Feed the Radio Benefit Party May 15th
Hello friends!
Here it is once more...the burst of spring has got us strapping on our dancing shoes, clearing out the barn, and cooking up a storm for the big old spring hoedown we're calling the "Feed the Radio Benefit Party".
Please join us from 3pm on for an afternoon of activities, workshops, and radio fun!
Stay for a delicious dinner and silent auction, followed by an evening of lovely live music and a DJ dance party
This we are hosting the joint benefit for WGXC, our new local community radio station (getting so close to being on the air!), and to sponsor low income shares for Fog and Thistle CSA (formerly known as Germantown Community Farm CSA) Come have a great time and help us deliver homegrown radio and food to our community!
Suggested donation is $10-$25

Camping in the orchard is welcome. Bring tents, bedding, flashlights. Accomodations in the house and barn are limited; let us know if you need them.
Children are certainly welcome.
We will need volunteers to help before, during and after the event. We are also looking for silent auction items (examples: artwork, plants, childcare or gardening hours, furniture, building materials, instruments, gift baskets, kayaks, tools, jewelry, massages, bike repair, tatoos, etc. Be creative!).

If you can't make it, but still want to support the cause, donations are welcome. Just get in touch!

For more info check out www.wgxc.org
www.fogandthistlefarm.com
or email Kaya at kaya@wgxc.org


The farm is located at 4872 State Rt 9G, Germantown NY
Our phone number is 518-537-6139

DETOUR DETOUR DETOUR
By the way, there is now a wicked DETOUR to take to get to the farm if you are coming from the north. The bridge on 9G, just north of our house is completely shut down. it now takes an extra 6 or 7 minutes to get here. To get the farm follow these simple directions:
At road closed signs, take left onto county rt. 10. Take your first right onto Wire Rd. At stop sign, take right onto Dales Bridge Rd. At T, take right onto Hover Ave. At end, right on 9G. We're a couple houses in on the right. Please park across the street at the trucking garage. There will be parking attendants to assist you, but keep an eye out for the signs.

CSA Shares available for 2010

The Vegetable CSA has a new name:
Fog and Thistle Farm
and two new farmers:
Nicolas Pandjiris and Eileen Wallding
but still the same place and the same great vegetables.
We still have some shares available for this season.
check out our new website for details:
www.fogandthistlefarm.com
also new this year we will have a mid week Hudson pick-up
Tuesday afternoons from 4-7
we will be downtown with piles of glistening vitamins (vegetables)
hope to see you soon...
it looks like a good season ahead!

SCHEDULE UPDATE for the Fall Party & Skillshare

Saturday September 26th

8:00 - 9:00am  BREAKFAST

9:30 - 11am WORKSHOPS

Whole Body Strength, with Trevor Roush 

A cost-free, at home fitness regime with results.

Yoga, with Carol Szamatowicz

Mostly Standing Vinyasa poses revolving around the Warrior Pose Series. As yoga goes, this class will tend to be strength building. All levels are welcome; be prepared to tailor to your own skill level, as the Warrior Poses, when held, can tend to be the more vigorous-leaning yoga assanas.  Two mats provided to newcomers. Since it is a mostly standing class, mats are optional, though often better for not slipping or sliding.

Flatfooting and Clogging, with Ryan Clover

Come learn Appalachian Clogging and Flatfooting dance. We'll cover the basic steps to get y'all dancing at the next square dance. There will also be room to share some more advanced technique.

11:30 - 1:00pm  WORKSHOPS

WGXC:  Go Live on the Web:  Webstreaming and Podcasting, with Dharma Dailey

Come learn how to make live audio and video available on a web site.  We’ll cover basic recording set ups, some simple tricks to get  good sound, and a few of the easiest and most reliable software options iphone, Skype, and Twittercam.   Use your new chops on your own website or join the WGXC Audio Army to help cover town meetings, concerts, and other local events.

Field Walk, with Ashley Loehr

A comprehensive guided tour of the Germantown Community Farm CSA fields.

Thai-Style Curry, with Traci Picard

We will make Thai-Style Curry, and then eat it.

Social Detox, with Ryan Clover

Challenging sexism is a necessary part of any social movement.  This workshop will explore the role that men can play in deconstructing sexist behaviors and holding ourselves and each other accountable for sexist behavior

D.I.Y. Bike Mechanics, with Margaret DeBona

Learn some basic bike repairs like fixing a flat, adjusting your brakes, and changing your chain.  Get ready to use tools and get greasy!

1:00 - 2:30pm  LUNCH

2:30 - 4:00  WORKSHOPS

Anarchy Beekeeping, with Sam Comfort

Not to anthropomorphize, but many bees are upset these days!  Learn how to construct simple hive boxes, catch wild honey bees, and keep them alive (and "happy") without chemicals.  We willl inspect a few hives, pay homage to the queen bees, and celebrate the goldenrod honey flow.

