Two members of the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm (FOTF), one a former herb farmer, Gene Banks, and the other a pioneer in establishing organic school gardens in Fairfield, Annelise McCay, will be answering your gardening questions at Fairfield Woods Branch Library this Saturday afternoon as part of the Seed to Seed Library program. The Seed to Seed Library lends seeds to library patrons, who in turn save seeds at the end of the season and return some to the library to replenish seed stocks. The Seed to Seed Library was launched last month and is one of the many programs available to the community thanks to a partnership between the FOTF and the Library. Registration is suggested and the program is free.

The Fairfileld Organic Teaching Farm's Harvest Supper Event Team is planning a farm-to-table dinner special enough to be deemed the "social event of the season".

Save the Date: Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 10 for the “Fairfield social event of the season”. The Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, will be holding its first annual Harvest Supper, a celebration of local farm fare prepared by renowned area ‘farm to table’ chefs.

Hosted by DJ Carey, the Editorial Director of the beautiful Cottages and Gardens publications, the fundraiser will be held at the landmark Pequot Library in Southport. Guests will be treated to a bountiful farm-to-table menu, seasonal wine and craft beers, fresh desserts, and foot-tapping music.

The Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm’s mission is to celebrate the town’s agrarian past (Just 90 years ago there were more than 100 farms in Fairfield), educate youth and adults about sustainable gardening practices, promote good stewardship of the land and sound nutrition, and to provide a fresh local source of  organic produce.

Visit the Farm online at www.fairfieldorganicteachingfarm.org, follow them on Facebook, and subscribe to their e-newsletter to stay informed about this and other projects, including the Seed to Seed Library at Fairfield Woods Branch Library.

Seed-to-Seed Library Kickoff Events

The Fairfield Public Library Woods Branch in partnership with Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm is kicking off their new Seed-To Seed Library on Wednesday, April 13 with a free community event.

The Fairfield Public Library Woods Branch in partnership with Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm is launching their new Seed-To Seed Library on Wednesday, April 13 with a community event.  This event, featuring a talk by gardening author and speaker Tovah Martin, will take place at the Pequot Library, 720 Pequot A venue, Southport, CT at 7 p.m.  The doors will open at 6 p.m. for the public to meet with vendors.

Tovah Martin, one of this country’s best-known garden writers and lecturers, will speak about Garden Stewardship.  This is a lecture about horticultural preservation, stewardship, and how gardeners grapple with change.  She will address the challenges of bringing landscapes into the next generation.  Tovah will also discuss plant preservation and heirloom varieties, honoring the people who have worked to preserve vintage ornamentals so those plants with a past can become the superstars of future gardens.

Funding for this program was generously provided by Fairfield Earth Day Committee.  Seeds for the Seed-to-Seed Library were graciously donated by Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., Mansfield, MO;  Comstock Ferre in Wethersfield, CT, oldest continuously operating seed company in the U.S.; and Renee’s Garden—Gourmet Vegetables, Kitchen Herbs, Cottage Garden Flower in Felton, CA.  A grant from New England Grassroots Environment Fund has helped to establish the seed library.

Registration is required.  Please call 203-256-3160 or visit us online at: www.fairfieldpubliclibrary.org
Follow the Fairfield Public Library on Twitter: www.twitter.com/fairfieldpublib and Facebook:  www.facebook.com/fairfieldlibrary.  All events at the Fairfield Public Library are free of charge.

The Seed-to-Seed Library Orientation will be held on Saturday, April 16 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Fairfield Woods Branch, 1147 Fairfield Woods Road where patrons will learn how to borrow vegetable, herb and flower seeds from the new Seed-to-Seed Library.

Mission:  “The Fairfield Public Library, our community’s gateway to the world of information and discovery, inspires the lifelong love of reading and learning.  It offers free access to varied collections, stimulating programs, leading-edge technology, and a responsive staff in a welcoming environment.”

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By Analiese Paik

The Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm is starting the year off with a bang as they make good on their commitment to keep the “teaching” component of the farm active throughout the year. The Farm’s Winter Workshop Series begins on January 15 with a composting workshop and runs through February 5. If you’re a newbie farmer, don’t miss Starting up a Farm on February 5 with Annie Farrell, Master Farmer at Millstone Farm in Wilton, and Dina Brewster, owner/farmer at The Hickories in Ridgefield. Workshops run only 90 minutes and are quite affordable considering the expert presenters.

Please contact the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm to register or request more information at 203-951-3617 or at www.fairfieldorganicteachingfarm.org.

