Press Release from the Mississippi River Corridor- Tennessee

For the past several months, the Mississippi River Corridor-Tennessee in partnerships with the University of Memphis and the Memphis Regional Design Center has been involved in a systematic study of the Shelby County segment of the Mississippi River Trail. The primary purpose of this study is to recommend changes and additions to the 50-mile segment of this ten-state trail that currently exists within the County to enhance its value to local residents and business owners.

Our study included a mile-by-mile survey of the existing route, interviews with representatives of local hiking and bicycling organizations, meetings with parks and recreation departments, and three public meetings that more than one hundred Shelby County residents and officials attended. Using data from these research activities, the Mississippi River Corridor-Tennessee, and its project partners, has prepared a preliminary report on enhancing the Shelby County Trail which will be presented at a final community meeting that you are cordially invited to attend.

This community meeting will take place on Thursday, January 19th at 6:00 pm in the Main Hall of Central Station located at the southwest corner of South Main Street and G.E. Patterson, across the street from Earnestine & Hazel’s Bar & Grill. Enter off of G.E. Patterson.

Light refreshments will be served and child care will be available.

The proposed agenda for this meeting is as follows:

• Welcome – Charles “Chooch” Pickard, Executive Director, Memphis Regional Design Center
• Purpose of the Shelby County Trail Plan – Diana Threadgill, President, Mississippi River Corridor TN
• Highlights of the Shelby County Trail Report – Findings and Recommendations – Ken Reardon, Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in City and Regional Planning, University of Memphis
• Community Comment – ALL
• Where We Go From Here – Karen Thornton, Community Coordinator, Graduate Program in City and Regional Planning, University of Memphis

We hope you will be able to join us for this important community planning meeting. Please extend an invitation to other members of your family, organization, and community who you feel may be interested in this event.
Contact Ms. Karen Thornton at: 901-474-5633 for more information on this trail plan. Additional information regarding the Mississippi River Corridor – Tennessee can be found at www.msrivertn.org.

By Jennifer Petcher

If you’re like me, you’re worried about what Christmas gift to give to the person in your life who has everything. We debate over how to make them happy, how much we can afford to spend, and whether we will have the time to find the perfect gift. When, we wonder, did a holiday meant to produce joy and peace start producing anxiety and empty bank accounts?

While we worry and stress over the perfect sweater, electronics, and gadgets this Christmas, the majority of people around the world will be anxious over something we hardly think about – water. Lack of access to clean water causes nearly 90 percent of all diseases in the world. Contaminated water results in more than 2.2 million deaths each year; the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing every day.

Drilling fresh water wells is relatively inexpensive, yet it is a permanent solution to this epidemic. Solving this water problem worldwide once and for all will cost about $10 billion. Not bad considering Americans spent $450 billion on Christmas last year during a time of economic recession.

You may remember that for the past few years, Neighborhood Church in CY has joined a movement called Advent Conspiracy to restore meaning and significance to the celebration of Christmas while contributing to help solve the water crisis. Last year, the church partnered with the community for a project called Cooper-Young for Clean Water, with the goal of building a well in Peru, which cost $5,000.

Prior to 2010, the members of Neighborhood Church donated about $500 to clean water during Advent Conspiracy. Last year, it was amazing to see what a difference partnering with our friends and family made as the total funds raised amounted to more than $6,200!

Once again this year, Neighborhood Church will host a variety of events and accept donations toward a goal of raising at least $5,000 to build a well in a village without access to clean water. See the sidebar for information about the events, and then join us in our efforts to spend less, give more, love all, and worship fully this Christmas season.

Advent Conspiracy Events for 2011

Saturday, Dec. 3 – Babysitting for Bucks - Leave the kiddos with us from 4-8pm at a home in Evergreen and do some Christmas shopping or just grab a quiet dinner by yourselves before the holiday madness begins (address provided when you RSVP).

Saturday, Dec. 10 – Behold the Lamb of God performance – The talented among us will present this favorite arrangement by Andrew Peterson of “the true tall tale of the coming of Christ.” 6pm at a location to be announced.

Thursday, Dec. 15 - Wrappers Delight - The Purple Door (2172 Young Avenue) is graciously opening their Cooper-Young space for a gift wrapping fundraiser. We provide the supplies, you provide the gifts! 3-8pm.

Sunday, Dec. 18 – Christmas Worship Service – Join Neighborhood Church as we focus on the last precept of Advent Conspiracy: Worship Fully. At 5:30pm in the chapel at Union Avenue Baptist Church (2181 Union).

