joining
other like-minded individuals and undertaking eco-actions. See the impact your eco-actions make
every day and introduce your friends and family with facebook and twitter so they can visualize their
impacts too.

Join our ecoideasnet Facebook page to discuss ecoideas from around the world. Starting February
12th our first theme will be “Olympics and Sports”.
URL: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ecoideasnet/153887611624?ref=mf

“We want the world to know how simple ideas for life can change the world,” says Hisao Tsugita, a
spokesperson for the Panasonic supported website. “Ideas for shifting our lifestyles are being born
everyday, everywhere, so why not have fun sharing and turning them into reality?”

Features of ecoideasnet:
• Eco Lifestyle Blog features and introduces inspiring eco ideas from around the world
through video clips and pictures.
• Eco+You lets you record your eco-friendly actions and see the results for five categories
(Energy, CO2, Water, Waste, and Community). Small changes in your daily life can create
big changes in the world we live in.
• Panasonic Eco Update consists of daily eco activities news from Panasonic locations
around the world. Panasonic will engage in eco-friendly actions with members of
ecoideasnet."

Urban Ag at The New School

2010-09-30T12:50:00.003-04:00

This Friday, The New School is opening what looks like a very cool exhibit on urban agriculture. The opening reception is Thursday from 6.30 - 8.30pm, but the exhibit will last through December 15th. Check it out!

Our final harvest at the garden! (& new meeting time 8:30-9:30 )

2010-09-28T14:29:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped on Sunday, it was so great to share the harvest with all of our dedicated members! :)

Here are some pictures, in case you missed it!

Madeline (one of our new garden managers!) and I, what proud harvesters we are!

You all look so great in the garden!

Diggg!

Our many many delicious eggplants

We let this squash plant stay, so the fruit can grow bigger before we cut it

The many colors of our harvest.
Beans, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, kale, tomatillos, and more!

For a full list of the fall harvest (so far), check out this doc, made by Neil, our inventory manager.

Quick announcement: our meetings are now from 8:30-9:30, in room 304 Hamilton, still on Tuesday nights. Hope to see you there!

Peace, love, and gardens,

Kristina

Harvest is Here!

2010-09-25T13:20:00.008-04:00

Hey team, come on down to the garden for the final harvest of the season! We'll be working Sunday morning from ten til one. There's a forest of kale and giant sunflowers all ready to be picked, so there's lots to do for everyone.

And in celebration of the season's produce and everyone's hard work, CUFSP will be having a harvest potluck Sunday evening from five to seven back in the garden. Make your favorite dish and bring your favorite fork and bowl and join us! If you're feeling particularly spirited, bring an instrument along too - there might be even be an impromptu jam sess if we're lucky...

Also these sweatshirts are sweet! CUFSP team hoodies?

Community Garden featured in National TV Show "Phil's Food Sense"

2010-09-22T11:45:00.000-04:00

Check out CUFSP members (Jules Dubzilla Caldarera, Sophie Gloeckler , Neil McCormack , and I) working in the Columbia Community Garden -- around second 15-30 of the video on local food!

The full show will air on WLIW (Channel 21) on October 30 at 11:30AM!

TOMORROW! Come Plant TC's Rain Garden - 11am - Russell Courtyard

2010-09-16T01:26:00.002-04:00

Join Us to Plant the Rain Garden!
Tomorrow! Thursday, September 16 - 11am - Russell Courtyard.

A variety of native plants have arrived for the newly constructed rain garden in the Russell Courtyard.
Rain gardens are designed to reduce pollution associated with urban storm water runoff by harnessing and filtering large volumes of rainwater.

Help us bring sustainabeautility to Teachers College

The Russell Courtyard Rain Garden, Composting Project, and Vegetable Garden are projects of the GoGreen Committee at Teachers College,
made possible by a Brita Filter for Good Grant and the generous support of the College.

Community Garden member Kyle Bukhari starts a "Guerilla Garden" on his rooftop

2010-09-06T14:47:00.000-04:00

Inspired by working on our ground-level garden at Columbia, Kyle wanted to start a garden closer to home -- right on his rooftop on the lower east side. Not only did it beautify the space, but it supplied him with some fresh, locally grown produce! Here are some pictures of what he's done:

Next week: daily gardening work sesisons to show the new students what we're all about!

2010-08-27T15:19:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! As promised, here's some more information on next week's daily garden work sessions (Sunday-Friday). We are going to show the new students just how much we dig gardens! :)

Schedule:

Sunday, August 29th: 5:00-7:00pm
Monday, August 30th: 5:30-7:30pm
at 6:00 Philip J. Marshall will be coming to take pictures of us in action at the garden, to use for a new show he is developing for Maryland Public Television on Food Sustainibility with Philip Lempert (Television & Radio News Reporter/ Newspaper Columnist/ Author/ Consumerologist/ Food Marketing Exper), Aka "The Supermarket Guru." The show is scheduled to air nationally on October 22nd on Maryland Public Television, and our pictures will be used as an example of an urban garden!
Tuesday, August 31st: 5:00-7:00pm
Wednesday, September 1st: 4:00-6:00pm
Thursday, September 2nd: 4:00-6:00pm
Friday, September 3rd: 10am-12pm (tentative, only if needed)

Location: For those of you who haven't been there, the garden is located on the Northwest corner of campus, closest address would be 120th and Broadway, but it is easier to get to by entering at 116th and walking North up "West Walk." The garden is in between Dodge Fitness Center and Pupin Hall (the physics building) -- you can't miss it, just look for the sunflowers shining heads up in the sky!

Activities: Include planting seeds (chicory, a lettuce that can grow in colder weather ), inoculating logs with mushroom plug spawn, weeding, thinning, harvesting, painting signs, and tending to/assessing compost bins.

Come for as much time as you want, all volunteers are welcome! Bring friends, family, or anyone else who may want to come check it out! Thanks, and hope to see you soon.

Peace, love, and gardens,

Kristina Gsell (CUFSP President)

100 Ways You Can Have a More Sustainable Table

2010-08-27T12:53:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone at Massagetherapyschools.net for sharing this article!

You win some, you lose some...

2010-08-20T14:40:00.009-04:00

...but luckily for us, most of our crops have been a success this summer!

Here are some pictures that I've taken of the garden and our crops throughout July & August, enjoy!

Also, see below for a full garden update and announcements about future events.

Yoni with his victory garlic and onion, it was our first time planting garlic, and it turned out great!

what a great pair :)

black beauty

sweet, sweet CORN (fertilized with vermi-compost, NOT anhydrous ammonia :))

prize carrots (red dragon and orange)

a whole, well-balanced meal that Mara and I prepared after a work day in the garden! Corn, beans, kale, chard, garlic, and onion -- all we needed was a splash of olive oil, and our meal was complete :)

Curly Kale, one of our most plentiful crops of the season

One of the many beautiful Zinnea varieties

cherry tomatoes, on the vine

Garden Updates:

1) We will be innoculating logs with our Shiitake mushroom plug spawn, next week during our NSOP garden work days!

2) We've recently started adding garden waste (tops of root crops, prunings, etc) to our new compost bin, and we will notify when we are ready to invite students to add their food scraps.

