Friday, October 23, 2009

Botetourt Farmers' Market, Saturday October 24, 2009

Greetings! Full Circle Farm plans to be at the market tomorrow with
freshly milled whole grain breads and other goodies. It's the
perfect weather for spelt gingerbread! We also have a rye bread this
week made with caraway seeds.

See you at the market!

Ginger and the family at
Full Circle Farm, Botetourt

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Dear Interested Citizens of Botetourt:

Some days there are just too many things happening and Saturday, October 24, is one of them!!

In addition to the Catawba Creek monitoring workshop scheduled from 10am-2pm on the grounds of Roanoke Cement, there's also a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day (http://botetourt.org/news_events/meeting_detail.php?event_ID=264) at the Solid Waste Convenience Center on Catawba Rd. from 12:30pm -4:30pm. Very convenient to go there after the water workshop!!

There's another very important event on October 24: the Botetourt Comprehensive Plan Forum #1 (http://botetourt.org/news_events/meeting_detail.php?event_ID=261) which will be held at LBHS from 9-11am and at JRHS from 1-3pm. It's very important for citizens to envision and comment how they would like Botetourt County to be in the next 5, 10 or even 20 years. This is your chance! For those attending the Catawba Creek workshop, I can only suggest being at LBHS right at 9am and staying for 40 minutes or so, before heading to the cement plant.

The second public forum (on December 5) will focus on identifying, evaluating and prioritizing implementation options for achieving the county's vision.

Please contact me if you need further info on any of these events.

Genevieve Goss

Friday, October 16, 2009

Farmers' Market October 17, 2009


Wayne will be representing Hillbilly Heaven this week. We will have Apple Bread, Zucchini Bread, Pumpkin Banana Bread. Sugar Free Apple Bread and Sugar Free Rocky Road cake. Golden Pumpkin Bread, our Cinnamon Buns, and Bulls Eye with our Blue Lemon Jam. Our Variety of Pickles and Jams. I will have some Green Onions, Parsley, Oregano and Basil. See you next week. Toni

Full Circle Farm will be at the market tomorrow with all our nice
Freshly Milled Whole Grain breads, pizza crusts and mixes. We will
also have some great treats like Spelt Gingerbread, made with 100%
whole grains, like all the rest of our goodies, and perfect for a
fall treat this weekend. Be sure and pick some up to enjoy with your
hot apple cider! We also have a new product: Almond Raisin Granola.

Our beef is in from the processor and we had some last night for
supper. Grass-fed and finished, delicious and good for you too!
Pick some up tomorrow.

Don't forget your early Christmas shopping! Locally grown wool
hiking socks are just the thing for that college nephew or niece.
Not to mention those poor hunters with the cold toes! Our Jacob
sheep make some nice and cozy socks.

See you tomorrow!
Ginger Hillery

Better Batter Baking will be there with:
*Chocolate Muffin Samplers (Banana Chocolate Chip, Cappuccino Chocolate Chip, Dark Chocolate Muffins with White Chocolate)
*Apple Streusel Muffins
*Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
*Scones
Order now for Christmas and the holidays! Our muffins make great gifts for teachers, friends and family.

Earl and I will be at the market tomorrow. We will have our freshly milled, whole wheat breads, some sweet breads and our individual, fresh apple , with rum caramel topping cakes. Lots and lots of freshly canned items. We will see you there. Earl and Linda

There will be many other vendors at the market, as well.
This weekend, it’s Apple Festival time at Ikenberry’s:
Local Artists, Photographers, Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch, Boys Scout BBQ, Pony Rides, Painted Gourds, Sterling Silver Jewelry, Chic-Fil-A, Southern Homes, Make your own Apple Butter, Live Band on Sunday.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

From Commodity to Communities: Building Resilient Food System Networks for the Roanoke Region

Join us on Saturday, October 24th at Grandin Gardens, while we continue our efforts to activate our local food system.

Last May, Lynchburg Grows hosted Will Allen, a MacArthur Fellowship awardee and founder of Growing Power, Inc. to start a dialogue with local foods advocates from across the state about how to build our regional local food systems. The Urbiculture Foundation volunteered to host the Roanoke Regional conference this October. This is the result of our efforts.

Some of the things on the agenda are:

· Learn how Lynchburg started its first urban farm by its founder, Michael Van Ness. Lynchburg Grows is a 6.5 acre urban farm with 2 acres under glass. After reading in the Lynchburg News & Advance about the destruction of a vegetable garden at a local home for disabled individuals due to a miscommunication, the founding members of Lynchburg Grows came together to rebuild the garden. While working on the garden, the members decided to expand their mission to help all disadvantaged persons enjoy the healthy benefits of gardening and having access to such spaces.

· Talk with Christy Gabbard, the head of planning for The Catawba Sustainability Center. The center, which has been in the works for about a year, aims to be an example for landowners of the benefits of sustainable farming and the promotion of environmental stewardship in the community. Christy says, “one thing that struck me is that we talk about sustainability in each of our disciplines, but there's not really a place to showcase sustainability across disciplines." Catawba Sustainability Center is kicking off EarthWorks, a program designed to accelerate land-based businesses through a variety of services, including: low cost land-lease arrangements, aggregation space, access to larger markets, training, access to innovative technology and business planning support services.

