Reminder: Harvest On The Hill Sunday with Blessing of the Animals

From email:

For this year’s Harvest on the Hill, we are bringing back the Blessing of the Animals Booth! Bring your beloved pets for a special blessing and treats anytime between 3:30 to 4:30 pm at the Vigil table (ask any of the volunteers to point you in the right direction).

Take care,
Abbott

WEATHER UPDATE: Join us at Harvest on the Hill rain or shine! The leadership team is making arrangements to make us comfortable in the event of inclement weather with extra tents and umbrellas. Please dress warmly and bring an umbrella for intermittent showers should they blow through. When’s the last time you played in the rain? It’s fun! :-) Of course, we are still counting on a beautiful fall day!

“Is the U.S. preparing to attack Syria & Iran?”

Is the U.S. preparing to attack Syria & Iran? This is one of the questions that will be brought up at an upcoming forum at the William Byrd Community House.

From the Facebook event page:

Is the U.S. preparing to attack Syria & Iran?
Is it preparing to intervene in the West African country of Mali?
Can we stand by as the lives of millions more people are put at risk?
If there’s no money for a public jobs program, how is there money for more wars?
What’s really behind the developing crisis, and what can we do about it?

On the 11th ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. WAR ON AFGHANISTAN, you are invited to a PUBLIC FORUM:

“U.S. HANDS OFF SYRIA, IRAN & MALI! We need JOBS not WAR!”

6:30 pm – SUNDAY – OCT. 7
William Byrd Community House, Richmond, Virginia
224 So. Cherry St. (2 ½ blocks south of West Cary & 3 blocks west of So. Belvidere)

FREE – CHILDREN WELCOME – LIGHT REFRESHMENTS – DONATIONS APPRECIATED

PROGRAM:

BEHIND THE HEADLINES: THE TRUTH ABOUT U.S. DESIGNS ON SYRIA & IRAN
An analysis of the developing crisis by:
PHIL WILAYTO – Editor, The Virginia Defender
Board Member, Campaign Against Sanctions & Military Intervention in Iran (CASMII)
Author, “In Defense of Iran: Notes from a U.S. Peace Delegation’s Journey through the Islamic Republic”
Coordinating Committee Member, United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC)

WHAT’S BEHIND THE UNREST IN MALI?
An analysis of the recent coup, civil war and the threat of U.S.-backed military intervention by:
ANA EDWARDS – Host, DefendersLIVE! weekly radio program
President, Virginia Friends of Mali
Chair, Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project
Coordinating Committee Member, United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC)

& A SPECIAL REPORT on a meeting of U.S. peace & social justice activists in New York City with
IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, by a meeting participant

PLUS: A SHOWING OF THE AWARD-WINNING FILM
“BAM 6.6”

This acclaimed documentary explores the humanity of the Iranian people through the prism of the devastating 2003 earthquake that struck the ancient town of Bam in southeastern Iran. Through the experiences of two young American tourists, one of whom is a Jewish woman, viewers witness how a natural disaster can overcome religious and political barriers, dispel stereotypes and unite disparate members of the human family.

Continue reading

Harvest on the Hill This Sunday

From St. Andrew Church’s website:

Harvest on the Hill
brought to you by Gather Together
Description:
Harvest on the Hill is St. Andrew’s annual community fair held at the Grace Arents Garden behind William Byrd Community House.

Date(s):
Sunday, October 07, 2012
Time(s):
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Location:
Grace Arents Garden
Link(s):
Gather Together
Contact Information:
Ashley Raggi
ashley.raggi at gmail.com

Byrd House Market This Tuesday

From email announcement:

Newly-Wed and the Newly-Named
will make their debut this week at Byrd House Market.
Congratulations to Alistar & Rebecca, and Origins Farm! Many Happy Returns of the Day for the rest of your Life!

A rainy Tuesday afternoon
70% chance anyway – but hopefully nothing like 2 weeks ago. Looking forward to your smiling faces and all the bounty that autumn has to offer a farmers market in our “fare” city. Don’t Forget the Hans S. Falck Lecture this Thursday evening at St. Andrew’s School auditorium. Details at wbch.org or hanssfalcklectures.blogspot.com.

