January
31, 2013
LexFarm
Cheese-Making Class a Success!
 This past
Sunday, LexFarm, in conjunction with the Belmont
Food Collaborative, had the pleasure of
hosting its very first cheese-making class, which
was held at the Church of Our Redeemer in
Lexington Center.� Cheese-making gurus Joan
Teebagy and Lisa Fox demonstrated
cheese-making step-by-step and provided useful
information to a class full of inquiring minds,
covering topics including pasteurized milk, heat
regulation and cheese-curdling, the many uses of
whey, and where to find the best cheese-making
supplies.� Class participants watched cow and
goat's milk magically transform into three
varieties of beautiful, creamy, and delicious
cheese, including ricotta, chevre, and paneer.� By
the end of class, everyone got to sample the tasty
end-products, enjoyed the cooking camaraderie, and
shared unique recipes for home-made cheese
preparations to come.
Calling
All Goat Yard Volunteers!
 All those
interested in learning about the LexFarm
Goat Yard and opportunities to help out -
are invited to visit the Goat Yard at 1:30 pm
on Sunday, February 3rd. We will be
holding our usual public visiting hours, with a
special tour and goat walk for interested
volunteers.
Cost $5; Free for LexFarm members.
"Planting
the Seeds for a Community Farm"
As
LexFarm prepares its response to the
forthcoming RFP for a community farm, we
invite everyone to get involved to help shape
programs and events that will form a
basis for future programs and reflect the
priorities you have for YOUR community farm.
LexFarm member Nancy Gold
is looking for LexFarm supporters interested in
farm-based education to work with her on
developing a fun and exciting farm-ed curriculum
and summer program for children.� She owns a large
number of excellent resources, periodicals and
books on the subject, in addition to having
experience with school gardening and children's
environmental education.
Please email Nancy at nancya...@gmail.com
if you'd like to get involved.
Lexington
Community Conversation: Climate Change:
How can we make a difference in Lexington?
Tuesday,
February 26, Keilty Hall St. Brigid's
Church, 6:45 - 9 pm
Join neighbors, town staff, LexFarm members and
other community groups to learn how other towns
are preparing for potential problems and share
your thoughts about this issue in Lexington.
This is an opportunity for those concerned about
our local food production to voice those
concerns and help place agriculture and organic
gardening on the list of priorities for
Lexington.
The
planning committee for this second annual
Community Conversation includes members of the
following Lexington groups: the League of
Women Voters; the Global Warming Action
Committee; Citizens for Lexington
Conservation; Sustainable Lexington; LexFarm;
the Planning Board, and the Town Manager's
office.
Membership Corner
A Big Thank You to Brenda / 3rd Annual
Meeting
We would like to extend our very best wishes and
sincere thanks to our Membership Director, Brenda
Netreba, as she takes a break from actively
attending to LexFarm membership renewals and
prepares for the arrival of her own new family
member, some time around February 17th.� We also
thank LexFarm member Amy Swanson for
stepping in to help keep our membership records up
to date, while Brenda is on leave.
But we still need YOUR help as we plan for a
pivotal year and plan for a community farm: If
your membership has lapsed, or it expires before
the end of March, please consider renewing today.
Become
a member or renew by February 22nd in
order to vote at this year's annual meeting
(see below)!
and..
Mark your calendar for LexFarm's 3rd Annual
Meeting on Sunday, March 24th at 2:00
pm at the Lexington Depot. We'll elect our 2013-14
Board of Directors, share details about LexFarm's
RFP response, and make some exciting announcements
about plans for the upcoming year... you won't be
disappointed!� More details will be sent to our
members list.
(Note: You can email membe...@lexfarm.org
if you'd like to check on your status.)
Wild
Edible Plant Series
This
series covers wild
edible plants
found in New
England as told in
Russ Cohen's book,
"Wild Plants I
Have Known... and
Eaten."� If you
haven't had the
chance, take some
time to read this
delightfully
informative book
to find out more
on wild plants for
sustainable
eating.
Note:� If you are unfamiliar
with harvesting wild edibles,
please consult a plant expert
before attempting to forage on
your own.
Part Eight: Pineappleweed
(matricaria matricariodes)
 The
pineappleweed plant shares many characteristics
to its cousin the chamomile and is used
similarly as well. It is made up of petal-less
yellow flowers, is cone-like in shape, and
smells like pineapples when crushed, hence its
name.� You can find these weeds in gravelly,
nutrient-poor soil, such as gravel pathways or
vacant lots.� In Essex County, the pineappleweed
is best harvested around mid-June and are best
enjoyed as a tea, dried and steeped in some hot
water.� They are thought to have many healing
properties, including treatment for colds, upset
stomachs, and other forms of abdominal pain.
