Urban Farming Collective March gathering news-share.....

The Urban Farming Collective gathered last night in Traverse City at Cogs Creek Studio in Tribalive's lovely orange room.

After being graced with welcoming music by Nellie Eve, the film "Getting Real about Food and the Future" by Chris Bedford and Diana Jancek was shown, followed by group introductions and discussion.

The film can be viewed here: http://vimeo.com/23259917

The purpose of the UFC, is to create a Traverse City based network to meet the growing needs and interest in urban farming and the building of a local food system, while encouraging a lower energy lifestyle. We are growing a group of wonderful folks, contributing good ideas to create a citizen-based, local food system for all. The UFC is collectively organized, offering information about potential and new Community Garden sites, workshops, programs and events, as we continue to deepen our permaculture roots, socializing in our yards and neighborhood gardens, eating good food and encouraging a local economy!

A quick logo for the UFC was inspired by our KALE conversations, and, a project team is already underway for a Community Greenhouse in one or more Traverse City neighborhoods!


The following links are being shared by various members of the UFC:

http://fatpie-okart.blogspot.com/2012/03/prelude-to-permaculture-series-to-begin.html


http://hyperlocavore.ning.com/

http://healingtreefarm.org/about/

http://transitiontraversecity.us/

http://occupyourfoodsupply.org/occupy-our-food-supply

http://fatpie-okart.blogspot.com/2012/02/really-ok-news-for-traverse-city-good.html


http://littleartshram.org/

The next meeting and POTLUCK date for the Traverse City based UFC is: Saturday April 14th, 6-8 pm @ the home of Samantha, Chris and family, at 717 Division St., Traverse City. If driving, park along 10th St. For additional directions contact, 231-499-8188

THANKS to Continual University and Little Artshram for hosting our March UFC event, and once again to Chris Bedford and Diana Jancek for their film and sharing of their life-long work.

Let's Get-together, it's almost Spring!

"HOW-to: FOOD & OUR FUTURE in Traverse City" with a special 30-minute film showing of Christopher Bedford's film, "GETTING REAL ABOUT FOOD AND THE FUTURE", presented by the Urban Farming Collective (UFC).

March 10th, Saturday 6-8 pm...,
@ Cogs Creek Studio/Tribalive 124 N. Maple, Traverse City, MI

It makes sense to have food at this event, so feel free to bring some kind of food to share!

This special film was created to help communities take the first steps toward food security and a thriving economic future in the post petroleum era. Designed to spur organization and action, the film emphasizes solutions to the deepest problems of transitioning to a new food economy. Following the film, Samantha Tengelitsch and Christopher Graves (Urban Farmers living in Traverse City's Central Neighborhood) will facilitate a discussion about the ideas and issues raised in the film and the implications for our own communities and our own lives.

As an annual, spring event kicking-off the garden growing season in the Traverse City area, we welcome folks and organizations to join us with their garden info. sharing and sign-up--featuring any of the established and new gardens in Traverse City. This will be a great opportunity for meeting and greeting neighborhood and community gardeners.

More about the Urban Farming Collective, a project of Little Artshram: Do you currently have a Community Garden in Traverse City, or, would you like to begin one in your neighborhood? Are you a chicken farmer, a bee-keeper, a front or back yard gardener, a seed-saver, a soil-manager? Join us and help grow the TC urban farming and gardening movement!

The UFC has worked to create a Traverse City based network to meet the growing needs and interest in urban farming and the building of a local food system, while encouraging a lower energy lifestyle. Join the first of our CU Spring Series gatherings as we welcome the UFC and a growing group of wonderful folks, and contribute your good ideas to create a citizen-based, local food system for all.

The UFC is collectively organized, offering information about potential and new Community Garden sites, workshops, programs and events, as we continue to deepen our permaculture roots, socializing in our yards and neighborhood gardens, eating good food and encouraging a local economy!

Contact:
info@littleartshram.org
www.littleartshram.org

231-510-3491

Little Artshram Community Garden Gathering

COME TO THE GARDEN!

Wednesday, June 15th, 6:00 - 8:00 PM,

Potluck, updates from community gardeners on tasks, sharing community news

At the Community Garden near the BIG barns, (bad weather location @ Bldg. #36)

1499 Silver Dr., Historic Barns Park, Traverse City, MI 49684

Details/questions/directions:

communitygarden@littleartshram.org

www.littleartshram.org

NEW Website for Little Artshram! AND, introducing: Urban Farming Collective and Community Gardening in Traverse City

Greetings everyone!

Little Artshram has entered into the leap year of the sleep, creep leap stage and we are debuting a beautiful new website: http://zatchs.com/littleartshram/index.php

We are currently waiting for the server to complete it's transfer, and it will soon be returend and shortened to littleartshram.org. In the meantime you can reach us at the address above.

