Betraying the Planet
By PAUL KRUGMAN
So the House passed the Waxman-Markey climate-change bill. In political terms, it was a remarkable achievement.
But 212 representatives voted no. A handful of these no votes came from representatives who considered the bill too weak, but most rejected the bill because they rejected the whole notion that we have to do something about greenhouse gases.
And as I watched the deniers make their arguments, I couldn’t help thinking that I was watching a form of treason — treason against the planet.
To fully appreciate the irresponsibility and immorality of climate-change denial, you need to know about the grim turn taken by the latest climate research.
The fact is that the planet is changing faster than even pessimists expected: ice caps are shrinking, arid zones spreading, at a terrifying rate. And according to a number of recent studies, catastrophe — a rise in temperature so large as to be almost unthinkable — can no longer be considered a mere possibility. It is, instead, the most likely outcome if we continue along our present course.
Thus researchers at M.I.T., who were previously predicting a temperature rise of a little more than 4 degrees by the end of this century, are now predicting a rise of more than 9 degrees. Why? Global greenhouse gas emissions are rising faster than expected; some mitigating factors, like absorption of carbon dioxide by the oceans, are turning out to be weaker than hoped; and there’s growing evidence that climate change is self-reinforcing — that, for example, rising temperatures will cause some arctic tundra to defrost, releasing even more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Temperature increases on the scale predicted by the M.I.T. researchers and others would create huge disruptions in our lives and our economy. As a recent authoritative U.S. government report points out, by the end of this century New Hampshire may well have the climate of North Carolina today, Illinois may have the climate of East Texas, and across the country extreme, deadly heat waves — the kind that traditionally occur only once in a generation — may become annual or biannual events.
In other words, we’re facing a clear and present danger to our way of life, perhaps even to civilization itself. How can anyone justify failing to act?
Well, sometimes even the most authoritative analyses get things wrong. And if dissenting opinion-makers and politicians based their dissent on hard work and hard thinking — if they had carefully studied the issue, consulted with experts and concluded that the overwhelming scientific consensus was misguided — they could at least claim to be acting responsibly.
But if you watched the debate on Friday, you didn’t see people who’ve thought hard about a crucial issue, and are trying to do the right thing. What you saw, instead, were people who show no sign of being interested in the truth. They don’t like the political and policy implications of climate change, so they’ve decided not to believe in it — and they’ll grab any argument, no matter how disreputable, that feeds their denial.
Indeed, if there was a defining moment in Friday’s debate, it was the declaration by Representative Paul Broun of Georgia that climate change is nothing but a “hoax” that has been “perpetrated out of the scientific community.” I’d call this a crazy conspiracy theory, but doing so would actually be unfair to crazy conspiracy theorists. After all, to believe that global warming is a hoax you have to believe in a vast cabal consisting of thousands of scientists — a cabal so powerful that it has managed to create false records on everything from global temperatures to Arctic sea ice.
Yet Mr. Broun’s declaration was met with applause.
Given this contempt for hard science, I’m almost reluctant to mention the deniers’ dishonesty on matters economic. But in addition to rejecting climate science, the opponents of the climate bill made a point of misrepresenting the results of studies of the bill’s economic impact, which all suggest that the cost will be relatively low.
Still, is it fair to call climate denial a form of treason? Isn’t it politics as usual?
Yes, it is — and that’s why it’s unforgivable.
Do you remember the days when Bush administration officials claimed that terrorism posed an “existential threat” to America, a threat in whose face normal rules no longer applied? That was hyperbole — but the existential threat from climate change is all too real.
Yet the deniers are choosing, willfully, to ignore that threat, placing future generations of Americans in grave danger, simply because it’s in their political interest to pretend that there’s nothing to worry about. If that’s not betrayal, I don’t know what is.
6/29/2009
6/28/2009
NC Break-Down on Friday's ACES Vote
Final Passage:
Ayes - 219 (211 Dems, 8 Rep)
Noes – 212 (44 Dems, 168 Rep)
NC Dems:
Butterfield - Aye
Etheridge - Aye
Kissell - No
McIntyre - No
Miller - Aye
Price - Aye
Shuler - Aye
Watt – Aye
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll477.xml
Ayes - 219 (211 Dems, 8 Rep)
Noes – 212 (44 Dems, 168 Rep)
NC Dems:
Butterfield - Aye
Etheridge - Aye
Kissell - No
McIntyre - No
Miller - Aye
Price - Aye
Shuler - Aye
Watt – Aye
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll477.xml
6/25/2009
Learn About Solar Hot Water
http://greenhomesamerica.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/solar-hot-water-video/
Let's Get Up Close and Personal
The farther away we are from the source of our food, the less control we have over what is in that food.
p.s. Let's save our pessism for better times!
p.s. Let's save our pessism for better times!
We Knew It Was Bad, But. . .
CEO vs. Average Worker Pay - Major Economies
Japan 11 times more
Germany 12 times
France 15 times
Italy 20 times
Canada 20 times
South Africa 21 times
Britain 22 times
Hong Kong 41 times
Mexico 47 times
America 475 times
Japan 11 times more
Germany 12 times
France 15 times
Italy 20 times
Canada 20 times
South Africa 21 times
Britain 22 times
Hong Kong 41 times
Mexico 47 times
America 475 times
6/24/2009
June 25, Raleigh, National Animal ID System Meeting
The USDA will hold a “listening session” on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in at the McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman Street, in Raleigh, NC on June 25, from 9am to 4pm.
This is part of a series of meetings on NAIS, and it is critical for proponents of small farms, diversified agriculture and heritage breed preservation to attend and voice your opinion on this industrial ag initiative to trace every animal on every farm and homestead in the country. CFSA opposes NAIS, and you can learn more about the proposed program by visiting http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/articles-and-newsletters.
Registration is required to attend the June 25 meeting; to register, you can:
1) Pre-register online: Send an email to NAISSessions@aphis.usda.gov In the subject line of the e-mail, indicate your name (or organization name) and the location of the meeting you plan to attend. If you wish to present public comments, please include your name (or organization name) and address in the body of the message.
2) Pre-register by Phone: call 301-734-0799
3) Register the day of the meeting: From 8 am - 9am on the day of the meeting
The public can submit written comments at the meeting, as well as make oral statements. The Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance has sample comments you can use for ideas, as well as alternatives for meeting the purported goals of NAIS, the protection of livestock from pandemic disease.
