The Dirt

Events Empower Women in Agriculture and Educate Them  on Principles, Practices, and Benefits of Holistic Management and Sustainable Food Systems.

Holistic Management International (HMI), an Albuquerque based non-profit organization with deep roots in Texas, is working in partnership with Sustainable Food Center to support Texas women farmers and ranchers with a series of seminars  throughout the state as part of HMI’s Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Program.  Four one-day seminars held in different regions will give participants a better understanding of how Holistic Management can help build a sustainable future, the market for local foods, and how they can take part in the three-year Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Program.  The first of the seminars will be offered on September 19 at the McKinney Roughs Nature Park in Cedar Creek near Austin.

This event will focus on educating women farmers and ranchers on how they can participate in sustainable and local food systems, and provide introductory information about how to build successful businesses by utilizing the principles and practices of Holistic Management, a whole-farm planning system that benefits the land, animals, and people.  The seminars will teach values-based goal setting, the appropriate use of tools, as well as financial, land, and biological planning and monitoring.

“A great need exists for a program that focuses on beginning women ranchers and farmers,” said Peter Holter, chief executive officer for HMI.  “Currently, more than 942,000 farms are run by women throughout the country and we are excited to learn that the amount of young women getting into farming is growing.  According to the Women and Food Agriculture Network, the agriculture industry has seen a 30 percent increase nationally in the number of women run farms and ranches since 2002.    If you look at demographic, social, and economic factors, they indicate that number will continue to rise throughout Texas in the coming years.”  

Andrew Smiley is the Farm Direct Project director for Sustainable Food Center and will be speaking at the Texas events.  He has more than 15-years experience working in sustainable agriculture and food systems, and is an active supporter of sustainable food systems throughout Texas and the U.S., both professionally and as a volunteer with several organizations.  “Small-scale sustainable producers contribute greatly to our economy, our environment, and our culture,” said Smiley.  “I am honored to be a part of the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers program as it expands into Texas and to help attendees understand the potential individual and community benefits of getting involved in a local and sustainable food system.”

The program will feature a panel of producers, including Betsy Ross of Betsy Ross Grass-fed Beef and Ross Farm in Granger, organic farmer Erin Flynn of Green Gate Farm in Austin, and goat-dairy owner and cheese maker Chrissy Omo of CKC Farms in Blanco.  The keynote speaker for the Austin event is Susan Baggett, state resource conservationist for NRCS in Texas. Susan was raised on a small family farm in Chambers County near Anahuac, TX, attended Texas A&M University in the first class of open enrollment for women, where she earned her BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Management. She earned a Master of Forestry at Stephen F. Austin State University and has worked with farmers and ranchers over much of Texas and southwest Oklahoma. Susan has followed her passions to the one of the top positions in her field, currently leading the range, agronomy, forestry, wildlife and plant materials areas within NRCS.

For more information, including registration, visit www.holisticmanagement.org and click on the HMI Workshops link.

What is “26 Miles for 26 Charities”?

Now in its 5th year, 26 Miles for 26 Charities (26 for 26) is offering a training program for athletes interested in raising funds and completing the 2012 LIVESTRONG Austin Marathon or Half Marathon on Sunday, February 19, 2012.

26 Miles for 26 Charities is the philanthropy program of the LIVESTRONG Austin Marathon and Half Marathon®. 26 Miles for 26 Charities provides Central Texas non-profits with the opportunity to advance community awareness while raising money to support their mission through runner involvement.

The LIVESTRONG Austin Marathon and Half Marathon provide us with an amazing opportunity to showcase our city to the world. 26 Miles for 26 Charities is a great way to highlight the many wonderful organizations who selflessly give back to our community. How does the training program work?

A weekly schedule will be provided with the following levels for both marathon and half marathon training:

• Advanced
• Intermediate
• Beginner
• Walker

Long runs/walks will be coached and supported on Saturday mornings. As training progresses, long runs/walks will be hosted on the actual race course. We will encourage participants to join together for runs/walks during the week. Training as a “team” is a primary key to getting to the finish line and having fun along the way.

During the marathon, each participating charity hosts a water stop along the race course. During the training, the charities will have the opportunity to “practice” hosting a water stop for the runners.

How much does the training program cost?

Most marathon programs charge $200 – $300. Team 26 for 26 is provided to charity runners/walkers for $25. In order to receive the training, a participant must commit to raising money for one of our selected charities. More information about each charity, including their primary contacts, can be found at www.youraustinmarathon.com. Each charity has their own fundraising requirements, so you will need to contact them directly for their goals. As part of the registration, each participant will receive a Team 26 for 26 technical t-shirt.

