(Not Just For Tree-Huggers)
The Hill Country chapter of the Gaining Ground Sustainability Institute of Mississippi (GGSIM) was formed in July of 2011, and we strive to offer both educational opportunities and organization and funding for various projects that promote sustainability in Mississippi. We sponsor lectures and workshops in town, and we support organizations like the Community Garden and the new Farmers’ Market in Oxford. One of our main goals is to promote communication between organizations of like interests in sustainability in Mississippi. To that end, our members have varying interests, including sustainable farming, clean energy, permaculture, home gardening, recycling, you name it! We have a busy schedule this spring, and we would like to share some of our activities with you:
Local Chapter Meeting and Potluck
Tuesday, February 21st, 6 pm at The Orchard Oxford
This meeting of the Hill Country Chapter will take place next week and will feature news about Gaining Ground’s work in Oxford. We’ll be meeting at The Orchard, located on Molly Barr Rd. heading out of town past the 3-Way towards HWY 30. We’ll be discussing topics like Gaining Ground’s role in Green Week (April 16th-20th), the new Farmers’ Market near the Old Armory and the Community Garden, workshops demonstrating terrace gardening (very useful in our neck of the woods), a Smart Business Alliance for the City of Oxford, and much more. We invite you to drop by with a dish or two and contribute to the conversation. We want to hear about your ideas, your enthusiasm, and your passions!
If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to e-mail us at hillcountryggsim@gmail.com. You can receive regular updates if you join our mailing list. You can also call me, Trey McCain at 662.315.7068. We really hope to see you at one of our meetings!
GGSIM 3rd Annual Mississippi Sustainable Living Conference: Saving Dollars, Making Sense
Saturday, February 25th
at The Eagle Ridge Conference Center in Raymond, Miss.
This conference will feature workshops and lectures focused on Health & Wellness, the Home & Garden, and Energy Conservation (for a schedule of events, visit www.ggsim.org). In addition, the Farm-to-School Summit will take place the morning of the conference and will bring together parents, food service directors, farmers, and State administrators to show how we can introduce fresh, local food into our school cafeterias.
The Sustainable Agriculture Network will take place the afternoon of the conference and will be an opportunity for farmers to mentor each other, create a database of local knowledge, and organize to advocate for what we need. It is also an opportunity to share knowledge about how to build hoop houses, find interns, use rotational grazing, and how to grow year-round.
In addition to the content mentioned above, the conference will be a great opportunity to network and meet different folks from all over the state who are part of the movement to help Mississippi take control of the way we live.
