Open for ordering and updates for this week

We’re open for ordering. Please visit www.littlerock.locallygrown.net to place orders by Tuesday 9pm for pick up this Saturday.

Also, note these announcements:
_______________

Volunteers needed this weekend – let us know if you can help out.
_______________

Food Club Steering Committee Meeting – April 10th, 12:30pm at Christ Episcopal Church.

Seed Ball Workshop, April 3rd at Willow Springs Market Garden, call or email for info.

Healthy Children, Healthy Planet Discussion Course – Wednesday Evenings, beginning April 28th. Call 501-837-7959 for info.

And this message from Youngblood Grassfed Meats…

Hello All,
We are Youngblood Grassfed Farm. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for welcoming us to the online market community, supporting our farm and it’s ideals. We are looking forward to a great spring and summer.

If you have any questions about our farm, your order or just want to chat about the animals, give us a shout!

I also wanted to let you know we will be unable to deliver this Friday, therefore all of our products are unavailable. They will be available the following week.

We will be making a trip to Alabama to again improve our genetics on the farm. We will be traveling to bring back a bull with forage-tested genetics. We are truly excited and hope you understand our absence.

Andy and Tracy Youngblood

Open for Ordering & Looking for Your Guidance

We’re open for ordering! Please visit www.littlerock.locallygrown.net to order by Tuesday 9pm for pick up this Saturday.

ASN’s Food Club has grown tremendously over the past year. In response, we are seeking your guidance and input as we draft our policies and procedures for farmers/ merchants to make this the Food Club that you want. If you’d like to serve on the food club steering committee, let us know.

We seek to provide you with the local food and products that you love and the information that helps you make informed decisions about what you are getting. Please take a moment to visit the growers page on littlerock.locallygrown.net, and always email us if you have questions and comments.

You can leave your suggestions and questions in the comment box when you place your order, or email us anytime at EmailASN@gmail.com.

We also need a few volunteers for this week. Let us know if you’d like to help out this week.

Thank you all!

Rebecca

Weblog Entry

We’re open for ordering! Please visit www.littlerock.locallygrown.net to order by Tuesday 9pm for pick up this Saturday. Here’s what’s new this week:

New Plants from ABC Nursury:

Medicinal plants: Arnica, Black ginger, Valerian,Betony

Fruit trees:3-in-one Cold Hardy Peach tree, 3-in-one Constant Harvest Pluot tree

Culinary herbs: Oregano 4" Sugar leaf plant (both culinary for sweetness and medicinal reasons,Perennial marjoram

New From Ratchford Farm:

5 – .70 Lbs. BEEF strip steaks Total weight 3.5 Lbs for 35.95.

If you are interested in volunteering this week, or if you’d like to serve on the food club steering committee, let us know. Email us anytime at EmailASN@gmail.com

Thanks to members, volunteers and coordinators!

Have a great week,

Rebecca

We're open, March 5th, new on the site, and need volunteers for this week

We’re open for ordering. Please visit www.littlerock.locallygrown.net and order by 9pm on Tuesday for pick up this Saturday.

If you plan to attend the March 5th fundraiser, please RSVP as soon as possible. We’ve already got over 100 folks attending, and we’ve added a silent auction to the program. We’d love to see you there!

Highlights of new items on the site this week:

Broccoli, swiss chard (Bright Lights), and kale plants from Eddie Stuckey of Kellogg Farm.

Arnica, Black ginger, Valerian, and 3-in-1 dwarf fruit trees from Debe Hudson of ABC Greenhouse.

Also, we need volunteers for this week, and if you’d like to serve on the food club steering committee, let us know.

Call or email anytime,
Katy Elliott
Director, ASN
501-837-7959

RSVP for our Spring Fundraiser!

Hope to see you at our Spring Fundraiser and see the previous email for other info and announcements.
-Katy
501-837-7959
+++++++++++++++++++++

ASN SPRING FUNDRAISER

FRIDAY, MARCH 5th

6:30-8:30 p.m.

