Archive for the ‘Gathering Summaries’ Category

Gathering Summary: Homemade laundry soap and GMO discussion, with Sheree Tompkins, 022713

Saturday, March 2nd, 2013
Laundry Soap Ingredients and Equipment

Laundry Soap Ingredients and Equipment

by Catherine Haug, March 2, 2013

Photo, right, of ingredients and equipment, by S. Tompkins

This was our first event at a new venue: the Crestview Senior Housing Clubhouse. We all sat around a big table while Sheree demonstrated how to make laundry soap at another table.

This is just a short synopsis; you can find more detail in the complete, printable pdf file: Gathering Summary: Homemade Laundry Soap and GMO Discussion, with Sheree Tompkins, and in her handout:  Homemade Laundry Powder or Liquid, by Sheree Tompkins

We took turns grating the bars of soap into a bowl, and passed around the finished product so all could see that it looks like. Sheree also brought a jug of liquid soap that she made from her powdered mix, and a bucket of liquid soap that she made by a more direct method (not mixing up the powder first) to show us what the gel mixture looks and feels like when scooped up in a ladle.

Cora Reynolds, a 97-year old resident of the housing complex shared with us how she used to make laundry soap bars when she lived in North Carolina, in the  old days before her community had electricity.

Then Sheree joined us at the big table to share GMO handouts and to talk about the Non-GMO Tipping Point Network of which she is the coordinator for NW Montana.

Read on for more detail about the presentation and discussion. (more…)

Gathering Summary: Furniture & Art from Found Materials, by Sean Guerrero, Sept. 2012

Sunday, January 27th, 2013

by Catherine Haug, November 6, 2012 [Cat’s note, 1/27/13: I just realized I’d not published this summary; my apologies!]

The Daily InterLake had a good article about our presenter, Sean Guerrero, in its Nov. 3, 2012 issue, which I have copied in its entirety below. It pretty much covers what Sean discussed at his presentation. However, those who didn’t come, missed his telling of many stories about his interaction with the Hollywood people who commissioned his art. Sean is an entertaining story teller!

See One man’s junk is artist Sean Guerrero’s treasure in the Daily InterLake, Saturday Nov 3, 2012. Text copied below (in case the DIL deletes the article from its internet site). (more…)

Gathering Summary: Winemaking at Home, June 20, 2012

Wednesday, July 18th, 2012

Red wine glass

by Catherine Haug, July 13, 2012

(photo, left, fromWikipedia)

Don Beans and Leslie Budewitz provided lots of good information in an hour’s time; enough to stimulate desire to try making wine with more than a hope of success. While it was a small audience, there were good questions and discussion. And Stephanie’s mixed-berry crisp dessert was delicious.

This is just a short synopsis; you can find more detail in the complete, printable pdf file: Gathering Summary: Winemaking at Home, with Don Beans and Leslie Budewitz, and in the handouts. Read on for handouts (to be added when available), presentation topics, and references & resources. (more…)

Event Summary: ESP at 2012 Preparedness Fair

Saturday, May 12th, 2012

by Catherine Haug, May 12, 2012

Bigfork Emergency Response Team (BERT) hosted the first Bigfork Preparedness Fair on May 5, 2012. Although the weather was wet, windy and cold, the fair had an excellent turnout: over 300 people signed in and there were many booths both indoors and out, as well as several lecturers.

ESP had a booth in one corner of the main room, featuring a backboard of photos from past gatherings, books on sustainability topics to browse through, and Jeffrey Fund’s pedal-powered grain grinder for people to try out. We had several different grains to grind: spelt, Jeffrey’s wheat and Wheat Montana’s Prairie Gold wheat. (more…)

Gathering Summary: Getting Ready to Grow Stuff, March 21, 2012

Monday, April 16th, 2012

Don Bates makes a point

by Catherine Haug, April 6, 2012

(photo, left, by E. Blackler)

This was a fun and inspiring evening with MonaRae Tuhy and Don Bates, on seed starting and related topics. And Stephanie offered a great dessert: Berry Crisp with Whipped Cream.

This is just a short synopsis; you can find more detail in the complete, printable pdf file: Gathering Summary: Getting Ready to Grow Stuff, March 21, 2012, and in the handouts. Read on for handouts, presentation topics, and references & resources. (more…)

Gathering Summary: The Craft of Knitting with Carol Marie, etc., Feb 15, 2012

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

by Catherine Haug, March 1, 2012

Cat's felted hat; knit scarf & mittens

This is just a short synopsis; you can find more detail in the complete, printable pdf file: Gathering Summary: The Craft of Knitting, etc.. There were no handouts.

Carol brought lots of samples of knitted as well as crocheted, felted & needle-punched items to view. Her friend Roxy demonstrated how to use a drop spindle to make yarn from roving. Several audience members brought in-progress and finished knit items.

Read on for presentation topics, references & resources. (more…)