Urban Patchwork 3rd Birthday Celebration

Urban Patchwork Neighborhood Farms is celebrating 3 years of transforming Austin’s food culture one neighborhood at a time. True to style, Austin’s forward thinkers will gather for an evening of food, music and revelry at the Sustain Center, Austin’s outdoor showroom of integrated sustainable living systems.

Visitors can enjoy workshops and activities, mingle with farm members and supporters, and learn how to bring UP’s specialized style of “doable” and sustainable food production to their own yards and communities.

The event will include live gardening demonstrations, a hand-crafted chicken coop raffle, live music from Sally Allen, free drinks, and a peek at Urban Patchwork’s strategic plan as it enters its fourth year.

The evening’s planned announcements are as enticing as the festivities. As they continue to build a foundation for Austin’s food future, Urban Patchwork will unveil initiatives and partnerships that have been needed in our neighborhoods and communities for years. Event attendees will get a chance to learn about these exciting community development projects and sign up to be on the cutting edge of new movements in food access and community resilience.

“Austin is at the forefront of inspiring movements that will alter the sustainability and culture of food for our city and beyond. Anyone joining us to make a difference will know they’re blazing trails for change across a whole nation”, declares Paige Hill, founder and director of Urban Patchwork.

Folks joining the festivities are encouraged to prepare as if for a picnic in the park. Bring blankets, beach umbrellas, hats, frisbees and lawn chairs, and be ready to enjoy music while watching a sunset over Austin’s historic Gateway Oaks with your whole family.

About Urban Patchwork
Urban Patchwork is an urban farming incubator bringing fresh food close to home by teaching neighbors to grow food together in their communities and set up networks to share and sell that food. In the past three years, UP’s unique, sustainable and “doable” food production and education model has grown from a single yard into a true movement in Austin’s food culture with three farm networks and CSAs serving five neighborhoods and growing. In 2012 neighbors are planning to bring UPs programming and farmer apprenticeships into Dove Springs, Hyde Park, Ridgetop, Windsor Park, and Swede Hill.

UP builds access to fresh, locally grown food for people of all income levels, ages and ranges of physical capabilities and has expanded its reach by working alongside like-minded organizations such as the Sustain Center, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, Coalition of Austin Community Gardens, Austin EcoNetwork, Sustainable Food Center, Whole Kids Culinary, Austin Permaculture Guild, and Slow Food Austin, just to name a few.

UP is featured in the current 5th anniversary issue of Edible Austin, and has been profiled in Texas Gardener Magazine, Austin Monthly, Austin American Statesman, Tribeza Magazine and on KUT. In addition, UP has partnered with local schools and small businesses to ensure that many generations of Austinites learn how fun, easy, and essential good food is. Learn more about UP at www.urbanpatchwork.org.

About The Sustain Center
The Sustain Center’s purpose is to create a demonstration showroom and information center where the community can experience and learn about a variety of integrated sustainable living systems. The Center is also an event space for green businesses, city departments, and other educational organizations to host festivals and workshop programs. This event represents the kickoff of a long-anticipated partnership between the Center and Urban Patchwork, who are both working to encourage sustainable daily choices in Central Texas. Visit www.sustaincenter.com.