Posted in Local "Green" Events, tagged enzian, farm to table, market, movie, organic, ourlando on April 6, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
WHAT
“Farm to Table” is back again! This time the movie screening is for “What’s “Organic” about Organic?” and is paired with a community market with local, independent farmers.
WHEN AND WHERE
Saturday April 10, 2010
2 PM – 6 PM (Movie at 3:30 PM)
Enzian Theater, 1300 S. Orlando Ave, Maitland FL
COST
Tickets for the show are $10. The community market is free and open to the public! The tickets are available through www.floridafilmfestival.org and at the Enzian box office 407.629.1088.
Posted in Action Alerts & Activism, tagged coop, food, fruit, homegrown, local, organic, produce, vegetables, volunteer on April 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Here is the latest volunteer schedule!
Hi Local Food Supporters,
We are excited in anticipation of finishing construction on the new co-op facility and completing our transition into the larger space.
We need YOUR Help to make it happen! Please review the schedule of volunteer needs below and email info@homegrowncoop.org or call 407-595-3731 if you can help!
Sunday April 4th
Need 2-4 volunteers to start at 11 am.
Projects will include:* Continued demo of front building. Volunteers with electric screws guns would be extra helpful.
* Finish painting of office room and scrapping old vinyl tiles off the floor.
* Fixing some AC Duct work
* Fixing doors
* Removing ceiling tiles to prepare for electric workMonday April 5th
Need 1-2 skilled volunteers to help with AC, Electric & Plumbing Work Day. Start time 9amTuesday April 5th
Need 1-2 skilled volunteers to help finishing Electric & Plumbling projects. Start time 9am.Wednesday April 6th
1 volunteer in the afternoon can assist in preparation for weekend work.Friday April 9th
Need 1-2 volunteers in afternoon and evening.* Finish any painting on the walls
* Start prepping floors to be painted and sealed.Saturday April 10
Need 2-3 volunteers for painting the floorsSunday April 11th
Need 2-3 volunteers for finishing the floors.Monday April 12th
Need 1-2 volunteers to finish floors and start moving equipment.Tuesday April 13th
Need 1-2 volunteers to continue move and setting up officeWednesday April 14th
Need 1-2 volunteer in afternoon to finalize move-in details and set-upCan you help? Email info@homegrowncoop.org.
Posted in Organic Gardening, tagged garden, gardening, growers, meeting, organic, simple living institute on January 19, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
It’s almost planting time… here’s another garden opportunity!
Organic Growers Meeting
7 PM – 9 PM
Camilla Room,
Harry P. Leu Gardens
1920 Forest Ave,
Orlando, FL 32803The Organic Growers meeting is free and open to anyone interested in organic gardening, organic foods, or products. Arrive early (6:30ish) for socializing & food. After the meeting, the discussion continues til 10p at nearby Ethos Vegan Kitchen.
THIS MONTH
Tina Richards, Environmental Education at UCF Arboretum, will share her expertise & experience setting up the highly successful Organic Community Garden at the UCF Arboretum.
A follow up field day helping at the UCF Community Garden will be held Friday Jan 22nd from 10a to 4p.
A cooking, tasting demo is being added to the monthly meeting: Sign up to show how to prepare something from your garden.
Uncle Matt’s has shared some citrus for us to sample at the meeting.
MORE INFO
As always, bring any surplus from your garden to share, treats for the tasting table, and plants and gardening supplies for the raffle table. (Tix $1 each, 6 for $5) Every month an abundance of raffle items appear along with some tasty garden treats.
Our sales table items includes: totes & t-shirts @$10 $8 each for members worm bins & vermicompost products assorted plants & seeds burlap cloth and garden amendments Let us know if there are any plants or supplies you would like to buy. That’s also where the raffle tickets are sold. $1 each or 6 for $5.
Posted in Coffee and Tea, tagged blue bird, christina bass, coffee, coffee house, cupcake, organic, reader submission, restaurant, seven sisters, seven sisters coffee, snack, snacks on November 3, 2009 | 1 Comment »
A reader submission from Christina Bass about Seven Sisters:
Seven Sisters Coffee House is conveniently located on Mills Ave. just north of Marks St., near the main branch of Central Florida Educators’ Credit Union.
I am the kind of person who will drive past a coffee shop and think, “Hey, I should try that place,” about a gazillion times…yet find myself strangely reluctant to actually go in. I’m a thirty-something mom, not a twenty-something hipster; so I find myself apprehensive about trying something trendier than the big chains.
However, there is truly something for everyone at Seven Sisters.
Quirky art hangs on the walls and local crafters display reasonably-priced offerings. There’s a playroom (believe it or not) where kids can hang out and read books or play with toys. There’s a living room area where adults can talk to friends (in full sight of the playroom) and even spin vinyl on the record player or pick up a magazine. There are snacks – healthy and not-so-healthy – for adults and children alike.
Yet, I’d obviously be remiss if I didn’t mention the coffee.
