Sustainable Shenandoah

Stanley Market Garden 2010: Updates

2010-05-31T15:53:00.005-04:00

The Stanley Market Garden is up and running (or "growing" is a better term). So far we have planted 56 tomatoes, many heirloom, grown from certified organic seeds, including "mortgage lifter" varieties, "brandywine", and "cherokee purple". Over 76 pepper seedlings that were grown by the group were planted, of green, yellow, orange and red varieties. Lettuce, spinach, and swiss chard are taking off, as well as corn, muskmelon, and "blacktail watermelon". Seeds have been sown for the remaining produce, with help from some young adult volunteers who have been assisting in planting and watering. This year we plan on increasing our partnerships and involvement in the community, with CSA (community supported agriculture) shares still available (either hours for food, or monetary shares), and offer freshly grown produce to local restaurants, and excess donated locally to those in need of food. The Stanley Garden is a Not for Profit venture, where we grow food in a healthy way for people and the environment, only seeking to retain funding to keep the garden going from to year, support and educate the local community and businesses, while we learn in the process, as well. Our next goal at the garden is to establish a "green manure" or "compost" garden, where crops are grown and used as living mulch to return organic material back into the soil, with the ultimate goal of "no tilling required" and no inputs from outside of the garden. Basically a "self-fertile garden". We thank many people in the community for all their assistance. This year a big thank you goes to the "Shenandoah Resource Conservation and Development Council" for approving a grant proposal for a Garden Coordinator Position - to assist in our efforts to involve and educate the community by providing a living example of the benefits of sustainable agricultural practices.

Our Booth & Festival of Spring - Luray, Virginia

2010-05-31T15:16:00.003-04:00

Here are photos of our booth at this years (2010) Festival of Spring. We sold organically grown seedlings as a fundraiser for our educational programs and handed out information on sustainable agriculture and gardening. It was great fun, very windy, and thanks to Deanne and Casey for the loan of the canopy.......and our neighbors in the near bye booth that loaned us weights to keep the canopy (and us trying to hold it down) from taking flight. Look for us again next year, we had lots of suggestions on additional varieties and types of seedlings which we will incorporate into our seedling sales for next year.

Sustainable Shenandoah’s Stanley Garden 2010 Work Exchange and CSA Shares

2010-04-01T09:28:00.006-04:00

Sustainable Shenandoah’s Stanley Garden 2010
Work Exchange and CSA Shares

Offering:

Fun for food (we can’t quite call it work!) Three hours per week buys you a share (one half bushel plus seasonal melons and pumpkins) of garden yummies!! Ask for your signup sheet today!! Susan Guest 540-244-7164.

CSA Shares – Community Supported Agriculture - brings the garden to community, and the community to the garden!! We are offering full and half shares of noncertified organic, ecologically sound, biodynamic produce!! A full share is a bushel of food each week for 18 weeks. Our exact start date is weather dependent but is expected to be the first week of June, and to run through the middle of October.

The price of a full share is $600 and is nonrefundable. Half shares are $300. Checks are payable to Sustainable Shenandoah and are due by May 1, 2010.

Our sample harvest schedule follows:

Spring / Early Summer Harvest

Spinach
Baby salad mix
Arugula
Radishes
Beets
Peas
Swiss chard
Red, green, and savoy cabbages
Kale
Collards
Broccoli
Cauliflower

Summer Harvest

One bunch cut flowers
Fresh herbs: dill, cilantro, basil, parsley
Tomatoes
Onions
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Peppers – green, red, yellow, jalepeno, habenero
Cucumbers
Summer Squash – Patty Pan, yellow, zucchini
Lettuce
Beans
Eggplant
Melons – watermelon, cantelope
Tomatillos
Potatoes

Fall Harvest

Pumpkins
Winter squash – butternut, acorn
Onions
Collards
Kale
Sweet potatoes
Beets
Cabbages
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Brussell sprouts
Flowers
Herbs

Sustainable Shenandoah’s Stanley Garden began in 2009 with a group of people who wanted to learn, and show, by doing. Our common interests were sustainable, organic gardening, low impact living, and resource conservation. The majority of us had no knowledge of how to grow in an organic, ecologically sound manner, and thus began our Great Experiment. One member donated the land and a trailer and another member donated solar electric fencing, seeds and the use of a tractor. Other members of the community of Page County donated organic compost and heavy equipment to break the pasture which had been untreated by any chemical for twenty years. And everyone else donated labor in exchange for food and fun! Many of the harvests culminated in potluck dinners in the garden or nearby yurt, or Pickle Parties where we all learned to make bread and butter and dill pickles. We were also at the Page County Farmer’s Market after our harvest came in in earnest.

We ended up with a garden that astounded even the most experienced among us. Our final ‘fall’ crop harvest was on March 27th 2010, and the garden still has living broccoli, collards, and kale that survived the most severe winter in Virginia in years.

This year, in addition to the harvest and canning adventures and Farmer’s Market, we intend to host several educational events in the garden with the Girl Scouts troops, the high schools, and will donate garden excess to Page One. We will also sell to local restaurants and Bed and Breakfasts. Check our blog at http://sustainableshenandoah.blogspot.com/

Stanley Garden Workshare Signup Sheet

NAME: _________________________________________________

ADDRESS: _________________________________________________

PHONE: _________________________________________________

EMAIL: _________________________________________________

TIMEBLOCK AVAILABLE:

FIRST CHOICE: ___________________________________________

SECOND: ___________________________________________

THIRD: ___________________________________________

Sustainable Shenandoah Stanley Garden CSA Agreement and Guidelines

To enroll in our CSA, please complete this form and mail it along with your check to our mailing address below. Please review the CSA Guidelines on page two and retain a copy for your records. Payment for the 2010 CSA is due in full by May 1, 2010.

Make checks payable to: Sustainable Shenandoah

Mail completed agreement to:

Sustainable Shenandoah
143 Lakewood Road
Luray, VA 22835

NAME: _______________________________________________

ADDRESS: _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

PHONE: _______________________________________________

EMAIL: _______________________________________________

I would like to enroll in:

_________ Full Share - $600. Weekly bushel of vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers for 18 weeks running approximately June 1 – October 15, 2010.

__________ Half Share - $300. Weekly half bushel.

Pickup at the Stanley Garden every TUESDAY between 5 and 8PM. ADVANCE ARRANGEMENTS FOR PICKUP AT THE FARMER’S MARKET ON SATURDAYS ARE AVAILABLE BY CALLING 540-244-7164.

I understand that my payment is nonrefundable. I have read and understand the attached CSA Guidelines.

Signature Date

STANLEY GARDEN CSA GUIDELINES

1. The duration of our CSA is 18 weeks. The exact start date is weather dependent but is expected to be the first week of June. We will notify you via email and telephone of the exact start date. Once the CSA begins, weekly pickups will continue for 18 consecutive weeks. In addition to our 18 week CSA, we expect to be able to offer a Fall CSA share for another 6 weeks, which will again be weather dependent.

2. Payment for the 18 week CSA is due by May 1, 2010.

3. Pickup day is TUESDAYS between 5 and 8PM at the Garden in Stanley (646 Shuler Lane, Stanley, VA.) If you miss Tuesday call us no later than Thursday of the same week and we will arrange to have your share available for pickup at the Saturday Farmer’s Market. If you miss that, it will be donated to Page One.

4. Vacation policy: one per 18 week season. With prior notification, we will give you two shares the week BEFORE your vacation, or two shares AFTER you return.

5. All shares not picked up either every Tuesday, or, with prior arrangement, Saturday at the Farmer’s market, will be donated to Page One.

6. You are responsible for returning your produce box(es) each week. Half shares will be packaged in one half bushel produce box, and full shares will receive two. When you pick up your weekly share, please remember to return the boxes from the previous week.

7. Produce Quantity: We package all CSA shares in the same size box and with the same quantity of produce. On most weeks, we will have additional produce available to you that you can swap out if you don’t like something in the box. Additional items will be available for purchase if you would like some for canning or a special event. Our retail prices will be competitive with organic produce prices, and we will do bulk pricing if you let us know in advance.

8. Your CSA share includes vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers only. We will have plenty of melons and pumpkins as the season progresses for an extra charge (they take up too much room in the bushel boxes) and will let you know availability and pricing via email and on our blog. You can order them ahead of your scheduled pickup and we will have them ready with your regular CSA share. Exact change is VERY appreciated.

Please feel free to call Susan Guest on 540-244-7164 if you have any questions!! Thank you!!

Sustainable Shenandoah Meetings Through April 2010

2010-03-29T15:21:00.003-04:00

We meet every Wednesday at Rainbow Hill - 6PM for dinner and social time, and our meetings start at 7PM. Schedule:

March 31 - 'Super Size Me' film screening: "Super Size Me" is one man's journey into the world of weight gain, health problems and fast food. It's an examination of the American way of life and how we are eating ourselves to death. Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock unravels the American obesity epidemic by interviewing experts nationwide and by subjecting himself to a 'McDonald's only' diet for thirty days straight. His Sundance award-winning feature is as entertaining as it horrifying as it dives into corporate responsibility, nutritional education, school lunch programs and how we as a nation are eating ourselves to death.

April 7 - project updates: Earth Day, Garden grant, garden plan, May Fest booth - donations, 'manning' etc.

April 14 - 'Troubled Waters' Film Screening:

A small town in northern Argentina is being poisoned by the very substance it needs to live. Discoveries have shown San Antonio de Los Cobres’ drinking water to be contaminated with arsenic levels 25 times higher than the World Health Organization’s accepted levels. Troubled Waters is a documentary film that will show the discovery of a poison being consumed daily by the people of Argentina and how nothing has been done about this crisis; until now. A determined group of people have brought together their resources and abilities to fight this global epidemic by providing a solution for the people of San Antonio de Los Cobres.

April 21 - 'Architecture To Zucchini' Film Screening: Essentially a teaching tool but inspiring to anyone interested in these issues, Architecture to Zucchini offers 12 case studies of "sustainability pioneers" — leaders in industries from wood processing plants to pizza joints that operate on sustainability principles, all based in and around the Portland, Oregon area. There are plenty of statistics here — 2.7 billion people in the world lack sanitation; 1 billion lack clean water; 20 percent of the population consumes 86 percent of the world's resources. These figures provide important background, but the real story here is that of pioneering businesspeople who are making their business work in tandem with sustainability principles.

April 28 - 'Farm of the Future' Film Screening

Updated Film Screening Events for December 2009

2009-11-30T13:00:00.003-05:00

Film Screening Events for the Month of December
Sponsored by Sustainable Shenandoah

December 2nd
Screening of: “Food, Inc.”

Where does your food really come from?
In Food, Inc., Award winning film maker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on the U.S. food industry – an industry that has often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihoods of American farmers, the safety of workers and our own environment

Reviews of: Food, Inc.
“Average people are getting concerned. Amazingly, Wal-Mart signed up with the eco-conscious Stonyfield Farms, due to consumer demand….3½ stars” Roger Ebert
"Don't take another bite till you see Food, Inc., an essential, indelible documentary." - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"Essential Viewing” - Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
"See it. Bring your kids if you have them. Bring someone else's kids if you don't." - David Edelstein, New York Magazine

December 16th - Sustainable Guest Speaker

Sustainable Shenandoah is delighted to host Mr. Charles Stephens of Portland, Oregon, as our guest speaker. Charlie and I ‘met’ on the internet four years ago when I found his brilliant presentation entitled ‘Peak Oil and Finite Resources’ and graciously gave quite generously of his time in helping me understand the possible global and local ramifications of finite resources, on a finite planet. Charlie’s involvement and successes with the Portland Peak Oil Task Force provided inspiration for many community localization efforts, including our own, and he joins us next Wednesday to share his experiences, particularly with respect to engaging the various agencies, groups, and local government in Page County.

