It’s been a busy summer here in our new offices. 

Since moving into the building behind the Jones House in Boone (which we share with Appalachian Voices), we’ve hosted the 2012 High Country Farm Tour, food demo'd at the Watauga Farmer's Market, met the Seeds of Change steering committee and activity leads, and increased our staff size considerably.  

Conyers Lamm, an MBA student at Appalachian State University’s Walker College of Business, joined us mid-July to provide administrative support for the Seeds of Change Appalachia Initiative. Conyers is concentrating in sustainable business, which makes her work with us beneficial in many aspects. The support Conyers is providing is critical to the success of this project, and we are thrilled to have her join the team.

A recent transplant from Massachusetts, Sarah Myers has been hired as our new Executive Director. In February, Sarah received her MBA in nonprofit management from Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy, and is very excited to be working with such a passionate and knowledgeable group of women.  We are looking forward to having Sarah assist the organization as we progress through this period of growth. 

A message from Rural Action: 

Please join us on September 13 & 14, 2012 at the Ohio University Inn & Conference Center in Athens, OH for the summit, Waste toWealth: Building Rural Assets Through Resource Recovery.  The summit is being hosted by the Appalachia Ohio Zero Waste Initiative and will bring together solid waste and recycling stakeholders from Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia to explore how to increase rural wealth by increasing resource recovery. 

We have a full program of speakers and presenters highlighting exemplary rural recycling programs, marketing cooperatives, recycling and zero waste policy, business development, the global and regional context of waste and more.  The summit will encourage a value chain approach, where communities, haulers, processors, industries, businesses, politicians, philanthropists and others work together for the benefit of the local economy, the health of its people, and the environment.  

Neil Seldman, president of the Institute of Local Self-Reliance, will give the keynote address. Seldman provides technical assistance to cities, community groups and businesses in the field of sustainable resource management and has pioneered developments in processing, building deconstruction and small scale manufacturing from recycled materials. Earl Gohl, Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, and Karen Luken, Global Solid Waste and Wastewater Director for President Clinton’s Clinton Climate Initiative, will also speak at the event.  And, no event is complete without good food.  The lunch and evening reception will feature local foods as well as composting and recycling in an effort to make the event as close to zero waste as possible.

To register and to learn about our full program of speakers, visit our website: www.ruralaction.org/zerowaste   
 
Please pass this information along to friends and colleagues who may be interested!
 

NC Cooperative Extension offers free Squash  & Cucurbit Field Day Tuesday, 8/21/12

During the afternoon of Tuesday, August 21, 2012, NC Cooperative Extension and Fishel Farms will lead a field day on producing and managing squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, melons, and other varieties of cucurbits in the NC High Country. The Cucurbit Field Day will take place at Fishel Farms, located John Halsey Rd. in Grassy Creek, NC from 4:00 PM through 7:00 PM. This field day is free and open to all area farmers and large-scale gardeners with an interest in growing and harvesting cucurbit crops. The field day will include the following teachers, specialists, and leaders:

To insure adequate materials for all participants, pre-registration is encouraged. To register, or for more information, call the NC Cooperative Extension Watauga County Center at 828-264-3061.

The Cove Creek Farm Heritage Day is growing to become the region’s premier Harvest Festival: a time for growers and fans of farms alike to gather for fun, learning, and the chance to get ready for another year ahead!

Information about this year’s Cove Creek Farm Heritage Day is posted at the Cove Creek Preservation & Development web site (http://www.covecreek.net/).

http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/sac/

This year’s conference  in Greenville, SC features:

Over 50 *cutting-edge, skill-building workshops* on growing organically,
pastured livestock, soils, permaculture, food, policy and more! Plus, full
tracks devoted to beginning farmers, helping your farm business thrive, etc.

Pre-conference intensives from the experts in organic
certification, organic production, orchard health, food safety, mushrooms,
bees, permaculture and more.

Pre-conference tours of some of the most beautiful and
successful sustainable farms and gardens in the Upstate of SC.

*To Register:*
 http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/sac-register/

In case you're looking for a fun and educational activity: this Saturday, August 18, from 1- 4 p.m., the N.C. Cooperative Extension is offering a hands-on canning class. 

Learn how to safely can using a pressure canner and a boiling water bath. Class will be taught at the Agricultural Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Rd in Boone, NC.

The cost of the class is $10, register in advance at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, 971 W. King Street, Boone, NC. 264-3061. Space is limited.

Learn more: http://watauga.ces.ncsu.edu/?page=events