3) We are experimenting with seed saving this season, and so far have harvested a bounty of sunflower seeds, corn kernels, pepper seeds, and are going to harvest basil seeds, and mustard seeds soon!

4) On a sadder note ... we've experienced a repeated act of "vandalism" the past few weeks in the garden -- the hose has been found left running in a corner in the northeast plot, which both wastes water, and floods the garden bed (this can lead to fungus, mildew, rot and other diseases).

If you did this (by mistake or otherwise) please know that it is not beneficial for the garden, or sustainable for the planet!

On that note, if anyone is passing by the garden and notices this, please be kind enough to shut off the water spigot, thanks so much!

5) Also, we have had difficulty with our broccoli and cauliflower crops (they are not producing flowers in the center -- the part that is edible) -- if anyone has information on how we can mitigate this, please advise! Thanks!

5) STAY TUNED: Late next week (Friday perhaps), and daily the week of Sunday, August 29th (NSOP week), we will be having garden work days in order to welcome the new students to campus, during which we will:
-innoculate logs
-harvest seeds
-plant Arugula and Winter Squash!
-paint sign to put near hose
-repair our Garden Rules sign
-tend to compost?

I will post more details shortly, when we know the specifics! It should be either morning or evening work days (about 2 hours per day), so that we beat the heat!

Peace, love, and gardens,

Kristina

Our blog was listed in an article on the top 100 green blogs for students!

2010-08-15T21:09:00.002-04:00

Here's a link to the rest of the article, if you want to check out any of the other 99 blogs!

50 Best Twitter Feeds To Stay On Top Of Green News

2010-08-12T09:54:00.000-04:00

Summer's Bounty!

2010-07-06T20:06:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, here's a quick update on some crops that are ready to harvest:

- Garlic: (next to the main herb garden) bulbs with 4 or less green leaves (this is most of them) can be pulled out and eaten fresh
- Zucchini: (next to the potato towers in the NE plot) these will be ready soon, cut individual fruits when they are ~6 inches long
- Beets: (in SE plot) pull out when they are a few inches in diameter (to your liking) -- you can also eat the greens
- Kale/Chard/Collards: (in both eastern plots) cut individual leaves, leaving a few inches of the stem at the bottom
- Carrots (in SE plot): pull out the biggest ones (usually the ones with the largest foliage), there are orange/red varieties!
- Red Onions (next to potato towers in NE plot): pull out the biggest ones
- ALL LETTUCE -- it is getting bitter, so try a piece before taking full heads (if it is all bitter, just leave and we will compost it)
- Beans (in SE and NE plots near the corn): pull off the biggest ones, be careful not to pull off entire stems
- Tomatoes (all plots): there are a few that are almost ready, pick off when ripe (deep orange/red color)
- Prune Herbs (any that are >6 inches tall) and use for tea/cooking -- this also promotes leaf growth on the herbs

**When you go to harvest, do some weeding (near plants is where it counts the most) while you're at it, then reward yourself with the summer's bounty!**

Another quick reminder to all the summer waterers: with this heat it is essential to water deeply, everyday, so if you can't water on your day, please contact me (516-554-2082, ksg2116@columbia.edu) or Sam (303-725-9471, scs2166@columbia.edu) and we will try to find a backup.

Upcoming projects: let me know if you're interesting in helping out with any of these!
-finishing touches on the outdoor compost bin
-growing shitake mushrooms
-mounting the signs (or at least the one with the community garden rules)?
-re-mulching the paths to keep down weeds
-planting new seeds :)

Thanks!

Peace & Love,

Kristina

Garden Update!

2010-07-02T12:38:00.006-04:00

Dear garden lovers,

I just got back to NY after being away for ~1 month, and I am amazed at how big the garden is getting!! I wanted to post some pictures to show you all some of the progress this season, and let everyone know I will be working in the garden for an impromptu work day tomorrow (Saturday July 3rd) at 12:00 to ~3 pm! Feel free to stop by if you can, but if not, I will be posting a list of more tasks / things to harvest so you an come by on your free time.

Here are some pics:

Some tomatoes, eggplants, basil, sunflowers, and 3-sisters!

Herb garden!

Beautiful insect- attracting flowers (including calendula & argostemma) around a tomato plant

do your job bee! :)

One of our potato towers is showing some nice growth!

The first few zucchini of the year

3 sisters ... these have a special popping corn variety!

More herbs .. get some edible chamomile flowers while they're here! they are great in salads or tea!

(Me and Stephanie basking in the garden's glory)

Hope to see you soon! Enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having :)

Peace & Love,

Kristina

Sonoma County planted over 600 waterwise food gardens in a single weekend

2010-05-20T17:16:00.005-04:00

MAY 15-16, 2010

SONOMA COUNTY RESIDENTS FAR SURPASSED THE INITIAL GOAL OF 350 GARDENS AND JOINED TOGETHER IN SERVICE, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY ACTION

SONOMA COUNTY, CA— Sonoma County championed the largest mass garden mobilization in California this past weekend with over 600 new and revitalized gardens to link local food production and carbon savings. Far surpassing the original goal of 350 new and revitalized gardens across the county, the 350 Garden Challenge weekend will have enduring effects for local food security, health, and community education.

Organized by Daily Acts, iGROW Sonoma, GoLocal, and Living Mandala, the initiative was sponsored by the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) and the cities of Windsor, Sebastopol, and Cotati, with all the cities of Sonoma County in support. Organic and waterwise gardening sequesters carbon, produces food, increases physical and emotional health, and builds community. Weekend highlights included a container garden installation at the Board of Supervisors’ office, two laundry-to-landscape greywater systems, tens of thousands of square feet of lawn transformations, hundreds of wine barrel container gardens installed in low-income communities, and educational workshops on sheet mulching, greywater systems, raised bed construction, drip irrigation, and ecological design.

Dozens of local businesses supported the challenge with thousands of dollars in sponsorship, $10,000 worth of donated materials, and discount coupons for participants. Community organizations supported the challenge by hosting workshops and garden installations before and throughout the weekend.

Laundry-to-landscape greywater system installed by North Bay Institute of Green Technology, an organization which provides green-collar job training for at-risk youth.
Dozens of volunteers transformed hundreds of square feet of lawn at “Community Market,” a locally-owned natural food store.

The West County Community Seed Bank and dozens of volunteers planted a new community “seed garden” to grow and share regional, open-pollinated, pesticide and GMO-free seeds.
On a single block of five garden projects, sixty volunteers contributed over 200 hours of volunteer time to turn 3,000 square feet of lawn into a waterwise and edible landscape, install raised beds, and regenerate a community garden for seniors.

A workshop educated over 30 volunteers about Permaculture, an ecological design system that grows food for people by working with nature. The workshop culminated in a lawn transformation that will harvest roof-water to irrigate berry bushes and increase water storage capacity onsite.
Over 40 volunteers sheet mulched a section of lawn at Petaluma City Hall and over twenty volunteers sheet mulched 2,000 square feet of lawn at the Petaluma Library in preparation for a waterwise children’s garden.

Laundry-to-landscape greywater installation and workshop at Golden Nectar Farm.
Workday at Windsor Town Green Community Garden and drip irrigation workshop by renowned author and Drip Irrigation expert Robert Kourik.

