Eat Local, Kalamazoo!

"Eat Local, Kalamazoo!" is a season-long series of public events all about local food.

The crowd enjoys dandelion muffins and acorn bread (right), and Lori Evesque (below) talks about canning at recent "Eat Local, Kalamazoo" events.

Upcoming events

Canning Classes through September

Canning guru and aquafarmer Lori Evesque brings more than 20 years experience to this summer series of classes. Beginners classes (starting June 9 through September) will cover the basics, from equipment and safety to techniques and recipes, with a focus on vegetable and fruit products. Advanced classes will offer a refresher of the basics for those who have some canning experience, plus more advanced recipes and techniques. Kalamazoo classes take place at the Fair Food Matters Can-Do Kitchen (315 West Michigan Avenue), and Battle Creek classes take place at the Salvation Army (400 Capital Avenue NE). There will be a supply fee of $25 per class, scholarships may be available. Click here for further details.

"Eat Local" Scavenger Hunt
September 1-30, various local food vendors

Answer local food trivia questions (How many dishes at Crow's Nest are named after employees? How many pounds of sausage does Papa's Italian Sausage make every year?) with this month-long scavenger hunt, and qualify for delicious prizes as you do. Pick up or download a game card (.pdf or .doc) and join the fun!

Introduction to Hydroponics
Thursday, September 16, 7-8:30pm, Horizen Hydroponics

This class is designed to teach the basics needed in order get growing and be successful. Topics covered include advantages and disadvantages of hydroponics, lighting, growing mediums, hydroponic system types, nutrients, additives, and pH control. The $20 price includes informative handouts and samples. Pre-registration is required. Please click here to register and find out more.

Healthy Mediterranean Cooking Grown Locally
Thursday, September 16, Zazios, 100 W. Michigan Ave. in the Radisson
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. (option to stay for lunch) and 3:30-5 p.m. (option to stay for dinner)

Chef John Korycki, executive chef at Zazios, will demonstrate how to create healthy and easy dishes made with locally grown fresh vegetables and herbs. Co-sponsored by Portage District Library and Portage Senior Center. Cost: $5 at the door (includes demonstration and small samplings). Parking available in the ramp across from the Radisson. Parking passes will be validated. Please register by calling 329-4542 ext. 600 starting August 26.

8th Annual Southwest Michigan Harvest Festival
Sunday, September 19, 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Tillers International,Scotts, Michigan

An autumn celebration of local food and sustainable living, filled with music, family activities, demonstrations and food. This years keynote speaker, Richard Heinberg, author of Peak Everything and Blackout, will share his vision for a truly sustainable future. Schlitz Creek and Joe Reilly top the musical lineup.

Blackout: Coal, Climate and the Last Energy Crisis: A lecture and book signing with Richard Heinberg
Monday, September 20, Noon-1:30 p.m, Portage District Library

Author of nine books, including The Party's Over, Peak Everything, and Blackout, Richard Heinberg is widely regarded as one of the world's most effective communicators of the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels. With a wry, unflinching approach based on facts and realism, Richard exposes the tenuousness of our current way of life and offers a vision for a truly sustainable future. Free of charge, no registration necessary.

Moving Toward Resilience: One Step at a Time
Tuesday, September 28, 6:30-8 p.m., Portage District Library

A panel of local farmers and green-thinking residents will share how they are progressing towards self-reliance through home gardening and preserving; solar passive housing and solar energy; purchasing local food; planting trees; simple living; reusing, renewing and recycling. Panel members include organic farmers Norm and Rita Bober; author and community garden activist Olga Bonfiglio; and community gardeners Mike Kruk and Caren Braymire. The panel is also sponsored by the Michigan Land Trustees and the Transition movement. Free of charge, no registration necessary.

Fresh Vegetables with an Exotic Flair
Monday, October 4, 6-7:30 p.m. (option to stay for dinner), Indian Cuisine, 600 Romence Road Suite 640.

Chef Nafeez Shariff, co-owner of Indian Cuisine, will introduce the tastes and textures of Indian cuisine and explain how to enhance the rich flavors of fresh vegetables with herbs and spices. Cost: $5 at the door (includes demonstration and small samplings). Please register by calling 329-4542 ext. 600 after September 13.

Root Cellar Vegetables: Storing the Harvest
Tuesday, October 12, 7 p.m., Kalamazoo Public Library

Root cellars offer an ancient method of storing autumns harvest to enjoy all winter long. Michigan State University Professor John Biernbaum will discuss the basics of root cellars, including what to store and how to store it. Biernbaum teaches classes on greenhouse structures and vegetable production, and has worked with MSU students to develop a year-round organic farm. No registration required.

