Sunday, July 18, 2010

Upcoming Benefit


Join Simple Living Institute for one of our largest events of the year... our Benefit. The benefit will feature our video contest judging, a Jack Johnson cover song contest, speakers, a raffle, a silent auction, and a kids activity area. The funds raised at the benefit will go towards our 2011 programs and our Sustainable Food Project. The benefit will be at the Cameo Theatre at 1013 Colonial Drive on August 12th, 2010 from 7:00-11:00pm.
Volunteers needed! More info at http://www.simplelivinginstitute.org/benefit.html

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Food Resource Guide Meeting 7/06


Hosted at the Stardust Coffee & Video in Audubon Park, a great turn-out with a diversified crowd. Here is what was involved and how you can help.

Firstly, the WINTER PARK HARVEST FESTIVAL is scheduled for this November the 20th, 2010. Visit the website at http://alocalfolkus.com/harvest-festival and contact 'A Local Folkus' with your skills and community hook-ups to make this event successful.

As John Rife, co-developer of the event, said tonight, "Help raise awareness, do something cool."

July 15th at 10am the Arboretum Community Garden invites you to work in the garden. A vegetarian pizza lunch is provided for volunteers at noon and the work is open to continue until 4. Children (well-supervised) that are over the age of 5 are welcome. Head to the website, arboretum.ucf.edu, for great directions.


Meeting Notes
The web-based resource will launch this Fall, around October, and this Spring we will print and distribute our first local food guide.

Currently, there are a lot of smaller similar projects in progress. We are producing a marketing package to centralize this focus through a comprehensive local food guide. Everyone can help ! by creating a logo, brand-recognition, promotion and the like. Contact Shayla Dougher @ shaylaspeaks@gmail.com to join/assist this design committee.

There is a lot of enthusiasm surrounding this project, and there is a place for you to fit into this, whether the logistical or creative type. We NEED a strong volunteer effort. We will make it easy to manage this data, but we need people going out to collect, distribute, and be liaisons.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Growing a Garden from Seed Workshop





This great event was well attended on Saturday June 26th out at The Econ Farm!

Tia began with the all important basics of soil composition. Excellent soil supports excellent plants and more yield! This is the credo we at SLI, teach and have been taught by the masters in the sciences of gardening. Tia chooses How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons as a reference because his techniques work! And Tia's spin on what Mr. Jeavons writes work for us growing in Florida. She went on to demonstrate how many and how deeply and where several different seeds and seedlings should be planted. Tia's instructions are always quite thorough. Several attendees had questions. Tia had answers!

Be sure to click on this video. There you'll see the rich soil Tia has in her garden! All my friends have beautiful gardens, but my jaw dropped a bit when she pulled the grass clippings away to reveal that amazing deep color! Tia lives what she teaches!

Reach to us via the contact page here at Simple Living Institute for exact instructions on soil mixing, or any other gardening questions. We have a planting dates chart that we can email. You have time to prepare and plant for fall harvesting! Know that we are out there (sweating!) too!

Peruse our website regularly and get on our newsletter email list! Come out to our exciting events that always include usable information. We are an institute because we teach. You can learn along with us!