This past week was chock full of awesome events Transition Tallahassee has hosted along with several local organizations.
On Sunday, February 24th, Transition hosted a screening of Blue Gold, a documentary about how our current economy structures the use of the world’s water supply. Privatization of water, pollution, and piping and shipping water from one region to another all contribute to localized shortages of potable water and water conflicts that follow. Water is a precious resource that although renewable, can be exhausted if we use it unsustainably or pollute it.
For more information and a film trailer, see: http://www.bluegold-worldwaterwars.com/. The film was followed by a great discussion that touched on several local watershed issues, and afterward we went out to eat together!
The next day, Monday, February 25th, we held our Wild Root Beer Making Workshop with Scott Davis, Field Trip Coordinator for the local chapter of Florida Native Plant Society. Scott provided three different root beer recipes, and brought several examples of local edible plants and roots to show us. We made two batches of sassafras root beer from locally harvested wild sassafras. We all got to taste the root beer, and many took home root beer, syrup, and yaupon holly leaves to caffeinate their homemade beverages.
This past Sunday, Transition hosted our second seasonal seed swap at Bread and Roses Food Cooperative/Wild Greens Community Cafe. Many local gardeners showed up to swap seeds, and new gardeners came to receive seeds from those who had already gotten started. We had a presentation from Simon Bevis, Garden Manager at Salvation Army Garden, on his trip to the Iowa Seed Savers’ Exchange, with info on plant breeding and saving seed.
The Ekanlaunee Seed Exchange was also present with surveys regarding a new local seed bank, and Sue Hansen read an inspiring poem she wrote entitled “Requiem for Mother Earth.” To top it off, there was delicious food made from Salvation Army Garden produce, and seeds for sale at Bread and Roses from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange!
Further back in February, we also hosted local Creek and Cherokee elders and organic farmers Susan Anderson and Roy Stanley to speak. They shared with us their ethics around sense of place and caring for the land where we live. They also passed around a sign-up sheet for volunteering at their farm, and with the Wisdom Keepers Project, helping to archive recorded interviews with native elders from around the world.
We hope local community members will also join us for our March general meeting on Monday, March 11th from 6:30-8:00PM at the Oasis Center for Women & Girls (317 E Call St). Come out and meet folks like you who care about our land and community, and understand that the way we are living must change fundamentally and fast in order to re-create a healthy, resilient way of life. We’ll be talking about outreach efforts such as tabling and Transition talks, and discussing our plans for a World Cafe community discussion event. All are welcome and encouraged to attend, with friends! Refreshments will be provided!
