Has the Bee Keeper come yet?

If not, then you all should call him and see if he is still interested.  If yes, then please humor me and give us a post about his kindred insects.

I love and miss you all.  Hope you got your taxes done!

Kelly

and inducing memories of my youth

of family vacations to the South.

Florida, North Carolina, Lake Erie

and more.  Places I’ve been and will

never forget.  Thank you Dad and thank

you Mom for taking me there.  Now I

think that seeing more places is key

to life and all that encourages Harmony.

Looking out over the horizon through this window

facing west I see a distant island.

Only shows her face to me every other day or three.

Keeps me guessing whats there to see.

Closer though three feet or four to my right is a

fire burning on the floor.

Just as curious but in another way always different

no matter the day.

I can only imagine what the gods decided to throw

in, to the future guaranteed to make me grin.

Be it a flock of Pelicans delicately gliding

through the wind between me and that island.

Or a flame to heat my healing mind and promote

a sense of well being in the end.

Kelly Collins

Thanks Matt for the typewriter you put between our West Facing window and the wood burning fire place.  It invokes a strong creative flow of energy from my mind and fingers.  Feels great to use a tool which requires no electricity other than that which is in my mind and body.

As the good food movement grows and urban farming heroes like Growing Power’s Will Allen and Oakland’s own Novella Carpenter pave the way, we will explore the surge towards City self-sufficiency, including growing and preserving your own food; raising chickens and goats; keeping bees and worms; composting, installing greywater and rainwater catchment systems; and a whole host of other DIY activities.

Please join us for a rousing discussion with a few outstanding local urban homesteaders who will share their experiences, insights, and ideas:

Kevin Bayuk is an activated advocate for ecotopian living, who’s 3,000 sq. ft. backyard in the Haight is home to some 300 species of fruits and vegetables, ducks, worms, and greywater and composting systems. Kevin serves on the Board of Directors for the Urban Alliance for Sustainability, and teaches with the Urban Permaculture Institute, Urban Permaculture Guild, and UC Berkeley Extension and Earth Activist Training.

Heidi Kooy is a former anthropologist turned small business owner. Her City farming adventures are detailed in her blog, Itty Bitty Farm in the City. She gardens, cooks, cans, preserves, and tends to her collection of small livestock, including chickens and goats in her 1,000 sq. ft. backyard in the Excelsior.

Davin Wentworth-Thrasher is a San Francisco native and co-founder of the Ecology Center of San Francisco, a grassroots non-profit that cultivates community through designing and building experiential, ecological education spaces in SF schools and community gardens. Davin leads workshops on ecological gardening, urban homesteading, natural building, appropriate technology and more. Baking bread, making cheese, butter, and yogurt, caring for ducks, chickens, and honeybees, and foraging for uncultivated foods are a weekly passion for him.

In 2008, Davin experimented with a low consumption lifestyle by living in a tent in his 1250 sq. ft. backyard in the Sunset; using rocket stoves and solar ovens; consuming less than five gallons of water a day; and relying on an outdoor shower, greywater system, and a composting toilet to save and reuse water.

We’re also excited to announce our new, permanent location at Viracocha, a new antique store/art gallery/performance, educational, and community space. We are extremely grateful to Jonathan Siegel for his support of KTT and we know that many of you will appreciate the convenient Mission location.

Kitchen Table Talks is a joint venture of CivilEats and 18 Reasons, a non-profit that promotes conversation between its San Francisco Mission neighborhood and the people who feed them. Space is limited, so please RSVP to ktt@civileats.com or leave a message at 925.785.0713. A $10 suggested donation is requested at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Sustainable food and refreshments will be provided, courtesy of Bi-Rite Market and Shoe Shine Wines.

–

Naomi Starkman
Food Policy Media Consultant
917.539.3924-c

space will be clean and sacred henceforth.

Kelly has been cleaning the garage…there is plenty to do out there.

Matt and Merav are scavenging the neighborhood to find things we can use or recycle.

On the 11th of January we planted dozens and dozens of seeds.   Keep watching for further updates on that.  Sprout pictures coming soon!

Kelly & Rosalie