We re excited to announce IN A GOOD WAY's First Annual Homestead Event! And caring people volunteering to help will make our event successful. This event will be the introduction of IN A GOOD WAY to the community. You can visit IN A GOOD WAY s event listing on Mother Earth s website by going to http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteadeducation/registration.aspx?id=2147500297&listing=event By clicking on location and choosing OK, IN A GOOD WAY will be displayed. There are many other homesteading events being sponsored by Mother Earth magazine, but we are the only one in Oklahoma. Saturday, September 29, 2012 8:00 A.M. 4:00 P.M. At IN A GOOD WAY Farm GPS Coordinates: 34.721051, -95.145829 A map will be sent and the road will be marked with streamers
UPDATE We have received an outstanding response from the experts we invited to present a demonstration at our First Annual Homestead Event. We have also received emails from folks who viewed our information on Mother Earth's Homestead Event information page wanting to know more about how they can enjoy the day. At present we have long-time friends coming from not only OK, but from PA, FL, AR, and TX. We have tables and canopies that will be loaned to us to keep the volunteers out of the sun. We have a potlatch as our northwest native brothers would call it planned Friday night, September 28 th, for our volunteers and presenters. At this Get to Know the friends of IN A GOOD WAY Potlatch, we will serve homemade Cajun gumbo, rice, potato salad (homemade, not store bought!) deviled eggs, garlic bread, homemade desserts, and iced tea. Anyone who would like to bring a covered dish is welcome to do so. Camping space is available. Greg and some of our presenters will be camping on site on Friday night. Please feel free to join them. You will have to provide your own camping equipment. If you want to pre-register for camping sites, please contact teddi@inagoodway.org or call Teddi Irwin at 918-718-1302. Please bring a comfortable lawn chair to the event. WE REALLY DO NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH THE EVENT!! I hope you will volunteer and help us make IN A GOOD WAY's introduction to Oklahoma a fun day for all. You can pre-select the time and demonstration at which you would like to volunteer by contacting teddi@inagoodway.org or by calling Teddi Irwin at 918-718-1302.
We knew you would have questions. Below are questions a potential volunteer might ask, with answers. Q: What are the hours of the event? A: The event will run from 8 AM until 4 PM. But volunteer hours might start earlier and last longer. Q: If I volunteer, do I have to work all day? A: No, shifts will run in 1 hour increments. We do hope you will sign up for several hours during the day, but we do want you to enjoy the presentations as well. Of course, as a volunteer you have the advantage of being up close. Q: Do I have to work in the sun? A: We hope not. We are gathering pop-up tents to cover demonstrations where shade trees are not available. If you have a pop-up tent we would love to borrow it. Q: Are there restrooms? A: Yes, we are renting porta potties. Q: How old does a volunteer have to be? A: Must be at least 16. Q: Do I get to eat? A: Yes, you will be given a complimentary volunteer lunch ticket which will be honored at the Community State Bank food wagon located on the property. Q: Where is IN A GOOD WAY farm? A: We are about 4 miles from Talihina. We will be sending out maps and GPS coordinates before the event. Q: Can I ask friends to volunteer? A: Absolutely; PLEASE DO! We just ask that all volunteers fill out an application prior to September 21.
Presentations and Numbers of Volunteers Needed There is an alphabetical list of all presentations on the last two pages of this email, but the list that follows gives a short description of volunteer needs. There will be a presenter in charge of each category, so you will always have company. SET UP CREW - 10 or more from 6:30 AM to 8 AM. RAISED BEDS 6 volunteers. A week prior to the event we will need people to set up raised beds and plant vegetables in beds. If you are interested in helping us plant, you can call Teddi at 918-718-1302 and she will help you set up times. HOOP HOUSE CONSTRUCTION - 4 volunteers from 7 AM to closing will coordinate audience participation and help physically construct the hoop house. There will be pre-event publicity asking folks who would like to join in on the hoop house raising to contact us to register prior to the event. RAINWATER HARVESTING - 4 volunteers from 7 AM to closing will coordinate audience participation and help physically construct the rainwater harvest facility. There will be pre-event publicity asking folks who would like to join in on the rainwater harvesting demo to contact us to pre-register prior to the event. COMMUNITY STATE BANK FOOD WAGON 4 volunteers will be needed to sell tickets for food from 8 AM to 1 PM. 3 volunteers will be needed to serve food from 11 AM to 2 PM. Food served will be four Native American dishes served with cornbread and iced tea, black or sassafras. Tickets will be sold so food handlers don't have to handle money and food. All volunteers are in addition to Community State Bank employees who will be scheduled by CSB. SOLAR PANEL CONSTRUCTION 3 volunteers will be needed from 8 AM until closing, helping to construct solar panels.
