For more “sustainability” resources go to my web page
: http://people.umass.edu/jgerber/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO: Western
Mass Friends of Sustainability
FROM: John Gerber, UMass
SUBJECT: What's
Happening?
Upcoming Events and Classes as of November 5, 2009
And some interesting links…. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fair Trade Event in Amherst; Monday,
November 9, 2009
_________________________________________________________________________
From
the CISA Events Page – for more go to: http://www.buylocalfood.org/page.php?id=12
15th Annual
CiderDays
Saturday & Sunday, November 7th & 8th
Franklin County
World's largest hard cider celebration featuring cider making, tasting, orchard
tours, and more! Throughout beautiful Franklin County. Click here to find
out which orchards will be participating.
2009 Northeast
Biochar Symposium
November 13, 2009
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The Northeast Biochar Symposium highlights the latest information on Biochar
production and utilization from leading researchers in academia, government
agencies, agriculture and manufacturing. Learn how this innovative strategy
offers exciting opportunities for carbon sequestration, soil fertility,
agriculture, renewable energy, job creation and community sustainability. For
more information, call 978-425-0101.
Gill Cheese Tasting
November 20, 7:00-9:00pm
Gill Congregational Church, Main Road, Gill Center across from the Gill Tavern)
Sample cheeses crafted by Gill farmers! Featuring cheeses from Upinngil Farm,
Laughing Dog Farm, and NMH Farm. Freshly Baked Bread & Apple Cider too!
Suggested Donation: $2/person
Sponsored by the Gill Agricultural Commission
Family Farm Day
Saturday, December, 12th, 9:30am - 11:30am
Red Gate Farm, Buckland
Winter is upon us, but can you remember the sweet smell of summer? Well,
that smell lives on at Red Gate Farm! Our bees worked hard all year to produce
sweet honey and beeswax for us. We will work together to craft a sweet treat to
eat from their honey, and candles for a friend (or yourself) from the beeswax.
The morning will include a hands-on activity, meaningful work, and meeting the
animals. Ages 2 - 7, with accompanying adult. Backpack babies welcome. Space is
limited, so please call the Farm Office at (413) 625-9503 to register. $5 for
member families / $10 for non-member families.Two Upcoming Western Mass Ag
Commission Conferences.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conway School of Landscape Design Presentations
– November 21 & 22
All environmentally-motivated students are invited to
attend the formal presentation of the Conway class of 2009's fall residential
projects on Friday and Saturday, November 20 and 21.
See www.csld.edu......
The Conway School of Landscape Design is the only institution of its kind in
North America. Its focus is sustainable landscape planning and design. Each year,
through its accredited, 10-month graduate program, just nineteen graduate
students from diverse backgrounds are immersed in applied landscape studies,
ranging in scale from residences to regions. Graduates go on to play
significant professional roles in various aspects of landscape planning and
design with an eye to sustainability.
What makes Conway an exciting place to study is a curriculum that is based on:
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN --we work together to discover what
sustainability can mean to a project and to the planet;
REAL-WORLD PROJECTS --from the start of each of the three terms, students
manage their own real projects with real clients;
CAREFULLY INTEGRATED LEARNING -- classes, studio time, field trips, and guest
speakers are organized around the projects for that term, rather than around
separate courses on separate topics;
WHOLE AND COMPLEX UNDERSTANDING OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL SYSTEMS
--inter-relationships across scales are examined, whatever project scope;
DIVERSE, INNOVATIVE TEACHING FORMATS --in appreciation of individual learning
styles;
FAVORABLE TEACHER-TO-STUDENT RATIO --much instruction is one-on-one or through
small group interaction, made possible because there are only eighteen or
nineteen students at a time;
COLLABORATION, NOT COMPETITION --each student or team of students has its own
projects, and everyone shares the goal of learning about design that is
ecologically and socially sensitive through all of the projects being
undertaken that term;
A HUMANITIES PERSPECTIVE --we offer practical training in oral and written
communication skills, which are integrated throughout the year; and
FULL INTEGRATION INTO ITS LANDSCAPE IN SCENIC NEW ENGLAND --activities take
advantage of our setting, using it as a springboard to consider landscapes
elsewhere.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHEAST ORGANIC FARMING ASSOCIATION,
MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER
23RD ANNUAL WINTER CONFERENCE
“Food From Farms For Families”
January 16, 2010
Worcester Technical High School, Worcester, Ma
Joel Salatin to present keynote speech and all
day seminar “Introducing Livestock to your Farm”
Over 40 workshops on organic farming, gardening,
landscaping, and sustainable living. Lively exhibit area, NOFA/Mass Annual
Meeting, great children and teens program, potluck lunch!
General registration fee $50 with discounts available.
Registration for Salatin seminar $115 (includes entrance to entire
conference). For more information visit http://www.nofamass.org/conferences/winter/index.php
or contact Conference Coordinator,
Jassy Bratko, jassy.bratko@nofamass.org or
978-928-5646
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hitchcock Center Events
For a
full listing of Hitchcock programs, please visit www.hitchcockcenter.org
We have some
wonderful programs happening in November, some great Saturday family
science, a nature hike and evenings with forest and sky experts,
see below. Please call early to register 256-6006, space is
limited.
Birds of Prey-Live!
Tom Ricardi
Saturday, November 7, 10:30-11:30am
Members $8/Non-members $12
Pre-registration required; please call 413-256-6006.
Live bird alert. Don’t miss this event! Tom Ricardi
has been involved for over 20 years with bird of prey rehabilitation. He has
been a part of repopulating our area with Bald Eagles and has been raising Barn
Owls, which are an endangered species along with rescuing and rehabilitating a
wide variety of other birds of prey. He is an integral part of keeping the
diversity of birds alive in MA. At times he has over 100 injured birds in his
care. He will bring a collection of permanently injured birds for this one-of-a-kind
program with live birds of prey.
