The 1st Local Food Challenge Potluck and a visit with the Green Riders!

Last Friday, June 11th was the 1st monthly Local Food Challenge Potluck of the 2010 season and don't worry, if you missed this one there will be many more to come. Since I am new to the Indy community and because this was the first potluck I have hosted in this city, I had some insane fear that we would have less than a handful of attendees and everyone would starve...of course, that didn't happen=) The Potluck went superbly and not only did we have two tables full of delicious locally-produced food to share, but there were about 50 participants! (Picture on top right taken by NUVO)

And somehow we did stay on schedule =) A group of bicyclists riding with the IndyCog Courteous Mass Critical Manners arrived at the Earth House around 7 pm. And the Green Riders, Catherine and Oliver Bock, arrived a few minutes later with thier two custom-built recumbent electric bikes. The Green Riders are a brother/sister team on a adventure biking from California to Washington DC sharing stories of sustainable communities along the way. We were happy to have them as our guests in Indianapolis Friday night!

I am personally amazed that after nearly two months on the road, the Green Riders had only one flat tire incident, never rode through a thunderstorm (until they biked down the Monon Trail in Indy that Friday=) and still managed to arrive in Indy on the day they planned for the event. That takes planning and endurance!

In an article Robert Warren wrote in NUVO this past week, Robert said, "Oliver and Catherine Bock look like string beans in their lime green colored shirts." I would have to agree! These folk are healthy and another thing, they barely trained for this ride. I was amazed by thier healthy, energized body and mood that I had to ask them, foolishly perhaps, how old they were. Both Catherine and Oliver Bock are in their 60s and going strong! As Catherine and Oliver mentioned at the potluck, I believe that Catherine and Oliver are great role-models as elders. On a personal note, for the past couple years I have been working toward the goal of being healthy and active when I am in my 60s, 70s and beyond and here are two examples of that exact dream. Kudos to them!

After the Green Riders energizing presentation (I know I have been writing energy/energized alot in this article, but it is true!), I noticed a bunch of people sticking around to chat and catch up with each other...somehow the time flew and around 10 pm some satisfied, well-fed and happy-looking folks finally made their way back home.

Thanks to everyone who came and hope to see you next time! I want to give a shout out to some key people and organizations that helped make the event. Thanks to the Green Riders, Earth House Collective, and Ed and Theresa Stites (for the much needed help with clean-up during the presentations) I couldn't have made it through the event with out you!

The next Local Food Challenge Potluck will be in mid-July. I know better than to compete with Independence Day =) If you have any ideas about where we might host a potluck, please let me know. Email me at april@indyfoodfarmfamily.org


Eat Simply and Savour-April