Charlie will provide an overview of Pacific Northwest efforts to create a more sustainable bioregion of thriving communities, in spite of the looming triple threat of declining fossil fuel supplies, global climate change and world financial system meltdown. This will be followed by a conversation about how the lessons learned in the Pacific Northwest might be applied in the Shenandoah bioregion and its communities, with a focus on working in local partnerships to create the changes we need on the ground.
http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/index.cfm?c=42894
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Biography: Charlie graduated from Dartmouth College in 1973 and Thayer School of Engineering in 1974. His graduate work in energy systems and renewable energy was done at the University of Colorado in Boulder in 1986 and 1987. Charlie is also a retired Navy Commander with 22 years of active and reserve service.

Charlie is currently a consultant and advisor to people who wish to create high performance, sustainable homes and small commercial buildings. He is also a senior associate in the Energy Services Group at the Cadmus Group, a research and analytics firm with practice areas in Water, Energy Services, Social Marketing and Communications, Green Building, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, Strategic Environmental Management, and International Development.

He recently completed 17 years of service at the Oregon Department of Energy. His focus areas there were residential energy efficiency and renewable energy applications, new technology development, sustainable building and community development, and energy policy for the State of Oregon. In 1999 he created the first U.S. incentive program for green building, Oregon’s Sustainable Building Tax Credit Program, and was a design team member for a significant number of sustainable building projects. In 2001, he began the Department’s work on high performance homes, designed to generate as much energy annually as they use.of Energy’s Advisory Committee on Appliance Energy Efficiency Standards.
Other areas of current work involve sustainable community development, the regional, national and international energy future, the economic impacts of energy use, the relationship between energy and food, prospects for various alternatives to fossil fuels, and the relationship between energy and American foreign policy.

More information contact 540-244-7164

Sustainable Shenandoah Garden 2009

2009-11-20T12:15:00.009-05:00

It’s been a busy year for Sustainable Shenandoah. group members participated in establishing a sustainable garden on land a local landowner generously allowed the group to farm. The first year was a great success and learning experience. Producing lots of goodies for group members and to sell at the local farmers market. The watermelons were amazingly delicious, as was everything else! Here’s a summary of how it was done:

Our Garden in Stanley – Spring/Summer garden 2009

The Members of Sustainable Shenandoah decided to show by example (and learn by doing!) the results of striving for sustainability through growing a garden together.

Our garden: Was ‘green manured’ through the turning in of cover crop
Organic horse manure worked in Fertile flood plain soil placed around seeds and seedlings for the best start in the clay we had to work with
Non chemically treated straw used for mulch
Burlap sacks for pathways
Labor donated in exchange for food every week
Veggies and value added organic products sold weekly at the Page County Farmer’s Market
Heirloom non-hybrid seeds used in order to preserve genetic purity and save for the following year
Biodynamic preps used throughout the year following Rudolph Steiner’s Biodynamic Agriculture principles
NO chemicals, pesticides, herbicides. NO chemical fertilizers or soil enhancements. BEYOND ORGANIC!!

The Garden in Stanley – FALL GARDEN 2009

In addition, the group planted a fabulous fall garden, with brussel sprouts, 3 varieties of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli starting on 8/19 and 9/4/2009, Totaling 597 plants. Then on September 19th collard greens and 2 varieties of kale were planted, bringing the total up to 885 Plants!

Cover crops were planted beginning of October to enrich the soil for next year. Forage radishes with deep roots were planted to alleviate soil compaction as well as and a large broadcasting of cereal rye seed. The book “Managing Cover crops Profitably” describes Cereal Rye as “Inexpensive and easy to establish and it out-performs all other cover crops on infertile and acidic soil.” The purpose of any cover crop is to reduce erosion, provide organic matter, act as a weed suppressor and take up nutrients that may otherwise be leached from the soil. Those nutrients then become available for next years crops.

TOTALLY sustainable! Check out the photos of the fall garden!

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

2009-07-14T13:17:00.007-04:00

Sustainability seems to be the new buzzword of late, much like 'organic' and 'green' have been for the past few years. Now that the term ‘sustainable agriculture’ can be heard all over the airwaves courtesy of a Monsanto ad that began running a few months ago, I thought it would be illuminating to review some definitions of sustainability, and what sustainable agriculture means to those who have been practicing it for millennia.

Sustainability is a term that was only coined 40-45 years ago in response to the challenges our civilization faced such as a burgeoning population, massive industrialization, and migration to the cities. But its roots go back thousands of years and can be found in the teachings of nearly every spiritual tradition.

The frog does not drink up the pond in which it lives.
--Native American proverb

In every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decision on the next seven generations.
~Great Law of the Haude no saunee (Iroquois Nation)

According to Judeo Christian teachings, God brought Adam to the Garden of Eden and said: “Behold my works! See how beautiful they are, how excellent! All that I have created for your sake did I create it. See to it that you do not corrupt and destroy my world; for if you do, there will be no one to repair it after you.
~ Ecclesiastes Rabba7.13

There is no one best definition of sustainability. Each one has its own essence.

To achieve sustainability, a system must be ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane (embodying our highest values--how we treat animals, people and the Earth)
~ Alliance for Sustainability , Manna, 1984

Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
~ U.N. World Commission on Environment & Development, Our Common Future, 1987

Here are some ‘official’ definitions of sustainable agriculture, with their sources.

From the National Safety Council:

sustainable agriculture: Environmentally friendly methods of farming that allow the production of crops or livestock without damage to the farm as an ecosystem, including effects on soil, water supplies, biodiversity, or other surrounding natural resources. The concept of sustainable agriculture is an “intergenerational” one in which we pass on a conserved or improved natural resource base instead of one which has been depleted or polluted. Terms often associated with farms or ranches that are self-sustaining include “low-input,” organic, “ecological,” “biodynamic,” and “permaculture.”
www.nsc.org/ehc/glossar2.html

Legal Definition of Sustainable Agriculture

The term ''sustainable agriculture'' (U.S. Code Title 7, Section 3103) means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will over the long-term:

* Satisfy human food and fiber needs.
* Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agriculture economy depends.
* Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls.
* Sustain the economic viability of farm operations.
* Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.

Taking all of the above into consideration, it seems that sustainable agriculture would be geographically limited in order to reduce reliance on products that are shipped in / not locally available. Inputs and outputs would be renewable, as is found in seed saving through the use of heirloom nonhybrid seeds. They would not use chemical pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or soil amendments, manufactured far away and trucked in and ecologically unsound. This would preclude the use of genetically modified seeds which are also trucked in, require the use of a multiplicity of chemicals, and cannot be saved from the current harvest but must be bought again from a distant corporation as all inputs must for subsequent harvests. The use of chemicals affects the land and water base, as well as the crop, which affects both the current generation NOT using these chemicals because of our shared resource base, as well as those as far away as the Chesapeake…as well as future generations.

True sustainable agriculture therefore would employ the use of heirloom non hybrid seed purchased one time and saved each season for the next.

Only organic compost would be used to improve the soil – green cover crops turned in and composted manure from organically raised species, crop rotation, and companion planting.

Humans coexisted in natural ecosystems since they first arrived on the planet. It was only after World Wars in which munitions waste was turned into fertilizers and chemicals that the oxymoronic ‘green’ revolution was spawned…along with industrial monocropping and its extreme reliance on petroleum and natural gas derived chemical additives. So like the term ‘green revolution’ could not be any further from the truth, so it is with the term ‘conventional’ farming.

To find TRUE ‘conventional’ farming one need only go back to remembering how our grandparents – nearly all of them – lived. Not at all coincidentally this was also before widespread obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

And so Sustainable Shenandoah is building a completely sustainable, organic and biodynamic garden in Page County, Virginia, as a group of concerned citizens who want to eat well, and want to stop traveling to Charlottesville or Northern Virginia for sustainable, organic food. (NOT very sustainable, that drive, lol!)

We CLEARLY understand that this is a learning process - or rather, a relearning process. It is our thinking that the best way to show ‘it can be done’ is by example...and that one success can build on another.

Rainbow Hill Music Gala and Sustainable Shenandoah's Great Unleashing!!

2009-05-31T14:38:00.002-04:00

Solar Powered Rainbow Hill Music Gala
Saturday, June 6th, 2009
1PM to 9:30PM
2547 US Highway 211 West
Luray, Virginia 22835

Powered by Sunrnr ('Sunrunner') and cosponsored by Sustainable Shenandoah,
FirkinGood.com, SUNRNR, and Rainbow Hill. Free to the public, donations
for the bands welcome.

Come hear seven local bands perform eclectic rock and roll powered by the sun, learn what our sponsors have to offer the local community, and enjoy great food and the best beer and wine selection in Page County! Bands being presented are Book of Kills,
SLeePFeeDeR, Dead Kings Rising, Buck Gooter, PeZJacket, The Furs, and Time---all local and regional bands.

SUNRNR manufactures portable solar generators in Page County, Virginia and is harnessing the Power of the Sun to energize this music
extravaganza!

Sustainable Shenandoah advocates the sustainable relocalization of the Shenandoah Valley…’the way it used to be, only better’…through building community, supporting one another in small business endeavors, and teaching by example and educational offerings how to conserve our natural resources in anticipation of a low energy, financially volatile future.

Earth Day April 25th on the Greenway!

2009-04-12T09:39:00.001-04:00

Luray, Virginia will be celebrating Earth Day with a festival on the Hawksbill Greenway in downtown Luray on April 25th from 10-4. Highlights of the festival include speakers on a range of topics from worm farms to green building to permaculture to converting your car to veggie oil. Also, several demonstrations and information tables will offer teach-ins on how to make a composter and rain barrels, how to raise honeybees, how to make a solar oven and much more. Lots of children’s activities, food and music will be available all day and the festival is free to the public.

Meetings April 2009 Every Wed. Rainbow Hill

2009-03-28T20:19:00.001-04:00

Come at 6PM and have dinner at Rainbow Hill's wonderful cafe. All meetings begin at 7PM.

Sustainable Shenandoah April 2009 Meetings

April 1 no meeting

April 8 film screening ‘How to Save the World’ – If a picture is worth a thousand words - then this video is worth millions. Humanity will take a great stride in guaranteeing its survival if we apply the biodynamic principles expressed in the film, 'How to Save the World'. In an artistic and engaging fashion - we learn about the application of biodynamic farming in India, and how successful and economical it is when compared to expensive and destructive chemical-dependent farming. If you are into farming on a minor or major scale, or know someone who has a small garden in their backyard - the gift of this eye-opening film will be something they will forever thank you for.

April 15 – film screening ‘The Real Dirt on Farmer John’ - You get the idea you've stumbled into a different story when John Peterson, the focal point and protagonist of this little movie, is performing his work on farm machinery looking like Elton John if he had become a farmer. Flamboyantly dressed, we see a man with a colorful personality and an even more colorful past.

Since The Depression John's Scandinavian family obtained a farm in North Central Illinois where corn and hogs kept their existence simple, yet plentiful. After his father died when he was fairly young, John had to take over the farm with his mother's support and his uncle's inspiration. Determined, John like many other of his neighbors, fell upon hard times. Remembering Willie Nelson's initiatives with "Farm Aid" during the eighties, the film reminded me so much of those news reports that showed the farmer's existence being put to the way side. Like many effective documentaries, this film has home movies showing actual auctions as many American farmers lost their livelihood to real estate developers. The shift in America's agriculture is entirely accessible in this fun and informative little DVD.

