Eel events

Learn how to make the perfect doughs to produce a white tin loaf, rustic brown bread and soda bread. Friendly expert Linda Dobbs will show you how. cost £75 includes lunch and a recipe/info pack to take home with your breads. Timing - 9.45 am - 3.30 pm

Ever cycled through your local park and wondered which of those unassuming looking plants would make a tasty meal? The Otesha Project UK are hosting a day of (gentle) cycling through the green spaces of Tower Hamlets, accompanied by our very own wild food expert. We'll learn which plants are good to eat and how to identify them, before cooking up some of our wild finds in a tasty meal at Toynbee Hall. When: 10.30-15.00, Saturday 7th July 2012 Where: Meet at Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LS Cost: £20 waged/ £10 low or unwaged- this will cover the cost of the meal and resources. You should bring your own bike and be reasonably confident at cycling- the ride will be 4 miles maximum and will be led by experienced cyclists Email luciana@otesha.org.uk for more details and booking

Run by a wild food practitioner, this workshop includes a foraging walk and making preserves to take home. Make your own 3 course meal from gathered ingredients! All for just £30. To book, please go to www.localfoodnetwork.org.uk, call 020 8770 6611

Apples, pears, Strawberries, figs, vines, canes, pruning and storing. Learn all about feeding, planting and formative training of your fruit and how fruit forms and why trees blossom. To book, please go to www.localfoodnetwork.org.uk, call 020 8770 6611

Wallington Farmers' Market is held from 9am to 1pm every second Saturday of the month at the Old Town Hall and Library Gardens in Woodcote Road, Walliington. More info at www.wallingtonfarmersmarket.org.uk

This Wednesday 18th July there will be an emergency action outside the Paraguayan Embassy. The protest is over events unfolding in Paraguay since the political coup and ousting of President Fernando Lugo, and to show solidarity for the communities and civil society demanding a return to democracy. Friends of the Earth is supporting the action in solidarity with our partner group in Paraguay, Sobrevivencia, and the communities we are working with to resist soy encroachment and build food sovereignty – one of whom, 20-year old Miguel Correa, has been wrongly arrested and imprisoned. **Please do come along if you can, and circulate widely to your contacts and lists** Our presence will show support for the communities and civil society groups in Paraguay from a broad range of UK organisations. We will show the Paraguayan authorities that the world is watching and demands a return to democracy, for human rights to be upheld, and the environment to be protected. When: Wednesday 18th July, 12:30-13:30 Where: Paraguayan Embassy, 3rd Floor, 344 Kensington High Street, London, W14 8NS. Nearest tube Kensington Olympia. Map here: http://goo.gl/maps/meEQ The demonstration is being organised by UK representatives of the newly formed Frente para la Defensa de la Democracia (FDD). (For more info on demo: ks_hodgson@hotmail.com or rmedina33@hotmail.com) Further background is below, and this excellent opinion piece by Oxfam International’s Executive Director is worth reading - declaring President Lugo ‘the latest victim of Paraguay’s “soy war.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/opinion/paraguays-destructive-soy-boom.html?_r=2 Many thanks, Vicki and Clare Land, Food and Water Programme, Friends of the Earth Background and timeline Land tensions have been running high in Paraguay for some time as commercial interests in the country, particularly from the soy industry, have tried to crush the reformist government of Fernando Lugo and its efforts to promote land reform and curb the worst excesses of corporations and extractive industries. On June 15th: police move in to evict landless campesinos from land dubiously acquired from the state by a former and long-time Colorado Party (right wing) senator, Blas Riquelme. Gunfight breaks out and at least 17 people are killed, including 6 police. Miguel Correa, a twenty year old participant in Friends of the Earth/Sobrevivencia’s community project in Paraguay is arrested by police for involvement in the killings, despite having been nowhere near the event at the time. He is still in prison one month later. June 22nd: Paraguayan liberal party swap sides and joint the Colorados to call for impeachment of president Lugo. He’s only given 24hours to prepare his defence. Lugo replaced by his vice president, the liberal Frederico Franco. Many nations refuse to recognise new president and question the constitutionality of the process. Subsequently: Key Lugo ministers removed from office, including Environment Minister Oscar Rivas, and Miguel Lovera, head of Plant and Seed service SENAVE (responsible, amongst other things, for issuing licences for GM crops). Lovera was replaced by Jaime Ayala, president of Pacific Agrosciences, an agrochemical company, who announced that SENAVE “will be taking a new direction”. This is almost immediately followed by the approved release of GM cotton Bollgard-BT, and announcement that 4 new GM maize varieties, and 1 new GM soy are about to be approved: http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/economia/transgenicos--en-la-recta-final-422004.html A wave of other permissions for extractive projects have been announced, eg. last week negotiations with RTZ on a new aluminium smelter ‘moved to a second phase’ a project which ex-Environment Minister Rivas had been resisting: http://www.ultimahora.com/notas/542132-El-Gobierno-negociará-con-Rio-Tinto-sobre-una-tarifa--de-USD-60-MW/h

Ciabatta, Foccacia, Pitta - learn to make these delicious Med classics under the guidance of our friendly expert tutor, Linda Dobbs. Course timing 9.45 - 3.30, cost £85. Take your impressive breads home to impress everyone, maybe have a med themed evening with your friends? You will also be given a recipe and info pack so you can keep on baking...

