Community Garden Scholar

Published today: Your comments, critiques, and suggestions are welcome !

Anyone who appreciates seeing good news in the media (as I do) will appreciate this, especially if you care about people and farms in the Monadnock Region. Check out this week's Keene Sentinel article about the Community Kitchen's new gleaning program. Sarah Harpster , the program coordinator, is a great example of leadership on the way to a more resilient community. Posted: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 1:00 pm | Updated: 5:01 pm, Wed Sep 4, 2013. By Kyle Jarvis Sentinel Staff Potatoes, apples and squash that may have been thrown out or used as animal feed can now go to local people in need. The extra, fresh produce is being collected as part of the new Monadnock Gleaning program at The Community Kitchen in Keene. The goal is for farmers, or even backyard gardeners, to share the bounty that might otherwise go to waste with clients of the Keene food pantry. Sarah A. Harpster of Keene was hired by the kitchen in July to coordinate the program. She or volunteers collect the foo...

Please check out the event pages at Antioch University New England and Transition Keene for details on this excellent upcoming event: Monday, August 19, 2013 (6:30pm-8:30pm) Roberto Perez: Talk about Cuba’s Struggle & Progress in Sustainable Agriculture Location: Keene Public Library Roberto Perez, a Cuban permaculturist and environmental educator for the Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation for Nature and Humanity, will speak on Monday, August 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the auditorium of the Keene Public Library. The public is warmly welcome to this free event. It is presented by Antioch University New England and the Keene Community Garden Connections. Perez is on a speaking tour to raise scholarship funds for the IPC 11 Cuba: The 2013 International Permaculture Congress , which takes place in Cuba this November. He will talk about Cuba’s struggles and progress in sustainable agriculture and sustainable development. His work was highlighted in the movie The Power of Community , wh...

In case you missed it, this op-ed by Antioch University New England's Michael Simpson and Abi Abrash-Walton  (Keene Sentinel, July 15, 2013) is an excellent piece that captures the urgency of New England's shifting weather patterns and implications, not only for ecosystems but businesses, government and communities - as well as opportunities for action. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I love good questions, and Michael and Abby present a really great one for us think about: "How can communities become “climate ready” by assessing vulnerabilities, reducing risks and enhancing resilience?" To this end, Michael and Abby are heading up an amazing team of sustainability and resilience leaders to present the  LOCAL SOLUTIONS: Northeast Climate Change Preparedness Conference in May 2014.  I'm excited about the Educators' Summit , of course, and about the extraordinary combination of leadership represented by the Educators' Summit Advisory Comm...

Click here for the Eventbrite page - to register and to get in touch with Monadnock Farm & Community Coalition. Those at the March forum responded overwhelmingly that more officials, lawmakers and representatives need to be at the table in order to grow a vibrant, safe and efficient local food system that: enhances the health of our community is profitable for farmers and producers is accessible to all community members conserves natural resources is sustained by strong leadership and commitment in the Monadnock Region learn what an Agricultural Commission is, and how to start one if it is right for your town support established Agricultural Commissions identify and advocate for State policy in support of our local food system identify and advocate for National policy in support of our local food system Therefore, this forum addresses the policy-focused goal of our region's Strategic Plan . Meet State Representatives, national advocates, local leaders and Agricultural Commiss...

This week, after noticing  MOOCs  (massive open online courses) featured in consecutive editions of the  Chronicle of Higher Education , my curiosity about them has been rekindled. A couple of tech-savvy friends of mine discovered  M.I.T. 's MOOCs a few years ago (though I don't remember them being called that at the time). Actual, full-fledged M.I.T. courses, offered to anyone, anywhere, for nothing? "Cool!" I thought. And that is where my consideration of MOOCs ended. It was too good to be true, right? MOOCs were "teaser" courses - higher ed "light," not to be taken seriously by potential employers. Trial versions of real courses, perhaps, to get geeks like me hooked on a subject and sell them on a full-scale degree (with accompanying full-scale tuition). MOOCs crossed my radar screen again at the 2012  AASHE  Conference & Expo, where Hunter Lovins delivered a rousing (if somewhat controversial) keynote on " Saving our Economic Ass ...

Re-posting this article from Green Mountain College : May 14, 2013 The Green Mountain College board of trustees approved divestment from 200 publicly-traded companies which hold most of the world’s known coal, oil and gas reserves at its May 10 meeting. The decision aligns the college with its strategic plan "Sustainability2020,” which commits GMC to socially responsible investments. Following the decision, the college administration will work with its investment advisors to implement the plan. "We see this as another step in an ongoing effort to connect our investment decisions with our ideals,” said Paul Fonteyn, president of Green Mountain College. "Investing endowment funds on the basis of social, economic and environmental criteria is one of the ways Green Mountain College expresses its values." GMC has long been committed to reducing its own consumption of fossil fuels on campus. The College built a $5.8 million dollar biomass plant in 2011 which successfully...

Here's a wonderful little article that will put a smile on your face. (I think I'll start with #10, hit #4 this summer, and work my way up to #5 for my 10-year anniversary.) 10 Skills to Hone for a Post-Oil Future BY ANA MARIA SPAGNA Published in the May/June 2013 issue of Orion magazine 1. BLACKSMITHING To learn how to live in a post-petroleum world, recall the pre-petroleum world where blacksmiths made everything: tools, nails, hinges, lamps, hooks, gates, and railings. Wheels, even! With a barrel and some fire, a blacksmith could turn rusted car panels into cookware. Think of all the scrap metal we’ll have when the oil’s all gone. 2. KNOT TYING Find a shoelace and a copy of The Shipping News. Knots can weave rugs, fashion snowshoes, repair almost anything. A diamond hitch holds a load on a mule or a sled. A bowline to cinch a tarp, a Prusik to climb a tree. While fighting a forest fire, a friend once fixed a shovel with parachute cord, half-hitches, and pine pitch. And ...

New England Transition & Resilience HUB Gathering at the Slow Living Summit, Brattleboro VT, June 5 – 8 In conjunction with the Slow Living Summit and the Strolling of the Heifers Calling all “Transition & Community Resilience” activists in the northeast! Transition Towns, environmental justice groups, local green economy groups… Let’s gather together for inspiration, celebration, story sharing and skills building. Invite your friends on Facebook IF YOU REGISTER BEFORE MARCH 31st –You Can Get An Early-Bird Discount AND a Transition HUB Participant discount. REGISTER HERE ! Then email info@localcircles.org to let us know you plan to attend. DISCOUNT CODE FOR TRANSITION NETWORK MEMBERS (20%): Transitioner2013 SPEAKERS: Frances Moore Lappe, Judy Wicks, Steve Chase, Carlos Espinoza-Toro, Claire Wheeler and many more. PLENARY: “Transition to a New Economy” Plenary Session (Friday morning 6/7 at 8:30 am): “Transitioning to a New Economy,” with Gus Speth, Tina Clarke and Chuck Collin...

Forum - Civic Engagement at the Keene Public Library: Theme: Sustaining Ourselves: How Can We Best Meet the Needs of Today and Tomorrow? Keene Public Library - Kay Fox Room Saturday April 13, 2013, 9:30AM to 12:00PM It seems clear that the America inhabited by our grandchildren will look different from the America of today. We need to address what aspects of our current lifestyle are important enough to keep and pass down, and what we could choose to do without. It is time to ask: How can we best meet our needs today without hampering our ability to meet those needs tomorrow? Citizens have the opportunity to discuss this public issue in a moderated forum. To participate, please register by calling 603-352-0157.