Local Harvest Event – DC

November 19, 2005

EVENT: RESTORING LIFE, HONOR and CRAFT to AGRICULTURE
December 1, 2005, Washington DC

AFTERNOON EVENT:

December 1, 1:00 p.m.
American University
School of International Service Building
First Floor Lounge
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
Free; open to the public*
(includes organic pizza)

* * *

RESTORING LIFE, HONOR and CRAFT to AGRICULTURE

This fascinating panel discussion will examine restoring integrity to our food system, and will feature respected sustainable agriculturists and authors Michael Ableman and Joel Salatin, founder of Local Harvest Guillermo Payet, and Director of Environmental Education at My Organic Market, Mark Smallwood.

Michael Ableman will be signing his new book Fields of Plenty: A farmer’s journey in search of real food and the people who grow it.

Organic pizzas have been donated to this event, so come early!

Presented by Fresh and Local CSA and the Global Environmental Policy Program at the School of International Service, American University.

From Tenleytown Red Line Metro Stop, take AU Shuttle to the campus.
School of International Service is directly across from Nebraska Avenue
Parking Lot on the campus of the American University.
http://www.american.edu/maps/

Contact Allan Balliett at igg (at) igg.com or (304) 876-3382 for more information or Kelley Beamer at American University at kelleybeamer (at) hotmail.com .

* Hat may be passed to aid with guests’ travel expenses

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EVENING FUNDRAISING EVENT – for Local Harvest:

December 1, 5:30 p.m.
Restaurant Nora
2132 Florida Ave, NW, Washington, DC
$150 per person

http://www.freshandlocalcsa.com/

* * *

A FARMER’S JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF REAL FOOD AND THE PEOPLE WHO GROW IT

Help support local farming nationwide, enjoy delicious organic food and discuss in greater depth the important issues of how we can restore honesty and health to the art and craft of agriculture.

This exclusive fundraising event will feature an elegant dinner at America’s first organically certified restaurant, and an engaging slideshow presentation by renowned photojournalist, author and farmer Michael Ableman. Attendees will also receive a signed copy of Michael Ableman’s latest book, Fields of Plenty: A farmer’s journey in search of real food and the people who grow it. Joel Salatin, a farmer from our region who is featured in the book, will join Ableman in a discussion on growing food in a sustainable and conscious manner.

This is a rare opportunity to be part of a distinctive, intimate event, to speak one-on-one with the experts, and to show your personal support of this important work. The evening’s proceeds will benefit Local Harvest, the nationwide on-line directory that helps consumers find smaller, more local and healthier food sources in support of a more socially and environmentally sustainable food system.

Space is Limited! Register by Nov 23rd at
http://www.freshandlocalcsa.com/

Sponsored by Fresh and Local CSA, Restaurant Nora, Slow Food-DC, My Organic Market (MOM’s), Frog’s Leap Winery and Macari Vineyard.

Contact Allan Balliett at igg (at) igg.com or (304) 876-3382 for more information, and to find out about other educational events with Michael Ableman in the region during the first week of December.

For Directions, visit
http://www.noras.com/

MENU at RESTAURANT NORA – FOR DEC 1st EVENING EVENT

Mesclun Salad with Beets, Grapefruit, Citrus Vinaigrette
*******
Roasted Chicken with Charred Rosemary
Winter Root Mash
-or-
Rustic Potato Leek Tart
Greens, Hot Pepper, Garlic
*******
Warm Apple Pie
Vanilla Ice Cream
*******
Organic & Biodynamic Wines by Frog’s Leap Winery and Macari Vineyard
*******

ABOUT MICHAEL ABLEMAN
Michael Ableman is the founder and executive director of the Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens, a non profit community and education organization based on one of the oldest organic farms in southern California, where he farmed from 1981 to 2001.

His acclaimed books, blending words and images of world agriculture, have been called “hopeful and inspiring” by the LA Times, “utterly absorbing” by Booklist and “a compelling photographic essay” by the NY Times. Ableman recently released his third book, which will be accompanied by a film on PBS.

Ableman’s photographs have appeared in publications throughout the world and in solo exhibitions at the Oakland Museum, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Field Museum in Chicago.

He has lectured extensively throughout the U.S. and in Europe, and has had work featured in National Geographic, the Utne Reader, Gourmet Magazine, the L.A. Times, and on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. An award-winning film about Ableman’s work, “Beyond Organic”, narrated by Meryl Streep, aired nationally on PBS in 2001.

Ableman received the 2001 “Sustie” Award for his work in sustainable agriculture, Eating Well magazine’s 1995 Food Hero Award, and the 1997 Environmental Leadership Award from the governor of California.

Ableman is currently farming on an island in British Columbia with his wife and two sons.

For more information about Michael Ableman, visit his website:
http://www.fieldsofplenty.com/

ABOUT JOEL SALATIN
Joel Salatin is a full time, third generation alternative farmer in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. His family farm services more than 400 customers — farmers’ markets, metropolitan buying clubs and restaurants
with salad bar beef, pastured poultry, eggmobile eggs, pigaerator pork, forage-based rabbits, pastured turkey and forestry products.

The family’s Polyface Inc. (“The Farm of Many Faces”) has been featured in Smithsonian Magazine, National Geographic and countless other radio, television, and print media. Profiled on the “Lives of the 21st Century” series with Peter Jennings on ABC World News, his after-broadcast chat room fielded more hits than any other segment to date.

As a sought-after conference speaker and author of four books, Salatin addresses a wide range of issues, from “creating the farm your children will want” to “making a white collar salary from a pleasant life in the country.” Salatin also writes extensively in such publications as Stockman Grass Farmer and Acres USA. His speaking and writing reflect dirt-under-the-fingernails experience punctuated with mischievous humor.

His mother, Lucille, wife Teresa, daughter Rachel, son Daniel, daughter-in-law Sheri, and grandson Travis work full time together on the family farm.

For more information about Joel Salatin and his work, visit:
http://www.permaculture.com/who/teachers/salatin.shtml

ABOUT LOCAL HARVEST
Local Harvest is a nationwide online directory of small farms, farmers markets, stores and other local food sources that make food available which is grown in a sustainable manner. Founded in 1998 by Guillermo Payet, Local Harvest helps family farms sell their products directly to the public, gives farmers the tools to develop relationships with their local consumers, and promotes the benefits of locally grown produce and organic food to consumers.

By helping to bring community and a local, seasonal emphasis back to our food, Local Harvest is helping the resurgence of a socially and environmentally sustainable food system. This model supports the economic health of our farming communities, is much better for the environment than the big-business alternatives, and ensures the availability of safe, more fresh and flavorful, high quality foods for us all.

For more information about Local Harvest, visit their website:
http://www.localharvest.org/about.jsp

For More Information about the Event Sponsors, Visit Their Websites:
Fresh and Local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA):
http://www.freshandlocalcsa.com/

Restaurant Nora:
http://www.noras.com/
Slow Food USA:
http://www.slowfoodusa.com/
My Organic Market (MOM’s):
http://www.myorganicmarket.com/
Frog’s Leap Winery:
http://www.frogsleap.com/flash/intro.html
Macari Vineyards:
http://www.macariwines.com/index.ihtml?flash=yes
American University – School of International Service:
http://www.american.edu/sis/