July 9, 2012 – Noteworthy Items and Upcoming Events
July 9, 2012
(Compiled by Shannon Maris/ Garden E-News, Arthur Tenebrae, and Rachel Perry)
Sorry for the delay in this weeks newsletter; I recently became sick with the latest bug that is floating around and am just now coherent enough to submit this to our followers. Hopefully this has not inconvenienced any of you too much. Stay healthy, and enjoy the sunshine this week!
-Rachel Perry
Bellingham Parks Volunteer Work Party at Woodstock Farm
Wednesday, July 11th, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Woodstock Farm, Chuckanut Drive, Bellingham
Come enjoy this beautiful historic site & lend a hand to Ross who is working toward his Eagle Scout Rank building a trail. Come early & have a picnic dinner before getting dirty! There is no parking on site; park at the North Chuckanut Trail head & walk/bike to the farm, which is ½ mile south of the parking lot. For more information, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 360- 778-7000 or parks@cob.org.
Birds on the Fly! Bird Tour and Clay Art Workshop
Friday, July 13th, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Whatcom Museum, Syre Education Center, 201 Prospect Street, Bellingham
Catch a bird on the fly as you explore the Whatcom Museum Bird Collection with museum educator Chris Brewer. See our birds of prey, shore birds, waterfowl, and little brown branch hoppers. After the tour, we’ll fly on into our Syre classroom and learn how to make clay birds in flight and on roosts! All ages are welcome. To learn more and register, call 360-778-8960. This tour is limited to 20 participants. The suggested donation is $3. Museum members get in for free.
Winter Gardening Class
Friday, July 13th, 4:00 pm, Alger Community Hall, 17835 Parkview Lane, Alger, WA
Chuckanut Transition presents a Whatcom County Master Gardener event on how to grow fruits and vegetables even during the cold bitter months. The class is free, but donations for Alger Community Hall are welcomed. To register, visit the Belfast Feed Store at 6200 North Green Road in Burlington, WA; call 360-724-0392, or email at algercommunityhall@yahoo.com.
Make It and Take It’Hyptertufa Class
Saturday, July 14th, 9:00 am, A Garden Spot Nursery, 900 Alabama Street, Bellingham
Make your own, old English style Hypertufa trough. Create your own planter in the style of old stone sinks and animal troughs that have been used to grow plants for centuries, but have now become both scarce and expensive. Hypertufa is lighter than concrete and undamaged by freezing! Bring gloves, a trowel and a friend. To register, call 360-676-5480 or click here. The workshop fee is $35, including all supplies.
Earthen Oven Workshop
Saturday, July 14th & Sunday, July 15th, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm, Harmony Fields Farm, 7465 Thomas Rd., Bow, WA
If you can bake a scone, you can build your own oven. Get dirt under your nails learning earthy “recipes” for masonry insulation, sculptural cob, fine plasters, and more. Together we will build a traditional cob oven with all the features artisan bakers demand: insulated brick floor, self-supporting dome with graded layers of mass and insulation; and an enclosed chimney for a more efficient burn and less smoke. Registration is required. To register, call 360-941-8196 or email at hfproduce@gmail.com. The cost is $80 per person.
4th Annual Edible Garden Tour
Saturday, July 14th, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 5pm, Lummi Island, WA
This event is excellent for bicycling, for photography, for enjoying Lummi Island’s nature, and for learning (and borrowing ideas!) to plant and grow edible gardens. You’ll see every shape and size, from one square foot to multiple acres, including orchards. The tickets cost $5 per family or $10 per family, and can be purchased either from the Beach School Foundation or their booth in the Lummi Island Saturday Market.
Planning and Planting Your Winter Garden
Saturday, July 14th, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm, Cloud Mountain Farm Center, 6906 Goodwin Road, Everson, WA
At the peak of summer is the best time to plan and plant a winter garden. Here in the Northwest, it’s possible to grow and harvest vegetable almost year round. We’ll discuss the types of plants you can grow, special fertility and soil requirements for winter gardening, and the use of cloches and frost blankets to extend the harvest. For more infromation, call 360-966-5859.