The 350 Garden Challenge is inspired in part by the 350.org international campaign to find and implement solutions to climate change, rooted in the philosophy that growing food is one of the most influential actions each individual can take towards building a more sustainable future and combatting climate change.

In cooperation,
Erin Axelrod (Previous CUFSP community garden digger-in-chief, currently residing in California and attempting to save the world, one garden at a time)

66 Things You Can Can Grow At Home: In Containers, Without a Garden

2010-04-29T15:17:00.001-04:00

I "stumbled" on this, looks cool! click on the link for more info

The Green Team wins "Veggie Award" at cook-off yesterday!

2010-04-26T09:19:00.003-04:00

The Green Team: Josh, Sarah, Alex, and Hannah!

Congratulations Green Team for winning the "Veggie Award" in the FEED club's Top Chef cook-off yesterday! They made a frittata with spinach, brown rice, and fresh parsley from the garden! Also, they were the only group to use seasonal produce!

We even got to advertise a little, and some people left with newly started plants (herbs, flowers, and tomatoes, peppers)!

EARTH WEEK GARDEN PARTY, NEXT SAT

2010-04-18T13:08:00.003-04:00

Want to help support sustainable, organic agriculture, right here on campus?!?

Come help us at the Columbia Community Garden, located in Pupin Plaza,

at our EARTH WEEK WORK PARTY
next SATURDAY, APRIL 24 at 10:00 AM!

We will have some food (potluck style), music, and MANY fun garden activities (including transplanting, planting, and painting!) for everyone to take part in!

THIS

COULD

BE

YOU!

CUFSP Members visit Hilltop Hanover Farm/Environmental Center

2010-04-18T13:01:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, 6 of us (Josh, Venus, Me, Andrew, Michelle, and Anne) went to Hilltop Hanover Farm/Environmental Center, where Michelle has worked before and will be interning this summer. For more info on the farm, visit their website. Here are some pics from the magical day!

Also, a special thanks to Hilltop Hanover for donating some starts for beets, collard greens, lavender kale, swiss chard, and red onions!

2010-03-24T15:58:00.001-04:00

Is it time for concerned NYC people to build an effective foodshed protection movement?

2010-03-17T17:57:00.002-04:00

King Corn/Big River Screening this Friday! Q&A With Producer Curt Ellis!

2010-02-23T18:29:00.000-05:00

WORM COMPOST - INFORMATIONAL SESSION FRIDAY AT 4 IN GREENBOROUGH

2010-02-11T01:09:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the snow :)

The second-wave of wormshops is starting this Friday, February 12th, at 4:00 PM in the Greenborough house basement!

Greenborough is located at 604 114^th St, between Broadway and Riverside.

This will be an informational session, for anyone who is interesting in having a worm composting bin, and/or wants to learn more about worm composting in general!

wormies!

Hope to see you there, it should be a lot of fun!

Peace, love, and gardens,

Kristina

my worm compost bin,
( decorated with mandalas, of course :D )

Job Opportunity!

2010-02-07T17:49:00.000-05:00

Markets and Community Outreach Coordinator
The Markets and Outreach Coordinator will work as part of the East New York
Farms! Project, a group of diverse gardens, vendors, farmers, and youth working
together to strengthen our community through gardens, fresh food, and farmers
markets. The East New York Farmers Market is one of the largest youth and
community-led markets in the country and has been in operation for 11 years.
ENYFarms! is a project of the United Community Centers, Inc. The Markets and
Outreach Coordinator is an employee of the United Community Centers and is
supervised by the East New York Farms! Project Director.

Responsibilities:
Promote local foods, local economy, and community by creating friendly,
welcoming, and productive markets and empowering our neighbors to improve their
health
To achieve this, the market manager will:
• Manage all aspects of market operations, including permitting and
registration, maintaining supplies, event planning, and daily operations
including set up, collecting fees, and enforcing rules
• Recruit, register, and provide assistance & training to vendors
• Encourage and track vendor meeting attendance and volunteering
• Track and analyze market data, including sales and fees collected
• Outreach to and educate community members at the market and at off-site
events, including flyering, sending mailings, and coordinating cooking
demonstrations
• Organize and facilitate market meetings, including taking attendance
and notes
• Design, produce, and distribute materials to promote the market and
healthy eating - *in 2010 this will include producing a cookbook *
• Develop opportunities for expanding access to healthy food in East New
York, including working with restaurants and local stores interested in buying
local produce
• Coordinate a small CSA vegetable share program
• Supervise two youth interns – Market intern and CSA intern – and
encourage them to take leadership in promoting local foods and local economy

Qualifications:
- Friendly and out-going
- Well organized
- Takes initiative and works well independently, and also works well as
part of a team
- Able to work Tuesday to Saturday from March to November, and Mon –
Fri from December – February
- Able to work some evenings
- Energetic and willing to work outside during all weather
- Computer literate
- Knowledge of and interest in community health
- Comfortable working with people of all ages – youth, adults, and
seniors
- Special consideration will be given to applicants who are residents of
East New York and are bilingual (English/Spanish)

Compensation
This is a full time position, and includes medical and dental benefits and paid
vacation.
Salary range is $30,000 - $33,000/year, based on experience.

PLEASE SUBMIT ALL APPLICATIONS BY February 22nd, 2010.

Please send resume and cover letter with subject ‘JOB OPENING’ to:
Sarita Daftary, sarita@eastnewyorkfarms.org

We got a room!

2010-02-01T13:36:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!

So we finally got a room for meetings this semester, so from now on, we will meet Tuesdays, at 9 pm, in 304 Hamilton!

I hope to see you guys tomorrow, we will have some customary Tu B'Shvat (Jewish Arbor Day) foods, thanks to Ilana, and some other food of choice, thanks to Lia!

Also, other news:
1. we have confirmation that we will be allowed to use the greenhouse for starts this winter! in the meeting, we will talk more about individual access, and plans to start seeds!
2. we discussed incorporating the "Real Food Calculator" in CU dining at the dining advisory committee meeting this Saturday, and the feedback was positive! we will discuss this initiative more at the meeting!

See you soon!

Peace, love and gardens,

Kristina

NYC Food and Climate Summit

2009-12-16T23:38:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday, December 12th, CUFSP spoke at the NYC Food and Climate Summit at NYU, hosted by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Just Food, and NYU, in a session titled "How to Mobilize around Food and Climate Change." We presented along with other members and leaders from groups such as the Brooklyn Food Coalition, Oxfam Action Corps NYC, Eat Well Guide, Sustainable Flatbush, and the NYU Sustainability Task Force! Here is some more information on the event, my personal growth from attending it, as well as my thoughts for how we can apply this to FSP in the future.

Me, Mara, and Jeff Heehs, organizer of "How to Mobilize on Food and Climate Change," at the Summit

What I gained from this magical day:

I was inspired by all of the initiatives of not only the presenters' groups, but those of the audience as well. I felt so empowered by all of the energy and ambition in all of the people I heard speak and spoke with, particularly Karen Washington (Farmer and Co Founder of La Familia Verde), with her message of encouragement to return "power to the people," and am fully ready to bring not only my personal lifestyle, but that of the Columbia community to the next level of environmental awareness and sustainable living.

