raganella

farm city, here i come!

Liz — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:54:51 +0000

I’m super excited to be participating in the Farm City Fair this Sunday (9.12), part of the larger 2-week-long Farm City event. I’ll be leading a worm composting demo and tabling all day alongside the NYC Compost Project in Brooklyn. If you come to the event you’ll also get a chance to learn some other great DIY skills from some of my favorite people, like:

Foraging with Leda Meredith (Leda’s Urban Homestead)
Pickling with Kate Payne (Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking)
Honey Extraction with Meg Paska (Brooklyn Honey)
Sausage Making with Tricia Okin (BK Tactical Meet Labs)
and much more!

(Thanks to Adriana Velez & BFC for making it possible!)

Full details on the day’s events below:

The Fair is a wild new take on the traditional County Fair.

Join us for a day-long celebration of art and food grown in Brooklyn!

The Fair aims to collapse the boundaries between consumer and producer, reducing disconnect between city dwellers and sources of our food stuffs.

Festivities engage all the senses:

hear live music performed local alt-marching band Asphalt Orchestra and special guests presented by Club Barbes: Banda de los Muertos, Djarara, and Slavic Soul Party;

taste food prepared by local chefs committed to local ingredients;

view specially commissioned work by local artists;

get in touch with how to produce your own food in workshops by Brooklyn Food Coalition;

browse a marketplace with some of Brooklyn’s best small-batch artisanal food purveyors, curated by Joann Kim of Greenpoint Food Market!

show off your home-grown garden produce at Greenthumb Blue Ribbon Competition; &

Cap it off with a ticket to The Food Experiments “Brooklyn Roots” cook-off competition. BUY TICKETS HERE!

Featured artists premiering new works include:

Tattfoo Tan, S.O.S. Mobile Classroom

Mathilde Roussel-Giraudy, Ca Pousse!

Miwa Koizumi, NY Flavors Ice Cream

Andrew Casner, Compost Painting and

Wylie Dufresne, wd-50 chef, a new recipe for download and degustation!

Featured Chefs putting Brooklyn into the local diet include:

Sean Rembold, Marlow & Sons;

George Weld, Egg; and

Chris “Ted” Jackson, Ted & Honey;

Tom Mylan, Famed Butcher from The Meat Hook

Sunday, September 12, 2010
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Invisible Dog Art Center
51 Bergen Street, Brooklyn 11201
FREE!
(Except for The Food Experiments, where you can also have some fine libations courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery)

new workshop! diy natural beauty products

Liz — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:29:31 +0000

Come join me at my latest Deer Stop workshop and learn to pamper yourself with homemade beauty supplies…

MAKE YOUR OWN TOXIN-FREE BEAUTY & HYGIENE PRODUCTS

September 23 · 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Deer Stop
455 Grand Street, #3, Brooklyn, NY 11211

It’s healthier for you. It’s less expensive. It imposes fewer toxins on the environment. And it cuts out all those plastic and glass containers that you would otherwise buy every time you need more product.

Every day, the average man uses about 6 personal care products, and the average woman about 12. The majority of these products are full of synthetic, harmful chemicals. These chemicals are absorbed straight through the skin and inhaled into the lungs, entering the bloodstream and the organs. They also enter the water and soil, contaminating ecosystems on a mass scale. In this workshop, we’ll continue our process of being healthier towards ourselves and our environment, and in doing so, withdrawing from some of today’s more harmful industries. Come learn to make your own products using naturally sourced materials. It’s so easy, it’s inexpensive, and you’ll know exactly what you’re putting on your body.

We’ll make 3 luxurious personal care products that you’ll get to take home with you and use right away. We’ll also share several other beauty care product recipes that you can play with at home, and provide you with a list of the most natural, healthy product lines you can buy from if preferred.

REGISTRATION This workshop is $25 and requires registration. Please email julia@thisiswherethedeerstop.org to register.

Also, please consider re-posting this event for your friends.

Learn more about the lovely Julia Frodahl and her amazingly serene yoga studio DEER STOP: http://www.thisiswherethedeerstop.org/

the power to eliminate hidden toxins

Liz — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:27:36 +0000

I don’t like to use scare tactics to convince people to lead healthier lives, but the problem is, there are some pretty scary things in this modern world. Some pretty scary things in probably every household in this country. Whether it’s formaldehyde in furniture, lead in toys, or phthalates in fragrances, it’s not so easy to avoid some exposure to these chemicals (like the video above points out). And though many of these chemicals have been ubiquitous for at least the last 50 years, the data are finally mounting and becoming public as to the harm they actually pose.

