If you’re interested in bees, bee safety, honey, having your own hive, how bees exist in the urban setting, and what it’s like to live alongside honeybees, this is a rare chance to get a crash course.

Because, rescuing and building new hives is an expensive operation, we’re asking a suggested donation of $5 per observer to support the generous efforts of the beekeeper and as a compliment to the church for choosing to rescue the bees rather than exterminate them. (If you would like to donate but cannot attend, you can donate through the PayPal link on the right, and we’ll pass 100% of your donation on to the beekeeper for his efforts.)

Where: First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover Avenue 78756
When: Saturday, Aug 28th, from 08:00 to 11:00

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Honeybees have seen a sharp decline in populations world-wide in recent years due to poor habitat management by humans and the subsequent spreads of diseases and unexplained ailments.

But, bees are making a comeback thanks to dedicated beekeepers who rescue healthy hives and relocate them to habitat that supports them.

This Saturday morning we’ll watch a very skilled beekeeper rescue an endangered hive that has existed inside the walls of the church for a few years.

Important Safety Notes:

• The bees are expected to be docile, but it’s always wise to be alert and careful when working with wildlife.
• Please arrive on time so we can discuss safety with everyone.
• Wear long sleeves, long pants, close toed shoes, and keep long hair pulled back.
• DO NOT ATTEND IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO BEES (We will have waivers for everyone to sign.)
• Listen to ALL instructions given by the beekeeper and be attentive so as not to miss something he says.
• Children should be in calm spirits and be attentive to their parents’ instructions or should be removed to a safe distance for their own safety as well as the safety of others around them.

SPECIAL THANKS! to Texas DPS Credit Union, Hoover’s Cooking, Clif Bar and Houndstooth Coffee for sponsoring our refreshments!

This Saturday we’re adding four new farms to the Crestview/Brentwood neighborhood farm and teaching about deep mulch gardening. We need help!

The fall vegetable season is here, so come learn what you can plant, too! We invite you to join us spreading mulch, planting potatoes, learning a bit and sharing the fun with friends and farmers.

Join members of Austin Growers Guild, FOOGs.org, KP Project and friends from throughout Austin.

Come help us Grow UP!

• Saturday, August 21, 2010 RSVP on Facebook!
• 8:00am – Noonish (Then we party with potatoes! The BBQ will be going.)
• 5608 Joe Sayers, 78757

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Any questions? Email mulchday@urbanpatchwork.org or call 512-662-1854.

== Important Notes for All Events ==

For all farm activities, here is how you can be prepared:
* Bathroom facilities are limited/unavailable. Please use the restroom before you come.
* It is wise to wear long pants and a light long sleeve shirt.
* Honestly, cover your body from: the sun, the plants, the bugs (i.e. the incessant mosquitoes).
* Always wear a hat.
* Gloves are kind to your hands.
* Sunblock keeps sunburn at bay.
* Water is a must. Bring a bottle of/for water.
* A packed lunch/snack will hit the spot and keep you going.

Fig Jelly is Delicious

As you may remember, a couple weeks ago I demonstrated how to can (or more properly called jar) fig – cayenne pepper jelly.  It worked out great for my first jelly.  It is delicious!

Many thanks to all who came, and especially to Katherine Patton of 2Chicks Farmstead.  She demo’d a delicious Lemon Zucchini Jam, and the recipe is right here.

Enjoy!

Lemon Zucchini Jam
1 pound green zucchini – they shouldn’t be more than 6 or 7 inches in length
3 lemons – approximately 3/4 pound (organic if you can)
6 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon basil (or lemon verbena or lemon balm)
pint or smaller mason jars

yield – approximately 4 pints (you can double easily)

day 1

1. trim ends from zucchini & grate coarsely. quarter the lemons, remove the pits & slice as thin as you can. measure this – it will be approximately 1 & 1/2 quarts, place in a non-reactive pot (stainless steel or enameled iron only). add an equal amount of water. bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

2. let cool. cover & let sit over night at room temperature.

day 2

1. place 2 or 3 small plates in the freezer for testing the set

2. bring the squash/lemon mixture to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.

3. as the mixture is boiling, fill your canner with water & clean jars and turn the heat on medium low. you will not need to sterilize the jars as this jam is hot water bath processed for 10 minutes.

4. after 5 minutes of boiling begin to add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time. letting the mixture come back to the boil each time before adding the next 1/2 cup.

5. once all the sugar is in the pot boil until sufficiently set. this took approximately 10 minutes for me.

6. while the jam is boiling, chiffonade the herb.

7. when you think it is set (or around 10 minutes) take the pot off the heat, place a spoonful on a frozen plate and put back in freezer for about 30 seconds. run your finger through, if it wrinkles under your finger then it has reached the jelling point. if it doesn’t, put the pot back on and try again in another minute, and so on.

8. once it has reached the jell point, boil for 1 full minute.

9. take off heat, add the lemon basil and stir. let stand for 5 minutes. stir gently a couple of times during this 5 minutes.

10. fill hot jars and hot water bath process for 10 minutes.

• Who? The Austin Growers Guild, FOOGS, Karpophoreo Project, Hogg Farm and friends!
• What? Happy Hour Social
• Where? Houndstooth Coffee – 4200 N. Lamar
• When? Friday, July 30 · 5:00pm – 8pm (or later if you wish!)

