Dear Veggielution supporters,

Veggielution Community Farm’s first-ever benefit concert—Strawberry Jam—was a LOT of fun, and a huge success. We were all very pleased with the amount of money we raised as well as the less tangible rewards of bringing many Veggielution fans together. As always, this was a group effort.

To the bands, thank you so much for bringing your musical talent and words of support to the stage. We had a mix of musical styles that showed the kind of diversity we aim for at Veggielution. We were thrilled to have 15mm, The Emerald Hill, Los Hot Boxers and Panthelion be a part of the evening, and we hope to see you at the farm some day!

To the companies that contributed donations to our raffle, thank you for your generosity. We’d especially like to thank South First Billiards for hosting the show and donating generously to the raffle. Veggielution and its supporters will also remember Downtown Yoga Shala, Good Karma Cafe, REI, Payless Nursery and Hardware, and Philz Coffee. The excitement and cheers we saw while raffling off these attractive donations were a vibrant part of the evening.

To the volunteers who stepped up to make this happen, thank you for your many hours before and during the concert that went unseen that night. Everyone had a lot of fun and enjoyed the results. You should be proud of the money you raised, Veggielution’s increased exposure in the community, and the unique sense of unity and camaraderie you created that night.

To everyone who attended or otherwise showed support, we really appreciate it. It was important to us to see all your faces and bring everyone together for a good time. We hope you had fun while also helping us financially in a big way.

Thank you all!

Worm Regards,

The Veggielution Community Outreach Committee

Cody Kraatz                                    Amie Frisch                                                Annie Chang

Zan Walker                                    Monica Lisa Benavides                        Joycee Benavides

We here at Veggielution are looking for 18 5-gallon buckets with lids to send home with our summer VeggieYouth so that they can start collecting food scraps from home to bring to the farm.  We would greatly appreciate any donations, which could include used paint, cleaning product, soy sauce, or kitty-litter buckets.  Please email Jessie at jessien@veggielution.org.

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

Continue reading Growing Thymes: June 2010 Newsletter

The Garden follows the powerful story of a 14 acre community garden in South Central Los Angeles.  A community group called The Edge will be hosting a screening of the film tonight in downtown San Jose.

Friday May 28, 2010

7:00 PM

San Jose Peace and Justice Center

48 S. Seventh St, San Jose

Between Santa Clara and San Fernando

$5-10 donation (no one  turned away)

Come party with us at Veggielution Community Farm’s first ever benefit show!

Bring your friends out for a great night of music and fun! We’ll be mixin’ it up at South First Billiards, playing pool, enjoying the full bar and tasty munchies available for purchase. This is a 21+ event. Doors open at 9 pm.

Enjoy performances by:

~15mm

~The Emerald Hill

~Los Hot Boxers

~Panthelion

We’re asking for a minimum donation of $10. The proceeds of this show will go to support our Summer Youth Program and the day-to-day operations of our urban community farm. We’re bringing our friends together to celebrate our community’s efforts in making Veggielution a success.

South First Billiards is located at 420 South First Street in Downtown San Jose.

Help spread the word and join us for this special event!

*Check out our Facebook Page for additional updates on this event and other happenings at the farm.

Greetings!

There are some exciting new happenings this week and we just couldn’t wait until the next newsletter to share!

New Logo

It’s finally here! After months of sketching and thinking about what we really want Veggielution to represent, we are proud to announce the unveiling of our new logo. The design incorporates the field, the treeline behind the park, the 680 freeway overpass, and finally the silhouettes of farm volunteers in the background. Think about it! We’re a community of hundreds of people creating a farm under a giant freeway overpass. We truly believe what we as a community are creating is incredible, and we’re happy to have a logo that reflects that.

Creating this logo was a collaborative process, and we want to recognize everyone who played a role in it. We want to acknowledge Ercilia Medeiros, who we worked with in the very beginning of this process. Sister to Co-Founder Mark, a travel writer and graphic designer, Ercilia took our ideas and produced the first drafts. After deliberating with the Community Outreach Committee, we passed the torch to Benjamin Henderson, a local designer, musician and good friend of ours. Ben offered us several rounds of designs, incorporating our feedback every step of the way. His final design truly captures the heart of Veggielution.

T-Shirts For Sale Now

Look sharp and show your Veggielution pride! T-shirts will be for sale starting at tomorrow’s workday. They are grey with the logo in green on the front. Price is $15-25 sliding scale – pay what you can. Get yours soon before we run out of your size

Make That Donation

You have been thinking about making that donation… and now is the time. Thank you to those who have already donated, your support is deeply appreciated. Click here to donate now.

Dear Veggielutionaries,

At the beginning of every refreshing workday – with the sun rising from its night’s sleep and the sky arching above our urban landscape – a community comes together. Smiles spread as hugs are exchanged, the air is filled with hellos – evoking an incredible sense of warmth, a sense of belonging to a shared space and mission.

Our volunteers represent the diverse demographic makeup of our San Jose community, comprising locals, students, families, working professionals, adults, youths as well as various cultural communities. We come together every week to work together, to build a healthier and more equitable community in San Jose.

Our volunteers carry the very life and spirit of our shared urban farm – their hands, hard-work, persistence, and commitment have tended the roots from our very beginning to the fruits of our successes. They have prepared our land for agricultural use, planted the seeds and nurtured sprouts, renewed our compost resources, prepared delicious workday feasts, helped with community events and fundraising, and harvested the bounty of our Valley’s delight at Emma Prusch Farm Park.

With your generous contribution, Veggielution can continue to open hearts and minds to healthy food and community, especially during a time of economic difficulties and social uncertainties. Please help support not only a growing farm community, but a movement to ensure a healthier and more vibrant society.

Click here to donate now.

Continue reading Veggielution Needs Your Support

 Continue reading Growing Thymes: May 2010 Newsletter

This month we will be having Family Day on the third Saturday, May 15th, from 11am-12:15pm. Please join us as we explore worms & compost, food art and more! Starting in June we will resume Family Day on the second Saturday of each month from 11am-12:15pm. Read more about Family Day here.

 Continue reading Growing Thymes: April 2010 Newsletter