The Skinny 10.07.09 through 10.13.09
Ladies & Gentlemen,
this is a rare edition of “The Skinny.” it is a call to action. The Burlington Food Council NEEDS YOUR HELP!!! This random act of kindness will only take you a few short minutes.
BFC is campaigning to win a $5000 online grant, awarded entirely based on voter participation. If 50% of the people on this list vote for the BFC THREE TIMES (YES YOU CAN!!!), the BFC will surely win this competition.
The process is extremely quick & simple. Below are instructions on how to vote followed by information about the Burlington Food Council. Please, take a few minutes and support this very worthy local cause. 
How to vote:
- Click here to register to vote (brighterplanet.com/sign-up).
- Enter an email address, a username & a password.
- You will be directed to the homepage. Then click here or navigate through the “Project Fund” tab to the Burlington Food Council Project Page (brighterplanet.com/project_fund_projects/13)
- Click on the GREEN “Vote For This Project” tab. YOU CAN VOTE FOR US THREE TIMES!!!
- FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO YOUR NETWORK (mailing list, facebook, friends, twitterites, etc).
Again, this grant is awarded entirely on voter participation, so THE BURLINGTON FOOD COUNCIL NEEDS YOUR HELP TO WIN!!! We are competing with applicants from cities whose populations are 
larger than the State of Vermont!!! We know we can win because we have a strong community, strong networks of support & because VERMONTERS VOTE!!!
If we win this monthly grant, we plan to maintain this voting block and support other Vermont-based initiatives. So please…help us win this grant, help us spread the word. VOTE FOR THE BURLINGTON FOOD COUNCIL AND FORWARD THIS REQUEST WIDELY.
Whew…that was intense!!! Ok, so what’s all the hub-ub about?
The Burlington Food Council is a city-recognized, open community group exploring ways to ensure that Burlington creates and nurtures a healthy, equitable and sustainable food system for all members of the community. The Burlington Food Council is dedicated to advocating, supporting and educating community members on the importance and accessibility of local food production and consumption.
What has the Burlington Food Council accomplished? The BFC was formed in 2003 and created the Burlington School Food Project which helps connect schoolchildren and their families with nearby farms by bringing more fresh local foods to cafeterias and more hands-on agriculture education to classrooms. Having successfully launched this nationally recognized program, the Burlington Food Council is now turning its attention to building local food appreciation and access for Burlington children, their families and the wider community beyond the school day.
What will the Brighter Planet Funding be used for? Funding from Brighter Planet will specifically be used to fund a part-time staff person at the Intervale Center to oversee Food Council management and administration. This person will be responsible for:
- Contributing to the maintenance of the Council’s “clearing house” website for local organizations
and community members interested in learning more about local food systems and the role local and organic food has in mitigating climate change. - Coordinating the Council’s member list.
- Organizing a community-wide speaker series to raise awareness about the local food movement and its connection to global climate change.
- Overseeing the management of the Council’s regular meetings.
- Developing and presenting projects to the Council that link its work to the initiatives outlined in the City’s Climate Action Plan.
- Working with the Council’s strategic planning committee to identify and secure sustainable funding that will enable to Council to continue its educational mission for the next three years.
What is Brighter Planet? Great question! First, here’s the explanation in their own words on who they are and what they do: brighterplanet.com/about. In my words: Brighter Planet is a Middle
bury, VT based company focused on helping individuals actually reduce their carbon footprint. They have a credit card that awards you carbon offsets instead of airline miles!!! The also have a remarkable website that helps, “measure their climate impact, discover tailored conservation tips to save energy and money, create emission-reducing strategies, and share their ideas and experiences.”
Why the heck are they giving away so much money? In their words, “The Brighter Planet Project Fund seeks to foster local leadership and seed worthy community projects that will help people fight or adapt to climate change.” In mine…well, they get your email address & they get you onto their website & using their impressive platform. Maybe you look around the site while you’re there and you decide to come visit them again…its kind of like their version of “Free Crepe Day.” The good news is that this is a great company with a great mission, so if they do pester you with emails the purpose of that pester is probably worth your while!!!
