Permaculture Class  (Sat. 9 – 3 pm). From 9 – noon, Becky Elder, from Pikes Peak Permaculture, will talk about permaculture principles*. After lunch we will  have a hands-on group activity (a swaling exercise) at a nearby co-op member’s house.

Registration begins at 8:30 am @ the Friendly Visitor’s Center on 321 North Cottonwood Avenue Canon City. Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch (cups and plates, too!), which will reduce the carbon footprint of the class.

Fee: Participants are asked to donate whatever they can towards this full day of learning.  Suggested donation $20.

*Permaculture gardening uses techniques & practices combining native plant cultivation, wildlife gardening & edible landscaping into a low maintenance productive ecosystem.

Email Judy Van Acker for questions regarding class times and locations.

The next meeting of the Canon Co-op is May 23 and will be held at the Desert Canyon Farm at 1270 Field Avenue north of Canon City.  We will be attending Tammi’s class “Culinary Herbs and their Medicinal Benefits” before the meeting–the class starts at 1:30 and goes to 2:30, the Co-op meeting will be held after the class around 3 pm.  The pot luck theme is “Picnic Foods.”  Please bring a chair or blanket to sit on.  Friends are always welcome!

Check the Farm’s website for directions.

http://desertcanyonfarmgreenthoughts.wordpress.com/farm-open-dates/

The Central Colorado Foodshed Alliance, (CCFA) and the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association, (GARNA) are sponsoring a 2010 Earth Day celebration.

The celebration will be held at the Community Center in Salida, on April 22, Earth Day, 6:30-9 PM.  There will be an exposition of local projects, ideas and businesses featured at this event.  Local farms, CSAs, local currency, the land trust, foodshed alliance, nature association, alternative currency, green building, farm education, raw milk projects and more will be featured.  A short film, Coming Home, produced by the EF Schumacher Foundation, will be shown at 7:30 PM.

We hope you can join us for this celebration of our Earth.  There is no cost, however, a donation would be appreciated.

Suzanne M. Ward
The CCFA and GARNA

The next meeting of the Canon Co-op will be next Sunday, April 18th at 4 pm.  It will be held at the Thirsties Building at 429 S. 9th Street. The program will be Rick (The Chicken Man) O’Neal . Pot luck theme is “Grains & Pasta.”  Hope to see you and a friend there!

The Co-op has been busy this past month.  We have another class set up May 15th — Permaculture Class (Sat. 9 – 3 pm). From 9 – noon, Becky Elder, from Pikes Peak Permaculture, will talk about permaculture principles*. After lunch we will have a hands-on group activity (a swaling exercise) around the corner at 322 N. Diamond.  Check out the website for more information on this class.

*Permaculture gardening uses techniques & practices combining native plant cultivation, wildlife gardening & edible landscaping into a low maintenance productive ecosystem.

The Greenhouse is doing great!  Everyone is doing a great job of keeping things watered and leaving notes and observations in the log.  Judy set up a watering schedule on the internet.  If you want to read more about the greenhouse happenings, check out the blog at www.canoncoop.wordpress.com.

Green Drinks had a very informative meeting last night in Canon City.  Carolyn Kelly gave the program about their organization and their goal to make Pueblo a recycling hub for Colorado and neighboring states.  They could be our answer to getting a recycling station in Canon City.  Visit their website and learn more about their mission at www.happywormherders.com