Trust for Working Landscapes

Saturday, December 12th 10 am - 2 pm

On-the-Farm Volunteer Opportunity: Join Trust for Working Landscapes (TWL) at Morales Farm for a work party to spruce up the place. This public farmland property is managed and maintained by TWL and we need your help with some general landscaping tasks to keep it working well and looking good. Morales Farm is located at the northeast corner of Highway 305 and Lovgreen Road. Bring gloves. Contact Bart at 380-5327 with questions.

Sunday, December 13th 2 pm

Join Trust for Working Landscapes for a farm walk at Suyematsu/Bentryn Farms. Begin at 2 pm at the farm stand on Day Road (where the pumpkin patch was!) and enjoy a 1.5 hour walk through the fall scenes of the island’s largest working landscape. Check out fall crops and growing techniques as well as the post-harvest vineyard. Sturdy shoes recommended. Contact Bart at 380-5327 with questions.

From our friends at Global Source:

The EduCulture Project at Global Source is launching an experiential after school program this fall at historic Suyematsu-Bentryn Farms on Bainbridge Island. Building on the success of our farm-school programs during the school year and farm camp last summer, we wanted to offer young people a meaningful extra-curricular learning experience on the farm during the Fall, Winter and Spring.

These first programs are being offered to young people in grades 1-4. We will be trying out one day programs on Nov. 18 and Dec. 9, 11:30-4:30, when BISD students have a half day. (In the winter and spring, we plan to offer six week after-school programs meeting twice weekly.)

For more information and registration, please visit our website.

The EduCulture Project is also offering a wide menu of program options for school groups wishing to visit the farm this fall, winter and spring.

The topic of the 9^th annual Bainbridge Island Environmental Conference is something most of us know little about and take very much for granted, but which is critically important to our civilization’s survival: dirt. This half-day conference will educate participants about various dirt-related topics including local soil types, amending and working fertile soils, protecting soils from erosion, the consequences (both bad and good) of erosion in various contexts, the impact of herbicides and pesticides on our soils and local sites containing industrially-polluted toxic dirt. Attendees will also have an opportunity to hear keynote speaker David Montgomery, University of Washington professor and author of the bestselling book Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations, and to see the Island premier of Dirt: The Movie!.

The Truth About Dirt will be held at IslandWood on Sunday, November 15, 2009 starting at 1:00 p.m. The conference is organized by the Bainbridge Island Land Trust and the Association of Bainbridge Communities with support from the Trust For Working Landscapes, Sustainable Bainbridge, IslandWood and the Natural Landscapes Project. Public support for this conference also provided by the City of Bainbridge Island and the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District.

After the close of the conference guests will be invited to linger and chat over a glass of wine, beer or other beverage from 5:30-6:00. A supper will follow in the IslandWood dining hall for those wishing to attend for an additional fee. Registration cost for the conference itself is $15 through Nov. 6 (further discounted for K-12 students and teachers), and $25 thereafter.

For questions please call Connie Waddington at 842-9483. To register go to www.bi-landtrust.org or call the Land Trust office at 842-1216.

All Star Volunteers: Kia Micaud, Rob Ferguson and Marek Kubin.
Additional volunteers and contributors who made the fair a success:
Charlie, Iwona and Ola Kubin, Dana Berg, Christan Berg, Matt Smith, Janny
Hawkins, Marilyn Mandala, Tom Backer, Amy and Anya Zimmer, Walter and Rose
Gallager, Colleen Austin, Lisa Berg, Dave Balas, Audrey and Emma Covert,
David, Robin and Anna Cinnamon, Tucker Rogers, Tom Brewer, Thomas Richter,
Holly and Rob Christian, Sholpan, Jonathan, Abdul-John, Jennifer and David
Hager, Joe Van Dyke and the Recliners, John, Amber and Clara DuWors, Micah
Hadenfeldt, Roger and Sarah Townsend, Todd Erhler and the 5th graders and
parents, Jackie DeGrow, Alicia and Ethan Meyers, Dawn Snyder, Bruce White,
Jeremy Muth, Cross Sound Church, BHS and Earth Service Corps, Dennis and
Bob Cedarwall, Sharon and Ross Boundy, Jeff Krueger, Cary Chamberlin,
Sally Maron, Debbi Lester, Perennial Vintners, Bainbridge Island Vineyards
and Winery, Brian MacWhorter, Betsey Wittick, Greg Baker of Seattle Heli
Tours, Mike Hale of Hales Ales, Jocelyn Waite of Pegasus Coffee, Molly
Bogardis of Haven Farm, Heidi and Jeff of Blackbird Bakery, Mike of
Bainbridge Bakers and Cream of the Crop Ice Cream.

