Category: Events

Go Raw and Relax

On Monday, October 17, sneak away for a rendezvous that’s good for you! Join holistic health and nutrition counselor Sheree Clark and chiropractor Dr. Laura Rehmer for a session that will leave you glowing the rest of the day. Sheree will demonstrate how to whip up healthy, delicious and portable lunches using raw, organic ingredients. Then Dr. Laura will share ways to love your body with soothing stretches and meditation. In just 90 minutes, you’ll be inspired to make some simple changes that can calm your mind, melt away stress—and help you live a more radiant life. Event will be held at the Hy-Vee Kitchen, at the northeast corner of I-35 and Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines from 6:30-8:00 p.m. $20 fee includes tastings.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.meetup.com/RawFoodDSM, email info@fork-road.com or call (515) 249-2992.

Farm Crawl 2011

Sunday, October 2nd from 11:00 am – 5:00pm 


Eight independent family farm operations, all within an easy drive of each other in south-central Iowa, are jointly hosting open houses. Enjoy a leisurely autumn day “crawling” from farm to farm (Okay, you don’t actually crawl, you drive yourself between farms).

Come visit south Marion County/north Lucas County (one hour south of Des Moines) to see each of our individual operations.   Tour the farms, visit the animals, meet the farmers, sample the goodies, purchase locally grown & produced products,  and have lots of fun in the beautiful Iowa countryside!  Visit special guest vendors at some of the farms.   FREE admission onto all of the farms (there is a charge to enter the corn-maze at Dan-D Farm).

NO PETS – for the safety of our farm animals and guests, please leave your animals at home.

Annual Conference: Agriculture for Life

Annual_Conference_2011_logo
November 3, 2011

9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. (REGISTRATION BEGINS AT 8:00 A.M.)
PARENTS HALL, OLMSTED CENTER, DRAKE UNIVERSITY
2875 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, DES MOINES, IOWA

Author of Diet for a Small Planet, Frances Moore Lappé, has traveled the world learning and sharing what she has learned about food and empowering people and communities. Be inspired by Lappé and others working to mend unintended, negative consequences of industrial agriculture on our land, water and air. Learn how you can help support a new Agriculture for Life in Iowa.

 

Frances_Moore_LappeKEYNOTE BY FRANCES MOORE LAPPE’

Eco Mind: Changing the Way we Think to Create the World We Want

Frances Moore LappĂ©’s extraordinary best selling book, Diet for a Small Planet, taught America the social and personal significance of a new way of eating. Moore LappĂ© will focus her conference lecture on concepts from her new book to be released in October. The highly anticipated EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think to Create the World We Want—described by Jane Goodall as “powerful and inspiring”–has been selected as one of Publishers Weekly’s top ten science books for Fall 2011.

Using food-related examples, Moore Lappé will argue that finding our power to make change requires a shift in one’s mental map from one focused on things to focusing on relationships of power. It means a shift from a frame of deficits to a frame of possibility. Lappé dismantles seven common “thought traps”—from limits to growth to the failings of democracy— that belie what we now know about nature, including our own, and offers contrasting “thought leaps” that reveal our hidden power.

Other conference speakers will build on Moore Lappé’s inspiration to reveal ways that Iowans are working to mend the unintended, negative consequences of industrial agriculture on our planet’s natural resources and how Iowans can help create “Agriculture for Life.”

Ricardo-Salvador

 

RICARDO SALVADOR

Iowa Fields and Food Policy: Good Intentions and Unintended Consequences

Ricardo Salvador will provide a historical overview of farming in Iowa and U.S. food policy—intentions, successes, and unintended negative effects on Iowa’s people, communities and our natural resources.

Dr. Ricardo J. Salvador is a program officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Michigan. Ricardo’s primary activities involve co-leading the place based work in New Mexico and the Foundation’s Food & Community Program, a change strategy to support transformation of the U.S. food system into one that provides “Good Food,” that which is healthy, green, fair and affordable for vulnerable communities and their children. In addition, he partners with colleagues to create and support programs that address the connections of food with health, environment, economic development, sovereignty and social justice. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2007, Ricardo was on the Agronomy faculty at Iowa State University (1988 – 2006), where he taught and conducted research in cropping systems and sustainable agriculture. READ MORE HERE.

 

SEE RIGHT SIDEBAR FOR REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION

 

Members Meeting Begins at 7:30 a.m., November 3

PLAN TO COME EARLY TO LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK AND SHARE YOUR IDEAS

ONCE INSIDE THE OLMSTED CENTER, LOOK FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE MEETING ROOM

If you’ve registered for our conference, you’re a member of the Iowa Environmental Council! This annual meeting gives members an opportunity to meet our board members and to share their ideas for future directions of the Council. We hope you’ll join us for coffee and conversation.

 

Food images donated by Iowa photographer Diann Evans.

WFAN Home-Canning Field Day

Women, Food & Agriculture Network

1 to 4 p.m.
Saturday, September 17th,
near Harlan, Iowa

RSVP or Ask Questions by
Wednesday, Sept. 14

Lynn Heuss,
515.201.9450

OR

Ellen Walsh-Rosmann,
712.579.1933

 

It’s harvest season, and the number of people raising their own gardens and planning to preserve some of their fruits and vegetables is on the rise. Women who are new to canning and freezing, or want to brush up on their skills, are invited to join farmers Ellen Walsh Rosmann and Maria Rosmann at Rosmann Family Farms 1222 Ironwood Rd., Harlan, IA, on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 1 – 4 p.m. for Women, Food and Agriculture Network’s home-canning field day.