Similar to chamomile, it can also be made as
soothing, stress-reducing tea, and is sweeter in
taste without requiring added sweeteners.
Further Thinking
Brookwood Community Farm is hosting its 2013
Goods and Services Auction, which includes a
weekend getaway in Vermont, private yoga
classes, and Celtic tickets. All proceeds will
go to its mission in restoring under-utilized
farmland and address food access in low-income
neighborhoods.� The auction will be held until
February 16th, read more about it here.
We
welcome your feedback
Please
write us at newsl...@lexfarm.org
with all feedback regarding the Update or if
you have suggestions for area events that we
can announce.
Jeanne Lin and Allison Moody
|
Membership Corner
Wild Edible Series
Further Thinking
Area Events
Note:
Member prices refer to membership in the
organization hosting the event.
February 2, Medford, 1 pm
Making
Maple Syrup: Tapping and Collecting Sap
Join Groundwork Somerville and NOFA Mass for a
special wintertime workshop on urban maple
syrup-making! Learn about the history of maple
sugaring, tree identification, modern tapping
and sap collecting technology, and the effect
of climate change on maple trees.�
Participants will taste-test syrup and
participate in a hands-on demo of sugaring
techniques by tapping local trees.
$30 non-member, $25 NOFA member
February 2, Drumlin Farm, 1 - 3:30 pm
Backyard
Sugaring
Do you have a sugar maple or two in your yard?
Do you love maple syrup? If so, then come and
join Drumlin Farm to learn how to make your
own delicious syrup. They'll cover everything
-tree identification, equipment needed,
tapping, weather, boiling, finishing, and
storing - that you need to know to get
yourself started on this sweet project.
$25 non-member, $20 member
February 8, Drumlin Farm, 6:30 -
9:00 pm
Stew
and Brew- Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Come in out of the cold and enjoy a sampling
of tasty winter stews and locally made beers.
There will be several stews made from local,
seasonal ingredients, including vegetarian
options as well as Drumlin-raised lamb and
goat, accompanied by hearty breads. In
addition, there will be a variety of beer and
ale from neighborhood breweries. Meet other
locally-minded foodies and enjoy an evening of
good food, drink and conversation.
$60 non-member, $50 member
February 9 & 10, Boston, 8:30
am - 4:30 pm
Organic
Bee School
During this two-day Bee School, Jean-Claude
Bourrut will go over the basic techniques of
organic beekeeping, including materials and
equipment; beehive structure; the life cycle
of bees; hive development; dynamic, seasonal
apiary work; honey and hive products; common
pests and diseases, and their organic
management.�
$145 non-member, $125 NOFA member
February 16, Roxbury, 5:30 - 9:30
pm
Celebrity
Chef Cooking Lesson and Dinner
Join NOFA/Mass for this special fundraiser
event at Haley House with celebrity chefs Didi
Emmons and Odessa Piper and learn principles
of sustainable cooking. Proceeds from this
evening will go to support NOFA/Mass' Boston
program "CSA Connect," which facilitates
subsidized CSA shares for inner city,
low-income Boston residents.
$65 for cooking class, dinner and wine, $40
for dinner and wine only
Conferences/Seminars
January 31 - February
2, Northampton
Soil
and Nutrition Conference: Putting
Principles into Practice
NOFA/Mass advocates enhancing soil
fertility as a basis for the long-term
ecological and economic sustainability of
farming, the environment, and society as a
whole. The focus of this year's conference
is applying practical management
strategies on the farm from principles of
biological soil fertility. The lead
speaker is John Kempf from Middlefield,
OH, with Dan Kittredge and Derek
Christianson as co-panelists. Watch this interview
to see what it's all about.
February 9, Boston
Urban
Farming Conference: Cultivating Lands,
Nourishing Communities, Building
Businesses
The annual Massachusetts Urban Farming
Conference (UFC) is designed to advance
the opportunities and address the barriers
involved in cultivating a thriving urban
farming sector. Boston and other local
urban communities in Massachusetts have
the potential to offer a fresh, local
healthy food supply while promoting
economic and environmental sustainability,
as well as healthy communities, employment
at livable wages, food security, youth
engagement and more.
February 10 - February 12,
Saratoga Springs, NY
It
Takes a Region
This conference sponsored by the Northeast
Sustainable Agriculture Working Group is
for everyone interested in creating more
sustainable food and farming systems in
the Northeast. It is an opportunity to
share with others in the field how your
local efforts make a regional impact, and
to work with others to rebuild our food
system.
Board
Members
Janet Kern, President
Ken Karnofsky, Vice-President
Derek Moody, Treasurer
Ellen Frye
Jay Luker
Brenda Netreba
Charlie Radoslovich
|