What I find empowering despite this dark news is that we do have a good deal of control over our exposure to these baddies. We can do some research and find better, less toxic products while boycotting the stuff that’s toxic. We can eliminate products from our homes that are causing us harm. We can support legislation that ensures industry is being honest and using safer materials. We are not powerless. If we focus our energies on this priority – of creating a healthier, happier world – then we can be healthier and happier.

Still not convinced? Come to my workshop tomorrow night (Monday the 16th) at Sun In Bloom. Full details here.

If you can’t make it to the workshop, get in touch. I’ll be happy to help!

REMINDER: clean & clear workshop

Liz — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:35:18 +0000

Come join me on Monday, August 16 at a delicious cafe in Brooklyn for an engaging and interactive evening!

In collaboration with GreenEdge NYC & Sun In Bloom~

Let me show you how easy it is to make your own cleaning products at this fun, hands-on workshop…

Clean & Clear: Improve the Health of Your Home

Home is a sacred place, a place to find comfort and security, a place to breathe easy. Unfortunately, the air quality in our homes and workplaces can be up to 10 times worse than the air outside (and our city has poor air to begin with).

But fret not! There are several simple solutions you can implement to improve the health of your home, as well as those who inhabit it.

This hands-on workshop led by Liz Neves, Healthy Home Consultant from Raganella, will help you:

• Make your own customized, non-toxic, non-polluting cleaning products
• Identify everyday household products that may be harmful to your health
• Learn about plants that filter out toxins in your home
• Walk away with skills you can apply right away

Please bring
• An 8 ounce glass jar (with lid)
• An 8 ounce spray bottle (we will have spray bottles available if you can’t bring one)

At the end of the evening you will take home a Surface Scrub and a Glass Cleaner.

Cost: $25 Purchase now!

Find empowerment in creation!

Monday, August 16
at Sun In Bloom
6:30 to 8:30
Come at 6:30 to grab a bite, workshop begins at 7.

real help for haiti – UPDATE

Liz — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:06:45 +0000

There are only 5 days left to reach the goal for Hands That Feed on Kickstarter (read more about the project below). The thing with Kickstarter is, if they don’t make their goal, they don’t get any of the money pledged. But here’s the good part, a generous donor has just offered to work outside Kickstarter and independently match the next $2,000 in donations that are made!

If you think it’s a worthy cause, all you have to pledge is $10. If you don’t have $10, maybe you could tell a few friends who do. Please watch the video and read on to learn more. Then give generously, if you can.

Big earthquakes – like the one that hit Haiti in January – often leave a wake of disaster. And the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti was disastrous to an already compromised country, affecting approximately 3 million people, leaving people homeless and hurt, taking people’s lives. But out of the destruction, comes opportunity. An opportunity to heal the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.

There are many methods for helping people in need, but which are most effective? Giving the power to the people to help themselves, in my mind, will have the longest lasting positive effects. Enter, Hands That Feed:

Hands That Feed is a documentary film exploring the agricultural collapse in Haiti, its role in the post-earthquake food crisis, and the emerging grassroots development models that seek to restore Haiti’s food supply and environment.

The Film

Hands That Feed will narrate the experiences of dynamic young adults in post-earthquake Haiti, representing a range of innovative grassroots recovery organizations, as they seek to build a sustainable future for the country. The film starts on the streets of Port-au-Prince. Following our characters through day-to-day life, the viewer learns how Haiti lost the ability to feed itself, turning a natural disaster into a crisis. The inspiring young people undergo personal transformation, mirroring the potential transformation of the nation, as they study sustainable agriculture techniques and trauma relief through yoga practices. They then tour the country as teachers, experiencing the hardships of post-earthquake Haiti. The viewer witnesses the challenges, frustration, and victories of teaching society to be self-sufficient in both agriculture and leadership.

Learn more about Hands That Feed and consider supporting them by giving to their Kickstarter campaign so they can complete this important project.

eco fun in greenwood, brooklyn

Liz — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:46:01 +0000

Come out to Greenwood Brooklyn this summer for some fun hands-on workshops for kids of all ages!

I’ll be co-leading a workshop on worm composting on Saturday, July 17. We’ll show you how to set up an indoor composting bin and how to care for your new friends, the red wigglers.

new workshop: how to reduce petroleum use

Liz — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 16:35:37 +0000

Petroleum has made our lives incredibly convenient and comfortable, but at what cost? At no time has the evidence been more immediate to Americans that our hunger for oil has catastrophic consequences.

Join me and Julia Frodahl of Deer Stop Yoga in a discussion about how we can move beyond fossil fuels to discover a fulfilling and regenerative way of life. Ninety minutes of workshop time will be followed by 30 minutes of asana.