INTRODUCING the Urban Farming Collective:

Do you currently have a Community Garden in Traverse City, or, would you like to begin one in your neighborhood? Are you a chicken farmer, a bee-keeper, a front or back yard gardener, a seed-saver, a soil-manager? Join us and help grow the TC urban farming movement!

The Urban Farming Collective is creating a Traverse City based network to meet the growing needs and interest in urban farming and the building of a local food …system, while encouraging a lower energy lifestyle.

The Urban Farming Collective offers information about potential and new Community Garden sites, workshops, programs and events, as we continue to deepen our permaculture roots, socializing in our yards and neighborhood gardens, eating good food and encouraging a local economy!

WEDNESDAY, May 11th 6-8 PM, potluck and meeting

1015 Red Drive, Building #36, Second Floor Community Room, Traverse City, MI

We will be offering garden plot sign-up for Little Artshram Community Garden, renewing plots to 2010 gardeners in good standing, and drawing names out of a hat for the remaining plots at our barns property site.

A NEW! Community Garden with small, raised-bed garden plots will be offered also, at the Cook’s House Community Garden, on Front St. in downtown Traverse City. Check out some photos of the site:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150576548885455.672094.735580454

Come and meet the 2011 UFC and Community Garden coordinators and some of the Community Gardening community and learn about the “100 YARDen Dash” we’ll be co-sponsoring with Transition Traverse City, and other Tc Urban Farming projects like the TC Coop Loop… http://www.tccooploop.com/

Here’s more info on the UFC and Community Garden potluck on May 11th:

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=165016650227019&id=122677780502#!/event.php?eid=149039681828557

Greetings and Welcome!

Thank you for checking out our blog or connecting with us about your interest in having a community garden plot. We are busy working up a plan for updated agreements and policies for this year's gardening season, re-designing our website and project and program blogs; and getting ready for a wonderful gardening season!

For the time being, you may contact us at the following mailing address: tccommunitygardens@gmail.com and we will send out an announcement to remind everyone of our Community Garden sign-up date, which will happen on April 16th, in collaboration with a day of Permaculture Design Project Presentations. Generally this is a first-come, first-served process, with gardeners in good-standing "grand-mothered" in from year to year.

We are concerned that this year for the first time, we have more folks on our waiting list than we may be able accommodate in a garden plot at the Barns property site. We wish to remind folks that we do have small raised bed plots at the Cook's House Community Garden, and that we can help guide you in beginning your own community garden in your neighborhood, or front yard as well. The more "yardening" the better!

In addition to other programming, we are designing a Urban Farming Collective, a project of Little Artshram, with the support of Traverse City's Mayor Chris Bzdok. The Urban Farming Collective will be a networking and support system to help grow more community gardens in Traverse City. More information about the Urban Farming Collective, and ways to get involved will be shared at the upcoming event on April 16th.

Please check our website for details about the Permaculture Design Project and Community Garden Day, Saturday April 16th, at: www.littleartshram.org

We will do our best to keep you informed of community gardening happenings as Spring approaches!

Sincerely,

Little Artshram
and the Urban Farming Collective

www.littleartshram.org

Winter planning for the Community Gardens....

What does PERMACULTURE have to do with Community Gardening? Contact us and find out about the upcoming Permaculture Design Course(PDC), you may wish to join us for a winter planning and study!

The PDC will include student design projects that include our Community Gardens, the Youth-Market Garden CSA, a Forest and Perennial Vegetable Garden at our Historic Barns Park site....AND, our efforts to spread community gardens around the Traverse City area....beginning with a tiny Community Garden on Front St.

May 22nd Skill-Share and Community Garden Celebration!

This is a family-friendly event and there will be something for everyone to learn and to participate in....

from building a garden, growing food in your front or, backyard, a Plant Swap and Seedling Sale,

to fine-tuning your Nature Awareness skills, we are offering simple ways to become more self-reliant

and earth-friendly in this day-long Skill-share and Community Garden Celebration.

WHERE: The Little Artshram Community Gardens at the Historic Barns Park

near the Munson Woods and The Village of Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City

TIME: 10am until 7pm

Skill-Share Workshops: 10-3 pm, hourly

Community Garden Work-share projects: on-going, and 3-5 pm

Community Garden Potluck and Near the Barn Dance, 5-7 pm

This is an all-day affair! SO, bring a sack lunch and something to

drink, and a dish to share for the evening potluck.

ALSO, this is a ZERO-Trash event. Pack it in, Pack it out!

COST: $5.00 suggested donation per workshop, (Kids, free) thanks!

Check out the final Skill-Share schedule and summer gardening news on our blog at: www.littleartshram.org

We have a few garden plots available, contact our volunteer coordinators: tccommunitygardens@gmail.com