Bring your own fruits and vegetables to process for canning or freezing, or learn by helping others with theirs. Learn in a fun, informal environment with experienced canners on hand. To RSVP or to learn more about the event, call Ellen by Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 712-579-1933.

“Canning are freezing are skills that can provide families with healthful, nutritious choices year round,” says Leigh Adcock, executive director of WFAN.  “We are excited to sponsor this event and hope many in the central Iowa region will take advantage of the knowledge of Ellen, Maria and other food preservation experts who will be on hand.”

Women, Food and Agriculture Network is a non-profit, educational organization formed in 1997 to provide networking, information and leadership development opportunities to women involved in all aspects of sustainable agriculture. Learn more at www.wfan.org, or by calling 515-460-2477.

2nd Annual ARAG Green Fair

Time:
Friday, Septembner 30 · 11:00am – 2:00pm

Location:
Captal Square Atrium
400 Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa

More Info:
Good Times Growing at the 2nd Annual ARAG Green Fair!

Meet your friends at the ARAG® Green Fair and discover eco-friendly products that are safe, healthy and cost-effective — all while making a difference to our environment. New this year, the Iowa Health System Stage will feature demonstrations on sustainability and the impact on public health, free samples, giveaways and more!

This free event is open to the public.

Alive and Well in Ankeny Wellness Conference

Mark Block, ankeny, iowa, wellness, health, fitness, adaptive sports, Do you have questions about how to live a healthier life? Are you overwhelmed with the many choices when it comes to exercise, weight loss, nutrition, organic and sustainable eating, running, cycling, supplements, massage therapy and more? Are you searching for a healthier MIND, BODY and SPIRIT?

Join us for the first annual  Alive & Well in Ankeny Wellness Conference
Time:
Saturday, August 27 · 9:00am – 2:00pm

Location:
First Family Church
317 S.E. Magazine Rd., Ankeny, IA 50021

 

The day will be filled with a wide array of local and national vendors offering information on everything from healthy foods, nutritional supplements and tools to help you live healthy!

We will be offering delicious and healthful samples of vendor products as well as a light lunch for a free will donation.

Working demonstrations will give you the insight to how to make little changes and increase your energy, lose weight, and feel better.

Breakout sessions will help you dive deep into everything from nutrition to choosing the right shoe.

Mark Block of Ankeny, Alive and Well in Ankeny Keynote Speaker

Alive and Well in Ankeny Wellness Conference at First Family Church announces Keynote Speaker Mark Block! Mark was paralyzed after a tragic car accident more than 20 years ago. Come hear how he overcame the odds & learned to walk, run and bike again.

 

Re-posted from FFCWellnsesAnkeny.com

Grinnell Heritage Farm Heirloom Tomato Tasting

RSVP on Facebook!

Time :
Sunday, September 4 · 4:00pm – 8:00pm

Location:
Grinnell Heritage Farm
1933 Penrose Street
Grinnell, IA

More Info:
Join us on the farm for our annual heirloom tomato tasting! In addition to the heirloom tomatoes there will be live local music, great food, activities for kids, and more.

 

Itinerary:
4:00 pm – Farm Tour
4:30 pm – Heirloom Tomato Tasting Begins
5:00 pm – Potluck

What to bring:
– You + Friends + Neighbors + Co-workers
– Local Foods Dish To Share
– Dinnerware (plate, silverware, cup, etc.)

We hope to see you on the farm!

 

Dehydrating 101: Dry it, You’ll Like It

The half-day class “Dehydrating 101: Dry it, You’ll Like It,” will cover what foods can be easily dehydrated and features demonstrations of healthy recipes using the dehydrator. The $65 tuition includes food samples. For more information and to register, visit http://www.meetup.com/RawFoodDSM, email info@fork-road.com or call (515) 249-2992.

The Des Moines Raw Food MeetUp Group welcomes Sheree Clark, health counselor and raw vegan chef, on Saturday, October 29 at Central Iowa Compounding, 2809 100th Street, Urbandale, Iowa 10:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m. for a half-day class on using a dehydrator to preserve food.

Raw Food 101

“Raw Food 101” will cover the techniques of preparing such items as nut milks, entrees, snacks and desserts—all made with fresh, vegan, raw ingredients. The $129 tuition includes food samples.  For more information and to register, visit http://www.meetup.com/RawFoodDSM, email info@fork-road.com or call (515) 249-2992.

The Des Moines Raw Food MeetUp Group welcomes Sheree Clark, health counselor and raw vegan chef, on Saturday, October 1 at Bolton & Hay, 2701 Delaware Avenue from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. for a day-long class on preparing raw food. (Bolton & Hay sells restaurant equipment and supplies to the wholesale trade, but is also open to the public.)

Bliss in the Blender

The half-day class “Bliss in the Blender,” will cover exciting ways to turn your blender into a lean, green, food-you’ll-love machine! The $59 tuition includes food samples. For more information and to register, visit http://www.meetup.com/RawFoodDSM, email info@fork-road.com or call (515) 249-2992.

The Des Moines Raw Food MeetUp Group welcomes Sheree Clark, health counselor and raw vegan chef, on Saturday, September 10, at Central Iowa Compounding, 2809 100th Street, Urbandale, Iowa 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. for a half-day class on healthier eating.