For more details or to RSVP for any of the events, please visit facebook.com/ncmidtown. All events will be accepting donations toward Neighborhood Churches’ goal of raising at least $5,000 to build a well in a village without access to clean water. Make checks payable to Neighborhood Church and write “Clean Water” in the subject line.

By Sydney Ashby

Just like the character Two-Face in Batman, Josh Somes’ fate was decided by the toss of a coin. When he returned to Memphis after living in Kansas City, he and his wife, Deidre, had to decide which one of them was going to work on their rental properties and which one was going to get a “9-to-5” job. Josh lost – or many would say won – the toss, and as a result he began improving their rentals and scouting out new properties to purchase. That next purchase was 2053 Oliver, and along with it, they decided to not just restore the property but to pursue third party verification through Energy Star to ensure that the house would be as energy-efficient as possible.

Surprisingly, what led Josh to the CY neighborhood was an article about the Smallest User competition. “I’d read the online version of the Lamplighter while in Kansas City and was impressed by Cooper-Young’s desire to lower their energy consumption,” Josh said. “I knew this was the neighborhood to attempt this project.” So, he and Deidre began sustainSTUDIO and have labeled their first attempt “Project Ginkgo” after the ginkgo tree in the front yard. Josh hopes to have Project Ginkgo completed by 2012, the centennial of 2053 Oliver.

Challenges
Josh and Deidre have faced many challenges in the process to restore 2053 Oliver. But in order to stay focused and make decisions easier, they are always asking themselves, “How sustainable can we make it?” Specifically, they want to ensure that the house is as energy efficient as possible, and as a result, are seeking third party verification to make the house Energy Star qualified.

But Josh and Deidre are also intent on making sure the house retains as much of its original character as possible. For example, deciding whether or not to replace the windows or simply add on storm windows was extensively discussed. While replacement windows would be energy efficient, the trade off of getting rid of the originals was not worth it. Storm windows will still ensure proper insulation and energy conservation without compromising the uniqueness of the house. And although none of the four fireplaces will be functional as that would not allow the house to be Energy Star certified, Josh still decided to keep them for the sake of their aesthetic.

Converting the house from a duplex to a single-family design was another challenge. The question of energy efficiency had to be coupled with a design that reflected a 21^st century lifestyle. They decided on the 2-bedroom plan that mirrored the original plan of the house but made a big change with the design of the kitchen. Josh and Deidre decided to open it up quite a bit to reflect the tendency now for the kitchen to be more of a gathering place than it was when the house was originally built.

Perhaps the biggest challenge and the starting point for most major energy-conservation home projects came with the ‘envelope.’ The envelope includes the walls, crawl space, roof, and attic – anything that separates the interior of the house from the exterior environment. Josh had the plaster removed off the walls and sprayed in a layer of foam, then insulation covered by new drywall. This is a technique known as ‘flash and batt.’ The roof was completely stripped and re-laid, with roof vents and reflective sheathing added (you can learn more about this at their website: sustainstudio.com). According to Josh, “Once the envelope is determined, you have to look at all the different components that you will put back into the house, and you have to make sure you right size according to the improvements to the envelope including the addition of central heating and air.”

Reclaimed/Recycled
In an effort to use as much reclaimed and/or recycled material as possible, Josh has traveled as far as Holly Springs, MS an as close as across the street. Almost 40% of the hardwood floors are reclaimed from wood used in a home in Holly Springs. The guest bathroom sink was reclaimed from another homeowner in Cooper-Young who didn’t want scrappers to get it. The back eave tongue and groove on the newly re-build back wall of the house is repurposed paneling from inside the home. They have also taken several metal cabinets and doors from the home and dispersed them to neighbors in the Midtown area. In addition, all the woodwork, stains, and paint are chemical-free.

Josh has no idea if he’ll recoup the investment he has put into the house, especially considering the state of the current housing market. However, that hasn’t been his main concern. He says, “How can we really improve the house to a point where it is an asset to the neighborhood as opposed to just leaving it as is?” Josh considers this a litmus test to determine if he will continue restoring houses in this manner. He continues, “At what point do you say, I’m not going to tear down the exterior wall or I’m not going to use an Energy Star hot water heater that might come at a premium? So it comes down to what you are going to do to separate yourself to make your house appealing beyond just the aesthetic.”

