The Environmental Center

Our Plate is Political: Using the Table as a Tool for Social Justice
2023-05-16 16:30 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Cascade Culinary Institute, 2555 NW Campus Village Way, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
In this lively cooking demonstration, Bryant Terry will show us how easy it is to make delicious, vegetable-forward meals that not only satisfy us but also serve as a catalyst for growing the food justice movement.
After this event, Bryant Terry will be giving a keynote presentation — Food Justice at the Intersection of Food, Politics, Art, and Culture – at 7 p.m. in Wille Hall in Coats Campus Center on COCC’s Bend campus. To register and reserve tickets for the keynote click HERE.
About Bryant Terry
Bryant Terry moves between cooking, writing, curating, bookmaking, conceptualism, social sculpture, music, and design to inspire us to work towards a more healthy, just, and sustainable world.
San Francisco Magazine included Terry among 11 Smartest People in the Bay Area Food Scene, and Fast Company named him one of 9 People Who Are Changing the Future of Food.
Terry is the founder of 4 Color Books, a publishing imprint which collaborates with forward-thinking and groundbreaking BIPOC chefs, writers, artists, activists, and innovators to craft visually stunning nonfiction books. He is also the author of six critically acclaimed books, and he has won a James Beard Award, an NAACP Image Award, and an Art of Eating Prize. His latest book, Black Food, illuminates a part of the Black experience offering recipes, essays and art.

Food Justice at the Intersection of Food, Politics, Art, and Culture
2023-05-16 19:00 - 20:30 | COCC, 2600 NW Collge Way, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
How can we create a world in which all Americans, regardless of income, geography, or race have access to healthful, fresh, affordable, and culturally appropriate food? In this interactive talk, Bryant Terry will take us on a journey of his more than two-decade career as a chef, author, publisher, and community builder committed to creating a healthful, just, and sustainable food system. From grassroots organizing to book publishing, Terry has employed cultural strategy, a field of practice that centers art, storytelling, media, and cooking (in Bryant’s case) to bring about social change. Through a dynamic presentation that includes singing and rapping, and fusing personal narrative with food politics, Terry will show us how to improve access to fresh food in our communities — whether that community is your campus, workplace, neighborhood, or your group of friends.
Register here!

Closing the Food Loop: How to Make Composting Work for Your Restaurant
2023-05-17 08:30 - 09:30 | SCP Redmond, 521 Southwest 6th Street, Redmond, OR, 97756, United States
Each year, an estimated 25 to 40 percent of all food produced or imported for consumption in the United States is never eaten. Of that wasted food, 40 percent is estimated to come from consumer-facing businesses— like restaurants, event venues, etc. And all that wasted food means wasted money, by some estimates as much as $57 billion annually for U.S. businesses. Here in Deschutes County, wasted food makes up over 25% of waste at Knott Landfill by tonnage – making it the largest category of waste in the landfill!
It’s time to rethink food waste, and we want to help you do it.
This free, interactive panel discussion will dig into tips on getting started, infrastructure, troubleshooting, and more. Learn about local food waste resources and hear from food service businesses that are composting on-site and off-site. This discussion is open to owners, managers, and staff in the culinary community. And we hope attendees will chime in with your experience and expertise as well!

Register here!

Talk & Walk Clinic for Noxious Weeds and Native Plants
2023-05-18 10:00 - 13:30 | Barnes Butte Complex, 44.31376, -120.82518 NE Combs Flat Road, Prineville, OR, United States
Join the Crooked River Weed Management Area for a FREE Talk and Walk Clinic.
Topics include:

Invasive Plant Identification
Weeds vs Native Plants
Control Methods
Emerging Plant Invaders

Bring a chair and a lunch and come join us for this clinic!

