Welcome to the Slow Food Eugene website! Our mission is to support food that is good, clean and fair. Check here often for news about Chapter events and volunteer opportunities.
CONTACT US
|
Meet Megan Kemple. One of Slow Food Eugene’s delegates to Terra Madre. Our other delegate is Erin Walkenshaw, who you will be able to read about next month. We chose Megan and Erin because of their dedication and long time commitment to bringing the finest, freshest, healthiest foods possible to our community.
Megan grew up in Portland and moved to Eugene 15 years ago. For the last five years, she has directed the Willamette Farm and Food Coalition’s (WFFC) Farm to School Program. Her passion is to educate kids about where food comes from and how it is grown. What is unique about the Farm To School Program is that she is connecting students and local farms by getting more locally grown food into school meals.
Megan was recently designated Oregon’s State Lead for the National Farm to School Network (NFSN), providing technical assistance and support to Farm to School programs throughout Oregon. She also serves as the Lead Staff for the Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network. WFFC’s Farm to School program is a model in Oregon and nationally.
Terra Madre is a Slow Food International’s biennial meeting of food advocates that meets every other year in Turin, Italy. Megan is a perfect fit.
At the conference, Megan and Erin will meet other Slow Food supporters, farmers, fisherman, herders, ranchers, academics, chefs, and food advocates from around the world. Delegates from 130 countries come together to share innovative solutions and time-honored traditions for feeding the planet in a good, clean, and fair way. And per tradition, the delegates are selected by Slow Food associations to join the 200,000+ visitors expected to attend this global gathering the size of two Fiat automobile factories.
Next time you see Megan, say hello, bon voyage, or welcome home. Whatever the greeting, you will be met with a warm smile.
Congratulations, Megan. We’re honored to have you as part of our Slow Food Eugene family.
After two years at NW Youth Corps, the RAFT Garden is now in the second year at the Whiteaker Community Garden at the end of N. Polk St. The plot is on the east side and marked with a RAFT sign. The RAFT garden includes Hooker’s corn, Oregon Giant Pole bean, Oregon Delicious melon, Lower Salmon River squash, and Marshall Strawberry. This year, potatoes will be added — Haida, Tlingit and possibly Anna Cheeka (Ozette).
Last October, Andrew Still and Sarah Kleeger of Adaptive Seeds led a seed saving demo at the garden. It was well attended and the local RAFT community took seed, literally and figuratively. Most of the Oregon Giant beans were donated to Adaptive Seeds and they report that all have been sold for the coming season.
Kathy Heerema will join Nicki Maxwell this year in planning, planting and caring for the garden. Let Nicki know if you are interested. You can reach her at nicolamaxwell47@gmail.com.
The RAFT (Renewing America’s Food Traditions) Alliance is a collaboration of food, farming and environmental advocates (including Slow Food USA). It was founded in 2004 to identify, restore and celebrate America’s biologically and culturally diverse food traditions through conservation, education, market recovery and regional networking. RAFT developed the first-ever comprehensive list of food species and varieties unique to each eco-region of North America and found that well over 1,000 food varieties are threatened, endangered or functionally extinct from the marketplace.
2012 is shaping up to be a super year of great food, great company, and great efforts to build a healthier food system. There are number of events already on the calendar and a few that are just brainstorms waiting to be fleshed out.
These events are going to be successful because you–our faithful members and friends–are going to volunteer to get them done. To get on the volunteer list, email our volunteer coordinator, Judy Stickney, by clicking here.
Here is the list, so far:
• Carts And A Cold One–July 22 at Ninkasi Brewery.
• One Field Meal–September 9, McKenzie River Farm, with Chefs Mark Kozmicki and Tiffany Norton from the Party Cart providing dinner and Stewart and Emily Philips from Red Wagon Creamery offering up desserts
• Food Film Festival with the Slow Food University of Oregon chapter–October 12-14
• Flea Market, cookbook exchange, silent auction, and whatever we can fit in–August
In addition to these events, we will have a RAFT Garden growing heritage crops on a 20′ by 30′ plot.
We welcome your ideas to make our events successful. And, you can bring new ideas that you’d like to see Slow Food Eugene pursue. Just bring your volunteer hat.
 Ready to empty out the bookshelves and cabinets of those treasures you never use? We all have them–cookbooks we haven’t opened in years, bowls hidden in the far corners of our cabinets, the second or third KitchenAid blender or fondue pot that we got for wedding presents decades ago. The Flea Market wants that stuff. (Vintage, or new/good condition items only, please.)
We also want your help. Lois Safdie would like to meet with a few interested people to refine the concept and iron out details.
When you buy Farm to School Fuji apples at participating retailers in the Eugene area including Kiva, Friendly St. Market, Sundance, Cappella, Red Barn, New Frontier and Eugene Local Foods, profits from the sale will support the Willamette Farm and Food Coalition’s Farm to School Program.
We’re meeting at The Humble Beagle this month. This is a great opportunity to meet and greet fellow Slow Food members and friends and learn about new developments in the food world. We start at 5:30pm. Our hosts will begin a presentation at 6:15pm. They will be on for 15 minutes or so with time for questions. 
Our featured guests are Ari Gold and Gary Katz. Ari and his wife, Anni, own The Humble Beagle. Gary is one of the founders of the neighboring, Humble Bagel. As you might guess, this is a family affair. Ari and Gary will be talking about their recipe and process for smoking the fabulous fish and seafood appetizer on the Beagle’s menu.
