This Sunday October 10, 2010 we will be hosting two events at the Massaro Community Farm, 41 Ford Road In Woodridge. These are part of the “Global Work Party” sponsored by www.350.org. As you know, last year we did two local events: 1) we planted 350 garlic bulbs at the farm, and 2) we engaged the towns of Woodbridge, Orange and Bethany to sign up people (350 was our target) for the Home Energy Solutions (HES) program.

This year our focus is on “Sustainable Agriculture” and its relationship to the climate crisis. At 10 AM a dozen or so kids from New Haven Friends Meeting will visit the farm to learn from Farmer Steve Munno and Diane King about the benefits or local food production. The kids will then help harvest some produce to give away to a New Haven homeless shelter. See: http://www.350.org/en/node/22857

The second event will take between 2-4 PM. That session will be a guided “work party”. Farmer Steve and his crew will have various volunteer tasks that people can pick in to do, e.g. harvesting kale, cleaning up field debris, clearing trail paths, etc. To sign up go to: http://www.350.org/en/node/22722

We cordially invite reporters and photographers to both of these events. One of the goals of this “Global Work Party" for Climate Change is to create a digital archive of all the many exciting grass roots things people of all backgrounds are doing all over the globe. Some of the crazy things going on include:

10/10/10 Event Highlights


Funniest: Sumo wrestlers cycling to practice in downtown Tokyo.
Most remote: An education center in the Namib Desert in Namibia installing six solar panels.
Smallest country taking part: Divers on the smallest island nation of the world, Nauru (8.1 square miles) will plunge into their coral reefs for an underwater clean-up.
Most presidential: President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives is installing solar panels on his roof.
Most tipsy: Partiers in Edinburgh will be throwing a "Joycott" (a reverse boycott) at a local bar that agreed to put 20% of its extra revenues on 10/10/10 to making the bar more energy efficient. Attendees will try and drink as much as possible to raise money. Cheers!
Most poignant: In San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico, students will hand out solar-powered lights to families who are still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Alex this June 2010.
Most cross-cultural: Over 100 cyclists from Jordan, Israel and Palestine taking part in a 3-day bicycle relay to carry water from the Yarmouk River and the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea to symbolize the need for cooperation to stop climate change and save precious water resources.
Most educational: 850 universities in China, India, and the United States are joining 10/10/10 as part of the Great Power Race campaign, a clean energy competition.
Most carbon cut: On 10/10/10 the Mayor of Mexico City will sign a commitment to reduce the city's emissions 10% in a single year. The city government will be directly responsible for 5% of the reductions and lead a public campaign to get citizens to cut the remaining 5%.
Most futuristic: Young people in Barbados will be demonstrating the viability of fuel cell technology in a hovercraft they have built themselves.

Please come to Massaro Farm on 10/10/10 and help make these events the Most Fun and the Most Delicious. Be part of a global grassroots movement.

My best,

Jon

Jonathan Gorham
Massaro Community Farm Board Member

jon@greenmediaventures.com

203.376.2871

Historic Farm Back in Operation

Photo by Jon Gorham

Last week, the Massaro Farm CSA will started distributing food to its 125 local members. Tuesday June 22nd was pick up Day # One for half of its members while the other half picked up their first bag of food on Friday. Each week for the rest of the growing season members will pick up fresh organically grown produce from the farm. This first week members will receive kale, lettuce, radishes and turnips.

After several years of planning, organization, barn and house renovation, field restoration, plowing and planting, the first harvest is ready for distribution.

CSA President Jim Urbano has been responsible for major renovations around the farm. The most notable is the Wisconsin style dairy barn. which had fallen into disrepair over the 15 years since it was used. Jim has organized construction crews, gotten permits and worked with architects to move the project forward. Jim is pleased that the farm is operational once again.

President of the Massaro CSA Jim Urbano said: “ Tuesday’s first distribution represents a success of the community effort to develop a source of fresh, local, wholesome food. The preservation of the farm buildings will help make this vision an ongoing reality. Tuesday’s distribution makes it real. We owe today’s success to the hard work of a large number of people.”

