Slow Food Denver is excited to announce our new program: Slow Food Denver C.A.F.E. - Community dinners nourishing sustainable food projects.  C.A.F.E. dinners will stimulate community and culture while funding local food projects.  The first series of C.A.F.E. will provide microgrants of up to $1000 each to support innovative and sustainable food initiatives conceived by Colorado-based food entrepreneurs.  Guests at the dinners will hear presentations from grant finalists and get to vote on their favorite sustainable food project.  Stay tuned for more details about the C.A.F.E. dinners, in the meantime...

We are currently accepting applications for the microgrants (application and details in the attached form), and would be grateful if you would share this opportunity with any individuals, small-businesses or non-profits you know who may be interested in applying.  In general, we welcome applications from sustainable food projects that support one or more of the following areas (additional criteria are listed in the attached form).

(1) Children and Food: Projects that seek to increase the number of children who have access to real food in schools, learn where food comes from, and have experience growing, cooking and sharing it
(2) Healthy Food Access: Projects that seek to increase access to affordable, real food in low-income communities
(3) Promoting Regional Biodiversity: Projects that seek to increase, protect and promote biodiverse food and farming traditions that are an alternative to the industrial food system

Microgrant applications must be received by May 27, 2011 and instructions are in the attached form.  Finalists will be notified by email and will be invited to present their projects at an upcoming C.A.F.E. dinner, where winners will be selected by community vote.  

Any questions can be directed to Ben Hecht  by email at [email protected].

Thanks for sharing this wonderful opportunity with the Denver community, and we hope to see you at a C.A.F.E. dinner this year!





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In case you haven't heard, Grow Local Colorado is partnering with Chipotle and The Beanstalk Foundation to raise $3650 for our Grow Local Gardens in Denver Parks! Chipotle has committed to matching every dollar donated 2 to 1, so your $25 donation is worth $75 of seeds, seedlings, and signs for veggie gardens all over Denver. All of the food from these gardens goes to feeding the hungry through food banks chosen by our neighborhood gardeners.

Donate here: http://www.friendsofbeanstalk.org/growlocal

Teach a man to farm, feed him for life..

This year Grow Local volunteers are growing vegetables in 14 flower beds in Denver parks, all which will be donated to local food banks and shelters to help feed the hungry.   Last year we grew and donated hundreds of pounds of food from 8 gardens and paid for the seeds out of our own pockets, this year we hope to raise thousands of pounds of food, but we need your help to purchase the seeds and seedlings.

How you can get involved:

• Visit the www.friendsofbeanstalk.org/growlocal to learn more about this project
• Make a donation to help us reach our goal
• Forward this email to a friend

This effort is part of a regional campaign called Feed Your Neighborhood, highlighting Grow Local Colorado, the SAME Café and the High Plains Environmental Center!  Please scroll down to read more…..

Thank you so much for your continued support, let's go get our hands dirty!



Beanstalk launches "Feed Your Neighborhood" Campaign to support Colorado grassroots leaders with a passion for growing community and giving locally

Many of us prefer to buy locally these days in an effort to support local farmers and help our communities thrive. Three business-minded grassroots leaders and their non-profit organizations are now coming together to connect local Colorado gardens with their neighbors in need.

Hosted by the Beanstalk Foundation, Feed Your Neighborhood is a neighbor-to-neighbor campaign that encourages Coloradoans to get involved with local food, philanthropy and community.

Through a variety of volunteer and donation options from March 22 to April 22, you can help support SAME Café, Grow Local Colorado or High Plains Environmental Center and literally feed your neighborhood.

Over the course of their years working at food banks and shelters, the Birkys at SAME Café saw the growing number of people needing assistance: hardworking single moms, the elderly who cannot retire, the educated and those who work 40 hours a week on minimum wage and cannot make ends meet.

It is the Birkys' hope that through SAME Café they can make a difference to all who walk through the door from the person seeking help to the person seeking to help.

Dana Miller and Barbara Masoner of Grow Local Colorado love all things local. Denver natives both, the two have set their sights on growing the local community by growing food in local parks, gardens, and backyards. Their gardens-which have increased in number from three to eleven over the last three seasons and include plots in Civic Center Park-generate fresh produce for food banks and shelters all over Denver.

"Affordable, local, organic produce has been difficult to find in Loveland so my wife and I talked to the city to discuss the feasibility of starting a community garden. We envisioned the community garden as a place where diverse groups of people come together to provide fresh local produce.

After discovering High Plains Environmental Center's mission to engage the community in the natural world, it feels like we are now are embracing the community with both arms," explains Garth Bontranger, garden manager at HPEC.

Beanstalk is a non-profit organization that partners with remarkable grassroots leaders, local businesses and the wider community to address local needs. Beanstalk supports "home-grown philanthropy" with consulting, funding, and social networking tools. Together with Beanstalk, The High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC), SAME (So All May Eat) Café and Grow Local Colorado have joined forces to Feed Your Neighborhood.

