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The U.S. Compostal Service

For Earth Day, Homespun Bikes will be collaborating on a “dirt”-themed Nightlife at the California Academy of Sciences Thursday April 26, 2012.

Look for us as “The U.S. Compostal Service,” an mobile compost and food vending system that illustrates the cycle of life on a bicycle, trailing a kitchen garden.

We want to show people the connection between what you eat, what you throw away, and how your food waste can become your garden input.

But on a bike.

And we will be riding it all the way from Oakland to the Golden Gate Park.

People, plants, worms, bikes, unite!

“Dirt, Earthy” NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences
Thurs April 26, 6-10 PM
55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco
 
Tickets $10-12 here. More info here.
 
 

Plant Allies for Bicyclists: HERBAL FIRST AID

SUNDAY APRIL 22, 2012  ~  1-3 PM

at HOMESPUN BIKES, OAKLAND

In this 2-hour workshop, we’ll talk about bike-portable remedies that you can make yourself to address common roadside ailments like scrapes, sunburn, dehydration, and achy, sore muscles. Once you learn the plants, you can pick them fresh and make your own bike-portable medicine. There will be a demonstration herbal first-aid kit to unpack, and some plant medicine to make and take home. Ride your bike, name more plants, heal more scrapes.

 
 About the teacher:  Ali Budner is a western herbalist based in the Bay Area who studied plant medicine at Red Moon Herbs (NC) and the Ohlone Herbal Center (CA) and is creating a medicinal-plant garden in San Francisco. Besides being an herbalist and daily bike commuter, she co-produces KALW’s “Your Call” radio in San Francisco. 

{REGISTER HERE: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/238164 }

 

 

Tomorrow night! March 22nd: Bikeshare.

What has mountain bike pioneer Jacquie Phelan, a PBP randonneur/photographer, a piano bike documentary, ultralight bikepacking with Ginger Jui, bicycle photography and philosophical bike tour musings w/ Erik Jensen, “How to inspire a bicycle Newbie” with Senta Burke, an underground railroad bicycle tour, a taco bike, and an all around great time? You’ll find it all at the third installation of Bikeshare, stories of inspiration to send you on your next adventure.  Thursday, March 22nd 7pm. 494 Wesley Ave. Oakland.  Free.



Worm Composting 101 Workshop

HOW A SMALL CONTAINER OF MAGICAL WORMS CAN TRANSFORM YOUR KITCHEN SCRAPS INTO AMAZING SOIL

For many years gardeners and farmers have used worm composting to convert kitchen scraps into dark, dense, earth-smelling soil that increases the germination, growth, and yield of their vegetables and flowers without any packaging or transportation, yielding healthier plants while reducing landfill space and lowering your carbon footprint.

In this two hour workshop, we will show you what containers you can find for free or cheap that work well for worm composting, what kinds of foodscraps worms can digest and what never to add, how and when to harvest the resulting soil, how to keep your bin smelling fresh indoors and out, and the best uses for your excellent resulting compost.

Because worm composting happens in a closed 2 by 3 foot container (or smaller), you can practice this sustainable cycle of life even in an apartment with a fire escape garden.

the larger carrots on right were grown with magical worm compost

FREE:  Learning about worm composting. You can sit in on the workshop and learn about the magic of worm composting at no charge. But please register at the link below so we know you’re coming. 

$12:  WORM STARTER KIT. Sit in on the workshop AND leave with your very own STARTER KIT OF MAGICAL WORMS. Please register and prepay for the worms at the link below, so we know you’re coming and can bring worms for you!

{register here:  https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/234660 }

 

 

Bikeshare #3: Inspire.

 

March 22nd. 7pm at Homespun Bikes/ Leaning Tower of Pizza.
BikeShare is an event where cyclists share ideas, skills, and stories in 10 minutes or less.

Think TED on a bike.

With each event, the theme will change but the format will be the same, good food, good beer, and 8-10 short presentations related to the joys of riding a bike. This upcoming event’s theme is Inspire.

Whether it’s a 1200 km brevet or an epic cross ride, ultra creative art bikes or DIY cargo rigs in Chinatown, incredible tours from around the world or right here in our backyard, this BikeShare is sure to have something that will inspire you. Come join us to hear from cyclists who are pushing the boundaries of human fitness, bicycle creativity, and a passion for adventure.

 

Getting Started with Natural Plant and Vegetable Dyes

New Spring 2012 classes at Homespun!

COLORS FROM NATURE:

Getting Started with Natural Dyes

Sunday March 4, 2012 from 1-4 PM

at Homespun Bikes

ABOUT THE CLASS:

Learn how to make brilliant colors from your local environment with natural dyer and plants-person DEEPA NATARAJAN of the PERMACOUTURE INSTITUTE. In this three-hour workshop you will learn the basic principles of natural dyes, mordanting, medicinal dyes, making patterns on cloth and flower printing.  We’ll also be taking a neighborhood walk to identify some common and unexpected dye plants.  You will get to take home samples in a range of colors and fibers. No experience necessary.  $20- $30 sliding scale includes all materials.

ABOUT THE  TEACHER:

Deepa Natarajan worked with plants and people at the UC BERKELEY BOTANICAL GARDEN for 5 years putting on their public education programs. During this time she cultivated her love of gardening and natural dyes. She has traveled to South India several times during that period learning from master dyers and teaching workshops on local natural dyes. She is currently working with the PERMACOUTURE INSTITUTE  as the ‘Seeds to Sew’ Project Director to partner with local seed banks and tag seeds for their fiber & dye properties.  You can read about her plant adventures on her plantspeople blog below.

Class is $20-30 sliding scale includes a plant walk, hands-on instruction, and plant dyeing materials.

(TO REGISTER visit: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/225804) 

  • About the Permacouture Institute: http://permacouture.org/
  • About Deepa: http://plantspeople.blogspot.com/
  • About the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden: http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/

 

 

we are building, we are building!

Our hours will be limited while we rebuild to host a new project opening this spring!  Come by Thurs, Fri or Sat between 10-6pm to find humans and a bit of sawdust.

 

 

Winter hours and Citywide Strike!

Starting in November we will be open from 11am-6pm, still Tuesdays through Saturdays.

We will be closed next Wednesday to get out in the streets for the city-wide strike! Come out, come out.

Bikeshare #2: Adventure!

Engage Coffee at Homespun Bikes

Starting this week you can come by Homespun at 7am to check out ~engage coffee~, a project by Danny Gutierrez.  He writes, “The ~engage coffee~ project is your personal coffee: Roaster / Educator / Consultant for creating excellent coffee in your home. Developed for those who desire an alternative space to enjoy coffee, conversation, community and humanity. You can learn how to brew coffee using new and old brewing methods while learning and experimenting with different coffees. I ask for a $2.50 donation per brew to help keep this project active. I also roast custom nano-batches of coffee for you to take home! I have a very limited roast schedule and every roast is created specifically for you.”