The LindaLom Group

Just got an email from the fabulous FestiFools…”We’re just 15 days away from the big FestiFools event!  Not to sound desperate, but…HELP!!!!!!!!!! 

I need about 200 volunteers on Sunday, April 6th, from 3-6 p.m. to serve as puppet-wranglers and merrymakers. 

For those of you have already committed to joining the zany fun,  thank you! To everyone else–PLEASE email me to let me know that I can expect you (and your friends!) to be part of this foolish affair (startproject@umich.edu). 

We are also in need of volunteers to help in the studio We’ve got all  sorts of creatures and creations to papier-mache, animate, and paint.

  Our studio hours are:-Thursdays & Fridays 6-10 p.m.-Saturdays & Sundays 12-5 p.m. 

There’s not much time left for you to be part of the studio 

shenanigans (and, I assure you, there are serious shenanigans going  on in these parts).

We hope to see you! Feel free to call if you have any questions. 

Foolishly, 

Shoshana Hurand

START Project–Co-Director

startproject@umich.edu

734-763-7550

www.festifools.org

Sandi and I met Matt Demmon last year at the Farmer’s Market in Kerrytown one lovely Saturday morning.  We saw his mushroom growing log & wondered if we could grow mushrooms at home..and not have Curtis (our 5 year old eat everything but celery & citrus peelings yellow lab) eat them all.  We decided not to try it at that moment, but have talked about it a few times since then.

There  may be a golden opportunity coming up soon…

Matt is going to teach a class about how to grow mushrooms.

“Want to learn how to grow edible mushrooms in your backyard? Mushroom log cultivation
workshop taught by Matt Demmon. Gain hands-on experience inoculating logs with dowels.
Other techniques and methods will be discussed. 

Class takes place on Saturday May 17th, 1-4 PM at Little House Farm in Northfield Township. Herbal tea and
healthy snack provided, supervised children are welcome. $40 for the class, $60 if you want to take a log home. Limited to first 10 people. Call 734.255.2783 or email
at mdemmon@gmail.com to register.”

-matt

Where does your rain go? For too many of us, the answer is “It runs  off from our yard and then goes down the sewer.” Or, “It collects in  that messy low spot in the side yard.”Perhaps it’s time for a *rain garden.

*The next Sierra Club monthly program — free and open to the public — is coming up on Tuesday, March 18.**This Tuesday, the Sierra Club’s Huron Valley Group invites you to hear from Harry Sheehan, of the Washtenaw County Office of the Drain Commissioner ,  on *”How to Build Your Own Rain Garden: Creating Natural Habitat and Protecting the Huron River.” *Learn from an expert how to capture rainfall in a way that will give you a beautiful and low-maintenance garden, full of flowers and butterflies.

*Newcomers are welcome to this free, family-friendly event*, which begins at 7:30 pm at the lovely Matthaei Botanical Gardens.
After the presentation, we invite you to stay for refreshments and mingle with friendly people who share your interest in nature. You can learn about local Sierra Club activities like hiking, skiing, and our conservation projects.

*We’ll be selling the Sierra Club’s nature-friendly organic coffee and tea, and EarthCash shopping vouchers.

*With EarthCash you can help stop sprawl when you shop at many of your favorite stores — at no additional cost to you. Everything is available for purchase by cash or check.Please feel free to forward this message to others who might be interested.

