October has been a busy month for our garden club. We wanted
to share some of the activities we've been involved in and give you a preview
of those to come. The speaker for our October meeting was Malea Guiriba,
co-founder of Pie in
the Sky, a 501(c)(3) grassroots charitable organization seated in Hastings,
Florida. Malea joined us to tell us about her new venture, Farm-to-Family, and
how it supports the mission of Pie in the Sky. At the meeting we got the
opportunity to taste several dishes made from seasonal vegetables purchased at
the Farm-to-Family local produce truck. We invite you to try these Recipes for
October Produce, including a Ménage à Squash. Last, but not
least, our president, Mickey, has written an article, Support Your Local Monarchs!, on how important and easy it
is to make your home a sanctuary for monarch butterflies. She has photos of
larval monarchs savoring her milkweed before beginning their cocoon stage. For now, please continue reading this article by clicking on "more" below. We'll remind you at the end!
If you live in northwest St. Johns county you know that open rural
areas are rapidly being rezoned as residential. The lands to the south of us
were primarily rural and family-owned farms. Today only 15% of the farms that
were present in the 1970's are still in operation. These farms are struggling
to remain in existence, and their diminution represents an incalculable loss
to the community. Farm-to-Family has partnered with two of those local farms to
transport their produce to over 20 spots in the county
identified as food deserts. The farm-to-Family truck takes this produce to market, allowing
the farmers to concentrate on farming - and to earn a fair and livable return
for their goods.
Farm-to-Family doesn't just serve the farmers' interests. The last
part of the name is "family". Malea's truck not only brings fresh
produce to families that might not have access to it, but it uses the proceeds
to fund Pie-in-the-Sky's outreach projects, such as: wheelchair ramps, home delivery of food to
people who cannot get to a market, and other social services.
This is the time of year when food banks are making big drives to
collect non-perishables. But for optimum health people need fresh fruits and
vegetables. Farm-to-family is one of only two farmer's markets in the county that accepts SNAP, food assistance cards. Giving
low-income residents access to fresh non-processed foods helps reduce the risk
of heart disease and diabetes.
The Farm-to-Family truck visits the Bartram Trail Library
once a week. The visit can shift from week to week so take a look at the schedule at the
beginning of the week and see what seasonal and local produce will be available. Make it a family affair: visit the library and
check out a book or video, buy fresh local produce, and cook it together! There
are even recipes at the site. And you can plan future meals by looking at her seasonal produce reference.
We appreciate the time Malea took to tell us about Farm-to-Family, especially Mickey, who won an armload
of Farm-to-Family vegetables in the raffle. Our garden club has made a
commitment to Adopt a Senior through Farm-to-Family, assuring one of the
county's seniors a regular supply of fresh local produce. This is a brand new
initiative so we'll update you on the details in a future posting. Bon Appetite!
Don't forget, early voting starts October 20th. One of the important issues on the ballot Amendment #1, provides for FloridaWater and Land Legacy. This amendment is supported by many groups,
including the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs.
Please consider voting Yes on One. If you'd like to talk with us about it, or about our club
activities, come and meet us at the Old Settlers' Reunion on October 25. We'll
be right next to the Bartram Scenic and Historic Highway Group.
Last but not least, you can always attend one of our meetings. In
November we'll learn about organic farming from another CSA (Community
Supported Agriculture) farm. KYV Farms.
Rest up, Beverly! We hope to see you soon.
Click here for Mickey's Monarchs!
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