Whether you’re already a garlic fan or just learning to love this ancient yet beloved member of the allium family, this free workshop is for you. Drop in Fairfield Woods Branch Library anytime between 10 am and noon on Saturday, November 13,  and head downstairs to:

• Learn how to plant, maintain and harvest garlic from organic farmer Patti Popp of Sport Hill Farm and herb and vegetable expert Sal Gilbertie of Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens.
• Discover the many ways to cook garlic and how it benefits and protects our health from Health & Cooking Coach Amie Guyette Hall of From Your Inside Out.
• Purchase seed garlic to plant in your own backyard this fall. You’ll enjoy the scapes in June and mature garlic in the fall.

This event is organized and sponsored by the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm and hosted by Fairfield Woods Branch Library. No registration is required and the event is free. All ages welcome.

Sal Gilbertie’s latest book, Small Plot High Yield Gardening, will be available for sale and signing.

Fairfield Woods Branch Library, 1147 Fairfield Woods Road, Fairfield, CT. 203-255-7307

Anna Lappe, sustainable food advocate and author of Diet for a Hot Planet

The Fairfield Green Food Guide and Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm have teamed up to screen Nourish the film at libraries and other community and environmental organizations in Fairfield County. Hosted and narrated by Cameron Diaz, Nourish features interviews with best-selling author Michael Pollan, sustainable food advocate Anna Lappe, eco-chef Bryant Terry, pediatrician Dr. Nadine Burke, and organic farmer Nigel Walker. With beautiful visuals and inspiring stories, Nourish traces our relationship to food from a global perspective to personal action steps. Nourish the film was created by WorldLink, an Emmy Award-winning media group with twenty years’ experience in designing education and outreach programs, in order to deepen our national dialog about our food.

“Food is not just fuel. Food is about family, food is about community, food is about identity. And we nourish all those things when we eat well.”
— Michael Pollan from Nourish the film

Click here to see a trailer.

On Wednesday, November 17, Wilton Library will host the Fairfield County premiere of Nourish the movie. Immediately after the 30-minute film screening, a special panel of influential members of the local sustainable food community will discuss their work and take audience questions during an hour-long, moderated panel discussion.

Guest Panelists:

• Master Farm Annie Farrell of Millstone Farm,
• Award-winning chef/owner of the Schoolhouse at Cannondale restaurant Tim LaBant,
• Biology and AP Environmental Science teacher and founder of the Wilton High School edible school garden Jim Hunter,
• Moderator: Analiese Paik, Founder & Editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

Food, Wine & Networking:

Guests are welcome to stay to enjoy small bites from the Schoolhouse at Cannondale and organic wine while networking with the panelists, exhibitors and other guests.

This is a free, family-appropriate event, but registration is required. Please contact the Wilton Library at 203-762-3950 ext. 213 to register.

Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT.

The Pequot Library presents Jamming & Canning for Everyone! with JoAnne Ling, A Green Initiative Program with the Fairfield  Organic Teaching Farm. Please call 203-259.0346, ext. 18 to register for this class where the whole family is welcome to learn how to preserve the season’s bounty. The class is free but there is a small materials fee.

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PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Marilyn Miller

Phone: 203-257-4394

Local Environmentalists To Be Recognized With Hummingbird Award

Princie Falkenhagen, Michel Nischan, Joy Shaw and Sal Gilbertie

To Receive Recognition

For Immediate Release:

Fairfield, September 3, 2010 – The Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm will be handing out the First Annual Hummingbird Awards this coming Wednesday September 15^th, at The Pequot Library in Southport, following a 6:30pm screening of the film, “DIRT! The Movie” and an auction of homemade summer pies.   The public is invited to attend this tribute and unique gathering of Fairfield County’s leading private-citizen environmentalists.

The Hummingbird Award recognizes individuals from the Fairfield County community who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to preserving the environment for the benefit of present and future generations. The name of the award is taken from a mythical story about the tiny hummingbird as told by Kenyan environmentalist and 2004 Nobel Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai.   It was the hummingbird that heroically saved a large forest by carrying small drops of water in its beak, again and again, until the fire was doused. The Hummingbird Award celebrates the belief that the actions of individuals can lead to great change.

Recipients who will be recognized at The Pequot Library on September 15^th include:

Michel Nischan, the sustainable food advocate, award-winning author and Founder & CEO of Wholesome Wave, an organization committed to bringing fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables to residents of inner cities, including Bridgeport CT, through its innovative Double Value Coupon program;

Princie Falkenhagen, the President of The Aspetuck Land Trust and board member of the CT Fund For The Environment.  Mrs. Falkenhagen worked to save the 1,009 acre ‘Trout Brook Valley’ preserve from development in 1999.  Her work has resulted in the preservation of thousands of acres of additional watershed land in Fairfield and New Haven Counties;

Joy Shaw, the founder of The Mill River Wetland Committee in 1967, a curriculum-based program, which today guides more than 3,500 Fairfield elementary school children annually through environmental study trips of the Mill River and its estuaries;

Sal Gilbertie, the largest herb plant grower in the US.  Sal is a third-generation gardener and herb grower.  He operates Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens in Westport, CT, established by his grandfather in 1922.  Sal is a prolific author. His fifth book entitled ‘Small Plot, High Yield Gardening’ was published in February of this year.  Sal is know to generations of Fairfield County residents including former Westport resident, Martha Stewart, who had this to say about Sal: “…I can think of no better guide to creating a sustainable herb and vegetable garden than Sal Gilberti.  For more than 30 years, I have turned to Sal for healthy, productive plants and … he can help you, too, cultivate your garden.”