The afternoon part of the meeting will be "facilitated sessions," where the attendees will be divided into groups to develop solutions. Be prepared to politely disagree with the facilitator. If they claim that a "consensus" has been reached with an answer that you don't agree with, say so!
You can also submit comments online at:
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0027
Helpful tips for using the government comments site: Click on the yellow balloon under the "add comments" column. Fill out the required sections, and type in your comments. If you have long comments, it works best to type them up in a document, and then copy & paste them into the comment box. Then click "next step." You should get a confirmation number at the end of the process. If you don't, double check that you've filled in all the required fields and clicked all the "next step" buttons.
Or mail to:
ATTN NAIS
Surveillance and Identification Programs
National Center for Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 200
Riverdale, MD 20737
At similar sessions in other states so far, the response has been overwhelmingly against NAIS. Let’s keep this grassroots momentum going when the USDA comes to Raleigh with a big turnout. Certainly our region’s industrial animal producers such as the NC Pork Producers Council will be there to speak in favor of NAIS, and it will be vital for small farms to be there in force to balance the influence of big ag.
Thanks
Roland
Roland McReynolds, Esq.
CFSA Executive Director
PO Box 448
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Ph: 919-542-2402
Fax: 919-542-7401
www.carolinafarmstewards.org
This is part of a series of meetings on NAIS, and it is critical for proponents of small farms, diversified agriculture and heritage breed preservation to attend and voice your opinion on this industrial ag initiative to trace every animal on every farm and homestead in the country. CFSA opposes NAIS, and you can learn more about the proposed program by visiting http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/articles-and-newsletters.
Registration is required to attend the June 25 meeting; to register, you can:
1) Pre-register online: Send an email to NAISSessions@aphis.usda.gov In the subject line of the e-mail, indicate your name (or organization name) and the location of the meeting you plan to attend. If you wish to present public comments, please include your name (or organization name) and address in the body of the message.
2) Pre-register by Phone: call 301-734-0799
3) Register the day of the meeting: From 8 am - 9am on the day of the meeting
The public can submit written comments at the meeting, as well as make oral statements. The Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance has sample comments you can use for ideas, as well as alternatives for meeting the purported goals of NAIS, the protection of livestock from pandemic disease.
The afternoon part of the meeting will be "facilitated sessions," where the attendees will be divided into groups to develop solutions. Be prepared to politely disagree with the facilitator. If they claim that a "consensus" has been reached with an answer that you don't agree with, say so!
You can also submit comments online at:
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0027
Helpful tips for using the government comments site: Click on the yellow balloon under the "add comments" column. Fill out the required sections, and type in your comments. If you have long comments, it works best to type them up in a document, and then copy & paste them into the comment box. Then click "next step." You should get a confirmation number at the end of the process. If you don't, double check that you've filled in all the required fields and clicked all the "next step" buttons.
Or mail to:
ATTN NAIS
Surveillance and Identification Programs
National Center for Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 200
Riverdale, MD 20737
At similar sessions in other states so far, the response has been overwhelmingly against NAIS. Let’s keep this grassroots momentum going when the USDA comes to Raleigh with a big turnout. Certainly our region’s industrial animal producers such as the NC Pork Producers Council will be there to speak in favor of NAIS, and it will be vital for small farms to be there in force to balance the influence of big ag.
Thanks
Roland
Roland McReynolds, Esq.
CFSA Executive Director
PO Box 448
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Ph: 919-542-2402
Fax: 919-542-7401
www.carolinafarmstewards.org
Grants for Improved Animal Husbandry
Animal Welfare Approved Announces 2009 Good Husbandry Grants
Animal Welfare Approved is pleased to offer Good Husbandry Grants for 2009.
Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded for the sole purpose of improving farm animal welfare, with a concentration on three areas: increased outdoor access, improved genetics and improved slaughter facilities. Current Animal Welfare Approved farmers and those who have applied to join the program are eligible, and farmers may apply for certification and for a grant simultaneously.
Examples of projects funded in the 2008 cycle include mobile housing, a mobile processing unit, infrastructure to facilitate humane handling and equipment to improve nutrient availability for pastured sows. Farmers may submit a proposal for one project, for a total maximum grant of $5,000.
Grants will be awarded based on the project's potential to deliver the greatest benefit to farm animals. In order to receive a grant, applicants must meet the eligibility requirements and submit an application and a budget by October 1, 2009. Eligible costs include design fees, contractor costs, materials, and project-appropriate equipment.
Grants applications must be postmarked by the deadline date and will not be accepted via e-mail. Guidelines and an application form are available at www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org.
Questions may be directed to Emily Lancaster at (919) 428-1641 or Emily@AnimalWelfareApproved.org.
http://twitter.com/AWAapproved and become a fan on http://www.facebook.com!
Choose the one independent food label that means healthy, safe, environmentally responsible and humanely raised. Join our email list today.
Emily Lancaster, Farmer and Market Outreach, Animal Welfare Approved
1000 Jay Shambley Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312
919.428.1641
www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org
Animal Welfare Approved is pleased to offer Good Husbandry Grants for 2009.
Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded for the sole purpose of improving farm animal welfare, with a concentration on three areas: increased outdoor access, improved genetics and improved slaughter facilities. Current Animal Welfare Approved farmers and those who have applied to join the program are eligible, and farmers may apply for certification and for a grant simultaneously.
Examples of projects funded in the 2008 cycle include mobile housing, a mobile processing unit, infrastructure to facilitate humane handling and equipment to improve nutrient availability for pastured sows. Farmers may submit a proposal for one project, for a total maximum grant of $5,000.
Grants will be awarded based on the project's potential to deliver the greatest benefit to farm animals. In order to receive a grant, applicants must meet the eligibility requirements and submit an application and a budget by October 1, 2009. Eligible costs include design fees, contractor costs, materials, and project-appropriate equipment.
Grants applications must be postmarked by the deadline date and will not be accepted via e-mail. Guidelines and an application form are available at www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org.
Questions may be directed to Emily Lancaster at (919) 428-1641 or Emily@AnimalWelfareApproved.org.
http://twitter.com/AWAapproved and become a fan on http://www.facebook.com!
Choose the one independent food label that means healthy, safe, environmentally responsible and humanely raised. Join our email list today.