The Massaro Farm CSA, Inc. is dedicated to providing the community and surrounding areas with the opportunity to purchase healthy, organic, and locally grown vegetables, fruits, and farm goods. Visit the Massaro CSA website: www.massarofarmcsa.org

A CSA or Community Supported Agriculture program is one in which its members pay a set fee per year to purchase shares or portions of the produce grown. The Massaro CSA offered 125 shares this first year and was completely sold out. Next Spring the number of shareholders will increase depending on how well the farm progresses. This year the cost per share for three seasons of produce is $400.

The person most responsible for the harvest of fresh local produce is “Farmer Steve”. Steve Munno is the energetic force behind the restoration of the fields, the selection of crops to plant, and the organization of volunteers who helped in the planting of seedlings. Once the house renovation is completed, Steve will live on the farm year round.

Farmer Steve Munno

Farmer Steve Munno welcomes CSA members: “I feel it is an honor and privilege to be involved in the Massaro Farm. I’m grateful and deeply appreciative of all the help I’ve gotten from volunteers, the community and Board members alike. I am proud to be able to deliver fresh produce to CSA members. This first day is a modest start, but hopefully the beginning of a great farm program.”

In a recent newsletter to CSA members Steve reported that:

“In the first few weeks of distribution the share of produce will be simple and light. As we move deeper into summer the bounty should increase, allowing you to take home a greater variety of produce. There will be some crops that you can pick yourself, including green beans, and cherry tomatoes. When such “U-pick” crops are available, there will be instructions at the farm as to how to proceed. Please be prepared to bring your own bags for produce. Canvas bags, paper bags and plastic bags all can be used to take home your produce. If you have a stash of extra bags you’d like to bring to the farm, we’d be happy to have them.”

The Massaro CSA is a cooperative venture with the Massaro Community Farm, Inc. This tax-deductible non-profit is devoted to renovating and preserving a historic farm in Woodbridge, as well as supplying nourishment to the food insecure in our area and providing educational opportunities to youth and adults in nutritious eating and local agriculture.

The Massaro Community Farm is accepting donations in exchange for memberships at various levels from $20 for Students/Fixed Income up to $5,000 for Seed Money donors. While membership does not entitle donors to shares of produce, it does offer community members a chance to offer much needed financial support to this worthwhile venture, participate in the farm’s annual meeting, and elect its board members.

Of course, donations of any amount are welcome. If you would like to discuss being a major donor, please contact Paul DeCoster (203-387-4460). If you would like to discuss making in-kind donations, please contact Jason Morrill (203-387-0527) or jason@sector13.org
The Massaro Community Farm, Inc. is a 501(c) organization. All contributions, including memberships and gifts-in-kind, to the Massaro Community Farm qualify as tax deductions, (please consult your tax advisor).
Contact, Judi Osterberg, Treasurer of the Massaro CSA if interested in subscribing to the CSA next year: neojlo@optonline.net

Hard work by Amity Global Warming Club Pays Off

June 13, 2010 – Woodbridge, CT.

Hard work by the Amity Global Warming club has finally paid off. The 4 KW solar photovoltaic system is in place and about to start generating power. Students will be able to see how much energy is generated through a web site that will monitor the collectors’ performance.

Photo by Jonathan Gorham © Green Media Ventures June 2010

For more than three years students at Amity Regional High School worked with the Clean Energy Task Forces in Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge to sign up residents for CT Clean Energy Options. Mike Okrent, chair of the Bethany Clean Energy Task Force facilitated the pooling of sign ups from the three towns in order to win solar electric panels for this regional high school. In fact, Amity Regional High School is the first and only regional high school in the state so far to win renewable energy solar arrays.

Bethany Clean Energy Task Force chair, Mike Okrent is thrilled that there are now photovoltaic arrays in public locations in both towns. Bethany has installations on two municipal buildings thanks to the CT Clean Energy Options program. “We want to thank the school administrators and Amity Board of Education for their help in getting through the legal and physical issues.”

The Connecticut Clean Energy Communities Program is a Connecticut Clean Energy Fund program that provides Connecticut communities an opportunity to support clean renewable energy and earn free clean energy systems.

