Staff Reflection in the Snowies

On July 10 our staff closed down the office and our programs took a brief pause to reflect on our achievements and challenges through the first half of the year. With a staff retreat around the beautiful Medicine Bow Peak, we took the time to reconnect with one another amidst the peak of our busy season.

A few of our staff also took the opportunity to help out other programs that they would not normally participate in - all in the spirit of creating a greater understanding of how our programs function together.

Kids Out to Lunch: A Summer of Fun, Feedback, and Fantastic Food!

We’ve had an exciting summer with the Kids Out to Lunch program, and one of the highlights has been reading the delightful comment cards from the children! These cards are not just a source of feedback; they're a window into the whimsical and creative minds of our young diners.

Each card includes a spot for the "Question of the Day," which our staff creates every day for the children to think about and respond, along with spaces for general comments and notes on food likes and dislikes. The children place their cards in our hand-crafted Fairy Gourd comment boxes, and every day, during our lunch break, our team eagerly reads through them.

The responses are often humorous and sometimes completely off-topic, bringing joy and laughter to our team. Some of our questions are answered, and some are not – but all answers are treasures. They remind us why we are committed to making fresh, made-from-scratch meals for our community. One child even challenged us with a math question: “Do you know what 9 x 7 is?” (Yes, we do! It’s 63!) Other memorable comments include, “Who found this building?”, “Your food is the best!”, “Thank you for providing this!”, and “Why is it so good?”

Through these cards, we've also discovered what the children of Laramie Valley love to eat (and their random thoughts!) Requests for “brockoly” (broccoli) and “meat!!!” have given us insight into their tastes. Seeing the happy faces of the kids as they choose from our variety of fruits and veggies inspires us to continue doing our best.

Feeding children is both thrilling and challenging, but the smiles and excitement we see every day motivate us to keep providing healthy, delicious, and nutritious meals. We’re proud to support the next generation of Laramites, helping them grow big and strong!

Field Notes: Composting

Composting food scraps at home is an excellent way to reduce waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden. Here are some easy methods to get you started:

1. Choose a Composting Method

a. Compost Bin

• Purchase or Build a Bin: You can buy a compost bin or make one from wood pallets or plastic containers. Make sure it has a lid to keep pests out and air holes for ventilation.
• Location: Place the bin in a sunny spot in your yard to speed up the decomposition process.

b. Compost Pile

• Open Pile: If you have space, you can create an open compost pile in your backyard. Simply pile your compostable materials in a heap.
• Covered Pile: Cover with a tarp to retain moisture and heat, which helps with decomposition.

c. Vermicomposting

• Worm Bin: Use red worms to compost food scraps indoors or outdoors in a worm bin.
• Ideal for Small Spaces: This method is great for apartments or homes with limited outdoor space.

d. Bokashi Composting

• Fermentation Process: Bokashi uses beneficial microbes to ferment food scraps in a sealed container.
• Minimal Space Required: This is another excellent option for indoor composting.

2. Collect Food Scraps

• What to Compost:
• Vegetable and fruit scraps: peels, cores, and rinds.
• Coffee grounds and filters.
• Tea bags: Ensure they're compostable (no plastic).
• Eggshells: Crushed to help them break down faster.
• Grains and bread: Avoid too much, as they can attract pests.
• Avoid Composting:
• Meat, fish, and dairy: They can attract pests and create odors.
• Greasy or oily foods.
• Diseased plants or weeds that have gone to seed.
• Pet waste: Contains harmful pathogens.
• Collection Container: Use a kitchen caddy or container with a lid to collect scraps for disposal. Empty it regularly into your compost system.

3. Layering Your Compost

• Brown Materials (Carbon-Rich):
• Dried leaves, straw, or hay.
• Shredded newspaper and cardboard.
• Wood chips and sawdust (untreated).
• Green Materials (Nitrogen-Rich):
• Fresh grass clippings.
• Garden waste: Prunings, dead plants.
• Kitchen scraps: As mentioned above.
• Layering Technique:
• Start with a layer of brown materials to help with drainage and aeration.
• Add a layer of green materials.
• Continue layering, alternating between brown and green materials.
• Ensure the pile stays moist but not soggy.

4. Maintaining Your Compost

• Turning: Use a pitchfork or compost aerator to turn your compost every 1-2 weeks. This introduces oxygen and speeds up decomposition.
• Moisture: The compost should feel like a damp sponge. Add water if it's too dry or add more brown materials if it's too wet.
• Temperature: A healthy compost pile will heat up. If it’s not warm, it may need more green materials or turning to introduce oxygen.