Emily Lancaster, Farmer and Market Outreach, Animal Welfare Approved
1000 Jay Shambley Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312
919.428.1641
www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org
6/23/2009
Raven's Wing Herbals, June 27
Raven's Wing Herbals returns to downtown Sou. Pines Farmers' Mkt. Saturday, June 27, 8 - noon.
6/22/2009
Tampa Blue Downtown S. P, June 27
Tampa Blue and Wonderboy will be at Cafe Iano in downtown Southern Pines this Saturday (June 27) from 6 until 8pm.
There's a Piedmont mood in the air so come on down for two hours with two friends, some traditional Southern music and YOU!
There's a Piedmont mood in the air so come on down for two hours with two friends, some traditional Southern music and YOU!
No Support from Kay Hagan
Kay Hagen has not come out in favor of the Public Option for the Health Care Bill. Her office says she has not yet taken a position.
Let her know your views right away! Call office or e-mail. Her toll free number is 1-877-852-9462.
Let her know your views right away! Call office or e-mail. Her toll free number is 1-877-852-9462.
6/21/2009
World Hunger Hits One Billion
World hunger 'hits one billion'
One billion people are hungry around the world, with a 100 million increase blamed on the global recession, says the UN.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/2/hi/europe/8109698.stm
One billion people are hungry around the world, with a 100 million increase blamed on the global recession, says the UN.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/2/hi/europe/8109698.stm
Nestle Cookie Dough, Recalled
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/health/policy/20cookie.html?em [e coli bacteria in cookie dough]
Seeds of Deception
http://www.seedsofdeception.com/Public/Home/index.cfm [exposé about how genetically-modified food industry has deceived consumers and undermined our general health in the U.S.]
6/20/2009
6/19/2009
It's the Gas for Europe
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8090104.stm [who owns the gas owns the power]
6/18/2009
6/17/2009
Gardening Happenings, Moore County, Jan's Newsletter
There's some things happening tomorrow evening you might want to attend.
But first...
Enjoying the local strawberries, early tomatoes, peaches, sweet corn, creamer potatoes, raspberries, herbs, chard, blueberries and, soon, the blackberries of summer?
Have you picked your first tomato yet?
(We did, an "Early Girl," ten days ago, eaten on - what else - a mater sandwich with a crack of pepper, some smoked turkey and avocado).
The yellow squash, green peppers, garlic and zucchini are starting to ripen and find their way into the kitchen, with the green beans, sweet potatoes, okra and eggplant are gathering speed. Every meal is tasty vegetable abundance.
And also, with gathering speed, come the weeds and garden bugs. I left for a week to visit my brother in Wisconsin, and when I returned last week, I found a chewed up jungle!So much chaos in so little time!
So! How to right things?
I wanted to put out this newsletter quickly, so all you gardeners (or wannabe gardeners) could learn to weather this most satisfying and also the most trying period of the summer garden.
It's hot, it's buggy, it's weedy - but the fruits and veggies of your labors are beginning to be offered in abundance as well.
Come celebrate with cooperative extension agent Taylor Williams this Thursday evening at 5:30 at First Garden Armory park (the site of the Thursday Farmers Market on Morganton Rd. in Southern Pines - park and walk up the hill to the community garden).
The clinic will last an hour or so, with time for questions.
Bring your problem vegetable children and let Taylor diagnose and offer solutions, and see the community garden in action.
Tell your friends, okay? This is short notice.
No registration required for this free clinic, but if you have questions, call 947-3188 See you there!
PS (A clinic on Fall Gardens will be offered in the un-fall-ish month of July (gotta think ahead).
FALL IS OFTEN THE BEST TIME TO GARDEN HERE IN THE SANDHILLS, AS THE PEST PRESSURE DECLINE RAPIDLY.
Mark Thursday, July 16, 5:30 PM at the Armory - same time, same place - on your calender).
-------------
Also, right after this clinic - that is, also this Thursday - Sustainable Sandhills will be offering the movie "King Corn" for your viewing pleasure, 6:30, at the Dempsey Center at Sandhills Community College.
"King Corn" examines exactly what is in the food on our shelves, and the implications for our health. It is eye-opening.
These films are presented for the community to watch and stimulate discussion about Sustainability in our communities.
See you there!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking of the food we eat, PBS recently did an interesting piece of the buzzed-about new movie "Food, Inc." This movie is said to advance the converstion about our food systems as much as did Michael Pollan's "Omnivore's Dilemma."
For a peek at that interview, and clips from the movie, see:
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/523/index.html
And also on the food news front, a "US Doctors' association calls for Moratorium on GMO Foods":
In a press release dated May 19, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, ‘an international association of physicians and other professionals dedicated to addressing the clinical aspects of environmental health,’ called immediately for the following emergency measures to be taken regarding human consumption of GMO foods:
* A moratorium on GMO food; implementation of immediate long term safety testing and labelling of GMO food.
* Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community and the public to avoid GMO foods.
* Physicians to consider the role of GMO foods in their patients' disease processes.
* More independent long term scientific studies to begin gathering data to investigate the role of GMO foods on human health.
The AAEM chairperson, Dr Amy Dean notes that ‘Multiple animal studies have shown that GM foods cause damage to various organ systems in the body. With this mounting evidence, it is imperative to have a moratorium on GM foods for the safety of our patients' and the public's health.’ The President of the AAEM, Dr Jennifer Armstrong stressed that ‘Physicians are probably seeing the effects in their patients, but need to know how to ask the right questions. The most common foods in North America which are consumed that are GMO are corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed oil.’ The AAEM's position paper on Genetically Modified foods can be found at http:aaemonline.org.
http://financialsense.com/editorials/engdahl/2009/0521.html
------------------------------ ---
Finally, a strong local food interest is gathering speed. Various groups - chefs, growers, reps of community groups, planners and more, coordinated by NC Cooperative Extension - are gathering to further connect consumers - you - with fresh local food and local growers. This effort also keeps surrounding land in open, green farmland.
I'm on a Local Food Council committee to help compile an email list of folks interested in good, local eating - to let consumers of fresh, local vegetables and fruits know when things are ripening and available. Since you all are among the most interested and faithful consumers of fresh-local that I know of, I'd like to offer them my list of 300+ . Someday before the end of the year, you'll get an email about it with an option to unsubscribe. If you have strong feelings about that now, let me know.
