AmeriCorps VISTA member Andy Werner is making his presence known here on the website for the first time. We are looking forward to more reflections from Andy as he gets in on nourishing the community.

As many may know, Seedleaf comes into the East 7^th Street Center and cooks a nutritious meal every Wednesday at the Kids Cafe. Some children join in the preparation fun by helping out with chopping vegetables, mixing dough, or browning meat. As you might imagine, it takes a lot of supervision and patience. Some kids just don’t understand why picking their nose over the mixing bowl isn’t cool. Fortunately, these incidents don’t happen often because Becca is a wonderful teacher.

It is a challenge to get the kids engaged in what we’re cooking. We are dealing with kids and eating vegetables so they are tough judges.  Last week though, we made black bean, sweet potato, chorizo burritos. I don’t think many kids realized that there were sweet potatoes in the burritos. Most of the burritos were eaten, so I guess we won.

It is exciting to see how the kids take interest in something as simple as cracking an egg or scrapping squash into a bowl. Being there reminds me that just getting the children exposed to cooking can help them consider cooking when they’re older. Even it may be small, it could be a good first step in building a fascination of cooking in their lives.

We are so glad that Rona Roberts and Steve Kay are hosting this exciting house concert featuring internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter Martyn Joseph. The show will benefit Seedleaf (and all 50 people who come!) Seating is limited–email Sean (sean.gladding@gmail.com) to reserve your spot. We are excited about doing this! Here are the details:

• Where: Rona and Steve’s home–250 Campsie Place
• When: Sunday, January 29th, 7pm
• Cost: $10

We recently got a donation from Pheobe Wagoner, daughter of David Wagoner and Arwen Donahue. I asked her to explain why she wanted to support our work and here is her response:

I chose to donate $55.00 to Seedleaf because I think they do good service , and I think that having good food to eat is important. Also, their operating budget is pretty low, so $55.00 would make a difference.
Peace to earth! Eat good food!
Your friend,[and helper]
[ Sarah]  Phoebe Wagoner

We couldn’t have said this any better. We appreciate Pheobe and all of our donors–you are helping us make a difference.

What a great year we have completed! Below are some numbers for the Compost Partners Program, numbers that represent a lot of hard work by our staff and volunteers, as well as our participating kitchens. We begin the new year picking up at 17 locations and process the kitchen waste at 7 of our gardens.

This update shows some of the good things happening through the Compost Partners Program. Please tell our partner kitchens that you are glad they are taking the extra time to separate their scraps and make part of their waste stream  available to us each week! Also, please help yourself to finished compost at one bin at Third Street Stuff—the label promises that the contents are “Ready for the Garden”.

 By The Numbers

• Monthly Pickup
  • November: 1,565
  • December: 965
  • Year to Date: 16,615 gallons
• Finished Compost
  • November: 60
  • December: 25
  • Year to Date:  421 gallons

Our Partners

Participating Restaurants and Kitchens :

• East Seventh Street Center
• Dupree Catering
• Coffea
• Common Grounds
• Third Street Stuff
• Sunrise Bakery
• Afalfa’s
• Mellow Mushroom
• Stella’s Kentucky Deli
• Central Baptist (Morrison Food Service)
• LFUCG (2 pickups near Main St.)
• Sayre School
• Al’s Bar
• Thai Orchid
• Shriner’s Hospital
• Bullhorn
• Transylvania University

We have a number of gardens and other spaces where we are processing this waste:

• London Ferrell Community Garden
• Withrow Garden
• Dupree Catering
• Mellow Mushroom
• Third Street Stuff
• Florence Crittendon Home
• Al’s Bar Garden

We had another productive month in November, though our pickups are down a bit, probably due to the holiday. We continue to pick up at 17 locations and are glad to have access to all this compostable material through the fall and winter. This will set us up to have plenty of valuable soil amendment ready for our spring planting.

This update shows some of the good things happening through the Compost Partners Program. Please tell our partner kitchens that you are glad they are taking the extra time to separate their scraps and make part of their waste stream  available to us each week!

Also, stay tuned for a Master Community Composter Training we are planning to offer in the early spring. Email me at ryan@seedleaf.org if you are interested in hearing more about this 6-week course that will prepare you for home composting and go a long way towards taking the “ick” out of dealing with kitchen waste.

 By The Numbers

• Monthly Pickup
  • October: 1,805
  • November: 1,565
  • Year to Date: 15,335 gallons
• Finished Compost
  • October: 125
  • November: 60
  • Year to Date:  395 gallons

Our Partners–Participating Restaurants and Kitchens :

• East Seventh Street Center
• Dupree Catering
• Coffea
• Common Grounds
• Third Street Stuff
• Sunrise Bakery
• Afalfa’s
• Mellow Mushroom
• Stella’s Kentucky Deli
• Central Baptist (Morrison Food Service)
• LFUCG (2 pickups near Main St.)
• Sayre School
• Al’s Bar
• Thai Orchid
• Shriner’s Hospital
• Bullhorn
• Transylvania University

We have a number of gardens and other spaces where we are processing this waste:

• London Ferrell Community Garden
• Withrow Garden
• Dupree Catering
• Mellow Mushroom
• Third Street Stuff
• Florence Crittendon Home
• Al’s Bar Garden

If you see a green bin at one of the above locations with a label that says “Ready for the Garden,” please help yourself to this finished compost—there is no charge for this.

We continue to be thrilled to be part of the GoodGiving Guide Challenge and are still near the top of the leaderboard. Thanks so much to all of you who have supported us to this point!

We are hoping to be part of your holiday giving too. Please give a gift of any amount between now and December 24th and we will email you a sign that you can print out and fit into a stocking or a card. Click here to go to our donation page and write “Santa Baby” in the box labeled “This gift is in honor of..”–that will tip us off.

