Digital Salad: an edible art project

There is a farm inside Assemble, Garfield’s newest art gallery. That’s right–through September 30th you can view this creative, engaging, and delicious show called DigitalSalad. What is DigitalSalad exactly?

DigitalSalad is an edible art project that involves growers, creatives and technology to generate an artful community learning experience through installation with performative aspects and online and gallery exhibition. The charm of a local farmette will be installed in the urban, neighborhood gallery space, assemble.

DigitalSalad is the creation of local media artist Heather Mallak. As for the pop-up farm, well it’s a little slice of Churchview Farm, a renovated family farm using sustainable practices located right here in the South Hills of Pittsburgh.

At DigitalSalad you can learn about urban farming, find some great recipes (or leave one of your own!), check out one of Churchview Farm’s beehives, and pick up produce (this Friday and next). And, this Saturday, you can even have brunch:

Saturday – September 24th, 10 -11am
Join us for Brunch: Onsite, chef prepared brunch tasting of harvest from Churchview Farm. Kate Romane, local E2 chef extraordinaire will be preparing farm fresh brunch items for people in the neighborhood Saturday morning.

Farms aren’t only in the countryside, they’re popping up all around the city–often where you least expect them. Everyone has the right to tasty, healthy, and locally grown food, so head on down to Assemble (5125 Penn Avenue in Garfield) and see what it’s all about.

In the meantime, check out these books about urban farming:

City Farmer: adventures in urban food growing by Lorraine Johnson – City Farmer celebrates the new ways that urban dwellers are getting closer to their food. Not only are backyard vegetable plots popping up in places long reserved for lawns, but some renegades are even planting their front yards with food. People in apartments are filling their balconies with pots of tomatoes, beans, and basil, while others are gazing skyward and “greening” their rooftops with food plants. Still others are colonizing public spaces, staking out territory in parks for community gardens and orchards, or convincing school boards to turn asphalt school grounds into “growing” grounds.

Farm City: the education of an urban farmer by Novella Carpenter – An unforgettably charming memoir, Farm City is full of hilarious moments, fascinating farmer’s tips, and a great deal of heart. When Novella Carpenter-captivated by the idea of backyard self-sufficiency- moved to inner city Oakland and discovered a weed-choked, garbage- strewn abandoned lot next door to her house, she closed her eyes and pictured heirloom tomatoes and a chicken coop. The story of how her urban farm grew from a few chickens to one populated with turkeys, geese, rabbits, ducks, and two three-hundred-pound pigs will capture the imagination of anyone who has ever considered leaving the city behind for a more natural lifestyle.

Eat Here: reclaiming homegrown pleasures in a global supermarket by Brian Halweil – Some people may ask, “what’s wrong with getting my food from some distant land, if the food is cheap and the system works?” The point Halweil, a senior researcher at the Worldwatch Institute, makes throughout this book is that those prices are artificially low, and the system is actually broken. Halweil’s writing is journalistic in its reliance on interviews with farmers and activists, but the book’s abundant statistics, graphs and suggestions for action lend it the tone of a policy paper—one that is, nonetheless, impassioned and accessible. Halweil gives readers reasons for pessimism (the thousands of gallons of fossil fuel used to ship fresh greens around the world; unprecedented risks of contaminated food) and optimism (the spread of “farm shops” across Europe; the Vermont diner that’s thriving by using almost entirely local food); fortunately, his optimism usually prevails.

– Corey, Digital Learning Librarian

buzz buzz with Burgh Bees and other Bee resources

Bees get a bad rap. If I had a nickel for every time I heard that the “killer bees were migrating from Mexico” and that they’d reach us soon and KILL US, I’d probably have around 85 cents (which is about enough for a modest tip at the coffee shop). Unfortunately, I don’t know how to collect that money, so I’m writing this blog post instead.

Like I said, bees get a bad rap. It must be the stingers. Nobody really likes to be stung by a bee (and that’s understandable) but, let’s be real, if you were stung, you were probably asking for it. Bees only sting when threatened–they’d much rather get to work, collecting pollen, and farming that oh-so-good honey.

Honestly, we hurt bees far more frequently than they hurt us. According to Burgh Bees, “Bees have been struggling in recent years due to many unnatural stresses which include habitat disruption, monocultural and genetically engineered food provisions, and invasive pathogens and parasites.” (http://www.burghbees.com)

Luckily, here in Pittsburgh we’re experiencing an urban farming and beekeeping boom! A wonderful organization called Burgh Bees is here to teach us how to help the bees and in so doing, help ourselves. This is their Mission Statement:

“To educate beekeepers and promote beekeeping as a vital part of sustainable agriculture in Pittsburgh and its suburbs.”

You see, bees are pollinators and that’s good because we need plants for oxygen! (Flowers are just pretty, too.) So let’s help the bees by following Burgh Bees plan.

A Four Point Plan to Help Bees:

1. Plant a pollinator garden. Check out the Penn State Pollinator Friendly Gardening for ideas here.
2. Don’t use pesticides or insecticides! Bees are environmental mops and these chemicals compromise their health.
3. Buy local honey to support local beekeeping.
4. Become a beekeeper!

If you’re not quite ready for that step, why don’t you check out some of these bee resources?

Books

Clan Apis by Jay Hosler, PH. D. – This graphic novel provides information about the life cycle and environment of honeybees through the story of Nyuki, from the hive called Clan Apis, as she matures from a larva into an adult bee and takes on more responsibilities within her community.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beekeeping by Dean Stiglitz – The title says it all, right? This book is a great primer, giving you the scoop on all aspects of beekeeping.







Beekeeping for Fun & Profit: everything you need to know explained simply by Cindy Belknap – Similar to the Idiot’s guide, but with lots of information on how to turn your hobby into $$$. A great new guide!







Websites
The Beesource
Burgh Bees
BeeEducation.com
Brushy Mountain Bee Farm

Corey
CLP-Main