5. Harvesting the Compost

• Ready Compost: It’s dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling, usually ready in 2-6 months, depending on conditions.
• Use: Mix it into your garden soil, use it as mulch, or make compost tea for plants.

Tips for Success

• Chop Large Items: Smaller pieces decompose faster.
• Keep a Balance: Aim for about 2/3 brown materials and 1/3 green materials.
• Watch for Pests: Ensure your compost system is secure to prevent attracting rodents.

Composting at home is not only environmentally friendly but also beneficial for your garden. By choosing a method that fits your lifestyle and space, you can easily turn food scraps into valuable compost. Choosing to begin composting not only creates a further sustainable food system, it minimizes food waste and can be a great community project to educate others!

Our compost program has collected over 6,000 pounds of food waste since the beginning of the year! With the contributions of community member drop-offs and our local business partnerships such as the Eppson Center and Sunshine Coffee, our program has been able to expand exponentially! For the first time this year, we started collecting compost at the Downtown Laramie Farmers Market on Fridays!

All of the food waste we have collected is used for our compost system to make compost! The compost is then used at our production farms and gardens to help us grow food to distribute back to the Laramie community! This helps create a closed loop of our food system and keeps food waste out of our landfill.

Want to be a part of closing the loop? Consider donating any 5 gallon buckets with lids or 5 gallon kitty litter to our compost program! With the help of your donation, our growing compost program will be able to meet the need for collecting more compost!

Want to compost with us? Drop off your compost for free Thursdays from 12-7 pm at the back of the FLV building in LaBonte Park or drop it off at the Downtown Laramie Farmers Market Fridays from 3-7 pm! 

Field Notes seeks to be a regular educational component of our newsletter and we are very excited to bring this feature to the community. In the future, topics range from specific information about high-altitude varieties that work well in our climate, the benefits of reducing the use of pesticides, to techniques on weed deterrents and season extension. If you have feedback, are interested in a topic, or have suggestions please feel free to contact us at janna@actionresources.ngo

Thank you to all who came to see our float and all other community representations at the 2024 Jubilee Days Parade! We were voted Best Non-Profit Float!

Food And Fun In The Park 2024

🎉 Join Us for Feeding Laramie Valley's 15th Birthday Bash! 🎉

Feeding Laramie Valley is turning 15, and we’re throwing a party to celebrate! Join us on Saturday, August 17th, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM for a day of free food and fun across three exciting locations in town.

• Main Office at LaBonte Park: Enjoy a pie contest, pet llamas, indulge in free birthday cake, explore a LEAP course, and visit the fairies with Laramie Princess Parties in our fairy garden.

• Kiwanis Park: Savor a delicious made-from-scratch meal prepared by our Kids Out to Lunch chefs, featuring local ingredients like produce from Sheila Bird Farms and beef from 9-H Ranch. Enjoy live music by John Poland and Thomas Saffel, demos, and activities with Wyoming Gymnastics!

• Fairgrounds Farm: Experience farm tours, horse-drawn cart rides, and free ice cream.

To make it easy to visit all three sites, Laramie Connections is providing free transportation between locations. Plus, collect a special vinyl decal at each site, and you can redeem all three for a free smoothie from the FLV booth at the next Farmers Market!

Pie Contest: Show off your baking skills in our expanded pie contest with new categories and prizes, including sweet, savory, hand pies, and junior categories. A free ingredient pantry is available to ensure everyone can participate.

Thank you to our generous sponsors of the event - Ridley's Family Market, Cowboy Glass, Snowy Range Flea Market, Elway Powersports, and Poppy's!

Whether you want to meet some llamas, explore our high-altitude farm, enjoy a tasty meal with friends and neighbors, or showcase your baking prowess, there’s something for everyone at Food and Fun in the Park(s)! Get ready for a birthday bash to remember!

For more details about the event and pie contest, visit Food and Fun in the Park 2024, email info@feedinglaramievalley.org, call (307) 223-4399, or stop by our main office at 968 N. 9th St. at LaBonte Park.

We can't wait to celebrate with you!

Attention Laramie Gardeners!

Have open garden space and want to donate your grown produce to the local community? Consider volunteering with Grow A Row! We encourage anyone interested to contact us. We offer a Gardening Manual for beginning and expert gardeners in growing food in Albany County located here.