Agro-biodiversity and Food Security: The Value of Traditional Seeds…

Climate Change, Agro-biodiversity and Food Security: The Value of Traditional Seeds in an Unstable World
Ecology Center

2530 San Pablo Ave, near Dwight Way
Berkeley

Thu, Dec 17,[masked]:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Humanity has lost nearly three-quarters of our agricultural biodiversity in the last century. Now, in the face of an increasingly volatile climate, conserving the remaining seed diversity is a matter of survival.

A growing body of scientists, farmers and activists have rejected the technological fix of genetically engineered crops in support of the conservation of traditional seeds and the promotion of agroecological farming techniques.

Join us for an intimate dialogue about the value of traditional crop varieties and ecological agriculture in an unstable world, with special guest, Dr. Debal Deb – ecologist, scholar, author and founding director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in West Bengal, India.

This is a benefit to support Dr. Deb's inspiring Vrihi and Basudha initiatives which have conserved and regenerated over 600 varieties of traditional rice to date—the largest non-governmental rice seed repository in eastern India.

Dr. Deb will discuss the crucial importance of this agricultural heritage to food security and resilience in the face of climate change.

Cost: No door fee
Donations encouraged
*Proceeds benefit the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in West Bengal, India*

Wheelchair Accessible
For more information contact:
The Ecology Center
[masked]
[masked]
www.ecologycenter.org

Wednesday, the 16th, 6pm, Chef Tyler Florence @ Macys, Union Square

Superstar Chef Tyler Florence celebrates the debut of his new cookware

See Tyler Florence cook up one of his favorite recipes for you.

Macy's welcomes Tyler Florence to celebrate the introduction of his steel-clad, professional caliber cookware at Macy's Union Square.

Be inspired as this world-class chef works his culinary magic in our demo kitchen and shows off the benefits of Tyler Florence Cookware. For this special event, he?ll cook up one of his signature recipes and invite you to sample the delicious results.

With any $150 purchase from his new cookware line, you'll receive one of Tyler's latest cookbooks, which he'll sign for you that evening.*

Reserve your seat today. To reserve your spot, please visit macys.com/events.

December 16th, 6pm
Lower Level, Cellar Kitchen

http://www1.macys.com

I'll be there wearing a MEET UP badge.

Raw Food gathering, demo, lectures, Sunday, 7pm, Fremont:

Raw Food gathering, demo, lectures, Sunday, 7pm, Fremont

FUND RAISER for Elaina Love's son DOMINIC

Elaina Love is a Raw Food expert – most Raw Foodies know, have met or have heard of her, and this fund raiser is not only meant to raise funds, but also prayers, love and warmth for her son, who seems to have advanced cancer. (I'm trying to word this in a not-so-negative way.)

Info and links are in Dan's email, below.

I'm not sure – at this point – if I'll be able to go – so, please introduce yourself to my friend – Dan Popovici, he's one of the coordinators and presenters of this event.

If I do go, I hope to see you there,
Joni

DAN WROTE:

Hi Joni,

I told you about the fund-raiser we are doing for Elaina Love. Do you think you could forward it to other people who might be interested in attending? Steve will also come. You can find more information below.

This Sunday's Raw Food Prep Class Fundraiser for Elaina Love's son Dominic, will be held at 40155 Blacow Road, in Fremont, CA. The Center for Spiritual Living has made their spacious community room available to us for this event.

The space is located in central Fremont, with easy highway and BART access. Please bring a friend and carpool.

The Event begins at 7pm, and will now include a talk and discussion with Steven Wm. Fowkes , who is an expert in nutrition along with the Green Foods Lesson.

Artisania Nut Butters has generously agreed to sponsor us with jars of their wonderful products for sale at a reduced price, with all proceeds going toward the cause.

For Fundraiser Details,Class Menu and Registration, Please Visit: www.projectwellbeing.com

For Elaina's Request for Support/To Donate, Visit: www.purejoyplanet.com

love,
Dan

Jazz: Marcus Shelby Quartet – the master

Let's gather
in a beautiful setting
with wonderful sounds….

