Local Food Systems in Old Industrial Regions Conference - August 3 - 7
Eat Local, Kalamazoo: Is That a Hen in Your Yard? - August 11
Eat Local, Kalamazoo: Local Foods Scavenger Hunt beginning in September!
Oil spill response
The board and staff of Fair Food Matters share the concerns and frustrations of millions of others regarding the oil spill in the Kalamazoo River, which flows just past our office before it empties into Lake Michigan. Choosing local food helps save fossil fuels used for transportation, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and will help end our dependence on oil (foreign and domestic).If you'd like to do something immediately:
Save the date
Imagine a sumptuous array of delectable local food dishes, prepared by some of our community's favorite chefs, spread out from wall to wall at one of Kalamazoo's most beautiful cultural landmarks! This incredible event will take place Saturday, November 20 from 6-9 p.m. We'll provide more details in the weeks to come.
Upcoming Eat Local, Kalamazoo events educate on backyard chickens, offer chances for prizes, and do the can-can
This season brings a bevy crop of Eat Local, Kalamazoo events: Is That a Hen in Your Yard? educates about backyard chickens, spend September hunting local foods for prizes as part of our month-long Scavenger Hunt, or learn to preserve the yummy summer and fall bounty for winter at any of our classes on canning. See our Eat Local, Kalamazoo page for details.
Future Chefs program heats up
How do you conduct a cooking class for teens when your stove doesn't work? Read the Kalamazoo Gazette story about Fair Food Matters' Future Chefs program here .
Sponsor-A-Gardener Campaign 2010
Part of the Growing Matters Garden program's spring preparations include fund-raising to help cover some of the costs of our program. Please take a moment to download a copy of our sponsorship letter. We could really use your help!
Can you can? (Of course you can!)
Join canning guru and aquafarmer Lori Evesque for a summertime series of canning classes, designed for both beginners and advanced practitioners. Kalamazoo classes begin June 9, Battle Creek classes begin June 14. More information here.
See Lori's recent interview on Fox 17 here.
Community Volunteer Nights at the Growing Matters Garden
Interested in learning more about our urban educational gardening program? Come to the garden, lend a hand, meet new people, and learn more about our program and organic gardening at our community volunteer nights!
We will gather at the main garden site (2119 N Westnedge) every Wednesday evening, 6:30-8:00 pm, May through September.
Volunteer nights are kid/family friendly and open to all - feel free to bring friends, loved ones, and neighbors! If you are a master gardener, attending the volunteer night is a great way to earn your hours.
Join the Garden Network
Fair Food Matters is now offering help (information, resources, networking opportunities) to all Kalamazoo-area gardeners through its Garden Network. To join or find out more about this free program, please contact Shelly.
Read the Kalamazoo Gazette story on our new program here.
EatLocalSWMich: Your Connection
Get online and be in the know with the EatLocalSWMich Yahoo Group. You'll find tips and talk on everything from locating local raspberries to raising chickens in your backyard to public-policy issues. Be encouraged and supported by 300-plus neighbors in your quest to eat, grow, sell or process local foods.
- can-do kitchen
A licensed facility for new & existing food businesses, local-produce processing, and job training.
- Growing Matters Garden
Kids get their hands dirty, and learn a lot, with our multi-site gardening project.
- Future Chefs
Teens cook? From scratch? Check out this cool summer program.
- Eat Local, Kalamazoo!
Learn how, where and why to eat local in our series of presentations and events.
- Farms to K College
Students and community partners are bringing more local food into the cafeteria at Kalamazoo College.
- Southwest Michigan Community Harvest Fest
Celebrate local food, local farming, and sustainable living with great speakers, music and more.
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Fair Food Film Festival
Exploring where our food comes from and why it matters.