Education was John's ace in the hole. He went to Beloit Community College during the hippie era and was able to recruit several friends who wanted the communal lifestyle. Artsy met earthy, and John offered a virtual paradise. Yet, differences often create suspicion, and John's neighbors started rumors that devastated him personally and financially. People started to scapegoat John for misfortunes that occurred and labeled him a Satanic cult member. At the head of the opposition was Sheriff Don, who is often interviewed and makes the story less remote and more real.

While John is resourceful, what actually transpires and how he copes is enough to see it all for yourselves. 'The Real Dirt on Farmer John' is an enjoyable experience that yields a large crop of interest.

April 22 – Local Currencies and Local Community Banking Models Around the World

April 29 - TBD

Sustainable Shenandoah Grows For Page County, VA

2009-02-26T20:59:00.002-05:00

Sustainable Shenandoah will be offering a barter arrangement, CSA shares, and sales of produce at the Farmer’s Market and daily distribution center. Sustainable Shenandoah follows stringent growing practices including the use of no chemicals, no antibiotics, no Genetically Modified Organisms, organic soil amendments, and organic or biodynamic seeds and sustainable growing practices. Our barter and CSA shares will be available next week.

We hold weekly community education meetings at Rainbow Hill every Wednesday. These meetings are open to the public. The past topics have been ‘The Risks of Genetically Modified Organisms’ and ‘Large Scale Organic Composting’ and ‘Green Composting for Your Garden.’ All materials and DVDs are available for the asking and we have a large lending library. A schedule of upcoming meetings is available at

sustainableshenandoah.blogspot.com

One of our main goals is to educate the community regarding a resource constrained future and is primarily focused on the oil and chemical dependency of our current food system, which, it is our belief, will be under severe stress given the current and future economic climate.

Upcoming Meetings Rainbow Hill Every Wed. 6PM for dinner, 7PM meetings start

2009-02-20T20:17:00.000-05:00

Feb. 25 – Chris Freeland, Sustainable Composting
Mar. 4 – Sustainable Shenandoah Group Updates
Mar. 11 – Town Hall Meeting, VFW, Luray (no meeting at Rainbow Hill – Sustainable Shenandoah members PLEASE attend)
Mar. 18 – Film ‘The Future of Food’
Mar. 25 – Permaculture (also showing 32 minute video of ‘Financial Permaculture’ from Hoenwald TN)

Meeting Notes Feb 4th 2009

2009-02-05T07:52:00.001-05:00

Sustainable Shenandoah Business Meeting notes Feb. 4 2009

The Food Group reported on its progress regarding growing. We have agreement with two property owners for use of their land and have staked out two of the three parcels. We have agreed on what to grow (largely.) Action items:

- food group to take soil samples as soon as weather permits and concurrently stake out third growing area
- order soil amendments as appropriate
- Paul to estimate fencing materials and costs based upon Kaylee’s maps
- Food group to meet and determine how much of each item to grow – NEXT WEEK
- Map what goes where per Kaylee Alger’s companion planting research; order seeds
- Solidify preliminary sustainable growing standards
- Use ‘lasagna gardening’ as an experiment to no-till planting in half of the smallest garden area
- Offer CSA type shares, labor / barter arrangement, obtain work commitments, distribution / canning
- Kaylee to research gluten free baking, Brandon to research hemp

Earth Day Group is having biweekly meetings: the next one is scheduled for February 12th, at the Playhouse, at 7PM. Minutes posted on blog. Update from last night: photography contest for ages 13-18 to be promoted. Kaylee recommends getting the information to principles for ‘announcements’ at the high schools. Action item: PR plan. See the blog for the wonderful work this group is doing.

Newsletter: will be quarterly. First one: March 2009. Susan to prepare a mockup using a six page format provided by Chris Freeland. Susan to determine printing costs (Chris Anderson to report on the availability of post consumer paper.) Susan to work on a script for Kaylee Alger, who has agreed to talk to local businesses for advertising. Kaylee needs a partner for this job. Paul Dennison to write an article on GMO. Kaylee to write an article on companion planting. Lead article will be on sustainable spring garden practices. Carol to submit wildlife articles. Joy’s photography and ‘sustainable’ quotes will frame the articles. Calendar and Earth Day info. Ongoing ‘sustainable’ column. Q and A section (we will make up the first two questions, and answer them, and encourage the community to contact us with their questions in future issues.) Highlight a local business using sustainable practices starting with Apple Cottage who won an award last year for doing so; Maureen’s restaurant also? Or in the next issue?

Next week: screening of 'Crude Impact'

Jan. 7th 2009 Meeting Notes and Action Items

2009-01-10T16:55:00.001-05:00

Sustainable Shenandoah
Business Meeting January 7, 2009
Notes and Actions

Outreach

Coleaders: Chris Freeland and Deanne Good. Other members: Joy Lorien, Carol Wallbridge, Jennifer Orenic, Brad Blanton, Kaylee Alger, Mike Alger

Purpose: to educate our community

Discussion and Actions:

The outreach plan was presented to the group, broken out into three inter-related components:

1. Outreach (contacting individuals, groups, and organizations to inform them about Sustainable Shenandoah)

2. Education (meetings held to inform community on topics related to Sustainable Shenandoah’s interests: community / economic localization, sustainability, conservation, organics, etc.)

3. Marketing (promoting Sustainable Shenandoah and its interests)

Samples of outreach tracking spreadsheets were shown to allow members of the outreach team to update who they have contacted, how, and when, and who still needs to be contacted. This will be continuously added to and updated by outreach members.

Outreach Actions:

Start messaging campaign in Page News and Courier
• Compose Letters to the Editor on Sustainable Topics in relation to local government decisions and planning for submittal on the following topics (these letters will be submitted to Susan for Review before submittal:
1. Comprehensive Plan and emphasis on sustainable agriculture
2. Why we can’t guy chickens that are grown here….how to grow them sustainably
3. Emphasis on eating healthy and how this is accomplished through local and sustainable practices
4. Hospital - Matt
5. How we can use land recently purchased to promote sust agriculture,etc.

• Deanne to ensure weekly meetings are announced in the Page News

• Start handing out flyers/Making Contact/giving presentations to groups we know of or belong to
1. Carol – Greenway and local businesses and identify garden clubs
2. Brad – distribute general and farm flyers
3. Chris – phone calls from outreach sheet and specific names discussed at the meeting for potential partnering, re-contact local co-op group in Harrisonburg.
4. Susan to present to NARFE (National Association of Retired Federal Employees) Jan. 2009

• Hold Earth Day in April 2009, sponsored by Sustainable Shenandoah
1. Develop a plan - Deanne, Carol, Jennifer, Joy. Susan to help with funding sources, coordinating resources.

• Slide library: Susan is developing a slide library concerning Sustainable Shenandoah, its goals and activities. This ‘mega’ presentation will be available to anyone who wants to present to groups they are members or know of, and should be tailored to specific audiences. The projector is also available for these presentations.

Also presented was the Community Inventory/Asset Inventory outline and corresponding spreadsheet to track what is produced by whom, how much, where, how, and where it goes (where it is sold.) This community inventory is intended to assist us in understanding various groups of people we can speak to, how, and what to say. It will also assist us in identifying new business opportunities. Everyone is asked to review the spreadsheet, posted in google docs (instructions to be circulated) and input any information they may have concerning what is produced in Page County.

For Future Development: expand Asset Inventory beyond food to include the other elements of community localization: water, energy, manufacturing, materials reuse, shelter, systems of care, transportation, security.

Education Actions

Deanne has agreed to develop the structure of Sustainable Shenandoah’s educational program and educational topics. Sustainable Shenandoah’s educational goals include ‘members’ of Sustainable Shenandoah as well as the broader community. Therefore, educational topics might include sustainable living (resource conservation,) sustainable agriculture and continuing documentary films, hands on and other related workshops.

Suggestions were made at meetings in December as follows: have the three educational monthly meetings on related topics each month. Examples: herbs: cultivation, medicinal, harvesting, preservation. Culinary, apothecary – medicinal and cosmetic, etc. Another suggestion was to have every first Wed. be ‘business’ as it is, every second Wed. be ‘sustainability’ related, the third Wed. be related to the ‘why’ of localization (peak oil, climate change, economic turmoil, highlighting a localizing community etc.) and the fourth hands on skills like fiber arts, water catchment, etc.

Other topics mentioned for meetings include wild edibles, natural pest control, Paul Dennison reporting on GMO specifics, Page County History, Valley Conservation Council, etc.

Marketing Actions

• Deanne has agreed to design a logo for use in all Sustainable Shenandoah communications.

• Development of a monthly newsletter: Joy has experience with Friends of Page Valley’s newsletter. Joy and Susan will plan and coordinate Sustainable Shenandoah’s newsletter.

Deanne has agreed to do an awful lot and is fully supported by other members of the group and Susan Guest.

Coordination Committee including Finance

Coleaders: Alice Richmond, Susan Guest (other members: Jennifer Orenic, Deanne Good, Chris Freeland)

- Funding from organizations: Jennifer Orenic is researching organizations with related interests (sustainability, localization, conservation, organics, etc.) both as part of outreach and to determine whether they can provide us with funding, and as a result whether we need to have a nonprofit entity.
- Alice Richmond presented the outline of a plan to be used in requesting funding or other assets from Page County government. Susan and Alice to prepare business plans in support of these requests.
- Susan to report on community funding concepts currently in use around the world.

Food Committee including Distribution

Coleaders: not chosen (members Alice Richmond, Susan Guest, Paul Dennison, Mike Alger, Kaylee Alger)

Paul Dennison was able to present only part of a local food plan he has prepared for Page County due to time constraints. The action items from Paul’s plan, updated to include a meeting between the Food Group in December, follows. The Food Group will meet to discuss and assign action items during January 2009.

• Develop criteria for sustainable agriculture in Page County. Charge for certification.
• Distribution center lease / acquisition research (old IGA, Rainbow Hill, industrial park-to-be)
• For profit business plan for distribution center – Alice Richmond, Susan Guest
• Identify and enlist community partner organizations and local sources of information:
- the FSA ‘disadvantaged’ loan program
- university or agency sustainable agriculture programs
- rural advancement foundation(s)
- Farm Stewardship Association
- Rare Breeds Conservancy
- Extension Office and their programs
- Grants or WIC acceptance for locally grown food
- All other local associations to assist with sustainable agriculture (use C’ville/Blue Ridge Permaculture/Rappahannock programs as guides)
- High schools, VoTech center, Lord Fairfax Community College, JMU, Virginia Tech

Food Inventory – underway.

Develop a plan to show beef producers how to keep it local / provide distribution / local processing capacity (Mike Alger)

Poultry house conversion plan for humane, free range, Sustainable Shenandoah sustainable criteria. Present to poultry farmers (contract grow for SS.) Or - convert a house ourselves. Research funding sources for R&D. Whole plan to include processing and packaging, distribution, input provision (grain, mill, hatchery.) Five houses stocked at humane standards would provide every resident of Page County one chicken per week. Susan and Alice to work on plan.