Happy Hour in the Garden
2023-06-06 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-06-20 16:00 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Join us in our Kansas Avenue Learning Garden for our ongoing volunteer work party series. In 2022, volunteers contributed over 200 hours to help keep our learning garden maintained over the growing season. We couldn’t do it without you!
This event is open to all ages and gardening abilities! No experience or tools required. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages are provided for all who volunteer. Each event includes seasonal ongoing tasks as well as special projects as needed throughout the growing season. Volunteers are welcome to pop in for an hour or stay the whole time. No need to RSVP or commit ahead of time. (Pro tip – put the following dates in your phone calendar now – then when it pops up you can decide if it works out for you or not!)
In 2023, Happy Hour in the Garden will once again run twice a month from March through October. This schedule throughout the extent of the growing season offers meaningful volunteer experiences for all who come, and deeper care for the garden when it needs it.
For Spring 2023, our Happy Hours will be 4-6pm, on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of the month.
March & April Happy Hours sponsored by Wild Ride Brewing

March 7 & 21
April 4 & 18

May & June Happy Hours sponsored by Worthy Environmental

May 2 & 16
June 6 & 20

Stay tuned for confirmation of dates for July through October, as these might switch to the 2nd & 4th…)
Contact Denise, Garden Program Manager, if you have any questions about getting involved.

JUNETEENTH 2023
2023-06-17 - 2023-06-18 | Drake Park, 777 NW Riverside Blvd, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration will be held at Drake Park on June 17th-18th. This fun, family-friendly event will be a festival elevating Juneteenth throughout the state of Oregon. It will feature unique entertainment, music, food, and dancing. There will be face painting for the kids, a variety of historical and educational exhibits, artistic displays, and recreation.
Saturday: 11am- 7:30pm
Sunday: 11am- 5:30pm

Tomato Manifesto 2023 - Preserving Your Summer Bounty
2023-08-27 13:30 - 15:00 | Open Space Event Studios, 220 NE Lafayette Ave, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
“Tomato Manifesto – Preserving Your Summer Bounty” – Locavore’s Food School at Open Space Studios, Sunday, August 27th 1:30-3pm
Central Oregon Locavore Non-Profit is proud to offer a learning and demonstration experience for storing, preserving and enjoying tomatoes all season long! Registrants will be given tips, tricks, hands-on experiences and learn the many different methods of storing summer produce for year-round use that preserves nutritional integrity and follows food safety guidelines.
The Food School Program is a hands-on approach bringing local chefs, farmers, ranchers and herbalists together with the community as they teach their trades in a fun and approachable manner to those that want to learn all about food!
Event is $8 for members, $10 for non-members, with limited registration. Please visit our website for more information, or those interested can sign up at the link below.
Sign up here!

Regenerative Food & Farming; Documentary and Discussion
2023-09-12 18:30 - 21:00 | Worthy Brewing, 495 Northeast Bellevue Drive, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Regenerative Food & Farming; Documentary and Discussion
Join us for an exciting evening of exploring the world of regenerative food and farming at Worthy Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon. Get ready to dive into a thought-provoking documentary, Kiss the Ground, that sheds light on the importance of regenerative practices in our food system. We will screen a 45 minute educational version of the film, followed by a lively discussion with a local panel:

Klaus Mager, Citizen Climate Lobby – Moderator
Cate Havstad-Casad of Casad Family Farm;
Ellen Hammond, Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District;
Katrina Wiest from Bend La Pine Schools;
Katrina Van Dis, Ensoterra
Mike Bakouris, NeighborImpact

Come share your thoughts and ideas with like-minded individuals passionate about creating a better future for our planet.
Introduced and hosted by Bend Citizen Climate Lobby in partnership with Worthy Brewing. Tickets include one drink token. The event will have a limited food menu.
If you would like to attend but need assistance with the fee, please contact info@citizensclimatebend.org
Doors open at 6:30. Film starts at 7. Please arrive before the film to order food and drinks.
Get tickets here!

Fermentation Workshop With Worthy Environmental
2023-09-13 17:30 - 20:30, 2023-09-18 17:30 - 20:30
Fermenting is Fun and Easy
Learn fermentation to make delicious food cheaply and easily! Fermented food is full of beneficial live cultures. Take this workshop and you’ll be able to turn vegetables from the bottom of your fridge and garden into mustard, kimchi, sour pickles and more. Led by a Master Food Preserver, this workshop will stretch your budget but not your waistline! You’ll try fermented goodies at the workshop, go home with a batch of fermented cucumbers that you make, and with a special fermenting lid.
Cost: $40 per ticket
Sept. 13th in Redmond and Sept. 18th in Bend
Register Here!

