Monday, December 23, 2013

Fearless Canning: A HANDS-ON WORKSHOP - Canning Fruit and Vegetables 2014


Read about our 2015 Canning Workshops - Click here!

$75 per person
Lunch is included
Places are limited; we encourage you to register as soon as possible.





 A Mercantile Canning Workshop - gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and homegrown garlic becoming salsa!

Maybe you got a great deal on a lug of peaches or a flat of juicy ripe strawberries at your farmer's market, or perhaps your first garden is producing TONS of tomatoes and peppers - now what? Join us for a food preservation intensive where you’ll get hands-on experience in an atmosphere where questions are encouraged and confidence gained. With a focus on both safety and flavor, we’ll go step by step from beginning to delicious end.


Alline sent each seminar attendee home with basic canning supplies, a canning book, and freshly canned goodies! The whole experience greatly exceeded my expectations. We had such fun canning and staying at the EcoInn! The canning seminar gave me the knowledge and confidence I needed to can on my own at home.  
~Bobbie, seminar participant


We are offering five different Saturday sessions - which one works best for you?

  • May 17
  • July 19
  • August 16
  • August 30
  • October 18 cancelled

All seminars run from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m, and include coffee, tea and lunch.




What we start with...






What we finish with!

In our day together we’ll put up something sweet (jam or preserves), savory (salsa and tomato sauce) and tart (pickles) PLUS take time to understand the science behind preserving food safely and flavorfully. Depending upon what is in season, we may make some zucchini relish (surprisingly wonderful!), applesauce or pear sauce, chow chow (fabulous for the name alone) or chutney.

We’ll discuss and demonstrate:

  • Harvesting and procuring the best produce
  • Organic or not – what’s the difference?
  • Alternative sweeteners – are they possible?
  • All about pectin
  • Great recipes for a variety of fruits and vegetables
  • Knife handling
  • Choosing the right jar for the job
  • Sterilizing jars for safety
  • Hot water bath tips (we’ve learned the hard way so that you won’t have to!)
  • The right tools, which make all the difference
We’ll share our favorite recipes and techniques, and everyone will go home with samples, recipes and loads of ideas and inspiration PLUS a few key tools of the trade. You’ll never go back to “store-bought” jam, salsa, tomato sauce and pickles once you’ve made your own!




Summer in a jar!

The workshop will be held in the certified commercial kitchen at the Milkweed Mercantile, a solar-and-wind-powered business at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, and taught by Alline Anderson, Proprietor and Ambassador of Jam at the Milkweed Mercantile.



ALL materials and supplies are provided.


Each seminar participant will receive:

  • Five full hours of instruction (with an hour for lunch)
  • A delicious lunch
  • Supplies to take home: Canning Handbook and your own jar lifters  ($24 value, included in class fee)
  • Recipes and ideas
  • Samples of canned food made during the class to take home and share

TO REGISTER: Please send an email to alline@milkweedmercantile.com and let us know which class you'd like to attend. You may then give us a call (660-883-5522) with a credit card number, or mail a check to:
 

Milkweed Mercantile
3 Dancing Rabbit Lane
Rutledge,  MO 63563 


If you mail a check, please be sure to indicate which class you'll be attending.

A place in a class is not guaranteed until we receive payment.


The Fine Print:
Payment for the seminar and your accommodations is due upon registration. We accept VISA, MasterCard, cash and personal checks. Read our Deposit/Cancellation/Refund Policy here. For questions, please call 660-883-5522. If we don't answer, please leave a message. We'll call you right back!

Please leave your pets at home 
Pets (except for seeing-eye dogs and other service dogs) are not allowed at any Milkweed Mercantile Seminars. While we do have a pet-friendly guest room, pets are not allowed to be unattended in any of our rooms, and while attending a seminar you will be unable to care for your pet. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Travel to the Milkweed Mercantile 
Our seminar prices do not include travel to and from the Milkweed Mercantile.  For directions, train, airport and rental car information, click here.


Seminars Canceled or Changed by the Milkweed Mercantile 
On very rare occasions, we must cancel or change seminars. If this occurs, our responsibility is limited to a refund of any trip fees you've already paid. The Milkweed Mercantile is not responsible for airline tickets, other tickets or payments, or any similar fee penalties that you may incur as a result of any trip cancellations or changes.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

2014 Artist in Residence Program - The Milkweed Mercantile at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MONDAY, MARCH 31st! Get your application in NOW!



