We would like to thank everyone who joined us for the Mushroom Workshop with Rytas Vilgalys.  It was the last of the Fall series and it was well attended with enthusiastic future mushroom growers.  This was one of the most hand-ons workshops so far and we really appreciated folks bringing their tools, your willingness to share and help each other as we learned together.  The more people growing mushrooms for their gardens and bellies, the better off our world will be; we hope folks will join us in the early spring for another one!  Check out more great pictures contributed by Darcey, their are some really cute kid portraits too, and this blog post about the workshop shop by friend and attendee, Sandi.

This marks BB's transition with the winter season into a bit of hibernation, as I expect with most people.  Over all, this Fall Workshop series was both intense and exciting, and we have certainly learned our lesson about organizing four weekend workshops in a row!  We will aim to space them more economically next season.  Again, thanks to all who joined us.  We are contemplating some potential winter workshops and will update the website and listserv when/if they come to fruition.  Feel free to send us suggestions about workshops or skill-shares you would like to have and/or local special guests you think might be good to invite.

In other news,

If you haven't seen the before and after pics of the work BB folks did at 1100 North St. you should definitely check them out.  They give a great example of how edible landscaping can transform the average lot into an urban homestead.

Here is a great article by Tom Phillpot, food politics blogger for of the Valle Crucis, NC, about the Slow Foods movement and the responsibility we all have to deal with "privelage", especially acknowledging our own, as it relates to sustainable local food economies.  Glad to see Slow Foods plans to leverage its political will and make social justice and youth organizing key areas of focus.

The Archdruid, in his post "Premature Triumphalism" has some interesting commentary on the burgeoning Transition Towns movement and the difficult balance of abstracting a future that is desirable in wake of an always-coming crisis and being present and active at creating solutions for the crises we face now.

Folks in Fayettville, NC are trying to implement at 200 plot community garden project that "lies at the heart of the area slated for redevelopment", part of a $20 million Hope VI development, which I find interesting.  Generally, I am a fan of more decentralized approaches to neighborhood gardens but an organizer of this project does hope that it "will inspire people around the city to create community gardens in their neighborhoods."

Please stay in touch with us with your comments, suggestions, and questions.  We look forward to hearing from you.