Putting Your Garden to Bed
2023-09-16 10:00 - 11:30 | OSU Extension Office, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond, OR, 97756, United States
This class will cover how to harvest vegetables at the end of the season, including how to ripen tomatoes indoors; how to winterize your vegetable garden to save time next spring; how to divide and cut back perennials; and how to prepare your landscape for winter.
Register here!

Seed to Table Fall Farm Tours
2023-09-21 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-09-23 10:00 - 11:00, 2023-09-25 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-09-27 11:00 - 12:00, 2023-09-29 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-09-30 10:00 - 11:00 | Seed to Table, 998 E. Black Butte Avenue, Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
Seed to Table Farm invites our community onto the farm for a free fall tour. This once-a-year opportunity is a chance for you to explore tomatoes in the greenhouses, get a taste of what students experience on field trips, and ask questions to the farmers who steward the land to grow nearly 85,000 pounds of produce on just a few acres. Feel free to bring a friend! You must pre-register for tours.
Thursday 9/21 4pm-5pm
Saturday 9/23 10am-11am
Monday 9/25 4pm-5pm
Wednesday 9/27 11am-12pm
Friday 9/29 3pm-4pm
Saturday 9/30 10am -11am
REGISTER FOR FALL FARM TOURS!

Ethnobotany of the Klamath Basin
2023-09-27 18:30 - 20:00 | Worthy Brewing, 495 Northeast Bellevue Drive, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Native cultures have called the Klamath Basin home for millennium and have developed a long and intimate relationship with the native plants of the Basin for food, medicine, tools, and clothing. In this talk, Erin Rentz, Botanist with Six Rivers National Forest, will discuss a selection of culturally significant plants and the importance of management of these resources. Erin studied Botany and Ecology at San Francisco State University and has worked as a botanist for the Forest Service for the past 15 years in southern Oregon and northern California.
September 27, 2023
6:30 pm
Worthy Brewing
495 NE Bellevue Dr., Bend OR 97701
Register HERE

Meet Your Farmer at Worthy Brewing Company featuring Beef Barn
2023-09-30 18:00 - 21:00 | Worthy Brewing, 495 Northeast Bellevue Drive, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Locavore presents:
A unique dining experience crafted to connect you with the hard working men and women of Central Oregon who grow the food that nourishes and sustains us. Featured Rancher: Stephanie and Jack Samples of Beef Barn, Bend + Organically grown produce by Worthy Garden Club
495 NE Bellevue Dr, Bend, OR 97701
*All proceeds benefit Central Oregon Locavore Non 501(c)3 Profit, a portion of your ticket price is deductible to the extent of tax law

Meet Your Farmer at Worthy Brewing Company featuring Beef Barn
Saturday, September 30, 2023 6pm

Menu
Shepherd’s Pie – Beef Barn ground, peas, carrots parsnip mash
Panzanella Salad – Sparrow bakery baguette, Worthy Garden tomatoes, Field Farm greens, basil, Classic vinaigrette
Salisbury Steak – Roasted purple potato, Worthy Garden beets and carrots, mushroom demi-glaze
Peach Bourbon B.B.Q. Brisket – Green beans and truffled mac and cheese
Dessert Surprise

Sunriver Fungi Fest & Mushroom Show
2023-10-07 10:00 - 15:00 | Sunriver Nature Center & Oregon Observatory, 57245 River Rd, Sunriver, OR, 97707, United States
Celebrate the fantastic world of fungi
with the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory and the Central Oregon Mushroom Club
Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory
Saturday, October 7, 2023 – 10am-3pm
Coming October 7th from 10 am 3 pm join us as we celebrate our 7th annual Fungi Fest and Mushroom Show!
This incredible event takes place at the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory and features Central Oregon’s only Mushroom Show, with hundreds of species on display. Tickets will be on sale at the event and the price of admission also includes access to a full schedule of lectures, mushroom workshops, activities and more!
Specialty vendors featuring fungi-themed products will be on-site selling everything from t-shirts to grow-your-own kits and fresh forest mushrooms.
Be sure and check out our webpage, which will continue to be updated as we add new information!
https://fungifest.snco.org/
Tickets

