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Blog Attention Hydroponic Greenhouse Submittors-
We are looking for someone who recently submitted via our Greenhouse Initative, seeking funding for a hydroponic vegetable and fish operation. We don't have any contact info for you! Please email s.eckrich@gmail.com with details. Slow Money Houston Meeting- 12/9
Greetings to all in the Houston area. There is an informational meeting on Slow Money Houston on Friday, December 9th at 4pm. The meeting will be held in the Montrose area. Please RSVP to s.eckrich@gmail.com for address and more information. Thank you to all of our supporters
Last Friday's Farmer's Feast was a smashing success. The barn at Barr Mansion was full of engaging conversation, people committed to the sustainable food movement, amazingly delicious local food, and great music by Trimmed and Burning. We are so thankful for everyone who helped make it happen, and would like to give a shout out to these people now:
From the Slow Money Austin group- Scott Price, Jarred and Sommer Maxwell, Travis Breihan, Wayne LaChapelle, Brad and Kelly Shepherd, Anne Robertson, Joe Day, Joanne Marino, Mason Arnold, Scott Collier, Randy Jewart, Andy Buckingham, Robby Larkin, and Sophie Eckrich. From Barr Mansion: Melanie McAffe for her unfailing support of local, organic foods; Chris Coleman, her new Chef who stepped up to the plate and delivered a delicious meal, and Chef Simon for preparing the lovely breads and helping Chris. From the Local Food community: Greenling, EIEIO, Green Gate Farms, Vital Farms, Bountiful Sprout, Farmhouse Delivery, Windy Hill Organics, Johnson's Backyard Garden, Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company, Pure Luck, Dish a Licious, and Springdale Farm, Urban Roots, Baby Zach's for Hummus, Salt & Thyme for lots of cured meats, Tecolote Farm for veggies, Bastrop Cattle for the sliders, 5 Mile Farm for veggies, Lick Ice Cream for the eggnog & brandy as well as Goat cheese thyme and honey hand made ice creams, Nurturess vegan cheesecakes, Tiny Pies for apple, pecan and mixed berry pies, Quality Seafood for the awesome fish and shrimp, Love Creek Apple Orchard for those delicious apples that went into the apple pies! Yum!!!! Our wonderful band, Trimmed and Burning. Maine Root, Greenling and Real Ale Brewing Company for donating the beverages. THANK YOU! We are looking forward to carrying this momentum into 2012 and already have some exciting events in the works. Please be sure to sign up on our mailing list, and "Like" us on Facebook at Slow Money Texas. Slow Money featured in CultureMap Austin
We are so excited to be featured in CultureMap Austin today, please see the link below to read! http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/11-30-11-10-17-slow-money-feast-combi... Growing Austin's Food Economy - Dinner at Barr Mansion
Slow Money dinner at Barr Mansion on December 2nd!
Come one, come all to our Farm to Economy dinner at Barr Mansion on December 2nd. Learn how your dollars, big or small, can play a vital role in food security and sustainable food systems. Meet farmers, producers, consumers, and investors, and let's see how we can all work together to strengthen our local economy. We'll have a bountiful feast with contributions from over 20 producers and farmers including:
Barr Mansion, Salt & Time, Quality Seafood, Bastrop Cattle Company, Lick Ice Cream, Tiny Pies, The Nurturess, Maine Root, Arnosky Farms, EIEIO Organic Farm, Greengate Farms, Johnson's Backyard Garden, Springdale Farm, New Earth Center, Farmhouse Delivery, Greenling, Bountiful Sprout, Windy Hill Organics, Pure Luck, 5 Mile Farms, Love Creek Apple Orchard. What a feast! Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased at www.slowmoneytexas.eventbrite.com Stay tuned for more information, and we can't wait to see y'all there! Slow Money DFW presents a free screening of Grow!
On Wednesday, November 16th at 7pm, Slow Money DFW will be screening the movie Grow! at the Texas Theatre. Grow! is a great introduction to local farming issues and why people choose to farm and the rewards and the sacrifices. Two filmmakers spend an entire growing season with 20 farmers and two apprentices on 12 different farms in Georgia. This is their story. The Screening will be followed by a short moderated discussion with some of our local farmers. Wednesday, November 16th at 7:00pm Parking: Upcoming events! 11/11/11 and 12/2/11
Businesses in our commmunity which help build soil
Greetings and Happy Fall! For the next few weeks, we'll be taking you on a journey of your meal as it goes from Soil to Table. FDR once said, "A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself." That statement couldn't be more true today, but the fact is that many of us rarely think of our soil when we think of our meals. We've all heard about peak oil, but what about peak soil? We are taking more out of the soil than we're putting in, causing our farms to be less productive, our food to have fewer nutrients, and our water supply to be contaminated with pesticides.