Seating is limited and tickets must be pre-purchased online for eight dollars at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/123481.This event will run from 6pm to 9pm and is being organized and sponsored by The Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm and hosted by The Pequot Library.

Pamela Jones, President of the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm has stated, “We are honored to have the privilege of gathering together such a truly remarkable group of individuals each of whom has contributed so much to quality of life and quality of our environment here in Fairfield County. We are honored that it is our event, and our first Hummingbird Awards, that is bringing them together.”

There will be many opportunities to help with the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm. Anyone interested in learning more about plans for the farm is encouraged to attend. Please visit the farm’s website at www.fairfieldorganicteachingfarm.org.

FOTF Logo Design:  Jennifer Cole

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Please join me at the September 15, 2010 screening of DIRT! The Movie at Pequot Library sponsored by the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm.

Made from the same elements as stars, plants, and human beings, dirt is very much alive. Narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis, DIRT! The Movie introduces viewers to soil’s fascinating history and explores Earth’s most underappreciated and valuable source of fertility. This insightful film tells the glorious story of the material beneath our feet – from its miraculous beginning to its tragic degradation. More than a film, it’s a call to action.

In addition to the watching this wonderful film, we will honor members of our community who have strived to make a difference in sustainable organic practices.  Our Hummingbird Awards will be presented following the film.

Watch the trailer

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PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Marilyn Miller

Phone: 203-257-4394

For Immediate Release:    Legendary Organic Farmer Annie Farrell to Speak at Pequot Library June 30th

Annie Farrell, nationally-recognized ‘legendary’ organic farmer and expert on sustainable agriculture, is the featured speaker at a program highlighting plans for the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm (FOTF). The meeting will take place Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 7:00PM in the Pequot Library Auditorium, 720 Pequot Avenue, Southport, CT. The program is being held in partnership with the Pequot Library.

Ms. Farrell was hired by Jesse and Betsy Fink to restore the Millstone Farm in Wilton, CT which was saved by the Finks from commercial development in 2006. Ms. Farrell transformed the farm into a model sustainable organic farming enterprise using biodynamic-French intensive farming techniques.   Today, the Millstone Farm provides fresh vegetable produce to some of Fairfield County’s best farm-to-table restaurants including “The Boat House” and “Le Farm” in Westport as well as “The School House” in Cannondale Crossing.

Annie first gained local notoriety when she collaborated with Paul Newman and Michel Nischan, to launch “The Dressing Room” restaurant.  She has also designed farms for other celebrities including Dave Matthews and Annie Leibowitz.  ABC News dubbed Annie, ‘the farmers’ farmer’. The FOTF is hoping to have Annie’s guidance in designing Fairfield’s aspiring organic teaching farm.

Dr. Ray Poincelot,  Fairfield University Professor Emeritus, founder and editor The Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and member of the FOTF Advisory Board, calls Ms. Farrell a “national treasure.”

Analiese Paik, founder and editor of the Fairfield Green Food Guide (www.fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com), and member of the FOTF Board of Directors, will emcee the event. The Fairfield Green Food Guide is a free online consumer resource for finding local sustainably grown food, farm-to-table restaurants, farmers’ markets, farm stands, green grocers, CSAs and green food events in Fairfield County. Ms. Paik is a regular monthly guest on News Channel 8′s ‘Good Morning Connecticut’ weekend show.

Pamela Jones, FOTF founder and president will update progress in finalizing the farm site, and will detail plans for future farm fundraising activities. Says Jones, “The goal of the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm is to create a working farm and organic educational center on town land in Fairfield, CT. The farm’s mission is to celebrate Fairfield’s agrarian roots by redefining our community for the 21^st century through sustainable agriculture and responsible environmental stewardship. By creating this non-profit community-based agricultural resource and teaching center, Fairfield will become part of the greater global environmental movement.  Annie Farrell is our inspiration and role model.  She is also a delegate to the 2010 Terra Madre convention to be held in October in Torino, Italy.  It is an honor and privilege to have her as our first featured guest speaker.”

There will be many opportunities to help with the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm. Anyone interested in learning more about plans for the farm is encouraged to attend. Please visit the farm’s website at www.fairfieldorganicteachingfarm.org.

FOTF Logo Design:  Jennifer Cole