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Earth Times Articles + Ad + Earth Day Prizes
San Diego Earth Times
and The Light Connection
Earth Day stories. The gameplan
for Earth Day Prizes. Initial
expenses to be raised.
Date: 4/18/2007 1:14:05 PM ( 17 y ) ... viewed 1720 times 
Draft of Cover "The Comeback of Joe the Farmer."
The Children's story will be read at 2 PM and 4 PM.
Our exhibit is located in 7N in the Pan American Plaza Area.
"Sign a Love Letter to Joe the Farmer"/Plant Your Dream will
feature Joe the Farmer and other local farmers who will answer questions.
___
Here are the current links to the stories in the San Diego
Earth Times and The Light Connection April issue:
http://www.sdearthtimes.com/et0407/et0407s10.html
Local Growers at EarthFair
Joe the Farmer and other local growers will answer questions and provide information on local farming and gardening at the EarthFair in Balboa Park on Sunday, April 22. In addition, Leslie “The Enchanted Gardener” will appeal to children with his Enchanted Garden Mobile and activities, including decorating produce boxes and readings of “The Comeback of Joe the Farmer.” Each page of the book is sponsored by organizations such as the Alliance of Family Farmers and La Milpa Organica Farm. The storytelling will take place at 2 and 4 pm.
The exhibit, titled “Sign a Love Letter to Joe the Farmer and Plant Your Dream,” will be located in the Pan American Plaza (Area #7) near the Children’s Activity Area.
Parents can sign a “Love Letter to Joe” and contribute to help launch the Rodriguez Ranch buyback, the 100-acre organic farm where Joe has farmed since 1985 but now leases. Joe the Farmer represents the challenges of the family farmer working to put food on our tables.
Getting involved
Organizers are also encouraging teachers and parents to apply for grants to support school gardens through the California Instructional School Garden Program and the California Department of Education. Non-competitive grants of up to $5,000 per school site are available. Applications, which must be submitted by April 20, are available on the California School Garden Network web site,
http://www.csgn.org.
Joe the Farmer is one of the local organic farmers whose seasonal produce is featured at the local San Diego Whole Foods Market stores. The Hillcrest store, located at 711 University Avenue, will highlight local products at a “Local Growers and Vendors Day” on Saturday, April 14, from noon to 3pm. As an additional focus on area producers, the store will offer a “Visit the Growers” bus trip to the Tierra Miguel Foundation and Pauma Valley area farms on Saturday, May 5. For information, call (619) 294-2800.
Why local?
Whole Foods Market lists the following benefits of supporting “locally grown”:
A friendly and fresh connection. Supporting local farm production puts a “face” behind the foods we consume and keeps us connected to the seasons, as well as the unique flavor and diversity of local crops.
Local means green. Buying produce from local growers reduces the environmental impact and the costs of transporting product.
Preserving character. Small local farms are a valuable component of a community’s character, helping maintain agricultural heritage, preserve land use diversity, and moderate development.
Crop diversity and quality. Many farmers producing for a local market choose to diversify, growing a variety of crops instead of just one. This is a boon for biodiversity and your palate, since local crops are harvested at their peak of freshness and flavor.
Local Means Green – Again. Minimizing handling and transportation costs gives farmers maximum return on their investment. And most of the profits stay in local hands.
NOTE:
This article also appears in the April
issue of The Light Connection that can
be read online here:
http://www.lightconnectiononline.com/news.html
The April Light Connection is a wonderful issue
from cover to cover. Highly recommended reading!
___
A Love Letter to Joe the Farmer, the centerpiece of our campaign
in the Rodriguez Ranch Buy Back. Friends of the Farm are signing this
and contributing. Prizes are being given to those who sign and contribute.
The campaign launches at the San Diego EarthFair, April 22, 2007.
___
Full Page Ad, April issue, San Diego Earth Times, 25,000 in print.
Paid for by Whole Foods Market, Southern Pacific Region.
___
12:07 PM
April 12, 2007
I am preparing a emailout to some
of the folks who will be giving Prizes
to those who contribute to the Rodriguez Ranch
Buy Back campaign.
We are launching the campaign at
the San Diego Earth Earth Fair, April 22,
10 AM to 5 PM in Balboa Park.
We will have a beautiful display of
fresh foods and products from local vendors,
numbers who are in Whole Foods Market
Hillcrest, and others from the Hillcrest Farmers' Market,
9 AM -1 PM Sundays at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Parking lot, Normal St. and Lincoln, Hillcrest.
Numbers of local vendor products will be gift items
for those who contribute.
We will have two jars with names of the Prizes
inside.
Those who contribute $5.00 or less,
and $5.00 or more will have the opportunity
to dip into the jar and pull out a Gift Prize Item.
Each Gift Prize Item will have a Gift on it.
Many of the gifts will be on site.
Others will be certificates for pickup.
The Prizes will be listed on this Plant Your Dream Blog.
The following are articles from the current and past
San Diego Earth Times that give reference to the
Rodriguez family.
Here is a link to the current article.
This articles appears in both the San Diego Earth Times
April issue, as well as The Light Connection.
The Ad was paid for my Whole Foods Market, Southern Pacific Region.
The cost of the booth is more than $350.00,
and the initial funds raised will pay for costs.
