Welcome Board of Directors
Photo Credit: Travis Smith
Veggielution has entered an exciting new phase with our brand new Board of Directors! Our organization has been growing by leaps and bounds, and forming a board is an important milestone. This group has already shown amazing dedication to our cause, and many of them have been integral to the Veggielution team for a while already. We feel very lucky to have these talented folks working with us. Here they are:
- Diana Foss, Board President
- Sarah Gallardo, Board Secretary
- Bernardo Murillo, Board Treasurer
- Liz Snyder, Board Member
- Annie Chang, Board Member
- Walker Kellogg, Board Member
- Monica Lisa Benavides, Board Member
Party For a Cause – Strawberry Jam Benefit Show
Saturday June 5th, 9pm
South First Billiards, 420 S 1st St San Jose
Come party with us at Veggielution’s first ever benefit concert! Bring your friends out for a great night of music and fun at South First Billiards on Saturday June 5th starting at 9:00pm. For a minimum donation of $10, you can play pool and enjoy performances by local bands 15mm, The Emerald Hill, Los Hot Boxers and Panthelion. The proceeds will go to support our Summer Youth Program and the daily operations of our farm. The show is 21+ and a valid ID is required. You can find more details on Facebook or our website.
Looking for Youth Program Interns
Looking for a good way to spend your summer? What about putting some of your time into working with teenagers on a farm? Well, lucky for you, Veggielution is still looking for Youth Program Interns. If you are interested, please visit our website for details and application information. The internships are offered on a rolling basis, so the sooner the better!
Successful VeggieYouth Spring Ends, Gearing Up for Summer
After a Fall 2009 pilot program and a winter spent researching and revamping, VeggieYouth Spring was a huge success! Lead by Youth Program Coordinators Jessie Nichols and Sally Neas, the program was an 8 week extracurricular program. Thirteen teenagers spent Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings learning about agriculture, the food system, and cooking, with plenty of time for silliness and fun. The program was featured in the San Jose Mercury news on May 12th, click here to see the online article.
Without missing a beat, VeggieYouth is now gearing up for the paid summer wherein the youth will spend 20 hours a week working on the farm, as well as learning about agriculture, cooking, nutrition, the food system, and taking field trips. With only 17 available positions, we received a huge amount of interest from local youth with over 100 applicants for the program. Great to see so many folks interested in what we are doing!
Healthy Cooking Classes Come to Veggielution
This spring, Veggielution launched its first Operation Frontline cooking class in partnership with the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association. Operation Frontline classes help low-income families gain the cooking and nutrition skills they need to prepare simple, healthy meals on a budget. The bilingual classes meet for two hours a week for six weeks. In each class, participants prepare and eat a meal together, and leave with a bag of food to make that day’s recipes at home. Classes are taught by volunteer chefs, nutritionists, dieticians, and foodies working in teams. If you are interested in become an Operation Frontline volunteer, please contact us!
Obesity and Diabetes Prevention Program Explore Ancestral Sustainable Gardening
Women and their children from the Obesity and Diabetes Prevention Program at Somos Mayfair transcended into their Indigenous Ancestry for a five-week program at Veggielution. In this program, they will learn about restoring health by growing and incorporating native foods in their diet. The first class began with a blessing ceremony. The ceremony utilized atole blanco, a traditional breakfast drink made of ground white corn, and Copal incense to give thanks and blessings to the seeds and all elements that give life. Maize was then planted in a significant Quintet, which symbolizes the Hand: Communal Work, Strength, Creativity, Unity with Differences and Similarities. The group created an altar to the east of the plot, which include Metl, or Blue Agave. In the next few weeks the group will be re-introduced to forgotten crops such as amaranth and chia, and other medicinal herbs.
Chickens Move into New Home
You may notice that there is a new building at the farm, and it recently welcomed its new residents as well! After lots of work and many hours, the chicken coop has been completed and the chickens have moved in. The coop was designed by Daniel Cilli and construction was headed up by JD Stager (JD is an awesome General Contractor who would love to work on your home. http://www.stager-construction.com). We used as many reclaimed materials as possible – including old redwood fence boards as siding. Thanks to both volunteers for their hard work, as well as many others who helped along the way.