Also, with this fresh challenge from Raising Cane’s, Seedleaf can win an extra $500 this week. Please give between now and 8pm on Friday, December 16th. Donations of $50 or more will get a free American Apparel CLUCK t-shirt. These shirts are hot off the presses and they look great, featuring this Miki Wright logo:

So donate today, get a stocking stuffer, and sport the new shirt.

Apparently it only takes a couple of sunny (I’m not saying warm) afternoons to get some of us thinking about gardens again. We do have a few chores to attend to and we could use your help. Here are the details:

What: Volunteering in the Garden

When: Saturday, December 10th, 1-3pm

Where: the London Ferrill Community Garden

Dress warm and stay hydrated. We’ll be bedding down any garden spaces that were left uncovered, chopping down some brambles, and getting ready for a spring planting.

We’ve spent 30 grateful days thanking some of the many folks who make Seedleaf possible. Now, at the end of those 30 thanks, we want to throw in a surprise but public thanks for two of the most important and inspirational people for Seedleaf – Ryan Koch and Becca Self. 

As a team, this dynamic duo makes for a powerhouse blend of traits and skills and assets. They make sure everything happens at Seedleaf. You probably realize that they are in charge of the obvious tasks like gardening, composting, coordinating volunteers, leading classes, and teaching folks to cook. What you might not know is that this overworked staff of two also handles the back end of Seedleaf, administering funds, writing thank you notes, selling t-shirts, paying bills, blogging, handling press, dealing with the board, coordinating client communication, accounting… the list goes on and on. We can’t really even begin to acknowledge all of the things they do in such a short post, but trust us- it’s everything. Despite the heavy workload Ryan and Becca face, at the end of the day they still have the energy to be positive and motivate us.

Ryan was the first to inspire us, and he remains a quietly powerful person with a deep strength that carries Seedleaf forward.  His action, not his orders, are what keep us moving. He is on the ground, tool in hand, working on whatever needs to be done. He shows us by daily example what it means to love the land, tend the soil, nourish growth, value food, and appreciate neighbors. Ryan can be quiet, but never awkward. His strong silence is peaceful company, and when he shares his thoughts they are poignant and linger in your mind all day. Ryan has a very clear vision for Seedleaf, and has never been beguiled by the notion that we should get bigger, better, faster. He recognizes the value in doing something you love and believe in, and doing it well. He is open-minded, respectful of everyone, and an incredible listener. He lives by his convictions. He is calm, content, peaceful, pleasant, and comforting. We could not have asked for a stronger or more inspirational leader to remind us of the values at Seedleaf’s core.

In perfect balance, Becca is equally inspirational and hardly knows a stranger. She makes everyone feel warm and welcome, and can relate to anyone she encounters, regardless of how similar or different that person’s background may be from her own. She is respectful and empathetic to all. She always remembers what is going on in others’ lives, and thoughtfully asks just the right questions then patiently listens to whatever answer comes about. Becca is an excellent teacher, ever flexible and adaptive. She has a clear passion for the work of Seedleaf. Her love of food and cooking is contagious to ALL of her students, whether they are adults at Soup’s On or the kids at Kids Cafe. It’s impossible not to be smiling when Becca is around, perhaps because she is always positive and cheerful. Her infectious energy and laughter bring smiles to the faces of kids and adults alike. Becca has a true gift for teaching, bringing joy, and loving others. Becca’s enthusiasm, humility and warm, unassuming, friendly personality make her the perfect face of our education program.

Ryan and Becca are both strong leaders that we admire and respect and love.

Thank you Ryan and Becca for all of the work you do for Seedleaf, for Lexington, and for the culture of food. We are so deeply grateful to you both.

-Your board.

A lot of times when I am visiting with folks involved in other non-profit organizations here in Lexington, I find a chance to say something like, My board is better than your board. Often, my friends think I am joking. I am not–my board is amazing. Here’s who they are:

• Geoff Maddock
• Angela Baldridge
• Tiffany Thompson
• Andrea James
• Shawn Burns
• Rebecca Self

These folks are responsible for helping me cast and implement a vision for Seedleaf. They help me evaluate opportunities and navigate partnerships. They represent the organization at social functions. They do dishes. They call in favors. Click here to read the board biographies–I want everybody to know these folks. They have been so wonderful to join Seedleaf in the work of nourishing communities.

A thanks contributed by board member Angela Baldridge:

There are so many individuals, groups and organizations in Lexington and beyond that have helped Seedleaf in immeasurable ways. Whether through a small gesture like putting a “food grown here” sign in a yard, or offering a large financial contribution to support our programming, we owe so many people buckets of thanks. In the last days, we’ve tried to identify a few of them, but we know that it’s impossible to get everyone in here. Still – we have to offer a thanks to the residents of Lexington.  You, the residents of this beautiful city, are our greatest supporters. You have welcomed us with open arms from the beginning, showing unwavering support for our cause and spreading the news of our work and mission with your neighbors. You make it possible for us to build our gardens, educate our students, cook our meals, and eat our soup. We love what we do, and we are so grateful that we get to do it every day, especially here in Lexington.

Sometimes, I picture Seedleaf as a big wagon wheel. There a lot of folks here who care about all different spokes of the food system, and bring lots of different angles to the center. We at Seedleaf try hard to pull those spokes together so we can all meet in the middle to make something big. But YOU, you Lexington residents who love us and support us and believe in us – you make that wheel turn. You motivate us and keep us going. You inspire the motion.

Thank you, Lexingtonians, for your support and encouragement. Thank you for inspiring us every day.