ECOLOGICAL LIVING WORKSHOP #2: How to Reduce Your Use of Petroleum
Thursday, July 15, 2010
7:00pm – 9:00pm
@ Deer Stop
455 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY

REGISTRATION

This workshop is $25 and requires registration. Please email julia@thisiswherethedeerstop.org to register. Also, please consider re-posting this event for your friends. (Visit our facebook page)

DEER STOP: http://www.thisiswherethedeerstop.org/

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world” ~John Muir

hairy solutions to an oily problem

Liz — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:57:03 +0000

Post-cut sweep up

I decided a couple of weeks ago it was time to cut my hair. I usually just throw it up into a ponytail anyway, so what’s the point of keeping it long? I thought about just shaving it off, but I reconsidered. Then, as I was nearing a decision on making an appointment, a message was delivered to my inbox. It came from Manhattan User’s Guide: an amazing list of ways to help out with the gulf oil disaster. I had been wondering what I could do (aside from try to throw money at it, but that doesn’t directly clean up the sludge) and this great newsletter informed me about a group called Matter of Trust that uses hair to clean up oil spills. Sweet serendipity!

So I made an appointment and let my hairdresser know what I was up to. I asked if she could tell the managers of the salon about it. Well, she did. Turns out, they love the idea and are going to save all of the hair from the salon for the cause.

I can’t imagine anyone not jumping at the chance to help out in this way, especially with a readily available resource like hair. We’ve all got it. Even our pets (and yes, that hair/fur can be sent, too). So I’m going to go around to some other salons in the city telling them about this great solution that they can be a part of.

To see learn more and see how hair cleans up oil, check out this video:

I heard today that Hooters waitresses are going to donate their torn nylons to the cause as well. Hey, every bit counts!

urban permaculture opportunities

Liz — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:29:28 +0000

I am heartened at the increasing number of offerings and growing interest in permaculture design courses in the city. It tells me that more and more people are becoming mindful of our connection to the earth and the great impact we can have – positive or negative – on it. Some friends new to the method have been asking where they could study the triple-bottom-line principles of permaculture. I always respond, it’s not really a matter of where you study, but who you study with. Who we learn from and the context in which we learn should reflect how and where we practice permaculture. While I’d love to go to the country to study, the skills I learn may not apply to the urban setting in which I live and will practice. As the saying often used in permie circles goes, “it depends.”

If you or someone you know is interested in an urban permaculture design certification (PDC), check out these offerings in the city this summer, listed by teacher.

Andrew Faust

Andrew puts the state of the world into perspective by focusing on its evolutionary history and the leverage points that matter – reducing our personal and environmental exposure to toxins, cultivating more diverse & beneficial heirloom plants & heritage breed animals, and building strong communities. (NB: I have a bias, I did take Andrew’s PDC!)

Classes begin: August 14 (11 sessions, Saturdays & Sundays through October)

Cost: $1000 (due to the hard economic times, he’s extending the early bird discount to all attendees)

More info and registration

Ariane Burgess

According to the Open Center class description: Ariane “teaches Gaia Education’s Design for Sustainability courses in Findhorn, Scotland, and Thailand. Her research focuses on best practices for transitioning human settlements into resilient and regenerative ones. She is the founder of Regenerative Culture, which is dedicated to the education and design of regenerative communities.”

Classes begin: July 17 (12 sessions, Saturdays & Sundays through October)

Cost: $1225, unless you’re an Open Center member, in which case it’s $1180. (Payment plan is available.)

More info and registration

Claudia Joseph

If you want to get your hands dirty learning DIY skills in a historic setting from a woman who has been involved in agricultural and ecological education since the 90s, take this class.

Classes begin: July 17 (12 sessions, Saturdays & Sundays)

Cost: $1,150 5% discount before July 1
Scholarships & work-trade available on a limited basis by application process

More info and registration

committed to a non-toxic lifestyle

Liz — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:35:26 +0000

I urge you to watch this series of important videos by Dr. Sanjay Gupta about how toxins are pervasive, persistent, and impacting us all, everyday.

An initial reaction to this might be easy to become paralyzed and perhaps feel helpless. But I see this as an opportunity to highlight the importance of our choices, especially what we choose to surround ourselves and our loved ones with. We all have the power to make these choices:

Choose organic and sustainably grown food and fibers
Opt for non-toxic cleaning supplies, beauty products, and furnishings
Advocate for improved energy efficiency, for alternative non-polluting fuels, and against the burning of fossil fuels
Support local businesses who source their goods responsibly
Buy used goods and think before purchasing new ones (whether they are really ‘needed’)
Help others find non-toxic solutions for their home and self care

Collectively, our actions have the power to shape our world. As the oft-quoted Gandhi said,

“Almost anything you do seems insignificant. It is very important that you do it.
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

I’m taking this opportunity to reaffirm my commitment to act as responsibly as I can to protect myself and others from toxic pollutants by making these choices. Are you with me?