P.S. Take a raingarden tour at
http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/drain_commissioner/dc_webWaterQuality/rain_gardens/tour/raingardentour.html P.S.S. If you live in
Ann Arbor, creating a rain garden can lower your storm water fees.
~~~
*The Sierra Club-Huron Valley Group’s public programs* are normally held  on the third Tuesday of each month at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens, located at 1800 N. Dixboro Road (between Geddes and Plymouth roads, just east of Ann Arbor and US-23), beginning at 7:30 pm. Meetings are free and open to the public.

Wow:

http://www.peterrussell.com/Odds/WorldClock.php

.

Prevention Magazine has always been a favorite of mine.  Years before all of the other cool yoga, fitness and proper eating magazines started coming out, Prevention was there.  Just an easy read that had alot of good content.

Now they’re #1 in my estimation again!  They have chosen Ann Arbor as #3 in Preventions top 10 cities to walk in!

 Check it out! http://www.prevention.com/bestcities/

See you on the sidewalks!

Utilizing native plants in your yard can add a great deal of beauty as well as help the environment. Learn how to plan well for the easiest installation; about all the wonderful choices you have with native plants; how rainwater gardening can be beautiful, ecological, and economical; and what maintenance you will need to plan for and how to keep your new gardens beautiful! Join five local experts for one or all four parts in this series on native gardening.

*Workshop 3: Rain Gardens

Wednesday, March 19: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

Registration: Click here to register online (note you can pay by credit/debit card or select mail or fax in form with payment online) or (734)-996-3190Cost: $10 for Stewardship Network Members, $15 for Non-Members.Leader(s) and Speaker(s): Harry Sheehan, Washtenaw County Drain Commission, and Jason Frenzel, City of Ann Arbor NAP’. 

http://www.stewardshipnetwork.org/site/c.hrLOKWPILuF/b.1656641/ 

www.stewardshipnetwork.org

This info is just in from an informed fool…

1) FestiFools has a cool new website!Check out www.festifools.org for pictures, stories, and all sorts of fun foolishness. There’s even a place where you can make a tax- deductible donation online. Try it out, and pat yourself on the back for doing your good deed for the day.

2) The FestiFools studio has extended hours!We’ll be at the studio on Thursday and Friday evenings from 6-10 p.m., in addition to our Saturday & Sunday 12-5 p.m. weekend hours. So jazz up your week and check out the enormous creatures beginning to come to life around the studio. (It’s like a not-so-scary Frankenstein lab, only in color and with many more cheesy jokes.)We need you! Please come and be involved in the FestiFools creation before it’s too late!

**** Shoshana Hurand

START Project–Co-Director

startproject@umich.edu 734-763-7550

A group of Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area businesses, individuals, and organizations have been meeting since March of 2007 to plan a festival that celebrates local food, products, and businesses.  Plans for the festival grew out of the Beyond Sustainability group connected with the Ecology Center, as well as the intention of Think Local First to hold a festival celebrating locally owned businesses and locally made goods. 

The festival will be held in September 13^th, 2008 in the Kerrytown area of downtown Ann Arbor.  The event will include a nationally known keynote speaker the day before the event and a festival Saturday afternoon/evening.

1. Local chefs creating and serving delicious cuisine from local/regionally produced food. Participating chefs will receive help from the festival in sourcing their ingredients.

2. Business booths showcasing locally made, sustainable products.

3. Regional/nationally-known celebrity chefs doing cooking demonstrations.

4. Fun for all ages including kid’s activities, entertainment, and product demonstrations.

5. A nationally known speaker in the field of local/sustainable food.

6. A recipe contest featuring area celebrity judges and prizes from local businesses.

About the Organizers

Several businesses, nonprofits, & individuals are collaborating to plan this festival. So far they include:

• Think Local First is a Washtenaw County nonprofit whose mission is to support and cultivate locally owned independent businesses that are committed to making our community a healthier and more vibrant place to live. They raise community awareness and develop strategies for supporting all locally owned independent businesses, and currently have over 150 business members in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Saline.
• People’s Food Cooperative is a community owned grocery and cafe, that provides services and natural products that promote nutritional awareness, environmental responsibility, and a sustainable community.
• Slow Food Huron Valley (SFHV) identifies and promotes culinary artisans and local producers in Washtenaw County who engage in sustainable agriculture and are committed to the viability of the land. By forming an educational network which connects local producers to consumers, we help preserve and cultivate the culinary heritage of Southeastern Michigan and celebrate traditional Midwestern hospitality.
• The Ecology Center is a membership-based, nonprofit environmental organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan that works for a just and healthy environment through grassroots organizing, advocacy, education, and demonstration projects.
• Nature & Nurture, LLC is an organic landscaping service specializing in native, ornamental, and edible landscaping, organic landscape maintenance, and ecological restoration.  Our services include landscape consultation, design, installation, and maintenance. 

Festival Budget & How To Donate

We are seeking sponsors, in-kind donations, and event organizers.  We are accepting tax-deductible donations through the Ecology Center. Please make checks payable to the Ecology Center, with “HomeGrown Festival” in the Memo Line.