Utility Mortgage
Utility mortgage is a phrase Josh coined to describe the state of many non-energy-efficient homes. He explains that someone could be paying a $500 utility bill, which could be almost as much as the mortgage. The Energy Star certification should have a positive impact in lowering the utility bill and is typically part of Josh and Deidre’s decision-making process in determining what features to install in the house. This is how they decide which components to install and which ones, while they might be appealing, will truly have an impact. Josh and Deidre have tried to help out future tenants making a conscience effort to bundle the hard decisions into the whole project, so that they’re not just selling one component, but instead an entire system.

Project History and Future
Josh loves to talk to anyone about what he’s doing. He is very open and has gotten to know his neighbors well as many will now come up to the house and ask him questions about what he is doing. While he and his wife are happy to speak informally to anyone with questions, they are planning on holding a showcase for people who are interested in learning more about updating their homes to be more energy efficient. Check their website in the coming weeks for the day and time (sustainstudio.com).

When asked how Josh got started doing this, he said, “I was in my mid-twenties and got tired of going through the motions, so I bought a fixer upper, along with a hammer and a Home Depot ‘How To’ book.” Josh and Deidre, who has a degree in interior design from UM, had just started dating, and Josh told her it would take him three months and $3,000 to restore the house and they could move in. “It didn’t quite work out that way,” he said, laughing. “It took quite a bit longer and quite a bit more money.” Adding to that, their neighbor was pressuring them to buy his house, which had failed inspection. Just to get him to quit asking, Josh offered a very low number. The neighbor cussed him and told him no. But then a week later, the neighbor called and said he’d take it. So, Josh and Deidre started work on a second house. Their third house was also a bit of an accident, but the trend led to Josh pursuing and obtaining a degree in architecture from the University of Kansas. After Josh’s father passed away, he and Deidre moved back to Memphis and as you already know, flipped a coin.

They feel good about what they’re doing now, as the houses they restore become true assets to neighborhoods they are in, and in the process, they are also able to employ people in an industry that has taken a sustained hard hit. They sincerely want to fix up houses to a point where they are truly desirable. They see it as a way to not only improve the neighborhood, but also to improve the city.

By Barb Elder

While our cover story this month features the Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market and their recent decision to operate year-round, we also want to acknowledge a group that has been working in CY providing fresh winter farm products for some time.

Four years ago, Ben Smith of Tsunami restaurant invited a group of Memphis Farmers Market vendors to extend their season by selling their wares in his parking lot. As a result, the Tsunami Winter Market was born. This November the Tsunami Winter Market is gearing up once again to offer farm fresh meats, fish, cheeses, eggs, veggies, preserves, breads, and even natural soaps in the Tsunami parking lot located at 928 S. Cooper. The market will be open for business every Saturday from 9am-1pm beginning on November 5 and continuing into April until the Memphis Farmers Market resumes.

Since its inception, the Tsunami Winter Market has remained a loosely organized group headed by Van Cheeseman of Flora Gardens. Van is happy to be involved with the Winter Market as it helps promote Tsunami restaurant and all that Ben Smith has done to shape the Memphis food world.

Most of the farmers represented at the market grow their produce using cold frames, which allows them to harvest produce year round. Many vendors come to the market on a weekly basis, but some rotate through every other week. If you have questions about the Tsunami Winter Market or if you would like to sign up for their newsletter, which includes a complete list of vendors from week to week, email Van Cheeseman at vanlee2001@yahoo.com. And while you’re at it, take a minute this Thanksgiving to realize how truly blessed we are to have two great markets in our very own neighborhood.

By Barb Elder

Now, I know there are a lot of people in CY who drink beverages from aluminum cans. I know this because I see the empty remains sitting in your recycling containers on my Thursday morning walks…that is if I get out and about before the can collectors have made their rounds. While this year’s CY Pop-Tab-Palooza competition is winding down, there has never been a better time to start thinking about next year.

For those who aren’t familiar with Pop-Tab-Palooza, it is a fundraiser that benefits the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) of Memphis. In a nutshell, RMH provides a free place to stay for families who are in Memphis while their child is receiving treatment for cancer or another catastrophic illness at St. Jude. Instead of asking for donations for such a worthy cause or getting you to buy tickets for an event, RMH simply asks you to take a few seconds each time you crack open a cold beverage, pull off the little aluminum tab on the top of the can, and stash it away. Then every September at the CYCA booth at the Cooper-Young Festival you can drop off those tabs, and they will be turned in to RMH and recycled for cash that goes to the charity. It doesn’t cost you a cent – just a little time. And to top it all off, the block that turns in the most tabs gets $100 (generously donated by Beth and Steve Pulliam) toward the most amazing block party this neighborhood has ever seen.

