Saturday, April 30, 2011

More opportunities to Volunteer, Learn, and Grow Food!






A colorful and bountiful harvest was gathered on Thursday afternoon during the workday! Orange, deep red and white carrots, purple potatoes, mint, parsley, green onion, leek, chiogga beets, and more!

Join us on the roof on Thursdays from 11-2 and during the month of May on Tuesdays too (11a-2pm)!

During the month of May we plan to do a lot of planting, paint educational signs, fix up the greenhouse and take care of our newly designed worm bin and recently installed bee hive. Come and say hi to the worms and observe the bees do their dance of pollination!!!

We need you to keep the garden growing. Volunteer workdays are an amazing way to contribute to this special project and learn and/or relearn skills under the vibrant umbrella of urban farming. Grow food, make friends, get dirty and celebrate the sweetness of spring!

Email grazetheroof@gmail.com with questions, curiosities or ideas! We'd love to hear from you.

MAY 14th Workshop in Bioregionalism and connection to place facilitated by Planet Drum. If you are interested please RSVP to grazetheroof@gmail.com.

Happy Spring! Read more...

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Earth Day in the City




There are so many ways to connect to Mother Earth in San Francisco, a city abundant in parks and green spaces. The opportunity to connect to nature amidst the urban environment is such a blessing! Time spent in nature is nurturing, healing and incredibly joyful.

This weekend is all about Earth Day and our great city offers lots of diverse ways to celebrate the Earth!
Join Graze the Roof this Saturday at the Civic Center Plaza for EARTH DAY SF!

http://www.earthdaysf.com/

We'll have a booth and would love to see you/meet you! Discover ways to participate in urban agriculture projects all over the city, learn a new homesteading skill, make a new friend, enjoy some delicious seasonal goodies, honor the farmworkers, and most importantly celebrate, celebrate, celebrate!

In the spirit of stewardship, community and connection to place,
HAPPY EARTH DAY! Read more...

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Shitakes and Oysters Nestled within the Garden





Urban mushroom cultivation requires a passion for the fruit of the earth! Oh and did we feel impassioned this past Saturday when Nik Dyer led us in an conversation about the life cycle, biology and ecology of mushrooms. From bioremediation, to medicinal properties to culinary treasures, mushrooms, or more aptly stated, mycellium, the heart of the fungal network is responsible for so much of the dynamic equilibrium that holds our ecosystemic balance in place, not to mention that mushrooms and mycellium embody great potential for healing, nourishment and artistic inspiration.

As a group, the workshop participants represented diverse walks of life, professional endeavors and personal hobbies; we live all over San Francisco and the East Bay and each have a unique connection to the enchanting world of mushrooms. We learned in community and then we worked in community! Together, under the sun, we worked hard to create a mushroom garden for Graze the Roof; shredding and pasteurizing straw, filling burlap sacks with straw and shitake spawn and drilling holes in oak logs which we filled with inoculated dowles of oyster spawn.

The mushroom garden is now nestled among the other edible and beautiful elements that make up Graze the Roof!
Come check it out!

THIS THURSDAY 4/14 - VOLUNTEER WORKDAY SPECIAL HOURS: 3pm-5pm
Read more...

Sunday, April 3, 2011

FUNGUS AMONG US!




GRAZE THE ROOF PRESENTS:

"FUNGUS AMONG US!"
Introduction to the Wonderful World of Mushrooms and
Urban Mushroom Cultivation

DATE: Saturday April 9th 2011

LOCATION: Graze the Roof, 330 Ellis Street, San Francisco

TIME: 10:30a-12:30p

PRICE: Sliding Scale, pay what you can: $5-$20

RSVP: Spaces are limited! Email grazetheroof@gmail.com to reserve your spot for this unique learning opportunity!

This two hour workshop will start with a brief introduction to the basic biology and ecology of the mycelial fruit we call mushrooms. Participants will then learn about how to cultivate several choice culinary mushrooms as they help install a mini-mushroom farm on the roof. Two techniques will be explained and demonstrated: spawn inoculation in bunker bags (burlap sacks filled with straw), and plug spawn inoculation in logs. Everyone will take home some shitake spawn; and hopefully also the inspiration to grow mushrooms at home!

Nik Dyer, workshop presenter, has a BA in Agroecology from UCSC, a MA in Ecological Agriculture from New College of California, a permaculture design certificate and over 10 years hands on experience in agriculture and horticulture. He is also an avid fungophile who loves to share his passion for foraging and cultivating mushrooms with anyone who shows the slightest amount of interest. He is the sole proprietor of Purple Carrot, an edible garden design and education company based in San Francisco. Please visit his website: www.purplecarrotgardening.com

Keep an eye out for future workshops:
* May 14th, 10am - 4pm, "Planet Drum Foundation" - A Bioregional Ecology Exploration of the Tenderloin
* June 18th, 11am - 1pm, "Integrated Pest Management" - Controlling Garden Pests
* July 23rd, 11am - 1pm, "Art & Meditation in the Garden" - A Holistic Garden Experience
* Honey extraction, aquaponics, fruit trees, permaculture, natural building, composting, worm bins, and more.. dates TBD!!

**All workshops take place at Glide Foundation at 330 Ellis Street in San Francisco. Proceeds will help cover the cost of implementing a rooftop beehive as part of Graze the Roof, an education and demonstration rooftop container vegetable garden on the roof of Glide Foundation. No one turned away for lack of funds. Come learn about Mushrooms and support Graze the Roof! *** Read more...