Christ Episcopal Church, Bowen Hall

6th and Scott, Downtown Little Rock
Join us on Friday, March 5th for a wonderful spring evening to help support ASN’s “edible schoolyard” project at Felder Farm, featuring a local foods dinner by Scott McGehee and a chance to visit one-on-one with our Local Food Club farmers! Beginning at 6:30, the farmers you know and love from Food Club will on hand to talk about their plans for the 2010 growing season and answer your questions. From 7 to 8:30, we’ll enjoy pizza from ZaZa Fine Salad and Wood Oven Pizza Co.’s mobile wood fired pizza oven, hearty salad and dessert—all featuring local ingredients, of course.

We recently received a grant from the USDA Community Food Project for ASN’s green job training, youth enrichment, and neighborhood development at Felder Farm. This spring and summer, we’re focused on developing a farm-based business with student employees from Felder Academy, coordinating a garden and culinary program for neighborhood youth, and hosting hands-on gardening workshops and learning opportunities for the community. Your donation will allow us to expand the reach of our project by funding extra supervisory positions for the student employees and the neighborhood outreach work.

Tickets are $15 per person or $40 for the whole family and are tax deductible. *To reserve your tickets, email us at emailasn@gmail.com with your name, address, and the number and kind of tickets requested. If you are requesting a family ticket, please let us know how many adults and children are in your family. Then send us a check for the total price at: ASN, 509
Scott St., Little Rock AR 72201. *

Would you, your group or your business like to get more involved in ASN’s mission?

Your donation of $200 or more to the Felder Farm Community Food project will designate you as a Program Sponsor and you will be listed on ASN’s website and social media sites, in our promotional literature, on program t-shirts, and on all literature accompanying the farm products developed and marketed as a part of this summer’s program. We also have many volunteer opportunities that will fit your schedule. For more information, contact Katy Elliott at emailasn@gmail.com or 501-837-7959.

Weblog Entry

Interested in serving on the food club steering committee? Let me know by emailing your name and email to EmailASN@gmail.com.

We’re open for ordering! Please visit www.littlerock.locallygrown.net to order by Tuesday 9pm for pick up this week.

Berry bushes – time to plant them!

Reminder: Josh Hardin of Laughingstock and Hardin Farms will be offering CSA shares this spring/summer season. Let us know if you’re interested and we’ll send Josh your way.

WORKSHOP: Saturday April 3rd at 1pm. at Willow Springs Market Garden.
In this workshop we will discuss the history behind seedballs and how to make some of our own. Soil mix recipe(s) and which seeds make good candidates to make it in hostile environments. Participants will leave with 8 seedballs and a printed instruction sheet. More seedballs available at a discount. Come and participate in some real guerrilla gardening.
Cost $7.50
Limit 10 people.

One last reminder: If you ever receive a product that you’re not satisfied with be sure to let us know! We need your feedback to send to farmers and to continue to improve our food club.

Thanks to all coordinators, volunteers and members. Call or email anytime!
Katy Elliott
501-837-7959

Market Open, Save the date and What's up for this week

SAVE THE DATE! March 5th, ASN Spring Fundraiser. Meet and Greet with Food Club Farmers and enjoy a local food dinner prepared by Scott McGehee of Za Za Pizza Company. Wood fired pizzas and a guaranteed good time! Stay tuned for more info….

We’re open for ordering! Please visit www.littlerock.locallygrown.net to order by Tuesday 9pm for pick up this week.

This week, free beef for the first 15 folks who haven’t tried Ratchford Farms ground beef.

Apple trees – time to plant them!

Also, Josh Hardin of Laughingstock and Hardin Farms will be offering CSA shares this spring/summer season. Let us know if you’re interested and we’ll send Josh your way.

Also, don’t forget – we’re in the midst of developing policies for the Local Food Club. Please send your input by this Thursday, Feb 11th.

Soil Block Workshop – February 20th, 1pm at Willow Springs Market Garden. $7.50, 3 spaces left. Participants leave with 12 2-inch soil blocks for their summer garden starts.

One last reminder: If you ever receive a product that you’re not satisfied with be sure to let us know! We need your feedback to send to farmers and to continue to improve our food club.

Thanks to all coordinators, volunteers and members. Call or email anytime!
Katy Elliott
501-837-7959

Weblog Entry

We’re open for ordering. Please visit www.littlerock.locallygrown.net to place orders by Tuesday 9pm for pick up this Saturday.

