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ICPJ Podcast: Michael Appel and Roger Pohl
Michael Appel talks about his involvement with ICPJ, and his extensive work on social justice and housing issues, dating back to the late 1980s. Roger Pohl first began working on labor issues after meeting fruit plantation workers in the Philippines, where he was living and teaching with his family. Back in the United States, he connected with ICPJ and began working on improving global economic justice and drawing attention to these issues.
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Bee Awareness: Protecting our Pollinators With Dr. Meghan Milbrath Of Sand Hill Apiaries
What is going on with bees? Honey bees have been all over the media lately with talks of colony collapse and the doom of our food system.
Dr. Meghan Milbrath gives a brief history of bees and beekeeping in the United States, and talks about their current role in Agriculture. She will untangle what we know are the root causes for their decline, and discuss ways that you can become involved to help their plight.
Dr. Meghan Milbrath owns and manages Sand Hill Apiaries, a small beekeeping and queen rearing operation in Munith, MI. She began working with bees with her father over 20 years ago, and has been hooked on bees since. She most recently worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the Entomology Department at Michigan State University, studying honey bee disease with renowned bee researcher, Zachary Huang.
This event was cosponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA).
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City of Ann Arbor 2014 Sustainable Ann Arbor Forum: Local Food
Come join the conversation about sustainability in Ann Arbor! The City and the Ann Arbor District Library host the third annual Sustainable Ann Arbor series. The series includes four events (held monthly and ending in April) with each focusing on a different element of sustainability from Ann Arbor’s sustainability framework.
This final event in the series centers on Local Food, including highlights from the Ann Arbor farmers market, our local food economy, and tips on how to support and participate in Ann Arbor's local food system. Panelists include Jenna Bacolor, Executive Director, Community Education & Recreation Ann Arbor Public Schools; Hillary Bisnett, Healthy Food in Healthcare Project Director, Ecology Center; Sarah DeWitt, Farmers Market Manager, City of Ann Arbor; Robert Grese, Director, Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum; Professor, UM School of Natural Resources and Environment; and Yousef Rabhi, Chair, Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners;
Each program will include a series of short presentations followed by a question and answer session. The forums offer an opportunity to learn more about sustainability in the community and tips for actions that residents can take to live more sustainably. Details of this series, and information and videos from current and past Sustainable Ann Arbor Forums, are posted on the City's website.
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Tilian Farm Development Program
Tilian is a local business incubator, where the businesses are four-season farms! It has helped launch five new successful farms in its first two years of operation. Learn how Tilian, a 44-acre campus for new farms on Pontiac Trail (just north of the City of Ann Arbor) was formed, about their mission to assist new farmers in starting and establishing farm business during the critical first years, and their "farmer residency" training programs. Bring your questions and hear how this new initiative helps strengthen the local farming and food movements.
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Beekeeping 101
Beekeeping, or apiculture, is concerned with the practical management of the social species of honey bees, which live in large colonies of up to 100,000 individuals. There are thousands of hobby beekeepers worldwide as well as numerous large-scale commercial beekeepers. Richard Mendel of the Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers (A2B2), shares his experience with keeping bees and rescuing feral colonies. He will also explain what a "Michigan Mongrel" is, touch on the latest findings on the depopulation syndrome, and answer questions for those interested in bees and beekeeping.
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Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Reads Event: Yvonne Lockwood Of Michigan State University Discusses Michigan Eats: Local And Regional Foods
From muskrat dinners to Coneys, Michigan has variety of unique foods as well as many fascinating traditions surrounding them. Learn more when Yvonne R. Lockwood, Curator Emeritus of Folklife and Senior Academic Specialist Emeritus at the Michigan State University Museum, shares images and stories about local and regional foods in our state. This presentation, adapted from the Michigan Eats: Regional Culture Through Food exhibit on display last year at MSU, is held in conjunction with Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads 2010, which, this year focuses on the subject of Michigan and Jerry Dennis' book 'The Living Great Lakes: Searching For The Heart Of The Inland Seas.'
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Discover the Secrets of the Farmers Market
Learn more about Farmers Markets, including the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market, just in time for spring. A panel of local "market experts" will be on hand, including: Chef Janea Makowski of Carson's American Bistro who will explain how she creates meals at Carson's that are centered on market produce. Eileen Spring, who will discuss Food Gatherers' amazing gleaning efforts, which collect upwards of 1,000 pounds of produce at the conclusion of each Ann Arbor Farmers Market. Amanda Edmonds, who will tell the story of Growing Hope's fantastic successes with EBT, or food stamp usage, at the Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers Market in 2008. In addition, Molly Notarianni, Ann Arbor Farmers Market Manager, will offer tips on shopping at Farmers Markets and eating seasonally. There will be plenty of time for questions and community discussion. This event is co-sponsored by Slow Foods Huron Valley, which strives to preserve and cultivate our culinary heritage.
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Nationally-Known Architect Fritz Haeg Discusses His Book 'Edible Estates: Attack On The Front Lawn'
Nationally-known architect Fritz Haeg is the recipient of Avalon Housing's 2008 Community Stewardship Award. As part of their activities surrounding Mr. Haeg, he will visit AADL to discuss his work and book Edible Estates: Attack On The Front Lawn. The Edible Estates project proposes the replacement of the domestic front lawn with a highly productive edible landscape. It was initiated by Haeg in 2005, with the planting of the first regional prototype garden in the geographic center of the U.S., Salina, Kansas. The event will include a book signing and books will be for sale. Cosponsored by Avalon Housing.Fritz Haeg studied architecture in Italy at the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia and Carnegie Mellon University, where he received his B.Arch. He has taught in architecture, design, and fine art programs at CalArts, Art Center College of Design, Parsons, and the University of Southern California. In 2006 he initiated Sundown Schoolhouse, the self-organized educational environment originally based in his geodesic dome in Los Angeles.
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From Ewe To You: Farmers and Spinners Share Their Expertise On Wool and Its Local Production
Three fiber experts, Mary Underwood, Linda Koeppel and Neil Kentner, will share their expertise about producing yarn from the pasture to the finished product. These local spinners and farmers will present a fascinating overview of how fiber animals are raised, what makes a good fleece, and how and why to select various animal fibers for yarns. Learn how our textile-rich community can help you take advantage of locally produced fibers.
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Finding Local Food and Bringing It Home for Dinner: Supporting Our Farms
This panel discussion features exemplary local farmers and food experts who will discuss what they've learned about growing food, what they see for the future of food and why Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms are so important to the community. They will also highlight the creative ways in which local people in our community are buying, cooking and enjoying food that is produced close to home.Panelists include Richard Andres and Deb Lentz (Tantre Farm); Kris Hirth (Old Pine Farm); Mary Wessel Walker (Community Farm Kitchen) and Victoria Bennett (a parent who found new ways to shop for food because of her son's severe allergies). Cosponsored by Slow Foods Huron Valley