ODA Grant Kick-off May 3rd

In March 2010, six farmers’ market managers and the organizers of one soon-to-be farmers’ market eyed the 2010 Ohio Specialty Crop Promotion Program request for proposals (RFP) from the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). Their hopes were to use the grant funding to bolster their individual markets and improve the experience of their customers. Their individual grant prospects, however, were challenged by the ODA’s desire to see more regionally focused projects apply, coupled with difficult questions like: How much impact can one farmers’ market really have on the Ohio specialty crop (OSC) industry? Would it be enough to warrant a grant award? Who from the market would have the time to write the grant proposal on the eve of spring market season? Who would do all the planning and grant program management, not to mention track expenses and fulfill all grant reporting requirements? These difficult questions, and the ODA’s desire for a regionally focused application, encouraged the individual farmers’ market managers to team up with Growhio to increase their chances for funding. The result was something that otherwise would have been impossible – an award of funding for all seven farmers’ markets. Under Growhio’s leadership, the group developed and submitted to the ODA a collaborative grant proposal with shared programming, promotion and deliverables aimed at shared outcomes, and ODA responded with a $65,000 grant award. Read the full article. Learn about our new programs developed pursuant to this grant at our kick-off event.

Event registration for Growhio and the Cleveland Farmer's Market Guild ODA Grant Kick-Off Event

CUDC presents Biocellar: Concept to Prototype

Tremont Market Winter Thaw Party

2nd Annual Winter Thaw Party! Upstairs @ Lava Lounge Friday, March 25th 6pm – 9pm Last year was so much fun, Tremont decided to do it again. Come out for the party, and not only will you have a grand time, you’ll be supporting the Tremont Farmers’ Market. Mix and mingle while enjoying a few drinks and nibbles prepared by the awesome staff at Lava Lounge! Ricardo Sandoval and Lava Lounge are teaming up with TFM to create a fantastic fun evening and the proceeds go directly toward funding the market. Raffles at the door: win a market goody! $1/ticket or $5/6 tickets Here’s how it works: Purchase tickets from Kristen Trolio at TWDC (216) 575-0920 $25 advance price $30 at the door Included will be two drinks and vittles, as well as fun times. Here’s what you do: Show up at Lava Lounge 1307 Auburn Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44113 (216) 589-9112 2011 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for local foods; be a part of it all! For more info about the Tremont Farmers’ Market, visit their website. ______________________________________________ TFM Winter Markets: March 15, April 12 at Pilgrim UCC, 4-7PM 2011 Outdoors in Lincoln Park : Tuesdays in 2011 May 3 through Oct 25 4-7PM www.tremontfarmersmarket.com Jody Lathwell 216-403-9436 Kristen Trolio at TWDC 216-575-0920

Discussion on Child Nutrition and Urban Agriculture with Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge

Members of Growhio were fortunate to attend, along with many urban ag and local food champions and advocates, to participate in a discussion on child nutrition and urban agriculture with Congresswoman Marcia Fudge today. Fudge was recently named to the Committee on Agriculture. The panel also included Morgan Taggart and Amanda Block of OSU Extension and Daryl Rush from the City of Cleveland Department of Community Development.

The discussion touched on new and ongoing urban agriculture projects, including the Urban Innovation Zone, community gardens and distribution models such as City Fresh. It touched on policy (farm subsidies) and budget. It touched on existing grants and resources and needed tools. But the main takeaway from the discussion is that although Congresswoman Fudge hears us and is advocating on our behalf in Committee, the rest of the Agriculture committee members (and all representatives near and far, and not just in our district for that matter) need to hear from us.

Silence is getting us nowhere. Email, phone or fax other members of the Agriculture committee and tell them that subsidies to large corporate farms must end so that small farmers can compete and people can get access to fresh, healthy and safe food at affordable prices. For a primer on how these subsidies distort our "free-market" economy and pervert pricing, watch King of Corn.

If you want a copy of the 2012 farm bill or any bill of importance to you, reach out to Fudge's office. The Congresswomen will consider your suggested edits to legislation if you provide them to her office.

We can effect change, but we have to speak up.

French Toast Breakfast at Coit Road Farmers' Market

On Saturday, March 19th from 8:30am to 12 noon, Coit Road Farmers' Market will host a French toast breakfast featuring Chef Eric Wells. With sap running, the breakfast will include Northeast Ohio maple syrup, free range eggs, sausage, apple cider and coffee ... all for only $5!

Proceeds will benefit Coit's onsite greenhouse project.

Of course the market will also have apples, free range eggs (chicken and duck), greens, tons of cheese, baked goods, maple syrup, honey, spices and plenty more from local farmers.

