Want to be Locavore?

Herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores have evolved once again. Locavore is the latest trend.

This month, the Salem City Club hosts a program on how to become a locavore and contribute to the creation of a community-based regional food system.

On Sunday, June 7, “What is a Locavore?” aims to provide answers to how the community can go “back to the basics.” The event features local products, including food and drink.

Salem City Club is a non-profit organization established in 1967 for the purpose of engaging the local community in conversations, topics, and issues that encourage informed members of the community.

Evann Remington, president and CEO of Organic Fresh Fingers, Inc., a local food manufacturing business providing fresh, local, natural, and organic meals to schools and childcare facilities, is to discuss locavores during the program portion of the event.

Remington has been involved in the local food movement for 10 years.

Jerry Crane of Spice Island Catering and That Food Guy Catering prepares the meal for the event. On the menu are only locally grown foods and Crane offers a discussion about the meal, its preparation, and using locally grown ingredients.

The event begins at 4 p.m. at the Mission Mill Museum and includes a silent auction, a “mini” farmer’s market, appetizers, and a no-host bar. Tickets are $33 per person and reservations may be placed by contacting Rosa Leonardi at 503-589-2975, or by emailing lostlostforest@comcast.net. Members of the community are welcome to attend.

To learn more about the event and about Salem City Club, visit http://salemcityclub.com.

Sustainable Agriculture Events

As summer approaches, the Willamette Valley's fertile soil and the long rainy months begin to bear fruit (and vegetables) at area farms.

For those interested in learning more about sustainable agriculture efforts in the area, June offers a variety of opportunities for such exploration.

On June 13, the Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Land Trust (OSALT), an organization that holds agricultural, habitat, and riparian areas in trust for the purpose of preservation, is sponsoring Open Farm Day at Natural Harvest Farm near Canby. The day includes talks on bees and the future of farming and food, along with demonstrations of spinning.

Four demonstration gardens that follow permaculture design principles and feature a wide variety of fruits, nuts, vegetables, and herbs are available for viewing.

For more information about OSALT or the event, visit www.osalt.org/natural_harvest_farm.html or call 503-263-8392.

Further south in Corvallis, Sunbow Farm is a unique place for learning and innovation. Harry MacCormack established Sunbow Farm in 1972 as an intentional organic market garden operation; for a while, it was the only organic farm in the community.

MacCormack, who is also co-founder of Oregon Tilth, wrote The Standards and Guidelines for Organic Agriculture, which became the basis for Tilth Certification and other certification programs both in this U.S. and abroad.

On June 29, the farm offers a “Beans, Grains, and Edible Seeds: Homestead Scale” workshop on June 29. The workshop includes demonstrations of eight varieties of rye, four varieties of triticale, 12 varieties of wheat, four varieties of quinoa, three varieties of amaranth, as well as buckwheat and sunflower.

For more information call 541-929-5782 or email sunbow@peak.org.