Thursday, October 24, 2013

Hops ‘n’ Harvest Celebration—Come Thirsty and Hungry!



Local beer and food pairings to be featured at the Hops ‘n’ Harvest Celebration

(Oakland, Calif.) October 23, 2013 —Great craft beer has always been a perfect match for great food. On Saturday, Nov 9th at the Hops ‘n’ Harvest Festival, Bison Organic Beer will be teaming up with local food vendors to showcase a flavor-packed array of food & organic beer pairings.

Hops ‘n’ Harvest is a celebration of harvest and the partnership between the Victory Garden Foundation   Now harvested, it serves as a special batch of Bison’s Hop Cuvee, appropriately dubbed the Oakland Hops Harvest Ale. Sample it – and learn to brew beer – on Saturday, November 9th from 1 – 5 pm in the gardens at 5316 Telegraph Avenue. Outside the festival facility for Hops ‘n’ Harvest attendees and the community will have many locally-sourced  food options. 


These will include:
and Bison Organic Beer. This spring, the organic brewer planted Cascade Hops locally throughout Oakland - much of it in the Peoples Victory Gardens in the Temescal neighborhood and at Lake Merritt.

Rosamunde Sausage
Rosamunde Sausage Grill, a San Francisco sausage-and-craft-beer restaurant, opened their East Bay version (911 Washington St., Oakland, 510-338-3108, RosamundeSausageGrill.com) in Swan's Market.

Fist of Flour Pizza
Fist of Flour Pizza Company, located in Oakland is all about keeping it local, fresh and tasty. Their mobile oven will be fired up to serve attendees and the local community. wheresthefist.com 
Onigilly Japanese Restaurant
Onigilly [Oh-Knee-Ghee-Lee] is a traditional Japanese fast food known as onigiri, or rice balls that dates back over 2,300 years. The Onigilly Japanese Restaurant will bring its daytime cart to the festival offering attendees and the community another great food offering.


As part of the festivities, in the garden area; attendees will be treated to a hearty garden harvest soup presented by volunteers of Victory Garden Foundation’s Stone Soup Saturday program. This program was launched in 2012 as a pilot at the Phat Beets Produce Farmer’s Market and has subsequently moved to team up with the Peoples Victory Garden program at the Telegraph Community Center.

Hops ‘n’ Harvest is a festival with music, entertainment, education and fun for all ages; garden games and activities; brewing demos and a beer tasting by Bison Organic Beers; garden workshops, information seminars and products by local experts and vendors; harvested, garden-fresh refreshments and more!
Hops ‘n’ Harvest is an opportunity to give back to the community by supporting the work of the Victory Garden Foundation.  That work is grounded in improving the quality of life for people in and around the garden.  Your donation benefits its essential garden programs and is tax deductible. 

Tickets are available at www.victorygardenfoundation.org or by calling 800.971.6620. Advance tickets - $10 adults, $5 students/children (under 12 is FREE). Day of Event - $15 adults, $5 students/children (under 12 is FREE) 

WHAT:           Hops ‘n’ Harvest
 A fundraising festival celebrating the Victory Garden Foundation’s Peoples Victory Garden Program
WHEN:           Saturday, November 9th from 1 pm – 5 pm
WHERE:         Peoples Victory Garden @ Telegraph Center
                        5316 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609

TICKETS:       Go to www.VictoryGardenFoundation.org or call 800.971.6620
                        Advanced Donation $10 adults, $5 children/students, under age 12 is FREE
                        At the door - $15 adults, $5 children/students, under age 12 is FREE