Develop a plan for a market garden. Paul, Susan, Alice

Marketing of local foods locally:
• Farmer’s Market booth
• Local grocery stores, Wal Mart?
• B&Bs, restaurants
• Local campaign to increase demand in conjunction with Eric Benfield, Luray Downtown Initiative, Chamber of Commerce

Other Committees Not Reporting Status:

Water: Chris Anderson, Joy Lorien

Energy and Manufacturing: Alice included these in her finance presentation

Materials Reuse: Kaylee Alger, Chris Freeland – develop organic compost plan

Systems of Care: Matt Douglas, Jennifer Orenic, Brad Blanton to prepare plan

Security – Carol Wallbridge, Charlie Newton, Susan Guest to prepare plan

Baltic Dry Index

2009-01-10T16:12:00.001-05:00

Posted on thecitizen.net:

I’ve been discussing the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) with everyone I can for months now. I started following it in June of 2008. It’s not a traded index so no one profits from the index itself, which makes it virtually manipulation proof. It is what it is and that doesn’t bode well for any of us.

OK, we have 26 shipping routes around the world that the BDI looks at. Shipping stocks are slaves to the BDI. Capesize Ships (over 100,000 tons) make up only 10% of the World Fleet but move 62% of Dry Bulk Traffic (at a given time Australia has 35/40, China 20, Brazil 40-50, S. Africa 1-7). Panamax Ships (60,000-80,000 tons) make up 19% of the world fleet and move 20% of the Dry Bulk Traffic (at a given time Australia has 40-60, China 20-35, Brazil 3-12, S Africa 0-1). There is a third and fourth ship size but they are quite small and they aren’t moving either.

If we can use the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) as a guide for the next 12 months of product delivery and food availability in the stores we shop in then the BDI says shelves will be virtually empty of almost every product we use each and every day.

Is the BDI is wrong it will be an historic first. The BDI is used by bankers, financial experts, brokers, traders and everyone in high end finance to assess the global financial condition and the availability of products worldwide.

The BDI has dropped 94% in a short few weeks which means raw materials, grains, ores, steel, iron, cement and all imported products for food manufacturing and product manufacturing even though we actually do very little of that here in the US.

We do make bread and other products that require grains, like cereals. We import clothing, gasoline, various fuels and, well, just about everything these days and the BDI says global shipping has shut down. NOTHING is moving.

Becausethis spells disaster for a country that produces little and imports everything I have been intently blogging about the subject and asking people to view a short video I have posted (8 minutes) on:
(http://thegreendragon.ning.com/video/video/listForContributor?screenName=1jxv7falawxzm)

The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) is an indicator of how much product is actually out for delivery throughout the world. It cannot be cheated or manipulated because it deals with actual products that are either actively being shipped, or are on docks awaiting to be shipped as Freight On Board (FOB).

As the chart below proves, back in June, 2008 the BDI stood at a reasonably healthy 11,600. As of today, the BDI has plummeted to 791. That’s about a 94% drop in goods actually being shipped worldwide.

This portends unprecedented disaster around the world, especially as it relates to food. Products are simply not being shipped. They aren't being shipped because there aren't any orders for them.

This will translate into massive, unprecedented unemployment worldwide and, as things get worse, massive food shortages.

January 2009 Events

2009-01-05T19:01:00.001-05:00

Sustainable Shenandoah January 2009 Schedule of Events
We meet every Wednesday at Rainbow Hill, Luray, VA
Come for dinner at RH’s wonderful café at 6PM; all meetings begin at 7PM.

Jan. 7 - Sustainably Localizing Page County
Review (or setting) of committee missions, goals, and action plans. Selection of coleaders. Progress reports. Specific discussions: community inventory, contacts for outreach (Chris Freeland to report,) marketing: logo design and monthly newsletter (Susan can describe the process, volunteers needed to run with this project!) Do we need a nonprofit component to obtain funding from possible partner organizations (Jennifer Orenic?) The food group (Paul Dennison.) Education – set meetings for Jan. Feb. Mar. Community investment to be discussed but will have its own meeting Jan. 21st (tentative.)

NOTE: these three are subject to change. I have not heard from anyone in the Education group regarding any meetings they may have scheduled. We will discuss this Wed. Jan. 7th!! These are only suggestions:

Jan. 14 – Documentary Film ‘Crude Awakening’

Jan. 21 – Sustainable Local Economies. What does that mean? How do they work? Why relocalization? Community investment alternatives including Ithaca Hours and Berkshares.

Jan. 28 – Documentary Film ‘The Future of Food’

The Ponzi Scheme as a Way of Life

2008-12-22T06:40:00.002-05:00

From http://sharonastyk.com/:

I’m sorry, I’m having a bit of trouble getting all outraged about Bernie Madoff and his ponzi scheme. Yes, I’m shocked. Shocked and appalled. You mean, someone was offering a scheme in which you pay present day participants with the funds of those who come in later, and then it fell apart. Gosh, that seems so unprecedented.

Yeah, I feel bad for those who were taken in, particularly for charities that lost their funds. But no worse than for those who lost their 401Ks or their pension funds on the stock market, for cities and states that can’t sell municipal bonds, and I feel far worse for the poor, who never had a glimmer of getting to participate in the get-rich-quick ponzi scheme that was a stockmarket that everyone said could have perpetual growth forever.

Madoff may be a criminal, but he’s a criminal in large part because he’s engaging in a particular form of ponzi scheme that we look down upon, one small enough to be called illegal. In general, we’re pretty comfortable with ponzi models -we live, quite happily, in a ponzi economy, one in which the concept of perpetual economic growth is sold, divvied up again and resold. We live in a Ponzi ecology where we borrow constantly against the future to pay for our present affluence.

Is this truly a Ponzi scheme? I think the answer is yes - a Ponzi scheme never really generates new wealth, it simply relies on a constant stream of new money. And since the eco-Ponzi economy relies most of all on reducing the capacity of future generations to live well - because natural resources and associated wealth are already drawn down, I think that it does meet the criteria at both the economic and ecological levels.

Most of us have been putting our money into 401Ks and Mutual funds, and now that money is disappearing - and it is disappearing again, because we live in a Ponzi economy, one in which new funds can, for a while, conceal the bankruptcy of a society that draws down its natural resources and leverages both its ecology and economy past bearing. Thus we get the mantra, as Bob Waldrop wisely observes, investing is saving that we all belong in the stock market:

“Lie the First: Money in the stock market is “savings”.

Reality: Money in the stock market is “speculation”. You buy a stock on the speculation that it will go up and you will sell it later at a profit and in the meantime, maybe get a regular dividend. It can also be considered casino gambling. It is not savings as we generally define the term, since it can be here today and gone five minutes later.

Lies the Second and Third: Everyone should be in the stock market. You can’t afford to NOT be in the stock market.

Reality: The stock market is only for people with money to gamble. People with debts and small savings should not be in the stock market. The former should pay the debts, including their mortgages first. The latter should wait until they have substantial savings before they decide to risk a small amount of their assets in the stock market.

The stock market game is rigged against the average small investor. With the way accounting rules and etc are these days, there are lots of ways that corporations can hide important information. Just ask some of the Lehman’s stockholders about that.

Lie the Fourth: Buy and hold is the smart strategy. Over time, the stock market always goes up.

Reality: That’s not the way the rich make their money in the stock market. They buy stocks when they are cheap and sell them when they are expensive. The “always goes up” comment is usually coupled with a comparison of two dates and the stock market index values on those dates. Compared to the history of economics, there is no way that we can say with total truth that the market over time will always go up. Where are the investments in the stock exchanges of the Roman Empire these days? And a rise in a stock market index may have nothing to do with the performance of individual stocks or mutual funds. Ask the stockholders of Enron about that. Or the stockholders of corporations that made horse-drawn carriages.”

I don’t blame people who were constantly told that they’d need X million dollars to keep living into their old age, and if they didn’t have it, would find themselves freezing and starving for believing this, but it is how the Ponzi economy works. It relies on the idea that you are doing something good by feeding your dollars into corporate coffers, and that your money is still really yours. Those are both false truths. And they are built on ponzi model they pay out to the earliest investors (why, for example, wealth is increasingly concentrated in the hands of older folks) while offering nothing to those unlucky enough to get in late.

I had one of those “duh” moments yesterday as I was doing a radio show - I made a point I’ve made many times before - that growth capitalism in general and the real estate bubble in particular depended heavily on the idea that we can’t live together, that everyone has to own their own separate household. So the rise in average material living space from 250 square feet per person in 1950 to 850 square feet for each warm body in 2000 was in part a product of the constant message that living together with one’s family or friends was a measure of failure.

This point I’ve written about a number of times - but somehow I’d never quite fully grasped the corollary point, which I found myself articulating on the fly - that the Ponzi economy depends on an endless supply of laborers, laborers who wouldn’t quit because they can’t. And that means that the cost of living - of basic needs like housing, food and transportation have to be kept high - because otherwise people might notice that serving corporate masters isn’t the best or only way to live their lives. Those 850 square feet, and the costs associated with them, and the problems of housing the ordinary stuff we “require” for daily life in 250 square feet means that the cost of housing for ordinary people is dramatically high - so high that we must devote most our time to the corporate economy, so high we then have no time to do work in the informal economy, so high that we can never, ever think about whether there are any better choices out there.

We’re going to try and rescue the economy with another Ponzi scheme - with borrowing against our children’s future wealth to protect financial institutions and invest in some good things and some bad ones. This, of course, is the oldest ponzi scheme of all, and you can make the argument that some human societies have been playing this game for a very long time. We’ve been doing it with natural resources and are continuing to do so, and we’re also expanding the share of our children’s wealth we’re willing to borrow against. After all, what have future generations ever done for us? They might as well serve some purpose - to pay off our debt.

And of course we’ve got the best possible reason for this - we’re in a crisis. There’s always a good reason for taking just a little more of what belongs to the future - to bring people out of poverty, to resolve this or that crisis. Of course, the crisis was caused by borrowing against our children’s inheritence of natural resources, but more of the same is now necessary. A good Ponzi scheme always needs new investors - and if none are going to volunteer, well, let’s volunteer them. We’ll use the to prop up the stock market and today’s version of the Roman chariot business.

Our ecology and our economy all fundamentally are built on a Ponzi scheme in which we can never make enough to keep up - we are always losing ground, always having to steal from further down the line of our posterity. At the same time, we justify their forcible participation in this speculation by saying that we are protecting them - we have to protect them from a Depression, so it is worth risking their future. But, of course, if you actually care about your children and grandchildren, you don’t ask them to make sacrifices you aren’t prepared to make. Fundamentally, we’re covering our own asses, and asking our kids to do it for us.

And that’s, well, evil, to put it bluntly. It is precisely the opposite of what parents are supposed to do for their children, and what present generations are supposed to do for the future. As David Orr observes in his superb essay “Loving Children: A Design Problem” living in a world in which we do not act as though we love our children (despite our endless assertions that we do) does them deep, moral harm. It lessens us, but more importantly, it doesn’t just physically impoverish our children, it morally impoverishes them too.

Dec. 3rd - First 'Official Business Meeting'

2008-12-04T17:49:00.005-05:00

I was delighted to see the first 'official' business meeting of Sustainable Shenandoah so well attended by interested members of our growing community! The meeting on December 3rd made the case for localization, reviewed what other communities are doing to localize, and proposed a structure for the organization of Sustainable Shenandoah. Though this was done during meetings held in August, in four short months we find ourselves in a different world: finance, manufacturing, and our industrial food system are in collapse, and 450 communities have requested 'Transition Town' status since the publication of Rob Hopkins' 'The Transition Handbook' in April 2008. The need to localize, on a community level, is being recognized around the world and spreading like wildfire, and I'm grateful for the work others are doing and sharing with us.

The meeting attendees are tasked with reviewing localizing communities' websites according to their areas of interest and preparing action plans to be presented at the January business meeting. GULP's localized food action model was given to all attendees as an example of an action plan to localize food, and each group should prepare something similar. I'll be forwarding ideas to each group cut from Sustainable Shenandoah's business plan and working with them throughout the month.