Well, the results of this year’s CY Pop-Tab-Palooza competition are in. First place and $100 goes, once again, to the Evelyn crew (Cooper to Tanglewood) who turned in 6,097 tabs. Coming in second were the New Yorkers (Oliver to Nelson) with 1,806 tabs. And a respectable third place goes to the Nelson gang (Barksdale to Tanglewood) who donated 754 tabs.

Now that is quite a few tabs, so great job to all who participated! But neighborhood wide, I think it is safe to say, we are barely scratching the surface. Take a minute today to label a ziplock bag, find some space in a kitchen cabinet or drawer, and commit to this small action to support RMH. For the more ambitious among you, consider labeling a bag or box, placing it in the break room at your work place, and getting others to pitch in. The effort is minimal, but the payoff for RMH is huge.

By Sue Easley

Good news Cooper-Young and Memphians! Local food lovers will be able to continue shopping for the region’s best locally produced products during the cool months in Memphis. The Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market (CYCFM) has expanded to a year-round market starting November 5, 2011. By extending the market season, the market will allow more small farmers to continue bringing in income for their families and their businesses, while also providing fresh, nutritious food to the community all year. Additionally, the market’s rapidly growing EBT/SNAP program and matching funds incentive, Double Green$, will continue to be available to food stamp recipients.

“A year-round market in Cooper-Young is a natural next step for CYCFM,” said market manager Debbi La Rue. “It gives us an opportunity to support our farmers who are now prolonging the growing season using structures such as hoophouses. Year-round also means continued access to fresh, healthful foods for area residents, including those who rely on food stamp assistance.”

“Just because it’s cool outside does not mean you can no longer get local, farm-fresh produce,” said farmer and board chair Lori Greene. “Besides the many storage and root vegetables such as carrots, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and winter squash, our farmers will have a variety of greens, such as kale, arugula, spinach, and Asian greens during the winter.”

The year-round market will feature a number of new and returning vendors selling fresh produce, meat, poultry, fish, prawns, farm eggs, regional artisan cheeses, mushrooms, breads, baked goods, honey, prepared foods, jams and preserves, and other specialty items. Locally roasted coffee will be available by the bag or the drink along with other beverages. The market’s popular Etsy and Friends Artisan Faires will continue on a regular basis, with more planned for the holiday season.

“On behalf of our farmers, food vendors, and artisans, I want to express our excitement as we take this next step in growing our local food movement,” Greene added. “And, what better place to shop, eat, and ‘get local’ than the up-and-coming Cooper-Young food district!”

The opening of the year-round market follows a growing trend of such markets across the US. There are now almost 900 winter farmers markets in the nation, which represents 14 percent of all farmers markets in the country, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s website.

The Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market is located in the parking lot of First Congregational Church at 1000 South Cooper and runs from 8am to 1pm through October 29. From November 5 through mid-April, hours will be 9am to 1pm. Ample free parking is available in First Congo’s parking lot and on the street.

The Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market, founded in 2009, is a grassroots-initiated, volunteer-run project of Slow Food Memphis, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. As its mission, CYCFM seeks to cultivate a vibrant, socially diverse community gathering place that promotes the viability of regional agriculture, fosters health and wellness, and ensures widespread access to affordable, nutritious food.

By Mary Baker

Idlewild neighbors came together on Saturday, September 3 to clean up the area around and under the railroad trestle on Cooper Street north of Central Avenue. Residents had discussed the need to clean up at this location at our Idlewild Neighborhood Association (INA) meeting on August 2.

Idlewild neighbors began arriving to the clean up site at 8am with rakes, brooms, shovels, and trash bags. We picked up broken glass, paper, and plastic wrappers among other debris, raked leaves, and cut weeds and vines. We put everything that was picked up in garbage bags and left them on the curb for City Sanitation.

It felt really good to stand back and look at the clean sidewalks and curbs. Afterward some neighbors went to Wiles Drug Store for a milkshake.

INA has more events and activities scheduled for the next few weeks. Our regular monthly meeting on October 4 will take place at Otherlands at 6:30pm. Come early at 6pm for meet and greet before the meeting. There will also be a Neighborhood Night Out potluck dinner on Tuesday, October 11 at 6pm on Ralph and Margo Mueller’s front porch at 2033 Cowden.