The Milkweed Mercantile is delighted to announce our second annual Artist In Residence Program at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. This residency offers visual artists the opportunity to pursue their artistic discipline while being surrounded by the inspiring landscape, people and mission of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Visual artists will create art, participate in the life of the village, and share his/her skills with members of the community. Selected artists stay in the Milkweed Mercantile Eco Inn for a ten-day period from May through October. No stipend is provided.

For more information on the Milkweed Mercantile and Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage please see below.

The Residency is sponsored by the Milkweed Mercantile, a private business located at Dancing Rabbit (“DR”), which is owned and operated by long-time members of Dancing Rabbit.

Photo by 2013 Artist in Residence Karen Hanrahan

The Purpose of the Artist-In-Residence Program
In 2013 the Milkweed Mercantile Artist in Residence program hosted four artists. The artists and the members of our community all had a great time. One of them had this to say:

"The residency was such a valuable expedience to me.  The time to make art in a different environment, and the inspiration from DR, was so invigorating, but most importantly, I came away with an appreciation for everyone there.  Such great, kind people y'all have living there! "    

Another said:

"I knew from the moment I arrived for my residency that I would not be short of material to take imagery of.  I wasn't quite sure how my project would evolve..  As days progressed I discovered that Dancing Rabbit is an inside job.  The more I learned from the members who live and breathe intentional community the more I could then give it my own perspective as a photographer. I would not be the first to say that it's the people of DR that make it what it is today! I loved having the opportunity to get intimate access and to practice hands-on how passionately I feel about  my art and photography. " 

Now in its second year, we look forward to learning and sharing with more artists.

The purpose of  the Artist In Residence Program is to provide artistic opportunities to promote deeper understanding of and dialogue about Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. The finished artwork will characterize Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage for present and future generations, and offer visitors and the general public an opportunity to see our village through the eyes of the contributing artists.



Selection is based on:
  • artistic caliber
  • specific focus for the project
  • relevance to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage’s mission of outreach and education
  • the artwork's ability to communicate the values and atmosphere of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage
  • potential for (artist’s) personal growth


Residencies are open to all visual artists. The Milkweed Mercantile at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage does not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, race, religion, or national origin, although preference will be given to artists who are from or have spent time in the Midwest. We are seeking applications from individual artists only; we are not yet able to accommodate collaborative teams.

Accepted artists must be able to speak and understand English.

Those chosen to be a Milkweed Mercantile Artist in Residence will be notified by April 15, 2014 (except for the first residency; this artist will obviously be notified sooner!).

Dates of the Residencies:
  1. April 14 - April 24, 2013  filled
  2. May 26 - June 5, 2014 
  3. June 30 - July 10, 2014 
  4. August 25 - September 4, 2014 
  5. September 15 - 25, 2014
  6. October 6-16, 2014


 2013 Milkweed Mercantile Artist in Residence Claire Stigliani in a watercolor class she held for 5 & 6-year olds.



Provided with the Residency:
  • Food – details below
  • Lodging – details below
  • Linens (towels and sheets)
  • A place to work
  • 280 acres on which to roam and be inspired
  • Quiet atmosphere, with star-filled nights and abundant wildlife.
  • A friendly, supportive, enthusiastic community in which to live and work.
  • Additionally, your art will be featured in the Milkweed Mercantile Eco Inn, which serves as a social center for Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and hundreds of guests each year; and on the Milkweed Mercantile website.
  • We do not provide alcohol, sodas, or other snacks (such as chips). These are available for purchase.

 
2013 Milkweed Mercantile Artist in Residence Jameson Hubbard teaches a wood block printing class.

You provide
  • Artists must provide their own supplies. If they are too large or cumbersome to transport you may have them delivered via USPS, UPS, or FedEx.
  • You are responsible for your own transportation. We encourage you to use public transportation. There are train stations in LaPlata, MO; Quincy, IL; Ottumwa, IA. We will happily pick you up at any of these stations.

The swimming pond, where many find respite on hot summer days.
Artwork Donations 
Artists selected to participate in the Mercantile’s Artist In Residence Program are asked to donate an original piece of work from, and representative of, their residency at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. The piece will become a component of the Milkweed Mercantile’s Inspired by Dancing Rabbit: The Artist in Residence Collection. The art will serve to promote and celebrate aspects of Dancing Rabbit and sustainable living. Donated artwork must be finished within the 10-day residency.

 Jameson teaching mono printing.

