Having received a generous grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Trust (read about it here), the Center for Urban Ecology has been able to hire a professional grower to serve as Farm Manager for the Campus Farm. We are pleased as all get out to have Tim Dorsey leading the effort down at the farm. Tim has a clear passion for food production that is small-scale, local, and chemical-free, making him a great match for the CUE’s Campus Farm. Tim has spent the last couple of months developing a vision of the farm in the coming years, which will include a significant degree of expansion and a permanent shelter. You can meet Tim during the new volunteer hours which are Monday 10 am -1 pm and Wednesday 4 – 5:30 pm. Also, the campus Farm Stand is on hiatus as Tim reconfigures the layout of the farm. Be sure to check the Campus Farm page on Facebook for updates and announcements.
Just a quick note to let everyone know the farm stand is going to move back to its more traditional location, the gazebo on the north side of Atherton Hall, this Thursday (16 June) through the summer. Please come see what we have for sale each week, as our harvests change depending on what produce is ready. Flowers are appearing on squash, zucchini, cucumber, and tomato plants which means there is much goodness to anticipate as summer is right around the bend. Check out our Facebook page (Search Butler Campus Farm) for pictures and updates.
We are happy to announce the opening of the farm stand for 2011 on Thursday, 2 June. The stand will be open on Thursday each week from 12-2pm. We anticipate having lettuces, greens, and radishes for sale next week. We will harvest whatever is ready each week, so the list of produce will change throughout the summer. Stop by to pick up fresh local food, find out about volunteer opportunities, and learn more about the campus farm and the Center for Urban Ecology.
This month Butler Campus farm has invited the Indianapolis Food, Farm and Family Coalition, Slow Food Indy, Weston A. Price Foundation and the entire Indy Community to share a meal with us at the Butler Campus Farm.
We are calling it a “bring-a-blanket potluck” -come and bring blankets or chairs for a nice potluck in the garden.
We “challenge” you to bring something local! Simply bring a potluck/pitch-in dish to share made with locally grown/produced food.
Dining ware will be limited. Please bring your own plate and utensils for yourself and your family, if possible. We will have a few to spare. Think Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover.
Fleshy leafstalks often used for making pies, preserves (In season: April)
Rhubarb Compote
-1 lb. rhubarb, cut into 1/2” pieces (4 cups)
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/4 cup honey
-3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
-confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
-1 pint vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
1. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, honey, butter & cinnamon in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap & pierce twice to allow steam to escape. Microwave till rhubarb is tender. Stir.
2. Spoon into bowls. Top with ice cream and confectioners’ sugar
Guerilla gardening is an illegal form of gardening that typically takes place after dark. A recent visit from the founder of guerilla gardening, Richard Reynolds, has Indianapolis ready to spruce up neglected areas and concrete spaces with sunflower seeds. May 1st is International Sunflower Guerilla Gardening Day. Don’t be surprised if you see a few extra sunflowers around the Circle City this year.Grab a few friends, a few packs of seeds and get planting! For more information on “flower graffiti” click here.
On May 10, 2011, Indiana Humanities will host its second Chew On This – a series of dinner conversations that will occur simultaneously at numerous venues. This Chew On This will take place at 10 international restaurants on Indianapolis’ 38th street corridor. The evenings’ conversations will focus on food and ethnic identity, as well as the international rebirth that is beginning to take place in this previously declining region of the city.
Locations include:
Abyssinia (Ethiopian) 5352 W 38th St 317.299.0608 RSVP
BUTLER MARKET KICKOFF! Join us in celebrating this year’s first market with FREE and tasty seasonal food. Find us at Norris Plaza Wednesday, April 20 from Noon – 1:30 p.m. Take a ride in a THINK electric car to visit the Farm and learn more about how you can get involved with the Butler Campus Farm. Tomato starts will be available – this year is the year to try out that green thumb! See you Wednesday!