How do I get started?

To register, please click here. 

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THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE MAMMA JAMMA RIDE!

With your support, we have raised $391,285.91 in 2011 for eleven organizations including SFC!

Based on a recent study conducted in the UK, 42% of breast cancers there could have been prevented through a healthy diet and exercise. Luckily, here in Austin, we have the The Mamma Jamma Ride, which was held on October 1, raised much needed funds for Sustainable Food Center’s mission to increase access to affordable, nutritious foods to prevent breast cancer and other diet-related disease.  Doing this Ride each year is a great opportunity to help our cause; please join us again next year and be part of the nation’s largest bike ride to raise money for breast cancer prevention and treatment.  There are many ways to be involved – whether it’s as a Rider (join our team!), as a Crew Volunteer, or as a generous Donor!  All proceeds of the Ride stay local: What’s Raised Here, Stays Here!  There is a distance for every Rider, ranging from 13 to 100 miles, and loads of fun volunteer opportunities. 

Learn more about how YOU can be involved in providing care for thousands of people; it’s as fun and easy as riding a bike!

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The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation hosted its inaugural Be Well Walk designed to encourage Austin’s families to make informed and simple changes to improve nutrition and increase physical activity. The walk was held Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 4 p.m. at Longhorn Shores on Lady Bird Lake, and all proceeds benefited local non-profits working to make Austin a healthier community. 

This year, 15 partner organizations were chosen who aligned with the Foundation’s mission of increasing access to nutrition and physical activity and promoting healthy behaviors.  Participating organizations include: ACTIVELife, Austin Sunshine Camps, Born to Run, Camp Fire USA Balcones Council, Explore Austin, Lone Star Circle of Care, Marathon Kids, Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living/CATCH, People's Community Clinic, Sustainable Food Center, Texas Center for Treatment and Prevention of Childhood Obesity, Trail Foundation, Westcave Preserve, Whole Kids Foundation and YMCA of Austin.  

Each group was responsible for raising $5,000, registering 100 walkers for the event and having 100 walkers cross the finish line. Upon meeting these goals, each organization received a matching $5,000 donation from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.

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Whether you enjoy running, walking or bicycling, there are opportunities to support SFC's mission via physical activity year-round!

The name behind the bins (and demos, and events, and…)

SFC is lucky enough to have a few hundred supporters volunteering day in and day out, helping the organization run. Most of these volunteers we see at the market: giving us tokens in the information booth, separating our trash, chopping veggies; we see them at community outreach events, giving us cooking demonstrations, showing kids how to make their plate “happy”, and then there are all those volunteers who work behind the scenes. These folks’ smiling faces are seen less frequently, but they are oh-so important to us.

Anna Lisa. Say her name on a Friday at the office and the volunteers are relieved, staff knows they’re in good hands, and I know everything is set for the following market days. Anna Lisa Fahrenthold is part of a group known as SFC Food Corps. This group preps all of the events at the SFC Farmers’ Markets (at all locations) and they lead the events as well. Today we recognize Anna Lisa, volunteer extraordinaire…

 Anna Lisa started at the Taste Tent and then came to a Food Corps meeting last winter knowing she wanted to be involved, but not knowing just how involved she would become. At the first meeting, the new Food Corps recognized it would be a lot of work, a lot of communication, and a whole lot of dedication. Anna Lisa rose to the occasion from day one. Taking notes and sending us all minutes, volunteering to run every third event from winter through the summer, Taste Tent shifts, taking on the task of organizing “bin prepping” for the Taste Tent EACH week, that’s how she started and that’s how it still goes! Yes--many items we magically see ready for us at the market-- that’s the hard work of Anna Lisa. 

When asked what keeps her coming back and working so hard, Anna Lisa responds, “My favorite part of volunteering with SFC is knowing that I am serving my community by being part of the movement to improve access to locally-produced, high quality, nutritious food. The SFC staff and volunteers keep me coming back and I'm never disappointed by an experience.  [Whatever I’m doing] I always have fun and leave feeling connected to something good." Well Anna Lisa, we’re grateful for you and your great experience!

Those bins that have been prepped, the flyers, the workshops, the donations for the contests, the recipes, the coordinating of chefs, the ingredient gathering, the equipment set up… if you find Anna Lisa (she’s at the market leading an event each month or so or just hanging out making sure everything goes according to plan), let her know you appreciate all her hard work every week, pat her on the back, and just know she’s one of the smiling faces behind the magic each week!

-Rebecca Saltsman, Volunteer Resources Director