It is very important to be conscious not only of where our food came from, but the quality of soil it was grown in as well. Is the treatment of the soil contributing or combating soil loss? Check out these Austin companies and how they can help you to restore your soil! Wybo's Wigglers- your source for vermiculture products and information. Gordon's worm teas can get you better yields, more drought resistance and thicker growth. Break It Down's vision is to divert food wastes to local agricultural production to help feed Austin. They collect food waste at restaurants and businesses, as well as teaching composting classes. Organics By Gosh creates rich compost, mulch and topsoil from recycled organic products. Designed specifically for Central Texas, organic soils reduce water usage. The Natural Gardener is continuing to build a line of specialized quality bulk products for a variety of soil situations. 5-Mile Farms will come to your house armed with all the necessary supplies to restore your soil and even install a native lawn to reduce your watering and fertilizer needs. Microbial Earth is an Austin-based business dedicated to educating the public about soil restoration through the use of beneficial soil microbes and other natural soil amendments, such as Mycorrhizae, Azomite and calcium.
We hope that you'll being to notice a bit more about the soil in your garden and the way your purchases are influencing the health of the soil.
Mark your calendars for our upcoming Slow Money Austin events! More information soon to come. November 4th, 2011- 6-9 pm - Film + Food + Focused on Good event at the CTC garden. November 11th, 2011- 6-9 pm- Local Food Potluck at the new in.gredients zero waste grocery store. December 2nd, 2011- 6-9pm - Slow Money Austin's Annual fundraiser and CSA cook-off at Barr Mansion. Shifting Consciousness Series: SXSW Eco
Yesterday I had the amazing opportunity to attend the first ever SXSW Eco Conference in downtown Austin. The messages of the speakers noted that we are heading for a grave environmental and economic situation, but we still have time to make a change and head in a sustainable direction. There were calls to action, and many messages of hope and inspiration. The conference was full of people who strive for sustainability in their lives and businesses every day, so in a sense we were a group of like-minded individuals who already were working to shift the old paradigm. While it's great to be able to surround yourself with people who "get" it, it's also important to be able to spread these messages to the rest of the population. Businesses, big and small, are sensing the need and the demand from consumers for more accountability on their social and environmental costs. More and more businesses are taking in to account the triple bottom line. People are realizing that their investments can have deleterious effects and are looking for more long-term and sustainable investments. More and more, people are feeling the need for a sustainable economic system and sustainable land and energy use. Realizing that the economy and the environment are one, and we need to adjust our policies and practices to reflect this. Sessions I attended: Eco-Nomics: Re-Envisioning Financial Services for the 21st Century Three Great Ideas that Won't Be On the Rio Agenda The True Cost Economy - Ecologizing Capitalism Innovating Conservation: From Youth to Financial Markets How To Deal with the Texas Drought Crowdfunding Sustainability: Pitfalls and Promises Every session dealt in one way or another with new financial tools and markets, creating a green and sustainable economy, and using business for societal good. It was wonderful to see so many Slow Money themes being shared and promoted by both the speakers and the audience. Did any of you attend SXSW Eco? What did you think? I can't wait for the next one! Shifting Consciousness Series: O'Hare Airport Debuts Aeroponic Vegetable Garden
In this Shifting Consciousness Series, I will highlight trends and shifts towards sustainability in the marketplace by companies, consumers, entrepreneurs, and investors. Topics and comments are welcome! According to an article in the Huffington Post, Chicago O'Hare Airport has created the first in-airport vertical garden which will supply the airport's restaurants with fresh veggies and herbs. The aeroponic system recycles water, uses space efficiently, and cuts the carbon footprint of the airport's food supply. And how did this come about? With the help of everyone who votes with their dollar and demands local produce and sustainable solutions! "The O'Hare aeroponics garden was funded by HMS Host, the company that manages most of the airport's concessions, in response to the growing demand from travelers for fresh local produce, President and CEO Elie Maalouf told CBS." I see this as a shift in consciousness because a business who previously had no interest in aeroponics or vertical farms recognized a demand from their customers and responded. Think of all the people who will pass by this garden at O'Hare every day, think of the questions it will spark, and the many people who will be inspired and will work to put vertical farms in other places! We can do it! To see the full article, please visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/19/chicago-airport-debuts-ae_n_970222.h... A big day for Social Impact businesses in Austin!