As always, Have a great week!
With enthusiasm,
Jan and Michael
Cottage Garden Farm
Southern Pines, NC
Fresh - Local - Organic
Mr.GreenJeans Lawn and Garden - 695-5162
and now, Bountiful Backyards of Moore - 692-8801
But first...
Enjoying the local strawberries, early tomatoes, peaches, sweet corn, creamer potatoes, raspberries, herbs, chard, blueberries and, soon, the blackberries of summer?
Have you picked your first tomato yet?
(We did, an "Early Girl," ten days ago, eaten on - what else - a mater sandwich with a crack of pepper, some smoked turkey and avocado).
The yellow squash, green peppers, garlic and zucchini are starting to ripen and find their way into the kitchen, with the green beans, sweet potatoes, okra and eggplant are gathering speed. Every meal is tasty vegetable abundance.
And also, with gathering speed, come the weeds and garden bugs. I left for a week to visit my brother in Wisconsin, and when I returned last week, I found a chewed up jungle!So much chaos in so little time!
So! How to right things?
I wanted to put out this newsletter quickly, so all you gardeners (or wannabe gardeners) could learn to weather this most satisfying and also the most trying period of the summer garden.
It's hot, it's buggy, it's weedy - but the fruits and veggies of your labors are beginning to be offered in abundance as well.
Come celebrate with cooperative extension agent Taylor Williams this Thursday evening at 5:30 at First Garden Armory park (the site of the Thursday Farmers Market on Morganton Rd. in Southern Pines - park and walk up the hill to the community garden).
The clinic will last an hour or so, with time for questions.
Bring your problem vegetable children and let Taylor diagnose and offer solutions, and see the community garden in action.
Tell your friends, okay? This is short notice.
No registration required for this free clinic, but if you have questions, call 947-3188 See you there!
PS (A clinic on Fall Gardens will be offered in the un-fall-ish month of July (gotta think ahead).
FALL IS OFTEN THE BEST TIME TO GARDEN HERE IN THE SANDHILLS, AS THE PEST PRESSURE DECLINE RAPIDLY.
Mark Thursday, July 16, 5:30 PM at the Armory - same time, same place - on your calender).
-------------
Also, right after this clinic - that is, also this Thursday - Sustainable Sandhills will be offering the movie "King Corn" for your viewing pleasure, 6:30, at the Dempsey Center at Sandhills Community College.
"King Corn" examines exactly what is in the food on our shelves, and the implications for our health. It is eye-opening.
These films are presented for the community to watch and stimulate discussion about Sustainability in our communities.
See you there!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking of the food we eat, PBS recently did an interesting piece of the buzzed-about new movie "Food, Inc." This movie is said to advance the converstion about our food systems as much as did Michael Pollan's "Omnivore's Dilemma."
For a peek at that interview, and clips from the movie, see:
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/523/index.html
And also on the food news front, a "US Doctors' association calls for Moratorium on GMO Foods":
In a press release dated May 19, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, ‘an international association of physicians and other professionals dedicated to addressing the clinical aspects of environmental health,’ called immediately for the following emergency measures to be taken regarding human consumption of GMO foods:
* A moratorium on GMO food; implementation of immediate long term safety testing and labelling of GMO food.
* Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community and the public to avoid GMO foods.
* Physicians to consider the role of GMO foods in their patients' disease processes.
* More independent long term scientific studies to begin gathering data to investigate the role of GMO foods on human health.
The AAEM chairperson, Dr Amy Dean notes that ‘Multiple animal studies have shown that GM foods cause damage to various organ systems in the body. With this mounting evidence, it is imperative to have a moratorium on GM foods for the safety of our patients' and the public's health.’ The President of the AAEM, Dr Jennifer Armstrong stressed that ‘Physicians are probably seeing the effects in their patients, but need to know how to ask the right questions. The most common foods in North America which are consumed that are GMO are corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed oil.’ The AAEM's position paper on Genetically Modified foods can be found at http:aaemonline.org.
http://financialsense.com/editorials/engdahl/2009/0521.html
------------------------------ ---
Finally, a strong local food interest is gathering speed. Various groups - chefs, growers, reps of community groups, planners and more, coordinated by NC Cooperative Extension - are gathering to further connect consumers - you - with fresh local food and local growers. This effort also keeps surrounding land in open, green farmland.
I'm on a Local Food Council committee to help compile an email list of folks interested in good, local eating - to let consumers of fresh, local vegetables and fruits know when things are ripening and available. Since you all are among the most interested and faithful consumers of fresh-local that I know of, I'd like to offer them my list of 300+ . Someday before the end of the year, you'll get an email about it with an option to unsubscribe. If you have strong feelings about that now, let me know.
As always, Have a great week!
With enthusiasm,
Jan and Michael
Cottage Garden Farm
Southern Pines, NC
Fresh - Local - Organic
Mr.GreenJeans Lawn and Garden - 695-5162
and now, Bountiful Backyards of Moore - 692-8801
6/16/2009
Strengthen Bill for Food Safety
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/food_safety_bill/?r=3939&id=4562-1541929-NIYcTJx
6/15/2009
6/14/2009
Pollinator Week, June 27, Pittsboro
Come join the Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension and the Chatham County Beekeepers’ Association for the third annual celebration of National Pollinator Week on Saturday, June 27, from 10:00 am til 2:00 pm on The Lawn at Chatham Mills in Pittsboro, NC.
The purpose of National Pollinator Week is to teach pollinator-friendly practices and raise public awareness of the importance of the bees, beetles, butterflies, moths, flies, birds, and bats that are needed to produce 80 percent of our flowering plants and one third of our human food crops. The National Academy of Sciences has reported that there is direct evidence of the decline of some pollinator species in North America. And, recently, Colony Collapse Disorder of honey bees has alarmed the agricultural industry.
We have a great program planned for folks of all ages at our local event here in Pittsboro:
You can hear presentations about beekeeping – how to get started, equipment needs, management tips – from local beekeepers.
Tour Cooperative Extension’s new Pollinator Garden at Chatham Mills and learn how to attract and protect pollinators.
Watch expert beekeepers work an actual hive inside a bee cage (bees inside, participants outside!), see honey bees up close and personal, and get your burning beekeeping questions answered.
Participate in a pollinator-themed Scavenger Hunt for kids!