The groups discussed last night are as follows:

Coordination Committee
Jennifer Orenic
Susan Guest
Deanne Good
Chris Freeland

Community Education
Deanne Good
Joy Lorien
Brad Blanton

Outreach
Joy Lorien
Carol Wallbridge
Deanne Good
Jennifer Orenic
Chris Freeland
Brad Blanton

Marketing
Kaylee Alger

Finance
Alice Richmond
Susan Guest

Distribution Center
Mike Alger
Alice Richmond
Susan Guest

Food
Kaylee Alger
Mike Alger
Paul Dennison
Susan Guest

Water
Joy Lorien
Chris Anderson

Energy
Alice Richmond

Manufacturing
Alice Richmond

Materials Reuse
Kaylee Alger

Shelter: nobody

Systems of care
Matt Douglas
Jennifer Orenic
Brad Blanton

Transportation: nobody

Security
Carol Wallbridge
Susan Guest

The Coordination Committee will review whether other groups are desired and whether some should be combined. All other Sustainable Shenandoah fans who were not present last night will be put into their groups as they express their interest, as will all new 'recruits!'

At the January meeting, we will also be determining 'meeting protocol' and consensus building. Minimally for every meeting held by Sustainable Shenandoah going forward, the following will apply:

All Wednesday meetings at Rainbow Hill are the primary public interface of Sustainable Shenandoah and are where the public will be directed to in order to learn more about sustainable localization and to participate in community localization. New attendees should be encouraged to introduce themselves and be introduced to other attendees. A brief overview of the mission, goals, and activities of Sustainable Shenandoah should be given at every meeting for the benefit of new attendees. An atmosphere of warmth and community camaraderie must be nurtured and everyone is encouraged to express themselves freely, ask questions, and find understanding. Having said that, I also like what Willits' meeting protocol says: speak clearly, to the point, and without put-downs. Don't interrupt. Be courteous. Work toward a middle ground when two seemingly opposing viewpoints are presented. Hostility stifles creativity (and most everything else) and is not conducive to finding agreement or community building.

In addition: it's only fair that we take care of George and Nita who so generously allow us the use of their space each Wednesday. Please remember the donation jar!

For the next two Community Education meetings we will be showing 'The World According to Monsanto' and 'The Future of Food.' Looking forward to seeing community at Rainbow Hill!

About Sustainable Shenandoah

2008-10-01T11:18:00.002-04:00

Sustainable Shenandoah
Building Community Self Sufficiency and Strengthening
the Local Economy of Page County

Sustainable Shenandoah is a group of like minded people, businesses and organizations located in Page County, Virginia with sustainable localization as our mission. We are approaching this in two different ways: providing for members of our group, and providing for the broader community.

Sustainable Shenandoah is concerned with finding solutions that will insulate us from volatile financial markets, oil and commodities prices and the possible results, starting with soaring food costs and likely shortages given corporate agriculture's complete dependence on these inputs. The solution? Develop local resources!! Our group is concerned with learning about how to grow sustainably (with a commitment to move toward no petroleum or chemical inputs,) how to achieve energy independence, how to cowshare and make cheese, learning about wild edibles, etc. We hold meetings every Wednesday at Rainbow Hill in Luray and the schedule for October is:

October 1 - film screening 'The Power of Community - How Cuba Survived Peak Oil'
October 8 - Solar Power guest speaker Dr. John Dedman
October 15 - Garden Planning guest speaker Paul Dennison
October 22 - film screening 'King Corn'
October 29 - Guest Speaker Shenandoah Sustainable Technologies President Zach Fettig (getting off grid in your new or existing home, rain and greywater management, etc.)

Sustainable Shenandoah's broader mission is to localize Page County. This is a tremendous undertaking described below, and is separate from our group meetings. Please contact me (Susan Guest, 540-743-7040) if you would like more information on the localization model coming into being for Page County...and come to Rainbow Hill every Wed. at 6PM for dinner and camaraderie, and the meetings start at 7PM!!
__________________________________
Sustainable Shenandoah, L.L.C. is a for profit organization with a not for profit component structured to foster a county wide alliance of local citizens, organizations, independently owned businesses and primary employers, as well as the county government, united together to develop a more resilient, self reliant Page County.

We are a catalyst for the (re) localization of Page County and the development of local self reliance in food, water, energy, shelter, transportation, manufacturing, systems of care, and economy, to re-engineer community to ‘The Way It Used To Be, Only Better.’

MISSION, GOALS, AND VALUES
Sustainable Shenandoah’s mission statement is:

The sustainable localization of Page County through partnering with similarly aligned individuals and organizations while seeking to identify, fund and coordinate sustainable business endeavors.

It must be stressed that including ‘Page County’ in the mission statement is NOT a limiting factor but simply used to provide a geographic boundary which in turn will define population, available natural resources, and an inventory of available goods, services, and talents. When we do not find resources internally we will seek to provide funding for qualified candidates willing to reskill outside of the community in order to bring the skills back and enhance our local endeavors.

The word ‘localization’ means providing for local needs locally. This is a far reaching vision where, over time, we will strive to develop a sustainable infrastructure incrementally according to a hierarchy of needs, beginning with food, while integrating and working out to water, shelter, energy, health and waste management, and eventually encompassing manufacturing and transportation. To provide for nutritional requirements not readily able to be met in Page County (coffee, citrus, etc.) we will seek to foster Fair Trade relations and over time source alternative local sustainable products (tea, rosehips.)

Sustainable Shenandoah initially seeks to intellectually protect and fund prototype operations in support of clean, holistically grown food to include the following areas: fruit and vegetable operations (greenhouses, gardens, orchards,) a microdairy operation, sustainable egg and meat poultry production, grass fed beef, hog, lamb, and buffalo, local slaughter capacity, and additionally intends to acquire a distribution center.

As these initial businesses prove successful, our intent is to franchise these operations throughout Page County (and further) to meet the nutritional requirements of the entire population of the county. To the extent that local, sustainable, organic production exceeds community demand at any time, our intent will be to source appropriate markets outside the local community to achieve profitability requirements which may be modified as local demand increases to meet local supply. We will also seek to franchise the model of Sustainable Shenandoah to like minded communities around the world.

We strive to provide food security to Page County and to lessen and eventually eliminate reliance on necessities that are currently brought into Page County. This is not paranoia but simple prudence as we face an uncertain economic era brought about by volatile fuel and commodities prices that leave us vulnerable to events outside our control.

Look for future announcements concerning our local banking and self insurance initiatives in support of sustainable community localization.

Action Items From Sept. 24th Meeting

2008-09-25T16:44:00.001-04:00

Action Items from last night's meeting:

Susan to secure the domain name sustainableshenandoah.com
Ryanne and Jay to host on their server
Ryanne and Jay to link the blog, forum, and wiki to the website
Calendar we can all post events to - Jay, Ryanne, everyone
Online map containing members' contact information and physical location (and I think it's important to have a hard copy as well) - Jay, Ryanne, Susan
Book Sleepfeeder and The Furs at Rainbow Hill, and PROMOTE - Casey, Doc, Steve, George, Nita
Redesign flyer and produce business cards - Deanne, Susan, Dane, Jay, Ryanne, Steve
Advertise / promote our October events to the public (please feel free to help with titles, better descriptions, etc.:) -

October 1st - film screening 'Power of Community' http://www.powerofcommunity.org/cm/index.php
October 8th - Guest Speaker - Solar Power
October 15th - Paul Dennison - Gardening
October 22nd - Group Update
October 29th - film Screening 'King Corn' http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/kingcorn/

Todd to prioritize group curriculum / areas of interest: alternative energy, gardening ( from planning to harvest and preservation), water (hand pumps, rainwater collection and irrigation, greywater utilization,) woodstoves, dairy/cheesemaking, primitive skills, wild edibles, transportation/alternative fuels, frugal living, winterizing / making our homes energy efficient (add anything I missed)

Outreach - everyone we encounter, and we need to create our 'encounters,' we need to inform, educate, invite to our meetings, give presentations to groups, etc.- everyone

I LOVED last night's meeting. We were all witness to collective genius coming forth. Susan

Additional item not directly addressed in group:

The task of community inventory is an ongoing one. Continue to populate this inventory with any and all information we can gather. Chris Freeland, Susan and Dane are working to identify sources and uses of land in the county including the physical assets of each. This "asset mapping" will include home-sites with land up to commercial property that is not currently in use ( i.e. plants, warehouses, small scale manufacturing facilities, etc.) The inventory is not a focus on land and property, however, but it is an item not to be overlooked during the process. Steve, Jay, and Ryanne and everyone are working to populate the wiki with local businesses / services / skills.

Sept. 17th Meeting Rainbow Hill

2008-09-25T16:42:00.001-04:00

6PM food and drink and 7PM meeting!!

Jay and Ryanne will be taking us through Sustainable Shenandoah's forum - how to log on, to post, its structure, etc. We will also learn how to become part of the email user group, and learn how to use the online group inventory and calendar.

Next we will watch a great mini film (20 minutes) called 'The Story of Stuff.'

During the second hour we will be working toward a definitive food localization plan for our group. This will be a fun, interactive forum where we interview each other (and take notes) with respect to: what do we have (stuff as well as skills - acreage, fruit trees, tools, permaculture design knowledge, a tractor with implements) and also solidify who is willing to do what in support of this effort, and how (I have an extra acre I could plant in exchange for workshare or meat chickens, etc.) We will also be looking at (and documenting) our individual consumption of food items so that for our meeting the following week we can produce a plan that tells us, for example, that we need x number of acres planted in wheat, and ask, who is willing to do this?

See you tonight! Susan

September 10th Meeting 6/7PM Rainbow Hill

2008-09-09T16:37:00.003-04:00

Come eat at 6PM at Rainbow Hill and the meeting will begin at 7!

The most important element of localization is community rebuilding – the rebuilding of relationships and mutual reliance and trust and social cohesion that suburbia, long commutes, the need to work more than one job, globalization, cheap plastic toxic throwaways from China and mindless electronic devices took from us. Some of you have expressed the view that if you don’t have cucumbers or carpentry skills, you don’t know where you fit into Sustainable Shenandoah. To hear the call is to already belong.

The concept of localization begins with our individual properties and choices regarding how to live sustainably, flows into how we can help each other both individually (hand well pumps, greenhouses, raised beds, chicken tractors, permaculture / edible landscapes, etc.) and collectively (cowshare program for the 50 of us, barnraisings, etc.) and THEN moves out into the broader community. To eat locally, seasonally, toxin free and without (eventually) reliance on petroleum is no longer a ‘want’ – it’s an imperative in order to insulate ourselves from raw materials prices (oil, corn, steel) that are up from 200% to 1000% since we entered the new millenium.

Tomorrow night’s meeting will consist of us breaking into groups as we did a few meetings back where we begin with a vision of a totally localized Page County. What WOULD that look like? We will then step back and ask: what do we need to learn – and do - to get there (curriculum development and reskilling) and what can we teach each other and the broader community? And what assets do we need to get there (our group and community inventory – available land for sale or rent, equipment and animals, etc.) again building out from our individual properties, then to the 50 of us, then into the broader community?

Pretend that you have the ability to totally redesign your life (you do, you know. Well, put it this way. If you don’t, who does?) Can you think of an area you would be in bliss in for the rest of your life that pertains to sustainable localization? Are you willing to accept a loan that will enable you to reskill, perhaps outside the community but we’ll look internally first, that you will bring back to the community, in support of sustainable localization (remembering that localization is bigger than food, but food is where we will begin?) Or work for someone who will? Are you willing to accept a loan that will enable you to open a business in support of sustainable localization?

