In This Issue:
• Cookies! Check Out This Sweet Internship Opportunity
• Saturday: Pumpkin Smash to Reduce Food Waste
• Sunday: Northern Illinois Young Farmers Coalition Inaugural Gathering
Cookies! Check Out This Sweet Internship Opp
Zimt Bakery is a startup specializing in German cookies and other pastries. I met Alina Tompert, the founder/owner, Tuesday at Naturally Chicago’s Dia de la Muertos Celebration (which I helped plan, and it was a big success, thank you very much).
Alina, who told me she is building up for a big holiday season, has an opening for a paid intern and asked if I could spread the word. Of course, I said yes: What kind of beast wouldn’t advance the cause of cookies (and risk the wrath of Cookie Monster)?
Besides, these are no ordinary sweet treats. Here is Alina’s description of Zimt, which shares the values we promote at Local Food Forum:
Zimt is a unique bakery born out of a true love for Zimt (cinnamon), and a deep desire to bake a better world with sustainable creations that spread the love. Specializing in German pastries including Plätzchen (cookies), made with the highest quality local, organic, fair-trade ingredients, and packaged responsibly in fully compostable or recyclable packaging, always 100% plastic-free.
Using treasured recipes handed down from her Oma Doris through four generations, Baker-in-Chief Alina realized her calling to continue to spread love and positive change through baking. This intersection of purpose — raising money for causes that matter, loving the earth and all of its bounty, and taking inspiration from German tradition — is baked into the heart of everything created at Zimt.
Zimt operates out of The Hatchery, the food business incubator located at 135 N. Kedzie Avenue in Chicago. The position is posted at $15/hour.
Click the link below to learn more and find instructions on how to apply. And if you’re not an apprentice baker but want to try Zimt’s delicious products, the company is scheduled to be at Lincoln Square Farmers Market on November 9, 16 and 23, and at Christkindlmarket at Wrigley Field on November 21 and December 5, 12, 23 and 24.
Saturday: Pumpkin Smash to Reduce Food Waste
The City of Chicago, in alignment with Delta Institute's Chicago Waste Strategy released this past summer, is staging a Pumpkin Smash at five locations around the city this Saturday (November 6) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. University of Illinois Extension Cook County is partnering in the effort.
What is a Pumpkin Smash? The pumpkin smash is a community effort to keep pumpkins out of our landfills. This year, Chicago officials are urging residents to "green your Halloween" at a pumpkin smash near you!
If you live in Chicago, find a pumpkin smash near you:
Plant Chicago | 4459 S. Marshfield Ave., Chicago, IL 60609
Gary Comer Youth Center | 7200 S. Ingleside Ave., Chicago, IL 60619 (Farm Lot across street)
Chicago Vocational Academy High School | 2100 E. 87th St., Chicago, IL 60617
Lake View High School | 4015 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60613
Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences | 3857 W. 111th St., Chicago, IL 60655
Illinois is a top producer of pumpkins in the U.S., but when jack o' lanterns are past their prime, they may end up in the trash. In Cook County, 37 percent of landfill material is food waste, a major source of the greenhouse gas methane. In Chicago alone, over 500,000 tons of organic waste is sent to landfills annually.
According to U of I Extension:
All are welcome for this free family event happening rain or shine. The bigger the better! Please, help us keep over 25 tons of compostables out of the landfill.
Please wear a face mask and maintain social distancing.
Pumpkins must be free of candles, stickers, glitter, yarn, synthetic decorations. We can compost pumpkins decorated with water-based paints.
There are pumpkin smashes all over this year. To find another one by you, see SCARCE.ORG/PUMPKINS
Sunday: Northern IL Young Farmers Coalition
The new Northern Illinois Young Farmers Coalition invites you to its first public gathering, this Sunday (November 7). The free event will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. at Elewa Farm at 1401 Middlefork Drive in north suburban Lake Forest. The location has plenty of parking, and shuttle transportation from nearby Metra trains will be available.
Here’s what the organizers have to say:
YOU can shape this group. Be a founding member.
Come have a seat at the table and help us in forming a new Young Farmers chapter! Any and all farmers, ranchers, agricultural allies and food folk are invited to share a meal, swap stories and help set the foundation for N.I.Y.F.C.!
On Sunday, November 7 we will be hosting our first meeting at Elawa Farm, so bundle up in your knitted mittens and quilted overalls and join us for a bonfire with homemade soup and bread!
If you have ever wondered: What is the National Young Farmers Coalition? Is there a way I can connect with farmers in the Northern Illinois region? Or, how can I be more involved in agricultural policy on a national and local level? Then this event is for you!
And because we are entering the time of year where farmers are supposed to have time to read, we will be having an agrarian book swap. So bring your spare copies of the One-Straw Revolution, New Farmer’s Almanacs and yes, Robin Wall Kimmerer and Wendell Berry.
This event is FREE to attend, but please RSVP so we know how many people to expect.
Carpooling and Metra information will be sent to your email once you RSVP on Eventbrite.
We look forward to meeting you and having an amazing time together!
If you have any questions, you can contact us at northernillinoisyoungfarmers@gmail.com.
With the average age of farmers in the United States around 60 and U.S. agriculture in need of new energy and ideas, there are few things more crucial to building a better food system than recruiting and nurturing a new generation of farmers. If you are interested in helping grow this Young Farmers Coalition affiliate or are just interested in the subject, please click below and register.