Cherry Fruit Day
Saturday, July 14th, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, WSU Washington Research and Extension Center, 16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon, WA
At the 2012 Cherry Fruit Day, we’ll have educational seminars on Tatura Trellis, a V shaped training system from Austrailia, spotted wing drosophila, a new pest in the Pacific Northwest, and uncommon varieties of cherries. Don’t forget the best part – you will have the option to pick and taste many varieties of cherries and pick and take home bags of cherries for $5 each (bags provided by WWFRF).
Field Days are free to members, and open to non-members for one-day only fees of $15 per individual and $30 per family (parents with their small children) at each event.
30th AnniversaRE Party
Saturday, July 14th, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm, The RE Store, 2309 Meridian St., Bellingham
The Re Store is commemorating 30 years of building – and RE building – communities throughout Whatcom County. Swing by for a celebration of music, dancing, food, giveaways, tours, do-it-yourself demonstrations and much more! Win prizes with wacky demolition midway games for the young and old including “Break-a-Door-Down” and clean toilet seat ring toss. Make stuff from the coolest junk pile around at the well-loved Recycled Art Station.
Nature Walk at Larrabee State Park
Saturday, July 14th, 1:00 pm, Larrabee State Park, 245 Chuckanut Drive, Bellingham
A “Nature Walk” featuring the plants, animals, geology, and history of Larrabee State Park. Meet at the picnic area across from the Larrabee State Park Main Entrance. Although the event is free, a Discovery Pass is required for parking, which costs $10 per day or $30 per year. For more information, call 360-902-8844.
Know Your Ducks (and Other Birds)! Tour with Joe Meche
Saturday, July 14th, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Whatcom Museum, Syre Education Center, 201 Prospect Street, Bellingham
Adults and teens can view the museum’s amazing bird collection with Joe Meche, former president of the local Audubon Society. He shares ways to identify birds based on their habitat and behavior and tells fun tales about our local birds. The tour is followed by an optional bird walk along nearby Whatcom Creek. Ages 12 and up are welcomed. To learn more and register, call 360-778-8960. This tour is limited to 20 participants. The suggested donation is $3. Museum members get in for free.
KRISTY ATHENS READS GET YOUR PITCHFORK ON!
Saturday, July 14th, 4:00 pm, Village Books, 1200 11th Street, Fairhaven
Get Your Pitchfork On! provides the hard-learned nuts-and-bolts of rural living from city folk who were in over their heads. Practical and often hilarious, Get Your Pitchfork On! reads like a twenty-first century The Egg and I. Athens’ book gives urbanites the practical tools they need to realize their own dreams of getting away from it all, with the basics of home, farm, and hearth. The book enters territory that others avoid, straightforward advice about the social aspects of country living, from health care to schools to small-town politics. Athens doesn’t shy away from controversial subjects, such as owning firearms and hiring migrant workers.
Animals as Natural Therapy Annual Bluegrass Bash
Saturday, July 14th, 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Windy Acres Farm, 721 Van Wyck Road, Bellingham
Each summer, Animals as Natural Therapy holds our Bluegrass Bash and salmon feed to benefit the farm and our healing work. Come to Windy Acres and enjoy salmon burgers, hot dogs, organic veggies, ice cream, games, dancing, and live bluegrass music while we raffle off prizes donated by local Bellingham businesses. Suggested donations are $20 for adults, $40 for families, and $10 for kids 12 -6. Children under 6 get in for free. For more information, call 360-671-3509 or email the events coordinator at Melina@animalsasnaturaltherapy.org.
Community Alliance for Global Justice’s 6th Annual SLEE Dinner
Saturday, July 14th, 5:00 pm -9:30 pm, St. Demetrios Church, 2100 Boyer Avenue East, Montlake, Seattle, WA
Join us for this exciting Community Event and Annual CAGJ Fundraiser! The SLEE dinner brings together over 400 local advocates, farmers, food workers, and allied organizations to celebrate CAGJ’s organizing for global justice! CAGJ’s annual dinner plays a pivotal role in our organizing and fundraising efforts. The annual dinner not only raises one-third of CAGJ’s annual budget, it serves as a key networking opportunity for those working to promote food justice here in Seattle and around the world. It is a unique event because we sponsor farmers, workers and organizers from across the food system to be honored guests at the dinner. This ensures a diverse event and exciting conversation.
