The June meeting of the Canon Co-op is Sunday, June 20 at 4 pm.  The meeting will be held at JC Tamales at 1523 Elm St. next door to Lincoln Park Fitness.  The potluck theme is “Dad’s Favorites.”  The program will be “Eating Locally in Mexico” by Kevin & Erin Knox.

Gloria Stultz asked that we notify our co-op members that the Pueblo WeRecycle will be at farmer’s market on June 19, July, 17, August 21, and September 21 from 9:00 to 12:30.  They will take everything recyclable—paper, plastic (#1-7), aluminum, cardboard, and glass—no styrofoam, please.  They ask that we bring our recyclables in a recyclable container.  They suggest cardboard boxes or plastic containers that we can empty and then take home.  If you have a plastic bag they will dump it and return it to you.  There will be a nominal fee.   Please try and participate—if we have enough interest in Canon, we very possibly could have our own disposal center within the year.

The program committee has been busy this past month.  They have been working on setting up programs for meetings and other classes each month for the next 8 months.  Look for a flyer soon to come with all the information on these educational opportunities.

The Farmer’s Market has started and the Co-op has a stand right on Macon Avenue east of the library.  Come see us, we’re much bigger than last year and there is a new feature this year.  “Ask a Master Gardener” where you can fill out a form with your gardening questions and a master gardener will get back to you with an answer.

Sid Darden from the Fremont County Health Dept. explains food licenses and certified kitchens

We had a great meeting this month.  Our program committee is doing some good work and have programs scheduled for the next 2 meetings.  We will be learning about solar energy and felting with alpaca wool.  And Lynn Sage will be giving a class on fruit tree pruning before the March meeting.

The Co-op has started a lending library for books and DVDs.  Some of the DVD’s available are Fast Food Nation, King Corn, Food, Inc., The Future of Food, Mad City Chickens, and Planet Earth (Volume 1). Check back later to see a list of available books and DVDs or contact Donia for more information.

We are still looking for a permanent meeting location with a certified kitchen.  The use of a certified kitchen would allow us to make salsas, jams,  etc. to sell at the Farmer’s Market.

We are talking about having another seed exchange this year and plan to do that at the February meeting.  So bring your seeds to the next meeting and  interested gardeners are invited to join with us when we order our seeds from the annual seed catalogs.

Greetings!
The next meeting of the Canon Co-op will be next  Sunday February 21st at 4 pm.  We will be meeting at the Thirsties meeting room at 429 S. 9th St. Canon City.  The program will be on alternative energy.  Roger Radcliffe from Antero Electric will be reporting on Solar Panels.

 The potluck theme is “Valentine Celebration (Red, Chocolate & Healthy Sweet Foods).”  Please label your pot luck items with ingredients or the recipe so that participants can decide with confidence if it is a dish that they can eat or not.   Members are asked to bring this with their dishes in the future.

We will also be having a seed exchange at the next meeting, so get all your seeds together and bring them along.  Everyone is welcome, please bring a friend.

The minutes from the January 2010 meeting  are attached.  Please read them over before the next meeting so you will be prepared. 

The Co-op now has a lending library available for members.  Check out our LibraryThing website to see what’s available to check out.  http://www.librarything.com/catalog/CanonCo-op.  Contact Donia to make arrangements to check out any of the books or DVDs.

Our old website has been revamped back into a blog and we are looking for bloggers. If you would like administrator rights to help with posting, please contact Donia or Judy for more information.  Visit the old website at www.canoncoop.wordpress.com.  

The 2010 Farmer’s Market is coming up in June and the Co-op will be having a booth weekly.  All members are eligible to sell their products in our booth.  See one of the Farmer’s Market Committee members for details.

Canon Co-op now has a Facebook account—if you are on Facebook, come join the Group.

The March meeting of the Canon Co-op will be held next Sunday the 21st at Kathy’s house at 1516 Locust St., Canon City.  The meeting will be held at 4pm and the pot luck theme is “Green Foods” in honor of St. Patrick and Spring.  The program will be an alpaca wool felting demonstration by Phyllis Swenson of Aardwolf Alpacas.  Come and welcome our newest members, Walking Bear & Pam Sanchez and Dave & Karen Fuselier.

The Co-op will be conducting a workshop on Pruning and Care of Fruit Trees before the meeting.  Lynn Sage will be giving the workshop and it will start at 3 pm at 1516 Locust Street in Lincoln Park.  Classes are free for members and $5 for non-members.

Dave & Karen Fuselier of Spring Creek Vineyards have graciously offered the Co-op the use of their commercial greenhouse.  The Board has discussed this opportunity and we feel that it is an offer we can’t refuse, so we had a work day yesterday and cleaned up, worked some soil and planted some seeds.  We are planning to set up a work log and a watering schedule, and we are inviting any members wishing to share in the harvest to join us at the greenhouse on the next work day which will be this Friday at 4:30 pm.  Additional work days will be posted on the websites.

The Budget and Year End Report is posted on the website.  And if you have a Facebook account, please join the Canon Co-op Group.  That is one place you can find out about the most recent up-to-date activities of the Co-op.

The Co-op has some organic sugar for $10 for 10 lbs.  We also have a few packages of organic pasta and spaghetti ($1.50/1.25).  Movies for check out include Mad City Chickens, Fast Food Nation, Supersize Me and Plant Earth.  All these things will be available at the next meeting, well as a few door prizes.