The room at the Acton was packed with investors, entrepreneurs, and community members all eagerly awaiting the day's presentations. The Texas Entrepreneur Network opened the session with an introduction of Slow Money by Scott Collier. "This looks like a small gathering, but it is part of a greater movement," Scott explained to the group. The Funding Forum was an important step towards bringing our investments back into our communities, and it was inspired by the Slow Money movement. With the investors gathered and ready, it was time to hear some entrepreneurs share how their business is having a positive impact on our community. The Social Impact Businesses were each addressing an unmet need and tapping in to some innovative ways to meet those needs. Some Slow Money businesses included:
Greenling founder Mason Arnold started his presentation with the astounding statistic that 70% of people alive today will die beacuase of diet-related diseases. Mason said that while people are told they need to change their diet, it's hard because our food system is built upon convenience and "fast" food. Greenling is changing that by offering affordable home delivery of fresh, local produce and healthy food. A pioneer in its field, Greenling is on the fast-track to expand its operations to cover Central Texas, thereby strengthening our local food system. www.greenling.com
What is a Local Yocal, you ask? According to the owners of this Farm-to-Market store and butcher shop say a Yocal is "a farmer/rancher defying mainstream agriculture production, using sustainable practices to restore health to our food supply." From the pasture to the store-front, Local Yocal is filling a void in McKinney, Texas and for that reason is seeing a huge demand from their products from restaurants and customers alike. www.localyocalfarmtomarket.com If you haven't seen Blue Avocado's bags at your local Whole Foods or other retailers, keep your eyes open and you'll never use a plastic bag again! These eco-chic, reusable, washable, and sustainable products can simplify your life while helping you reduce your carbon footprint. Amy George and her team have many exciting collaborations and innovations on the horizon, meaning that this triple-bottom-line company is on the fast-track to make a big difference in the way we shop and consume. www.blueavocado.com
Montgomery Tree Farms is an urban agricultural statement of the best practices in responsible landscaping. Growing drought resistant native shade trees, saving existing trees from encroaching development, and providing the best organic landscaping techniques are the core of MTFTx. Besides being good for our environment and our community, the venture looks to be a good deal to investors. www.montgomeryfarm.com
Salt & Time is capitalizing on the rising trend of artisan butchery, cured meats, among other products. They have more demand than they have capacity, and their products are being recognized nation-wide. These guys have a ton of experience and passion for what they do, and they want to bring that to a storefront in Austin so that their products can be more widely available. Check them out at the HOPE farmer's market, and the Barton Creek farmer's market! www.saltandtime.com Nui Organics makes durable, healthy, sustinable, and fun clothes for babies and children. Their amazing knits will last you through many hand-me-downs, and they are made from merino wool. www.nuiorganics.com Other sustainably minded businesses were: Ever wondered what events are going on in your community this weekend, but don't know where to look? PublicBeat.com is a calendar listing service that helps you connect to your community and find interesting and fun things to do. They are expanding to more and more cities, showing that they can be profitable. www.publicbeat.com 121 Giving is a unique marketplace where chartiable needs get met online. It has looked at the gap in the space of online giving and is providing the connection between charities, brands, and consumers. 121 Giving is "habit forming philanthropy capable of redifining the way we engage in personal giving on a daily basis." www.121Giving.com English @ Work is transforming central Texas through work-based language instruction. This social-profit organization has created an effective and affordable curriculum to teach English as a second language to those in the service industry. E@W helps businesses become more efficient and profitable, and helps the employees have access to better wages and a better future. With its ambitious goal of serving 6,000 workers by 2020, E@W is set to make a big difference in our region. www.englishatwork.org The Micro College is an online marketplace where consumers will be able to take classes based on their specific needs. For example, for someone who is applying for a job at a company but lacks the skills for one specific program or job aspect, they can go to the Micro College and find an affordable class to teach them the skills they need to get the job they want. www.themicrocollege.com So, as you can see, if you weren't at the Funding Forum, you missed out! But at least you can check out all these cool companies online, and stay tuned for the next Social Impact Funding Forum. Social Impact Funding Forum on 9/20
On Tuesday, September 20th at 1 pm the Texas Entrepreneur Network will be holding a Social Impact Funding Forum at the Acton School of Business. Ten businesses will be presenting and showing how they are using business to create positive changes in our local communities, and we're looking forward to seeing all of the innovative ideas they're bringing to the table. Slow Money has been collaborating with TEN to reach out to key players in Austin's local food system who are looking for funding. Through informational sessions and business plan advice, we have strengthened our network of ventures looking for Slow Money. We are happy to see that Salt & Time is going to be pitching at the session tomorrow! Salt & Time makes small batch cured meats, pickles, and other products. They source all of their meats and vegetables from local farmers and prepare them using traditional preservation techniques. They are proud to be part of the Central Texas food chain. Check them out at www.saltandtime.com! There are still seats open to attend the funding forum. To register, please visit http://txenetworks.com/funding-forums/social-impact-funding-forum-920/ Aquaponics – A Portion of the Local Food Stream
Resolution Gardens – Changing Food, One Garden at a Time