Orange Clean Energy Chair, Ron Novick was equally pleased: “It’s great to see our youth take an active role in thinking globally and acting locally to make their school and community a better place. The oil spill disaster in the Gulf should serve as a wake up call that more clean energy is needed to reduce our oil addiction.”

In 2009 the Amity Global Warming Club won the Governors Climate Change Leadership award for its outstanding work to bring energy awareness to the Amity tri-town region. Co-Presidents of the club and graduating seniors, Laura van Dyck and Yuqi Zhang are happy that they will be leaving a legacy for their school.

The club’s Founder, Laura van Dyck said at the ribbon cutting ceremony on June 14, 2010: “We are all so grateful to the school and the three towns for being so supportive of our aspirations. We couldn't have achieved any of this without the generosity of the community.”

The towns of Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge are no strangers to collaboration. In years past, the towns have worked together to run energy contests, put on Earth Day celebrations and help one another achieve their missions. Last year they offered a unique rebate of $25 off the Home Energy Solutions service, an analysis and retrofit program run by the CT Clean Energy Fund to help homeowners save money and energy. See: www.hesprogram.com .

The savings from the HES program will offset the additional cost homeowner incur when purchasing 100% renewable energy from the Clean Energy Options program, the source of the funding for the solar collectors on Amity Regional High School. Signing up for CT Clean Energy Options helps the towns win additional solar photovoltaic arrays to save money and help the state have a lower environmental footprint.

The solar photovoltaic arrays were installed by Ross Solar from Brookfield, CT. Owner Jason Ross has installed over one hundred and sixty PV systems over the past five years. This is the company’s fifth school installation in the state. See: www.rosssolargroup.com

At the ceremony, Jason Ross stated: “Ross Solar Group, LLC is pleased to have been chosen for this installation. I would like to thank the students, parents, clean energy committees, and CT Innovations along with CT Clean Energy Fund for seeing this project through to completion. All of us at Ross Solar Group, LLC look forward to supplying the school, and towns with future photovoltaic systems.”

For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Gorham, Chair, Woodbridge Clean Energy Task Force, 203.376.2871 jon@greenmediaventures.com
Mike Okrent, Chair, Bethany Clean energy Task Force, 203.393.2662 mokrent@comcast.net
Ron Novick, Chair, Orange Clean Energy Task Force, 203.915.5423 ronnovick@optonline.net

Everyone is invited to attend The Earth Day Celebration this coming Saturday, May 22, 2010 from noon to 4 p.m. at Town Hall, 40 Peck Road, in Bethany.

We hope to get kids of all ages interested in environmental stewardship. Why? Because it will be FUN, educational and help establish an inter-generational dialog. In 2020 there will be seven billion people on the planet with many cyberspace connections. We are all neighbors. There is only one Earth. There is no “Away”.

For younger kids there will be such things free ice cream, games, a petting zoo and pony rides. For older kids the New Canaan Nature Center will have birds of prey on display. The free event, in its fourth year, will offer more than 35 vendors of “green” goods and services, including master gardeners, farmers and food. The Judson Jazz Band is scheduled to play and Cyril the Sorcerer will be performing magic tricks.

For adults there
 will be recycling drop-off bins for old and unwanted monitors, keyboards and other computer equipment. Representatives for the Orange, Bethany and Woodbridge clean energy task forces will be there to explain the many cost-effective energy programs that consumers can tap to be more comfortable year round, save energy and money and help protect the environment.

Representative from the Woodbridge-based Massaro Community Farm will be there to talk about the new, 57 acre, sustainable agriculture project. Part of the mission of the Massaro Farm is to provide fresh, organic, locally grown produce to people in the region who are in need. In addition, the Farm has just begun a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that has sold out its first year’s worth of 125 shares. The program hopes to expand in the future.

Come to Earth day to learn more. This celebration is yet another collaboration between the towns of Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge. Others have included: kid’s energy contests; solar photovoltaic arrays for the Amity Regional High School; a combined campaign to enroll residents in the CT Clean Energy Fund’s Home Energy Solutions (HES) retrofit program, and other events.

For further information contact: e-mail bethanyearthday@googlemail.com or call 203-393-2100, ext. 135.