Single-sourced from an estate in Nicaragua and roasted to perfection by master roasters in Atlanta, both espresso and brewed coffee have a taste that will delight even the most jaded connoisseur. The coffee is shade-grown, songbird-friendly, organic, with a fair wage paid to the workers who collect the beans. (In other words, it’s guilt-free.
)
Seven Sisters Coffee is the dream of Alisha Kearns, who wanted to create a place where everyone could feel comfortable – families as well as childfree folks – and where social activism and socializing could combine in neat ways.
The truth is that I can’t go to a certain big coffee chain anymore, even though it’s a lot closer to my house. The brewed coffee is too bitter and the baked goods don’t taste as if they were baked that very day with fresh ingredients the way they do at Seven Sisters.
If you’re like me and hesitant to try something new, I heartily recommend that you take a chance on Seven Sisters Coffee House anyway.
Whether you are a college student or businessperson or mom or retiree (or all of the above), you will find both a comfortable environment and a great tasting cup of coffee at your new ‘home away from home.’
Posted in Organic Gardening, tagged econ farm, garden, gardening, organic, simple living institute, workshop on September 9, 2009 | 1 Comment »
One for the food gardeners like me!
Sept 26, 2009 from 10:00am – 11:30am or 1:30 – 3:00 PM
Econ Farm
16206 Hamilton Dr.
Orlando, FLAn organic garden can provide top quality fresh produce, fun, exercise, and relaxation on your balcony or at your backdoor.
For a gardener at any skill level, this Simple Living Institute workshop will give you tips on how to start a new garden or cultivate an established garden. Learn hands-on how to design a garden, start seeds, rotate crops, improve soil structure, and control pests.
Participants will receive a handout with essential organic gardening information.
Cost:
- $12 members
- $15 nonmembers
Advanced Registration Required
To register, email info@simplelivinginstitute.org or call 321-228-4310.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged container, food storage, food storage container, fridgesmart, fruit, fruits, organic, organics, plastic, produce, refrigerator, tupperware, vegetable, vegetables on July 17, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Six years ago when I started buying organic produce in larger quantities, I knew I had to get better about storing it in the fridge or else it would be a waste. Nothing is more depressing than brown lettuce, mealy apples, and gunky cucumbers! I stumbled across the “Fridgesmart” line by Tupperware back then and would still recommend it today.
BASICS
The colors of the containers seem to change every season, but the basics are still the same. You get a sturdy, well made plastic container with a lid and two vent holes with white “clicky” tabs. The tabs allow you to have both holes closed, both holes open, or only one hole open. The bottom of the container is ridged so any condensation will be kept away from the produce.
Most of the sizes have a chart printed on the side listing common fruits and vegetables and what setting to put the tabs at for that item. I’ve found the chart accurate. I’ve had even the lettuce stay nice for 2-3 weeks. I get organic produce every other week so it works out well.
Over time the tabs might come loose, but Tupperware customer service has been good about replacing my tabs and I’ve only lost 2 tabs in 5 years.
I’ve put them through the dishwasher without problems and I’ve handwashed them too.
SIZES
I’ve tried several sizes, but the two best sizes are the medium long and the large. If you want a third size, I’d go for the small square for smaller things like grapes or cut up items. Two of the smalls will stack neatly on a medium long.
I wouldn’t bother with the mini, the round, or the large square. Rectangles simply stack better in the fridge and are more space efficient. The large, while big, isn’t so huge that you can’t get it out easily when full of produce.
I find that two large and three or four medium long ones work quite well for our needs. I rarely use the small because fruits get eaten up so quickly around here it isn’t worth the cost of a special container. Any old bowl will do!
RECYCLING
I was curious about the recycling number for Fridgesmart and found this on the Tupperware website:
Because Tupperware® products contain a lifetime guarantee and were not originally intended for recycling, they were not labeled with recycle codes. Now that the code system and recycling practices have become more widely adopted internationally, Tupperware will begin to systematically place raw material codes (recycling codes) on all products. Raw material identification codes for all our main product ranges are currently available at by following this link.
It confirmed what I had guessed — the main container is a #5 and the seals are #4.
WHERE TO BUY
Fridgesmart on the Tupperware website comes in at $12- $26. You can sometimes find them on Amazon but the best deals will be on Ebay.
Posted in Deals Around Town, Food and Nutrition, tagged farm, freshfields, fruit, fruits, groceries, grocery, meat, organic, produce, vegetable, vegetables on July 14, 2009 | 13 Comments »
Formerly known as Momm’s Meats & Popp’s Produce, Freshfields Farms has been around in some form since the late 1930′s and continues to provide a large variety of produce and meats tucked away a few streets from Orange Ave.
400 East Compton Street
Orlando, Florida 32806
(407) 423-3309
WHAT’S HERE
The building is divided into a produce side and a meats side with a snack bar in between the two offering cold drinks, hot dogs, snacks, and sweet treats.The menu lists prices but take note that it is cash only. (Inside the stores you can use your debit/Visa cards to swipe your purchases though.)
Parking can be crowded at peak hours, so be prepared to park along the street if you can’t get into the parking area.