I guess what really stuck with me during the discussion in the morning session (the session I presented in and took part in) of "How to Mobilize on Food and Climate Change" were the issues of turning our minority movement into a mainstream cultural trend toward greater environmental advocacy, and how to go about affecting the consciousness of those who are resistant to the movement. I really liked what Kate Croft (Program Coordinator of Eat Well Guide) said about the three approaches to change: top down (policy changes), bottom up (grassroots), and lastly, creating this appealing, "sexy" concept that is simultaneously spread by all of the various organizations that promotes the green movement on a large scale. The biggest things that I took away (in terms of applying what I learned to the Food Sustainability Project) were 1) the need to direct the momentum / energy of grassroots organization towards real, lasting institutional changes, and 2) the need to combat the charge of elitism (which nutritionist and NYU professor Marion Nestle pointed out in the plenary discussion) and make the masses feel welcomed and encouraged to "get on board" with sustainable living and environmental awareness.

To this end, I will be attending (along with Zak Accuardi from Green Umbrella) the Dining Advisory Committee this Friday -- and we hope to speak with Vicki Dunn about instituting a "Real Food" initiative in Columbia's dining halls! This would hopefully include calculating the "realness" of our food using the Real Food Calculator (an initiative of the nationwide movement, "The Real Food Challenge").

Next semester I'm also really excited about some of FSP's other initiatives, such as: -Revving up our worm-composting initiative as well as our outdoor composting,
-Our next medicinal herb planting session (first meeting after break!) and of course...
-Getting ready for Spring 2010 planting at the garden! :)
-Stay tuned for more info on these!

In her article on the event (which is linked to this post), Katherine Gufstoson stated:
"The NYC Food and Climate Summit, which took place on Saturday, concerned itself with how to encourage public engagement on the role the food system plays in climate change. Organized by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, the organization Just Food and New York University, the summit was aimed at everyone from family farmers and community gardeners to urban designers, civic leaders and elected officials to parents, communities and concerned citizens. Which includes more or less everyone."

Lastly, I want to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and sustainable holiday!

Peace, Love, and Gardens,

Kristina

Sign the Pledge!

2009-12-05T09:01:00.002-05:00

In a very progressive move, the office of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has created a pledge and charter to promote New York City's transition to a sustainable food system. Read the charter and sign the pledge to show your support!

Composting Forum -- This Friday at 2:15 in Greenborough!

2009-11-19T11:19:00.003-05:00

Hey guys,

This Friday, we're going to sit down with some people from EcoReps and Green Umbrella to talk about our vision for composting on Columbia's campus. We have a lot of ideas, but we need to decide how we are going to work together and establish some common goals :) This should be a lot of fun, if you are interested, here's the event info!

Where: Greenborough house, located at 604 w.114th st. btwn Broadway and Riverside (on the south side of the street)

When: 2:15 pm, this Friday, November 20th (it will last until about 3 pm)

Hope to see you guys there!

Peace,

Kristina

CoreFoods Monthly Potluck and Food Inc. Showing this Sunday!

2009-11-13T16:01:00.003-05:00

Hey guys, this Sunday in East Campus Lounge starting at 7:00 pm, CoreFoods (the unviersity's organic food club) will be showing Food Inc, if you are free, check it out!

Note: this event is a potluck, like many of the FSP events this semester :) that means each person should bring 1 dish of their choice!

Also, be sure to come to next week's CUFSP meeting at 9:00 in 607 Hamilton, we are going to learn how to make sunflower sprouts! Stay tuned for more information on a medicinal herbs planting session, round two worm composting workshop, and a grand composting forum coming up soon!

Peace and love,

Kristina

USDA Helps New Farmers

2009-11-03T18:30:00.004-05:00

Thinking of getting into farming, or just starting out? The government wants to help you. At least that's what the USDA suggested by announcing $17 million in in grants to programs training new farmers and ranchers. Follow the link to read more about it.

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/11/0548.xml

Some pictures from recent events!

2009-10-09T19:15:00.013-04:00

worm bin! :)

Pictures from the Dennis Burkhardt workshop!

09/26/09

Neil with the sunflowers!

Garden

Work

Party

09-20-09

Be sure to come to the garden work party, next Sunday, October 18th at 11:00 am at the garden!

A few events..

2009-09-25T15:17:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys,

Danny Neghasi, from the Food Club at Columbia medical school, told me about a few food/sustainability related events, so I thought I would let you guys know in case you wanted to attend:

1) The Changing Role of the American Farmer, panel discussion downtown.

Wednesday, September 30 2009, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
52 Prince St.
(b/t Lafayette & Mulberry)
New York, NY 10012
212.274.1160

http://mcnallyjackson.com/index.php/component/option,com_events/Itemid,30/agid,406/day,30/month,09/task,view_detail/year,2009/

2) Alton Brown discussion and signing, Union Square Barnes & Noble, Fri, Oct 9th, 7pm. The Food Club is going to meet to go down together, e-mail Danny at dhn2104@columbia.edu for more info!

3) Food Inc. Screening. in collaboration with Institute of Human Nutrition. Monday, Nov 16th, 2pm, NYSPI Auditorium (40 Haven Ave).

I hope you guys get to check some of this stuff out...

and maybe I'll see you at the Worm Composting Workshop with Dennis Burkhardt, this Saturday, September 26th, at 12:00 PM in the Carman Residence Hall Lounge!

Take care,

Kristina

Eat Well Guide: Student Volunteer-Part Time

2009-09-25T15:16:00.000-04:00

Eat Well Guide

Student Volunteer-Part Time

Fall Semester 2009

The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of local and sustainable food sources. We are seeking student volunteers interested in food related issues and educating the public about the way our food gets to the table, preserving the environment and promoting sustainable living, and who would like to increase their research, writing, and communications skills. Eat Well Guide volunteers will contribute from our New York City office by helping to expand the Eat Well Guide and bringing exposure to small farmers, retailers, and chefs who are committed to supporting and providing local, sustainable food.

Most experiences will revolve around researching new listings to add to the Guide through interaction with local food communities. This provides an incredible opportunity for individuals with a passion for food and health to learn more about what is happening on a national level. Volunteers will interact with fascinating people across the United States and Canada to promote their work and share their stories. Additionally, volunteers have the opportunity to write posts for our blog, The Green Fork, and expand and enhance our travel tool, Eat Well Everywhere, and our book, Cultivating the Web: High Tech Tools for the Sustainable Food Movement, which shares success stories from folks who have harnessed the power of the web to further the sustainable food movement. Participants will also help with outreach for the Eat Well Guide using innovative new media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.

Interested student volunteers should be organized, detail-oriented, conversant in writing and on the telephone, and enjoy working independently. The Eat Well Guide student volunteer position is a wonderful opportunity to further one’s interest in the field of sustainable food systems and increase public awareness and gain practical experience in a not-for-profit setting.

We are also looking for student volunteers outside of New York City who would telecommunicate from home or campus to contribute the Eat Well Guide.

Other qualifications: College/graduate students who can commit to a minimum of 8-10 hours/week either during the semester. Hours are flexible, but regularity is important. We offer a small stipend to cover local travel and lunch for days spent in the office totaling 4 hours or more.