Sharing Your Gift with the Dancing Rabbit Community 
Selected artists are asked to spend time with the Dancing Rabbit community by providing some sort of workshop/class/seminar for a minimum of 8 hours during your stay. This can be drawing or painting classes, participatory art projects for groups or individuals, or some other creative solution. We’re open to all kinds of ideas!

Saturday lunch at the Mercantile

About Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage 
Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, begun in 1997, is a community demonstrating ecological sustainability. It is located on 280 acres in the rolling hills of Northeastern Missouri.
One of the world's foremost experiments in real-world ecological living, Dancing Rabbit’s 70+ residents have reduced their ecological impact by over 90% in areas such as transportation, energy and water use. Creative, cooperative economic models and an entrepreneurial base support the economic sustainability of the village. Education and research are integral to Dancing Rabbit’s goals. It actively shares its ideas and discoveries through visitor programs, publications and other media and has a mission of outreach and education. More info is available at dancingrabbit.org


About The Milkweed Mercantile 
The Milkweed Mercantile is quite possibly the only strawbale solar and wind powered B&B in the United States. In addition to the four B&B rooms, the Mercantile features an organic cafe, a store, and a seminar program. Since opening its doors in 2010, the Mercantile has hosted hundreds of guests, many of whom say that a visit with us has changed their lives. While this all sounds very serious, we also have a lot of fun!

The mission of the Mercantile is to provide meaningful work and the demonstration of a life that is sustainable in all ways.

Our goals are to:
  • Create right livelihood for ourselves and income opportunities for others at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage
  • Provide a comfortable place for visitors and potential new members to stay
  • Demonstrate the viability and aesthetic beauty of natural and alternative building
  • Share what we’ve learned about real solutions for a sustainable life
  • Develop and articulate a business model that prioritizes planet and people over profit, and learn the value of ‘enough.’
  • Educate and train the next generation

Photo credit: Angela Neese

 About Alline and Kurt, Owners of the Milkweed Mercantile 
Alline Anderson and Kurt Kessner met in 1993 on a Sierra Club backpacking trip, and were married in 1997. They moved from Berkeley to Missouri in 1999 and became members of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. In 2007 they began construction of the strawbale, solar and wind-powered Milkweed Mercantile Eco Inn. The Mercantile was designed to serve as a bridge between Dancing Rabbit and the wider community, and to assist in Dancing Rabbit’s outreach and education efforts. In that same year Alline was awarded an Eileen Fisher Business Grant for Woman Entrepreneurs.

A team in all aspects of their lives, Alline and Kurt collaborated on the design and building of their strawbale home and the Mercantile. They continue to work together and dream up new ways to support the growth of Dancing Rabbit while enjoying life in the growing, thriving village. Kurt enjoys building, bartending and hanging out with friends; Alline is passionate about books, quilting, baking and dogs. And while they both love to travel, what they delight in most is welcoming guests to the Milkweed Mercantile.

The Wallace Stegner room
 Your accommodations at the Milkweed Mercantile
  • Artists stay in the Wallace Stegner Room.  The room is downstairs with easy access to a (shared) shower and toilet. It has a separate entrance onto the screened-porch and is furnished with a queen bed, desk, lamps, and small closet. Linens (bedding and towels) are included. Accommodations are provided only within the dates of the awarded residency.
  • The room is for one person only.
  • Visiting artists eat in the Milkweed Mercantile cafĂ© with the Milkweed Mercantile food cooperative and occasionally with Mercantile guests. Food is as local and organic as possible. We happily accommodate vegans, vegetarians and/or omnivores. We are also able to handle some food allergies – please inquire if you have what could be perceived as an unusual request.
  • Pets are not allowed.
  • The downstairs of the Mercantile is fully accessible; there is a ramp, an accessible shower and toilet. However, Dancing Rabbit is still in its pioneering stages; the roads are gravel. Additionally the many pathways are muddy when wet, and are rutted and uneven.



HOW TO APPLY

Please submit all components electronically. Do not send paper copies of anything.

Please submit to alline@milkweedmercantile.com with ARTIST IN RESIDENCE in the subject line. Not using this subject may result in your application being deleted as spam.

Entries are accepted for the 2014 Program until midnight on March 31, 2014. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Notifications will be made to finalists by April 15, 2014.