Purchase your tickets at the event.
Admission
Adult: $15
Child (ages 4-12): $10
Child (under 4): Free
SNCO Member: $9
SROA Member: Free
COMC Member: $7

Garden Educator Network School Garden Tour
2023-10-18 16:30 - 18:00 | M. A. Lynch Elementary School, 1314 SW Kalama , Redmond, OR, 97756, United States
Let’s get together! We’ll get a tour of the school garden at MA Lynch Elementary School in Redmond from new FoodCorps Service Member Kat Rains, and you’ll hear from Redmond School District’s own FoodCorps School Nutrition Service Member, Somer Eckhert. We’ll wrap up with a group share out of one thing that you did in the garden this fall that went really well that you’d love to share with the group! There will be opportunity to discuss ideas and plans for our garden grants as well as the ODE Farm to School Education Grant, so come with your questions! Food & beverages will be provided, as well as an educator stipend and mileage reimbursement.
Please RSVP! Email denise@envirocenter.org to RSVP.

Locavore Fall Harvest Feast & Celebration
2023-10-20 18:00 - 21:00 | Cascade View Retreat Center, 14427 Alfalfa Rd, Powell Butte, OR, 97753, United States
Please join us for the 5th Annual Fall Harvest Feast & Celebration which will tickle your palate and delight your senses. We are throwing in a little extra sizzle this year and curating a Halloween bash with all the fixin’s to go down in history.
GET TICKETS HERE
Extroverts: This is your moment to shine. Bring on those costumes and accessories.
Guests will enjoy:

Stunning Cascade Range views
6-course gourmet farm-to-table feast
Curated bar, featuring local cocktails, mocktails, beer, and wine
Speak easy hidden bar
Groovy Tunes by up and coming electronic music star Rhone
Best of costume prizes
Witches Brew tea lounge by Herbal Goddess Holly Hutton
Telescope star gazing with the Little Astronomer

Menu: by Chef Brian Garza of FireFare

King Turkey Grazing Table (you will see what we mean by this)
Haunted Herbed Salad
Sparrow Baguette with Honey Cinnamon Butter
Wicked Whole Chicken by Home Farm Foods (GF)
Super Spooky Roasts and Ribs from DD Ranch, Pioneer and Mt Shasta Wild (GF)
Roasty Toasty Potatoes and Rooty Root Vegetable by Fibonacci, Boundless, and Well Rooted (V, Veg, GF)
Scary Well Rooted Pumpkin Tureen Soup (V, Veg, GF)
Apple Crumble with Eyeball flavor Eyescreem by Grey Duck (just kidding, it’s vanilla)
Surprise custom Eyescreem flavor…

COST: $105 member/ $115 non-member
*Discounts for tables and groups
Get your tickets early please so chef can plan accordingly!
All proceeds benefit Central Oregon Locavore Non Profit

Winter Community Care
2023-11-09 17:30 - 19:30 | Council on Aging of Central Oregon, 1036 NE 5th St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Embrace Bend for a heartwarming event at the Council On Aging of Central Oregon, located at Northeast 5th Street in Bend, OR, USA.
Winter Community Care is all about coming together as a community to spread warmth. We will be learning how to support people and groups during cold weather and holiday months. As you know, all sorts of groups and individuals struggle during winter whether it is due to isolation, cold weather, depression, access, or lack of financial resources. We will be learning about what the problem is for key underserved groups in our community and what the opportunities are to help with wallets, time, amplifying to networks, or other resources. There will be in opportunity to sign up to help, information about donations, and ways to keep in touch with these key organizations in the future.
This will also be in opportunity for people to come and find out what resources are available to them, so our partners will stand ready to assist. Please attend if you are seeking out assistance and we will make sure to find you the help that you need.
We are pleased to be partnering for this event with the Council on Aging. As you know, seniors are the largest growing demographic in our area and are often underserved and severely impacted by the holidays and cold weather.
Snacks and drinks will be served.
Our partners confirmed to attend:
Family Kitchen
Council on Aging
Deschutes County
Warm Springs
Neighbor Impact Energy Assistance
Thrive
RSVP is not mandatory but helps us with planning!