This week I had the opportunity to re-visit Resolution Gardens, which is owned and operated by Randy Jewart, a revolutionary artist and co-founder of Slow Money Austin. Randy is truly dedicated to the local food movement and has inspired many to learn about sustainability. The objective of his farm is to not only grow local and sustainable produce but also help others interested to build their own gardens. They hope to develop thousands of gardens around Austin, so that fresh produce could be available to the community, daily. Randy wants to see fresh and local produce become something common, instead of specialty items that are only available certain days of the week. Growing you own food comes with many benefits such as: saving money, reducing carbon emissions, providing healthier produce, exploring the value in food, and tasting the results of your own hard work. If you are interested to learn more about planting your own fresh and healthy veggies, please check out this link: http://www.resolutiongardens.org/about/. They will help assist and guide you to the right track. Resolution Gardens is also participating in a home-farm program called the 5-Mile Farms, where participants offer their yards to become part of a decentralized farm. Currently there are 9 participating homes and 2 additional homes will be added later on this year. If interested, Randy and the crew will come to your home and set up gardens that are proper for the size of the land and your preferences. The idea is that by building these farms, neighborhoods will have access to fresh produce and more importantly have more opportunities to build relationships through shared interest in growing. The owners of these 5-Mile farms will be equipped with the proper knowledge to maintain and grow their gardens and will be ready to help neighbors in need. The produce from both Resolution Gardens and the 5-Miles Farms are sold to local families and businesses such as: Daily Juice, Casa de Luz, Greenling, Wheatsville Food Co-op, Tacodeli, and Rio’s Brazilian Café. So the next time you stop by these places, you are actually consuming produce right out of someone’s garden in Austin! Here is the link for more information about the 5-Mile Farms: http://www.resolutiongardens.org/farm/ On a side note, the first Slow Money Potluck hosted by Randy at Resolution Gardens was a huge success! On the behalf of Slow Money, I would like to thank all of you for coming out and Randy for being an awesome host!Gardens: More Than Just Food
By Nate Douglas Gardens: They provide more than just food to put onto your table and into your stomach; a garden provides for a place for people to work and spend time together. I grew up in Chicago and our family would make frequent trips to my grandparent’s house in Wisconsin. In the spring and summer time my brother and I would help my grandmother in her garden by building fences to keep the rabbits and other animals out, planting seeds, watering the plants and sampling the vegetables. She grew tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, snap peas, parsley and a few others. Our hard work in the garden was always paid off with my grandmother cooking supper using the ripest veggies of the day. But even if there was nothing ripe in the garden that day, we still had spent quality time together. After visiting Resolution Gardens, I see a parallel between how our garden brought our family together and how a community garden can bring a community together. A community garden provides a place for people to learn together and work towards a common goal. Growing quality food is the desired result of all the work, but it is deeper than just the food. The success of the garden is measured by the time spent together building stronger relationships with the people in your neighborhood. www.resolutiongardens.org
Family Farm for Community Supported Agriculture
Dallas –
San Antonio –
Urban Roots – Leading the Next Generation to a Brighter Future
By Carl Wong This week, I had the great opportunity of touring the Urban Roots farm and meeting some of the farm interns. My tour guide was Shirene, who is the Outreach Program Specialist at Urban Roots and did a phenomenal job explaining the mission of the farm and its details to me. Therefore, allow me to you present to you Urban Roots! To start off, Urban Roots has been in operation for four years now and growing in size every year. The two main goals they have are: to mentor the youth of this generation and to provide better and healthier food to locals in Austin. They are able to accomplish their goals through the youth development program, which allows them to hire students from nearby high schools and teach them valuable life skills via sustainable agriculture. The program currently has about 30 students participating in a 3.5-acre farm and they are hoping to slowly grow the program once they have mastered the farm size to student ratio. Interns do not only learn how to grow and harvest produce, they are taught much more. For example, they learn communication skills through public speaking opportunities; learn leadership skills through peer-to-peer managed groups, and money management from classes provided at the farm. You might wonder, why is there a need to learn money management on a farm? The answer is because this internship is paid, yes paid! Therefore, interns not only learning valuable life, job, and leadership skills but are paid while doing it. For more information about the youth program: http://www.youthlaunch.org/programs/urbanroots.php From last August to now, the Urban Roots crew have met their outstanding goal of growing and harvesting 30,000 pounds of produce, congratulations! Of which, 60% would be sold at the farmers market and 40% donated to those in need. They also have a community support agriculture program, which would be a great way to get fresh and local produce weekly. Here the link to their CSA: https://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Register/Register.asp?ievent=329968&en=gr... During my tour of the farm, I had the chance to speak with two farm interns and asked them questions three questions:
Their answers:
I must say thanks to Shirene and the Urban Roots crew for taking me on a tour of their wonderful farm! Also, Urban Roots is in need of some supplies and has posted a wishlist. If you want to help by donating some supplies, please click this link: http://www.youthlaunch.org/programs/urbanroots.php Thank you for reading!What's in Your Burger?
By Carl Wong Hamburgers are one of the most popular American foods but did you know there might be dangerous consequences in consuming one of these tasty creations? According to “The Dangers of Buying Commercial Ground Beef,” an article by Spence Cooper, 70,000 Americans are sickened each year by E. Coli infections found in ground beef. In the worst cases, E. Coli exposure has led to paralysis, even death. According to The New York Times’ Michael Moss, “A person normally thinks of a hamburger as being a piece of meat that is ground up.” -- but that is not usually the case. Hamburger is typically composed of unwanted trimmings from multiple slaughterhouses shipped to the grinding factory. Cooper states, every time you consume a store-bought burger, you are consuming meat from hundreds of different cows from several countries that usually do not conduct safety tests. There are four main reasons why commercial beef is dangerous to consume: unnatural diet, antibiotics, hormones and irradiation.