Watch “Bee TV” - park yourself in front of an observation hive and watch the worker bees attending the queen. It’s mesmerizing!
Meet our local Chatham County beekeepers and learn all about what it takes to produce the nutritious and delicious local honey available at Chatham Marketplace. We will have beekeeping equipment and products from the hive for “show and tell”.
Visit Chatham Marketplace to learn which products depend on bees for pollination (hint: look for the bee signs!).
Pick up some educational literature to further your knowledge about honey bees, beekeeping, pollinators, and pollinator conservation.
Learn about the Chatham County Beekeepers’ Association and how you can get involved with this fabulously friendly group through monthly meetings and field days and even an email listserv – we welcome members of all skill levels: from never-tried-it (but always wanted to) to beginner to experienced!
Enjoy a pollinator-friendly local lunch at Chatham Marketplace during the program! (Did you know that worldwide, approximately 1,000 plants grown for food, beverages, spices, fiber, and medicine require pollination by animals?)
All Pollinator Week Events are free and open to the public. This event will be held rain or shine. For directions, go to http://www.chathammarketplace.coop/about/directions.shtml
This event is sponsored by Chatham Mills Development Corporation (see http://www.chathammills.com/) and hosted by Chatham Marketplace (http://www.chathammarketplace.coop/).
For more information about pollinator conservation, visit Cooperative Extension’s website at http://www.protectpollinators.org.
Visit the Chatham Beekeepers’ Association website at http://www.chathambeekeepers.org.
For more information about this event, contact Debbie Roos at 919-542-8202 or debbie_roos@ncsu.edu.
I hope to see you there!
Debbie Roos
Agricultural Extension Agent
Chatham County Center
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
919.542.8202
debbie_roos@ncsu.edu
www.growingsmallfarms.org
The purpose of National Pollinator Week is to teach pollinator-friendly practices and raise public awareness of the importance of the bees, beetles, butterflies, moths, flies, birds, and bats that are needed to produce 80 percent of our flowering plants and one third of our human food crops. The National Academy of Sciences has reported that there is direct evidence of the decline of some pollinator species in North America. And, recently, Colony Collapse Disorder of honey bees has alarmed the agricultural industry.
We have a great program planned for folks of all ages at our local event here in Pittsboro:
You can hear presentations about beekeeping – how to get started, equipment needs, management tips – from local beekeepers.
Tour Cooperative Extension’s new Pollinator Garden at Chatham Mills and learn how to attract and protect pollinators.
Watch expert beekeepers work an actual hive inside a bee cage (bees inside, participants outside!), see honey bees up close and personal, and get your burning beekeeping questions answered.
Participate in a pollinator-themed Scavenger Hunt for kids!
Watch “Bee TV” - park yourself in front of an observation hive and watch the worker bees attending the queen. It’s mesmerizing!
Meet our local Chatham County beekeepers and learn all about what it takes to produce the nutritious and delicious local honey available at Chatham Marketplace. We will have beekeeping equipment and products from the hive for “show and tell”.
Visit Chatham Marketplace to learn which products depend on bees for pollination (hint: look for the bee signs!).
Pick up some educational literature to further your knowledge about honey bees, beekeeping, pollinators, and pollinator conservation.
Learn about the Chatham County Beekeepers’ Association and how you can get involved with this fabulously friendly group through monthly meetings and field days and even an email listserv – we welcome members of all skill levels: from never-tried-it (but always wanted to) to beginner to experienced!
Enjoy a pollinator-friendly local lunch at Chatham Marketplace during the program! (Did you know that worldwide, approximately 1,000 plants grown for food, beverages, spices, fiber, and medicine require pollination by animals?)
All Pollinator Week Events are free and open to the public. This event will be held rain or shine. For directions, go to http://www.chathammarketplace.coop/about/directions.shtml
This event is sponsored by Chatham Mills Development Corporation (see http://www.chathammills.com/) and hosted by Chatham Marketplace (http://www.chathammarketplace.coop/).
For more information about pollinator conservation, visit Cooperative Extension’s website at http://www.protectpollinators.org.
Visit the Chatham Beekeepers’ Association website at http://www.chathambeekeepers.org.
For more information about this event, contact Debbie Roos at 919-542-8202 or debbie_roos@ncsu.edu.
I hope to see you there!
Debbie Roos
Agricultural Extension Agent
Chatham County Center
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
919.542.8202
debbie_roos@ncsu.edu
www.growingsmallfarms.org
6/13/2009
6/12/2009
King Corn Coming to SCC!
REMINDER
Moore County Sustainable Film Series
Thursday, June 18th, 6:30-8pm | Sandhills Community College, Dempsey Student Center, Clement Dining Room
Our Next Film: “King Corn: You Are What You Eat” - Click here for movie trailer.
Sustainable Sandhills will be showing the third film in our Film Series focused on sustainability-related topics. The desire of Sustainable Sandhills is to heighten public awareness of pressing sustainability issues and to encourage community dialogue following each film. The next film in our sustainable film series is the award winning documentary, “King Corn”. The film documents two best friends from college that plant and acre of corn and follow it into our food system. I think everyone will be surprised as to what they find. You truly are what you eat! “King Corn” will be shown Thursday, June 18th, at Sandhills Community College's Dempsey Student Center, upstairs in the Clement Dining Room from 6:30-8:00 PM.
The Film Series is held on a bi-monthly schedule, alternating with the Sustainable Sandhills Moore County Community Action Team Meetings. Each film will be aired from 6:30-8:00 PM at the same location, and the remaining 2009 revised schedule is as follows: August 20th, October 22nd, and December 10th.
Bring the family! All ages are invited to attend and it’s FREE!!! We look forward to seeing you there!
Moore County Sustainable Film Series
Thursday, June 18th, 6:30-8pm | Sandhills Community College, Dempsey Student Center, Clement Dining Room
Our Next Film: “King Corn: You Are What You Eat” - Click here for movie trailer.
Sustainable Sandhills will be showing the third film in our Film Series focused on sustainability-related topics. The desire of Sustainable Sandhills is to heighten public awareness of pressing sustainability issues and to encourage community dialogue following each film. The next film in our sustainable film series is the award winning documentary, “King Corn”. The film documents two best friends from college that plant and acre of corn and follow it into our food system. I think everyone will be surprised as to what they find. You truly are what you eat! “King Corn” will be shown Thursday, June 18th, at Sandhills Community College's Dempsey Student Center, upstairs in the Clement Dining Room from 6:30-8:00 PM.
