5/22/10 Margi’s email

Hello to every SRC’er,

alwayslearning@hotmail.com also spells margi pratt, in case you are wondering.

i update our mailing list and am currently working on getting an accurate address block together.  Wayne has been bc’ing his, so for the sake of speed, right now i am using an old one from Holly that may have some unworkable email addresses in it.  i find that i will have to enter every name and data separately.  that takes some time and i need to send some news out NOW:

1.  Wayne has not been able to receive and send emails.  after working on the problem, Wayne says he will not have any internet connection until the end of May.  if you have any urgent matter to tell him, please call him at home 253-847-4614.  he is aware that he might be getting more than the usual number of calls. 

2.  Tom Neill donated his garden tools to the SRC.  they are garden tools and consist of rakes, potato fork, edger (needs some work) and the like.  they are currently are Wayne’s house.  if you are in need of working over your garden (in this wet weather), you may use these tools.  just give Wayne a call.

3.  tomorrow, Sunday, the weatherman promised us a little sunnier day, just in time to visit one or all of the lovely, exceptional woodland gardens in our area:

OPEN DAYS

Sunday, May 23

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Chase Garden

16015 264th St E, Orting 

Old Goat Farm

20021 Orting Kapowsin Highway, Graham 

Homeranch

Ted Van Velzen & Ruben Corpuz

23517 Orville Rd E, Orting 

Admission:  $5 per person at each garden 

Tours are self guided and will go on – rain or shine 

Check the website for driving directions and garden descriptions 

http://opendaysprogram.org 

Regular hours at The Chase Garden

Friday and Saturday

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Special tours times can be arranged on other days.  Please call 206.242.4040

or email rbmcivor@comcast.net

i will visit the Homeranch tomorrow, which i always pass on my way to town but never stopped at.  Yesterday i ran into the owners and received a special invitation.  how can i refuse?  maybe i will per chance spot one of you there.  

with dirt under my fingernails,
margi pratt

information from our may meeting

We met at Irene and Toby’s house and had a wonderful little tour of the garden, greenhouse and home. Beautiful. I wanted to post a few pictures of their efforts and our meeting.  I loved the mix of flowers, edible plants, trees, and animals. It all felt so peaceful. Thank you.

Their beautiful home

  Lots of whimsy too

Their Garden Bed ;o)

Their greenhouse

 I will scan in and post the PORTABLE PLANT COVER directions that were created by Toby. Illustrated by Frank Richwood. You can locate this scan in the right-hand column PAGES under Additional Resource Info-Toby’s Plant Cover.

 Other items of interest covered at the meeting.

Annuttama said that 5 gallon plastic buckets with lids work great for grain or legume storage. Seal them in Ziplock FREEZER bags and add oxygen removers (you can purchase them in quantity). Don’t try to store ground flour-it only keeps for about 6 months.

Great places to buy in bulk:
The Co-Op in Eatonville,
Costco in Fife,
Cash-n-Carry Restaurant Supply (You will need a business license or be a non-profit),
Manna Mills
and
azurestandard.com 

The article on Water in the April 2010 National Geographic was mentioned. I thought I would link it if you’d like to take a look at it. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/04/water-is-life/kingsolver-text/1

Note from Wayne, “There are reasons to expect food shortages and hyperinflation as early as this year or next. Returning to basics is one useful strategy.”
To end with a quote from Rob Hopkins-
“Farming will soon return much closer to the center of American economic life. it will necessarily have to be done more locally, at a smaller-and-finer scale, and will require more human labor. The value-added activities associated with farming – e.g. making products like cheese, wine, oils – will also have to be done much more locally. This situation presents excellent business and vacational opportunities for Americas young people.”

Wayne’s email 5/11/10- Little Earth Farm, etc.

It’s good to hear from Carrie and Ken and to see they are doing well.  I have their number and email if you wish.

Our son, Joel, has been hiking in Mt. Rainier Park and might appreciate connecting with another hiker in 30’s in our area to at least discuss trails and share info.

 Two members need documents in 2003 format to be readable.  Let me know if you also wish this. 

I plan to send soon a short, factual summary (an original SRC goal) of my present understanding of world petroleum supply, and also 56a few words next meeting.

IF INTERESTED IN A GRAHAM FARMERS/CRAFTS MARKET AT FRONTIER PARK PLEASE ATTEND THE COMMUNITY INPUT MEETING AT THE GRAHAM LIBRARY THIS FRIDAY EVENING AT 7PM WITH ERIN BENEDICT. (This should last about an hour)

For June meeting I’ve left a message requesting 70^th Ave. Fire Station meeting room.  Will let you know.

 An updated contact list should be ready soon.  Thank you so much, Margi, for your work on this.  When you get it by email, PLEASE print it out to have handy and TALK to each other.  I am so thankful to have such real friends in the group and want you to feel the same way!

  I forget things.  Please phone me at 847-4614 if you need anything I’ve left out.     Wayne

From: Carrie Little [mailto:motherearthfarm@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 8:01 AM
To: Wayne Cooke;

Subject: Little Earth Farm announcement

 Dear Friends of Little Earth,

 Our growing new ‘little’ farm would like to spread the word that we will have available next Monday (May 17) fresh organic broiler chickens.  This is our first batch and there will be another in about 2 months.  It would be a huge help to get these birds sold so we can regroup and do it all over again.  They have been pastured and feed organically! The weight on these birds will weigh between 4-9 pounds and we’re asking $4.00 per pound.  Please respond via email if you would like for us to reserve some for you.  Also, please share the word with any friends that also may appreciate them.  They will be amazing.

 In addition, we are offering 20 csa shares.  The share cost is $500 for 21 weeks which includes fresh vegetables, flowers and honey.  Eggs and more broilers would be available to shareholders first.  The ‘beer’ element of our csa will be forthcoming but we still have a few legal flaming hoops to jump first.

 Thanks so much for supporting a little, local organic farm.

 With gratitude & deep peace,

 Carrie & Ken Little

American community garden assoc. info and 3G

From Mary Jane’s Farm newsletter “Project of the Week” –

http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/recipe-project/project-20100322.asp

http://www.communitygarden.org/index.php

Hope to see everyone at the meeting (@Trillium Woods ) tonight!

I am also creating the blog for the Grain Growers of Graham, ( http://graingrowers.wordpress.com/ ) and we need to have information and your pictures. This is a blog so you can submit your own stuff. It will have to be screened first (to avoid spam) so it won’t show up right away. Or you can email info to hollymaren@comcast.net (subject line Grain or something like that).

I know nothing about this subject (I am just getting a basic garden growing) but I am trying to help out, so any input would be great! Thanks, Holly