Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Re: Treatment Facility at 1001 Pratt St

This Thursday (March 22nd) starting at 7pm at 1401 Hollins St., the Southwest Partnership is hosting a meeting with Mr. Spearman, senior vice president, from the University of Maryland Medical System to discuss the new treatment facilities placed at 1001 W. Pratt St. This is an open meeting and all are welcome and encouraged to attend.

For those of you that do not know Southwest Partnership is an umbrella group that allows the various neighborhood associations to work together to tackle common problems. Currently, Union Square Association, Hollins Roundhouse, Franklin Square, Citizens of Pigtown and Mount Clare are actively working together to fight the clustering of treatment centers in the Southwest. Please come out to learn more and be a part of changing our communities. 
 
Photo by Fern Shen, Baltimore Brew

For details to date about this development, please see the following articles:
 

Washington Blvd (Rt1 - Rt95) Closure March 2012

 
 CITY OF BALTIMORE
 Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor
 

 
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Khalil Zaied, Director

 

                                                                                                      
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
 
        Contact:  Adrienne Barnes
                        Kathy Chopper    
(410) 361-9296
                  

 
 






 Traffic Advisory














Washington Boulevard Closure

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation would like to advise motorists that a portion of Washington Boulevard will temporarily close for utility work.  Starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 23, 2012 and continuing until 5:00 a.m. on Monday, March 26, 2012, Washington Boulevard will be closed to through traffic from I-95 to Monroe Street with detours in effect, weather permitting.       

Detour signs will be posted in the area and local access will be maintained during construction.   Motorists traveling in this vicinity may experience delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes.



The Baltimore City Department of Transportation:
“Keeping Baltimore Moving Safely”


Monday, March 19, 2012

Mobtown Ballroom Events


Mobtown Ballroom
861 Washington Blvd  Baltimore, MD 21230


TONIGHT, Monday March 19, 2012:
FREE Monday night swing: 8pm drop-in lesson followed by 9pm-12:30am boogie



March 31
From the Facebook Event
"Ladies and Gentlemen--it's happening. The Mobtown Ballroom is putting on a variety show. We've lined up the acts, and we're preparing to put on an evening so titillating, so thoroughly alluring, that you will never be the same again. The lovely (and thoroughly buff) Kelly... Jo Stull will perform high-flying feats. There will be stage kittens. There will be clowns. There will be stage ninjas. There will be a woman crushing an egg with her bosoms.
The show runs from 8-9:30, and to amp you even more, we will follow it up with a SOUL DANCE PARTY from 9:30 until you're all danced out. The best part? The show and party cost only $10. You can't beat it."

Pigtown Spring Flea Market



FLEA MARKET

WHERE: Official Ravens Lot O, corner of Ridgely Street and W Ostend Street
WHEN: Saturday April 14th, 2012 7am to Noon
Cost: $13 a spot if Registered by April 1st or $15 at the gate
(each spot gets one vehicle in for free)


PARKING IS $1 PER CAR TO COVER THE COST OF THE LOT

There will be a donation truck at Noon; donations will benefit 
American Veterans

For reservations or more information :
Call Nina Nescio at 727-481-1586  pigtowngirlnina at gmail dot com
Board at citizensofpigtown dot org    www.citizensofpigtown.org


Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Seasonal Fresh Food

Do you make the effort to eat seasonally? 

I'm willing to bet that's a no.  Unless you follow produce discounts in your local grocery very closely, or go to a Farmer's Market more than 4 times a year, it's unlikely that you'll even know what is in season at any given time.  We've been privileged with year-round produce availability, thanks to imports from California and Mexico. 

But if you like to support your local farmers and your local economy, while learning some new recipes, a CSA might be for you.

The following description has been republished with the permission of Baltidome - which highlights local businesses, area events and solutions for a greener Baltimore.  (Though is sadly lacking information about some pretty cool Pigtown businesses)

What is a CSA And How Do I Join?

Image Courtesy of One Straw Farm

What is a CSA?

From the USDA site:
As farming becomes more and more remote from the life of the average person, it becomes less and less able to provide us with clean, healthy, lifegiving food or a clean, healthy, lifegiving environment.  CSA  or Community Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes the community’s farm.  In return, members receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season.

How do I join?

From the MDA:
The Maryland Department of Agriculture is encouraging citizens to consider joining a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm to support local farmers while receiving delicious, nutritious, fresh produce all summer long. CSA members pay an upfront subscription fee to farmers in return for a share of the season’s harvest, which is usually provided weekly.  For convenience, many CSAs deliver to central locations for pick up closer to subscriber’s home or work on a certain day of the week.
It may seem early, but CSA memberships typically fill up quickly. Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance says,  “This is the time of year to join a CSA and enjoy the fruits of local farms all summer.”

Recommended Baltimore City CSAs
(Click on the farms to get more information)

One Straw Farm (Organic)
Spoutwood Farm

Calvert Farm
Real Food Farm

Don’t live in Baltimore? -For a list of CSAs in your area, CLICK HERE.
After checking in with Real Food Farm, it seems that Pigtown is too far for them to deliver or hold a community market.  It's a real shame, because they have a great program for SNAP and WIC recipients.  Their food and CSA are still available for pickup at the farm if you have transportation and/or time to go that far (near Hampden/Woodberry).

Personally, for CSAs, I subscribe to One Straw Farm, and have been very happy.  Be warned: you will get almost all greens in the beginning and ending weeks, but you'll find a way to get creative.   I believe that One Straw Farm has the closest pick-up location - but if they get enough SW Baltimore subscribers, we can look into getting our own location!  So sign up all!  The blue markers in the map image below are for pickup locations: University of Maryland Medical Center, or Bluegrass Tavern on Hanover St.  You choose your pick-up location when you sign up for your share (feeds family of 4), or you sign up for a half share (feeds 2) and pick it up at the farmer's market under 83.  The pick-ups are once a week for 24 weeks, where you'll get 8 items.  If you sign up BEFORE March 17, you'll get the early bird special at $570.  If you split that full share with another friend or family, that's only $11.88/week!

One Straw Farm CSA Pickups - blue markers in the map image below are for pickup locations: University of Maryland Medical Center, or Bluegrass Tavern on Hanover St

Farming in Pigtown

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening is a great way to replace bare vacant lots.


The Obama Family began eating unprocessed food for their health, and continued once they entered the White House, where they brought that effort to their own yard:




In Pigtown, the local Food For Thought group is starting its own urban farm.  Originally focused on a lot on Carroll and W Ostend, their efforts have collaborated with another new (and untitled) group to include a 1/2 acre lot at the NW end of West Ostend Street, just after James Street.
Overgrown Lot
Back of the Train Tracks
Overgrown Lot
Community Effort
First Plantings 2011

Community Effort

Future Mural or Movie Screen Location (Behind the Tofu Factory)
We all have a very personal connection to food, whether we recognize it or not.  Food makes you feel happy, guilty, healthy, sick, tired, wired, and everything in between.  We are what we eat.  This can also be said culturally, as many different people have their own food customs going back generations. Our connections to food are one of our closest connections to the land.

So keep an eye out for this group, as I'm sure you'll be hearing more as summer draws near!  Like Pigtown Food for Thought on Facebook to follow their efforts and find out how you can take part!


Saturday, March 3, 2012

The Personal Side of Tommy's Downtown Tavern

Local videographer and editor Mike Greenberg put together this intimate look at one of our favorite corner bars, Tommy's Downtown Tavern.








Don't forget, every Friday night is Pigtown Local's Night where you get 10% off of your tab when you purchase $10 or more.