· Rachel Theo-Maurelli will continue her efforts of facilitating an open forum, where we can share our ideas and come up with the next action steps to take. Rachel started a dialogue two years ago and has been progressing to this point. Some ideas that already have come up and which will be discussed are the Cleveland Ave Urban Farm, which is in the development stage; the Roanoke Community Gardens, which is in its second year and has recently received a CDBG from the City of Roanoke; and the local foods program recently started at Grandin Court Elementary. If you have any specific ideas you want to share at length, email Rachel: communityventures@cox.net

· The 2009 Food Security Conference Ron McCorkle will summarize the conference and share ideas applicable to our area, as well as national food policy. This year’s conference is about our philosophy of how food is perceived. Also, the conference will be talking about efforts to change the emphasis of federal farm policy, toward a more community-based and community-owned structure.

· Local Roots CafĂ© may have special items for us to purchase.

· Visit the Grandin Village Farmers Market before the conference. (8am-12noon every Saturday)

· After the conference, Celebrate the Grandin Gardens 350 Harvest Festival.

You are invited to share:

Apple Butter, Smoothies, Popcorn, and A Recycled Scarecrow making Contest!

You can make a scarecrow at Grandin Gardens or bring yours from home. Contest judging at 2 PM if you want to win a Beautiful Full harvest Basket!

MUSIC and presentations:

** "What is 350.org?" Chad Braby, Cool Cities

** Solar Ovens and “What can I do to make a difference", Katherine Devine and students

** Plowshare Peace and Justice Center info

The conference will be from 9AM until 12Noon on Saturday, October 24th at Grandin Gardens. To help pay for expenses, we are asking for a donation of $10, or whatever you can. Please invite everyone you think is involved with our local foods system, from seed saver to consumer and every piece!

Grandin Gardens (map it)
1731 Grandin Road,
Roanoke, VA 24015

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Virginia to host Mid-Atlantic Grass Finished Livestock Conference, Oct. 23-24

Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Clemson Extension, and West Virginia University Extension Service have partnered to organize the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Grass Finished Livestock Conference. The two-day conference will take place at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Staunton, Va. on Oct. 23 and 24, 2009.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Merging the Art and Science of Grass Finishing.”

“This high-caliber conference will provide producers and agricultural professionals with science-based information about producing and marketing a consistently high-quality grass-finished product,” said Chris Teutsch, Extension forage specialist at Virginia Tech’s Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Blackstone, Va. “It will cover forage systems for grass finishing, alternative marketing outlets, small-scale processing facilities, healthy grazing systems, supplementation in pasture finishing, factors affecting meat quality, and genetics for grass finishing. It will also feature a meat cutting and cooking demonstration and a grass-finished success story from Yanceyville, N.C.”

Nationally and internationally recognized experts will deliver science-based information to producers and communicate the art of applying that science in the field:

Anibal Pordomingo of the University of La Pampa in Santa Rosa will talk about designing “forage chains” to meet the high nutritional requirements of finishing animals. He is both a university researcher and a grass-finished beef producer.

Denise Mainville, assistant professor of agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech, will present recent research addressing alternative markets for pasture-finished beef.

Joe Cloud of T and E Meats in Harrisonburg, Va. will discuss challenges and opportunities for small-scale processing facilities. He will provide conference participants with the unique perspective of a small-scale processor of grass-finished livestock.

Ed Rayburn, forage Extension specialist at West Virginia University, will talk about the ecology of pasture systems and how to build healthy grazing systems with strong nutrient cycles. He brings a unique perspective with undergraduate and graduate training in ecology, not forages.

John Andrae, forage Extension specialist at Clemson University, will tackle supplementation in pasture-based finishing systems and its impact on meat quality. He conducts pasture-finishing research in South Carolina and has a comprehensive knowledge of forage systems in the southeastern United States.

Susan Duckett, professor and endowed chair in Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Clemson University, will talk about factors affecting meat quality and health benefits of pasture-finished livestock. An internationally renowned meat scientist, Duckett has the ability to bring the biochemistry of meats to a level that producers and consumers can understand and appreciate.

Jeremy Engh of Lakota Ranch in Remington, Va., will discuss the importance of cattle genetics in grass-finishing systems. He not only produces and markets grass-finished beef but also hosts Virginia’s only forage-based bull test.

V. Mac Baldwin of Baldwin Family Farms in Yanceyville, N.C., will tell the story of his grass-fished beef operation and provide tips on marketing. Baldwin uses large framed animals that produce an exceptionally lean product. He direct markets this product to health-conscious consumers and has developed a wholesale marketing arrangement with a major retailer.

Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm in Swoope, Va., will provide a guided tour of his farm. A leader and innovator in the local food movement for decades, Salatin will discuss the various enterprises on his farm and his marketing methodology.