So the next time you are in the mood to consume a delicious hamburger, be conscious of where the meat comes from and how it is made. If you can't find quality burgers from a trustworthy source, consider making them yourself to avoid the risk. The process is simpler than you think, and you will know the type of meat that is in your ground beef. Everyone loves a good burger, but we should always make sure that burger is good for us! Here's a link to help you out! http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/how-to/how-to-grind-your-own-meat-in-a-foo... Right here in Texas, there are local producers growing healthy alternatives to the bad industrial ground beef. Smaller farms are typically not as well distributed as the industrial giants, but they can provide sustainable and healthy options for their communities. We can support them by buying their products, which helps keep them in business and demonstrates community encouragement to keep them motivation. The most important idea is that the meat will be healthy for us to consume because better care has been put into the products. Here is a list of local restaurants in Texas cities making higher quality burgers… and don’t be shy about asking them or any restaurant where specifically their beef is coming from: AUSTIN• Hopdoddy Burger Bar grinds its meat daily. • Terra Burger uses 100% all-natural organic ingredients. • Elevation Burger uses all natural organic ingredients and ground their meat daily. • Hut’s Hamburgers uses fresh, never-frozen ground beef patties purchased locally from Johnny G’s meat market. • Hoddington grinds its meat daily DALLAS / FORT WORTH • Square Burgers uses all-natural beef and grinds it daily. • Your Way Burgers uses freshly ground Certified Angus Beef. • Mooyah Burgers & Fries in Addison grinds its own beef. • Kincaid’s Gro. Market Hamburgers in Fort Worth grinds its Angus beef daily. • Tommy’s Hamburger Grill in Fort Worth grinds its their beef daily. HOUSTON • Burger Guys grind their beef daily. • Little Big’s Restaurant uses fresh, never-frozen, ground in-house beef. The next time you are in the mood for a burger, you should give these places a try and experience the difference yourself. From Trend to Lifestyle Staple: The Local Food Initiative
By Nathan Douglas For the past 2 decades terms such as organic, local and sustainable have been accompanying the words we use to describe our foods more and more. The amount of companies in these industries is on the rise; whether it’s the farmers at the local market or the restaurants using the farmer’s array of produce and livestock in their dishes.Since these terms have been around for a while, what do we label their existence as? I’m a person who was never into fads. I can remember a few from my childhood that never appealed to me for one reason or another; JNCO jeans were too expensive, Yoyo’s bored me, Tamagotchi pets were for girls, Magic cards were for nerds (no offense) and I was too cool (at least I thought I was) for Pokémon. But 3 industries that have proven they are more than a fad are the organic, local and sustainable food industries. Together these 3 industries have experienced tremendous growth. Referring to numbers provided by Woody Tasch’s article, “Will the real food movement please stand up”, there has been a 350% increase in the amount of Farmers Market in the US since 1994 and the amount of CSA’s have increased from 60 in 1994 to around 13,000 today. These increases are huge and empirically prove the organic, sustainable and local food industries are clearly not a fad. So do we label them as a trend? Mark Olson, a Wisconsin farmer and Slow Money ambassador, believes so. But he also believes that with the proper infrastructure, this trend can stick around. I agree with Mark. Now, more than ever before, consumers are starting to consciously think about what they eat and want to know where it comes from. I believe we need to take advantage of this current behavior of consumers to turn this trend into a lifestyle staple. I want people to think to buy local/organic/sustainable food whenever they shop for food, just as they would think to tie their shoe when it’s untied; it’s just what you do. What we, as a society, need to do to turn this trend into a stapleis support our local farmers by shopping at our local farmers markets and be active in organizations and companies supporting local/organic/sustainable food initiatives.
Review of Mark Bittman's NYT Article, "Some Good News About Food"
by Evita Montes The food movement has arisen and there are noticeable changes that have come out of it thus far. Blogger, Mark Bittman comments on six positive changes that have come out of our society becoming more conscious of where our food is coming from. In his first point, Bittman comments on one thing that many of us deem of high importance in our society, our nation’s youth. Through the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act and the Food Safety Modernization Act, the federal government is using their power to actually make a move toward healthier food for children. Next, Bittman comments on how easily we are swayed by what the headlines are saying. Even though Wal-Mart has made significant changes toward utilizing local produce, the buzz has been around Michelle Obama’s alliance with Wal-Mart. While celebrities and politicians do help to bring light to important issues is important that we make it a point to understand what it is they’re backing up. Bittman comments on a “250 percent increase [of farmer’s markets] since 1994” seeing as to how there are now over 6,000 farmer’s markets in our nation. But when you look at that number in terms of the size of our population, it means that there is only 1 farmer’s market for roughly every 50,000 people. While this 250 percent increase is a significant move in the right direction, there is still much improvement to be had. However, Bittman brings the urban agriculture movement into perspective in his following point. He states that 40 percent of all vegetables we consumed in 1943 were grown by three-fifths of the population. So in order to regain this level of sustainable consciousness many cities are opting towards urban farming movements, where getting the community motivated to grow is the first step. After making a point that the community involvement is vital, a valid note that Bittman makes is the fact that many of today’s farmers are later on in their years. While this does mean that many of our farmers are skilled in their trade, they need to seek out means to pass on their knowledge. Lucky for us though, we get to be the benefactors of their many years of hard labor so that we may continue to help our generation of younger folks catch on to this agricultural movement. And on his final note, something that I know many of us wished for while we were stuck eating cafeteria food, comes chef inspired meals. Because the habits we pick up in school tend to stick around with us, the U.S.D.A. has sponsored a program called ‘Chefs Move to Schools” in order to restore healthy eating habits to our children in school. Clearly significant changes have been made, so we can’t lose any steam now. The more we educate ourselves now, the quicker we can achieve even more of our goals to make our society even more self- sustained.
