Local Food News and Events from the Kaw River Valley | Blogs

Latest

Posted by Our Local Food Kaw River Valley on February 22, 2012 at 7:05 p.m.

permalink

FREE High Tunnel Workshops, Lectures, and Farm Tours this March

High Tunnel Tomato Harvest by Our_Local_Food_KRV

High Tunnels, or “hoop houses,” are simple, cost-effective, unheated greenhouses that typically utilize passive ventilation for air exchange and cooling and an irrigation system for crop production. These structures are widely useful. They can help extend the growing season for many crops, limit garden pests, and offer protection from extreme weather and rainfall (so irrigation can be more precisely controlled by the grower). Many operations overwinter laying hens in them!

Two great FREE High Tunnel Workshops are being offered in Lawrence through the Kansas Rural Center and K-State Research and Extension. Read below for details, and then register online by March 10, 2012, at Kansasruralcenter.org/calendar, to participate in one or both!

High Tunnel Tour, Lecture, and Panel Discussion

Tuesday, March 13 – 10:00am to 4:00pm

See first-hand, high tunnel production in action during a farmer-lead tour of high tunnels. Then, learn methods of high tunnel construction, crop production, management, and marketing with a great group of amazing, experienced presenters.

Event Schedule:

10:00 am — Noon: Tour High Tunnels at Moon on the Meadow Farm in Lawrence

Location: 1515 E. 11th Street, Lawrence, Kansas

Moon on the Meadow Farm, owned and operated by Jill Elmers, is a Certified Organic vegetable, herb, and small fruit grower utilizing 4000 square feet of high tunnels.

Noon — 1: 00 pm: Lunch on your own

1:00 pm — 2:00 pm: High Tunnel Construction, Production, & Management Presentation

Location: Douglas County K-State Extension Office: Dreher Building, North Room, 2110 Harper Street, Lawrence, Kansas

Cary Rivard, K-State Extension Vegetable and Fruit Specialist, will lead a presentation highlighting key topics on high tunnel construction, crop production, and management.

2:00 pm — 4:00 pm: Growers Panel Offers Experience and Answers Questions on High Tunnel Production and Marketing High Tunnel Crops in Our Region

Location: Douglas County K-State Extension Office: Dreher Building, North Room, 2110 Harper Street, Lawrence, Kansas

Participating, Experienced High Tunnel Growers:

Dan Nagengast – Owner and operator of Wild Onion Farm and Seeds from Italy (Lawrence, KS). Worked 20 years as Executive Director of the Kansas Rural Center.

Stephanie Thomas – Spring Creek Farm (Baldwin City, KS)

Dan & Mary Howell – Howell Farm (Frankfort, KS)

Register online by March 10, 2012 at Kansasruralcenter.org/calendar

For questions contact Our Local Food coordinator Natalie Fullerton at 402-310-0177, or at southcentral.olf@gmail.com.

Hands-on Workshop: Learn how to build a high tunnel!

Saturday, March 24 – 9:00am to 5:00pm

From the ground up, experience techniques used to erect a 20’ x 96’ Zimmerman Hoop House on site at The Red Tractor Farm, a diverse vegetable, goat meat, and egg farm in Lawrence, KS. Also, enjoy an on-farm potluck lunch. Along with items Jen and Jessica will provide, please feel free to bring a dish with serving utensils to share for lunch.

Location: 974 E. 850 Rd., Lawrence, KS

Lead Construction Foreman: Cary Rivard – K-State Extension Vegetable & Fruit Crop Specialist

Speaker: Dan Nagengast – Owner and operator of Wild Onion Farm and Seeds from Italy (Lawrence, KS). Worked 20 years as Executive Director of the Kansas Rural Center.

Hosted by: Jen Humphrey and Jessica Pierson, Red Tractor Farm owners and operators

Jessica Pierson and Jen Humphrey have been farming since 2008 on land that has been in Jessica's family for four generations. They raise Boer meat goats, laying hens and about 1.5 acres of vegetables. Red Tractor Farm products are sold at the Lawrence Farmers Market, to a local subscription program and to area restaurants. The farm, which is rural Douglas County, is under transition to organic practices. Learn more at http://theredtractorfarm.com.