How to Apply: Please email a cover letter, writing sample, and resume to erin@eatwellguide.org or fax to 646-329-7724. In either case, please note “Eat Well Guide Student Volunteer”.

First work party, this Sunday from 10am-2pm!

2009-09-11T18:13:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

Come check out this semester's first garden work day, this
Sunday, September 13th, from 10 am to 2 pm,
at the Columbia Community Garden, located in Pupin Plaza

We will be doing some weeding, cleaning up, staking of tomatoes, harvesting, and planning the watering schedule. It should be a lot of fun, and is a great way for newcomers to get to know the garden a little better!

Hope to see you there, it's going to be a beautiful sunny day :)

--Kristina

P.S if you come to the work party...

...this could be you!

FSP's First Meeting Tonight!!

2009-09-08T12:39:00.003-04:00

Hey guys!!

Tonight is the first FSP meeting of the semester, and we're all really excited to see everyone again :)

Since we do not have a space reserved as of yet, everyone should meet in the Hamilton Lobby, at 9:00 PM where an FSP representative will be waiting with a sign, so that we can redirect you to the room that we find. In the worst case scenario, we will have the meeting at the garden, and you will be notified in Hamilton Lobby if this is the case. The meeting shouldn't last too much longer than 10:00 PM.

Hope to see you guys there!!

-Kristina

Updated List of Garden Tasks and Next Work Session!

2009-08-17T15:29:00.001-04:00

Hey guys,

I hope everyone is enjoying themselves, and staying cool despite the sweltering weather. There a lot of things that need to get done in the garden, and although the next day I will be able to come in is Saturday the 22nd, it would be great if you guys could get out there sooner than that!

List of tasks:
1) Cut off brown dead leaves on pumpkin plants.
The pumpkins are inflicted with a white powdery mildew, and we are trying to save the plants that still have some green leaves (by applying organic fungicide), but the completely dead ones cannot be saved and just make the garden look ugly.

**Tip for the future: do NOT water squash or pumpkin foliage, this causes mildew. Although we could not prevent this, due to rain we have had, not watering the leaves will certainly help!**

2) Separate pumpkin vines from the surrounding plants.
This mostly applies to the plants in the northeast plot, but it is also an issue in the west plot. Try to untangle the squash (pumpkins) from the colorful impatient flowers and tomatoes in the northeast plot, as well as the herbs, chard, etc. in the west plot. After you untangle the vines, move them slightly over to an emptier.

3) Prune off yellow leaves of tomato plants, and try to fix stakes that have fallen over.
Do the best you can with this!

4) Weed all plots.
Focus on northeast plot, which is becoming full of grass again.

5) Harvest ripe tomatoes, and fully grown peppers.
Some cherry tomatoes in the southeast plot are ripe at yellow/gold colors, but most tomatoes are ripe when they are red. Take them as they ripen, they are delicious! There are also many small hot chili peppers and sweet peppers that are ready, but they must be CUT off of the stem when harvested.

6) Prune herbs.
Make sure they are at least 6 inches tall before you take leaves from the tops.

7) Help compost!
The compost that we are adding too has gotten moldy, because people were not mixing in their materials when they added them, and is to wet. To help this, add shredded newspaper to the bin, and mix as best as you can with hand shovels.

Please let me know if and when you complete these tasks, and thanks so much in advance to anyone who tackles some of this stuff!

If you don't get to this stuff before Saturday, it would also be great to have you guys at the next organized work session, this Saturday, August 22nd, at 12:00 PM. We will be continuing the tasks that do not get completed before then.

I hope to hear from/see you guys soon!

--Kristina

Yale Sustainable Food Project

2009-08-11T22:15:00.000-04:00

Job Opening: Special Assistant to the Director

The Yale Sustainable Food Project has an opening for a full-time
position as Special Assistant to the Director, to begin no later than
September 15.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Special Assistant will have
primary responsibility for two areas: support to the executive
director, and developing and implementing the Sustainable Food
Project’s public programs, including tours, visits, and special
events. The Special Assistant has a high-level of responsibility in a
dynamic, innovative, and stimulating work environment.

This is an opportunity to support and learn from the Sustainable Food
Project, and to be part of building a revolutionary movement to change
the way we eat as a nation.

Essential Duties
1. Events & public programs (50%)
- Develop and implement events that advance the Project’s priorities
and build investment in the Project’s work.
- Hire and supervise pizza makers and event interns, who create events
centered around the Yale Farm’s wood-fired pizza oven.
- Coordinate visits and tours by outside groups and community members
to the Project.
- Act as initial contact with public via phone and email, and filter
communiqués to appropriate persons. Answer routine inquiries and re-
direct inquiries to the appropriate Project staff in a timely manner.
- Lead the logistical coordination of various development events,
staff meetings, and other meetings as necessary, including onsite &
offsite meetings with coordination of travel plans for participants as
needed.
- Represent YSFP at external events.
- Oversee any special projects, as determined by the Project’s
director.

2. Administrative support (50%)
- Maintain a consistently high level of professional support to the
executive director to ensure smooth leadership and effective
operations.
- Prepare timely expense reports for the executive director and
coordinate timely expense reports for staff.
- Review and monitor budgets relating to specific events and special
projects.
- Act as office manager, including maintaining all of the office
equipment, supplies, and subscriptions: copier, fax machine, printer,
supplies, subscriptions, and stationery.
- Other duties.

Required Education and Experience
1. Bachelor's degree.
2. 2-3 years work experience, preferably as an executive assistant or
in events.
3. A passion for sustainable food and agriculture.

Required Skills
1. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as
strong organizational, management, and supervisory experience.
2. Self-motivated, with ability to work independently and
collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and stimulating environment
while maintaining high professional standards.
3. Demonstrated ability to work with a positive attitude as an
effective and collaborative team member.

Hours
This is a full time position. Regular days of work are Monday through
Friday. Hours of work vary depend on program demands, but will
generally be 8:30am-5:00pm. Weekend and evening hours occasionally
required.

To Apply
Please send a cover letter and resume to
sustainablefoodproject@yale.edu, and also submit them through Yale’s
HR website at http://www.yale.edu/hronline/stars/application/external/index.html
(search for requisition # 7964BR, or use the keywords “sustainable
food project”). If you have any questions, please contact us via email
(sustainablefoodproject@yale.edu) rather than over the phone or by
mail.

Applications will be accepted through Tuesday, September 1. Interviews
will be held on an ongoing basis.

For more information on the Sustainable Food Project, go to
http://www.yale.edu/sustainablefood/.

Americans Need to Cook More

2009-08-11T17:59:00.002-04:00

While cooking with locally-grown food is ideal, for most Americans just cooking more in general would reduce the environmental impact of their consumption habits, cut costs, and trim waistlines.

Michael Pollan identifies Americans' growing fascination with cooking shows and laments their diminishing time spent actually cooking in his recent article in the New York Times Magazine:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html?_r=1

Rainforest Alliance Annual Photo Contest!