The Film Series is held on a bi-monthly schedule, alternating with the Sustainable Sandhills Moore County Community Action Team Meetings. Each film will be aired from 6:30-8:00 PM at the same location, and the remaining 2009 revised schedule is as follows: August 20th, October 22nd, and December 10th.
Bring the family! All ages are invited to attend and it’s FREE!!! We look forward to seeing you there!
Hamas/Gaza, Chapel Hill, June 14
"HAMAS/GAZA"
Sunday, June 14, 2009, 2-4 P.M.
Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill, NC
Doors open at 1:30 for refreshments/socializing
Who is Hamas?
How did they ascend to power?
Are they the legitimate political voice of the Palestinians?
Should Israel negotiate with them?
What is the history of Gaza?
What is the condition of Gaza now?
How has the blockade affected Gaza?
Is the Gaza Strip viable?
Event co-sponsored by:
Muslim American Public Affairs Council (MAPAC)
Muslim American Society(MAS) of Raleigh
Salaam-Shalom Support Group--Church of Reconciliation Chapel Hill
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Triangle Branch
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD-USA)
December 27, 2008 through January 18, 2009 saw the State of Israel launch a massive military offensive inside one of the most densely populated civilian areas on earth, the Gaza Strip.
Television and print news coverage was extensive throughout the assault, but did little to help understand either what was going on or why it was going on, and even less to help understand the full context of the struggle within the Gaza Strip.
This presentation will attempt to fill in those gaps, and place the assent of Hamas and subsequent Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip within the broader context of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the struggle of the Palestinian people for self-determination.
The often paradoxical nature of the Hamas organization will be explored as will the history, organization and viability of the Gaza Strip as a commercial, cultural, and governable entity.
Explore--Engage--Act!
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2009
Time: 2-4 PM (Refreshments/socializing at 1:30)
Place: Church of Reconciliation
Address: 110 N. Elliott Rd. Chapel Hill, 27514
Contact: (919) 490-5546 or (919) 967-7284
Sunday, June 14, 2009, 2-4 P.M.
Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill, NC
Doors open at 1:30 for refreshments/socializing
Who is Hamas?
How did they ascend to power?
Are they the legitimate political voice of the Palestinians?
Should Israel negotiate with them?
What is the history of Gaza?
What is the condition of Gaza now?
How has the blockade affected Gaza?
Is the Gaza Strip viable?
Event co-sponsored by:
Muslim American Public Affairs Council (MAPAC)
Muslim American Society(MAS) of Raleigh
Salaam-Shalom Support Group--Church of Reconciliation Chapel Hill
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Triangle Branch
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD-USA)
December 27, 2008 through January 18, 2009 saw the State of Israel launch a massive military offensive inside one of the most densely populated civilian areas on earth, the Gaza Strip.
Television and print news coverage was extensive throughout the assault, but did little to help understand either what was going on or why it was going on, and even less to help understand the full context of the struggle within the Gaza Strip.
This presentation will attempt to fill in those gaps, and place the assent of Hamas and subsequent Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip within the broader context of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the struggle of the Palestinian people for self-determination.
The often paradoxical nature of the Hamas organization will be explored as will the history, organization and viability of the Gaza Strip as a commercial, cultural, and governable entity.
Explore--Engage--Act!
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2009
Time: 2-4 PM (Refreshments/socializing at 1:30)
Place: Church of Reconciliation
Address: 110 N. Elliott Rd. Chapel Hill, 27514
Contact: (919) 490-5546 or (919) 967-7284
Swank Has Grounds
Downtown Southern Pines, the little coffee house in the Belvedere Plaza - Swank - is giving away their coffee grounds for people's compost bins.
Waxman-Markey to Pelosi
http://www.1sky.org/pressroom/2009/06/1sky-and-allies-send-letter-to-speaker-pelosi-asking-for-opportunities-to-strength
6/11/2009
6/10/2009
6/09/2009
Home-made Soda Pop
http://www.cheeseslave.com/2009/06/05/how-to-make-homemade-soda-pop-with-kefir-grains/
Democratic Women of Moore, June 13
DWMC meeting June 13
Nancy Gottovi, the executive director of Central Park NC will be the speaker at the Saturday, June 13th meeting of the Democratic Women of Moore County. Central Park NC is an organization that develops strategies to preserve the natural and cultural assets of central North Carolina, using them to create a sustainable local economy.
www.centralparknc.org
The meeting begins 10 AM at Democratic Headquarters, 104-A North McNeill St., Carthage. Bring a friend, and some canned goods for our monthly food drive.
Nancy Gottovi, the executive director of Central Park NC will be the speaker at the Saturday, June 13th meeting of the Democratic Women of Moore County. Central Park NC is an organization that develops strategies to preserve the natural and cultural assets of central North Carolina, using them to create a sustainable local economy.
www.centralparknc.org
The meeting begins 10 AM at Democratic Headquarters, 104-A North McNeill St., Carthage. Bring a friend, and some canned goods for our monthly food drive.
6/08/2009
Food Safety Bill Moving in Congress,
Food Safety Bill Starts to Move in Congress
The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing yesterday on the "Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009." The bill has not yet been filed, so there is no bill number, but it is based largely on HR 759, one of the food safety bills that we alerted our members to before.
The draft bill contains several provisions of concern, including:
· Extending FDA's authority to inspect to farms;
· Directing FDA to develop growing and handling standards for produce;
· Mandating a $1,000 annual registration fee for any facility that manufactures or processes food. Although "farms" are exempt, a farm that also sells processed items such as jams, fermented vegetables, etc. appears to be subject to the fee.
We encourage everyone to call their Representative and talk with the staffer who handles food safety issues. Explain how important local farms and local food sources are to you! Ask your Representative to contact the Committee members on your behalf, urging them to protect small farms and small food processors from these overly burdensome provisions.
More specific talking points will be provided in future alerts.
To find out who represents you, go to www.Congress.org
Take Action: Come to one of the meetings!