Saplings and Scrap Into Super Structure, with Matt Bua

This workshop will begin with participates brainstorming and envisioning what the soon-to-be structure’s appearance and usages will be. Drawings and sketches will be quickly made using the Visionary Drawing Building Format (www.drawingbuilding.org).  By utilizing improvised connecting and building techniques the collaborative process will yield something that may or may not resemble the earlier visions.

Tools for a Lifetime, with Charles Picard

A brief history of hand tools, and how  to salvage, restore and maintain rusty old stuff.

Mask Making for Kids (and the Young at Heart), with Alex Malmude

Buttons!  Yarn!  Magic markers!  Supplies will be on hand for mask-making revelry.  Create a new character, or make a mask of your alter ego.  Possibilities for your mask are limited only by your imagination (...and by the supplies we have on hand.)  This workshop is open to kids and adults alike.  Hopefully we'll be able to make extra masks for people to wear during the barn dance.

WGXC:  Setting-up Sound for a Live Event, with Tom Roe

Learn how to set a PA (Public Address) and speaker system for a live event.  We'll cover the basics of adjusting levels, running cables, and hooking up mics for great sound quality.  We'll also cover how to hook up to a recorder and mixer for webstreaming.  Become an indespensible asset to any party or show!

4:30 - 6:00  WORKSHOPS

WGXC:  Interviewing and Oral Histories, with Suzanne

Everyone’s got a great story to tell.  Interviewing and putting together an oral history project is a great way to discover them, and get them out into the world and onto the airwaves.  Suzanne will cover how to conceive of an oral history project, how to interview well, and what to do with these stories once you’ve compiled them.  Participants will get a chance to break off into groups of three for a short exercise.

Building a Media Buzz: Getting the Press to Spread the Word, with Melissa Weidman

Let's share stories, challenges and tips on how to get local news venues to cover your story, position, cause or event. We'll talk strategy and technique, and practice some in our session.

Mushrooms in the Permaculture Landscape, with Rafter 

Even if you're an avid gardener - if you are only gardening plants, you're missing out! There is a whole other kingdom to explore - and eat. We can incorporate delicious, nutritious fungi in our veggie gardens, backyards, lawns, landscaping, balconies, windowboxes - even back rooms and closets. In this workshop, we'll explore the basics - and not-so-basics - of mushroom cultivation, and learn to look at mushroom crops through a holistic, permaculture lens, so we can find the niche in the landscape where they can peform useful ecological functions, even as they produce food and medicine for us.

Metal Tricks for the Jack of All Trades, with Lu Heintz

We will cover mechanical connections that can be executed with little or no heat, such as riveting and slotting.  Tips on drilling, cutting, bending and unbending will be given.  Tools will be discussed with consideration for those interested in building/developing a small shop.  Bring your questions and your own tricks.

Utopia or Bust, with Henry

Imagining the world we want to live in and how to get there from here.  Games, costume changes.  You know, utopia.

6:30  DINNER

7:45  CONTRA DANCE IN THE BARN!

10:00  SABER COUP Rocks Out!

11:30  DJs & DANCING till Late!

Hope to see you here!

2009 Fall Skillshare and Party! We hope you're coming!

Our Annual Fall Skillshare and Party is almost here! We hope you all can make it on September 26th for feasting and dancing, workshopping and romping. We will indeed be hosting a contra dance, a local rock band, and several DJs on into the night. We'll be fleshing out the schedule and worshop descriptions over the next couple weeks, so keep posted.

Practicalities:
Camping is welcome and limited accommodations are available in the barn and house (please let us know ahead of time!) Bring camping gear, a flashlight, and your own dish. Please try to carpool as parking is very limited. We are suggesting a donation of $5-$20 just to cover our costs, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds! Please let us know if you are interested in volunteering during the event. We need help with childcare, parking, cooking, clean-up and would love even just an hour committment ahead of time from a few people. Please contact us!

Schedule:
Saturday September 26th
8am: Breakfast in house
9:30-11am: workshops
11:30-1pm: workshops
1-2:30pm: lunch
2:30-4: workshops
4:30-6: workshops
6:30: dinner
7:45: contra dance!
10:oo: Saber Coup rocks out
11:30pm: DJs!

some of the workshops you may choose from (desriptions forthcoming):

DIY bicycle repair with Margaret DeBona
Tools for a Lifetime with Charles Picard
Anarchist Beekeeping with Sam Comfort
Webstreaming and Podcasting with WGXC staff
Mushrooms in the Permaculture Landscape with Rafter T. Sass
Saplings and Scrap into Super Structures with Matt Bua
Thai-style Curry with Traci Picard
Uncovering Your Inner Strength - Core Strengthening excercises with Trevor Roush
Setting Up Sound for a Live Event with WGXC staff
Writing a Great Press Release with Melissa Weidman
Yoga with Carol
The World of Metal with Luli Heintz
and many more!...