By Alicia Cobbs

This year, the Memphis Hightailers have agreed to donate proceeds from their largest ride of the year – The Bluff City Blues 100 taking place on Saturday, October 1 – to bicycling and walking advocacy in Memphis! This is a huge step towards making Memphis into a bike and pedestrian friendly city, so let’s show the Hightailers how much we appreciate their support by volunteering at their event.

The Hightailers need volunteers for the event to assist in the rest area, finish area, registration, refresh area, and post-ride party. Volunteers are need from 7:30am until noon. Please contact Ms. Alicia Cobbs if you can help out at 901-725-8370 or info@livablememphis.org.

Press Release from GrowMemphis:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Josephine Alexander

GrowMemphis

Office: 901-725-4990

Cell: 901-626-3709

josephine@midsouthpeace.org

www.midsouthpeace.org/GrowMemphis

New program doubles the value of food stamps at farmers markets

Memphis, Tenn. – August 1, 2011 – GrowMemphis announced today the start of a new program to give shoppers using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as Food Stamps, more purchasing power at two Memphis farmers markets. The new program, called Double Green$, will provide a dollar-for-dollar match up to $10 when shoppers spend their SNAP benefits at participating farmers markets.

Earlier this year, the Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market, South Memphis Farmers Market, and Urban Farms Market became the first farmers markets in Memphis, and among the first in Tennessee, to accept SNAP benefits market-wide. Now, the Double Green$ program will go even further toward increasing access to fresh, healthy, and affordable foods, especially in the food desert areas surrounding or nearby these markets, by making locally grown fruits and vegetables more affordable.

Both the Cooper-Young and South Memphis farmers markets are participating in Double Green$.  The Urban Farms market is waiting for a determination of their eligibility.  All three markets currently accept food stamps.

“We’ve been slowly ramping up this program with our SNAP customers for the past few weeks, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive from vendors and shoppers alike,” said Sue Easley, organizer of the Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market. “It’s been a great experience working with GrowMemphis and our other local farmers markets as a team to bring something to Memphis that has the potential to really help our low-income residents, our farmers, our neighborhoods, and our rural communities, all in one swoop.”

How does it work?  Shoppers can go to the market booth and swipe their EBT card, receiving tokens that can be spent with vendors.  Double Green$ will match, dollar-for-dollar and up to $10, the amount that they put on their EBT card with tokens that can be used to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

“Double Green$ gets more people to the markets, increases revenue for farmers, and increases access to healthy foods for low-income residents” says Josephine Alexander of GrowMemphis, “We know that food stamps make Tennessee stronger.  Now, food stamps can make farmers markets stronger, too.”

By increasing attendance and sales at farmers markets in areas with limited access to healthy food, those markets become stronger and more successful, so that they can continue to serve neighborhood residents with much needed access to healthy and affordable food choices.

In order to bring this program to Memphis, GrowMemphis partnered with Wholesome Wave, a Connecticut-based non-profit working with partners in 26 states to implement  double value coupon programs like Double Green$ that benefit consumers in under-served communities and the farmers who provide for them.

The program is expected to run through the end of October.  Funds for Double Green$ have been provided by the Wholesome Wave Foundation, Whole Foods Market, the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, and Seedco.

About GrowMemphis

GrowMemphis is a non-profit organization that fosters the creation of robust community food systems that eliminate hunger, promote health, and further social justice.  GrowMemphis provides support and assistance for over 25 community gardening projects in Memphis as well as convening the Food Advisory Council working group to inform public policy in order to create a healthier food system for our region.  For more information please contact Josephine Alexander, josephine@midsouthpeace.org or 901-725-4990.

About Wholesome Wave

Wholesome Wave is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supporting small- and mid-sized farmers and making fresh, healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables available to all people, regardless of income.  With the help of more than 45 partner organizations, Wholesome Wave has expanded to more than 170 markets in 26 states, Wholesome Wave’s highly successful Double Value Coupon Program gives participating farmers markets the tools they need to welcome SNAP benefits (formerly known as Federal Food Stamps)—as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (FMNP) and the Senior FMN—and allows recipients of those benefits to buy more fresh, healthy foods for their families. With the goal of influencing public policy and shifting federal funding to support innovative, market-based programs that meet its goals, Wholesome Wave develops and implements systems and processes that track program success and the health and purchasing habits of the people it serves. For more information, visit www.wholesomewave.org.