WHERE and WHEN:
Tuesday, June 9: Jefferson City, Missouri: Truman Center, 1510 Jefferson Street
Thursday, June 11: Rapid City, South Dakota: Holiday Inn Rapid City, Rushmore Plaza, 505 North Fifth Street
Tuesday, June 16: Albuquerque, New Mexico: Route 66 Casino & Conference Center, 14500 Central Avenue, SW
Thursday, June 18: Riverside, California, location tbd
Thursday, June 25: Raleigh, North Carolina: Jane S. McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman Street
Saturday, June 27: Jasper, Florida: Hamilton County Extension, 1143 NW US Hwy 41
TIME: Registration starts at 8 am. The meeting is from 9 am - 4 pm
REGISTRATION
1) Pre-register Online: Send an email to NAISSessions@aphis.usda.gov In the subject line of the e-mail, indicate your name and the location of the meeting you plan to attend. If you wish to present public comments, include your name and address in the body of the message.
The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing yesterday on the "Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009." The bill has not yet been filed, so there is no bill number, but it is based largely on HR 759, one of the food safety bills that we alerted our members to before.
The draft bill contains several provisions of concern, including:
· Extending FDA's authority to inspect to farms;
· Directing FDA to develop growing and handling standards for produce;
· Mandating a $1,000 annual registration fee for any facility that manufactures or processes food. Although "farms" are exempt, a farm that also sells processed items such as jams, fermented vegetables, etc. appears to be subject to the fee.
We encourage everyone to call their Representative and talk with the staffer who handles food safety issues. Explain how important local farms and local food sources are to you! Ask your Representative to contact the Committee members on your behalf, urging them to protect small farms and small food processors from these overly burdensome provisions.
More specific talking points will be provided in future alerts.
To find out who represents you, go to www.Congress.org
Take Action: Come to one of the meetings!
WHERE and WHEN:
Tuesday, June 9: Jefferson City, Missouri: Truman Center, 1510 Jefferson Street
Thursday, June 11: Rapid City, South Dakota: Holiday Inn Rapid City, Rushmore Plaza, 505 North Fifth Street
Tuesday, June 16: Albuquerque, New Mexico: Route 66 Casino & Conference Center, 14500 Central Avenue, SW
Thursday, June 18: Riverside, California, location tbd
Thursday, June 25: Raleigh, North Carolina: Jane S. McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman Street
Saturday, June 27: Jasper, Florida: Hamilton County Extension, 1143 NW US Hwy 41
TIME: Registration starts at 8 am. The meeting is from 9 am - 4 pm
REGISTRATION
1) Pre-register Online: Send an email to NAISSessions@aphis.usda.gov In the subject line of the e-mail, indicate your name and the location of the meeting you plan to attend. If you wish to present public comments, include your name and address in the body of the message.
6/07/2009
Conservation Insider Bulletin, June 5
Conservation Insider Bulletin
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
June 5, 2009
Duke announces a big rate hike request, and a huge coastal mining operation receives a new permit, this week in CIB:
--Administrative Watch: Duke Rate Hike Would Bankroll Cliffside
--Coast Watch: Phosphate Mine Gets New Permit
--Conservationists: Yadkin Riverkeeper Wins Recognition
Administrative Watch: Duke Rate Hike Would Bankroll Cliffside
Duke Energy filed a request with the N.C. Utilities Commission this week to hike its rates by 13.5 percent for residential customers, 9.7 percent for commercial and institutional users, and 15.2 percent for industries. Duke pointed to what it said were growing capital expenses as the main reason for the big rate hike request—including its contested new coal plant under construction at Cliffside.
The Cliffside-related costs would represent Duke's largest use of the controversial "construction work in progress" (CWIP) financing technique in decades. Opponents of new coal plant construction predicted this result when North Carolina legislators adopted legislation to radically weaken limits on CWIP in 2007.
Duke's rate hike request must be reviewed and approved by the Utilities Commission before it can take effect. Industrial and other electric customers immediately signaled opposition to the Duke request and can be expected to fight it in front of the state board. The Commission denied Duke's most recent previous rate hike request in 2007—but that was before new CWIP rules went into effect.
Meanwhile, environmental groups continue to challenge the Cliffside plant's air emission permits in federal court. The N.C. Division of Air Quality has now twice approved the plant's permit, and the U.S. District Court for western North Carolina is considering whether to intervene a second time.
Coast Watch: Phosphate Mine Gets New Permit
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this week issued a new permit for the massive PCS Phosphates mining operation on the Pamlico River in Beaufort County. The action may spell the end of a multi-year fight over the terms of expanding surface mining operations there, or could result in further challenges.
The Section 404 water quality permit would allow the company to mine through thousands of additional acres of wetlands near the river. It's the largest single permitted wetlands destruction operation in North Carolina history. The permit was held up by EPA directive earlier this year while the Corps reassessed what it would allow the company to do.
Citizen conservation groups including the Southern Environmental Law Center have been among those challenging PCS' mining expansion plans. Among the key issues has been the company's proposal to mine through a "nationally significant" hardwood swamp forest covering the headwaters of a Pamlico tributary stream.
An EPA spokesperson reacted favorably to some changes included in the Corps-approved permit, but noted that the agency continued to review the details. EPA has a short time within which to decide whether or not to challenge the permit further. Conservation groups are also in the process of reviewing the permit details. (Some facts for this article were drawn from the Washington Daily News, 6/4/09 and 6/5/09.)
Conservationists: Yadkin Riverkeeper Wins Recognition
Dean Naujoks, Yadkin Riverkeeper, received the River Network's 2009 National River Hero Award last weekend at the organization's annual national River Rally, held this year in Baltimore. The River Network promotes clean water restoration and protection, and has about 700 partner groups around the country.
Naujoks, who has worked on the Yadkin since October 2008, previously served for seven years as the Upper Neuse Riverkeeper. Zoe Gamble Hanes, president of the Yadkin Riverkeeper group, noted that Naujoks' work has gained particular attention through his efforts to reduce toxics pollution in Badin Lake associated with the former Alcoa operations there. (Gamble Hanes is also a member of the CCNC board of directors.)
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
June 5, 2009
Duke announces a big rate hike request, and a huge coastal mining operation receives a new permit, this week in CIB:
--Administrative Watch: Duke Rate Hike Would Bankroll Cliffside
--Coast Watch: Phosphate Mine Gets New Permit
--Conservationists: Yadkin Riverkeeper Wins Recognition
Administrative Watch: Duke Rate Hike Would Bankroll Cliffside
Duke Energy filed a request with the N.C. Utilities Commission this week to hike its rates by 13.5 percent for residential customers, 9.7 percent for commercial and institutional users, and 15.2 percent for industries. Duke pointed to what it said were growing capital expenses as the main reason for the big rate hike request—including its contested new coal plant under construction at Cliffside.
