HMEG's own Diane Dodge to serve on Saint Paul Ramsey County Food Commission

HMEG's own Diane Dodge is stepping up to the plate again. This time for the Saint Paul Ramsey County Food Commission formed, their first meeting is on August 2nd. As we HMEGers know, Diane will bring and excellent food justice perspective to the commission, and will ensure the intersection of food and race are not ignored. Go Diane!

Article from Minnpost.com

St. Paul, Ramsey County form high-powered commission on food and nutrition

By Joe Kimball | Published Tue, Jun 15 2010 10:08 am

A new 14-member commission will look at the operation of local food systems in Ramsey County and St. Paul.

Its mission:

To suggest policies, share information and develop strategies to increase access to affordable and nutritious foods. The Commission will create an action plan for a sustainable system that increases production, distribution and consumption of healthy, local food.

Topics ripe for discussion include: hunger, nutrition, food-related illness, community and backyard gardening, farmers' markets, culturally specific food availability, transportation for distributing and obtaining food, food access and security and environmental concerns related to food systems.

Seven members appointed by the City of St. Paul are:

• Metric Giles, an urban gardener and member of the Rondo community.
• Berne Hesse, a union organizer for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 789.
• Becky Meyer, a community developer focusing on food issues with the East Side Neighborhood Development Co.
• Helene Murray, director of the University of Minnesota’s Institute for Sustainable Agriculture.
• Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of public radio’s “The Splendid Table,” cooking teacher and cookbook author.
• Leonard Russo, proprietor of Heartland Restaurant.
• Hai Truong, proprietor of Ngon Vietnamese Bistro.

The members appointed by Ramsey County are:

• Diane Dodge, founding member of the Minnesota Food and Justice Alliance and Growing Food and Justice.
• Nadja Berneche, an urban farmer and community service learning coordinator for Metropolitan State University.
• Linda Litrell, founding member of the Sustainable Agriculture Study Group at the University of Minnesota.
• Katie Koecher, a scientific relations professional for the University of Minnesota’s Food Science and Nutrition department.
• Seth Kuhl-Stennes, a volunteer with the Minnesota Project’s Fruit of the City program, Celeste’s Dream Community Garden and Gardening Matters.
• Colleen Schlieper, an urban farmer focusing on vegetable and egg production.
• Robert Schuneman, chief operating officer for Swanson Meats.

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Six Hamline-Midway Community Gardens participating in the 5th Annual Parade of Community Gardens!

Bike, walk, run, skate, drive if need be to explore and celebrate a variety of green spaces and the bugs that help them grow on the Hamline-Midway Bugs n’ Bikes Community Garden Tour! Saturday, August 21 10am-2pm, six Hamline-Midway community gardens will offer fun, educational, and creative activities and treats for all ages as part of the 5th annual Parade of Community Gardens. Stop by any location to start your tour and pick up a map and schedule of events. Locations include:

• Hamline-Thomas Community Garden at Hamline and Thomas Avenues
• Hamline United Methodist Church at 1514 Englewood Ave
• SPROUTS Community Gardens at 1514 Englewood Ave
• Horton Park at Minnehaha and Hamline Avenues
• Midway GreenSpirit Community Garden off of Pierce Butler between Hamline Avenue and Albert Street
• Snelling Avenue Planters at Hamline Hardware at 755 Snelling Ave N

For further information or to get involved with these Midway garden sites and their events, please email junelune1@gmail.com.

Ten Thousand Villages Helping the HMEG Tree Team Buy More Trees for the Neighborhood!

Here is a fun opportunity to support the Hamline Midway Tree Team in raising money to buy more trees for residents in the Hamline Midway neighborhood. Simply shop at Ten Thousand Villages this Thursday evening, July 22, from 5-8:00 pm! Barb from HMEG's Tree Team, will be on hand with info on this project and the Emerald Ash borer and greet customers.

Ten Thousand Villages St. Paul is a non-profit, fair trade gift shop whose mission is to provide vital, fair income to Third World people by offering home decor, jewelry and personal accessories, books, cookbooks, coffee and chocolate from over 38 countries around the world. They recognize the importance of trees and green spaces to a healthy, vibrant community so they are supporting our effort by providing a Benefit Shopping Night. You can do your part - it's easy!

Simply stop by the store on July 22, 2010 between 5:00 and 8:00pm. For every purchase made that evening, 20% of the proceeds go to the HMEG Tree Team. The store is located at 867 Grand Avenue (at Victoria Crossing West). Visit www.tenthousandvillages.com to learn more!

Rain Garden at Hamline Church dedicated to Maxine Smith

The Maxine Smith Rain Garden was dedicated at the Hamline United Methodist Church last Sunday. The rain garden was created with the leadership of Hamline Midway resident Amy Schultz, church members and neighborhood volunteers through a grant from the Capitol Region Watershed District. The rain garden was established to conserve rain water that previously ran off the parking lots into the street. After three years, the rain garden is now a beautiful and flourishing addition to the Hamline Church grounds. The rain garden is dedicated to Maxine Smith, a long time church member and Midway resident who died of cancer. Maxine was the "ray of sunshine" that helped establish and maintain the gardens that surround the church and elsewhere in the neighborhood. When you pass the Maxine Smith Rain Garden, think of the many gifts that Maxine shared with our community and celebrate this great lady of gardens.