State of the Farm Address
With winter crops fading out and summer crops coming it, Veggielution is on the cusp of the important transition into summer. This may have yielded a small lull in production, but certainly not in work! Most of the our cover crops and winter crops have been turned under, either by hand, with our new walk behind tractor or by the park’s tractor. We are now busily in the process of forming beds, laying irrigation and planting.
As if planting wasn’t enough to keep us busy, there is plenty else going on. The East Plot is being planted as a fresh picked herb and flower garden and the north section of the Original Plot is being reworked into a children’s garden. Additionally, we are busy with the crops that are currently in the ground: peas, fava beans, lettuce, broccoli, onions and garlic.
Surely there will always be plenty of work to do, but let us not forget how much work we have already done. A good portion of the Acre and Original Plot have already been planted in summer crops: cucumbers, pole beans, soy beans, squash, tomotoes, peppers, and corn to name a few. It has been exhausting work but it has been inspiring to see the Veggielution community pulling together to get things done. Also, we shouldn’t loose sight of the rewards of our hard work. We on the farm can hardly wait for that bite into the first summer tomato!
Volunteer Spotlight: Annie Chang
A few weeks ago, the youth program found itself in a bind: we needed to get seven youth and two adults up to the East Bay area for a youth conference, but only had one car. It seemed hopeless until Sally got an email from Annie Chang saying she would happily drive a carful up that way. She has also taken good care of our baby chicks during their delicate first weeks of life. And have you ever wondered where those big pots of warm, tasty beans or rice come from on Saturday?
We could all go on about the generous work that Annie has done for individuals and for the farm. She reliably comes out every Saturday to help turn the compost, organize the potluck, and fill in wherever she is needed. She is involved in a number of other tasks: helping with Family Day, organizing for the outreach committee, helping with chicken care and recruiting volunteers. She started coming out after learning about agriculture from an international perspective. ”I saw Veggielution as a way to think global and act local.” Like many at Veggielution, she is interested in creating a vibrant community here in Silicon Valley. ”I don’t think people were meant to live the way they do here- in isolated house. Veggielution is an interesting conjunction between many points- health, community, the environment and much else”. Her passion and caring shines through in all the work she does- we are lucky to have such a dedicated volunteer at Veggielution! We are also very lucky to have Annie join our brand new Board of Directors.
Veggie of the Month: Spring Onion
Spring onions, which are bulbing onions harvested young, are in the Allium genus, along with leeks, shallots, and garlic. Onions are reputed to have a number of health benefits, from being antibacterial and antiseptic, to improving bone health and preventing tumor growth. Spring onions can replace scallions or regular onions, and they’re a great treat grilled briefly on the barbeque. Onions are a very ancient vegetable, used in every cuisine around the globe.
Here’s a Asian-flavored, condiment-like sauce that features the fresh taste of spring onions. Use it on noodles, rice, or grilled meat.
Ginger Spring Onion Sauce
- one bunch spring onions (1/2 pound) — choose fresh ones with vibrant green stalks, and no yellowed or browned parts
- one knob fresh ginger, the size of the end of your thumb
- 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Trim the onions, removing the root part and the tips of the greens if slightly bruised. Slice them finely, and place in a medium bowl. Peel the ginger using the tip of an upturned spoon and grate it finely — using a box grater, a ceramic grater or your impressive knife skills. Add the grated ginger to the bowl.
Add the oil, soy sauce, and vinegar, and toss well. Let rest for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature before using, so the scallions will settle and the flavors will come together. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a day or two, well covered.
Get Involved…
Please join us at our harvest or workday times!
Tuesday: Harvest 8:30a-10a
Wednesday: Workday 2p-4:30p
Thursday: Harvest 8:30a-10a
Saturday: Workday10a-12:30p, Potluck 12:30p-1:30p
Click here for more details on our website.
