Hello, Friends of Better Farm!
What a winter! Record-setting cold temperatures, lakes iced over before
the New Year, wind chills reaching -40 in some parts of the North
Country, and a week-long power outage to boot: Is anyone else ready for spring?
We're keeping things hot at Better Farm by gearing up for our busiest
season yet. On the heels of a recent FCC approval and first-time
betterArts grant from Best Buy, we're initiating a low-power FM station
called Better Radio that will work in tandem with our websites and blog
to bring you original content from the North Country. Donations to
betterArts' Better Radio project are tax-deductible and will go directly
into making this project a success (funding information is below).
We've confirmed two summer music and art festivals to be held at Better
Farm, a "Better Mudder" extreme obstacle course in July, several
workshops and retreats, and the arrival this spring of a brand-new
stable of artists-in-residence and sustainability students. Better Farm
is also available as a venue for rustic weddings, field trip for kids to
learn about the great outdoors, and a perfect place to host your next
conference, meeting, or event. Information about all of these milestones
is below! Stay tuned to our blog
to follow all of these adventures. If you know of anyone interested in
gaining some hands-on experience with sustainability issues or an artist
in search of a creative, open space in which to work on their projects,
please send them our way!
Enjoy the rest of the winter season—we will see you again this spring!
Until next time, better be.
Nicole Caldwell
Executive Director and Co-Founder
Better Farm
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News! Autumn Recap, Winter Activities, and betterArts' First Grant
People from Better Farm and its subsidiary nonprofit betterArts
kept busy all fall and in this first-half of winter with plenty of
community outreach activities and milestones. Here's a review of all
recent things "better":
- Thanksgiving 'Family' Dinner Party—More than two
dozen people came out to enjoy an early Thanksgiving dinner party with
the cast and crew of Better Farm and betterArts. This was our third
annual event of this kind, and we expect the tradition to continue for
years to come! The potluck event is free and open to the public.
- Holiday Party with Hospice of Jefferson County—betterArts in December partnered with Survivor Outreach Services of Fort Drum and Hospice of Jefferson County to present "A Time of Holiday Remembrance"
for children who have lost a loved one. The event, held at Hospice of
Jefferson Country's offices on Gotham Street in Watertown, featured arts
'n' crafts, lunch and cookies, a gifts giveaway, and a project hosted
by betterArts that included decorating flower pots and planting
poinsettias.
- Indoor Growing Systems—We expanded our indoor water-based growing system by adding a hydroponics tank.
With lettuce growing in that bed and tomatoes blossoming in our
aquaponics setup, we're on track to have fresh greens and produce right
up through our next outdoor growing season. Click here for the full details and how-to guide for starting your own indoor garden.
- betterArts Receives First Grant—Best Buy
Children's Foundation annually donates up to $2 million in community
grants to local and regional nonprofit organizations that provide teens
with places and opportunities to develop 21st-century technology skills.
betterArts received $6,000 in funding from Best Buy to use in
conjunction with its latest project, "Better Radio", a radio station and
educational program based out of Better Farm
(more information on that below!). Grant funds were used to purchase
recording equipment that will be used by young adults enrolled in local
schools to produce content; from music to interviews and story-telling.
In addition to airing that content on Better Radio, it will be available
for use in podcasts and on school websites.
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Better Radio Becomes a Reality
Better Radio: A New Media Project by betterArts is a
low-power FM station recently approved for transmission out of Better
Farm's property. The station will be owned and operated by betterArts,
and will be used along with websites and blogs to transmit content
produced in the North Country. Approval of the station was announced in
December, on the heels of a community grant from Best Buy to purchase
recording equipment. We expect our station number sometime this spring;
after which time we have 18 months to erect our tower and begin
transmitting. While all of that is going on, betterArts members will be
working with students at local schools to create great content for use
online and on-air. Their content—and content produced by adults in the
community—includes recordings by local musicians, storytelling,
political roundtables, weather reports, interviews, DIY home repair
tips, gardening how-tos, and much much more. We are accepting donations
to help fund our tower, transmitter, additional equipment and basic
start-up costs. Please email info@betterarts.org if you would like to
make a donation of any amount. And stay tuned to our blog for more information on how you can get involved.
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Upcoming 'Better' Events and Initiatives
Compost Initiatives, St. Patty's Day parties, summer music festivals,
and extreme obstacle courses: Here's your guide to everything Better in
the coming months!
- Better Buckets — Composting
is the process of turning food scraps into nutrient-rich soil. With up
to 40 percent of all landfills comprised of otherwise biodegradable food
scraps, composting is a simple way to cut a huge amount out of the
waste stream while benefiting backyard gardens, homegrown produce, and
increasing amounts of topsoil. To that end, Better Farm has partnered with the Redwood Neighborhood Association
and other local groups and individuals to kick off a new campaign that
will turn natural waste into soil and help preserve and expand the
natural beauty of the area. “Better Buckets” allows individuals and
families in the Redwood area to isolate food scraps from the waste
stream in order to benefit their community. Better Farm will deliver
five-gallon pails to those who have signed up and make regular visits to
empty the buckets. Waste will be brought to Redwood's Community
Greenhouse for processing (and overflow to Better Farm), where over time
the food scraps will become healthy soil perfect for fertilizing
flowers and produce grown in the community greenhouse. This program is
brought to the community at no cost to participating individuals. Those
that would like to participate can click here for more information.
