April 3, 2013
Issue No. 72
email header april 3
The Abundance Foundation's 
Earth Day 5K, Chef Challenge, Bootleggers Banquet, Aquaponics, Fungi, Picnic In @ Wild Food & Herb Market, Solar Workshop + more! 
Dear Abundant Ones, 

Happy spring time to you! The days are getting sunnier and the nights more brisk. Just think- strawberry season is only 3 weeks away!

Meanwhile, we are gearing up for a busy season of fun community events and workshops! Namely, the Chew & Swallow Film Festival this FRIDAY, Bootlegger's Banquet AND the Wild Food + Herb Market THIS SUNDAY, then Chef Challenge from April 15-19, followed swiftly by the Earth Day 5k on April 20th! 

Due to popular demand, we have ANOTHER aquaponics workshop coming up, as well as a double-header of Fungi 101 workshops so you can learn all about GROWING YOUR OWN!  Kim Calhoun is putting on wild edibles and there is a free solar workshop at Pickards Mountain!  Read on!

We want to see your sun-loving face soon, so come out and join us for one or all of these special events, and bring a friend along!

barred owls and butterflies,

Tami, Jenny, Mary & Beth 
The Abundance Foundation 

"Celebrating the Wild Plants and People 

of the Carolina Piedmont"

  Join us for the next one on April 7th, 1-4 PM

  picnic

 

featuring live music,
a talk and cooking demo from Alan Muskat (NoTasteLikeHome.org)

and 

Carrboro's First Annual PICNIC-IN! 

 

Read the first edition of the Wild Food + Herb Market e-newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/c3vltz5
 
The e-newsletter will be sent out monthly and feature vendor spotlights, market updates, original wild food recipes, and local workshops, classes, and events to learn more about wild foods, native plants, herbalism and more! 
 
Please subscribe to the e-newsletter by emailing [email protected]
  
Catch ongoing updates on our Facebook page

 

Website: 

Twitter: 

Subscribe: 
Wild Food + Herb Market monthly e-Newsletter
email [email protected] with "subscribe" as subject.

Information on becoming a sponsor of the US's first ever Wild Food + Herb Market may also be found at http://theabundancefoundation.org/wild-food-herb-market.

The Wild Food + Herb Market is supported by: 

abundance logo  

Chatham County Chef Challenge
chef challenge 2013
We brought in 3 high profile local chefs, Chef Colin Bedford of Fearrington who recently won the prestigious international award, "Grand Chef", the lovely Angelina from Angelina's Kitchen and Chef Gregg Hamm of CCCC's Natural Chef Culinary Program and Cafe 121 to inspire cafeteria staff to use fresh, seasonal ingredients in new ways that students will enjoy, and to discuss prep strategies for working as efficiently as possible when using the best ingredients from scratch as well as teaching knife skills and ways to make their kitchens more efficient.
 
It is a forum to listen to the questions and ideas that cafeteria staff have relating to the goals around creating better meals for our 8000 students in the 17 Chatham County schools.
chef challenge 2013 
Studies show that kids learn better if they are eating fresh, from-scratch meals. Healthy meals comprised of whole, unprocessed ingredients also help kids avoid obesity, stay active and greatly reduce the risks of becoming diabetic or attaining many other preventable diseases plaguing American children today.

We believe that the lunch staff have an incredible role and responsibility to help serve our children the healthiest meals possible and we want to help provide them all the tools and experience needed to get there. 
 
Chef Challenge Week is April 15-19th, when new recipes using seasonal and local ingredients roll out on lunch menus of all 17 Chatham County Schools.

Monday, April 15th - Local Sweet Potatoes
Tuesday, April 16th - Local Tomatoes
Thursday, April 18th - Local Apples
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
April 25th @ Varsity Theatre
wild and scenic
wild and scenic Join us for an evening of thought provoking environmental shorts, 15 films shown at the Varsity in downtown Chapel Hill. Benefit for Spoke'n Revolutions, a WONDERFUL youth organization doing amazing work.  6pm
Tickets can be purchased @ The Abundance office, Townsend Bertram in Carrboro or online:
http://trianglewildandscenic.brownpapertickets.com/
Free Community Solar Workshop @ Pickards Mountain-April 27, 10am-1pm
solar farm
Learn about the Community Solar model with Giles Blunden, a pioneer in solar energy and low-impact communities.  Two community solar projects were launched in Carrboro last year: 3.6 kilowatts at the Arcadia cohousing community and 5 kW at the Carrboro Farmers Market.  Another will be installed this year at Pickards Mountain: 35 kW on the south-facing barn roof.  You can join this project or start one at your favorite nonprofit.  Meet the people behind the Arcadia and Farmers Market projects. Tour Pickards' existing 100 kW photovoltaic system. Hear an update on the state of solar technology and financing, and learn how you can join the community solar movement. 

