Pennypack Pickings 4/17/2011

Pennypack Pickings

April 17, 2011
Volume 9, Issue 11

In This Issue

Herbs - Share Duty

Pennypack is Localicious

College Settlement Camp

Events

Movie Series Recap

HERBS

SHARE DUTY OPTION

watering & weeding

We have five and are looking for ten more who would like to fulfill their share duty time by helping to care for the herb beds in front of the greenhouse.

Expectations:

For one month: one day a week (during your share pick-up time will work):

Set out a sprinkler for 15 minute sweeps of eight beds at a time, and relocate it two times;

Weed the aisles and the beds for a few minutes while you are there.

Bonus:

If it rains the day before or on the day of your pick-up, you get off duty-free!

Tools and gloves will be available, along with hose and sprinkler.

Months available are June through October.

If interested, call or email Susan Curry: 215-591-1551, suscurry@comcast.net
Indicate your pick-up day (which you indicated on your registration form), and preferred month. I will get back to you.

Pennypack Farm is Localicious!

The Community Appreciation Dinner is coming soon!

Localicious

Honoring

PFEC Volunteer of the Year

Jocelyn Crosby

Sustainable Living Leader

Bob Pierson

Thursday, May 26th, 5:30pm - 9:30pm

Spring Mill Manor, Ivyland, PA

The dinner will feature delicious spring veggies from the farm, as well as other local foods and beverages.

The silent auction features unique items for the foodie, gardener, travel buff, and more, including PHILLIES tickets!

Tickets for the dinner are on sale now!

We hope to see you there.

Growing Season at College Settlement Camp

As we enter into the spring season, both the Farm and the Camp are looking forward to another growing season. I am sure you look forward to the growth of quality food and we look forward to helping young people grow and mature through the camping experience. This year over 750 campers and 100 staff will attend College Settlement Camp and Kuhn Day Camp. The majority of the campers will be from the metropolitan Philadelphia area and most are at or below the poverty line. Our staff for the most part, come from the United States but last year we had staff from 15 different countries. Some of the campers are in the Kuhn Day Camp where they come and go everyday and the others are in the College Settlement Camp which is a sleep away or resident camp. The Campers come to the resident camp for two week sessions. The resident camp bounds the Farm. Through the Camps' partnership with the Farm almost all of those campers will have the opportunity to come to the Farm and learn where our food comes from. This is a very valuable addition to our summer camp program

The Camps comprises 235 acres of land with about 23 of those acres are dedicated to the Farm. Both represent one of the largest contiguous open space areas left in Horsham and probably in Montgomery County. I am sure you join me in congratulating both the Farm and the Camp for being good stewards of the Land.

If you want to know more about the Camp there is a Kiosk by the entrance to the Farm Harvest House. You can visit our brand new website and/or call the Camp Office and ask for me. I love to talk about College Settlement and Kuhn Day Camps.

Frank R. Gerome

Executive Director

215 542 7974 - Office

www.collegesettlement.org

Events at Pennypack Farm

Sustainability in East Africa

Tuesday, April 19, 7:00pm

Join us for an inspirational night as Josphat Macharia, founder and director of the Ndabibi Environmental Conservation Centre shares with us his experiences of agroforestry, water harvesting, and bio-gas production in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP to Margot. More info...

Bee Restocking

Saturday, April 23, 4:00pm

CSAmembers are invited to observe as our beekeepers introduce a new batch of bees into the hives.

Chef Ann Cooper - Nationally Acclaimed "Renegade Lunch Lady"

Monday April, 25^th 7:30pm

Upper Dublin High School Cafeteria

800 Loch Alsh Ave, Fort Washington, PA 19034

Nutrition in the Schools and Upper Dublin School District present an evening with Ann Cooper, celebrated author, chef, educator, and enduring advocate for better food for all children. Questions? Contact Jill (jsffitness@comcast.net ) For more info on Chef Ann Cooper visit www.chefann.com

Make Your Own Recycled Paper! Great for Mother's Day

Tuesday May 3rd, 4:00pm

$12/adult, $8/child

Make your own pulp from recycled materials, and create colorful sheets of paper. Bundle them as a gift, or create a "frame" for artwork and poems. More info...

For a complete listing of classes and events,

click here for our online Calendar.

Sustainability Movie Series is over....

now its time to practice what we learned.

The hardy souls who braved wind and rain last Tuesday night to see Bag-it were treated to a heart wrenching tale of the human and environmental damage due to e-waste and a more lighthearted, but equally informative, take on plastic waste. Attendees were greeted by local BagMan, Ehren Gross, Environmental Educator for Briar Bush Nature Center. Seeing someone dressed in plastic bags might seem funny, but learning that our bodies are filled with chemicals that leach from those plastics isn't so funny. The two most damaging chemical compounds are BPA and Phthalates.

After the movie, the panelists discussed ways we could reduce our use of plastics and attendees had ideas on websites and companies who sell BPA and phthalate free products. Here are just a few ideas. Join in the conversation on Pennypack's Facebook page to add more ideas.

1. Reduce your use:

Bring your own bags, even little bags for your produce.

Buy in bulk - use bulk bins for coffee, cereals, beans, etc...Check out stores that sell paper goods in bulk

Buy less! or buy used items.

2. Recycle:

Contact your local municipality and find out exactly what they will recycle. If you don't have curbside pickup or your town doesn't accept these items:

Wholefoods takes #5 plastics, corks, and you can co-mingle #1 - 7 plastics, papers and aluminum cans

Weaver's Way accepts #5 plastics and Brita water filters

Best Buy accepts old DVDs, CDs and inkjet cartridges.

Check local listings for responsible ways to recycle. Montgomery County Recycles has several dates coming up soon. Click here for details

Donate, don't trash, your used items.

3. Buy items made from Recycled materials.

Preserve Products sells toothbrushes, plates, razors, and more all made from recycled #5 plastics.

4. Protect your body - Look for products that are BPA and phthalate free.

Water bottles - aquasana or klean kanteen

Soaps and shampoos - LUSH; Vermont Soapworks

Storage bags/canisters - FoodSaver vacuum sealer bags.

Safe cosmetics - SKIN DEEP Cosmetic Safety Database

5. Get involved - encourage your town to ban plastic bags and reduce water bottle usage.

Contact your local EAC for ways you can help.

Visit Pennypack Farm on Facebook and add your own ideas!

Hosted by the College Settlement of Philadelphia