- betterArts to Host Kids' Room at Irish Fest—For the second year in a row, betterArts will be in charge of the kids' room at North Country Goes Green's Irish festival
held March 14-16 at the Dulles State Office Building in Watertown, N.Y.
There will be lots of prizes, arts 'n' crafts, games, snacks, and fun
to be had for children of all ages!
- Better Festival slated June 21—This year's annual Better Festival is set for 12-8 p.m. Saturday, June 21. All money raised at the annual music, sustainability, and arts festival will directly fund art- and sustainability-related community outreach initiatives in and around Redwood.
The day-long event will featuring live performances by local and
regional bands, a gallery showcasing artwork by painters, sculptors,
photographers, and more, booths featuring art and handmade items for
sale, tours of the Better Farm campus, information about Better Farm and
betterArts 2014 programming, arts 'n' crafts for kids (and adults!),
freshly prepared and locally sourced food, a refreshments tent, games, bouncy castle, and more! To introduce betterArts' latest endeavor Better Radio, there will be a booth set up for people to create content for that station. Music will also be recorded for live-streaming and podcasts. Camping is available for $10/person/night. We are offering accommodations Friday through Monday, or any night therein. Workshops will also be scheduled throughout the weekend and include lessons in upcycling, permaculture, and yoga.
If you would like to perform, display your art, or volunteer, please
contact us at info@betterfarm.org to be directed to the appropriate
betterArts or Better Farm contact.
- Better Mudder Coming July 2014 — We're bringing a "better" version of the Tough Mudder competition to Redwood, N.Y., in our first annual Better Mudder event in July 2014. Hosted by Better Farm
and featuring more than 20 obstacles, Better Mudder invites the
fiercest athletes and thrill-seekers to the Better Farm campus for
agility obstacles, wall-climbs, scaling mountains, and—of course—getting
really, really muddy. Proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project
and sustainability and wellness outreach in the North Country. Stay
tuned for more information at www.betterfarm.org/better-mudder.
- Have Your Next Event at Better Farm—We are now
accepting bookings for 2014 retreats, workshops, weddings, corporate
meetings and events, lectures, and field trips at Better Farm. Better Farm
is situated on 65 acres of rolling hillsides, forests, open fields,
farmed land, a pond, and a small fruit orchard. There are several
buildings: the main house with two kitchens, seven bedrooms, three
lofts, a library, four bathrooms, laundry room, office and two common
areas; the two-story Art Barn with gallery/event space, studio, and
second-story deck functioning as stage overlooking a natural
amphitheater; a tool shed, wood shed, greenhouse, and small cabins for
additional overnight guests. The main house, barn, and property are
available year-round to rent for weddings, retreats, workshops, field
trips, festivals, concerts, lectures, and more. Rent the whole property
for big groups, or rent just what you need for a smaller group. Contact info@betterfarm.org with your inquiries. For overnight lodging information, click here.
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Better Farm's Sustainability Education Program
Better Farm’s Sustainability Education Program was created to offer
individuals an immersive, introductory crash-course in sustainability
initiatives. Those enrolled in the program receive a hands-on education
in a myriad of seasonal topics related to sustainability and
environmental issues. Instead of a traditional working farm with acres
upon acres of one or a few different crops, Better Farm has many gardens
demonstrating different styles of small-scale farming and stressing the
need for diversity of crops instead of mono cultures. Better Farm
equips students with a variety of solutions to real-world agricultural
issues, including small spaces, temperamental soils, pests, and climate
change. The aquaponics, hydroponics, layered gardens, fruit orchard, and
forests on the property are extremely varied so students coming from
all over the world will learn real-world tools that can be applied back
home. The Sustainability Education Program runs in one- to three-month
intervals. Those attending receive daily assignments and chores all
related to sustainability initiatives and organic farming, as well as
the opportunity to design and implement projects on their own. Upon
completion of all units and responsibilities, participants will receive a
certificate from Better Farm. College students may additionally receive
course credit for completion of Better Farm's Sustainability Education
Program. To learn more and to apply, visit www.betterfarm.org/sustainability-internship.
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betterArts Residency Program
betterArts offers a unique opportunity to artists,
writers, performers, and musicians with a residency program based out of
Better Farm. Residencies are designed to offer artists of every
discipline space and time to work on specific projects; whether a series
of paintings, a composition, book, set of sculptures, or album. A
private room, 24/7 access to a fully stocked communal kitchen, linens
and towels, WiFi, parking, and round-the-clock access to the Art Barn
are all included in a low stipend required of all residents.
betterArts residents are encouraged to interact and participate in the
goings-on around the property, and to help out with chores and
farm-related responsibilities between three and five hours each week.
These responsibilities may include working in the gardens, participating
in arts-related community outreach projects, helping with house chores,
cooking, or assisting with other odd jobs. At the conclusion of each
residency, an artist is required to present his or her work to the
public in a gallery show, reading, performance, or via some other
appropriate medium. Residencies
are for two weeks, three weeks, one month, or two-month periods. Basic
facilities at Better Farm will be provided; but betterArts residents are
expected to provide the majority of materials and equipment they would
need for the production of their work. For more information about the betterArts Residency Program and to download the application, click here. |
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