Applicant Checklist
1.  APPLICATION  Email Alline at alline@milkweedmercantile.com to request an application.
2. APPLICATION FEE A non-refundable application fee of $35 is required before your application will be considered. Payment may be made via PayPal to shop@milkweedmercantile.com

3.  CURRENT RESUME/CV
Please include detailed information on your previous experience with the media you wish to use at Dancing Rabbit. Include information on time spent in the Midwest, if any. Keep formatting simple. Email your resume/cv to: alline@milkweedmercantile.com with ARTIST IN RESIDENCE in the subject line.

4. WORK SAMPLES
  • Upload 10 images of your work created in the last two years.
  • Plus a corresponding image list to explain work samples,
  • Plus image details for each image file (title of work, date executed, media and dimensions).
  • Add any brief narrative necessary to inform the jury about each individual work.


Email your work samples to: alline@milkweedmercantile.com with ARTIST IN RESIDENCE  in the subject line. Be sure to include your name!


NOTE: Artists must submit application materials and art samples exactly as indicated. Insufficient, or excess materials (i.e.: please submit 10, and only 10), are causes for application rejection, as is an artist's proposed use of a work already in progress as a residency project.


4.  APPLICATION FEE
  • Pay the $35.00 (US Dollars) application fee via PayPal to shop@milkweedmercantile.com
  • Please insert “ARTIST IN RESIDENCE in the Paypal subject line.
  • No applications will be processed until the application fee has been received.


Calendar
Entries are accepted for the 2014 Program with through midnight, March 31, 2014.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Those chosen to be a Milkweed Mercantile Artist in Residence will be notified by April 15, 2014.

PHOTOS
Photos of life at the Milkweed Mercantile.


NOTE: In order to reach new audiences, the Artist in Residence Program is intended for artists who have not yet spent a significant amount of time at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Former Work Exchangers, Interns, Residents and Members are not eligible.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Art at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage's Milkweed Mercantile 2013

Art is beginning to grab its rightful place here at the Milkweed Mercantile. This summer and fall (2013) we have hosted three fabulous artists and are looking forward to the arrival of a fourth in October.

Below are brief descriptions of each Artist and his/her residency. In a future post I will show reveal the piece of art that each donated to the growing Milkweed Mercantile collection "Visions of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage."

NOTE: For information on applying for our 2014 Artist in Residence Program click here.

Claire Stigliani
We started our Artist in Residence Program with a bang.  Claire Stigliani spent ten days with us in May. She taught two painting classes for kids, and several drawing classes for adults. We loved having her with us - the time just flew! Claire's patience and encouragement were like a balm to those of us who were nervous about plunging into art, and her humor and skill helped us all move forward and feel much more confident. Besides, we had a blast!






Nik Garvoille



Nik Garvoille filled our second Residency. Arriving at the Mercantile as a Culinary Work Exchanger, I was flabbergasted (and thrilled) to find out just how much of a renaissance man Nik really is. In addition to crafting the world's best pies and the some of quirkiest Facebook posts I've had the pleasure to giggle at, he is an incredibly talented artist.

Nik chose natural pigments as his medium for his Residency - he crafted a beautiful palette of paints made from food (beets and alfalfa) and natural materials (including honey locust pods and a variety of leaves, grasses, flowers and roots) found on the land here at Dancing Rabbit.


Nik teaching a drawing class.



Jameson S. Hubbard



Jameson S. Hubbard, a great big serious-sounding name for an unassuming, uber-friendly print-maker, was our third Artist in Residence. He taught us mono-printing and block-printing. Arriving with a stack of blank wood blocks and a box full of carving tools, he set us to work. Most of us had no idea how fun and addictive the carving and printing would be until we began. For ten days the Mercantile was filled with folks carving away, creating piles and piles of shavings. Fortunately for us, Jameson is as good a sweeper-upper as he is a creator of that which needs to be swept. In between assisting Rabbits with our own creations he worked on his contribution to the Mercantile collection - a piece featuring images from the Critter Collective here at DR. Ducks, a strawbale house under construction and a miniature donkey can be seen in the work in progress, below.





Rabbits helping carve Jameson's wood block.





Karen Hanrahan



Closing out our 2013 season will be photographer Karen Hanrahan.

Karen calls Bloomington, Illinois home. We look forward to our time with Karen in October. I'll be sure to post photos of her residency!




The Milkweed Mercantile Artist in Residency Program will return in 2014. Please check back (or subscribe to this blog) for more information. I hope to have it posted by December - fingers crossed!

Monday, April 1, 2013

Putting up the Harvest - Canning Fruit and Vegetables 2013

 2015 Canning Seminar dates are set! 



$75 per person
Lunch is included
Places are limited; we encourage you to register as soon as possible.


