Susan Mernit: May 2009 Archives

V. Smooth at A Better Oakland has posted the Mayor's FY09-11 budget, now under discussion by the city council. V's got good coverage right here, but what jumped out at me were the cuts in even routine maintenance at 212 OAKL parks and the cut back in tree services to emergency situations.

This is in no way going to lead to a greener Oakland, is it? (

The full powerpoint of the preso  is here.
OAKBudgetCutsbyDepartment.pdf

There are lots of cuts, many unfortunate. The budget says it's an $85MM shortfall, folks.  And operating costs are just too much.

V. Smooth's coverage is excellent, but there's going to be so much happening around how to address these cuts. Oy.

Sauteed pork chops with garlic and lemon (Mark Bittman)
fresh corn
salad
iced Numi sensualitie tea
Backyard

The phatbeets crew  are starting a small North Oakland Farmers market at the Oakland
Children;'s Hospital in partnership with their childhood obesity clinic.
The goal is to to connect small organic growers to marginalized and underserved areas.

This Saturday May 16th come to a fundraiser with local foods, music and arts to support this project.
 If you are interested in volunteering with PHAT BEETS PRODUCE- flyering, making a frame signs, volunteer market manager) or what more info please visit www.phatbeetsproduce.org and stop by the party.

Deets for the beets:  May 16th... 5 p.m. 'till 4 a.m.
* @ *
The Oakland Noodle Factory
1255 26th Street
Oakland, CA 94607*

Come support and have fun in the cosmic corridors of the Oakland Noodle
Factory, 1255 26th Street, Oakland!

This party is an extravaganza,
beginning at 5 p.m, raising funds to launch the opening of a new North
Oakland Farmers Market at the Oakland Children's Hospital, presented by Phat
Beets Produce.

Come early for the open art gallery and workshops, food,
drinks, and stay into the a.m. with live music, DJ's, and dancing all nite
till 4 a.m!
Open mic @ 8 p.m! Come and go as you like, or stay all
nite!...

Take breaks, chill-out and recharge in the yoga lounge open all
nite adjacent to the main dance hall.

 Yummy, low-cost organic homemade food
and drinks served all nite, with free tea, appetizers and samples.... Come
for dinner and stay for snacks, dessert and midnite meals!

Sliding scale donations of $5 - $15 accepted at the door. No one will be
turned away for lack of $$, though if you can't donate at the door, please
contact us before to arrange a small work-trade towards the event.

Since moving to Oakland, I've been trying to:
a) use less plastic, especially bags and wrappings
b) make home made chicken stock and cook with it
c) eat a more plant-based diet
d) make home made jam and marmalade with foraged fruit
e) grow and eat more of my own veggies and herbs

We put B to work tonight when I took the last container of the chicken stock and made a chicken soup with lemon, spinach and egg as part of our supper. Also some grilled tuna and seasonal asparagus.

I just joined Neighborhood Veggies, a local garden/urbangardening network. Maybe this is another place to meet more like minded people..very excited about checking it out more.

Jest playing.

When I moved in last fall, I got a lot of pleasure from walking past one of the local houses where the dwellers were steadily putting in vegetable beds, remediating the soil, adding AN herb garden and so on. Given that their gardening plot was on the median, it was obvious these folks were doing this as much for political purposes as to harvest lettuce for dinner. Soon after, a sign appeared, offering fresh organic product down the way every Wednesday. I never said hello, but I dug their bike trailer and their energy.

Recently, the outreach began. There was a big gathering, which I missed, then a party and then other neighbors walking there for dinner (carrying ittle bundles of baked goods). Nice.

And then there's the news that these folks are a collective called PhatBeets, they work with OBUGS around growing and distributing affordable, quality food, and they're having a fundraiser on May 16th.

The deets: Turnip 'Dem Beets! Goal: Support for a small farmer's market at Children's Hospital in North Oakland. The North Oakland Farmers' Market @The Oakland Children's Hospital starting in June SAT MAY 16th, 5pm-4am THE OLD NOODLE FACTORY 1255 26th St, West Oakland, Ca.

The garden is doing well; the aragula is weedy and full of flowers (done eating), there is one lone head of ruby red lettuce left, the swiss chard is eaten and the herbs are doing well. The succulents are flowering, which is lovely.

Went out i the rain today abd bought the following plant sets:
cherry tomatos
early girl tomatoes
peas (2)
jalapeno peppers
zucchini
bok choi (2)
sweet basil (2)
purple basic (1)
lemon balm (looked so pretty I could not resist)

Tomorrow: plant'em and sow the lettuce, the radishes and the borage.
And stake the vines to the wall.