I look forward to tapping into our collective genius and moving toward a common vision with tangible actions we can take individually and as a group tomorrow night. Susan

PS we will also look at the business model (both for and not for profit) that's evolving due to investor interest that will enable us to get money into Sustainable Shenandoah in order to provide clean, local, seasonal food for ourselves and eventually, the County. But we won't spend too much time here as the plan is in its infancy and involves some patentable processes that are still in the conceptual stage, but that we are working on full time to bring to life. Our vision WILL be reality. And soon.

Sustainable Shenandoah Sept. 3rd Meeting - Guest Speaker (and It’s Not Susan This Time!!)

2008-08-29T10:53:00.001-04:00

Come early to Rainbow Hill and eat and drink at 6PM and our meeting will start at 7PM. Reminder: we will be holding meetings every Wednesday beginning with next Wednesday’s meeting. Some will be planning and brainstorming sessions for SS and others will be guest speakers, documentary films, etc. We expect to have a schedule available soon.

There is a localization group in Rappahannock County we’ve been in communication with this week and Cory Koral will be coming to discuss Getting Off the Grid / Greening Your Home. Cory built an off grid home on his beautiful Jordan River Farm (http://www.jordanriverfarm.com/) and will be discussing the following:

Assessing your home’s energy usage
Steps you can take to reduce your energy usage
How to do your own site survey
Hand pumps for your water requirements, rainwater collection and filtration, solar, wind, hydropower, etc. and
What his localization group in Rappahannock is doing…among other things!!

Cory is offering a farm visit to see what he’s done with his off grid home and to show us and discuss what he has done in the past with grass fed beef, dairy, and chickens. He will ask for a show of hands as to whether Saturday or Sunday (Sept. 13th or 14th) works best for a road trip to Rappahannock!! His farm, Jordan River, is 325+ acres and was one of the first certified organic farms in the early 1970s and has operated organically for over 30 years.

I expect this meeting will be just the first knowledge share we do with Cory and his Rappahannock localization group!!

See you Wednesday!! Susan

Sustainable Shenandoah Meeting August 20th Rainbow Hill

2008-08-13T18:13:00.002-04:00

Come early (at 6PM) and enjoy great food and community camaraderie and our meeting will begin at 7PM!!

This meeting will begin with consensus as to Sustainable Shenandoah’s mission statement and then continue with discussing our organizational structure. I’ll be sharing specifics on what other communities are doing to localize and then provide a proposed framework for us incorporating last week’s great input. The broad categories are, and this is probably not complete, we will fill it in and flesh it out at the meeting, including the components of each category, so bring your ideas:

Organization / Management
Outreach and Education
Finance
Food (I have about a hundred subcategories here)
Water
Energy
Transportation
Shelter
Health
Security
Clothing

I will then be asking that everyone sign up to be part of the organization based upon your individual areas of interest. I would like to see at least two to three or more people sign up for each category (and I have ‘Food’ broken into dozens we will be discussing, and you can and should sign up for more than one category) and then have one person in each group accept a leadership role with responsibility for coordinating the group’s efforts and reporting to the whole (Sustainable Shenandoah) group at each of our subsequent meetings. For example, Susan wants to help coordinate Organization / Management, work in Lee’s greenhouse and garden (Food), be part of our food distribution process, take lots of classes / attend presentations offered between and amongst ourselves and those we bring in to teach us what they are doing, teach others what I know about alpacas and llamas and fiber and chickens and ducks (Education,) assist in writing business plans and all aspects of funding and finance, and I am willing to take a leadership role in Management and the private (individual) sources of Finance and provide direction as to the public sources of Finance.

I imagine this process will leave some categories with no one or only one person in them. This is wonderful information for our ‘Outreach and Education’ folks to determine who we need to actively recruit into the group and / or what we need to learn and have experts come give presentations on and also help with the community inventory!!

Next, I would like to report on all localization efforts that I have taken part in since our last meeting, and would like updates from anyone who has any to share.

We are really pulling this together and I have the sense that after this next meeting, our momentum will explode!! See you next week, Susan

Example - Economic Model for Community Farming

2008-08-01T09:21:00.002-04:00

Introduction

As the energy crisis and climate pollution deepens and the need becomes more acute to get local food production and a local food system up and running, we need to know about new ways of creating and operating farms. The 100% community based farm represents a completely new way to organize food production in contrast to the market based agricultural system that we have now which often does not take very good care of the farmer, the land, the climate, or the eaters.

When a group of eaters/prosumers come together and pool money to support the operating budget of a particular, local, diversified farm, and then share in eating the food that is produced, a stable economic basis is achieved which often cannot be achieved through the market system. In effect, the community of people eating from the farm are not buying food, but rather partnering with the farmer in creating and operating the farm. There are many roles they can play – from simply providing a share of the budget and eating the food to serving on an advisory board to define the farm crop plan, the farming and energy practices, address land and capitol issues, and facilitate communication through the newsletter, website, and member outreach and farm celebrations. Through this involvement, people can play a conscious and active role in forming and manifesting a new food system.

Associative Economics

In order to have a healthy agriculture we have to have a healthy economic process. The real cost of food is actually based on the cost of taking care of the needs of the farmer and the land on a long term sustainable basis which is often not indicated by the current market economic “bottom line”. The associative economic practices employed by CBF’s transform the economic process underlying agriculture from being directed by mechanistic “bottom line” self interest economic forces to an economic process which is directed by the good of the community as a whole – oriented towards meeting the needs of the earth, the farmer, and the eaters and reflecting human values and long term stewardship.

In practical terms this is accomplished through presenting the farm’s annual operating budget to the members and using it as a communication tool so that members can become aware of the actual costs of operating the farm and the state of its economic well being. The operating budget has the greatest clarity in a farm that distributes 100% of its produce through its members. If a farm is not wholly community based and has 75% of its product going to a member community and the other 25% going to markets, then it could possibly create some clarification by separating 25% of its gross income and expenses from the budget presented to members.

A farm that is operated with these associative economic practices is a social business which, although it may pay back initial investors, does not have a goal of paying dividends or accruing capital to private investors, and in that way is akin to a non-profit organization. It does have a goal of providing an adequate living for the farmers and maintaining the land and infrastructure in good condition. Also each farm is serving its member community and is not in competition with its neighbor farm when each farm has its own member base to carry the operation of the farm. In partnering with the farmer, the members share in the natural risks and benefits of the harvest and secure the development and future of local farms.

Proposal

This is a proposal for initiating and developing an organization in Mendocino county for educating the public about Community Based Farming and promoting development of local Community Based Farms.

This organization would:

1. Promote awareness of CBF principals and practices through on farm field/education days at existing CBFs and presentations about CBF at “local food venues”.

2. Ask for volunteers who would like to:

a. Participate in administering the organization

b. Participate in the initiative by becoming members of a CBF

c. Participate by being CBF farmers in the CBF format.

d. Collate the threshold number of members to provide the beginning economic base for a given farm operation and match with an appropriate farmer.

e. Create land access for CBF farming through a Land Link type program which registers and facilitates matches between land owners/retiring farmers and farmers seeking farms/land.

f. Enlist civic/gov. recognition and support.

g. Organize/participate/present in education workshops on CBF for farmers; for members/core group members.

Community Based Farming Definition/Standard

a. Growing practices are broadly ecological-strengthening and healing the life forces of the earth and the air-ie.at least organic or biodynamic growing.

b. The farm distributes at least 50% of its produce through a member community and grows at least 75% of the produce on the farm.

c. The farm supports the development of conscious relationships between the members and the farm through core group/planning meetings, open house field days, farm celebrations or other direct interaction with members to encourage community awareness and cooperation.

d. Several farms cooperate with the same member community to offer a wider range of foods maintaining transparency of relationship by each farm making its own direct offering of, for instance, a vegetable supply, tree fruit, grains and beans, meat, winter vegetables, cheese, berries and nuts, vegetable oil, etc., rather than one farm acting asa middle man for unrelated farms.

Comments

Retail outlets, farmers markets, and CBFs all have important, but different rolls to fulfill in a local food system. They can be mutually complementary and we want to have and promote all of them. CBFs can create a secure staple food supply for members, but there will also be additional quantities or other items that members will obtain at stores or markets. Not all farmers want to incorporate the level of community and personal interaction that is a fundamental part of the CBF concept. Also beginning and less experienced farmers may be better off with the farmers market because they can focus on fewer crops and don’t have the pressure of trying to meet the needs of a committed community of members.

However, when a farmer reaches the point of wanting to produce food for people as a full time and long term vocation, then he/she will be looking for the economic stability that a CBF can generate so that the farmer can see a secure future in farming for themselves and the next generation. Also, because a CBF creates a much more conscious and committed relationship between the eater and the grower it has a much deeper capacity to educate people about agriculture and foster social change.

Currently there are people and organizations locally promoting retail and farmer’s markets on KZYX , in the papers, and with events. Now it is time to generate greater public understanding and awareness, and support for CBF so that it can develop and manifest a greater number of viable local farms.

Steve Decater, Live Power Community Farm, 2/23/08

Contact Sign Up List

Are you interested in promoting/participating in Community Based Farming in the county in the following ways?

Further discussion/administration

Becoming a member of a CBF

Becoming a CBF farmer

Attending/organizing CBF workshop

If so, please send us an email at livepower@igc.org. Be sure to include your name, address, phone, and e-mail address.

Additional Links

http://www.livepower.org// Please see, About the Farm-Creating Local Sustainable Farms

http://www.equiterre.org/ Please see Ecological Agriculture

Localization Meeting August 6th, 7PM, Rainbow Hill

2008-07-25T17:17:00.004-04:00

A BIG “thank you” to everyone who attended either or both of Sustainable Shenandoah’s two part ‘Introduction to Localization’ films and discussions at Rainbow Hill!! I am just delighted with the degree of interest shown by you all and as agreed all of our subsequent meetings will be working sessions. The next meeting (Wednesday, August 6, 7PM, Rainbow Hill) will be to continue to report our findings on the community inventory, but to better inform our work in this area we need to agree, as a group, on a mission statement.

Sustainable Shenandoah’s basic mission statement currently is ‘sustainable localization.’ This means producing locally what we need locally, in a manner that leaves our resources as they were or better than when we started. This in turn means to be as organic / biodynamic as we can, to lessen and eventually eliminate our dependence on petroleum products (NO to artificial chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, while also working toward reducing our reliance on petroleum / natural gas inputs. And YES to companion and rotational planting, green manuring, composting, etc.)

To further flesh out the mission statement we need an assessment of the views of the group’s attendees starting with the following:

What is the PRIMARY reason you are interested in localization?
A) To make money
B) Health benefits of growing and eating locally
C) Community camaraderie
D) Food and other petroleum dependent products may become too expensive, rationed or unavailable
E) Other

What is the region we want to localize?
A) Page County?
B) Some subset of Page County? Which? How to determine?
C) The subset of Page County who attends Sustainable Shenandoah’s meetings, their families and friends?
D) Other

The consensus on these questions will inform the following:

What resources does the region / group have? How much (please add to this list)
- available land
- water / irrigation, collection
- poultry (specify) for meat / eggs / reproduction (incubation)
- cows for beef
- cows for dairy
- a dairy / milk processing into butter, cheese, etc.
- pigs
- lamb
- fish
- buffalo
- grain (specify)
- grain mill
- bakery
- fruit (specify)
- vegetables (specify)
- herbs: culinary AND medicinal (specify)
- canning / preserving facilities
- processing facilities (slaughterhouse, smokehouse, etc.)
- storage / distribution facilities
- distillery
- mushrooms
- greenhouses
- saw mill
- fencing materials
- building supplies (barns, roofs, windows, etc.)
- SKILLS: what you currently have, what you can teach, what you would like to do / learn

This in turn will inform the following:

What would we need to do to keep the items produced in the region, in the region? EG ‘eat local’ promotion, agreements with local restaurants and institutions like schools, hospitals, nursing homes, grocery stores (or our own store!! Susan’s pet project is, eventually, ‘Valley Naturals,’ our own grocery, clothing, implements, personal care, etc. supermart with EVERYTHING produced sustainably in our ‘region’ for sale/trade/barter/work exchange)
What is missing? / What do we need to produce in order to localize?
How can we provide what is missing?
Where will the money come from?

