EC Digest
Fall 2014: Issue 7
Apple Harvest at the EC
Enjoying Apple Days at the EC

Assistant Coordinator's Note:

By Erin Murphy

 

 

Hello EC community!  Greetings from your new Assistant Coordinator! It's my third week on the job and WOW has it been a busy and educational few weeks.  From my short stint on the EC Board of Directors, I knew a little bit about what all happens at the EC. But now that I've spent a few weeks in the center, I am truly in awe of the breadth and depth of the EC's work. Did you know that there's a campus orchard and commercial grade composter that the EC is responsible for, or that the Local Food Fellows delivered over 70 pounds of squash to be cooked and eaten in the cafeteria last week?  I had no idea!  This week I get to learn how to make beer and next week, ice cream- does it get any better than that?!

 

The thing that's impressed me the most about the EC though is the students that work and volunteer here. From leadership skills to years of farming and gardening experience, the EC student staff are engaged and making a difference at Fort Lewis, in their communities, and beyond.  I feel privileged that I get to work with and learn from this passionate and diverse group of students!

 

Next week our student teams and their projects will be getting up and running.  From what I've seen at the EC so far, this student work is at the heart of the EC mission to "Create tomorrow's environmental leaders through action and empowerment on campus and in the community today."  I'm looking forward to being a part of it! 

 

 

 

In This Issue
Upcoming EC Events & Opportunities 

 

Wednesday Sept. 17th: Hops Harvest & Beer Brewing 

 

The Fort Lewis College Environmental Center's Local Food Fellows invite you to the FLC Campus Garden to harvest organic hops and participate in the art of drafting wet-hopped beer. Brewing participants will take home their very own fresh harvested, hand-crafted taster pint.

Please join us Wednesday, September 17th from 1-3pm in the EC garden for the hops harvest. The brewing will follow from 3-5p.m. in the El Centro Kitchen (on the lower level of the Student Union Quad). Space is unlimited for the harvest but is VERY limited (to 20 people) for the brewing, so show up early or on time if you really want to participate. Cost for the brewing is $5/person. To register, please contact Rachel Landis, FLC Environmental Center Coordinator at rllandis@fortlewis.edu or (970) 247-7091.  


 

Tuesday Sept. 23rd: Crop Mob: Apple Harvest & Ice Cream Making


The Fort Lewis Environmental Center has partnered with local artisanal ice cream maker, Cream Bean & Berry, to harvest unwanted fruit from neighborhood trees (This process is known as gleaning)... and then make ice cream from it! Our efforts will help to 1) increase the amount of local food available to our community, 2) work to reduce the possibility of bear/human conflicts by reducing the number of fruit attractants in town, 3) build a culture of gastronomy, and 4) raise money for a great cause! The ice cream will be available at Apple Days (see below!).

 

Please join us on Tuesday, September 23rd at 3p.m. To register, please contact, Rachel Landis, Fort Lewis College Environmental Center Coordinator, at rllandis@fortlewis.edu  or (970) 247-7091

 

 

Community Events & Opportunities

 

Wednesday September 17th: Meet the Farmers Event 
 

As a part of the Eat Local Celebration, Local First will host a resource table available for any and all farmers, growers, chefs, producers, nonprofits, etc. who would like to bring brochures, displays or other info for those who attend.  The public is invited, and this will be a great opportunity to spread the word about growing a local food system.


 

The event is at 6512' Restaurant and Lounge, 5 - 7 pm, Sept. 17th.  For more information contact Kristi Streiffert krististreiffert@hotmail.com


 

 

Thursday September 18th: The Switch Energy Project Film

 

The Switch Energy Project is a groundbreaking film, video and education program uniting diverse audiences in a shared understanding of energy and promoting efficiency. Switch is about changing the way we use energy, to realize the many economic and environmental benefits of efficiency. 

 

There are two showings:

Fort Lewis College, Nobel Hall, Room 130, doors open at 6:30 PM, film begins at 7 PM. 

Suggested donation of $7 per person will benefit 4CORE.RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/switch-energy-project-friday-sept-19th-tickets-12696422341 

 

Smiley Building in Durango, Doors open at 5:30pm, film begins at 6pm

Suggested donation of $12, dinner provided from Linda's Local Food Cafe. Beverages available for purchase from cash bar. Panel discussion with energy experts to follow screening. RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/switch-energy-project-thursday-sept-18th-tickets-12696404287 

 

For more information contact Teresa Shishim, Fourcore, teresa@fourcore.org 

 

Thursday September 18th: SEEDS Ecology Club Fall Meeting

SEEDS is a rad, low-key, ecology club for those who love biology and/or the outdoors! Come help elect some new officers (vice president, secretary, and treasurer) and pick some fun stuff to do! In the past we have done a river clean-up on the San Juan River, and been in contact with Wolfwood Wolf Refuge.

Thursday September 18th 5:30 pm we will have our fall meeting in Berndt 235. For more information contact Elyse Parcell EDPARCELL@fortlewis.edu

 


 

Friday September 19: Bar Lazy S Ranch Field Day

This field day about developing a small diversified ranch near Los Lunas is going to be a great learning opportunity for the kind of decision making all small farmers/ranchers are faced with every day. For more information visit the website: http://holisticmanagement.org/bar-lazy/

  

The cost is $20 and there are five scholarships for farmers/ranchers 30 and younger who can't afford the $20 fee. Contact Ann Adams 505/842-5252 x105 anna@holisticmanagement.org for more information. 