BAKE SALE PREP 3 volunteers will be needed from7:30 AM to 11 AM to cut and wrap baked items. BAKE SALE, WATER SALE and RAFFLE TICKET SALE - 2 volunteers will be needed from 8 AM to closing, selling the precut and wrapped baked items and bottled water. REGISTRATION BOOTH 2 volunteers will be needed from 7:45 AM to 11 AM. 1 volunteer will be needed from 11 AM to closing INFORMATION BOOTH 1 volunteer will be needed from 8 AM to closing BUILDING A GREEN HOUSE WITH USED WATER BOTTLES 1 volunteer will be needed to help with audience participation and to help construct a green house made out of used water bottles. We will be collecting water bottles on site but if you would like to donate used water bottles for the event, please bring them to the registration booth the day of the event. ART SALE 1 volunteer to sell art from 8 AM to closing. CHOCTAW PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT 1 volunteer will be needed from 8:00 AM until closing. There will be multiple demonstrations but 1 volunteer will be sufficient. CHEMICAL FREE BEE DEMONSTRATION 1 volunteer will be needed to help sell books about raising chemical free bees. HANDS-ON OLD FASHIONED QUILTING BEE 1 volunteer will be needed to coordinate the demonstration. PRESERVATION OF FOOD, CANNING, AND SOLAR DEHYDRATION 1 volunteer will be needed to help the demonstration run smoothly. All Displays Below Only Require a Volunteer Contact ALPACA DISPLAY ROPING DEMONSTRATION RAISING CHICKENS WITH GUARD DOGS
To date, we have the following demonstrations scheduled Alpaca Display Walnut Creek Alpacas Art Sales Kris and Rudy Adam Bake Sale John and Mary Ann Knill (in alphabetical order) Brick Sales/Information Registration Desk, Teddi Irwin and Greg Duda, Linda Morganstein Building a Green House with Used Water Bottles IN A GOOD WAY Staff Chemical Free Bee Demonstration Dennis Brown, Lonestar Farms Apiary Choctaw Nation Preservation Department Ian Thompson, Oklahoma Choctaw Nation. Choctaw Nation demonstration could include: Basket Making Beading Choctaw Social Dancers (Not yet confirmed) Dress Making Demonstration Flute Making and Playing Genealogy Pottery Making Tool Making Seed Saving Food and Beverage Stand the Community State Bank, Talihina OK. All Sales benefit IN A GOOD WAY FARM. Hands-on Old Fashioned Quilting Bee Charlene Parker, Wood and Stitches, and Phyllis Davis Hoop House Construction and Raised Bed Farming Steve Upson, Noble Foundation Preservation of Food, Canning, and Solar Dehydration Ann and David Swan
Rainwater Harvesting Demonstration Billy Kniffen Registration Desk - Teddi Irwin and Greg Duda Roping Demonstration Bink and Steve Henry Solar Panel Construction C.J. Things you might want to bring Friends and family over the age of 12 A folding chair Sun block/hat Sun glasses Bug repellent Comfortable shoes A golf cart or ATV (if you have one! But PLEASE let us know ahead of time if you decide to bring one.) IN A GOOD WAY Farm is alcohol and drug free. Please contact us via email or telephone indicating the volunteer position you wish to work and the hours you are available to work. Teddi Irwin teddi@inagoodway.org 918-718-1302.