To register, click here!   

 

 

Wild Edible Wonders Walk; Make Pesto with "Weeds" in your Yarden!
pesto
With Kim Calhoun Tuesday, May 14 6pm-8pm

Learn how to make friends and food with the weeds in your home "yarden" as we meet and eat some of the abundant wild edibles of the NC Piedmont.

In this enchanting and empowering evening plant walk, we'll celebrate the full bloom of spring as we wander the fields and woods edge around the Abundance Foundation in search of common weeds to create delicious wild greens pesto together.  To register, click here. 

 

The Abundance Foundation 
220 Lorax Lane #5 Pittsboro, NC 27312
Call us: 919-533-5181
 
The Abundance Foundation is a non-profit working to educate and empower the Piedmont about sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and local economy through hands-on workshops, 
community-building events and by actively engaging youth.
 
 
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Like us on Facebook
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View our videos on YouTube 
Become a member 
of the 
Abundance Family!
sustainer
 it's easy,
click here

bootlegger
prohibition
Join us for an 
old fashioned Prohibition Party!  
*25 tickets left! 
Sunday April 7th, 6PM
@ Top of the Hill TOPO Great Room 

Flapper dresses, local food and craft cocktails with local organic TOPO vodka, whiskey and the newly released local organic gin!
*we even have a few teen taxis available...need a ride?  email us@
[email protected] 


topofthehill

workshopi

A big *Thank You* to our workshop sponsor:

Larry's Beans 


tilapia
May 4th, 9am-2pm

2nd Workshop
Announced!
to register, click here.

In an age of rising populations and diminishing oil reserves, how are we going to feed ourselves? Aquaponics, a self contained, sustainable system for growing fish and veggies is one answer! These backyard food systems are one easy way to grow some of your own food.
Join Mike Yablonski and Rachel Tinker-Kulberg for an introduction into the world of aquaponics. During this hands-on workshop, Mike and Rachel will show you how to build your own backyard system. Just add plants, fish and water and you will be taking another step down the path to self reliance!


Fungi 101 with Tim Keim
We've got two mushroom growing workshops coming up! One in Pittsboro on April 28, and one in Burlington on May 5th.

Learn all about how amazing mushrooms are, and then inoculate your own log to take home, with Shiitake mushroom spores. Harvest mushrooms at home!
fungi101keim


Earth Day 5k 
at Briar Chapel!
bc 
April 20th, 2013 @ 9 AM
*NEW USATF COURSE*

Live DJ, TS Designs T-shirt
Post-race party:
Live band
Parlez-Vous Cr�pes, Carolina Brewery,
& Great American Meltdown Parlour
 Corn hole, bocci ball, horseshoes,
plant seedlings to take home, high-gravity beer tasting with Carolina Brewery
and more!

Special thanks to our Sponsors:
Briar Chapel, David Weekly Homes, Bradshaw & Robinson, LLP, CE Group, Kimley-Horn, Lynn Hayes Properties
Great Outdoor Provision, Fleet Feet, Duke Center for Living & O2 Fitness!
All proceeds go to 
The Abundance Foundation
Woods Charter School
Envirothon's film festival
chew and swallow
April 5th 7-9pm held at:
160 Woodland Grove Lane  Chapel Hill
short films about food and sustainability, proceeds benefit Abundance!

Sustainable Food & Energy
Summer Camp 
 
 

Where does our energy come from? What is good food and how do we make it?
 Explore these questions and learn creative ways of answering them at sustainability summer camp!
  • harvest and prepare a delicious lunch together each day
  • Learn basic mechanical skills w/ bicycle upkeep & repair
  • Learn basic carpentry with a green building project
  • Make your own biodiesel and learn about solar energy
  • Practice repurposing + reuse through crafts and art
  • Learn about local economy + co-op business models
  • Forage for wild fruits & can your own jam!
  • Learn to grow & make your own herbal medicine

REGISTER HERE

Save the date!
 
6th Annual 
Pittsboro Pepper Festival
October 6th 2013

by The News & Observer's Andrea Weigl