Other initial money raised will contribute to both
the EG Mobile Restoration and to support an initial
$10,000 request by Joe to cover losses from the recent
December-January freeze. He estimages that $10.000 is needed
to get out of the red from the recent freeze and give him
what he needs for the current planting.
Note: Joe and I both want to create non-profits, but
have not yet done so. Prizes given are to be considered
advertising promotions. They are not tax deductable.
The EG Mobile costs are $1200 for safety repairs
and $1300.00 for painting. Another $1000.00 is needed
for repairs. THe EG Mobile will be used as a "Farm" outreach
vehicle for the Joe the Farmer/Rodriguez Ranch Buy Back.
California Schools are offered $5000.00 each each toward
gardens. The Principals need to request the money
at
http://www.csgn.org.
Parents and Teachers are asked to call local principals
and ask them to apply for the grant. Julie Osborn is working
on this project. I want to thank her for underscoring this
opportunity. I heard about the project at the Cultivating Food Jusice
Conference in early March in San Diego.
The EG Mobile will debute this Saturday at Whole Foods Market
Hillcrest. Joe and I will be there for a Local Food Vendor Day.
I will return Sunday for a Customer Appreciation Day. I will sample
berrries.
April 22, The EG Mobile will be featured in our display in Balboa Park.
She will then be further readied to teach locally, beginning with
Whole Foods Market Hillcrest. I will then travel locally.
I would like to go to some local schools that have gardens.
I will read the story, "The Comeback of Joe the Farmer."
I will give schools gifts from ENchanted Garden Sponsors,
including seeds of Job's Tears, grown in my garden, and heirloom seeds
from the Seeds of Change Company.
I will give the kids and cafeterias samples of locally grown
foods that can be purchased at Whole Foods Market Hillcrest and other
stores. I will also give samples of some of my favorite natural food
products that are used here in the Enchanted Gardener's Pantry at the
Enchanted Garden Intentional Community in San Diego.
By Fall 2007, we will have many of our programs in place here
at the EGIC. These will include a Teaching Kitchen that features
Natural Foods I use that are produces by Heart and Soul inspired companies
I admire and support through my stomach and pen.
We currently have a rental here, a small little garret. The rent is $465.00
and inclues a $120.00 budget that can be applied to helping with gardening.
The $465.00 covers $80.00 for the Community Assets budget, supplies and utilities.
Email me if you are interested in living here: Plantyourdream@cox.net,
or call me, 619.582.9669.
San Diego Earth Times Archives
on Joe Rodrigues, Jr. and the Rodriguez Family.
http://www.sdearthtimes.com/et0997/et0997s3.html
Happiness is Organic!
http://www.sdearthtimes.com/et0996/et0996s11.html
Please join in saying, "I'm a Friend of the Farm!"
by Leslie Goldman
"HAPPINESS IS ORGANIC!" is an Enchanted Garden Club project that began in 1995. Our first act was to grow some of our own food. Growing food teaches us how things grow on earth and connects us to this life-growing process. Growing food waters, soothes, and revitalizes our nature. As we enter "Plant Parenthood," through growing even one lettuce, we can discover new joy and see our dreams grow.
We hope that this will start a new trend. By the year 2000, organic seeds and the resurgence of locally grown, high quality, mom and pop organic farming will become so popular that the U.S. Postal Service, which gives away candy mints as people-pleasers, can give away seeds instead. Let's start this trend today!
Secondly, we get to know the farmer who is growing the rest of our food. In San Diego and Santa Monica, I've gotten to know the Rodriguez family: Joe Jr. and wife Alma, Sylvia and husband Gilberto, Carlos, Willie, Frances, Irma, Joe Sr., Christina, Pancho, Meni - everyone else, all the workers. This family epitomizes working together, care for each other, and care for the people they serve.
I spent Christmas day with the Rodriguez's. Grandma, grandpa, three adult brothers and sisters -all married, with lots of children. Joe Jr. picked fresh carrots from the field. My house mate Ricardo, a member of our Enchanted Garden Intentional Community, juiced them. I led a toast, thanking the family in behalf of our city. Grandma Christina hugged me and served homemade tamales.
There is definitely love in this food, in this family, and concern for the future of our farmland and the earth. Organic food grown by the Rodriguez family provides our community with ingredients for good growth, and nutrients that can bring the best out of people! Choose their red label and purchase flowers from Rodriguez Ranch! It's time we all say, "I'm a friend of the farm!"
The Rodriguez family participates in many farmers' markets in San Diego County, and one in Santa Monica (26th and Pico, 8am - 1pm, Sat). Their organic food, marked with a red twist label that says, "J.R. ORGANICS ORGANICALLY GROWN," is carried in local stores, including Jimbo's Naturally, Casady's, and O.B. People's Food. Their organic foods belong in lots more stores! Their organic vegetables and greens are fresh picked just hours before they reach the marketplace. Herbs, grown by Scott Murray, are filled with vibrant health!
Grandpa Joe is concerned about advising the next generation to continue farming. Costs keep going up, but not the profits. We - you and I - are the solution. All the investment of time, energy, and good faith does not come home until we reach for a head of lettuce.
Happiness Is Organic/ Friends Of The Farm! is a project of the Enchanted Garden Club, 6008 Arosa St., San Diego, CA 92115, (619) 582-9669. Contributions are welcome!
Organics: Acting Locally:
http://www.sdearthtimes.com/et0996/et0996s7.html
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