The more we return to traditional farming practices, the more NUTRITIOUS our food will be and the lesser the environmental impact of our agricultural industry. So, whenever possible, support your own health and the livelihood of the farmers out there who are trying to do things the right way.

Let nature decide what’s for dinner.

By Lauren Sloane

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Have you ever bitten into a bland, mealy peach in the middle of winter? That stomach-turning taste and texture may be nature’s way of telling you to start eating seasonally.

Just because you see a mango in your local supermarket during the fall or winter, doesn’t mean that it’s “in season” in your area. In the United States, shoppers have gotten used to having almost every fruit and vegetable available for purchase year-round. Produce is typically imported from other countries during times of the year when these fruits and veggies cannot be grown domestically. Despite the obvious convenience of consistently having a large array of foods available in your grocery store, imported produce may be smaller, more expensive, and simply taste below par.

As a healthy and environmental friendly means of supporting your local farmer and agricultural system, try eating with the seasons. By purchasing produce that is grown locally and at a seasonally appropriate time, you’ll benefit from more fresh, delicious, and affordable food. Whether it’s winter, spring, summer, or fall, there is always a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to choose from.

What’s In Season?
Winter: Apples, Beets, Burdock, Cabbage, Carrots, Collard Greens, Daikon, Garlic, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Mesclun, Mushrooms, Onions (red and yellow), Parsnips, Pears, Potatoes, Rutabagas, Shallots, Sprouts, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Winter Squash

Spring: Apples, Arugula, Asparagus, Beet Greens, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Chard, Collard Greens, Cress, Fiddleheads, Garlic, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Lettuce, Mesclun, Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Onions, Parsnips, Peas (snap and snow), Potatoes, Radishes, Rhubarb, Scallions, Shallots, Spinach, Sprouts, Strawberries, Turnip Greens, Turnips

Summer: Apricots, Beet Greens, Beets, Blackberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Cherries, Collard Greens, Cucumbers, Currants, Eggplant, Elderberries, Endive, Fennel, Garlic, Green Beans, Gooseberries, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Melons, Mesclun, Nectarines, New Potatoes, Okra, Onions (red and yellow), Parsnips, Peaches, Peppers, Plums, Radicchio, Radishes, Rhubarb, Scallions, Shallots, Spinach, Sprouts, Squash, Strawberries, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Turnip Greens, Turnips

Fall: Apples, Arugula, Asian pears, Beet Greens, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Burdock, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collard Greens, Corn, Cranberries, Cucumbers, Daikon, Eggplant, Fennel, Garlic, Grapes, Green Beans, Horseradish, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mesclun, Mustard Greens, Mushrooms, Okra, Onions (red, yellow), Parsnips, Peas (snap, snow), Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Quince, Radishes, Raspberries, Rutabagas, Scallions, Shallots, Spinach, Sprouts, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnip Greens, Turnips

How to Be a Better Seasonal Eater:
Join a local community supported farm (CSA). By putting in a few hours of labor at a local community farm project, you can receive monthly shares of fresh, seasonal produce.

Step on the brakes. Buy produce from roadside stands and farmers markets during the summer and fall. You’ll be supporting local farms and have the pleasure of indulging in seasonally delicious fruits and veggies.

Think Farm to Plate. At restaurants, order foods that can be grown within close geographical distance. Chances are if you’re eating regionally, you’re also eating seasonally.

Visit a “Pick-Your-Own” farm. Stop in during the summer and stock up on anything from peaches to tomatoes. Come autumn, visit these farms for apples and pumpkins. For help locating a “Pick-Your-Own” farm in your area, check out PickYourOwn.org.

Satisfy your sweet tooth seasonally. Try to purchase seasonal juices, ciders, honey, jams, and maple syrup made from regional sources.

Shop at a farmer’s market. Buy direct with farmer’s, artisan cheese makers, bakers, and more by shopping at a farmer’s market. Find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area at Local Harvest.

Join us at  Javernick Farms on September 19th @ 4pm for a brief meeting and a potluck affair featuring a Mexican food theme. Come a bit early that day (2 pm) to Colon Orchards and learn how to roast chilies and make salsa. Then tote that scrumptious food to the potluck at 4 pm. For more information on the chili roasting and salsa class click here.

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Pueblo WeRecycle will be at farmer’s market on August and September 21 from 9:30 to 12:30. They will take everything recyclable—paper, plastic (#1-7), aluminum, cardboard, and glass—no Styrofoam, please. They ask that we bring our recyclables in a recyclable container. They suggest cardboard boxes or plastic containers that we can empty and then take home. If you have a plastic bag they will dump it and return it to you. There will be a nominal fee. Please try and participate—if we have enough interest in Canon, we very possibly could have our own disposal center within the year.

Join us for some potluck fun at Javernick Farms on Sunday August 15th @ 4pm.
Beki Javernick will conduct a tour of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Farm and then on to the potluck feast! The theme this month is Support Local Foods. So bring whatever is in season, out of your garden, or items you purchased at the Farmers Market.

Directions to Javernick Farms: Highway 50 in Canon City to Justice Center Road, take south.  Follow to T intersection, Grandview.  Take a right (west) on Grandview to Lincoln, the first left (south).  Take Lincoln down over the Railroad Tracks and follow to the little log house on the right.  Follow the dirt road around cabin to the greenhouse.

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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