~Green Calendar Item~

The City of Bloomington Commission on Sustainability (or BCOS)
is presenting a Local Foods Tour this coming weekend.

BCOS is organizing a series of "Sustainability Tours" modeled after the popular Garden Walks to educate and illustrate sustainable practices and policies. The goal of this event is to educate, demonstrate and raise awareness that growing, consuming and supporting local food contributes to the sustainability of Bloomington.

the innaugural
LOCAL FOODS TOUR!

Saturday, June 16
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

The inaugural tour (Saturday June 16, 1:00 - 5:00 pm) showcases 10 community sites & focuses on Local Foods. The goal is to increase the production, demand & consumption of local foods, producing economic, environmental & social equity benefits for the community.

The Bloomington Commission on Sustainability is an appointed body of the Mayor's Office & the City Council which promotes sustainable economic development, environmental health & social equity in our community for present and future generations.

What are some of the benefits of local food production?

Local food production provides income: purchase supports local business with money retained within the community with people you know.
Growing your own food is cheap, or free, even if you don’t own land (e.g. community gardens).
Gardening and farming provides exercise, relaxation and recreation.
You can more easily know where your food comes from and how it is produced, increasing your connection to the land and your community.
Local foods provide a connection to local history, local crops and the human experience.
Locally produced foods are fresher, more nutritious, flavorful and healthy.
Since many foods don’t ship or store well, you can often find a greater variety of foods when you buy goods grown and sold locally.
Production and transport of local foods require less energy and fertilizer inputs, and produce fewer carbon emissions.
Local foods help mitigate the social, economic and environmental costs of industrial farming.

Mo info on Local Food sites:

1. Bloomingfoods Near West Market & Deli (New Store, Pre-opening Tour!). 316 W. 6th St. (former Encore Café near Farmers Market). Contact: George Huntington (339-4442, gm@bloomingfoods.coop).

2. Butler Winery (Vineyards and Winemaking Operation). 6200 E. Robinson Rd. (Take Walnut North to light near Griffy Dam/Lower Cascades Park. Turn right on Old 37. Go 3.2 miles, turn right on E. Robinson Rd. Go 2.8 miles to Butler Winery). Contact: Jim Butler (332-6660, vineyard@butlerwinery.com)

3. Chickens in the City (Urban Chicken Coop). 1001 S. Washington Street . Contact: Judith Sylvester (333-9223, jlsylves@indiana.edu).

4. Complex Urban Polycultures (Permaculture). 5421 Kings Road (take first left heading east on 46 (just past Long’s Landing) and it is the 3rd house on left. Garden in front is obvious). Contact Peter Bane or Keith Johnson (335-0383). See www.permacultureactivist.net

5. Crestmont Community Gardens ( Local Community Garden ). Crestmont Park, W. 16th St. (head W on 17th St. from Walnut, pass Tri-North on left and take next left on Monroe St. Turn Rt. On 16th St. in Crestmont Park and wind around uphill and gardens will be on left parallel to gravel road). Contact: Michael Simmons (349-3737, simmonsm@bloomington.in.gov).

6. MiddleWay Food Works (New and Old Kitchens, USDA grant). At First United Methodist Church , 219 E. 4th St. Contact: Donna Storm (320-9217).

7. Musgrave Orchards (Community Supported Agriculture). 8820 Old State Road 37 (From intersection of Old 37 and Robinson Rd. (see Butler Winery), go north on Old 37. Orchards are on right. Contact: Andy Hamilton (360-3328). See www.musgraveorchard.com

8. Solar Powered Energy Efficient Home Greenhouse. 134 N. Overhill Dr. (Take East 3rd past High St., left on Overhill (across from Cheeseburger in Paradise) and several blocks in on right, in Green Acres). Contact: Ann Kreilkamp (334-1987 or 337-0192).

9. SPROUTS (IU Campus Community Gardens ). SE corner 8th and Fess (just South of IU Memorial Union). Contact Danny Atlas (219-5761, datlas@indiana.edu).

10. Wylie House ( Heirloom Gardens and Seed Saving Project). 307 E. 2nd St. (just east of Lincoln ). Contact: Sherry Wise (855-6224). See www.indiana.ed/~linwylie