Monday, June 28, 2010

Lawrence Sustainability Network

Lawrence
Sustainability
Network


June 27, 2010
Visit our website and join the LSN discussion list



INDEX
Below, you will find detailed information on the following events:
July 3: Growing the Food of the Future: lecture, lunch, tour
August 3-7: Volunteer Opportunity at the Douglas County Fair

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES: See Below
Study Sustainable Ag at JCCC!



COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS



Saturday, July 3, 2010: 10am to 4:30pm
Growing the Food of the Future: lecture, lunch, tour
See below for location and directions
$50/person

The Kaw Permacuture Collaborative and Vajra Farm are sponsoring a workshop on Permaculture entitled "Growing the Food of the Future."

The workshop, to be held at Steve and Nancy Moring's farm near Oskaloosa, KS (www.vajrafarm.com), is an introduction to the principles of ecologically sustainable agriculture in a time of energy depletion. We will discuss our food security and how we can mitigate the effects of declining energy resources. We will show how we can implement permaculture design and practice on the small farm scale. Steve will show what he has done at Vajra Farm with energy efficient home construction, cultivation of integrated polyculture no-till raised bed gardens and the establishment of edible forest gardens. Steve is certified in permaculture design through the Midwest Permaculture organization.

A $50.00 participation fee will support the activities of KPC and will include lunch, lecture and farm tour .

For more information contact Steve at smoring@grasshoppernet.com or phone, 785-691-7305


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Tuesday-Saturday, August 3-7, 2010, 5-10pm
Volunteer at the Fair: Douglas County Food Policy Council Booth
Douglas County Fairgrounds
The Douglas County Food Policy Council (FPC) will have a booth at the County Fair to talk about our local food system and increase awareness about the FPC and their work. They need to staff the booth from 5 PM - 10 PM, Tuesday August 3rd thru Saturday, August 7th and need volunteers.
The booth will be mostly interactive for the fair-goers, but there will be information and freebies to hand out. The booth is indoors in the AC. The FPC will also be raffling off goodies from popular local businesses and restaurants like the Merc and the Downtown Lawrence Farmers Market. You do not have to be an "expert" on local foods or agriculture to volunteer, just bring a smiling face.

If you are interested in volunteering for a 2.5 hour shift anytime during the fair, please contact Nicole Tichenor at
nicoletichenor@gmail.com.
For those of you not familiar with the Douglas County Food Policy Council, here is a synopsis of who they are and what they hope to do:
The Food Policy Council is an advisory council to the County Commission, established in September 2009.

The Food Policy Council seeks to identify the benefits, challenges and opportunities for a successful, sustainable local food system in Douglas County.

The FPC will serve as a forum for discussion and coordination for community-wide efforts to improve the Douglas County community’s access to local food supply and distribution networks. Therefore, the FPC will focus on the following priority areas:

A. Economic development and entrepreneurial opportunities related to local food production and consumption

B. Improved health outcomes

C. Positive environmental quality impacts

D. Increased access to, and distribution of wholesome, local food

E. Support for local producers of sustainable food products

F. Identification, preservation, and/or sustainable development of local resources including soil, agricultural land, important breeds/cultivars, water, skilled labor, capital, and markets

G. Increased education and awareness on the part of Douglas County residents regarding the benefits of locally produced foods The Council seeks to identify the benefits, challenges and opportunities for a successful, sustainable local food system in Douglas County.

You can check on their progress at: http://www.douglas-county.com/depts/ad/ad_localfoodpolicycouncil.aspx

And join them on the Wellcommons site at: http://wellcommons.com/groups/douglas-county-food-policy-council/


OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

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    JCCC’s Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship Certificate

    Start this fall in Lawrence!

    Course information for fall 2010

    HORT 245 - Commercial Crop Production, 3 credit hours

    This course is designed to familiarize Market Farmers with the plant materials and production of crops grown in the Market Farming industry. This course will help answer questions about varieties of plants to grow, establishment, growth, harvesting and post-harvesting of crop, varieties of plants to grow. Students will become familiar with different marketing options and good record keeping. 3 hrs. lecture/wk.

    The course number for this class is: 83147

    This course taught by Stu Shafer is designed to introduce students to Market Farming. In this second year of the Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship Certificate

    Dates/times: Tuesdays 8:30am-11:30am, August 24th-December 17th at the JCCC in Lawrence location, Lawrence Centennial School 2145 Louisiana Street. JCCC students use the south or west entrance.

    More about the certificate:

    Some of the classroom courses for the certificate are offered in Lawrence and the practicum is located at the K-State farm at 35230 W 135th St Olathe, KS 66061.

    Here is more information about the practicum:

    HORT 272 - Sustainable Agriculture Fall Practicum 2 credit hours

    Through practical experience complemented by lectures and discussions, students will gain exposure to a broad range of tasks facing the market farmer during the fall and early winter seasons. Practicum activities will integrate with other courses in this market farming certificate program. 7 hrs. practicum/wk.

    Course number for this class is: 83217, course meeting times: Tuesdays 1:00pm-3:50pm August 24th –December 17th.

    If you have questions about the Farm to Market Farming class, please call Stu Shafer at 785.691.5006. If you have questions about the Lawrence location, please call Loralee Stevens at 913.469.2750 or the site directly at 785.842.1157.

    If you would like general JCCC information you can always call 913.469.3803 or find additional courses and the admission application at www.jccc.edu.

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LSN is an all-volunteer organization
dedicated to learning how to live lightly and sustainably.

Sustainability requires that we restore biodiversity and environmental health, strengthen relationships within and among human communities, insist on democratic decision-making at all levels of governance, insure social and economic equity for all, and reorient our aims from growth to stability. It means living within our means today and protecting the interests of future generations. LSN supports the efforts of individuals and organizations that work toward these goals.

Send announcements of your sustainability-related events to

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