Field to Fork

The Neighborhood Farm Initiative and some other good folks recently set up the Field to Fork Network for the DC area. The network is comprised of a few dozen organizations that are focused on changing the way we approach food production.

An interactive map of the community gardens that we developed this summer can be found here. The map includes photos and information for each of the 30 or so community gardes in DC.

There's also a short blurb on our recent movie shoot with peaches and sauerkraut.

Kilt Lifters

The Kilt Lifters decided to crash a 5K race in Alexandria last weekend.



Photo courtesy of Halo Photographic.

What happens when you give Dave five minutes

Dr. Dave Warner was asked to give a rapid fire five minute presentation at the Government 2.o conference. He focused on information sharing and humanitarian communication operations - including the ongoing work in Afghanistan.

And here it is.

Afghanistan and the beer for data program begin around the second minute.

Rockclimbing Pooch

Poor Bodhi had no idea he was about to be lowered down a 30 foot cliff. This is after his run in with the mamma bear and cubs and before his wasp attack. He had a rough weekend.

The Zydeco Danceathon!

Beth and I cruised on up to Clark, New Jersey for the wildy popular (for the 60 and up crowd) "Arn and Jerry's 2009 Danceathon". Our friends Brian and Robin live close by and had turned us on to this amazing cultural phenomena that takes place one a year in central Jersey. Beth and I finagled almost-free tickets in exchange for volunteering for a few hours at the food counter. It was a great way to meet folks and we had first dibs on the raspberry pie (sooo good).

While it was slightly odd being the only people under the age of 60, it did provide us with ample attention from the older dancers. We were even able to convince a few of them to do the chicken dance with us towards the end of the evening - not exactly a typical dance move at a zydeco dance. It was a fun time and brought back memories of dancing to Rockin Dopsie Junior and the Zydeco Twisters down in Loooosiana.

We spent the next morning with Brian and Robin checking out their cute town - New Jersey, who knew?

Beth with one of her many suitors

I got three dances with Bill!

Brian and Robin breaking it down on the dance floor

Waiting for someone to dance with us :(

The volunteers get a shout-out

Our 10-year-old nemesis A slightly young(er) person - but with the band

Central Suriname Reserve

Our view from the room at the ecoresort
Yup, solar panels in the jungle. They weren't operational while we were there though.

A (foggy) view of the Coppename River from the plane

Our first view of the ecoresort. CI-Suriname provided funding and support for the resort to be built in the hopes that it would bring in ecotourism money for the local communities.

Daniel trying on a reed mat. I don't think it fit.

The towering Voltzberg. We hiked to the top and had amazing 360 views of untouched wilderness.

The crew on top of the Voltzberg. We are all very stinky.

Crocs. You can't escape them. They're everywhere.

The life of a tomato

I suppose I should put this in reverse chronological order but this tomato was too purty not to put first. Thanks to Kory for letting me tear up his front yard!

Congratulations!!!

Allison and Jeff -newly engaged!!

Inaugural Weekend

I would be remiss if I didn't recognize the momentous occasion that transpired on May 22nd: the first day of The Best Two Years of Our Lives (TBTYOOL). We spent the inaugural weekend of TBTYOOL in Assoteague National Park, communing with the wild ponies and drunk dogs. It was a bit overcast but we had a great time and were able try out sea kayaking and of course stalk the omnipresent ponies. We weren't too successful with our chicken head-on-a-stick crabbing technique, so we had to settle with veggie burritos and veggie burgers on the campfire. Delish.

The TBTYOOL was commemorated with an official ceremony involving a tiki torch, glow sticks and inspiring speeches.

Happy Day 24 everyone!

Halocaust of the Worms*

My bedroom is littered with the corpses of a science experiment gone horribly wrong. I've been trying to start some veggie seedlings in my bedroom, with little success. A nasty looking mold had formed on the soil and so I checked with the all-knowing internet to see what could be done. The answer: hydrogen peroxide! Apparantly, the peroxide kills the mold and helps to add oxygen to the soil. Perfect. Too impatient to dilute the peroxide, I poured a few drops into each pot and listened to the beautiful hiss and sizzle of the peroxide killing the mold.

Emboldened by my assumed success, I felt the need for more action. And so, I grabbed a handful of worms from the compost and tossed one into each of the pots, hoping they would help aerate the soil. They seemed happy in their new home until I noticed that they were writhing around in very spastic un-wormlike contortions. I hadn't thought about the effect of the peroxide on their porous little bodies and had unwittingly dropped the poor little buggers into their coffins. At the very least, hopefully their shriveled little corpses will provide some much needed sustenance to my basil seeds.

RIP my worm brethren.

The lone survivor

The culprit

Medical Mission to Nigeria

I've just returned from a trip to Northern Nigeria with the Kaduna State Medical Mission. The mission was started by a group of Nigerian-born or bred doctors who now work in the States. They go back to Nigeria ~2x a year for two weeks, offering general medical services, surgery and pharmeceuticals. http://www.flickr.com/groups/nigeriamedicalmission/

A twitterin' we go

Matt and Meredith were kind enough to twitter during our inauguration follies: www.twitter.com/allenml; and twitter.com/FrostyMcTeague. The twitters include our brush with Jesse Jackson, a description of the energy and excitement coursing through DC and my terrorist fist bump with Michelle Obama. *

* One of these is not quite true.

Inauguration musings:
1. Too many fur coats, not enough red paint
2. Inauguration should be held in May and/or Cabo.
3. You can't get rich in the homemade t-shirt making business.