Also, note these announcements:

We are currently drafting policies and procedures for the products, growers, and use of the website. Please send us your input on Local Food Club farmer and product guidelines by February 11th.

++++++++++++

SAVE THE DATE! March 5th – ASN Spring Fundraiser.

Come meet farmers from the ASN Food Club. They’ll highlight what’s in store for the 2010 season while we enjoy dinner prepared by Scott McGehee and ZaZa Fine Salad and Wood-Oven Pizza Company! More info coming soon.

++++++++++++

February 20th – Soil Block Workshop at Willow Springs Market Garden

In Europe, the use of small blocks of soil, like a sandcastle, are a very common way to start seeds. No plastic container needed. At this workshop, Robert Lashley of Willow Springs Market Garden will show you how to make your own blocks. The composition of the growing medium will be discussed, the correct amount of moisture to add and the actual use of the blocking tools. Printed instructions provided, and attendees take home 12, 2-inch soil blocks for their home gardens. February 20th, 1pm, at Willow Springs Market Garden. Limit 10 people (6 spaces left); Cost $7.50. To RSVP email ASN at EmailASN@gmail.com

+++++++++++++++

ASN 2009 Year in review and what’s ahead for 2010!

2009 was a great year for ASN!– A few noteworthy achievements from our Annual Review publication (to be released next month) include acquiring our first grants from Arkansas Community Foundation and the USDA National Institute for Food And Agriculture, establishing a part-time Executive Director position, increasing membership by over 40% and decreasing our overhead costs by 70%!

We’re gearing up for an informative and productive 2010. This coming year you can expect Food Club to continue to connect our members with even more local farmers and farm products, and we’ll continue to coordinate local food dinners. Our work with Felder Farm will continue to offer student and teacher support and volunteer opportunities and we’ll begin our summer youth employment, green job training, and community programs. We ‘re also looking forward to working with the Arkansas Renewable Energy Association, the Winrock Institute, the Arkansas Earth Institute and a host of other partner agencies to bring workshops and discussion courses to you.

Last, but not least, what do you want to see from ASN in 2010? Call or email us anytime. (501-837-7959, or EmailASN@gmail.com)

++++++++++++++

Extending THANKS to members, donors, volunteers, and supporters

ASN would like to recognize all of our 2009 supporters, most recently Second Presbyterian Church for their donation to ASN and Felder Farm. We applaud Second Presbyterian Church for their outreach to numerous community initiatives. Felder Farm and ASN also celebrate a recent donation of a greenhouse frame from Little Rock Parks and Recreation. Construction is slated to begin immediately. Got skills and experience to help out? Let us know or email us for a list of materials that we will need to acquire to construct the greenhouse. We were happy to welcome MLK King Challenge Day of Service volunteers to Felder Farm for their incredible energy and assistance planting Felder’s first fruit bearing plants: Arkansas Black Apples and Blueberry bushes! We would also like to correct a misspelled name in our last newsletter and recognize Janet Udouj for her support of ASN.

+++++++++++++
February 17th – Global Perspectives on Sustainable Farming

Wednesday February 17th at Felder Farm’s own Ragan Sutterfield’s House (515 W. 24th St.), 6:00 pm. Interested in local food, community, and sustainable agriculture? Wondering about connections to other cultures around the world? Come hear Joanna Seibert share stories from her recent journey to China. Hear about the parallels, ironies, and wonderfully quirky idiosyncratic observations from grassroots farming villages to grasstop Chinese bureaucrats and academicians. Lots of photographs, appetizers and green tea provided. For more information or to RSVP, please call or email (501-837-7959, or EmailASN@gmail.com).

+++++++++

Healthy Children, Healthy Planet Discussion Course

Let us know if you are interested in participating in a Healthy Children – Healthy Planet discussion course. This course, offered through ASN and the Arkansas Earth Institute, is a seven-session course addressing how the pervasive effects of advertising, media, and our consumer culture can influence a child’s view of the world. For more information or to express your interest in participating, please call or email (501-837-7959, or EmailASN@gmail.com).