Resolution Gardens
By Carl Wong For the first SMA intern excursion trip, we went to Resolution Gardens, owned by an artist turned farmer Randy Jewart. The purpose of Resolution Gardens is to teach people the value of food through the process of growing their own. They understand that people may not have the “time, tools, know-how and expertise needed to get a garden started,” and are willing to offer any type of assistance possible. Not only does Randy believe growing food will be a great learning experience but he hopes to help the community connect through these home gardens. For example, one neighbor could have a garden of tomatoes and the other one of cucumbers. Then the neighbors could trade with each other and start to build a friendly relationship. In addition to helping build home gardens, Resolution Gardens has its own garden producing a variety of vegetables including: kale, Swiss chard, yellow squash, green zukes, and heirloom tomatoes. These vegetables are usually sold to local businesses that support locally grown and sustainable food. The exploration of Resolution Gardens has broadened my insight about sustainable food and the importance of community awareness. Growing food is a difficult process that requires time and effort, with the limited amount of resources at hand it is a challenge for local farmers to compete with the large chain of super markets. That is why support from the community is important, whether it is purchasing or lending a helping hand. There are many small farms in Austin looking to expand or are in need of investments to help keep things operational. As an intern for Slow Money, I have the opportunity to help out by locating these qualified farmers and connect them to potential lenders. Overall this excursion trip has helped me understand more about the Slow Food movement and the important role Slow Money plays in it. I also have to say the vegetables that I sampled were some of the freshest and most delicious vegetables ever!
Slow Money Making a bigBANG! on June 16 in Dallas
What is bigBANG! and what does it have to do with Slow Money?
Sponsored by Dallas Social Venture Partners (DSVP), bigBANG! is a day-long gathering of social innovators, philanthropists and social investors for the purpose of creating impact! This year's event is June 16 at Union Station (400 S. Houston St., Dallas). General and VIP investor tickets and details are here.
Recognizing the need for collaborative efforts to deal with social challenges our communities face, DSVP and Slow Money are working together to meet these challenges.
bigBANG!'s four tracks deal with these important issue areas: 
The NOURISH track is about food. Healthy, fresh, local, fair, innovative, transformative food. It is philosophically "right there" with Slow Money. Consequently, bigBANG! chose Slow Money to serve as "Endorser" for the NOURISH track. That means Slow Money helped select the five entities who will be pitching their ideas to philanthropists and social investors at the event, and will also serve as coach for one group. The five NOURISH presenters are: - Cafe Momentum, Dallas - The Movement, Dallas - Dallas Farmers Market Trust, Dallas - Paul Quinn College's Food For Good Farm, Dallas - Sustainable Food Center, Austin Learn more about the presenters here: bigBANG! 2011 Spices Things Up with The Selection of NOURISH Innovators When these organizations take the stage they will be making a big case for innovation in local, fresh, healthy food production, consumption, education, and distribution. In addition to its participation in the NOURISH track, Slow Money will be on hand at the bigBANG! Socially Conscious Marketplace, telling our story to hundreds of Dallas leaders, innovators and funders. This is a further step in rolling out Slow Money to the North Texas community. bigBANG! is getting bigger and spreading its wings. By next year, we hope DSVP can join us on our stage and we on theirs to present our visions to the greater Texas community. In the meantime, the beauty is, Slow Money is not alone in seeing and believing that we must constructively move capital in ways that contribute to solutions. Our focus on food and agriculture is a priority shared with bigBANG! and DSVP. Together we are building the philosophy and capacity for conscious and intentional investment in organizations and individuals solving problems. Together we are building the fertility of the soil of our local capital markets. Is it fast? Of course not. But, like healthy soil, it is a rich, deep foundation for a better tomorrow.