"We are delighted to share and support the work of these three amazing grassroots leaders and their organizations through Feed Your Neighborhood. This spring, we invite our neighbors across Colorado to learn about how they can support communities of generosity through of our friends at HPEC, SAME Café and Grow Local Colorado. This is a 'neighbor-to-neighbor' experience where you can choose how to get involved, make friends and see the impact of your contribution,"says Beanstalk's founder Ted Stolberg.

The Feed Your Neighborhood participating organizations have been making a strong impact on the hungry in Colorado for years. In 2010, the Giving Garden at HPEC donated over 20,500 pounds of fresh produce to the Loveland Food Bank and the Loveland House of Neighborly Services.

SAME Café services hundreds of patrons each month with healthy and organic food through a "pay it forward" model, where all customers are simply asked to pay what you can, and if you can't pay you can volunteer at the Café.

Grow Local Colorado has over 40 volunteers that grow 450 pounds of food each year for Denver food banks and groups in need. The leaders driving these fantastic organizations infuse their passion into their work to ensure they help as many as they can.

Whether you would like to volunteer, donate or advocate for growing and giving local, you can join these grassroots leaders and organizations in the Feed Your Neighborhood campaign and help them continue their great work for Colorado communities. Learn more about specific projects and how you can get involved at www.feedyourneighborhood.org.

About Beanstalk Foundation
Beanstalk is a nonprofit public charity that discovers remarkable community leaders and shines a light on them. We support leaders with financial resources, business relationships, and social networking opportunities, so that they can connect with their communities to raise funds, attract volunteers, and get things done. To us, strengthening a community means getting everyone involved: friends, volunteers, local businesses, and corporate sponsors. Learn more at www.friendsofbeanstalk.org.

About High Plains Environmental Center
HPEC is a nonprofit (501c3) that engages developers, builders, businesses and residents in making their community a "living laboratory" that provides integrated, leading edge examples of community design, land stewardship, eco-literacy and sustainable living that are grounded in reality and replicable. Learn more at www.friendsofbeanstalk.org/givinggarden.

About SAME Café
It is the intent of SAME Cafe to build a healthy community by providing a basic need of food in a respectful and dignified manner to anyone who walks through the door. SAME Cafe is unique in the lack of a set menu as well as set prices. Daily selections are made using fresh, organic ingredients, and funded by the donations of patrons. Instead of a cash register, a donation box is available for one to pay what they felt their meal was worth, or to leave a little more and help out someone less fortunate. If a diner does not have sufficient money to leave, they are encouraged to exchange an hour of service. Our philosophy is that everyone, regardless of economic status, deserves the chance to eat healthy food while being treated with dignity. Learn more at www.friendsofbeanstalk.org/same.

About Grow Local Colorado
Grow Local Colorado is a group of volunteers dedicated to promoting local food, local community and local economy. The organization partners with Denver Parks and Recreation and local volunteers to convert flowerbeds in public spaces into thriving vegetable gardens. All produce from these gardens grown, harvested, and donated to shelters and food banks selected by volunteers. Learn more at www.friendsofbeanstalk.org/growlocal.

In 2009 Mayor Hickenlooper declared May 14th as Grow Local Colorado Day in perpetuity.  The goal of Grow Local Day is to encourage Denverites to grow more vegetables and share the bounty with those in need.  The Mayor also provided Grow Local Colorado (GLC) with one of the flowerbeds in Civic Center Park, one of Denver’s most visible park, to demonstrate how attractive vegetable gardens can be.  The demonstration edible garden was such a success that in 2010 Parks and Recreation provided Grow Local Colorado with eight beds in six parks.  Grow Local had the help of over 40 volunteers in the parks’ neighborhoods to assist with maintenance of the gardens.  Thanks to those volunteers, Grow Local donated over 400 pounds of fresh produce to several local communities in need. 

This growing season Welby Gardens is partnering with Grow Local to help with the Denver Parks’ edible demonstration gardens.  Denver Parks and Recreation is setting aside 14 flowerbeds in eight of their parks for GLC vegetable gardens.  This more than doubles the number of parks and gardens Grow Local had last year. That translates into approximately 5,000 seedlings required to fill in these garden beds.  Welby Farms is graciously donating over $2,000 worth of seedlings.  Thanks to them the gardens will look better earlier and produce fresh vegetables sooner.

Welby Gardens is well known by Colorado gardeners.  This family owned business has been around for over 40 years.  In 1944 Alex and Esther Gerace bought land north of Denver and began farming with a horse and plow.  They started out growing vegetables.  In 1948 they built their first greenhouse for vegetable starts.  The family business now has 20 acres of greenhouses and grows over 2,500 varieties of plants.  Over 50 million plants are grown at the Welby Gardens greenhouses each year. 

In 1976 Welby Gardens developed the Hardy Boy logo.  It is now the most recognized seedling brand in the western region.  Welby Gardens works with universities and other industry leaders to produce and test the newest and latest plants.  Each year they test over 2,000 new varieties in their trial gardens.  Their efforts ensure that Coloradoans are able to grow colorful and bountiful gardens.