Radio For the People Party was a success!

Thank you all for coming, participating, and kicking in! We managed to raise over $4500 for the two radio projects, making for a significant step forward for both projects. We also managed to have a really great time! We counted close to 250 people for dinner and around 350 throughout the day and night. The presentation and workshops were well attended and exciting. Our performers were incredible, Jolie Holland, Lady Moon, and Grandma Shakes. The three DJs kept the dance party going late into the night: DJ Bochay, DJ Inti, and DJ Andalalucha.

Radio For the People Party!

SATURDAY MAY 9TH
1 PM -MIDNIGHT
Afternoon presentation and workshops,
dinner, music and dancing.
Independent media is a crucial tool for community self-reliance.
Come celebrate Spring by supporting community radio locally and afar!
Donation $ 5 – 25 sliding scale

This party is a benefit for two community radio projects:

WGXC is our new local community radio station for Columbia and Greene counties. WGXC will be a community-run media project, re-envisioning radio as an innovative platform for local participation. WGXC will begin live web streaming on the day of the benefit, and will be broadcasting live in 2010. WGXC is opening studios in Hudson, Catskill and Cairo. www.wgxc.org

MADRE TIERRA radio will be the station for an indigenous farmworkers coalition in Chiapas, Mexico. The radio at Madre Tierra will serve as conduit for community members to communicate with one another in a region where there is little means for communication and no independent media. Educational programs for children and adults, agricultural forums, language classes, and music shows are just a few of the many programs planned for the air.

*** Both of these radio projects are just getting launched and need support from you! We are still looking for donations for the Silent Auction as well as matching donors for the auction and the whole event. We are looking for matching donors that can pledge to match a specific portion of the event up to a certain amount or the whole event so that the money raised actually doubles for these radio projects! Silent Auction donation item ideas: Artwork, gift certificates to businesses, bike tools, homemade products, a weekend in a vacation home.……… The Silent Auction portion will be a benefit just for WGXC and donations are tax deductible ***

Event Schedule
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 Community Radio Presentation
2:30 - 4:30 Workshops
Food Security Roundtable and
Making Community Radio
5:30 Dinner
food will be donated and prepared by chef Eamon Furlong
7:00 Silent Auction
7:30 Performances begin:
Grandma Shakes
Lady Moon (Ngonda Badila) and ensemble
10:00 DJ Dance Party
* child care will be provided throughout the day



*Making Community Radio: Tools for Participation*

with Kaya Weidman from WGXC and Germantown Community Farm, Maka Muňoz from Palabra Radio Project, and Cory Fischer-Hoffman from Prometheus Radio Project (and more!)
Come learn about what community radio is, how radio can be a tool for social change, community building, and creativity. We'll be talking about how to get involved with WGXC, our new local community radio station, as well as how to get involved in community radio if you live in a different area.
We'll brainstorm some ideas for programs people might want to make or hear on the radio before breaking into groups to make our own! We will learn some basics of how to record audio using handheld digital recorders and groups will come up with audio projects to work on during the event. Some of the groups may do some live interviews "on the air" that will be broadcasting on a microtransmitter at the farm to radios placed about the property. Some of the audio will be live streaming on wgxc.org. Recorded pieces will be uploaded for future use. The hope is to train a group of people to be roving documenters of the event and to become radio makers!

*Community Food Security Roundtable*

Come talk about how food and farmland can be available to everyone! Conversations about local food production and resource sharing have been emerging in the Hudson Valley and the Northeast organized by farmers, gardeners and friends. This workshop will be an opportunity for people to share experience and resources, to offer their ideas for collaboration, to hear about some of the developing local projects. Let’s build a cooperative network to work toward self-reliance for all!

MAY 9TH!!!!

SPRING PARTY 2009
SAVE THE DATE!!

Event This Weekend, Sunday March 15

NEOLIBERALISM AND SELF DETERMINATION

A public presentation by Simon Sedillo.

Sunday March 15 at 12 NOON
4872 State Rte. 9G Germantown NY

Come learn about Oaxaca, Mexico past & present, neoliberalism & militarism, as well as self-determination and community rights.

Simon Sedillo is a community rights defense organizer and film maker who has spent the last 6 years documenting, producing and teaching community based video documentation. He has worked with indigenous communities, immigrant communities, and with youth of color across the US and Mexico, supporting their work in documenting their histories and struggles.