Important Info:
DATE: Tuesday, February 28, 2012
TIME: 5:30-7:00pm
PLACE: The Humble Beagle, 24th and Hilyard, Eugene, Oregon
Happy Hour Special: A selection of appetizer options will be available from the menu
 Hummingbird Wholesale is hosting a grand opening of Stellaria Building and you are invited!
Our community of Birds and tenants welcomes you to experience a dynamic, fun, building-wide event.
Save the Date: Wednesday, February 29th
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Where: The Stellaria Building at 150 Shelton McMurphey Blvd
What: Yummy finger foods and drinks
Live music by our talented and good looking co-workers and friends, and maybe some dancing.
A welcoming program at 5 pm at Hummingbird Wholesale in Suite 104
Tour our lovely new building and learn about our sustainable practices
Individual office open houses Raffle to benefit the incubator kitchen
Located on the 1st floor, this will be a commercial kitchen available for small local food businesses to help defray overhead costs. Raffle proceeds will help outfit the kitchen with equipment needed to make it a perfect place for creating great foods!
Please RSVP to info@hummingbirdwholesale.com or 541 686-0921
Slow Food Eugene’s most popular event is just around the corner. On September 11, we will be visiting Paul Atkinson’s Laughing Stock Farm. The food will be great and the company even better, because you are joining us.
This year we are offering a discount for the early planners. Starting on August 1st for 10 days only, $30 adult tickets will be available at Long’s Meat Market, 81 E. 28th Ave, Eugene, and Newman’s Fish Company, 1545 Willamette St, Eugene, until August 10th. Bring cash or a check. No credit cards accepted.
Beginning August 11th, tickets will only be available online at brownpapertickets.com. Adult tickets will be $35. Tickets for children 6 to 12 are $5. Children 5 and under are free.
Only 125 tickets are allocated for sale this year so don?t hesitate or you?ll be too late.
Remember to bring your own plates, cups, and flatware.
Important Details:
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Volunteering is a great way to help Slow Food and meet people who want to build a better world through the food we eat. If you are attending this year’s One Field Meal and want to help, contact Bev Mazzola, Lois Safdie, or Judy Stickney.
Next Sunday’s Ninkasi Brewery: Carts And A Cold One–Sunday, July 31, 2011
Come celebrate summer at the excellent Carts And A Cold One at Ninkasi Brewing Company. The event is an evening of delicious food, live music and select brews. Your participation supports the School Garden Project and the Farm To School Program. How cool is that?
Ninkasi will pair the dishes with one of their ales. These carts are competing for a grand prize on which one best highlights the local ingredients. Participant’s tickets can sample the menu item (3-4 bites per small plate) and the accompanying brew.
If you buy a 6 ticket packet, you will get to cast your vote for your favorite cart. Ninkasi is donating a grand prize for the winning food cart.
DATE: Sunday, July 31, 2011
TIME: 5:00pm to 8:00pm
PLACE: Ninkasi Brewing Patio, 272 Van Buren Street, Eugene, OR 97402, 541-344-2739
COST: $15 for a 6 taste packet (in advance); $18 at the door. OR, individual tastes for $4 (only available at the door. Cash only at the door. No checks or debit. Buy your tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/
Spring is here, and the Slow Food Eugene events calendar is filling up! Check out the March 2011 Newsletter for details:
Spring Bean Cleaning with Hummingbird Wholesale –April 2
Hummingbird Wholesale and Slow Food Eugene Invite You To The Spring Bean Cleaning Spree–April 2nd
It’s your turn to help build our local food system and enjoy yourself doing it. There’s a whole hill o’ beans and they need to be sorted!
Hummingbird Wholesale is helping out a local farmer who delivered some beans that were not in salable condition. Slow Food Eugene is helping sort and clean those beans so they can be put up for sale. This is one of those projects that require a community to help out in the beginning stages of a new agricultural product in the Willamette Valley.
The task is easy, but hugely important in making locally grown legumes a reality in our area. So come on out after your trip to the Farmers Market and enjoy the good company that getting something done together creates.
We need able hands to commit to at least two hours of bean cleaning, during the rest of the time you are welcome to munch on some food and make some new friends. We are also planning a few distractions to mix up the bean cleaning and keep things rolling.
Kids are welcome at this event, but please do keep in mind that we have a mission to get these beans sorted, so it will be a working good time.
Of course, this is a Slow Food event, so there will be some tasty things to keep us fueled while we do our sorting.
DATE: Saturday, April 2, 2011
TIME: 2-5 pm
PLACE: First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive Street, Eugene
COST: FREE
RSVP: We need to know ahead of time if you will be able to join us! Please let us know by contacting Erin Walkenshaw:
ewalkens@yahoo.com
Space is a bit limited, and we know that there are lots of eager bean cleaners out there, so please do not wait to get back to us.
OTHER COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Helios Spring Party…Saturday March 26
Spring Propagation Fair–March 27
U of O Cinema Pacific Film Festival–April 9
and much more…
|
New Website!We are in the process of updating the Slow Food Eugene website. Please let us know what you think, and feel free to suggest additional features. Thanks to EFN.org for their excellent *local* web hosting service.
|
Follow Slow Food Eugene on twitter