The Coit Road Farmers' Market is open from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. It is located at 15000 Woodworth Road in East Cleveland.

EcoTuesday Meetup March 22: Hurdles for Small Farms Selling Direct

The new buzz among Americans is all about eating healthier foods. The discussion has finally come front and center in a nation struggling with diabetes, obesity, heart disease and other diet-related chronic illness. As demand for locally grown food steadily increases, supply from existing local farms cannot meet the growing demand.

North Union Farmers Market (NUFM) has been a pioneering advocate for local farmers, with a 16-year history of attracting more than 300 small farms to its eleven “certified producer only” markets throughout Cuyahoga County. In surveying local farmers over the years, NUFM has pinpointed what it perceives as the greatest threat to small farm business - over regulation by state and federal governments. The impact on local farms can be devastating - more than half have left the business of farming because of lack of funding, lack of personnel resources, physical constraints and the costs associated with running a farm business.

EcoTuesday's March 22 will address the questions striking at the heart of this critical issue affecting both our economy and our public health: How can governments protect the consumer and grow more small farms? Is it the job of government to protect the consumer? What is the government’s role in protecting the consumer while encouraging local agriculture?

Panel Members Include:

• Adam Sharp, Legislative FB Representative
• Gale Betterley, Ph.D., Dairy Farmer
• Tom Wiandt, Killbuck Valley Farm
• Eric Ross, Red Wagon Farm
• Susan Woodworth, Middle Ridge Gardens
• Louis Rorimer, Snake Hill Farm
• Todd Mogren, Millgate Farm

This amazing set of speakers has been organized by event co-planner Donita Anderson, Executive Director of NUFM.

Special Guest Moderator: Liz Lockert of the Civic Commons

For more information or to register, please visit the event website.

EcoWatch’s Third Annual Green Gala April 8th

As Spring nears, we are wrapping up website content improvements and dipping back into our blog and other outreach tools. Look for another newsletter addition in late Winter/early Spring and the roll-out of our ODA grant programs beginning in April. (More on that later!). Check-out our twitter feed for news about local food press and happenings. Visit our calendar for information about local food learning opportunities. And, subscribe to this blog for posts about upcoming local food related events, newly discovered products and resources.

First up, EcoWatch’s Third Annual Green Gala fundraiser on April 8 featuring keynote speaker Philippe Cousteau, the grandson of Captain Jacques Cousteau. EcoWatch is an Ohio-based nonprofit dedicated to providing a voice for grassroots environmental organizations and activists working to better our planet. EcoWatch has served Ohio for more than five years through its bimonthly newspaper EcoWatch Journal, which is distributed for free throughout the state with a readership of 100,000 per issue.

The Green Gala will be at Executive Caterers, 6111 Landerhaven Dr., in Mayfield Hts. Philippe Cousteau continues his father’s and grandfather’s work of protecting the planet’s water through his advocacy and his organization EarthEcho International. Cousteau is the chief ocean correspondent for Animal Planet and Planet Green channels, where he works on various ocean and water-focused documentary programs. He is the chief spokesman for Environmental Education for Discovery Education—the number one provider of K-12 broadband-delivered educational content to U.S. schools. Cousteau serves on the board of directors of the Ocean Conservancy, Marine Conservation Biology Institute and National Environmental Education Foundation, as well as the advisory board of Discovery Communications Inc.’s Planet Green.

Cousteau is the author of Going Blue, a handbook that seeks to inform youths about the issues surrounding our waters and provide the strategies and examples they need to see themselves as change agents. The book is divided into the five stages of service learning—investigation, preparation, action, reflection and demonstration. Teenagers will get an opportunity to meet Cousteau at a pre-event the evening of the Green Gala and receive a copy of the award-winning Going Blue handbook. EcoWatch is partnering with companies to help sponsor tables of students at the event.

In addition to learning about ways to help save a precious planetary resource, those attending the Gala will also learn more about the Great Lakes watershed and be updated on the impact of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster last year. Emcee for the evening will be Cleveland’s Maureen Kyle, a reporter and anchor for WKYC-TV 3.

Tickets for EcoWatch’s Green Gala can be purchased at www.ecowatch.org or 216-387-1609. Tickets are $100 ($75 tax-deductible). Come enjoy hors d’oeuvres, dinner, drink ticket, silent auction items, live jazz and Philippe Cousteau’s presentation to support the efforts of EcoWatch.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Do you have an upcoming event you would like Growhio to highlight on this blog or a product or resource consumers and businesses can use to grow, compost, raise, preserve or cook local food? Please send your press release or relevant information to us at growhioinfo@gmail.com.