Highbury Builders Collective are once more holding their popular "Introduction to Beekeeping" short courses over the next couple of months at their customised apiary in Finsbury Park. There is now a greater awareness of how important honey bees are to the health of our environment but a declining number of people with the skills to take care of these very important creatures. So why not come along and learn the basics of what beekeeping is all about - you will get to handle live bees and it may inspire you to become a beekeeper yourself. The course costs £30 per person and places are limited so its first come, first served! If you are interested in booking one of these dates then e mail your name and what date you would like to attend to: info@highburybuilders.co.uk and we will get back to you with further information.

Permaculture uses design principles to develop integrated systems. This one day workshop offers you to find out more and actively learn about the principles and see examples of designs for just £20. To book, please go to www.localfoodnetwork.org.uk

Spitalfields City Farm’s Food Fair will take place on Sunday 22nd July from 12pm - 5pm, at Spitalfields Farm (Buxton Street E1 5AR - just off Brick Lane and Vallance Road). The event will include: fresh farm produce, fruit and vegetables, home-made cakes, biscuits and sweets, food and drink stalls, food growing workshops, cookery demonstrations, donkey rides, and the ECO-CHIC market. This event is co-ordinated by Alternative Arts in partnership with Spitalfields City Farm. Admission is free.

Global Feast is a unique opportunity to travel the world of food with top chefs and supper club hosts as your guide. Curated by @msmarmitelover to match the Olympics it promises to upstage the games, at least on the table. http://www.globalfeast2012.com/

FARM:shop presents Pop-up Supper Club with Vegan Peasant Catering You are invited to join us at FARM:shop for a unique evening with Vegan Peasant Catering. They've taken the best in season ingredients from FARM:shop to create a 5-course contemporary seasonal menu for you to enjoy in our Polytunnel. Limited seating so book early! FARM:shop opened its doors in March 2011 and is an experiment in urban agriculture, a community of volunteers, an arts venue, working hub, and buzzing cafe serving the freshest food possible grown on site. Growing hundreds of lettuces and plants within our 3 storey building we have teamed up with Vegan Peasant Catering to bring you a unique evening of collaboration between growers and well experienced chefs to tickle your taste buds and inspire your imagination. Diana and Adrian set up Vegan Peasant Catering, to cater exclusively for vegans and vegetarians, in 2010 after returning from a cycle trip that took them from the southern tip of India all the way back to London. Their love of travel and culture fuels their love of food and viceversa. Between them, they have more than 25 years experience working in the catering and restaurant industry, but more importantly, nothing makes them happier than to see you enjoying their food. Thursday 26th July 8pm £35 Bring yourself, bring a friend and remember it's BYOB. Tempura Sprouts* with Garlic* Mayo Rice Paper Parcels of Garden Vegetables with Sesame Dressing Gnocchi, Purple Beans* with Watercress & Lemon Basil Pesto* Baby Leek, Fennel & Almonds Braised with Gratin Sauce Oyster Mushroom*, Sweet Potato, Bright Lights Chard* in Ceviche Dressing Vanilla and Black Sesame Ice Cream with Truffle Chocolate Learn more about us here: http://veganpeasantcatering.com/ @veganpeasant FB: http://www.facebook.com/veganpeasant and here: www.farmlondon.weebly.com @farmlondon FB: http://www.facebook.com/pages/FARMshop/46203673696

FARM:shop presents Pop-up Supper Club with Vegan Peasant Catering You are invited to join us at FARM:shop for a unique evening with Vegan Peasant Catering. They've taken the best in season ingredients from FARM:shop to create a 5-course contemporary seasonal menu for you to enjoy in our Polytunnel. Limited seating so book early! FARM:shop opened its doors in March 2011 and is an experiment in urban agriculture, a community of volunteers, an arts venue, working hub, and buzzing cafe serving the freshest food possible grown on site. Growing hundreds of lettuces and plants within our 3 storey building we have teamed up with Vegan Peasant Catering to bring you a unique evening of collaboration between growers and well experienced chefs to tickle your taste buds and inspire your imagination. Diana and Adrian set up Vegan Peasant Catering, to cater exclusively for vegans and vegetarians, in 2010 after returning from a cycle trip that took them from the southern tip of India all the way back to London. Their love of travel and culture fuels their love of food and viceversa. Between them, they have more than 25 years experience working in the catering and restaurant industry, but more importantly, nothing makes them happier than to see you enjoying their food. Thursday 26th July 8pm £35 Bring yourself, bring a friend and remember it's BYOB. Tempura Sprouts* with Garlic* Mayo Rice Paper Parcels of Garden Vegetables with Sesame Dressing Gnocchi, Purple Beans* with Watercress & Lemon Basil Pesto* Baby Leek, Fennel & Almonds Braised with Gratin Sauce Oyster Mushroom*, Sweet Potato, Bright Lights Chard* in Ceviche Dressing Vanilla and Black Sesame Ice Cream with Truffle Chocolate Learn more about us here: http://veganpeasantcatering.com/ @veganpeasant FB: http://www.facebook.com/veganpeasant and here: www.farmlondon.weebly.com @farmlondon FB: http://www.facebook.com/pages/FARMshop/46203673696

Highbury Builders Collective are once more holding their popular "Introduction to Beekeeping" short courses over the next couple of months at their customised apiary in Finsbury Park. There is now a greater awareness of how important honey bees are to the health of our environment but a declining number of people with the skills to take care of these very important creatures. So why not come along and learn the basics of what beekeeping is all about - you will get to handle live bees and it may inspire you to become a beekeeper yourself. The course costs £30 per person and places are limited so its first come, first served! If you are interested in booking one of these dates then e mail your name and what date you would like to attend to: info@highburybuilders.co.uk and we will get back to you with further information.