About Victory Garden Foundation
Founded in 2008 by Victory V. Lee, Victory Garden Foundation began as an Oakland CA neighborhood grassroots movement founded in the spirit of the historical Victory Garden movement of the 1940’s. Incorporated and receiving its nonprofit status in 2009, the Victory Garden Foundation Inc (VGF) mission is simple: Encourage people to grow their own food at and near home! VGF has a hands-on relationship with people in East Bay CA while reaching out globally throughout the Internet to others to inspire them to grow food at and near home. Be part of the Victory! Information is shared with the community of all ages and level of edible gardening knowledge at VGF’s websites: www.VictoryGardenFoundation.org; www.PeoplesVictoryGarden.org; www.BarrettsWorld.com; www.LorinStationCropSwap.org; Facebook pages: VictoryGardenFoundation; PeoplesVictoryGarden4U and Twitter: VictoryGarden2U; TheVictoryPatch; PVGarden
The goals of VGF are to support the growth of food at home through connecting and sharing with individuals through the sustainable growth and harvest of Victory Gardens in communities throughout the East Bay California and beyond. VGF is committed to achieving these goals through education and outreach, financial and technical assistance, mentoring, and advocacy through the Internet, workshops, and hands-on participation. The Victory Garden Foundation Inc is a non-profit public community-benefit (501c3) organization Tax ID# 27-0598299.

Monday, October 21, 2013

A Proven Energy Boost



There are days when the thought enters my mind ... 'I'm tired, in pain, I need a long break. It's okay, I won't be missed. Take off.' Then, that thought changes before it takes hold on the path to action ... 'I'm not tired, true I am in pain, and I need a break. It’s time to get into the garden.' This changed thought sends a renewed energy through my mind, body, and soul. Off I go to one of the five community gardens that I'm supporting through Victory Garden Foundation’s Peoples Victory Garden program. And, then, WoW!

Amazing things happen. More than 50 families accept the opportunity to receive fresh, organic herbs and vegetables. This all started with me and a few volunteers harvesting herbs and vegetables while taking the opportunity to do some garden chores at the Peoples Victory Garden at the Telegraph Center because the Victory Garden Crop Swap and Harvest to Feed opens on the front lawn giving clients of the food pantry, neighbors, and passersby organic produce harvested from the garden in the past hour. Fresh! Garden members of the Peoples Victory Garden harvested for themselves and the Harvest Table around 11 am. From noon until 2 pm; we met people, had some great conversations, made new connections, and shared lots of smiles and hugs.

Collard greens, mixed spicy greens, cilantro, sorrel, radish and radish leaves, nasturtium leaves and flowers, yarrow, squash, Japanese eggplant, pak choy, peppermint, oregano, thyme, lemon balm, peppers, sage, dried beans, celery, tree kale, tree tomatoes (tamarillos), onions, chive ... This is the list of produce abundance shared to feed about 50 families. 
Kevin and Kate share smiles with a view of some of the day's bounty!

 Now it’s 1:45 pm and just a handful of produce remains. As I help pack up the Harvest Table food stand, I'm thinking about next Friday to do this again. More harvest and tell more people about this opportunity. Then, quickly, the thought of gardening on Saturday enters my mind. It’s excitement, tranquility accomplishments, and the tastes of good food that rush over me. Looking forward to …
Garden entrance weeded and sheet mulched ... much more to do!
Next day … early morning into the garden, growing more food to share. I'm tired, in pain (I have chronic back pain-sciatica and stenosis), and I need a long break. Yes, a long break in the Peoples Victory Garden. Now that’s an energy boost! Sharing!!

The Peoples Victory Garden is accepting new garden members to grow food. Community work days at the Telegraph Center location (5316 Telegraph Ave, Oakland 94609) are Saturdays, 1 to 3 pm and 1st and 3rd Saturdays at the Lake Merritt location (Edible Gardens at Lakeside, Bellevue Ave, Oakland 94610) through November. There's no charge to join. Contact the Garden Director at garden@PeoplesVictoryGarden.org for more information about the program.

Victory Garden Crop Swap and Harvest to Feed continues through November 8 on Fridays; 12 -2 pm. Contact Kevin at brahmacow@gmail.com for more information.

Bring your extra crop and take some home!