Curds and Whey (The Return!)
Thursday, October 21, 6:30 p.m., Kalamazoo Public Library

Back by popular demand, Gary Colles (" The Cheese Guy" ) will return for his popular demonstration on cheese-making at home! Free of charge, no registration necessary (numbered tickets given out at the door)

Kitchen Conversations: film by Dhera Strauss starring local cooks
Wednesday, November 10, Screenings at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., Portage District Library

Women who have lived at least half a century invite us into their kitchens, where they each prepare a recipe that reminds them of their family. Meet and talk recipes with the cooks in the film and the film maker, Dhera Strauss. Snacks by Sarkozy Bakery! No registration necessary, $3 at the door.

About Eat Local, Kalamazoo

"Eat Local, Kalamazoo," a program of Fair Food Matters, is a season-long series of events designed to increase the community's awareness of and appreciation for local food. It is led by a committee of area businesses and non-profit organizations, and is sponsored by:

To find out how you can help with Eat Local, Kalamazoo!, as a volunteer or financially, please contact us.

Past Events

Local Food Month Celebration
Saturday, August 21, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Texas Township Farmers Market, 7110 West Q Avenue

Come celebrate Local Food Month (as proclaimed by the Texas Township Trustees) at the Texas Township Farmers Market/Fresh on Q! Enjoy a wide variety of locally sourced lunch options prepared by local chefs, including lamb, bison burgers and roast pig with side dishes and desserts (available from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.). The market is open Saturdays through October 23, and features all local vendors and food businesses from within an average of 18 miles of the market.

Introduction to Worm Composting
Thursday, August 12, 6:30-8pm, Woodward Elementary School (606 Stuart Avenue)

Interested in learning how to turn your kitchen scraps into nutritious, free fertilizer for your plants and garden? Come learn how to create and maintain a worm composting bin. A hands-on workshop for the whole family, the $40 fee includes worm bin materials, informative handouts, and starter worms. Please click here to register and find out more.

Is That a Hen in Your Yard?
Wednesday, August 11, 7 p.m., Kalamazoo Public Library

Back by popular demand, this hen-friendly workshop will review the basics of chicken care, and discuss backyard chicken regulations in the cities and townships around Kalamazoo County. Chicken keeper Lori Evesque and attorney Suzanne Klein will lead this "eggs-traordinary" event. This event is free of charge, and no registration is required, however, numbered tickets will be distributed beginning at 6 p.m.

2nd Annual Kalamazoo Community Garden Tour
Saturday, July 24, 1-5 p.m., various locations

Community gardens produce nutritious food, stimulate community development and even help reduce crime. Enjoy this self-guided tour of some of our areas most successful community gardens. Greeters, tour guides and maps will be available at each garden. No registration required. View our Google map for locations or download the garden tour brochure.

Curds and Whey: Making Cheese at Home
Tuesday, July 13, 7 p.m., Kalamazoo Public Library

Add some culture to your kitchen! Lansing-based Gary Colles ("The Cheese Guy") has been making cheese and teaching others for more than 10 years. Watch as he demonstrates simple recipes that you can make at home, using nothing more than basic kitchen equipment. No registration required.

The Greening of Michigan: A Vision for Post-Industrial America
Thursday, July 1, 7 p.m., Douglass Community Center

Detroit has lost nearly half its population and more than 15,000 businesses since its peak, and 70,000 vacant lots now cover one third of the city. However, promise is blooming today in numerous community gardens and urban agriculture projects. Join Ashley Atkinson from Greening of Detroit, local activist Olga Bonfiglio, and some of Kalamazoo's urban farmers for a fascinating, hopeful look at how Michigan can make the transition from manufacturing to agriculture.

Free for All: Fixing School Food in America
Tuesday, June 1, 7:30 p.m., Gilmore Center Auditorium at Bronson Hospital

How did nachos, pizza and tater tots end up on school lunch menus? Why does snack food laden with salt, sugar and fat compete with nutritionally regulated meals? Join author Janet Poppendieck for this eye-opening expose of school food, followed by a sweeping vision for change - where fresh, healthy food is a regular part of every child's school day.

Introduction to Canning
Tuesday, May 18, 6:30 p.m., Portage District Library

Can you can? Of course you can! Learn the essentials of home canning with canning guru Lori Evesque, from basic equipment and safety to techniques and recipes.

Acorn Bread and Violet Jelly: Foraging for Wild Plants
May 4, 6:30 p.m., Portage District Library

Our neighborhoods, parks and forest are filled with hundreds of delicious wild vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and herbs. Join organic gardeners and foraging experts Rita and Norm Bober to help distinguish the tasty from the toxic!

Top 5 Reasons to Eat Local!

1. Taste: Fresher is often better than produce that's traveled hundreds even thousands of miles. Or been bred and sprayed to travel.
2. Economy: If Michigan residents spent $10/week on local foods, over $37 million/week would cycle back into our state. And supporting your local economy is just plain smart.
3. Health: Variety and freshness equals nutrient power. Local foods also shorten the accountability chain and safeguard your health.
4. Environment: Whats not to like about food requiring less fossil fuel and supporting sustainable farming?
5. Community Spirit: You can find out who produced your food, where your food was produced, how it was produced and under what conditions. What you eat begins to have a story in which you take part - a story that includes growers, neighbors and friends.