Conner Burt, farm intern, and Tim Carter, CUE Director, take a closer look at plants in the hoop house
Members of the Center of Urban Ecology and Indy Parks leaders paid a visit to the Harvestland Farm in Anderson, Indiana, in hopes of learning more about their multi-faceted operation that includes community supported agriculture, farmers market participation, hoop houses and an on-site farm stand. The visit was both inspiring and educational. Many thanks to Harvestland Farm for sharing their operation with us!
Butler Campus Farm interns have officially dug into a new farm season with the planting of our first seed starts.
Thyme seedlings
A few of the starts include arugula, thyme, tomatoes and leeks. The Farm is currently constructing a hoop house to assist in the growing process. In the upcoming weeks additional seeds will be planted. Continue to visit the Farm site to follow your food’s progress.
Koenen's workshop highlighted bees' significant role in agriculture
Top-Bar beekeeping expert, Charlie Koenen, visited campus for three unique workshops during the first week of March. His workshop topics ranged from general bee information to specifics on Top-Bar bee hives. Community members, students, beekeeping experts and beginners were amongst the audience.
In the coming months the Center of Urban Ecology will be welcoming bees in Top-Bar and Langstroth hives. For more information on Butler’s bees, contact Jordan Burt at jmburt@butler.edu
Jordan Burt, Center for Urban Ecology intern, Campus Bee Extraordinaire
Top-Bar Hives are noted for providing an affordable option for personal beekeepers.
The Center for Urban Ecology will be hosting a FREE bee and beekeeping workshop Thursday, March 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p. m. in Gallahue Hall. This event welcomes anyone from “bee novice” to “bee expert” levels to learn about bees, beekeeping and the ecological importance of bees. Charlie Koenen, an expert Top-Bar beekeeper will be sharing the benefits of beekeeping using Top-Bar hives.
The end of February and beginning of March marks tapping season for those in the maple syrup industry. Indiana hosts America’s first and only Natinoal Syrup Festival March 5, 6, 12, and 13 in Medora, Indiana. The festival includes tapping and boiling demonstrations, maple syrup foods, and farm tours.
Use your favorite Hoosier bacon for this delicious Paula Deen recipe:
Maple-Candied Bacon
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
1 pound thick sliced bacon, good quality
1/2 cup maple syrup, Grade B
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Finely ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy foil. Place a baking rack over the lined sheet tray
For those who have never considered a CSA (or community supported agriculture), here is a bit of general information about how it works. Each week, you’ll visit the pickup location at Butler University to receive your share of the week’s harvest. Essentially, you’ll get a box full of veggies that came from Butler University’s campus farm. The amount received depends on environmental factors, your share size, and the time of year (same goes with the variety of vegetables). As a rule of thumb, we’ll try to provide 5-10 varieties of vegetables per week. Furthermore, a 1/2 share should feed 1-2 omnivores for the week whereas a full-share should feed 2-4 omnivores per week.
This is the first year the BU farm is offering a CSA. Our hope is that by defining processes and gauging your demand and preferences, we’ll be able to refine and continuously improve our offerings to the Butler Community. For the 2011 growing season, all CSA shares will be filled FIRST before selling produce to other customers.
Why should you consider?
Here’s a few thoughts…
Develop a relationship with the Butler student farmers who grow your food and learn more about the planting and harvest processes.
We guarantee fresh food that is grown in an environmentally responsible manner. We don’t use inorganic pesticides or fertilizers, so that you get the healthiest, most natural produce possible.
Support the Center for Urban Ecology/BU Farm and their ongoing efforts to tackle urban issues around Indianapolis.
Through a weekly newsletter, you’ll get recipe ideas & weekly meal plan suggestions so that you’re eating an automatic seasonal, local diet.
Learn about new vegetables and cooking methods.
Families, kids, and adults can be involved in production of their own food!
Program Details
We plan to start distributing boxes between June 10-15. After the first pickup, the program will last 16 weeks, until approximately September 25th.