Welby Gardens has been providing plants to Coloradoans for four generations.  Because of their generous contribution of vegetable seedlings to Grow Local Colorado, Denver’s most needy will be provided fresh produce this coming growing season.  Many thanks to the Gerace Family!

If you would like to purchase Hardy Boy Plants, please visit Welby Garden Centers at 7390 Clayton St., Country Fair Garden Center at 2190 S. Colorado Blvd, Country Fair on 17201 W. 64th Avenue, Arvada, or at www.hardyboyplant.com. 

April SkyWalker Artivist Meetup celebrating SEEDS as Spring finally arrives. 
Artivists will be sharing how they have tended to the seeds that have gotten them to where they are today--& perhaps some tips on tending to & cultivating your artivist inclinations.

Feautured Artivists
Suzi Q. Smith- extrordinary Slam poet
Rich Pecoraro- founder of Abodanza organic CSA & founding grower @ Seeds of Change
Ietef Vita aka DJ Cavem- O.G.--Organic Gardner with lyrical talents
Zsudayka Nzinga- Expressive artist & poetry queen
SUNDAY, APRIL 2 AT 2:00 PM

Growing Colorado Kids is a non profit program of Colorado Nonprofit Development Center, www.growingcolorado.org

We work with refugee youth who have been resettled here in Colorado.  Our mission is Refugee youth creating community through organic gardening and nutritional cooking.

Our goals are to make healthy food accessible for our youth, teaching gardening here in Colorado, as well as building a community to support our youth.

Growing Colorado Kids needs volunteers who are available on Saturdays from 10-1, May-September and who are willing to pay for their own criminal background check, usually runs about $13.00.

Volunteers will work with small groups of youth tending to their gardens that are located in the yards of our hosts.  The harvest is shared with the hosts and the youth as well as used for cooking lessons with the youth.

If you are interested in volunteering please contact Denise Lines at
303-399-1878 or [email protected].

Have a great season everyone!

 

We are happy to announce our upcoming volunteer opportunities with UrbiCulture Community Farms! If you haven't heard, we are now a nonprofit and have a new website at www.urbiculturecommunityfarms.org.  We are so excited for this season and would love to share that with anyone who wants to come help us on the multi-plot farm.
This spring we need help getting beds ready to be planted, planting spring crop, cleaning up our sites and laying down soaker hoses.
Please see below if any dates would work for you to come out and send me an email with days you can come. Water, snacks and good company will be provided. And of course with anything during this time of year - weather permitting.
Friday, March 25th 10am 4224 Clay St., Denver 80211
Saturday, March 26th 10am 2022 SOUTH Clay St. 80219
If you sign up for this yard please let me know you will be coming- we have to be careful not to let dogs out.Thanks!

Sunday, March 27th 10am 4201 Umatilla St. 80211

Thursday, March 31st 10am 4644 Alcott St. 80211

Friday, April 1st 10am 4433 Umatilla St. 80211

Sunday, April 3rd 10am 4385 E. Florida Ave 80222- This is a complete yard transformation.


THANKS TO OUR YARD ANGELS FOR ALLOWING FOOD TO BE GROWN ON THEIR PROPERTY AND TO OUR VOLUNTEERS FOR MAKING URBICULTURE COMMUNITY FARMS HAPPEN!

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Peace,
Candice Kearns Orlando
Executive Director
UrbiCulture Community Farms
303-949-2901
www.urbiculturecommunityfarms.org
[email protected]

On Saturday, March 12th at 5pm, come to Green Spaces to kick-off the second season of the Denver Handmade Homemade Market!

Bring a dish to contribute to the potluck.
Bring a plate/bowl/spoon/cup to partake in all the great food and drink offered by your neighbors. This is a zero waste event so we'll have no disposable utensils.
Bring your dancing shoes to celebrate the HaHo community and the markets to come!

The HaHo Market will be hosted regularly at Green Spaces the second Saturday of every month from 4-8pm, starting in April.

12 - 3  Seed Swap and Planting Party 
3:30    Tour of The GrowHaus
4 - 6    Dine, Network, and Share Projects and Passions!

$5 Suggested Donation to benefit Grow Local Colorado and The GrowHaus

What to Bring:
Yummy food and libations to share: Think "Colorado"
Info to share for the community table
BYOP: Bring your own plate, fork, glass, and napkin --FOR REAL, we do not have extra--Bring some extra and you could make a new friend ;o)

RSVP with Dana Miller at [email protected]

Everything you need to know to make your food growing endeavors a success this year. Feed Denver joins with CSU Extension Agents and Compost Auraria to present the first annual Urban Farmers & Vegetable Gardeners Spring Symposium.  Join us on Saturday March 12th for an exciting day of classes to help us all grow more fruits and vegetables in our beautiful Rocky Mountian climate.

In one full day you'll have the opportunity to sit in on lectures by CSU Extension Agents covering soil, pests, seed starting, fruits and vegetable intensives and one just for tomatoes!  Community building through farming, climate change and planning for your family's food needs and more will be taught by Feed Denver Regional Training Center Instructors .