Vendors this week: (not all are on the map, so here is the whole list!)
Agriberry – seasonal fruits (berries, peaches, apples…CSA
Foraged – palm readings and lovely things from nature found and assembled for your enjoyment
Ettamae’s Oven – breads, rolls, pies, pie slices (Stall #5 on the map)
Bill’s Produce / Heath Farm – seasonal produce, sustainably grown, lovely company
Nanas Homemades – jams, jellies, chutneys, peanut brittle, tea cakes, cookies, dainties…a keen observer and practitioner of the tasty
Cafe 2100 – spring rolls, sauteed tofu, rice and wheat noodles with pickled and steamed fresh vegetables…ready with
Limeades and More – limeades, lemonades fresh squeezed, bubble teas and fresh brewed coffee, made before your eyes
Faith Farm Foods – cow shares, eggs, Amish butter and produce, grass fed meats and poultry, goat cheese, honey, preserves, egg noodles, etc …CSA
Chocolate Cravings – dark and milk chocoloate bars, barks of assorted flavors, brownies…
Byrd Farm / Rural Va Market – seasonal produce, Byrd Farm honey, Billy Bread, peaches, goat cheese, mushrooms, eggs, chickens …CSA
amy’s garden – certified organic seasonal produce, cut flowers, …CSA
Epic Gardens – seasonal produce, edamame, cut flowers, eggs, plants …CSA
Tomten Farm – seasonal heirloom produce, including okra …CSA
Deer Run Farm – seasonal produce, melons, chickens, eggs …CSA
Caromont Farm – Cow cheese, spreadable, peasant,
Sub Rosa Bread – Evrim’s back with limited supplies of his famous bread (individual loafs and by the pound hunks) and even more limited supply of his soon to be famous croissants…CSA
Salt Pork – (retail of Sausage Craft) variety of locally grown pork sausages – Herbed, Italian, Bratwurst, Andouie and more
Becka’s Aloe Vera Juice – Va grown aloe juice in assorted fresh locally grown fruit and veggie flavors
Steve Haas Mushrooms – locally grown and harvested mushroom varieties
Tuckahoe Lamb and Cattle Co. – grass fed cattle and lamb, lamb’s wool, eggs, soup bones, ground meat, chops, sausages…
Robin Raver, CMT – chair massage (Stall #27 on the map)
Soul-Ice – naturally flavored fruit sorbet-style ices (accompanied by soul, R&B…)
Wild Heaven – wonderfully varied offering of fragrance and form – goat soaps, cremes, etc.
Shakhambari Garden – Indian Ayurvedic and native Appalachian medicinal and culinary herbs. We make natural, Ayurvedic herbal teas, powders, jams, and body oils for health and mental peace
Petal Palate – divinities and popsicles(!) flavored with fragrant herbs and flowers
Origins Farm – certified naturally grown seasonal produce and fruit …CSA

This is why you come, no?
SNAP / Credit and Debit Cards accepted
_____________________

Ana Edwards, Manager
Byrd House Market & Library Programs
Grace Arents Library & Education Center
William Byrd Community House
www.wbch.org / 804.643.2717 ext.306

Week Long Protest Against Dominion Starts Monday

From CCAN’s public sign-up page:

Even though Dominion Power hasn’t invested in a single wind or solar power facility in Virginia, the company is receiving $76 million in extra profit for its supposed renewable energy investments.

Monday, October 1, through Friday, October 5, join us for a sustained week of action outside of Dominion’s Richmond office to protest this huge rip-off and call for wind and solar power in Virginia. We’ll also send in a representative each day, asking for a personal response from Dominion’s CEO, Tom Farrell.

And every day we’ll highlight a specific way that Dominion’s actions are harming Virginians, from increased extreme weather from climate change, to mountaintop removal coal mining and fracking for natural gas, to health impacts of the company’s pollution. Then we’ll cap off the week with a rally on Saturday, October 6.

Still Time to Volunteer for the Upcoming Folk Festival

This past Wednesday and Thursday evenings, the Virginia War Memorial hosted volunteer orientations for the upcoming Richmond Folk Festival. An Oregon Hill neighbor, Jamie Thomas, is serving as the volunteer coordinator for the festival. There is still time to sign up to volunteer. As the festival website states,

Last year, more than 200,000 people visited downtown Richmond’s riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness and variety of American culture through music, dance traditional crafts, storytelling and food. The Richmond Folk Festival has become one of Virginia’s largest and most-loved events of the year and has been voted as the best musical festival in Richmond, 2 years running. The 2012 Festival will bring a new and similarly amazing list of performers, artists and exhibitors.

In particular, I know the Green Team, which handles recycling, is in need of able-bodied volunteers. The nice thing about the Green Team is that, while there is hard work involved, you do get the chance to hear a lot of the music and interact with the crowd. Please do consider signing up today by clicking here.