Pricing and Box Options
Full Share
½ Share
Seasonal Price
$415
$275
Price/Week
$26
$17
Size
Feeds approx. 2-4
omnivores
Feeds approx. 1-2
omnivores
Duration
16 weeks
16 weeks
Start/Finish
June-September
June-September
Potential Crops in Boxes
Spring
Summer
Fall
Beets
Beets
Arugula
Lettuce
Carrots
Carrots
Radish
Cucumbers
Spinach
Spinach
Leafy Greens
Leafy Greens
Carrots
Green Beans
Tomatoes
Peas
Kale
Winter Squash
Leeks
Green Beans
Onions
Potatoes
Potatoes
Summer Squash
Tomatoes
Hot Pepper Mix
Basil/Herbs
Pickupwill occur weekly on Butler University’s campus (exact location TBD). When filling out the application, you will indicate whether you prefer a Monday or Friday afternoon pickup. Based on share-member preference, we will offer one of the two weekly options.
For those new to CSA, there is an agreement between us (the farmers) and you (the CSA members) that there is a sense of shared liability throughout the growing season. As a farm, we will do all that is in our power to fill boxes to the promised volumes and with suggested varieties. However CSA members acknowledge the inherent risk and nature of farming. There will be weekly variation in the types and quantities of vegetables that you receive. Likewise, you are committing to a 16-week program. If you fail to pickup a share during the allotted times, your share will be donated. Shares may be split between neighbors, or even transferred to other community members on a weekly basis, but still must be retrieved during the allotted times.
Understand that being a part of this program will be a rewarding and engaging experience—one in which you’ll learn farming techniques, meet the students, faculty and volunteers that put food on your table each week, and enjoy fresh, healthy vegetables throughout the growing season!
To apply, see the form below. Since there is limited space this growing season, the first customers to complete the form AND make payments will be the first to be admitted into this year’s CSA.
is just around the corner…AND WE NEED YOUR HELP! Did you buy produce from the Farm Stand last year? Maybe you attend Farmer’s Markets on a regular basis? Quite possibly you just love local food and want to help out!
If you fit this description, we’re asking 20-30 people to sit down and talk to us for 20 minutes maximum. We want to hear about your experiences and what you’d like to see from the Campus Farm this growing season! We’ll slide across the ice fields of Butler (and beyond) to meet you–in Starbucks, your offices, at lunch…you name it.
If you’re willing, shoot us an EMAIL and we’ll make it happen. We’re even shooting a promotional video–one in which YOU could be featured–if you let us film a bit of the conversation. How neat is that? Send any questions or comments to conburt+farm@gmail.com or give me a call at 574.596.5701.
BU Farm to Offer CSA
It may seem a bit early to be thinking about fresh summer produce, but planting season is just around the corner! Butler Campus Farm is now offering full and half shares in our new 16-week CSA program.
For as little as $17 a week you will be purchasing enough fresh produce for two omnivores (half share). The full share feeds an estimated 4 people for $26/week. Produce will be available in mid – June through the end of September. The Butler Campus Farm will offer various vegetables, herbs, and other local and organic produce.
Whats the buzz about?
Bee’s, of course. We’ve got an intern working on the implementation of a beehive. So whats this mean for you? Well, 1. You’ll have the chance to buy fresh honey and 2. You can come down to the farm and learn how to take care of your own trusty colony.
Contact jburt07@gmail.com with any questions or inquiries!
In recognition of the Butler Campus Farm’s first successful growing season, come join the people that made it all happen at the FALL FLAVOR FESTIVAL. Stop by the Gazeebo Thursday the 4th from 12-1pm for some tasty fall dishes including butternut squash soup, arugula salad, sweet potato souffle and mulled cider!
If you’ve never even heard of the BU Farm, come check out what it’s all about and meet some folks who care about sustainability on your campus.
For those of you that know all about the farm, come enjoy some warm cider and tasty food this Thursday!
Come out and help us finish up the fall harvest this week! Volunteer hours will be Wednesday from 11am-12pm and Saturday from 9:30am-12:30pm. There’s lots to be done…we need you!