Click here purchase tickets for the event. The cost ranges from $40 – $100, while admission for children is $10. If you are unable to afford a full-price ticket, please contact us for solidarity tickets at volunteer@seattleglobaljustice.org! Limited amount available! For more information, or to volunteer for the event, please contact CAGJ at 206-405-4600 or contact_us@seattleglobaljustice.org.
Summer Rides: Flower Power
Sunday, July 15th, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Departs from Public Market, 1530 Cornwall Ave.
Highlights of this ride include a planting demonstration at The Garden Spot Nursery, a visit to Cornwall Rose Garden, and a stop at Plantas Nativa Nursery. The ride will begin and end at the Public Market where riders can socialize or purchase tasty treats from Trapeze Deli. Summer Rides are easy social outings, rolling more or less weekly throughout the summer. Roll with friends and meet new friends while discovering backroads and hidden bikeways in Bellingham (and a few in Lynden, Ferndale, and Birch Bay, too). Each Summer Ride has a different theme, with goodies provided along the way. Summer Rides each feature a different fun theme and cover easy routes of around seven miles.
Draw Birds Like an Artist — See Them Like a Scientist with Jamichael Henterley
Sunday, July 15th, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Whatcom Museum, Syre Education Center, 201 Prospect Street, Bellingham
Birds have attracted artists from the earliest cave drawers to Leonardo da Vinci. Adapted to every environment on the planet, birds come in an incredible variety of forms. Book illustrator Jamichael Henterley teaches different ways to draw birds through careful observation of the museum’s engaging bird collection. Participants use measuring and proportion, contour and gesture drawing, perspective, shading and texture to see like a scientist and draw like an artist! All ages are welcome. To learn more and register, call 360-778-8960. This tour is limited to 18 participants. The suggested donation is $3. Museum members get in for free.
Master Gardener Event: Ornamental Grasses
Sunday, July 15th, 2:00 pm, Hovander Homestead Park, 5299 Neilsen Rd., Ferndale, WA
Kaye Dykas will show you how to select and care for ornamental grasses in your landscape. For more information, call the WSU Whatcom County Extension at 360-676-6736.
Northwest Animals: Falcons
Tuesday, July 17th, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm, Bellingham Public Library, Lecture Room, Central Library, 210 Central Avenue
Join Jan Stamey and Jan Nelson from the Northwest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and create art crafts, sing songs, listen to stories, and learn about falcons. This event is for children ages 6 – 9. No live animals will be present. Pre-registration is required. To register, call 360-778-7200 or visit the Bellingham Children’s Library.
Pickling, Fermenting, and Canning: Putting Up with Summer with Charles Claassen
Tuesday, July 17th, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm, Cordata Co-op, Local Roots Room, 315 Westerly Road
Learn how to preserve food through both fermentation and hot-pack canning techniques from Charles Claassen, chef and owner of the Book Fare Cafe. We’ll taste and process spicy fermented cabbage kimchi, put up tomatoes, make balsamic golden beet pickles, and create a batch of berry preserves. Save money and enjoy the fruits of the harvest year-round. To register, call the WCC at 360-383-3200. The cost is $29 for members and non-members alike.
Introduction to Natural Korean Farming with Krista Rome
Wednesday, July 18th, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Cordata Co-op, 315 Westerly Road
Liberate yourself and feed your soil with homemade soil amendments. Korean Natural Farming has become all the rage in Hawaii and for good reason: it is a system based on healthy soil micro-organisms, low-cost, self-made plant food, and natural insect control. Topics will include boosting indigenous micro-organisms, fish fertilizer, calcium spray, phosphorus spray, fermented plant and fruit juice, and pest control spray. Do-it-yourself gardeners who want to reduce their inputs should not miss this exciting workshop! To register, call the Bellingham Food Co-op at 360-734-8158. The cost is $8 for members and $10 for non-members.
Bastille Day Picnic with Karina Davidson
Thursday, July 19th, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Downtown Co-op, 1220 N. Forest St.