This Week At Byrd House Market

From the email announcement:

this week…
Beautiful beautiful fall, autumn by the James, our fare’s days… vendor details and more at ByrdHouseMarket.blogspot.com

4 Oct: 2012 Hans S. Falck Lecture
Eradication of Poverty: Utopia or Reality? The Intersection between Housing, Livelihood and Transportation with opening remarks by L. Robert Bolling, WBCH Executive Director. Panelists: John Moeser (Policy), Youngmi Kim (Social Work), Garet Prior (Urban Planning), Michael Paul Williams (Journalism). Moderator: Ana Edwards, William Byrd Community House. Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, 7-9 pm, St. Andrew’s School Auditorium, Idlewood Ave. and S. Cherry St. 23220. More information and details at byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com

6 Oct: Renovation Station!
Richmond Women in Design and The Storefront for Community Design host “Renovation Station” of FREE Design Consultation – an open house design day at WBCH – flier and easy application attached.

24 Oct: National Food Day at the Market
SAVE THE DATE and join us with VCU Wellness Department and the return of the After Market Film Night with Shalom Farms and Origins Farm: Ingredients film and discussion. Panelists to be announced.

A Month of Library Project Days
2 – 5 pm Thursdays Oct. 18 & 25 and 9:30 – 12:30 pm Fridays Nov. 9 & 16
The Grace Arents Library is undergoing a gradual and steady organizational and beautification overhaul. And its library manager would love to have the helping hands of those who love books, and quiet, thoughtful tasks. Our capacity is 5-10 volunteers for 3 hours on each day. And there is ongoing need for those who’d like to spend 1-2 hours per week. Great for service learning and community service! If you are interested please send a note to Ana at byrdhousemarket at gmail.com. Thanks!

Position Open – Finance Manager
William Byrd Community House is currently seeking a part time Finance Manager.
More at WBCH.org


_____________________

Ana Edwards, Manager
Byrd House Market & Library Programs
Grace Arents Library & Education Center
William Byrd Community House
www.wbch.org / 804.643.2717 ext.306

Tomorrow is PARK(ing) Day in RVA

…On which a bunch of planners, landscape architects, engineers, and other creatives descend upon Monroe Park and hopefully good DIY planning for Richmond takes place. Click for link here.

From the main Park(ing) Day website:

ABOUT PARK(ING) DAY
Providing temporary public open space . . . one parking spot at at time.

PARK(ing) Day is a annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public places. The project began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, converted a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in downtown San Francisco. Since 2005, PARK(ing) Day has evolved into a global movement, with organizations and individuals (operating independently of Rebar but following an established set of guidelines) creating new forms of temporary public space in urban contexts around the world.

The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!

Richmond Water Rates Protest On Monday

There is a water rate protest planned for this coming Monday outside City Hall before the formal City Council meeting. The All the Saints Theater troop, the same group that organizes the Halloween Parade in Oregon Hill, is planning to attend with puppets and posters.

From the Facebook Event page:

This is an important demonstration to be held at Richmond City Hall at 5:00 p.m on Monday Sept. 24th to protest the city of Richmond’s outrageous minimum water/sewer service charge of $49.40, which is the highest in the nation. This is a real burden for every social security grandma and other low income residents to have to pay $592 annually just to be connected to the water supply. The city utility raises over $30 million annually from this residential water/sewer service charge, and almost half of this, $12 million is, paid directly into the city’s general fund. This is the most regressive means possible to raise general funds for the city– putting an outrageous service charge on the most basic necessity — water. Furthermore, Richmond’s water rate does not promote conservation because the city utility gets more than half of its revenue from the minimum service charge instead of the volume charge.

This protest is part of campaign that has seen over 1300 people sign an online petition that demands the City adopt the rate schedule used by Henrico County, which buys water from Richmond’s water utility.

From the petition:

Henrico’s water/sewer rates are equitable and promote conservation. Henrico’s minimum monthly water/sewer service charge is about a third of Richmond’s. To encourage conservation, Henrico offers a volume use discount for customers who use 6 ccf or less of water, while customers using over 6 ccf pay a premium water/sewer volume rate. Richmond can receive the same total revenue from its water works by slashing the minimum monthly service charge, eliminating the high volume discount, and charging a premium for customers using over 6 ccf of water/sewer.

The City of Richmond has a long-term financial incentive to adopt Henrico’s rate schedule. By giving customers genuine incentives to conserve water, Richmond will reduce the need for future treatment facilities and reduce pollutants downstream.

Neighbor Charles Pool is scheduled to speak on the water rate issue during the Citizen Comment period at the City Council meeting. The campaign to reform the CIty’s water rates goes back at least five years.