Food Specials at the ‘Cake this week:
CrePasta Stew (Burlington): Hollander Farm Venison Stew, made with Pete’s Greens carrots, rutabaga, carrots, and parsnips along with local Yukon Gold potatoes in a red wine beef broth. Served over Ben Gleason’s whole wheat crepe noodles. $11.00
The Pumpkin Pie Crepe (Burlington): pumpkin filling made from Foote Brook Farm pumpkins, Spiced With Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Raw Sugar. Wrapped In a Graham Cracker Batter Crepe. Topped With Trent’s Mother’s Secret Pumpkin Pie Cookie Frosting and a Strip Of Cabot Whipped Cream. $7.50
Stew Too (Montpelier): Greenfield Highland Beef “Stew” With local Carrots, Onions, and Parsnips, Petes Spinach, Grafton Smoked Cheddar on a Gleasons Crepe. $10.00
Speaking of Pumpkins…
The Second Annual Giant Pumpkin Regatta & Festival is this weekend!!! Specifically, it is on Sunday, October 11, 2009 from 10 am – 3 pm at the Coast Guard Boat Launch on the Burlington Waterfront
While it sounds both impossible and crazy, it is indeed a boat race, but the boats are giant carved pumpkins, which are decorated and placed into the lake with forklifts, and raced as if they were kayaks. Last year’s event was featured on MSNBC and spoofed on Saturday Night Live and made the Sports Illustrated “Most Ridiculous Competitions” list. Click Here to view.
The Giant Pumpkin Regatta & Festival is a benefit for PILOT (Program to Inspire Leadership, Opportunity, and Thought), a youth leadership program for area high school students run by Linking Learning to Life and the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Music this week at the Skinny Pancake:
Hey folks…really solid line-up of acts this weekend. But don’t take it from me…click on the links and listen for yourselves!!!
Thursday, 10.08.09
Lady Lioness & Alex Greiner (avant-garde folk)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/alexgreiner
www.myspace.com/mysweetladylioness
Thursday October 8th will feature Burlington’s own Lady Lioness, followed by Brooklyn’s Alex Greiner www.myspace.com/alexgreiner. This is avant-garde folk. This is art-music, not necessarily easy listening. Good stuff nonetheless!!
Tumbledown House (saloon jazz)***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/tumbledownhousemusic
Swing on down to the ‘Cake to catch the superbly swanky Saloon Jazz act Tumbledown House www.myspace.com/tumbledownhousemusic on Friday Oct 9th.
Tumbledown House is a songwriting duo often described as parlor music inflicted with the unspeakable, or Tom Waits in a cocktail dress. Having opened for such notable acts as The Dodos, The Devil Makes Three, and Laura Gibson, they are now touring the Northeast in support of their CD debut Tumbledown House.
Tumbledown House writes stories that revolve around shady characters down on their luck, brothels with an eccentric clientele, or a scorned woman out for revenge. These stories are delivered with sultry female vocals reminiscent of a bygone era and placed over tasty jazz guitar accompaniment.
You really can’t miss this one…
Saturday, 10.10.09
Paul Cataldo & The Moonlight Serenaders (folk singer/songwriter)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/paulcataldo
Paul Cataldo www.paulcataldo.com is a singer-songwriter hailing from the Boston-area. This will be his second performance at the ‘Cake and joining him are The Moonlight Serenaders.
Too often, singer-songwriters resort to cliches and easy rhymes. Take a listen to Paul’s songs www.myspace.com/paulcataldo. Seems to me he’s getting at an honest truth like a diary entry or a confession to a friend…he just puts it to a melody.
Check out Paul & friends on Saturday Oct 10th at the Burlington Cake.
In the pipeline…
Thursday, 10.15.09
Garren Benfield (acoustic folk)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/garrinbenfield
Friday, 10.16.09
Ragged Glory (Neil Young Tribute Band)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/raggedglorytribute
Saturday, 10.17.09
The Willoughbys (acoustic folk/rock)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/thewilloughbys