Root Cellaring workshop/skillshare tomorrow evening!

[Heather Curtis]

[Via Portland Permaculture!]

 

As a follow up to the "Maine Local 20" in March, join MOFGA's agricultural engineer Cheryl Wixson as she discusses the science of and approach to root cellaring, an important component in the development of food security for Maine. Wixson will present information about the design and construction of root cellars, storage requirements for various fruits and vegetables, and suggestions for seasonal eating from your root cellar. Opportunity for folks to share photographs and success stories with their own root cellars. (If you have done any root cellaring or non-electrified cold storage we'd love to hear from you or see a few photos)

This event is being co-sponsored by The Cape Farm Alliance!

This event is specifically designed to provide the information you need to plan the appropriate root cellar or cold storage situation to meet your needs.

Donation of $3-5 will help cover the costs to bring Cheryl to Portland for this event. She is an invaluable resource for us!

This is being held at the Grange Hall on Route 77 in Cape Elizabeth (past Crescent Beach a ways...) Allow 15 minutes from downtown Portland and feel free to use comments area of this page to organize carpools.

Potluck 6:30 (bring a dish to share and your potluck kit!)
Announcements 7:00-ish (bring announcements or flyers for kindred local events)
Presentation 7:15 - followed by Q&A/discussion
Wrap-up 8:30 - 8:45 depending on discussion....

We are also hoping to host one or two educational work parties this summer to get root cellars in place. If you live within 20 min drive of downtown Portland, are developing a root cellar plan and can purchase the materials, email the organizer to see if a work party might make sense for the installation! We may also want to map a few root cellars already in operation that are open to visits, if you know of any!

---

Cheryl Wixson grew up on a dairy farm in Winslow, Maine. She is a third generation graduate of the University of Maine, and is the University's first woman agricultural engineer. After 10 years in the pulp and paper and telecommunications industry, Wixson founded a catering company and small restaurant that served international cuisine featuring organic Maine products. The last meal served at her restaurant was a nine-course meal featuring Petunia, Wixson's pig, that achieved international notoriety when code enforcement determined it was residing illegally in the same neighborhood as novelist Stephen King. Cheryl then retired from the restaurant business to bake cookies and raise crops, rabbits and three daughters on her organic, urban farm in Bangor. In 1999, Wixson built a state-of-the art kitchen and educational facility dedicated to teaching people the joys and benefits of healthy eating and cooking utilizing Maine products while supporting a sustainable environment. Cheryl is a food columnist for the Bangor Daily News, consults with restaurants from Maine to California, develops recipes for food manufacturers and hosted two Maine Public Television series, the latest being What's for Suppah?. She has studied food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine, is a master composter, and teaches kindergarten children that food comes from farms. Cheryl is an Organic Marketing Consultant for MOFGA.