Bend High DECA Fundraiser: Kiss the Ground Screening and Raffle!
2024-01-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Bend High School, 230 NE 6th St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Showing: Kiss the Ground film, plus raffles, food and beverages, and merch! All ages welcome, no sign up necessary!
Fundraiser for Pilot Butte Middle School – all profits go towards implementing a composting system at Pilot Butte Middle School!
Friday, January 12 at Bend High Auditorium (230 NE 6th St)
6pm – event begins
6:30pm – film showing
$4 student ticket; $5 non-student ticket

RESCHEDULED - Garden Educator Network: Nurturing the Soil, Nurturing the Soul
2024-01-25 16:30 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
We are partnering with Shiv Shakti to bring our Garden Educator Network a free training titled “Nurturing the Soil, Nurturing the Soul”.
From Shiv: “This isn’t just a lecture; it’s a love letter to the land and the magic it holds. Imagine understanding the earth beneath your feet not just as dirt, but as a dynamic, living canvas. Learn how every scoop of soil and each seed you plant can be a step towards a greener, happier life. We’re diving deep into the roots of organic gardening, unraveling the mysteries of nature, and, most importantly, having a whole lot of fun while doing it! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious newbie with an aspiration to cultivate, this event is your chance to let your gardening dreams sprout wings (or leaves)! So, mark your calendars, bring your curiosity, and prepare to be both educated and entertained. Trust me, you’ll leave this event with more than just knowledge – you might just find yourself talking to plants (and having them talk back in their leafy language)!”
Shiv installed the greenhouse at Three Rivers School, as well as designed an educational course: “Organic Gardens: A Garden & Greenhouse Blueprint Manual for All, available online.
This event is free for our Garden Educator Network, beverages and snacks will be served.
RSVP HERE!

Happy Hour in the Garden
2024-03-05 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-03-19 16:00 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Join us in our Kansas Avenue Learning Garden for our ongoing volunteer work party series. In 2022, volunteers contributed over 200 hours to help keep our learning garden maintained over the growing season. We couldn’t do it without you!
This event is open to all ages and gardening abilities! No experience or tools required. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages are provided for all who volunteer. Each event includes seasonal ongoing tasks as well as special projects as needed throughout the growing season. Volunteers are welcome to pop in for an hour or stay the whole time. No need to RSVP or commit ahead of time. (Pro tip – put the following dates in your phone calendar now – then when it pops up you can decide if it works out for you or not!)
In 2024, Happy Hour in the Garden will once again run twice a month from March through October on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 4-6pm. This schedule throughout the extent of the growing season offers meaningful volunteer experiences for all who come, and deeper care for the garden when it needs it.

Farm to Warm Springs Fundraiser
2024-03-07 17:00 - 20:00 | Aspen Hall, 18920 NW Shevlin Park, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Around the Bend Farms for an evening filled with great local food, entertainment, and fun! We are raising funds for our current farming project, where we will be growing and providing vegetables for Warm Springs. Event attendees will enjoy a beautiful setting, nestled in the Cascades foothills adjacent to Shevlin Park. Guests will enjoy great local food, participate in auctions of local products and services, and enjoy the social and creative atmosphere. You will surely be pleased by our locally sourced, artisan food made by Central Oregon’s finest bakers and chefs. This is an event you don’t want to miss!
Ticket admission includes a full tasting menu and one beverage. GET TICKETS HERE!
LOCAL TASTING MENU with wild salmon, bison meatballs, a rainbow of roasted vegetables, leafy green salad, locally made sourdough bread, and foraged cobbler for dessert.
Do you have any food allergies that we should accommodate? Please send an email to Makena at makena@aroundthebendfarms.org with this information.

School of Ranch - Seed Start Basics
2024-03-19 17:30 - 20:30 | Redmond, Oregon
It all starts with a seed! At this hands-on workshop you’ll learn the “when”, “where”, “why” and “how” of seed starting. You’ll leave knowing how to successfully prepare for and start plants from seeds, as well as how to care for your seedlings from germination to transplanting. Each participant will go home with a personally planted seed tray to get them started! Bonus: Potluck Dinner!
3 hour workshop – $40.
Held in the Redmond area (address provided upon registration)
REGISTER HERE!