Karina Davidson will be in Paris for Bastille Day but plans to celebrate again with this class! We will make a classic, deep-dish Quiche Lorraine, French potato salad using fingerling potatoes, asparagus with dijon vinaigrette, and an assemblage of hors d’ oeuvres surprises based on choice edibles Karina will bring home with her. To finish the class we will have a magnificent strawberry tart. The wine option, payable at class, is $7. To register, call the WCC at 360-383-3200. The cost is $39 for members and non-members alike.
Know Your Ducks (and Other Birds)! Tour with Joe Meche
Friday, July 20th, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Whatcom Museum, Syre Education Center, 201 Prospect Street, Bellingham
Children and teens can view the museum’s amazing bird collection with Joe Meche, former president of the local Audubon Society. He shares ways to identify birds based on their habitat and behavior and tells fun tales about our local birds. The tour is followed by an optional bird walk along nearby Whatcom Creek. Ages 6 – 16 are welcomed. To learn more and register, call 360-778-8960. This tour is limited to 20 participants. The suggested donation is $3. Museum members get in for free.
FROM DISCOVERY NEWS: “NEW HOPE FOR CORALS?”
Coral reefs off the coast of Panama collapsed for some 2,500 years, during a time of intense shifts in oceanic temperatures, found a new study. But when conditions returned to normal the corals came back, and they have thrived since then for more than a millennium.
FACTOID- via Organic Gardening:
11 percent of your food’s environmental impact comes from food miles, whereas 83 percent comes from how it was grown, particularly when it’s grown with the greenhouse-gas-intensive fertilizers and pesticides used on chemical farms.
GREEK SPINACH-SALAD PASTA WITH FETA, OLIVES, ARTICHOKES, TOMATOES & PEPPERONCINI
From The Fresh & Green Table: Delicious Ideas for Bringing Vegetables Into Every Meal by Susie Middleton
I once watched 200 lb/90 kg of Greek pasta salad fly out the door of a take-out market one Fourth of July weekend. It was a popular dish we made, and it always sold well, but that blew me away! These days, I make a quick and colorful Greek pasta that isn’t exactly a salad: I like to toss the warm pasta with the marinated vegetables and fresh spinach to make a more sophisticated room-temperature pasta dish. But it does have all the bright flavors of a great Greek salad, including lemon, olives, garlic, fresh oregano, red onions, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese.
Everything goes in raw except the pasta, so the timing is easy: Prep ahead, then cook the pasta when you’re ready to eat. For fun, add a few tangy pepperoncini. You don’t have to include them but they add a nice spark. (Buy them whole, not sliced.)
This pasta is perfect for a summer supper and is plenty filling for vegetarians. But it would be lovely with grilled salmon or shrimp skewers, too. Serves 5 or 6
• 1/4 cup/60 ml mild extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon black olive tapenade
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 small red onion (about 4 ounces/115 g), cut lengthwise into very thin slices
• One 14-ounce/400-g can artichoke hearts, drained and each heart cut lengthwise into 4 or 6 pieces
• 8 ounces/225 g small grape tomatoes, halved (about 1-3/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup/85 g pitted kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise
• 4 ounces/115 g good-quality creamy feta cheese (I like French Valbreso), crumbled
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 8 ounces/225 g dried gemelli or other curly pasta
• 4 ounces/115 g baby spinach leaves (about 5 cups)
• 1/3 cup/35 g chopped toasted walnuts
• 12 to 16 small whole pepperoncini, drained (about 2 ounces/55g)
1. In a large, wide mixing bowl, whisk or stir together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon zest, tapenade, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper. Add the red onion, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, olives, feta, and 1 tablespoon of the oregano and toss well. Let the mixture sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the gemelli and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes, or according to the package instructions. Drain well in a colander but do not rinse. Transfer the warm pasta to the mixing bowl with the dressing and vegetables and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the spinach leaves, the remaining 1 tablespoon of oregano, the toasted walnuts, and the pepperoncini and toss well. (The feta will loosen up and coat the pasta.) Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if desired. (You can also let the tossed pasta sit for a few minutes, stir again, and taste.)
3. Serve right away.