Jazz at Peace

…. happens on the 2nd Sunday of each month

at 5:00 pm
Donation. (A basket is passed around about mid-way through the evening.)

It’s Interfaith Celebration
with the finest jazz musicians
in the Bay Area
playing their hearts out and into yours

http://www.peacejourn

Tasting party: Savory (umami) and Spicy

Announcing…..

3 Food Tasting Parties w/Joni

A sensory and energetic
examination and evaluation of flavors.

at Joni's home, the next 3 Mondays

Nov 16: Bitter and Sour
Nov 23: Sweet and Salty
Nov 30: Savory (Umami) and Spicy

7 – 8:30pm

One person: $30/class or $70 for all 3 classes
Two people: $50/class or $110 for all 3 classes

We'll have raw and cooked vegetarian foods.
Be sure to tell me if you need to avoid certain foods.

Learn how to incorporate, enhance and balance the flavor of food.
You'll receive a comprehensive list of foods/condiments for each flavor.
Learn nuances of our taste receptors that will make a difference in how you cook.
Charge up your palatability of foods.

Other sensations we'll discuss:
Tangy
Metallic
Watery
Dryness
Fatty
Astringent
Expansive
Contractive
Satiety
Color
Texture

Did you go too far with one flavor? Here'r ways to ‘fix' your foods:

Too sour? add sweet
Too bland? add salt
Too salty? add sour
Too spicy? add sweet
Too sweet? add salt
Too sweet and salty? add sour

PAYMENT:
Pay through PayPal with bank transfers or credit card,
or pay Joni at the class (cash or check).

Tasting party: Sweet and Salty

Announcing…..

3 Food Tasting Parties w/Joni

A sensory and energetic
examination and evaluation of flavors.

at Joni's home, the next 3 Mondays

Nov 16: Bitter and Sour
Nov 23: Sweet and Salty
Nov 30: Savory (Umami) and Spicy

7 – 8:30pm

One person: $30/class or $70 for all 3 classes
Two people: $50/class or $110 for all 3 classes

We'll have raw and cooked vegetarian foods.
Be sure to tell me if you need to avoid certain foods.

Learn how to incorporate, enhance and balance the flavor of food.
You'll receive a comprehensive list of foods/condiments for each flavor.
Learn nuances of our taste receptors that will make a difference in how you cook.
Charge up your palatability of foods.

Other sensations we'll discuss:
Tangy
Metallic
Watery
Dryness
Fatty
Astringent
Expansive
Contractive
Satiety
Color
Texture

Did you go too far with one flavor? Here'r ways to ‘fix' your foods:

Too sour? add sweet
Too bland? add salt
Too salty? add sour
Too spicy? add sweet
Too sweet? add salt
Too sweet and salty? add sour

PAYMENT:
Pay through PayPal with bank transfers or credit card,
or pay Joni at the class (cash or check).

Batch cooking: Gluten-free, dairy-free meals, a one-day workshop

Batch Cooking Made Easy

Gluten-free and dairy-free meals
no recipes(!)

Saturday, October 17th
9 – 5pm

a one-day workshop

$130 per person
includes breakfast drink, lunch
and tea/water throughout the day

Pay through PayPal, or contact Joni for other arrangement

see outline of the class, below

(This workshop was also offered Saturday, Oct 17th)

Batch cooking is for those who want …

• minimal preparation time before meals
• minimally processed foods, reduce waste
• to serve home-cooked food to a multiple people (family)
• to cook a variety of home-made foods for one or two people
• to be successful with a healthy diet
• to learn how to make a variety of foods
• on-the-ready real meal … at home, at the office, on the road
• to learn meal-planning strategies with practical application and practical experience
• to learn how to recreate favorite ethnic foods

I'll share with you ….

• intuitive cooking techniques
• nutrition information, biochemistry of food and the body
• instruction, guidance
• knife care, skills
• cooking techniques
• cooking and kitchen tips and tricks
• discuss ways to incorporate meat into the meals

You bring ….

• an apron
• hand towel
• knife (6- or 8-inch knife is best)
• cutting board

BONUS offer ….

