Get fresh veggies, support a local farmer

The Journal Square CSA is ramping up to the start of its 4^th season in Jersey City.   We started in 2010 with a coordinator who didn’t want to travel downtown to get her vegetables, a north Jersey farmer, and a living room.  Over the past few years, the CSA has grown slowly but surely.

Nolasco’s Farm, a short hour’s drive from Jersey City, grows all the vegetables, herbs, and melons for the Journal Square CSA.  Every week, CSA members receive 7 items that are in season on the farm, ranging from bunches of greens to squash blossoms to white sweet potatoes to Mexican herbs like cilantro and papalo.  Our CSA members receive the freshest vegetables, harvested the morning they are brought to Jersey City.

Being a CSA member has pushed my boundaries as an eater, a cook, and an informed consumer.  Even a vegetable lover like myself never would have picked up a kohlrabi (even if I could find one in a grocery store), or purchased mustard greens several weeks in a row.  But being a CSA member means you experience the changes in seasons and climate in a way that you can’t with grocery store vegetables.  Knowing you will never have tomatoes in early June, or that a flood from a hurricane destroyed a field full of winter squash, makes me appreciate the vegetables and all the hard work the farmer puts in to get them to us.   Our CSA members may feel more connected to the farm and informed about their foodshed, or maybe they just come up with a creative new mustard greens recipe.  Either way, everyone that participates learns something about the food on their table.

This year we are also able to offer a fruit share from Suka-Di Farm in upstate NY.  In addition to the weekly vegetable share, members can choose to purchase fruit fresh from their orchard and vineyard.  I am personally looking forward to having a weekly supply of fresh peaches, plums, and grapes to fill up my fruit bowl.

We currently partner with Hudson Pride Connections Center, who generously provides their space for the weekly vegetable distribution.  More information about the Journal Square CSA can be found at www.JournalSquareCSA.weebly.com.

Guazabara Insights News and Updates - Health Education Campaign

Check out Our video! Guazabara Media: Feb 2014 News and Updates - Health Education Campaign

Come Together Jersey City !! Attend SJC Events and Jersey City Health & Human Services Forum

If you are looking for ways to plug-in to the sustainability movement here in Jersey City, there are 3 events coming up that might interest you - Tomoro Saturday March 1st, starting at 12noon at The Barrow Mansion, a short walk from City Hall, SJC is hosting a VIEWING PARTY of TEDxManahattan's 'Changing the Way We Eat'; Stacey Flanagan, our new Health & Human Services Director for Jersey City will keynote the event - she is awesome !!  AND Local Spotlight Speakers of NJ / Jersey City Champions are part of the program.  More info / register here -http://sustainablejc.org/wordpress/ai1ec_event/viewing-party-tedx-manhattan-changing-the-way-we-eat/?instance_id=1664

Monday morning, March 3rd starting at 8:30am at City Hall Chambers, Stacey Flanagan / Jersey City HHS Director will hosts a community forum, first of its kind, THE PARTNERSHIP FOR A HEALTHIER JERSEY CITY.  More info / register here www.eventbrite.com/e/the-partnership-for-a-healthier-jersey-city-tickets-10664418563

Tuesday evening, March 4th starting at 7pm, SJC is hosting their Monthly Meeting at City Hall, Caucsus Room 204; EAT, MEET, TALK! is new format designed for you to meet others involved in sustainability projects around the city and for you to support these efforts.  More info / register here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sjc-monthly-meeting-eat-meet-talk-tickets-10779482723

Learn What's Next For Jersey CIty - Join SJC, Civic JC & NJ Citizen's Campaign Tonite !

SJC Monthly Meeting – EAT, MEET, TALK !

We're kicking off 2014 with Civic JC and the NJ Citizens Campaign as our guests tonite and will discuss what's next for Jersey City.  Join us if your schedule permits.

Our meeting starts at 7pm at Indiegrove with some food and networking and then onto business with SJC and Civic JC sharing what we're working on and then the NJ Citizens Campaign sharing about their Impactful Cities program.  Learn how you can be involved in this emerging collaboration and what this can mean for your neighborhood.

Details here - http://sustainablejc.org/wordpress/ai1ec_event/new-monthly-eat-meet-talk-series-2/?instance_id=

New from GRACE - 'Meet the Nexus' Guide !

You all know that SJC is a fan of the Grace Communications Foundation.  They have a great website and their Eco-Centric Blog is filled with news and information that help us to understand the various impacts of Climate Change and the inter-relationships of food, energy and water sustainability issues. While good decisions about one of these systems can carry multiple benefits, the reverse is also true.  For example, if we're not conscious about decisions we make about how we manage our food supply, we can negatively impact our water and energy supply too.  This is called NEXUS THINKING !

This hand guide is really accessible and fun, with bite-sized learning opportunities.  For example, did you know that it takes 42 gallons of water to make just one slice of pizza ?  Who knew !!   Included in the guide is their New 9-Tip Guide to Food, Water and Energy at Home.

Bravo GRACE - well done.