+++++++++++++++

ASN Facebook page and Twitter!

Connect with ASN on facebook – Facebook.com/ARsustainability and follow us on Twitter! – Twitter.com/friendsofasn. Connect with us as we post sustainability events, news and tips. Share your thoughts and product reviews! Join us as we build a discussion on topics such as food club products, green living tips, publications and local initiatives!

+++++++++++++

ASN Volunteer Positions Available

We are currently looking for motivated and energetic volunteers to co-coordinate Little Rock Local Food Club Pick-ups. Volunteers must commit to one Saturday morning per month, and 2 Saturdays every 3 months. Shift hours are from 8:30am to 12:30pm. It’s a good time and great place to meet and network with ASN members and supporters. A fun way to be part of our vibrant local food movement! Interested? Email us at EmailASN@gmail.com.

++++++++++

ASN February Board of Directors Meeting

February 11th, at noon at Christ Episcopal Church. We currently have a couple of positions available for Board members. Email or call for additional information or to apply to be a Board member – 501-837-7959, EmailASN@gmail.com.
+++++++++++

Thanks!
Katy Elliott

Contact us anytime:
phone – 501-837-7959
email – EmailASN@gmail.com

PICK UP MOVED TO SUNDAY, Upcoming events, & Input requested

Due to the inclement weather, pick up is rescheduled to Sunday, between 11:30 and 1:30pm. We hope this is feasible for you.

As far as we know, many of the farmers have already or plan to deliver. Ratchford Farm, ABC Greenhouse, and Honeysuckle Lane Cheese have notified us with regrets that they cannot deliver.

Thanks for your understanding in this matter.
+++++++++++++

In other news, for all of you who are not yet signed up to ASN’s monthly email newsletter, please visit www.arnetwork.org to view ASN’s most current email newsletter. Highlights include a soil block workshop to be led by Robert Lashley of Willow Springs Market Garden and a Save the Date Announcement for a March 5th Local Food Dinner and Spring Fundraiser.
++++++++++++++

Additionally, we are soliciting for your input on Local Food Club farmer and product guidelines. We are currently drafting policies and procedures for the products, growers, and use of the website. Please send us your feedback by February 11th so we can pass copies of comments to the Board members at our next meeting.
+++++++++++

Thanks!
Katy Elliott

Contact us anytime:
phone – 501-837-7959
email – EmailASN@gmail.com

Reminder to order for this weekend & info on Categories changes

Hi Everyone,

Reminder to order by 9pm tonight at www.littlerock.locallygrown.net to pick up this weekend. Definitely let us know if you can volunteer. Email us at EmailASN@gmail.com.

Petit Jean Farm’s Family Pack Special continues for a final week. If you want a family pack (info below), please email (EmailASN@gmail.com) rather than using the comment space on your order. I’ll email you to confirm we received your request.

Petit Jean $50 Family Pack Holiday Special
3 lbs Pork Sausage
2 whole Chickens
4 Pork Chops
1 Medium Beef Roast
3 lbs Hamburger

Pastured meats, no antibiotics, no hormones, big savings.

We are drafting policies and procedures for the products, growers, and use of the website and we welcome everyone’s input and suggestions. Please send us your feedback by February 11th so we can pass copies of comments to the interested Board members at our next Board meeting.

We have also restructured the product categories on the website to assist you in finding items. Here is a list of recent changes:

This is the current list of Major Categories. Goal is to add a brief description of each category for all growers and customers to set expectations.

Baked Goods
Dairy
Eggs
Flowers
Fruit
Herbs & Spices
Honey
Household Supplies
Live plants
Livestock
Meat
Mushrooms
Nuts
Packaged Items/Kits
Pet Supplies
Processed Foods
Vegetables
Bath & Beauty
Books, Etc.
Candles, Etc.
Farm Crafts
Gift Certificates

If you have a suggestion on renaming these so they are more generic for long-term growth or ideas on how to structure this please let us know.

Is there is a better way to list “Value Add Products” like cobber kits? I changed the Category to Packaged Items/Kits. Anyone have ideas on this how to structure long term? Let us know.

Thanks so much!
Dwayne McFarlan