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I'd like to propose a workshop along the lines of last fall's "Power of Plants" and the spring's "Changing the World One Garden at a Time." But this time we might consider some changes.
I believe I can get two women from Mexicali, Mexico (right across the border, not far from Tijuana) to come and talk about The Bee Project, where they have 60 or 80 poor women who tend bee hives, garden and make products for sale to support their families. They lead workshops on how to build bee hives (good for team building) and all about bees. We could invite local bee keepers, youth and adult environmental ed/gardening folks for some real "hands-on" work that results in tangible items they can take home. We could also establish partnering relationships across borders; exchanges of people and products (maybe even plants!) and ideas. Maybe we could also do something (crafts, cooking, pies...!) with apples.
Possible titles for the day or break out sessions (with my apologies. Feel free to come up with something better):
Let's just subtitle it the Community Food and Gardening Network Fall Conference.
- What We Can Learn from Bees: Hard Work, Team Work, Good Work and Earth Work
- Be Like Bees: Cross Pollinate! (The theme would be about sharing ideas among schools, communities, continuing care programs and homes)
- Bees Without Borders
- Sharing Seeds of the Good Life (this leads me to think of a broader theme--heritage seeds, heirloom veggies, genetics, cross-fertilization, etc. Could we get someone from Seed Savers to give a workshop?)
Maybe we could also invite Priscilla Logan from Santa Fe to speak. You may have seen her video. Very creative! But let's also focus on sharing successes and lessons from all our local programs, too. Any other ideas? Topics for roundtables or workshops?
Location: Oak Song School in McFarland--Older building (1920); nice location surrounded by gardens. Has a kitchen and parking; is based in the community and has a nurturing (Waldorf/Steiner--biodynamic) approach. Accessible. By having the workshop here we help build the school's image as a center for gardening, growing, etc. Our member Mark Voss is on the board.
Time: Start after lunch (say 12:30), break in mid-afternoon again. Have a potluck and early evening session. Like last year, this allows us to have two sections--one during working hours and one later, so people who teach or can't get off work can come.
Date: Thursday, Nov. 11. It's after the Celebrating Youth! event. We can also save some money and share costs for the speakers by also having them present in the Milwaukee/Racine/Kenosha area either the day before or day after.
What do you think?
Rick
Richard S. Brooks, Director, Health Promotion Project
Department of Professional Development and Applied Studies
Division of Continuing Studies, UW-Madison
520 Lowell Center, 610 Langdon Street
Madison, WI 53703
608-265-4077
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