2009-07-27T17:37:00.003-04:00

The Rainforest Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable livelihoods. Their strategy is to provide people with the means to extract a sustainable livelihood from the land, give businesses the opportunity to source responsibly produced goods, and make these goods and services available and affordable to consumers. They are collaborating with farmers, workers, business leaders, NGO's, governments, scientists and local communities in more than 60 countries around the world to develop and implement standards that are socially and environmentally responsible, as well as economically viable.

June of this year, they launched their second annual photo contest, scheduled to run until November 1st, 2009. The photos that they receive play an enormous role in communicating their message of conservation, and the contest is a great way to promote talented photographers.

Photos may be submitted in the categories of Nature and Lanscape, Wildlife, Conservation in Action, and Sustainable Tourism. Winners will receive an eco-trip for two to Costa Rica, or a Fujifilm Finepix S100 FS 1.1 megapixel digital camera!

For more information on The Rainforest Alliance, visit their website
For more information on the Photo Contest, visit this link

(Last year's grand prize winner)

Butterfly Trumpet, Missouri Butterfly Garden
Radim Schreiber
Fairfield, Iowa

Garden Updates!

2009-07-22T10:41:00.004-04:00

Hey guys, the garden is looking great, but as always, there's plenty of work to be done
Do some work on your own, or come to the organized work days

The next work day is this Sunday, July 26th, at 12:00 PM!

Here is a list of some of the tasks that need to be done:

1)Harvest:
-big lettuce heads, and remove (this is important, as they are getting bitter)
-beans (pull individual stems off of plant to allow for new growth)
-tomatoes and peppers as they become ripe (cut off with scissors or pruner)
-broccoli before the buds open
-radish (when it gets to 1 inch in diameter)
-beets (when they are at least 2 inches in diameter)
-herbs, as needed, make sure plant is at least 6 inches tall
-swiss chard (pull outer leaves off, or harvest entire plant while leaving the center heart)
-raspberries and strawberries, make sure they are fully ripe!
-thin carrots (and eat, of course!)

2)Weed:
-all three plots, focusing on the north east plot
-always focus on areas near vegetable plantings
-when you aren't sure if something is a weed, it's better to be safe than sorry

3)Plant Fall Crops in open spaces after harvesting lettuce, etc, and mark planted area:
late July:
broccoli raab
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
chinese cabbage
collards
dill
mustard greens
swiss chard

august:
beets
broccoli
broccoli raab
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
chinese cabbage
collards
kale
kohlrabi
lettuce
mustard greens
radish
turnips
beans

*note: We have some of these seeds, in a bag in one of the sheds to the right of the Pupin entrance. But we need to acquire the rest of them, from volunteers (you guys), farmers at the farmers market, and seed companies who might be willing to send older seeds that they are not selling any more.*

4) help compost! mix dry materials like shredded newspaper and brown paper into the back compost bin, which is way too wet. The best thing to do is probably to dump it out on a tarp, mix it up with the dry materials, and then put it back in the bin.

5) remove aphids on artichoke (http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/homemade-aphid-control-a-natural-way-to-kill-aphids.htm). If not successful, remove artichoke plant.

We encourage you to get out there and get some of this stuff done individually, on your free-time, or come to the next work session at the garden, this SUNDAY AT 12 PM!

Also, here are some pics from a work day a few weeks ago:
Becky and Luisa, pulling out the Mustard Greens

Luisa's mom Amy, attacking the weeds!

Nicole and Noah take on the north east plot!

Hard work pays off!

Beautiful tomatoes..

And a pepper too!

My favorite sunflower!

G8 Promises Farm Aid to Make African Countries More Self-Sufficient

2009-07-10T09:27:00.004-04:00

In a marked shift, the U.S. and other G8 nations are promising aid to promote local agriculture in food-insecure countries instead of supplying them with surplus commodities from the farms of developed nations (largely the U.S.):

"Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade told Reuters that Barack Obama, who will make his first visit to Africa as U.S. president after the G8, brought a welcome new focus on African farming.

Wade, who has championed efforts to increase agriculture in his West African country, which relies heavily on food imports, said Obama "really has the will to focus on food in Africa."

"The United States produces maize and some crops and sends it to people in famine, but the new conception is to produce these crops in Africa and not in the United States," Wade said."

Garden Updates!

2009-07-06T12:08:00.002-04:00

If you haven't been by the garden recently, check it out! It is looking great - there is an abundance of lettuce, peas, radishes and even some raspberries! The herb garden is thriving and there are beautiful sunflowers. We have a great group of volunteers this summer who have been working hard. Right now we have a couple projects going on... first we are working on weeding and creating better paths on our newest plot (the north-east plot). Next, we are starting up the compost again. So please bring your compostable items to the first metal bin as you walk back in the west plot. Make sure to turn the compost. Please click here to check out what can and cannot go in the bin.

WORK DAY TOMORROW - TUESDAY, JULY 7th, 6:30pm
We are hosting a workday July 7th at 6:30pm for some early evening gardening. We will be continuing to weed and clean up the north-east plot. Hopefully we will also get some more mulch on the paths. Please come by and help out!
--If you would like to receive more frequent updates about summer workdays please email Kristina at ksg2116@columbia.edu--

If you are interested in working with kids at the Grant Houses this summer please email Becky at rmd2154@columbia.edu and check out: http://grantgarden.blogspot.com She is working on creating a colaborative summer cirriculum about gardening + farming.

Have a great summer!

New Garden Pictures!

2009-06-19T22:00:00.006-04:00

pretty flowering herbs!

strawberries!!

more strawberries!

North East plot, looking better :)

gourmet salad mix, getting larger

<3beets<3

artichoke/swiss chard

Rooftop Gardens Grow!

2009-06-17T10:39:00.000-04:00

U.S. Food Aid

2009-06-05T12:47:00.004-04:00

Buying food locally--wherever it's needed.

From Reuters
Food aid cheaper, faster when bought locally: GAO

From College to Farm

2009-05-26T09:10:00.003-04:00

Our very own Erin Axelrod, now a CUFSP alum, made a cameo in the first line of a recent NY Times article about the trend of college grads appearing on small farms! Read link below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/dining/24interns.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=erin%20axelrod%20&st=cse

Also, another opportunity for you to get involve in NYC local food:

The Brooklyn Healthy Food Campaign is seeking volunteers. Please see link for
more information to see if you might be interested.

http://www.brooklynhealthyfoodcampaign.org/fs_volunteerapp.html

Garden Pictures!

2009-05-17T20:21:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone,
Below are pics from our last work day, when we planted all of the starts we bought from the Silver Heights Farm. Happy Spring!
-Kristina

Future co-president Kristina (left) and treasurer Arianna (right)

It was a successful day of planting!

Me with the flamingo pink swiss chard!

Rhubarb/ fennel!

Ari with the gourmet salad mix

Assorted hot/sweet peppers

Tomatoes

Arianna with the pepper/tomato starts

Broccoli starts

Brooklyn Food Conference + CSA

2009-05-03T00:28:00.003-04:00

Hello all!

After returning from the Brooklyn Food Conference today I feel revved up about all the great food and agriculture advocacy that is going on in the city and all around the state. It was refreshing to get out of finals mode and get thinking about some ways we can all engage with these issues in our communities on a day-to-day basis… hopefully others will share their experiences from today.