Come gather with young urban farmers and get to know some of the folks who make fresh local food happen every day, right here in Austin. Ask veggie questions, learn about what’s coming this fall, sign up to help on the farms, and see where farming is headed in the near future.

Urban Patchwork is proud to be a part of the Austin Growers Guild; Austin’s newest and craziest bunch of urban farmers. We’ll be at Houndstooth Coffee for a few snacks, drinks, and great conversation.  We’re a wild and fanciful bunch of farmers, gardeners and grew-peas (groupies?) and we’d love to meet you!

If you are looking to volunteer, network or find training opportunities on local farms with urban farmers, or if you just want to learn how to grow your own veggies, this is the place to be; these are the people to know.

Houndstooth serves coffee, wine, beer and snacks!  Bring a friend, bring your appetite and thirst, and we’ll see you this Friday!

Hope to see you there!

Keith

And we should celebrate, because we cleaned up what we wanted to clean up!  The shed has been cleaned up and organized, with a place for our tools and the tools in their place.  And the main driveway has been cleared out opening up the option of moving both the airstream and the tiny house to new locations on the property so that we have plenty of room to prepare the back 40 for the soon coming construction of yurts.

Once again, thank you so much for coming out and helping get this thing done!  We have a long way to go still, but this is the glory of farming, we are ever growing and ever moving.  Life is always interesting and the work is forever gratifying.

Keep an eye out because starting next week we’ll be expanding the farm and getting started on a few more sites.  We’d love to see you again and would very much enjoy working with you to keep on trucking.

We’re on tomorrow, same time, same place.  Hope to see you there.

Yesterday (Happy Independence, btw!) marked our first anniversary here at Urban Patchwork (happy birthday UP!!!) and we’re still moving strong.

We have decided to make a major effort to clean up our “Home Base” yard at 1200 Taulbee Lane. We have so many exciting projects and activities that we’d like to see take place in that yard but we have quite a bit of tidying up to do before we can really get our wheels turning.

We will be turning the lot into a showcase for sustainable urban living – Urban Patchwork style. We’ll build a few yurts (i.e. Mongolian tents), catch and store rainwater, raise chickens, grow vegetables, and more.

But first, we need your help. So we are inviting you to come out this week and spend some time donating some hard work and sweat to your neighborhood farm. We will be working at these times:

Monday July 5, ‘010 time: 9am-2pm
Tuesday July 6, ‘010 time: 9am-2pm
Wednesday July 7, ‘010 time: 9am-2pm

Where? 1200 Taulbee Lane, 78757
(please park on the street)

Please come out, we’d love to spend some time with you! Invite your friends too!!!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail.
call: 512/662=1854
email: cleanitup[at]urbanpatchwork[dot]org

See you soon!!!

“The beginning, as you know, is always the most important part, especially in dealing with anything young and tender. That is the time when the character is being moulded and easily takes any impress one may wish to stamp on it.” –Plato

Immediately when I read it, my mind turned to our seedlings (of course .

Then my mind fell to our fatherly farm manager, Keith McDorman, who cares deeply for our young and tender ones who eventually grow up strong to become nourishment for us all. Without his extra loving care in the beginnings of their existence, they would wither and struggle to find their own way. Some may succeed but be hardened and bitter by the time they mature. Most would not make it at all.

To Keith, I am ever grateful, and to all our members and neighbors who are fathers, congratulations and Happy Father’s Day! Take heart in the fullness of your task of caring for our young and tender ones.

Austin Grower's Guild June 12th-13th Farm Raising Flier

Ever been to an Urban Farm-Raising? We want YOU to help us create a farm inside Austin’s city limits! Join Austin Growers Guild for our inaugural farm installation event. We can’t wait to get our hands on some tools and equipment to get this farm and community garden space going! This is a hands-on two day event, people! Sure hope you can be a part of it—it’s guaranteed good company and a true community learning experience. Tell your friends!

Workshops include:
-chicken coop building
-irrigation installation
-soil building
-integrated pest management
-raised bed gardening
and MORE!

Workshops are led by Paige Hill (Urban Patchwork)
Johnny Barnett (Resolution Gardens)
Steven Hebbard (Karpophoreo Project)
and others!

Come either or both days
When: June 12 and 13 8am-2pm each day
Where: 5213 Jim Hogg Avenue (off of Burnet and North Loop)

For more info visit www.austingrowersguild.wordpress.com

Registration is greatly appreciated to KatyHamill@gmail.com
All donations help cover cost of event
Breakfast provided, BYO lunch please and a bottle of water
Massage therapists on hand for volunteers

Support provided by Rigel Thurston of Austin Community Living

I’d like to do some of our friends here in the Crestview neighborhood a favor and pass along a spot of information:

Brentwood Elementary School (6700 Arroyo Seco) is having a Garden Tour and Fundraiser on Saturday, April 24 from 11am – 3pm.  We will be showing off our 13 organic gardens – all raised bed or container.  There are LOTS of great ideas here for people who want to do a little gardening at home.  All the work on these gardens has been done by students!  We will also have free kids gardening activities.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact (e-mail) Candis —  candis AT gardenheads DOT net