The food we make will be available for purchase. Contact me, order/pay in advance to ensure your portion.

======================

Here is the class outline:

9am – 5pm

Prior to the workshop, I will:

– Create handouts
– Make a shopping list
– Shop for the food: produce, grains, canned goods, products, etc.
– Wash all produce

Our time together….

Here's the hour-by-hour outline:

9am: Arrival, introduction….
• A balancing morning drink available upon your arrival.
• Meet/greet/introductions.
• Overview of the day's schedule, the recipes.
• Overview of cooking
• Energetics of – and combining – colors, flavors, textures
• Cooking liquid (broth, juice, wine, nut milk and function of)
• Cooking methods (dry heat, wet heat, oil heat, no heat, pressure)
• First- and second-stage cooking
• Seasonings (herbs, spices, condiments, vinegars, oils)
• Flavors (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent)

10am: Cook and discuss 5 grains, cooking liquids, cooking styles…
• Quinoa
• Millet
• Wild rice
• Buckwheat
• Steel-cut oats

11am: Discuss and chop veggies, make a mineral broth….
• knife care, knife skills
• slicing and chopping tips and tricks
• cooking with colors, shapes, textures
• mineral broth discussion

12pm: Make and eat lunch …
• Steamed veggies, pairing with one of the grains
• Kale, seaweed salad
• Pureé veggie soup

2pm: Cook the veggies, using various methods and spices
• Sauté
• Steam
• Simmer (braise)
• Ferment

4pm: Packaging and storing
• Tips / tricks
• Do's / don'ts

5pm: Homeward bound, food purchases, clean up

EXTRAS ….

I'll feature a few specialty gadgets:
these are items I use to speed up production. You may have some of them already, or have something that's similar.

I'll feature a few specialty products, too:
• orange blossom water
• nutritional yeast
• seaweeds
• oils
• other

REDUCED RATE AVAILABLE….

i.e. “will-work-for-discount” – workshop fee will be $80, this is $50 off. What's expected of you: Be my assistant for one day. Arrive at 8am to help out for one hour before class, help throughout the day (lunchtime, too), stay until 6pm to help out for one hour after class. Contact me and pay soon to ensure getting this position.

PRIVATE one-day WORKSHOP:

For those who want a private Batch Cooking session.
• You shop, wash, prep, clean up $400
• I'll provide a shopping list, gadgets

Sleep Heals: at the Lesher Center

Sleep Heals

Getting optimal amounts of sleep
on a regular basis
is vital to maintaining health.

I can honor free tickets to those who are on a tight budget, please contact me.

Millions of people suffer from a variety of sleep disorders which can have a profound negative impact on immune function, mental health and wellness in general.

Our discussion this evening will focus on understanding some of the intricate mechanisms at play in getting proper sleep from the perspectives of endocrinology and orthomolecular medicine. Natural approaches and the latest methods to address the core issues will also be presented.

As our world becomes more stressful, our need to sleep well becomes even more critical. Join us to get a clear understanding of the sleep process and to learn techniques for getting the “Z's” you need.

Richard Kunin, M.D. has been interested in the neurophysiology of sleep since his days as a post-doctoral fellow at Stanford Medical Center in 1962. At the same time Dr. William Dement was engaged in his ground-breaking research on sleep, Kunin published research on the electrophysiology of animal hypnosis. In recent years, his review of the research literature on the sleep hormone, melatonin, led to Kunin’s theory that melatonin is specifically designed to rest the pituitary gland, thus to permit ‘down time’ for repair of the entire stress adaptation system, the so-called pituitary-adrenal axis. Damage to this system is all too common, especially in the face of environmental pollution and unhealthy, stress-filled lifestyles. These conditions deserve more consideration than they receive. His practice is in San Francisco.

Rachelle Halpern, MD is board certified in internal medicine and endocrinology. Dr. Halpern has extensive training in orthomolecular and integrative medicine. She specializes in comprehensive hormone evaluation and balancing while assisting hundreds of patients with sleep related issues. Her practice is in Lafayette.