Interning and Volunteering with Slow Money Texas
Do you want to see sustainable agriculture flourish in your community? Are you interested in participating to a national movement that is all about investing locally? If so, considering joining us this summer! We have a variety of volunteer opportunities available in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and, soon, Houston and San Antonio. Our exciting intern program will give you the opportunity to expand your skills, make a difference in your community, and maybe even get your fingers dirty during a field trip or two. Serious inquirers can email our program coordinator at: s.eckrich AT gmail.com Slow Money Texas Spring Events
Dallas/Fort Worth: Slow Money 20x20 Event
Slow Money presenter Greenling Partners with Whole Foods Market
Congratulations to Greenling:
 HEALTHY MONEY SUMMIT
A frequent stumbling block when conversing about investing in a sustainable future is the topic of money itself -- that is, our ability to talk openly and honestly assess what money means to us, what we do with it, and how our relationship to it impacts our lives and our world. This week, the Healthy Money Summit is holding court to spur on a conscious shift to a healthier, happier, more productive relationship with money. Over four days -- Jan. 24 to Jan. 27 -- you can learn about:
The summit offers FREE live access, and features experts and luminaries -- including Woody Tasch of Slow Money -- sharing insights and wisdom on creating a better financial future as individuals and as a collective whole: Riane Eisler, Lynne Twist, John Robbins, Liz Pulliam Weston, Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, Helena Norberg-Hodge, David Korten, Stacey Tisdale, Hazel Henderson, Alisa Gravitz, Bernard Lietaer, Judy Wicks, Satish Kumar, Catherine Austin Fitts, Rob Hopkins, Vicki Robin, Nipun Mehta, Betsy Taylor, John DeGraaf, Edgar Cahn, Anne Ellinger, Jay Walljasper, Don Shaffer. Sessions are scheduled throughout each day. You can participate in as many sessions as you like, and interact with featured speakers and participants around the globe via the MaestroConference platform. A healthy economy, healthy habits and healthy attitudes toward money are possible. Learn more here. NEW YEAR, NEW DAY
In an issue titled "From the Stock Market to the Supermarket," GreenMoney Journal exposes growing investor interest in sustainable food. Here's an excerpt from an article by Slow Money Founder Woody Tasch, a glimpse of the work being done collectively across the nation:
Here in Texas, Slow Money is just getting started. Organized a year ago as a rag-tag Austin chapter, like the national organization, Slow Money Texas has worked diligently to evolve the "slow money ethos" from a movement into a real organization that can provide value and catalyze investment in local and sustainable food enterprises.
In the past six months, efforts Slow Money Texas has undertaken -- through its public forums, investor presentations and mentoring activities -- have resulted in over $1.5 million invested in Texas-based sustainable businesses, and potentially more through indirect promotion of programs such as the Whole Foods Market Local Producer Loan Program, or of people like Jerry Cunningham of Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill, who Woody called out in his article:
Such stories and their promise of success drive this volunteer organization to reach for more. We continue advancing opportunities for investment, developing valuable support programs, and honing the slow money message. And we're seeing seeds planted start to sprout.
Rolling into 2011, a core group of talented people are galvanizing north Texas. Dallas / Fort Worth joins Austin in representing a critical "slow money" region, and becoming a pillar of Slow Money Texas, each key city-region being invested in, and an integral part of, the whole.
As Slow Money Texas evolves into a collective, the opportunities to spread our message -- and be heard -- increase exponentially. Our ability to harness momentum and advance programs and initiatives grows. As with the national Slow Money organization, 2010 was a year to plan. Now, as we dash out of the starting gate of a new year, let's see how far we can run.
Sign up to learn more about Slow Money here, or join us on January 25 at the Texas Discovery Gardens in Dallas.
SLOW MONEY SOIL TRUST
Locally, regionally and nationally, Slow Money is helping develop supportive funding vehicles centered around sustainable food systems. One such vehicle is the Slow Money Soil Trust.
As Woody Tasch, chairman and president of the Slow Money Alliance, noted, millions of Americans contribute $35 per year to the National Rifle Association. Imagine if one million Americans contributed $25 per year to the Soil Trust? The impact could be profound, freeing millions of dollars to support the creation of locally owned businesses and jobs. To learn more and contribute, go here: Slow Money Soil Trust One objective of Slow Money Texas is to see other Texas communities make the Soil Trust list. We will be in Dallas on Wednesday, Nov. 17, to start the conversation. UPDATE: We will be in Dallas again on Tuesday, Jan. 25. RSVP here. Other community members, sign up to receive future information here (more coming): Houston, San Antonio and El Paso. - JM What Should Austin Save? Make Your Case Oct. 22-25
Close companions to sustainability are identity and preservation. What is Austin? What should it be? What has it been? These timeless questions force us to define what's important in our lives and in our communities, and prioritize what's worth holding onto.
Many of you know Greg Esparza and the What Is Austin? project has been focusing on the identity question as part of the City's Imagine Austin initiative. If you're unfamiliar with these programs, check them out.
On the preservation side, fellow Austinite Jason Lloyd Clement and his colleagues from the National Trust for Historic Preservation will be in town from Oct. 22-25 to ask a most deeply felt question: What should Austin save? The goal is to engage Austinites in frank conversation about their city; how it is changing; what needs to be saved; and how can preservation keep things weird.
The three-man crew will be conducting people-on-the-street interviews, for a series entitled Austin Unscripted, at scheduled meet-ups across the city. Below is their flyer showing the full schedule, as well as links with more info:
Website: www.PreservationNation.org/AustinUnscripted Concept Video: Don't miss your chance to declare what matters most. - JM
Click to enlarge image.