 

October 4-5th: Apple Days Harvest and Pressing


E
very year, the Growing Partners of Southwest Colorado (of whom the EC is a founding and continuing member) will host their annual Apple Days Festival on October 4th and 5th this year. The festival provides an opportunity for the community to gather and celebrate the TONS of apples that grow in our area through apple pressing, pie eating, music, games, and more.

 

To Sign Up: We currently have apple harvesting opportunities available on Saturday, October 5th from 8:30-12:00 and again from 12:30-4:00p.m. We also invite you to volunteer Sunday, October 6th. We have two-hour shifts available in everything from apple pressing to children's activities and pie-eating contest officiating. To learn more about each shift or register to volunteer, please visit the Fort Lewis College Environmental Center's website and fill out our Apple Days Volunteer Form.
 

Contact Rachel for more information rllandis@fortlewis.edu or (970) 247-7091.


Donate your Apple Trees for Harvesting!

Have an apple tree and want it harvested? Please consider signing up your tree to be harvested by community volunteers on Saturday, October 4th. Your apples, in turn, will be pressed into amazing, local juice during the Apple Days Festivities on Apple 5th. If interested, please register your tree here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16DZo2cJmkF4MdIkByKbyXKvKpSj-mp3a9rSC-oIFt7A/viewform?usp=send_form

Friday October 3: Land, Water, People: A Workshop on Nonviolent Action and the Politics of Power

 

An interactive event to engage community members in developing strategies for change. The workshop is hosted by Jamila Raqib, Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institute, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 to advance the study and use of strategic nonviolent action in conflicts throughout the world.
 

The workshop is Friday October 3, 2014 from 9am-12pm in the Vallecito room at Fort Lewis College.  For more information please contact Erik Juergensmeyer at 970247-7098 or juergensmeyer_e@fortlewis.edu 

 

Saturday October 4th: 2014 Household Hazardous Waste Event

The City of Durango and La Plata County will hold the 2014 Household Hazardous Waste event from 8am-1pm on Saturday, October 4th at the La Plata County Fairgrounds,...... Read on   

Announcements:
Save the Date- DamNation:Thursday, October 23rd

The 13th Annual REEL Environmental Film Experience will showcase the award-winning documentary, DamNation at the Smiley building. Ben Knight, film director and Telluride local, will be on hand to supplement the film and tell the story of why vibrant, free-flowing rivers are a necessity...and how YOU can help. In true REEL style, this night will feature an amazing film, great food & drink, the opportunity to take action...and, of course, a massive amount of fun!
 

FLC Crop Mob: Crop mob is primarily a group of young, landless, and wannabe farmers who come together to build and empower communities by working side by side. The FLC Environmental Center will rounding up volunteers to make weekly trips out to area farms where you will help with harvest, sheer sheep, who knows!?! In exchange, you will be working to actively build a healthy community, get to know our amazing area farmers, and get your pockets stuffed full of free, local food.

 

To sign up to receive Crop Mob alerts (dates, etc) and register, visit the FLC Environmental Center or contact Crop Mob Coordinator, Danielle Duni at  dmduni@fortlewis.edu 

 

Campus Garden Grown Lunches!: As part of Fort Lewis College's Real Food Challenge and in celebration of Eat Local Month, our campus' San Juan Dining Facilities will feature produce grown by students in our organic, on-campus garden and the Old Fort Farm each day during lunch. San Juan Dining is located within the FLC Student Union and is open to the public for lunch between 11:30-1:00p.m. with a la carte pricing

 

Find out what is for lunch by visiting the EC Facebook Page: Environmental Center at Fort Lewis College or check out the Campus Garden Grown board located in San Juan Dining.


 
 

EC Garden- Get Your Hands Dirty!

 

Come out to the garden to do some work if you want to or just to check out what we have going on out there. This is a great opportunity to learn more about gardening or to share any knowledge you may have and make our garden better! Clay will be in the garden each week through the end of harvest season during the following times. No sign up is necessary, just show up to the garden when you can!  Tuesdays 11-12:30, Wednesdays 12-2, Thursdays 11-12:30.

 

For more information contact Clay Tomcak cjtomcak@fortlewis.edu

 

Ongoing: Campaign Internships

State Representative Mike McLaughlin's office is looking to hire a group of interns to assist with day-to-day campaign operations re-election campaign. Additionally, they are looking for community volunteers to help with all aspects of the campaign. To learn more, contact Matthew Sheldon at Matthew Sheldon at matthew.sheldon9@gmail.com
 
Senator Tom Udall's office is also looking for campaign volunteers working in three areas: canvassing, phone banking, and voter registration.   

Colorado Victory 2014 is seeking energetic and talented individuals to join the Colorado Democratic Coordinated Campaign's Summer Fellows Program. Positions are available for part-time fellows (20+ hours/week) and full-time fellows (40+ hours/week).


 

For more information about the Fellowship or volunteer opportunities, contact Ben at bmarvinvanderryn@covictory2014.com or 970-759-9346.

 

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