On the produce side, you can expect to find a nice variety of fruits and vegetables. You can also find dried beans, eggs, frozen produce, sugar cane, honey, and spices. There’s a small selection of organic produce set apart, but it isn’t always all in the corner where the large “Organics” sign is. Sometimes you see Earthbound farms lettuce tucked in with the conventional lettuce instead. Or you might find some organic apples over on the fruit wall. The food is labeled well and the staff is friendly and willing to help you find what you need.
On the meats side, you can find cheese, seafood, poultry, pork, beef, and more. Read the labels to find the natural/hormone free choices — again it isn’t always grouped together in one area.
Prices are good and you can keep an eye on the specials page to see what’s new this week. I spent $20 today and got a selection of organic and conventional produce that looks like this:
WHAT’S NEARBY
Right across the street there’s a Goodwill, so it’s handy if you want to donate clothing, toys, and other items before crossing over to shop at Freshfields Farms.
The Goodwill is part of a very large shopping complex called the “Market at Southside.” You can find other stores like a Panera, Dots, Office Depot, and more. You’ll probably want to hit the Publix or the Alberstons in the shopping plaza afterward to get the few odds and ends that you cannot get at Freshfields Farms to make the most of your grocery time.
Freshfields is on E. Compton (Green A). Albertson’s (the red B) is closer to the Michigan side. Publix (the red A) is closer to the Pineloch side.
Posted in Local "Green" Events, Organic Gardening, tagged blodgett's nursery, class, garden, gardening, leu gardens, organic, organic growers, plants, simple living institute, vegan ethos kitchen on July 13, 2009 | 6 Comments »
For those interested in learning more about organic gardening!
Organic Growers Meeting
hosted by Simple Living InstituteJuly 15
7 AM – 9 AM
Leu Gardens
1920 Forest Ave.
Orlando, FLThe meeting is free and open to anyone interested in organic gardening, foods, or products. Arrive early at 6:30 for socializing, food, and beverages. Afterwards we continue the discussion nearby at Ethos Vegan Kitchen from 9-10pm.
This month Nick Francisco of Blodgett’s Nursery will chair an Open Forum on gardening successes and challenges. Bring samples of plants and or write your comments and questions on a note card. Nick will also discuss the BRIX quality evaluation system.
As always, bring any surplus from your garden to share, treats for the tasting table, and plants and gardening supplies for the raffle table. (Tix $1 each, 6 for $5)
Simple Living is adding a sales table to the meetings. Items include wormcomposting products, garden patch boxes, totes & t-shirts. 2 gal banana plants at $8 each; 1 gal blueberry, pineapple & papaya plants @ $5.
For more info call (321)228-4310 or email info@simplelivinginstitute.org
Posted in Organic Gardening, tagged cut and come again, garden, greens, lettuce, organic, salad, seed savers, self-watering container, vegetables, windowbox on February 26, 2009 | 2 Comments »
March 4 is the last frost date for Central Florida. If you haven’t already started, there’s still lots you can do do garden this semester. One easy project is growing salad greens in a windowbox. It doesn’t take up much space so even apartment dwellers can get in on the green thumb action.
Choose the Seeds
It doesn’t really matter what you grow — Asian greens, southern greens, spinach, lettuces… we chose a looseleaf lettuce mixture from Seed Savers Exchange because we wanted to do the “cut and come again” approach. You could just as easily do tighter heads of lettuce and harvest the whole thing.
Get a Windowbox
You can use any kind of window box. I have a fondness for self-watering ones where you can fill a reservoir and then the plants can get what they need as they need it. I tend to be forgetful about watering things in containers so having a water reservoir helps the plant get some water consistancy even though I may be a bit flaky!
The 39 inch models we have were a little splurge over at Gardeners.com. (Google for “gardeners.com coupon” — you can usually at least find a free shipping one!)
I like that the reservoirs have covers with a little floating stick indicator to tell us when the water level needs topping up. It gets hidden onces the plants fill in and bugs stay out.
Any kind of potting soil will do, but I like the plainest possible with no added fertilizer or gel crystals. If you can find organic potting soil it’s bonus. Fill your planters up and then have child sprinkle seeds around and water. Place in sunny spot. We started them in the patio in a sunny corner since it was too cool out yet.
Watch It Grow
About five days later you will see little sprouts peeping out.
They’ll get taller and as the weather warms up you can move them to a good sunny spot outside.
Here’s the same lettuce a few days after being outdoors — it likes the sun!
Here is the same one in the corner of the box ready to cut. It filled out nicely:
Harvesting
“Harvesting” the windowbox lettuce isn’t anything more than using a pair of snub nose school scissors to let my daughter give the plants a trim. She holds up one of the oak leaf lettuces and the tray she gathered. The lettuce will grow back so you can come again to harvest more later.
We turned the first batch into a tomato and avocado salad to go with our lunch. That particular lettuce mixture is tender and mild tasting.
We had harvested from the top box and will hit the bottom box next. If you love salad, planting two boxes should keep you in good supply for quite a while! When the plants finally poop out or bolt, just sprinkle some more seeds and grow a fresh crop!
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