The early registration fee is $200 per participant and must be postmarked by Sept. 15, 2009. After that date, the registration fee is $300 per participant. Students qualify for a reduced registration rate. Make sure to register early as space is limited. A special conference rate for hotel rooms is available on a limited basis. To make room reservations, contact the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Staunton, Va., at 1-800-932-9061.

For more information or to register for the conference, contact Margaret Kenny at (434) 292-5331 or makenny@vt.edu.

Virginia Cooperative Extension (www.ext.vt.edu/) brings the resources of Virginia’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, to the people of the commonwealth. Through a system of on-campus specialists and locally based agents, it delivers education in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community viability, and 4-H youth development. With a network of faculty at two universities, 107 county and city offices, 13 agricultural research and extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers, Virginia Cooperative Extension provides solutions to the problems facing Virginians today.

Virginia Agriculture & Food Entrepreneurship Program—

A Two-Part Workshop Series Focused on Food Safety Regulations, Product Development, Business Planning & Local Marketing Opportunities

November 16 & November 23, 2009

Airlie Conference Center— Warrenton Virginia

$40 per day, $80 to attend both days

Scholarships are available based on need.

More information and complete resources are available online at: http://vagaf.blogspot.com/.

Notice that on November 16, Kate Fitzgerald from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is planning to present on the current status of food safety legislation in Congress and on November 23, Adam Diamond from the USDA is planning to discuss new local food research results and new local food distribution models.

Additionally, on November 23, Stacy Miller is planning to join us from the Farmers Market Coalition and we will have a series of topics related to farmers markets including speakers and panelist who are directly involved with organizing, selling at or analyzing farmers markets and other direct to consumer food outlets.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Botetourt Farmers' Market, Saturday October 3, 2009




Hillbilly Heaven will be at the market tomorrow with our Jams and Pickles, Bulls Eye pastries with our Raz-apple Jam, English Muffins Regular and Wheat, Sugar Free Carrot Cake, Sugar Free Apple Cake, Pumpkin Banana Bread, Apple Bread. Don't know if I'll get to the Cinnamon Buns or Crumb buns this evening. We'll also have our Japanese Eggplant and some peppers from the petite farm.
Wayne will be representing Hillbilly Heaven with our Organic Products. Hope everyone has a wonderful day at Ikenberry's I'll see you next Saturday. Toni

Yvette will be at the farmers market this Saturday. I will be in Richmond at a wine festival. She will bring three wines of her choice for tasting plus fresh made and canned Chardonnay juice. Marie, Virginia Mountain Vineyard

This will be White Oak Dairy's last weekend at the market this year. I will bring goat cheese, goat milk ricotta cheesecakes, and (hopefully) goat milk chocolate. -Anna Bedell

Earl and I will be at the market tomorrow with our Freshly Milled Whole Grain Breads. We will also have Lemon Curd, and Dill Dip. We will have a wide variety of jams, jelly's, pickles and some Hot Salsa. We will also have a couple of other nice little treats. We'll be lookin' for ya'all. Earl and Linda

Full Circle Farm will be at Ikenberry's tomorrow with our Freshly Milled Whole Grain breads and mixes, grass-fed lamb to go with that bread and some woolly hiking socks to wear while enjoying fall out on the trail! See you at the market! Hillery Family

Better Batter Baking will be there tomorrow with:
*Cappuccino Muffins - made with millet and sorghum flours
*Pumpkin Raisin Teff Muffins - made with teff, garbanzo bean and sorghum flours
*Chocolate Chip Scones - made with millet and rice flours
*Ginger Spelt Snaps
*Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
*Quinoa Pudding - warm and yummy, similar to rice pudding, but made with the complete protein grain quinoa
Wendy Hayth-Perdue
Baked goods made with alternatives to wheat!

Brambleberry Farm is throwing in the towel for this season, but remember that you can contact me and arrange to pick up eggs, chard, sweet and hot peppers, and squashes: brambleberryfarm@gmail.com You’ll have to miss me singing the lyrics to Michael Frank’s song: “When my baby cooks her eggplant, she don’t need no books. She has a sort of Gioconda kinda dirty looks… I can‘t reveal her name, but eggplant is her game.” Oh, well, your loss. Also, I’m not sure you should fall for the goat milk chocolate. Last week, “It got eaten” before it got to the market.

Good luck, Anna and Aaron. We’ll be thinking of you on Halloween. Congratulations to Amy Fenster and Patricia Whitt and their families!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Catawba Art Show

Gallery 108 in Roanoke is having an art show featuring the scenic Catawba Valley and the Catawba Sustainability Center from Oct 1-31. This Thursday, Oct 1 from 6-9 pm is the opening reception. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Catawba Sustainability Center.

Gallery 108 is located at 108 Market St SE, Roanoke, VA 24011.
For more information call 540 982-4278


Christy Gabbard
Director, Catawba Sustainability Center
- accelerating land-based businesses