Blueberry Festival!
Christ Church is holding its third annual Blueberry Festival on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008, from 3:30 to 6:30. Proceeds will be used to support the ministries of Christ Church, including its many outreach programs, one of which is to make the grounds of the church more open to parishioners and the surrounding neighborhood.
Our first goal is to create a rain garden around the parking lot at the back of the church. This rain garden will keep most of the rainwater on the church grounds rather than letting it wash into the street. Last year, as a first step, we planted blueberry bushes near the back door of the Parish Hall, and these bushes provided parishioners, visitors, and birds with many pints of blueberries.
The festival features a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, a delicious chicken dinner (choice of baked or barbecue), macaroni and cheese, vegetarian baked beans, green salad, homemade blueberry desserts, and a choice of soda, tea, and coffee. In addition, homemade blueberry jams, pies, cakes, and muffins will be available for sale. There will also be games and activities for the children. Prices are $16 for adults, $8 for children 6-12, and free for children 5 and under.
Call Cathy in the church office at 718 727-6100 to make your reservations.
New York Times Articles about CSAs
Last Sunday's (Aug. 24) New York Times regional section had articles about CSAs and local gardening. If you missed them, see
Potluck Dinner: Sunday, Sept. 21, 4 p.m.
CSA member Diane Arneth is hosting a potluck dinner at her home (check your email for the address). Bring a dish featuring a CSA fruit or vegetable! Please make sure your contribution serves four to six people, and if you are a large group, a little more.
If you are planning to attend, please respond to Kirstin Swanson at kireleason at gmail.com and let her know how many people will be there and what you plan to bring.
There are many recipes on our website. Check them out if you need help with how to cook some of the produce we receive. Also, send your recipe, tip, or helpful hint to recipes@statenislandcsa.org.
Community Garden Events
The Westervelt Community Garden has invited us, through our special-events person Kirstin Swanson, to some upcoming events:
- Composting Tutorial and Movie Night, 8/23/08, 7 to 10 p.m.
RSVP to kireleason@gmail.com.
- Seed Saving Workshop, 9/6/08, 12:00 p.m.
- Music Afternoon, 12-3, on a date to be determined.
This event will be a first for the garden, and will happen on a weekend afternoon. Garden members are still looking for group(s) to perform. If you are a musician interested in performing, please let Kirstin know and she'll pass on the information. A PA system will be provided, and donations collected will be shared by the garden & performers.
Do You Yahoo?
Samantha Willis, one of the site coordinators, has set up a Yahoo group for us. Groups make it easy for you to talk to the entire group at once, and since all the messages are saved on the message board, you can look up a recipe or check a suggestion anytime (even if you've erased all your emails by mistake, oops).
Here's the link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SICSA/ Sign up--it's easy!
What is Staten Island Community
Supported Agriculture?
Staten Island Community Supported Agriculture is a group of Staten Islanders who buy shares in a farmer's vegetable and fruit crop for the growing season. We support Starbrite Farm and John Krueger, the farmer, and share the risks and benefits of food
production with him.
There are dozens of other community-supported agriculture (CSA) groups in the New York metropolitan area, all coordinated by Just Food. Typically, members or "share-holders" of
the farm or garden pay for a share in advance to
cover the anticipated costs of the farm
operation and farmer's salary. In return,
they receive shares in the farm's bounty
throughout the growing season, as well
as satisfaction gained from reconnecting
to the land and participating directly
in food production.
Members also share
in the risks of farming, including poor
harvests due to unfavorable weather or
pests. However, by direct sales to community members
who have provided the farmer with working
capital in advance, growers receive better
prices for their crops, gain some financial
security, and are relieved of much of the
burden of marketing.
Another benefit of the program is that farmers can continue to make a living on their land and pass their farms to their chilcren rather than be forced to sell to developers to pay for retirement. CSAs, therefore, help maintain open land near metropolitan areas. They also reduce members' reliance on vegetables and fruit trucked across the U.S. and from other countries. |
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