Tickets
$5 Students and Seniors
$10 Health Medicine Forum members*
$15 Advance (non-HMF members)
$20 At the door (non-HMF members)

Tickets may be purchased at the box office, over the phone or on the website: www.lesherartscenter.org
(go to November calendar, click on this event, click ‘Buy tickets’)
Box Office:[masked] [masked]-SHOW)

*HMF members can purchase tickets at the box office or over the phone.
Must use codeword: wellness. Join HMF online or at one of our events.

The Health Medicine Forum is a nonprofit educational foundation of healthcare providers and community leaders dedicated to producing educational events, certification programs, Integral Healing Groups and to the advancement of Integral Health Medicine which is based on integrative, holistic, preventive, person-centered care.

For more information about HMF:
[masked]
www.healthmedicineforum.org

Media contact: HMF President Geoffrey Marx
[masked]
[masked]

Tasting party: Bitter and Sour

Announcing…..

3 Food Tasting Parties w/Joni

A sensory and energetic
examination and evaluation of flavors.

at Joni's home, the next 3 Mondays

Nov 16: Bitter and Sour
Nov 23: Sweet and Salty
Nov 30: Savory (Umami) and Spicy

7 – 8:30pm

One person: $30/class or $70 for all 3 classes
Two people: $50/class or $110 for all 3 classes

We'll have raw and cooked vegetarian foods.
Be sure to tell me if you need to avoid certain foods.

Learn how to incorporate, enhance and balance the flavor of food.
You'll receive a comprehensive list of foods/condiments for each flavor.
Learn nuances of our taste receptors that will make a difference in how you cook.
Charge up your palatability of foods.

Other sensations we'll discuss:
Tangy
Metallic
Watery
Dryness
Fatty
Astringent
Expansive
Contractive
Satiety
Color
Texture

Did you go too far with one flavor? Here'r ways to ‘fix' your foods:

Too sour? add sweet
Too bland? add salt
Too salty? add sour
Too spicy? add sweet
Too sweet? add salt
Too sweet and salty? add sour

PAYMENT:
Pay through PayPal with bank transfers or credit card,
or pay Joni at the class (cash or check).

Chabot Space & Science Center: Climate Change lecture series

Climate Change lecture series

at the

Chabot Space and Science Center

Sunday, Nov. 15th, 3pm

Let's gather together afterward for further discussion. Details will be sent to those who respond with interest.

A Really Inconvenient Truth:
Why Climate Change is Much Worse Than You’ve Been Told and What We Must Do Now

Dan Miller is Managing Director of The Roda Group, a seed stage venture capital group now focusing on Clean Tech. Dan is the former Chairman of the Foundation Board of Chabot Space & Science Center. At Chabot, Dan is working with Bill Nye the Science Guy to develop a climate change exhibit geared towards kids and their parents. Dan is also a member of Al Gore’s Climate Project and was trained by Mr. Gore to give the An Inconvenient Truth slide show, though Dan’s talk is not based on Mr. Gore’s. He is also on the board of Climate Healers and has worked with leading climate scientists on how to present climate change to the public.

Dan’s presentation will focus on why the UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reports are actually best case scenarios. He will present recent scientific data that has not been covered in the media and he will also discuss psychological aspects of how we react to the threat of climate change. Dan will present a more realistic (and scary) outlook on what will happen if we don’t start to reduce greenhouse gas emissions soon. He will then lay out what steps we need to take to address this critical situation, including a discussion of “geo-engineering” solutions.

This talk is not appropriate for children.

When: Sunday, November 15, 3:00 pm The talk will be approximately 45 minutes followed by Q&A.

Where: Chabot Space and Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland, CA 94619. Directions at www.ChabotSpace.org

Cost: Free with paid admission, $14.95 for adults, $11.95 seniors and students. Special free admission for the lecture only for participants who arrive after 2:30pm on Sunday, November 15th. Members are free.

RSVP: Contact Visitor Services at (510)[masked] to reserve a seat or send an email [masked]. Note: reservations are not required but highly encouraged.

www.chabotspace.org