The Cliffside-related costs would represent Duke's largest use of the controversial "construction work in progress" (CWIP) financing technique in decades. Opponents of new coal plant construction predicted this result when North Carolina legislators adopted legislation to radically weaken limits on CWIP in 2007.
Duke's rate hike request must be reviewed and approved by the Utilities Commission before it can take effect. Industrial and other electric customers immediately signaled opposition to the Duke request and can be expected to fight it in front of the state board. The Commission denied Duke's most recent previous rate hike request in 2007—but that was before new CWIP rules went into effect.
Meanwhile, environmental groups continue to challenge the Cliffside plant's air emission permits in federal court. The N.C. Division of Air Quality has now twice approved the plant's permit, and the U.S. District Court for western North Carolina is considering whether to intervene a second time.
Coast Watch: Phosphate Mine Gets New Permit
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this week issued a new permit for the massive PCS Phosphates mining operation on the Pamlico River in Beaufort County. The action may spell the end of a multi-year fight over the terms of expanding surface mining operations there, or could result in further challenges.
The Section 404 water quality permit would allow the company to mine through thousands of additional acres of wetlands near the river. It's the largest single permitted wetlands destruction operation in North Carolina history. The permit was held up by EPA directive earlier this year while the Corps reassessed what it would allow the company to do.
Citizen conservation groups including the Southern Environmental Law Center have been among those challenging PCS' mining expansion plans. Among the key issues has been the company's proposal to mine through a "nationally significant" hardwood swamp forest covering the headwaters of a Pamlico tributary stream.
An EPA spokesperson reacted favorably to some changes included in the Corps-approved permit, but noted that the agency continued to review the details. EPA has a short time within which to decide whether or not to challenge the permit further. Conservation groups are also in the process of reviewing the permit details. (Some facts for this article were drawn from the Washington Daily News, 6/4/09 and 6/5/09.)
Conservationists: Yadkin Riverkeeper Wins Recognition
Dean Naujoks, Yadkin Riverkeeper, received the River Network's 2009 National River Hero Award last weekend at the organization's annual national River Rally, held this year in Baltimore. The River Network promotes clean water restoration and protection, and has about 700 partner groups around the country.
Naujoks, who has worked on the Yadkin since October 2008, previously served for seven years as the Upper Neuse Riverkeeper. Zoe Gamble Hanes, president of the Yadkin Riverkeeper group, noted that Naujoks' work has gained particular attention through his efforts to reduce toxics pollution in Badin Lake associated with the former Alcoa operations there. (Gamble Hanes is also a member of the CCNC board of directors.)
6/06/2009
6/05/2009
6/04/2009
6/03/2009
Also Patiently Crafted
Our most daunting problems are linked and planetary, but many of the solutions will be crafted, piecemeal and patiently, in our households, neighborhoods, watersheds and bioregions. WorldChanging.com
Planning Sou. Pines, June 3, 4
Wednesday, June 3, 7:00pm-9:00pm, S. Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court
Thursday, June 4, 11:30am-1:30pm, Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue
Thursday, June 4, 7:00pm-9:00pm, S. Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court
Thursday, June 4, 11:30am-1:30pm, Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue
Thursday, June 4, 7:00pm-9:00pm, S. Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court
6/02/2009
Environmental Heroes
http://www.treehugger.com/galleries/2009/04/environmentalist-heroes-earth-day.php?page=1
6/01/2009
Join Movement to Support Sandhills Area Farmers, Jun 16
Join a New Movement to Support our Local Farmers
Want to be part of the movement to meet important community needs while supporting our local farmers? Efforts have begun to start an organization that enables households to purchase, and receive, direct deliveries of fresh produce from local farms.
We need to hear your opinions and ideas. Your suggestions and recommendations at this formative stage will greatly increase this organization’s chances at successfully meeting community needs.
Date: 6 pm Tuesday, June 16th
Where: Moore County Center (Ag Building), 707 Pinehurst Ave, Carthage
The following goals are currently under consideration:
Improve the local farm economy – preserving farmland and the rural character and lifestyle of Moore County.
Provide families with highest quality, fresh produce conveniently and reasonably priced, as well as nutritional information.
Create long-term, stable jobs for residents in need- the unemployed, underemployed, students, etc.
Increase access to fresh nutritious fruits and vegetables for low income families.
There is strong interest in local food here in Moore County. The number of Farmers’ Markets continues to expand and customer support is increasing. Our Ag Extension has a local food system person on staff and has started a working group of diverse stakeholders. Local restaurants’ purchases of local food are increasing and the Chefs have expressed interest in buying more. The items to be discussed at the meeting are intended to complement and enhance those efforts already underway.
Questions can be directed to Tim Emmert in Moore County’s office of Planning & Community Development at 947-5010.
Want to be part of the movement to meet important community needs while supporting our local farmers? Efforts have begun to start an organization that enables households to purchase, and receive, direct deliveries of fresh produce from local farms.
We need to hear your opinions and ideas. Your suggestions and recommendations at this formative stage will greatly increase this organization’s chances at successfully meeting community needs.
Date: 6 pm Tuesday, June 16th
Where: Moore County Center (Ag Building), 707 Pinehurst Ave, Carthage
The following goals are currently under consideration:
Improve the local farm economy – preserving farmland and the rural character and lifestyle of Moore County.
Provide families with highest quality, fresh produce conveniently and reasonably priced, as well as nutritional information.
Create long-term, stable jobs for residents in need- the unemployed, underemployed, students, etc.
Increase access to fresh nutritious fruits and vegetables for low income families.
There is strong interest in local food here in Moore County. The number of Farmers’ Markets continues to expand and customer support is increasing. Our Ag Extension has a local food system person on staff and has started a working group of diverse stakeholders. Local restaurants’ purchases of local food are increasing and the Chefs have expressed interest in buying more. The items to be discussed at the meeting are intended to complement and enhance those efforts already underway.
Questions can be directed to Tim Emmert in Moore County’s office of Planning & Community Development at 947-5010.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)