"Eat Local, Kalamazoo" events: Hydroponics, sustainable living, and food, food, food!

We've recently added more than a dozen exciting events to the season series of "Eat Local, Kalamazoo," including a hydroponics workshop (Sept. 16), plus a cornucopia of food events, including the return of Gary Colles, "The Cheese Guy," and our month-long scavenger hunt, where you can turn answers to local food trivia into big prizes! Download the list of scavenger hunt questions (.pdf or .doc), or visit our "Eat Local, Kalamazoo" page for more details on these and other Eat Local programs.

Fair Food Food Fair (save the date!)

Please mark your calendars for Saturday, Nov. 20, 6-9 p.m. for the Fair Food Food Fair, an evening of food-related fun, including a chef's challenge, silent auction, live music, and our presentation of the Locavore of the Year Award, plus lots of local food (including local beer and wine)! The event will take place at Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. More details coming soon!

Annual Harvest Dinner

Our good friends at Food Dance are again hosting a sumptuous fall feast at Kirklin Farm (Sunday, Sept. 12 at 5 p.m.), featuring a five-course meal under the tent. All proceeds benefit Fair Food Matters. Thanks, Food Dance! Find out more here.

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 p.m., 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 600-plus neighbors in your quest to eat, grow, sell or process local foods.