I want to remind you all that CUFSP’s Morningside Heights CSA is still accepting members for the fall 2009 season. The CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a fantastic way to support local growers by buying fresh, organic produce directly from a farmer. We are partnered with Norwich Meadows Farm (visit- www.norwichmeadowsfarm.com for more info). The CSA will deliver to JJ’s Place (in the basement of John Jay dorm on Columbia’s campus) on Wednesdays starting September 9th and last for ten weeks (pick-up time TBD). For weekly vegetable shares members are required to pay $140 for an individual share (enough for 1 – 2 people) and $280 for a family share (enough for roughly 4 + people). There are a variety of other extras available like milk, money, and yogurt. There is space for around 30 + more members, so if you are interested please contact morningsideheightscsa@gmail.com to receive a sign-up sheet and more info. The membership is first come, first serve. The deadline for sign-ups and deposits is on June 30th but the sooner the better so we can get the start-up money to the farmer ASAP. In fact, today I had the chance to chat with our farmer Zaid Kurdieh at the conference and he is ready to plan farm visits and workdays in the fall for members!

Help support local farmers! Please help by spreading the word!

Your CSA Coordinators,

Jessica Epsten and Gus Hagen-Dillon

Science, Technology and Agriculture

2009-04-27T10:40:00.003-04:00

A snippet from the "Energy and Environment" section of the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy:

"Finally, we will make sure that the benefits of these important initiatives do not remain at arm’s length but are brought home to directly benefit all Americans by:

Creating millions of new green jobs

Improving the quality of our nation’s lakes, rivers, and drinking water, in part by strictly monitoring and regulating pollution from large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

Protecting the public from nuclear material

Encouraging organic and sustainable agriculture"

--http://www.ostp.gov/cs/issues/energy_environment

Upcoming Events

2009-04-25T16:07:00.001-04:00

Spring is in full swing and so are lots of amazing events on deck here and off-campus in the upcoming week. Read through and check them out!

1. Sunday, from 2-4pm, there will be a Greenspiration Folk Festival on the Plaza by the IAB.

2. Monday at 5pm in the Pupin Plaza garden, botanist and head of EEEB's undergraduate studies, Matt Palmer, will be giving a lecture on plants. Come learn about plants while seeds actually sprout in the garden around you, instead of in a sterile classroom!

3. The US Green Building Council New York is hosting an awesome sustainable food event next Friday, May 1st from 11:45-1:30pm. The event is a presentation by and about the career of London-based Architect Carolyn Steel, including the recent publication of her groundbreaking book, Hungry City: How Food Shapes Our Lives.

Carolyn is an architect, lecturer and writer whose 20 years experience combines practice with teaching and research in urban design, breaking down traditional barriers between disciplines. A director of Cullum and Nightingale Architects, she was a Rome Scholar, has written for the architectural press, and has presented on the BBC’s “One Foot in the Past”. Her lecture course at Cambridge University, “Food and the City” is an established part of the Architecture degree program.

Event details are at http://getinvolved.usgbcny.org/site/Calendar?view=Detail&id=101581.

4. Brooklyn Food Conference, May 2nd

IT’S FREE! THIS WILL BE AMAZING!

Reserve your space:

www.brooklynfoodconference.org

5. The Urban Research Workshop in partnership with the Grant Houses Community Garden Project presents a screening of the film

Dislocation

A documentary by Sudhir Venkatesh chronicling the destruction of public housing in Chicago and the difficult relocation process for the residents. A discussion with Professor Venkatesh will follow the screening.

Wednesday 4/29

6-8pm

Lerner East Ramp Lounge

Free pizza!

CUFSP member talks about farming

2009-04-23T15:00:00.003-04:00

Alison talks about her views on farming for the "Sustainability at Barnard" website. Check it out here:

http://www.barnard.edu/green/greenlights/csa032309.html

Farmworkers' Rights

2009-04-06T07:58:00.003-04:00

We had our second garden work day this part Sunday, on what turned out to be a glorious, warm(ish) spring day, quite in contrast to the wet weather volunteers braved last weekend!

Also, keep April 18th and April 25th on your calendar. That's when we'll be building the new garden at the Grant Houses, a public housing development up the road.

For now, take a moment to read this recent NY Times editorial, pressing the need for legislation that ensures farmworker rights and humane treatment. As the article notes, the injustices that affect thousands of farmworkes now are remnants of prejudicial law set in place during the New Deal Era. Yikes!

Farm Workers' Rights, 70 Years Overdue

If you want to get involved in lobbying for food purchasing at Columbia that supports farmworkers' rights, please contact Kate Redburn, krr2105@gmail.com.

Fall 2009 CSA Sign-Up

2009-03-30T08:46:00.001-04:00

Dear Morningside Heights Community,
With the arrival of spring and the planting season, its time to begin thinking about the wonderful fall harvest. We are pleased to announce that the Morningside Heights CSA will continue for Fall 2009. This is a 10-week CSA with Norwich Meadows Farm that starts in early September. The farm, located in upstate New York, is certified organic. If you would like to participate in the CSA, an individual share (1 – 2 people) costs $140 and a family share (4 people) costs $280. Pick-ups will occur Wednesdays in JJ's Place, below John Jay Cafeteria at Columbia University. If you are interested or have any questions, please email morningsideheightscsa@gmail.com to obtain a sign-up sheet and learn about other available products. You can learn more about Norwich Meadows Farm at the following link: http://www.norwichmeadowsfarm.com/

Help support local farmers! Please spread the word!

Your CSA Coordinators,

Jess and Gus

Compost? Topsoil?

2009-03-26T14:56:00.002-04:00

Jackson and I have been racking our brains as to what the heck is the difference between topsoil and compost. Finally, per email correspondance, someone has given us an answer. Feel free to add to this explanation:

"As per your question, compost-enriched topsoil is not a replacement to compost, but in this case will probably serve you better. While one normally adds compost to topsoil to add nutritive organic matter, topsoil has bits of rock and other grit that creates a firm growing substrate; compost is too soft and nutrient-rich to be used on its own. Most likely, since this soil is of high quality/organic matter, you will not need to use compost with it. (In subsequent years, of course, you will want to add compost as a means of replacing the nutrients lost by growing plants in the soil. This won't be a problem, because you'll have tons of compost from your gardening effort!)
As far as potting soil -- that's just what it sounds like, a lighter, less dense version of topsoil that allows good air flow to plant roots and excellent drainage. If your group is planning to use earthboxes or any kind of containers, I'd suggest picking this up, it can be pricey to buy from nurseries."

Economics of Gardening

2009-03-25T11:29:00.001-04:00

Fascinating article about the financial incentives of growing one's own food.

http://www.kitchengardeners.org/2009/03/whats_a_home_garden_worth.html#more

2009-03-25T11:00:00.000-04:00

Proposed Food Safety Act

2009-03-25T10:38:00.003-04:00

For those of you concerned about this act but do not know much about what it is, here are a few places that offer some insight regarding what it does and why it may be unnecessary (even dangerous). This is by no means comprehensive--please post more

From OCA (Organic Consumers Association):
http://capwiz.com/grassrootsnetroots/issues/bills/?bill=12878051&alertid=12878056

From a farmer's blog:
http://shepardpolitics.blogspot.com/2009/03/hr-875-would-essentially-outlaw-family.html

Open Congress offers an interactive text of the bill where you can click on individual comments about each of the sections:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h875/text

Volunteer Needed This Weekend!