Hike the Holyoke Range
Ted Watt
Sunday, November 8, 10am–3pm
Members:$18/Non-members $22
Pre-registration required; please call 413-256-6006.
We’ll explore the Holyoke Range enjoying views into
the Valley and developing our natural history skills. Ted’s areas of special
knowledge include plants and birds. Identification, inter-relationships, life
histories and special adaptations of the living things we find will deepen our
awareness of the beauties and complexities of the natural world around
us! Plus it will be really fun! Bring binoculars, your favorite field
guide, lunch and plenty to drink. This will be a mile hike over rolling
terrain with some relatively short steep sections.
Saturday Family Science:
Birds and Bird Feeders (ages 5-8)
Ted Watt
Saturday, November 14, 10-11:30am
Members: $4 per person/Non-members: $6 per person
Maximum of 3 children per adult.
Pre-registration required; please call 413-256-6006.
Family science days are designed for families with
children ages 5-8, with adults participating along with their children. Fall is
a great season to come together and discover the wonders of our world. Come
share in naturalist Helen Ann’s love for birds as you look at how they prepare
for winter and see who has stuck around. There will be an indoor introduction
and activity before we go outside for structured activities related to our
theme for the day.
Forests of Wonder
Bob Leverett
Wednesday, November 18, 7-9pm
Members: $8/Non-Members: $12
Pre-registration required; please call 413-256-6006.
Join Bob Leverett, co-founder and Executive Director
of the Eastern Native Tree Society (ENTS) as he takes us on a virtual tour of his
favorite woodland haunts. Massachusetts contains nearly three million forested
acres. It is hard to imagine that in the 1800s, Massachusetts was between 70-
80% cleared. Today, most of the re-growth forest is privately owned, often
consisting mainly of young to early mature woodlands that are undistinguished.
However, there are hidden spots both on public and private lands that contain
trees which predate the landing of the pilgrims. Places exist that contain big,
tall trees suggestive of a forest more like the one that existed before
settlement by European Americans. These ancient woodlands possess the power to
inspire us and give us pride in the New England forestscape. Learn about our
most exceptional forest sites and how they compare to the best that our sister
states have to offer. Bob, who is also the president of Friends of Mohawk Trail
State Forest and its principal ecologist, will also introduce us to the Mohawk
‘super forest’ and the research going on there by ENTS.
Splendors of the Night Sky
Ron Woodland, Astronomer
Saturday, November 21, 7-9pm
Members: $8/Non-members: $10
Pre-registration required; please call 413-256-6006.
Join this wonderful astronomer and educator as he
shares his love and expertise of the night sky. This program will begin inside
at the Hitchcock Center as it gets dark, discussing celestial motion, learning
about reading star maps and using binoculars for star gazing. We will move to
Bramble Hill Farm for its lovely expanse of sky to gaze at the splendors of the
night sky. We can expect to see a first quarter moon, good looks at Jupiter and
the Andromeda Galaxy, as well as Taurus the Bull, the Pleides, and the Summer
Triangle. Please bring binoculars if you have them.
Saturday Family Science:
Small Animals Up Close (ages 5-8)
Micky McKinley
Saturday, December 12, 10-11:30am
Members: $4 per person/Non-members: $6 per person
Maximum of 3 children per adult.
Pre-registration required; please call 413-256-6006.
Family science days are designed for families with children
ages 5-8, with adults participating along with their children. Come get to know
some small but interesting animals. Learn how to study them as you explore
their special behaviors and adaptations. Some of the creatures you may meet
are: walking stick insects, land snails, goldfish, hissing cockroaches, large
millipedes and Speedy the box turtle.
.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CISA Events:
Below
are a few upcoming farm and farm-related events of interest. Additional events,
in October and beyond can be found on the events
page on our web site.
·
Come to the worlds's largest hard cider celebration featuring cider making,
tasting and orchard tours during the 15th
annual Cider Days on Saturday & Sunday, November 7 & 8. Be
sure to stop by the CISA table.
Be sure
to check out CISA's
events page for updates and additions throughout the month.
.
TEI Lecture Series at UMass
See: http://www.umass.edu/tei/TEI/LectureFall2009.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOFA Workshops
See: http://www.nofamass.org/programs/practicalskills/index.php
|
|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IT TAKES A REGION:
A
WORKING CONFERENCE TO BUILD OUR NORTHEAST FOOD SYSTEM
REGISTER
NOW!
Why regional? What does a regional food system look like?
What do we
want? What will it take to get there?
Who needs to be at
the table?
What are realistic
milestones? What do we need to know, measure and monitor?
Kathryn Z. Ruhf
phone/fax 413-323-9878
cell 608-212-9178
Coordinator
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
nesawg@nesawg.org
www.nesawg.org; www.nefood.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Seeds of Solidarity Events
Check out this listings. http://www.seedsofsolidarity.org/calendar.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information on Permaculture and related activities in the region,see http://northeasternpermaculture.wikispaces.com/Mass+Calendar
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For more local “food” events, see; http://www.nefood.org/events
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Events at Sirius
Community in Shutesbury (see
http://www.siriuscommunity.org/ )
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For information on Sustainability Jobs seehttp://people.umass.edu/jgerber/sustjobs.htm
And Sustainability Internships see. http://people.umass.edu/jgerber/sustintern.htm
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And finally
To receive email reminders about whenever this posting
changes or to be removed from the listserve, go to
http://lists.topica.com/lists/sustliving
For more information on sustainability, see my web page athttp://people.umass.edu/jgerber/ Namaste