Governor's Volunteer Award Goes to Houston's Last Organic Outpost
Congratulations to Joe and Marcella Icet and their Last Organic Outpost, an inner-city urban farm project in Houston. Last Thursday, they were recognized as Social Innovators as part of the 27th Annual Governor's Volunteer Awards, handed out by the OneStar Foundation. The Icet's farm project uses regenerative agriculture to restore the fertility of unused land, and, since first planting in 2001, has provided well-being, renewal, education, art and inspiration, to the communities of greater Houston.
Learn more about Last Organic Outpost at their web site, and consider participating in their upcoming 2nd Annual Community GreenFest, no doubt an especially exuberant community celebration in light of what they've accomplished. The event will feature music from all over the world, spoken word, dance and drumming as well as workshops and special guests. (Assistance and volunteers are greatly wanted! Pitch in and renew your self!)
- JM
Fellow TX Nonprofits, Don't Miss This IRS Deadline!
In the past, 501(c)(3) public charities with annual income below $25,000 were exempt from filing a 990 tax return. Tax changes made in 2007 removed that exemption, thereby requiring such charities (except churches) to file a 990-N annually or have their tax-exemption revoked once they hit three years without filing.
That three-year "grace period" came due on May 17, 2010, yet some 350,000 public charities -- over 1,200 in Austin alone! -- have yet to file a single 990-N.
In response to the staggering shortfall, the IRS extended the deadline and will allow these organizations to come back into compliance, thereby retaining their tax-exempt status, if they file returns by Oct. 15, 2010.
After that date, any 501(c)(3) with annual income below $25,000 that has not filed for three consecutive years past will lose its exemption and have to reapply to regain tax-exempt status.
What can you do? Go here to see if any nonprofits you know are on the IRS' hit list. If so, tell them to see their accountants, pronto!
Farm & Food Leadership Conference in Austin next week feat. Slow Money panel. http://bit.ly/dmcgwk
ABJ: Austin entrepreneurs launch NuturMe organic baby food http://bit.ly/cIevjP
Farm & Food Leadership Conf. Sept. 13-14 - Register Now
We are fast upon the August lull, but an important event to get on the calendar now is the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance's Farm & Food Leadership Conference slated for Sept. 13 & 14 in downtown Austin. The event hits on many hot-button issues facing sustainable agriculture: food safety, labeling, policy issues, water use, accessibility, outreach and more. We'll be on hand, reviewing the overall investment picture for sustainable enterprises, and discussing what it will take for Texas to become a Slow Money leader. Jim Hightower keynotes. Don't miss it. South Austin Food Coop Happy Hour tonight at Freddie's! http://bit.ly/9R9GSD
This Thu. 7 pm - Understanding Slow $ http://www.slowmoneyaustin.org/events/20100729.php
7/29 SMA Salon - Understanding & Investing in Local Sustainable Food: A Slow Money Primer Join us on 7/29 for this month's Slow Money Austin Salon. Come nosh with your neighbors as we share local experiences and bring the work of Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry, Bill McKibben and Woody Tasch down to earth here in Austin. This event is open to the public and being held at Ventana del Soul Cafe and Cultural Center in collaboration with Slow Money Austin, The Front Porch Project and Ventana del Soul. Hope to see you there! Don't forget, tomorrow @SlowFoodAustin Texas Artisan Showcase, Space 12, 3121 E. 12th St. http://slowfoodaustin.org CU there
Lots of tasty stuff going on this week...
Wed., June 23
Slow Money Austin - National Gathering Debrief & Happy Hour
Thanks to a generous donation and the ever-supportive La Condesa, we've got some free eats lined up, plus the first drink is on us. Hope you can join us.
Slow Food - Texas Artisan Showcase
Downtown & Sunset Valley Farmers Market - Watermelon Festival
Sustainable Food Center - Home Preservation Class
Natural Epicurean Grand Opening - Open House (All Day)
Boggy Creek Farm - Pamela Walker Booksigning, Growing Good Things to Eat in Texas
Posting via email through 3rd-party = choppy posts -- previous CEO post missing Stonyfield hash. Will try to clean up. Happy Sunday!
Slow$ Joe Salatin (Food Inc. farmer): #1 need? Food processor infrastructure (biz idea: handling bureaucratic overhead!)
Slow$: We needed to pick a goal... a starting point. Food is a domino. It effects so many things.
SmartPlanet 5/17 interview w. #Stonyfield CEO: http://bit.ly/anJ7Kc
Slow$ #Stonyfield CEO: 100% milk from family farmers (ave. 75 cows); 90% sales from 1% US households
Slow$: We must martial economic power to protect farmland; must elevate our political power to change regressive Farm (Food) Bill
Slow$ Stonyfield CO: Global food demand to double within 40 years
Slow$ #Stonyfield CEO: 125 million acres of global farmland being land-grabbed by institutional investors right now
Slow$ #Stonyfield CEO Quote: Immensely critical moment for us -- this is no less than saving the world
Slow$ Day 2: Austin's Greenling, Coyote Creek, Rhythm Superfood rocks house (tent!)
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