Register online by March 10, 2012 at Kansasruralcenter.org/calendar

For questions contact Our Local Food coordinator Natalie Fullerton at 402-310-0177, or at southcentral.olf@gmail.com.

Posted by Our Local Food Kaw River Valley on February 13, 2012 at 5:31 p.m.

permalink

TAKE A LOOK at this photo tour of the Kaw Valley Seed Fair

The third annual Kaw Valley Seed Fair, held Saturday, February 11, 2012, was a great success for all involved!

Attended by over 1200 visitors, the 2012 Kaw Valley Seed Fair included a seed exchange, seed exhibits, a children's activity center, and more than 50 exhibitors offering educational information, gardening products, and a variety of local farm products. Raffles for various gardening-related prizes were held throughout the day.

The mission of the Kaw Valley Seeds Project is to create a local living seed reserve by fostering a network of people committed to growing, eating, sharing, bartering, buying, and selling primary seed varieties of the Kansas River Valley. Many fair visitors brought open-pollinated (non-hybrid) seeds along with information on their origin to the Kaw Valley Seed Project table (pictured above). The main rule at the table? "Take what you need and leave the rest for others."

Our Local Food - Kaw River Valley's booth was proudly represented by a strong contingent of "Vocal Local" volunteers.

The volunteers really brought their energy and enthusiasm to the table when engaging with passer-bys:
"Do you want to be a Vocal Local?" they would inquire, with a smile.

"What's a Vocal Local?" people responded, intrigued... and great conversations inevitably followed.

Our Local Food defines a Vocal Local as a community member who pledges to:

SPEND 5% of their weekly food dollars on local food
USE Our Local Food's website directory to locate Our Local Food farms, restaurants, grocers & other food business members
SUPPORT the local economy by using their food dollars to strengthen Kansas' food system and by asking favorite local business to carry more locally grown food
MAKE A DIFFERENCE in the community by sharing their enthusiasm for local foods
CONSERVE energy and protect the environment by purchasing local foods
LEAD a healthy lifestyle by serving fresh, local foods at home
ENJOY the delicious flavors and diversity of fresh, local Kansas foods

Some of the perks of Vocal Local membership (which is always FREE) include:

A monthly e-newsletter with exclusive local food updates, news, and events
Access to Our Local Food's growing number of Vocal Local "tools" to help grow Kansas' local food movement
Opportunities to win some fun, local food prizes!

By the end of the Seed Fair, nearly 100 visitors from all over the Kaw River Valley region had pledged to be Vocal Locals! We are pleased to welcome so many great folks to our growing network of people interested in seeing Kansas' local food supply and demand soar.

Below is a photo tour of some other highlights from the event:

Several vendors shared information about and seeds for growing native Kansas Plants...

The Lawrence-based Merc Co-operative Grocery was among many vendors selling seed from favored seed companies. Pictured below, they discuss seed offerings from the Missouri-based company Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

MAD Farm brought with them an ABUNDANCE of greens they planted in unheated hoop-houses last October. Pictured behind one of the "mad farmers" is Cottin's Hardware and Rental's display of almost everything MAD Farm used to grow those veggies -- from Lawrence-based Seeds from Italy seed to soil-warming row cover, Kansas-made tools, and even organic soil! MAD Farm also displayed photos and descriptions of the open-pollinated and heirloom seedlings they will have available for sale in the Spring.

Beyond seed, the Lawrence Fruit Tree Project shared their abundance of knowledge about fruit tree varieties that grow well in our region, how to acquire trees for planting, where trees already exist in Lawrence, and other fruit tree related resources:

Mushroom lovers and hopeful foragers gathered 'round the Kaw Valley Mycological Society's booth to gather information and sign up to receive e-mail updates on mycelial news in our region.

The Kaw Valley Herbs Study Group, an informal group that meets south of Lawrence monthly to study their chosen herbs of the month, had a beautiful presentation of dried herbs and great informational resources about them. This month's herbs? Cinnamon and Chocolate!