For Land’s Sake
~ The following was published in The Floyd Press on May 10, 2012 about the 3rd annual Land’s Sake Eco-fair hosted by the Partnership for Floyd.
Andy Kaplan of Dominion Electric Vehicles in Salem presented three vehicles for a Green Machine Expo at the 2nd annual Land’s Sake Earth Day event, held at the Floyd County High School on Saturday. Here, Kaplan, who sells American-made, all-electric ATVs, passenger vehicles and work trucks, shows William and Jacob Vrooman of Willis a Global Electric Mobile (GEM) vehicle. The GEM (which is also made closed in) is street legal and runs up to 25 mph, Kaplan explained. William Vrooman said his son Jacob attends college at NC State, where students drive vehicles like the GEM around campus.
Ricky Lawrence helped build the chicken tractor that was on display at the free community event. Lawrence, who works at the Floyd Eco-Village, said the portable coop cost about $100 to build.
Two women admire a pressed plant work of art that was donated by papermaker Gibby Waitzkin to benefit The Partnership for Floyd, host of Land’s Sake. Proceeds from the sale of plants, pictured on the right, also went to benefit the Partnership and the development of the Warren Lineberry Park.
Mark Schonbeck stopped at the UBAN table in the high school gym to chat with UBAN volunteer Virginia Neurkirch. UBAN is a local grassroots group that supports the current ban on uranium mining in Virginia and works to educate the public on the environmental and health risks involved in uranium mining.
Gunther Hauk of Spikenard Farm and Honeybee Sanctuary (left) gave a presentation titled The Mystery of the Honeybee, Her Needs and How You Can Help. Hauk, one of about 35 Land’s Sake vendors, was selling honey and Spikenard Farm T-shirts and distributing educational information about Colony Collapse Disorder, a global crisis in which large numbers of honeybees are disappearing from their hives. Other speakers during the six hour event included authors Fred First and Barbara Pleasant, Michael Kovick with UBAN, Sue Marriott and Victoria Mack with Land Care International, and Lydeana Martin, who presented a panel discussion update on the Floyd County Task Force findings related to local farms, forest and water.
David Maren of Tender Grass Farm passed out samples of bratwurst made in Floyd to Land’s Sake attendees in the school cafeteria. Tender Grass is an online store (tendergrassfarm.com) that provides customers with locally produced grass-fed and pasture-raised meat. This new and growing business has been shipping out of the Sweet Providence Farm Store, which is currently not in operation, Maren said. Tender Grass is committed to the sustainability of small farms by providing more markets for farmers to sell their products.
Tara Orlando, a molecular hydration specialist and co-owner of Green Deva Body Products, spoke to attendees on the health benefits of drinking alkalized water and gave a demonstration that showed the acidity of some common drinks. Orlando also sold a variety of Green Deva all-natural body products.
Janie Walters and her father take a spin in the GEM, which cost about $6,900 to purchase and runs on an electric charge.
Bill and Arva Coleman of Floyd stopped to talk to Jason Rutledge about his workhorses. Rutledge owns 12 draft horses that he uses for personal use and for his business, Draftwood, which markets horse-logged, green-certified forest products, such as logs, lumber and beams. Rutledge also heads up the Healing Harvest Forest Foundation, a nonprofit that develops, implements and supports community-based sustainable forestry initiatives through the use of animal powered logging. Rutledge, who uses a “worst first” approach to logging, said he will soon be traveling to Pennsylvania, where he will be speaking on a panel with author/farmer Wendell Berry and others on restorative forestry. ~ Colleen Redman
