GARNA’s “Our Sense of Place” a year-long program about our place in respect to the Upper Arkansas River bioregion program will continue with a lecture on the History and Future of Agriculture. Ann Ewing of the USFS Salida District will give a glimpse into historic agriculture/farming/gardening practices in Chaffee County utilizing historic photos and local statistics on local farming and agricultural practices. David Lynch of Guidestone Farms will discuss current issues of population growth, development pressures and the need to protect the agricultural resources of the Valley. He will also share information on the emergence of a local food system and the efforts of both the Central Colorado Foodshed Alliance and Guidestone to encourage local food production such as the Farmer’s Markets, the Backyard community centered agriculture project. He will also introduce Guidestone’s new Land Link initiative to link retiring farmers and absentee landowners with next generation farmers. The lecture will be held on Monday, September 14 at 7:00 PM at the Salida Community Center, F and 3rd Streets. The program is free but a $5.00 donation is much appreciated. For more information, please call GARNA at 719-539-5106.

Local Musicians:
Chocolate Heart
A Folk, indie, and eclectic 3 piece. Originals and obscure covers. September 23 from 7-9 at Mother’s Bistro.

What: The Colorado Snow and Avalanche Workshop (CSAW) is an annual professional development seminar presented by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. CSAW is intended for ski patrollers, avalanche forecasters, DOT and county road maintenance personnel, ski guides, search and rescue teams, avalanche instructors, students, researchers, and advanced recreationalists. The atmosphere is informal with presentations followed by an open discussion. CSAW 2009 is co-hosted by the Forest Service National Avalanche Center, the American Avalanche Association, and the Friends of the CAIC.

When are Where: October 16th at the National Minding Hall of Fame’s conference center in Leadville, Colorado. You can find directions here. The entrance to the conference center is on the north side of the building (W 10th Street).

Schedule: We have a great line up and you can find the schedule here.

Tuition: The cost to attend the workshop remains $20. You can pre-register here. You can also register at the door on the day of the workshop from 7:30-8:15am. Space is limited so please use the online registration to reserve your seat.

Accommodations: There are a variety of hotels, motels, and short-term rentals available in Leadville.

Please call the Colorado Geological Survey (303-866-2611) if you need help with the online registration or if you need additional information. You can find more information on CSAW and other education opportunities on our home page.

Pete Palmer, League of Women Voters Chaffee County member and Buena Vista resident, will speak about the Role of US Government Contractors in International Conflict Areas at the LWVCC meeting Monday, September 14, at 12:00 noon, at the United Methodist Church of Salida, located at 4th and D Streets.

The LWV business meeting begins at 11:00. The Buena Vista car pool will leave fro m the Congregational Church parking lot at 10:15. Bring a own sack lunch. Beverages will be provided.

Learn about international police missions training, monitoring, and mentoring police in post-conflict nations such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Iraq. Mr. Palmer remains employed by an international company to conduct ad hoc evaluations of police management practices at their overseas US Government contract locations.

Be a part of making democracy work. We invite all men and women of voting age to become members of our active League of Women Voters by attending this meeting. Meetings alternate between Salida and Buena Vista, with carpooling available.

Participation can help you become better informed on local, state, and national issues in today’s political universe. Call Marjie Gray at 398-8948 for more information about membership.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Visit the local LWV blog at www.lwvchaffeecounty.blogspot.com.

Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity announces:
GRAPE EXPECTATIONS WINE TASTING
Date    08-30-09
Time    5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Location    Mothers Bistro, 414 E. Main, Buena Vista
Tickets $15 at the door and at: Collegiate Peaks Bank (BV Branch), Mothers Bistro, Little Daisy Liquors (302 US Hwy. 24 N., BV). Live Music by David Tipton, Chapman Stick artist. Fun * Appetizers. Proceeds benefit CCHfH. Sponsors: Little Daisy Liquors, Mothers Bistro, Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy. SEE YOU THERE!

Have you wondered what kind of birds are in your backyard or how experienced birders so quickly identify a flying bird? This course will teach how to use a variety of observation techniques to sort out one bird from another and more about the life of birds, from extraordinary migrations to surviving at subzero temperatures. Standard birder tools will be reviewed including binoculars and field guides. A follow-up fieldtrip will test new skills. The instructor is Andrew Mackie, Executive Director of the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas and experienced birder. He began watching birds at the age of eleven and has traveled throughout the US and abroad in search of birds. Andrew was with the National Audubon Society for 15 years where he presented numerous workshops on birds and birding. Andrew has conducted bird counts and was on the Cornell field team searching for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. The first part of the course will be on Wednesday, August 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Salida Regional Library; the second part of the course is a fieldtrip on the following Saturday, August 29, 8:00 to about 11:00 AM at Sand Lake. Participants should bring binoculars and bird field guide if you have them and water/snack. The cost is $20 for GARNA members and $25 for non-members. Please pre-register be calling GARNA at 719-539-5106. There is a limit of 15 participants.

GARNA and Trout Unlimited are teaming up to offer a free class on stream ecology. Topics will include factors that make up good fish habitat, and how water quality and bug presence influence fish health. The group will collect water samples and run quality tests including pH, dissolved oxygen and hardness & alkalinity. The class will do a “kick” in the pond and river and analyze collected sediment under a microscope—learning something about the variety of insect populations. The class is on Saturday, August 15 from 8:00 to about 10:30 AM. Meet instructor Ed Eberle from Trout Unlimited at the upper parking area of Sand Lake in Salida and please bring water, a snack, and shoes that can get wet. A Habitat stamp is required for anyone under age 64 and can be purchased at the Division of Wildlife. This class is free but please pre-register by calling GARNA at 719-539-5106. Limit 15 participants.

From the BV Roastery blog:

A few years ago when my wife was working with a New Urbanism project locally, we toured through a few big cities to gain some insight that we can’t glean here in tiny Buena Vista. I recall passing several strip malls, one anchored by a Wal-Mart. This one was different. Conspicuously absent was its blue signage. This was a green “Wal-Mart” on a stucco facade and below read, “Your Neighborhood Grocery Store.” I had to do a double take and briefly contemplated the irony of gathering observations for New Urbanism and coming across this neighborhood grocery store fit snuggly on a 10-acre parcel of land. The thought passed and I have not seen any other Superstore that advertises as such.

read more here–

Get ready for some fun BV. This year the Collegiate Peaks Music Festival will cost $5 (children 12 and under are free) and will be held down at South Main. What could be better: some great music down by the river, Colorado beer and sunshine! Here is the schedule:

SCHEDULE - 2009

Friday, July 24th
6:00- 7:30 Fall Baby
8:00pm - 10:00pm Judge Roughneck

Saturday, July 25th
11:00 - 11:50 Peak Rhythms Drum Circle
11:50 - 12:50 BV High School Jazz Band
1:20 - 2:40 Spring Creek
3:00 - 4:30 Jessica Sonner
4:50 - 6:20 Kizumba
6:40 - 8:10 Angie Stevens
8:30 - 10:00 Opie Gone Bad

Sunday, July 26th
12:00 - 1:30 Silvertone Devils
1:50 - 3:20 Wendy Woo
3:20 - 4:20 Peak Rhythms Drum Circle

A tribute to MJ featuring local paddlers Katie Selby Urban, Dustin Urban and Jed Selby.