Running and Passing.

This past Thursday, I participated in a free vegan Thanksgiving dinner aimed at feeding those in needs as well as supporting the local veggie community. The event was hosted at the Trinity United Methodist Church in SE Portland. We had a great volunteer turnout and the community was very receptive. The main course consisted of Seitan “Turkey”, a killer sweet potato casserole with pecan topping , and the usual array of holiday fixings. The event was hosted in conjunction with Northwest Veg and received sponsorship/donations from Bob’s Red Mill, People’s Co-Op, Limbo Market, Stash Tea, VegFund, WayFare Foods, and Herbivore Clothing.  Some leftovers went home with volunteers and diners, but the majority of the remaining food was donated to the Portland chapter of Food Not Bombs.

The Hollywood Farmers Market is nearing the end of it’s 2009 season.

The last market is November 21st.

a damp wind blows
vegetables swallow pavement
can. freeze.

rest well persephone

On Saturday mornings, I wake up at 4:30 am to shower and eat breakfast before starting my 5:30 am shift at the Portland Hollywood Farmers Market. I work for Persephone Farm, an organic operation owned by Eleanor O’Brien and Jeff Falen. Located in Lebanon, Oregon, Persephone is a fantastic and ever expanding operation producing everything from kohlrabi to swiss chard to “cheddar” cauliflower. Certified organic by Oregon Tilth, Persephone grow some of the nicest produce in the area. They also operate a unique free range chicken operation, providing greens, insects, soy and flax seed fed hens with an open pasture from which they lay an abundance of choice eggs. I love working at the market as it provides a unique opportunity to interact with the community while promoting sustainable habits, a healthy diet, and cheerful smiles.

The Hollywood Farmers Market runs from April until November and is located on NE Hancock between 44th and 45th Avenues in Portland, Oregon. Hours of operation are Saturday’s from 8am until 1pm. The market features a weekly musician and/or cooking demo, community booths, and both fresh produce and prepared foods.

Below is a short photo essay of the our market stand.

Reed College Graduate Seth Belber is the Farm+Market Manager for Persephone Farm. Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Seth is kind hearted gent, possessing an excellent skill-set of practicality, aesthetics, and dedication.

Yesterday, I participated in my first harvest with the Portland Fruit Tree Project. The project aims to “share the bounty and of urban fruit and nut trees.” Fruit that would otherwise go to waste is gathered with half of the take going to harvest volunteers and the rest to the local food bank. Portland food banks, like many, suffer from a severly short supply of fresh produce. This year the Portland Fruit Project aims to harvest over 10,000 lbs of fruit and nuts that would otherwise end up as yard waste!

On this occasion we harvested Asian Pears from a Southeast Portland neighborhood. We gathered close to 500 lbs of pears from one tree, enabling each of the 10 volunteers to take home about 24lbs of peaches with the rest going to the food bank.  A fruit lover, I took my share and made the personal pledge not to let them go to waste. When I arrived home, I immediately shared some with my neighbor who in turn gave me some of this fresh wild chanterelle mushrooms. It was a tasty treat and an equal exchange.

A big thanks to the Katy Kolker, founder and director of the Fruit Tree Project.  She has created a vibrant group that prevents waste and builds community.

Incidentally, Katy and her friend Jim attended Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, which is my birthplace and former stomping ground. It brought back some good Ohio memories for the three of us as we lovingly picked Asian Pears into the early evening.

Limbo, our local Southeast Portland grocer, primarily deals in organic produce with a hint of bargain basement madness. My housemate and I recently purchased 76 lbs of organic bananas for $10. To ensure the bananas do not go to waste and the deal keeps us fit, we are dehydrating practically all of them into neat leathery fruit strips. Simply an excellent treat.

Following the harvesting of a successful crop, Erika joyously braids garlic in preparation for the curing process.

Recently, my brother Steve came to visit and I could not resist the urge to introduce him to the infamous Voodoo Donut.  Here he is enjoying a Maple Blazer Blunt.

This spring and summer I have been helping some friends to reclaim space and improve their urban gardens. The alley is now much cleaner and hosts a plethora of edible goodies. One compost bin has been constructed and another is in the works. Hopefully, the coop and run will once again house a few feathered friends. All of this and more in Southeast Portland, Oregon.