 A Mercantile Canning Seminar - gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and homegrown garlic becoming salsa!

Maybe you got a great deal on a lug of peaches or a flat of juicy ripe strawberries at your farmer's market, or perhaps your first garden is producing TONS of tomatoes and peppers - now what? Join us for a food preservation intensive where you’ll get hands-on experience in an atmosphere where questions are encouraged and confidence gained. With a focus on both safety and flavor, we’ll go step by step from beginning to delicious end.

We are offering four different Sunday sessions - which one works best for you?
  • July 7, 2013
  • August 4, 2013
  • September 8, 2013
  • September 29, 2013 
SOLD OUT!

All seminars run from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

What we start with...



What we finish with!

In our day together we’ll put up something sweet (jam or preserves), savory (salsa and tomato sauce) and tart (pickles) PLUS take time to understand the science behind preserving food safely and flavorfully. Depending upon what is in season, we may make some zucchini relish (surprisingly wonderful!), applesauce or pear sauce, chow chow (fabulous for the name alone) or chutney.

We’ll discuss and demonstrate:
  •     Harvesting and procuring the best produce
  •     Organic or not – what’s the difference?
  •     Alternative sweeteners – are they possible?
  •     All about pectin
  •     Great recipes for a variety of fruits and vegetables
  •     Knife handling
  •     Choosing the right jar for the job
  •     Sterilizing jars for safety
  •     Hot water bath tips (we’ve learned the hard way so that you won’t have to!)
  •     The right tools, which make all the difference
We’ll share our favorite recipes and techniques, and everyone will go home with samples, recipes and loads of ideas and inspiration PLUS a few key tools of the trade. You’ll never go back to “store-bought” jam, salsa, tomato sauce and pickles once you’ve made your own!


Summer in a jar!

The seminar will be held in the Milkweed Mercantile, a solar-and-wind-powered business at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, and taught by Alline Anderson, Proprietor and Ambassador of Jam at the Milkweed Mercantile.

Each seminar participant will receive:
  • Five full hours of instruction (with an hour for lunch)
  • A delicious lunch
  • Supplies to take home: Canning Handbook and your own jar lifters  ($24 value, included in class fee)
  • Recipes and ideas
  • Samples of canned food made during the class to take home and share

TO REGISTER: Please send an email to alline@milkweedmercantile.com and let us know which class you'd like to attend. You may then give us a call (660-883-5522) with a credit card number, or mail a check to:
Milkweed Mercantile
3 Dancing Rabbit Lane
Rutledge,  MO 63563
If you mail a check, please be sure to indicate which class you'll be attending.

A place in a class is not guaranteed until we receive payment.


The Fine Print:
Payment for the seminar and your accommodations is due upon registration. We accept VISA, MasterCard, cash and personal checks. Read our Deposit/Cancellation/Refund Policy here. For questions, please call 660-883-5522. If we don't answer, please leave a message. We'll call you right back!

Please leave your pets at home 
Pets (except for seeing-eye dogs and other service dogs) are not allowed at any Milkweed Mercantile Seminars. While we do have a pet-friendly guest room, pets are not allowed to be unattended in any of our rooms, and while attending a seminar you will be unable to care for your pet. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Travel to the Milkweed Mercantile 
Our seminar prices do not include travel to and from the Milkweed Mercantile.  For directions, train, airport and rental car information, click here.

Your Responsibilities 
Respecting the customs of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and the neighboring communities, including Rutledge; avoiding breaking any applicable laws, and refraining from antisocial conduct during the trip; following environmental guidelines in accordance with the Milkweed Mercantile and Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage; always respecting the rights and privacy of residents of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.

Emergency Care 
We are extremely conscientious when it comes to safety. However, in the case of accident or illness, the Milkweed Mercantile will attempt to provide appropriate first aid and contact the local hospital if necessary. Costs of ambulance and/or of medical care beyond basic first aid are the financial responsibility of the ill or injured person. Our closest hospital/emergency room is located approximately 20 minutes away in Memphis, MO. We encourage everyone to work carefully and safely. Please bring proof of health insurance, if you have it.

Seminars Canceled or Changed by the Milkweed Mercantile 
On very rare occasions, we must cancel or change seminars. If this occurs, our responsibility is limited to a refund of any trip fees you've already paid. The Milkweed Mercantile is not responsible for airline tickets, other tickets or payments, or any similar fee penalties that you may incur as a result of any trip cancellations or changes.