The meeting will begin with (re)introductions and then we will break into groups of 4 or 5. Each group will discuss the mission statement and reach consensus and report in turn to the larger group. The larger group will then reach consensus based upon the input from the smaller groups, and we will have a mission statement!!

Next, and I expect this to continue over the next several meetings…we collect the inventory, plan, raise money, and WORK!!

Please check out our new forum at:

http://shenandoah.lefora.com
And post away under the following topics!!

Available skills
Skills wanted
Available food items
Food items wanted
Other Items Available
Other Items Wanted

PLEASE make sure when you recommend yourself (and especially others) that you/they are LOCAL, and SUSTAINABLE, and ORGANIC or working towards being organic / biodynamic. See you on August 6th!! Feel free to call 743-7040, and/or post to the blog or forum!!

July 23rd Meeting Screening was Packed!

2008-07-24T13:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone for coming the Rainbow Hill for the localization meeting. See this post about details for next meeting and check out the forum and give it a go. Let's start talking about the community assessment!

Localization Meeting July 23, 2008, 7PM, Rainbow Hill

2008-07-16T15:24:00.002-04:00

This meeting will be the second of our two part ‘Introduction to Localization’ series and the group will continue to meet every other Wednesday through 2008 with defined plans for future action to localize our community. Don’t worry if you missed the first meeting; the next paragraph summarizes what we covered last week and it’s NEVER too late to join!! Next Wednesday after beginning with (re)introductions we will watch the film ‘Relocalize Now!’ featuring Julian Darley of relocalize.net (excellent website!) and reserve plenty of time for discussion and planning after the film (see below.) Future meetings will be planning and action oriented.

Our first meeting highlighted the urgency of localization; with the price of oil up 1300% this decade, and 100% in one year, some of the things we regularly buy (like food) will become cost prohibitive, or even unavailable. The solution? Grow local – and KEEP it local.

Next week’s meeting will highlight the ‘how’ of localization. How do we come together as a community to provide for our community’s needs? As well as have some fun, work hard, make some money and get to know our neighbors?

We begin with a community inventory, starting with food:

What food and food inputs are grown here, how, by whom, and what happens to them?
What would be required to keep them local?
What do we need to add to ensure a complete local SUSTAINABLE food system?
Who in the community has the skills to teach us what we need to know to round out our sustainable local food production?
Who is willing to learn these skills, and start and run businesses to support local, sustainable food production and distribution?
Where will the money come from?

Please send in any information you may have regarding the above items prior to the meeting via return email and/or come prepared to discuss these items in depth after the film; Sustainable Shenandoah will organize the community inventory information which in turn will provide a plan for implementing sustainable local food production (and needs a cadre of volunteers to help, so come prepared to sign up for that!)

The focus on food is a natural place to start given the enormous price increases in commodities that go into our current (nonlocal) food system, but the analysis and actions we need to take as a community do not end there. Sustainable Shenandoah needs expert volunteers (or those willing to become experts) in the areas of water, energy, transportation, and waste management / recycling, to name a few, so come prepared to talk about your area of current or desired expertise, as well.

Please feel free to call 743-7040 (Susan Guest) with questions, suggestions, information – and to RSVP!! And note that this ‘localization group’ will never be fixed and set and welcomes everyone, any time!! It’s not community without you!! See you on the 23rd!!

July 9th Screening- A Huge Success

2008-07-10T17:19:00.008-04:00

The zucchini bread was fresh, the documentary about peak oil was depressing (in a good way of course) and the people were ready to start localizing Page County as soon as possible. Join us for the next meet up on July 23rd at Rainbow Hill when we'll be screening Relocalize Now! with Julian Darley, founder of Post Carbon Institute.

Check out all these Valley folks who want to start localizing!
We want YOU!

July 9th Screening at Rainbow Hill!

2008-07-09T11:48:00.005-04:00

On Wednesday July 9, 2008 we will be screening Crude Awakening- The Oil Crash

7pm Rainbow Hill
2547 US Highway 211 W, Luray, VA 22835
For more info and to RSVP call (540) 743-7040

Print Out The Flyer:

What is Localization?

2008-07-08T11:20:00.001-04:00

Localization means producing and distributing goods and services, as completely as possible, within a defined geographic area. Localization makes sense both from an economic and community building perspective. Localization can be as focused as a community garden where the expenses are shared and the results are distributed proportionally, or as broad as a community striving for complete self sufficiency from food to fuel to clothing and building supplies.

The decision to localize makes sense from many perspectives. In 2007, the geopolitical factors indicate that, at worst, fuel prices become prohibitively expensive and translate into higher food prices and that some things become unavailable altogether. At best, we all learn to be more self sufficient and take pride in producing what we need and in keeping our money within the community, for the benefit of the community.

In order to properly assess the degree of successful localization, several parameters must be determined. They are:

- geographic area of coverage (eg Page County)
- demand for goods and services
- what is produced locally
- what is ‘imported’

If we focused on food and the investment we would need to make locally to provide for the local community, we would look at production in our community and how much stays here for local consumption, and what is shipped out, and what we import from outside the community to satisfy our local requirements. Wouldn’t it be absurd to find that we produce exactly enough beef to supply 100% of our local requirements, yet shipped that out to Texas only to buy it back from Wal Mart and Food Lion who shipped it back to us from Texas again?

This analysis would extend to everything the community consumes and there are several layers to the analysis. How much of our consumption is necessities, and how much discretionary? What do we produce locally, and of which, how much is consumed locally and how much is shipped out? What do we ship in for local consumption, and how much? Could any of it be produced locally, again starting with necessities (‘needs’) and working out to ‘wants?’

With the geopolitical mess we currently face, especially the huge risk of inflation and grain shortages, but also other economic factors such as the implosion of the subprime market, the need to come together as community and think and ACT on these concepts is ever more urgent. With the abundance of natural resources we have available here in the Valley, used wisely, we could all benefit immensely in the times ahead.

Anyone interested?

Three things we can do to help each other

2008-07-07T13:57:00.003-04:00

Work share: Every Saturday, we can all help one person complete a project on their property. Obviously, this help will be returned to you on another weekend. Think the old days of a community barn raising.

Knowledge share: We each have different skills and experience, so why not teach and be taught. We will have afternoon BBQ's where the group can be taught a new skill.

Connect Producers and Buyers: There are already people in the Shenandoah Valley producing local food and goods. Let's connect them to people who would rather keep their money in the community. Many people also feel better about seeing where their food comes from anyway.

How does Localization work?

2008-07-07T12:42:00.004-04:00

Below, a Vermont farmer gives a great explanation for how localization works. The same could be true for the Shenandoah Valley where we have such great land and people. Back to normal - back to local.

Something to think about: $140/drum oil is hitting all of our lives, and it's impact on the Vermont economy is very immediate and very real. I am not going to doom and gloom you with regurgitated factoids etc. Because, in a way, I have been waiting all my life for $5 gasoline.

You see, I never understood why it was cheaper to to ship organic bread from San Francisco than it was to make it in town. Actually I do know why, economies of scale and all of that. Make more, have a lower cost per unit.

But this explanation has always ranckled. It is counter intuitive.
Produce from California was half the price of local farm produce. Mayo was shipped from Wisconsin was cheaper than homemade. Meat came from Arkansas, lettuce from California, tomatoes from God knows where; all for significantly less cost than doing it all right in your neighborhood.

Neighborhood butchers, bakers and candlestick (or soap) makers, along with farmers; have ALWAYS been the mainstain of trade and civilization.
In fact, it is Globalization which is an abheration. It will survive about 75 years, a curious and bloody footnote across the bold history of humankind.

People have always said that organic food was expensive. It was - in relation to factory farmed, cheap oil economies. But a funny thing happened on the way to the Bakery. We always payed a premium for quality regional and organic flours. So when the price for low grade white pizza dough type flour went up 600% overnite, we braced ourselves for the worst. Our premium flours DID go up - about 20%. We were already paying the real cost of doing business.

Overnight OUR bread prices became competitive. You can still buy mass market bread at a lower cost per unit. BUT what is the nutritonal cost per unit? Real flour doesn't need all those artificial B vitam ins. Heck - they MAKE vitamins out of wheat! The higher the price of oil - the better we look.

So, magicaly - overnite as it were, local became competive. This is HUGE.

Instead of an agonizing slow economic contraction, we have a vibrant local and regional scale economy. The way it used to be. The way it is supposed to be.

We have all been brainwashed (TV more than anything) into a fast paced consumer lifestyle that is killing us and changing the planet. Why? The jig is up.
Back to normal - back to local.

The US Has No Food Reserves, and This Was BEFORE the Floods

2008-07-03T15:13:00.001-04:00

Friday, June 06, 2008 - 10:10 AM

AAM Concerned with CCC Inventories

WASHINGTON - Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), has raised concerns over the issue of U.S. grain reserves after it was announced that the sale of 18.37 million bushels of wheat from USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.

“According to the May 1, 2008 CCC inventory report there are only 24.1 million bushels of wheat in inventory, so after this sale there will be only 5.73 million bushels of wheat left the entire CCC inventory,” warned Matlack. “Our concern is not that we are using the remainder of our strategic grain reserves for humanitarian relief. AAM fully supports the action and all humanitarian food relief. Our concern is that the U.S. has nothing else in our emergency food pantry. There is no cheese, no butter, no dry milk powder, no grains or anything else left in reserve. The only thing left in the entire CCC inventory will be 5.73 million bushels of wheat which is about enough wheat to make about 1/2 of a loaf of bread for each of the 300 million people in America.”

The CCC is a federal government-owned and operated entity that was created to stabilize, support, and protect farm income and prices. CCC is also supposed to maintain balanced and adequate supplies of agricultural commodities and aids in their orderly distribution.

“This lack of emergency preparedness is the fault of the 1996 farm bill which eliminated the government’s grain reserves as well as the Farmer Owned Reserve (FOR),” explained Matlack. “We had hoped to reinstate the FOR and a Strategic Energy Grain Reserve in the new farm bill, but the politics of food defeated our efforts. As farmers it is our calling and purpose in life to feed our families, our communities, our nation and a good part of the world, but we need better planning and coordination if we are to meet that purpose. AAM pledges to continue our work for better farm policy which includes an FOR and a Strategic Energy Grain Reserve.”

AAM’s support for the FOR program, which allows the grain to be stored on farms, is a key component to a safe grain reserve in that the supplies will be decentralized in the event of some unforeseen calamity which might befall the large grain storage terminals. A Strategic Energy Grain Reserve is as crucial for the nation’s domestic energy needs as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. AAM also supports full funding for the replenishment and expansion of Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust. The May 1, 2008 CCC Inventory report may be reviewed here: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/wid2a.pdf

Starbucks Announces 600 Stores Closing

2008-07-02T18:40:00.002-04:00

More motivation to localize.

1. Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide A company spokeswoman said the company hasn't revealed which stores will be shuttered. It will let the stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next month.

2. Eddie Bauer to close more stores - Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first quarter and plans to close up to two more outlet stores by the end of the year.

3. Cache closing stores - Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 to 23 stores this year.

4. Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines closing 150 stores nationwide The owner of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion Bug , Catherines Plus Sizes will close about 150 underperforming stores this year. The company hasn't provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it will offer that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today.

5. Talbots, J. Jill closing stores - About a month ago, Talbots announced that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the company says it will close another 22 underperforming stores.

The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbots women's and J. Jill, another chain it owns. The closures will occur this fiscal year, according to a company press release.

6. Gap Inc. closing 85 stores - In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old Navy and Banana Republic. The company said the closures - all planned for fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward the Gap brand.

7. Foot Locker to close 140 stores - In the company press release and during its conference call with analysts today, it did not specify where the future store closures - all planned in fiscal 2008 - will be. The company could not be immediately reached for comment

8. Wickes is going out o f business - Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its stores, Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

9. Goodbye Levitz - The furniture retailer, which is going out of business. Levitz first announced it was going out of business and closing all 76 of its stores in December. The retailer dates back to 1910 when Richard Levitz opened his first furniture store in Lebanon , PA. In the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the furniture industry.

The local Levitz closures will follow the shutdown of Bombay.

10. Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores - The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said it plans to close 82 stores by July 31. Today, it announc ed that it is closing another 23 underperforming stores. The company said it's not providing a list of specific store closures. Of the 105 locations planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores.

11. Disney Store owner has the right to close 98 stores The Walt Disney Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries of The Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired will depend on negotiations with landlords.

Those subsidiaries of Children's Place filed for bankruptcy protection in late March. Walt Disney in the news release said it has also obtained the right to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. The press release didn't list those stores.

12. Home Depot store closings - ATLANTA - Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said there were no plans to cut the number of its core retail stores, The Home Depot I nc.ann ounced Thursday that it is shuttering 15 of them amid a slumping U.S. economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300 employees.

It is the first time the world's largest home improvement store chain has ever closed a flagship store for performance reasons. Its shares rose almost 5 percent. The Atlanta-based company said the underperforming U.S.stores being closed represent less than 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be shuttered within the next two months.

13. CompUSA clarifies details on store closings Any extended warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by a third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks, and rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any time during the final sale. For those w h o h ave a gadget currently in for service with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be returned to owners. http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9834177-7html <>

14. Macy's - 9 stores -

15. Movie Gallery - 160 stores as part of reorganization plan to exit bankruptcyThe video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the video rental chain closed last fall.

16. Pep Boys - 33 stores

17. Sprint Nextel - 125 retail locations New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas. Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.

18. J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back

19. Ethan Allen Interiors: The company announced plans to close 12 of 300+ stores in an effort to cut costs.

20. Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores

21. Pacific Sunwear will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four underperforming Demo stores closed last May.

22. Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed poorly and also may close.

23. Bombay Company: The company unveiled plans to close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay Company stores. The company's online storefront has discontinued operations.

24. KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing around the United States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of store closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press Information { I have been contacted by KB Toyus. They ahve informed me that this totally untrue information as it regards their company. My source for this article was one of some 20+ international newspapers from Europe. i do not remember which one it was. I apologize to KB Toys for the erroneous information. }

25. Dillard's to Close More Stores Dillard's Inc. said it will continue to focus on closing underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving its merchandise in 2008. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II said the company will close another six underperforming stores this year.

Why Localize?

2008-06-30T13:00:00.005-04:00

There are two ways to view the urgent need to localize (to produce as much as we can for local consumption entirely within the community, starting with food.) I call these two views ‘bright and optimistic’ and ‘doom and gloom,’ and they both exist simultaneously. We at Sustainable Shenandoah are fully aware of ‘doom and gloom’ but choose to spend the majority of our time in ‘bright and optimistic’ as we strive to build awareness (which requires that we spend a bit of time in ‘doom and gloom’) and provide local solutions (which are very ‘bright and optimistic.’) Here goes:

Bright and optimistic, and I’m only listing a handful of the possibilities:
- get to know your farmers and share information on what you would like to see grown and what the farmer can grow (supply and demand analysis based upon community input)
- get to know your neighbors and share canning recipes, can together, share the proceeds and sell the excess to the local community
- share knowledge within the community, for example, find the people with knowledge and hold classes on smoking meat and building smokehouses and someone raise the food and someone build a slaughter facility and someone smoke / cure the meat and everyone involved eats sumptuously, sharing the proceeds, and selling the excess
- build a SHARE program for raising capital locally for the sole purpose of investing locally in food related cottage industries and others after food is taken care of
- start a dairy, learn how to milk cows and make cheese and ice cream
- someone grow grain, someone run an old time mill using water power, start a bakery, get milk and eggs from the dairy and person with the laying hens

This is all GREAT STUFF – a bootstraps community effort to generate local jobs and take pride in local production and NEVER lose sight of EATING SUMPTUOUSLY!! We could even brand it ‘Valley Naturals’ and sell our abundance outside the community, after community needs have been met!! There are literally DOZENS of businesses that could be started around the concept of local food production. Exciting, bright, optimistic. Solutions!!

A moment in doom and gloom:
- the price of a barrel of oil is up 700% in seven years (and 1300% in nine years.)
- international commerce and just about everything we ‘need’ is completely reliant on oil and its derivatives.
- oil is used to produce plastics, fertilizers, and pesticides, and to plant, harvest, process, ship, and store everything we buy from the grocery store.
- the price of a bushel of corn has tripled in the past year.
- recent floods in the Midwest have decimated 2008’s corn crop.
- where will food for feed lot cattle come from this year?
- where will high fructose corn syrup, found in 80% of processed grocery items, come from this year?
- what will the lack of high fructose corn syrup do to the price of alternatives, especially in light of the state of Florida recently exiting sugar production?

Our food supply is in terrible danger of becoming unaffordable and unavailable. This has been reported in international media for some time and the New York Times reports today: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/business/worldbusiness/30trade.html?adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1214793860-Vu3rZRhmkOBWTewSAq3DFg

The subprime mortgage mess, plummeting home prices, and foreclosures are only the beginning of a complete financial meltdown which will lead to bank failures and severe market disruptions. This contagion coupled with the huge price increases in gas and food is already spreading to credit card default, the mass closure of retail stores which will severely disrupt commercial real estate…I'm going to stop now because I don't like spending too much time in doom and gloom...and conclude with the assertion that the people who did well in the First Great Depression were the ones who ensured their food supply.

Any questions? Can anyone think of a reason NOT to localize?

Better Places to Put Your Money than Banks and Financial Markets

2008-06-26T12:34:00.005-04:00

Many people have asked me what they should do with their money given my view of impending financial implosion. Note that every item purchased NOW may be considered an investment in an environment of rapidly rising prices; if you buy it today for a dollar and next week it costs $1.10, you've saved 10% in one week. Please see the link 'The Real Deal' which discusses how the government 'massages' economic data, and check your pocketbook for proof that inflation is nowhere near the BLS's reported 4%.

Here’s a list of items / projects requiring local investment in order to thrive from a localization perspective in adverse economic times. Each may be envisioned as its own business, needing investment, providing jobs, engendering community involvement and enthusiasm. Most are typically thought of as things you might like to have for yourself, but if stores did not get their weekly deliveries you might like for someone locally to have specialization in many if not all of the following areas. Please feel free to add to the list!!

Land (for food production, woods good too for energy (woodstoves) and construction material
Animals – food, fiber, draft, guard
Barns
Yurts / other off grid living structures
Greenhouse
barter house/swap shop
dairy
spring / refrigeration house
root cellars
large scale food storage center, nonelectric, nonrefrigerated
ice making and ice boxes
Mushroom house
Soil amendments (non petroleum based)
Lo tech (non-petroleum based) gardening and cultivating and processing equipment
Slaughterhouse
Smokehouse
Chicken house (chicken tractor)
Incubator (non-electric)
Energy (Solar, Wind, Other nonpetroleum, nonelectric)
Wood burning cook stove / other nonelectric cooking supplies
Compost toilets
Clothing, shoes, undergarments, socks, etc.
Canning equipment
Building materials
Fencing equipment, chicken wire, nails, etc.
Seeds
Gardening equipment
Fruit and nut trees
Medical supplies/equipment
Water supply / cachement / purification
Sanitation
Security
Books
Bicycles
Repair and maintenance equipment for everything: tires, oil, parts, shingles, siding, nails etc.
Saw mill (nonelectric)
Grain mill (ditto)
Stonecutting, metallurgy (ditto)
Iron wheels, carts, carriages
Wire
Paper products
Fiber processing equipment
Art supplies
Musical instruments
Cleaning supplies
Syrup making equipment
Distilling equipment
Salt
Beekeeping
Fuel storage
Biofuel making equipment

About Sue in the Valley

2008-06-25T11:36:00.011-04:00

Before moving to Luray, Virginia, and becoming a farmer I was with Citigroup in NYC. I was responsible for the risk management function for 34 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent.

A risk manager determines possible future scenarios based upon an assessment of current facts, assigns probabilities to the likelihood of occurrence, and plans accordingly. Although I resigned from Citigroup years ago when I determined that their probability of failure was fairly high due to their unregulated activity in the subprime mess and related derivatives, I remain a risk manager even as I became a farmer in rural Virginia.

My assessment of the probability of the world entering, in 2008, what I call ‘The Greater Depression’ is 99.9%. The price of oil is up 1000% so far this decade and many commodities (rice, corn, soybeans, fertilizers, coffee, steel, tin, nickel) have doubled and tripled in the past two years. What this adds up to, first and foremost, is food supply disruptions. We are seeing this in many countries around the world and it is frightening.

Our food travels, on average, 1500 miles to reach us. Industrial monocropping is completely dependent on oil and natural gas for planting, harvesting, processing, distribution, storage, and pesticides and fertilizers. We are already seeing the effects of the astronomical increase of the price of oil and other commodities on the prices we pay at the grocery store, and it has only just begun. I see empty shelves in the not too distant future.

The localization of food production will decrease our exposure to international commodity price increases, provide local jobs, and, in most communities it engenders community camaraderie and a sense of working together for the common good (eating is very good.)

Page County has abundant natural resources that lend themselves to the localization of food and all sorts of cottage industries will spring up to support this effort. These include (non petroleum dependent) crop, grain and grass growing, mills, dairies, greenhouses, slaughterhouses, storage facilities, distribution outlets – to name just a few. We need to assess local requirements and plan to meet them.

Sustainable Shenandoah does not intend to hold debates as to the veracity of our views or the ‘when’ of when the Greater Depression will arrive, though we readily will direct you to the facts published by Reuters, Bloomberg, the World Bank, the Financial Times, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, and the Army Corps of Engineers, for starters ((see the links on this site,)) and invite you to draw your own conclusions. Sustainable Shenandoah is already hard at work growing and producing food and is simply extending the invitation to the broader community of Page County to join us so that we can weather the storm together. I will caution everyone that this journey is for 'red pill' takers only (referencing 'The Matrix' trilogy) and that you will likely experience a period of severe cognitive dissonance as you realize that many things are exactly the opposite of what you're being told. In other words, if you don't already have some vague sense that things are horribly awry, we won't be the ones to convince you. But if you do, we'll explain exactly what.

And best of all, we offer solutions.