2009-03-24T23:25:00.001-04:00

If you are over 25 and have a driver's license....please consider volunteering for CUFSP this weekend. We are in desperate need of someone to drive to long island either thursday afternoon or more likely sunday morning.

We can provide a small monetary compensation for those of you brazen enough to make this trip, and of course we will bake you some cookies ;) to take with you on your journey.....

You'll also get to be proud that you've helped a great group of committed students in our small but important efforts to expand awareness of food sustainability.

Please contact me (Erin) ASAP at 707-332-1967 if you can help us out with this!

Food Film Fest April 11

2009-03-24T12:58:00.002-04:00

http://www.foodfilmfest.com/schedule.html

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Online Farmer's Market Purchasing

2009-03-24T12:52:00.001-04:00

Interesting.

https://www.farmsreach.com/company/

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2009-03-22T18:16:00.006-04:00

Creating a Graywater System!

Trathen Heckman, who constructed the first permitted household greywater system in Sonoma County describes everything you need to know about greywater systems!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBMpaWq4EKE

A White House Garden!

2009-03-19T22:13:00.002-04:00

Change on Capitol Hill, of the garden variety:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/dining/19garden-web.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Get involved!

2009-03-15T09:37:00.003-04:00

1. Recent media of interest:

Written by a recent Columbia graduate who's now a farmer:
http://columbiaspectator.com/2009/03/03/small-farming-and-ivy-league

A Food Policy for New Yorkers, from the Gothan Gazette

And what is the federal government up to in the food realm these days? Food safety.

2. Enlighten members of the UN about agriculture in NYC and beyond

Last week, I went to the UN IPM 17 of the CSD meeting (Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting for the seventeenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development ) and I joined the UN major group meeting on Saturday at Columbia University. For what I know, there will be another big UN meeting regarding sustainable development in May. Between now and May, the UN major group (formed by a few big non-profits organizations) is trying to get more youth and students to participate. They are looking for youth and student volunteers to take the government delegates to visit local community gardens in NYC, and they also want to train youth and students to speak to the government delegates. I guess, the UN youth Caucus is searching for students to draft and revise documents online. If you are interested any of these events or want to learn more, you can contact Thomas Forster at thomasforster2@gmail.com or Ryan Wood at ryan.joseph.wood@gmail.com.

3. Tour Food and Agriculture Sites in NYC with other College Students

Dearest Friends,

Radishes and Rubbish is back!! We know it's what you've all been waiting for....

Our schedule is yet subject to change. There will be more trips added in the next few weeks, and we will let you know when this happens. But we have several adventures ready and planned. and needing to be put in your calendars! The adventures of this Spring will be ever more complex and revealing than those of the past. We'll be visiting a fish market by night with a chef and a monger, baking bread, making pizza, venturing upstate (maybe overnight!), visiting pigs, seeing a slaughterhouse (another!), and near the end of this little series, rather appropriately, yes of course, we will take ourselves to the landfill. And that's probably not all! Please check out the Calendar for further updates. We are, as we write, making plans with the brewers and the chocolatiers, the bakers, and the bee keepers....

Please RSVP for the trips of your choice!! Just write us at radishesandrubbish@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you in the weekends to come.

Cheers cheers,
Yours among the radishes and rubbishes,
Annie and Carla

4. Environmental Education Internship Opportunities

Non-profit administrative interns
The STAR (StudenT AmbassadoR) Program is a youth leadership program focused on environmental stewardship and engineering. Middle School students from schools in the Harlem/Morningside neighborhoods are selected to participate in a two-week summer youth leadership summit during which they engage in lessons centered around building leadership skills, targeting environmental issues in the community, and creating action plans for positive environmental change. We are looking for Barnard administrative interns to work on the program design, curriculum development, and non-profit business. Interns will work closely with STAR Program directors to learn the ins and outs of the non-profit business world and will gain excellent experience in curriculum development. Interns will also work closely with STAR middle school students during the program. Internship runs June-July. For further information, or to apply, please send resume and letter of interest to christine.petro@morningsidealliance.org. Deadline to apply: March 20, 2009.

Environmental Education Teaching Interns
The STAR (StudenT AmbassadoR) Program is a youth leadership program focused on environmental stewardship and engineering. Middle School students from schools in the Harlem/Morningside neighborhoods are selected to participate in a two-week summer youth leadership summit during which they engage in lessons centered around building leadership skills, targeting environmental issues in the community, and creating action plans for positive environmental change. We are looking for Barnard Environmental Education teaching interns to work with our team to develop curriculum that helps students to learn about and take action in environmental issues in their communities. Interns should be well-educated about environmental issues, interested in working with children, and willing to take on new challenges! Interns will work closely with STAR Program directors and will gain excellent experience in curriculum development. Internship runs June-July. For further information, or to apply, please send resume and letter of interest to christine.petro@morningsidealliance.org. Deadline to apply: March 20, 2009.

Environmental Science Teaching Interns Needed!
Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science, and Engineering (CSS-MSE) is a new public middle school, currently serving 6th and 7th graders from the Harlem community. In June, CSS-MSE ends its core courses and students participate in a month of experiential learning based around particular scientific topics. Students explore their topic from a variety of perspectives and through many disciplines. Students and teachers work closely together to investigate the topic at hand, go on field trips throughout New York City, and, in some cases, take part in overnight camping field experiences and trips. This year, topics include "Water," "Energy," "Ecology," and "Architecture," among others. CSS-MSE seeks interns interested in working on curriculum development and implementation for our June semesters. Interns should be interested in teaching, have some previous experience in working with students, and have an enthusiasm for science education. Outdoor skills and lifeguard certification are a plus, but not necessary. Internship runs June 1-29, 2009. For further information, please contact Meredith at meredithhill@columbiasecondary.org. Deadline to apply: March 20, 2009.

Greenhorns events

2009-03-12T16:28:00.002-04:00

While you're at it, check out their website & blog: http://thegreenhorns.wordpress.com/

New Garden Meeting Time & Place

2009-03-11T22:49:00.000-04:00

Tuesdays at 9pm, Hamilton 406

Vermiculture Workshop Great Success!

2009-03-07T16:35:00.003-05:00

Vermiculture expert, Dennis Burkhardt, came to Columbia today and showed us how to create loads of rich compost with worms. Very exciting! Check out the pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackson_cooper/sets/72157614859766403/

Here are some sources he provided for further worm information:

Lower East Side Ecology Center http://www.lesecologycenter.org/

How to Make a Worm Bin http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/Easywormbin.htm

Books Worms Eat My Garbage, Mary Appelhof; Dirt

The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, William Bryant Logan

Next, we'll be having a worm bin-building session after spring break, so watch out for that.

Worm Workshop!

2009-03-02T19:08:00.001-05:00

Dennis Burkhardt, worm expert extraordinaire, is coming to Columbia this Saturday, March 7th at noon to give a workshop on vermiculture. It will be in Kent Hall, room 628.

Come and learn how to make a ton of compost, cuz we need it!