Please join the Trust for Working Landscape for another walking tour of the Day Road farm area. Fall colors, the pumpkins showing, late corn, new projects, grapes ripening - so many beautiful things to see this time of the year. Meet at 2 PM at the Day Road Farm Stand Sunday the 13th. One and one-half hours. Bart Berg 380-5327

Join us at the Johnson Farm Sunday, September 27th from 11-6 for Food, Fun and Games! We’ll be celebrating the local harvest in many ways including lots of local food, beer, music, as well as your favorite games an educational activities. The Harvest Fair will, as always, be at the Johnson Farm on Bainbridge Island. The Johnson Farm, which is Public Farmland, is on Fletcher Bay Rd. between High School road and Island Center road (look for the big red and white sign!) Admission is free, and donations are very welcome. All proceeds go towards the preservation and enhancement of local farming and Public Farmlands. 

Harvest Fair is fun for the whole family! Local chefs will be preparing a myriad of culinary delights featuring local produce, and local beer will be cold on tap!

Fun Events at Harvest Fair include: Cider Pressing and Tasting, Rides in a Wagon Carriage, Local Music performances, 4-H petting zoos, Pie Contests, Informal Q and A’s with local farmers, ”The Landslide”,  Jumping in the “Hay Fortress” and much much more!

Look for our fabulous Harvest Fair posters all over town!

The last set of canning classes were so well attended we’re offering more!

Join us September 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm to learn how to can chutneys, jams and bruschetta toppings from a Master Food Preserver. Registration is $20. You can sign up at the Sound Food website.

For more information please see our flyer.

There’s a “Canvolution” sweeping the nation, and it’s coming to Bainbridge Island this month. Two classes teaching the basics of food canning and pickling are being offered August 19 and 20 at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church.

The classes are part of a grassroots-inspired nationwide event called Canning Across America, which honors the revival of the time-honored art of canning. Throughout the country, households will join each other to preserve the summer’s bounty. In addition to home canning parties, chefs and food-preservation experts will host classes designed to inspire people how to can creatively and safely.

Co-sponsored by Sound Food and Trust for Working Landscapes (TWL), the Bainbridge classes will be taught by Susy Hymas, Nutrition Educator, WSU Master Food Preserver and Safety Advisor who has more than 30 years of experience in preserving fruits and vegetables. The first night Hymas will offer the basics about canning and preserving and the second night she will demonstrate how to safely pickle the season’s bounty.

The classes will run from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm on Wednesday August 19 (Canning Basics) and Thursday August 20 (Pickling Basics). The cost is $20 for one class, $30 for both. Classes will be held at the Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, 105 Winslow Way East. To register, send an email to info@soundfood.org or call 206-842-4439 to hold your spot. Send your check for the amount of the class(es) to Sound Food, 221 Winslow Way West, Box 205, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. Class size is limited to the first 25 registrants.

There will also be a canning demonstration at Town & Country Market on Friday, August 21 from 1 pm to 3 pm.

For more information read the accompanying brochure and visit Canning Across America.

This Sunday the Trust for Working Landscapes will be conducting another tour
of the Day Road Farm area. Meet at the berry stand on Day Road (look for
the TWL A-board sign ) at 2 PM. See the incredible growth of the pumpkins,
corn, grape vines, onions, the new red water tower, the efforts of the
Kitsap Conservation Crew. Hear about TWL accomplishments and projects.
Takes about 1 1/2 hours and tours nine properties. See the private and
public mix of properties.
Hope to see you there,
Bart Berg
bart@bainbridge.net / 380-5327

Hello Farm Friends - We are rescheduling our Friday Farm Feast from today
to July 31st. This will allow us to celebrate with participants in the
Third Annual Summer Institute on Food, Farming, Culture and Education
being held at the Suyematsu/Bentryn Farms on Day Road throughout that
week.

Same time - 6 pm until dusk - and place - Day Road Farms.

We apologize for any inconvenience and hope you will join us on the 31st!