You know the weather is warming up when there are SO many food- and farm-related events! Check out all that's going on -- fun things as well as informative.

This week, we have two Farm Bill events in SF... One of them is TONIGHT.

This is the critical month when all the proposals for change (aka marker bills) are being reviewed for the 2007 Farm Bill. Current policy is allocating way too much to commodity crop subsidies (corn, wheat, soy, rice, cotton) and way too little to programs that actually help our food supply, environment and rural economies.

2007 is our chance to turn our food and farming system around.

Please take 1 minute....

1. Select your state from this easy email-your-congressmen site.
2. Paste this in:
   

   Please co- sponsor H.R. 2364 and sign on to Representative Solis' (D-CA) Dear Colleague letter that asks House Committee Chairman Collin Peterson for more resources to support programs that increase access to fresh and healthy foods, support family farms, promote local food systems, and protect our natural resources.

   Please shift resources out of commodity programs and invest in healthy food and conservation programs instead. Please co- sponsor the S. 1432. that was introduced by Senators Brown (D- OH) and Clinton D-NY) and sign on to Senators Brown and Feingold's Dear Colleague letter that is urging Senate Ag Committee Chairman Harkin to invest more Farm Bill resources into healthy food programs that also provide markets for small farmers.

   Or, cut and paste from a more detailed letter.

3. Pass this on to your friends and family....

Check our Farm Bill Guide for Busy/Lazy People
Go to the SF Ferry Building TONIGHT for a practical panel discussion
Go to SF's Alemany Farm on Saturday for a Farm Bill forum
Find out easy things you can do
Learn more

Monday, June 11th
Rose's Cafe and Hendry Winery invite you for a private, 4-course Summer Wine Dinner. Featuring Executive Chef Mark Gordon and Susan Ridley, Partner at Hendry Winery.

A favorite in the Cow Hollow neighborhood, Rose’s Café is a hangout for locals who flock in for Mark's delicious Italian fare created using organic local produce, fresh seafood, humanely raised meats, and free-range poultry.

Hendry Winery is a small estate winery located in southwestern Napa Valley. Their thin stony soils and moderate climate allow the production of a wide range of varietals, including Albarino, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rose, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Rose's Cafe will donate a portion of the proceeds to Om Organics online programs. Please call 415-775-2200 or email matthew@niceventures.com to reserve a seat today!

Date & Time: Monday, June 11th at 6:30pm
Location: Rose's Cafe, 2298 Union @ Steiner in SF
Cost: $110.00 per person (plus tax and tip)

The event is a walk-around tasting gala featuring two signature dishes from each chef, as well as premium wine pairings, spirits, and entertainment. The StarChefs 2007 San Francisco Rising Stars include Chef Nate Appleman of A16, Chef Jennifer Biesty of Coco500, Chef Mark Dommen of One Market, Chef James Syhabout of Plumpjack Café, Chef Mourad Lahlou of Aziza, Chef Jonah Oakden of The Blue Plate, Chef Seiji Wakabayashi of Bushi Tei, Pastry Chef Belinda Leong of Gary Danko, Pastry Chef Nicole Krasinski of Rubicon, Hotel Chef Peter Rudolph of Campton Place, Sommelier Becky Swenson of Delfina, Sommelier Michael Garcia of XYZ at the W Hotel, Bar Chef Jonny Raglin of Absinthe, Sustainability Award Chef Laurence Jossel of NOPA, and Host Chef Thomas Rimpel of Westin St. Francis. The Mentor award winner, selected personally by the San Francisco Rising Stars winners and candidates, will be announced the night of the Gala.

Date & Time: Tuesday, June 19th, 7pm-9:30pm
Location: Westin St. Francis, 335 Powell St. in SF
Cost: Om Organics Tasty Bites readers get $10 off the $95 ticket price—enter “organics10” as your code. VIP tickets are $150 and include a pre-Gala Champagne and caviar reception featuring Nicolas Feuillatte 1997 Palmes d’Or Champagne.

Check our organically-inclined Events page for more happenins as they are announced.

A Pivotal Time for What We Eat: Why the farm bill matters and how you can act now
Wed, 6/6/07; 6:30pm-8:30pm
Port Commission Hearing Room, 2nd floor of the Ferry Building, Mkt/Embarcadero in SF; Free

Spring Wine Dinner Series with Rogue Chefs: HONIG VINEYARD & WINERY
Wed, 6/7/07; 7:00pm
Honig Vineyard and Winery in Napa; $80.00 without wine; $100.00 with wine; Sales Tax and Gratuity not included.

Meet Louisiana Shrimpers and Slow Food Marin-Petaluma Who Support Them
Fri, 6/8/07; 12:00pm-2:00pm
Fish Restaurant (click link for details) in Sausalito

Chickens in San Francisco
Sat, 6/9/07; 10:00am-12:30pm
Garden for the Environment, 7th Ave at Lawton in SF; $10

Seasonal cooking demonstration and book signing ~ Eric Gower, chef and author of Breakaway Cook
Sat, 6/9/07; 11:00am
North Arcade of the Ferry Building in CUESA's Dacor teaching kitchen. in SF; Free

Farm Bill Forum at Alemany Farm
Sat, 6/9/07; 2:00pm-4:00pm
Alemany Farm, Alemany Boulevard at Ellsworth Street in SF

San Francisco's Golden Glass with Slow Food and Buy Fresh Buy Local
Sat, 6/9/07; 2:00pm-6:00pm
Fort Mason, Herbst Pavilion in SF; $50, $45 for Slow Food members

Outstanding in the Field: Live Earth Farm, Santa Cruz Mtns
Sat, 6/9/07; 4:00pm
Live Earth Farm in Corralitos; $150

Conserves-Making Class with June Taylor
Sat, 6/9/07; 9:30am-1:30pm
Still-Room, 2207 4th Street in Berkeley; $140

Benefit Dinner for The Bread Project at B Restaurant & Bar in Oakland
Sat, 6/10/07; 5:30pm
B Restaurant & Bar, 499 Ninth St. at Washington in Old Oakland; $39, excluding gratuity. Wine pairings are available for an additional $15.

Buy Fresh, Buy Local Breakfast
Sun, 6/10/07; 9:00am-12:00pm
Jack London Square Farmers Market/Broadway in Oakland; $20 adults, $5 children.

Conserves-Making Class with June Taylor
Sun, 6/10/07; 9:30am-1:30pm
Still-Room, 2207 4th Street in Berkeley; $140

Commonwealth Club: Moira Gunn -- The Five Biggest Biotech Challenges Facing America
Mon, 6/11/07; 5:30pm reception, 6:00pm program
Club office, 595 Market St., 2nd Floor in SF; Free for members, $15 for non-members

Rose's Cafe & Hendry Winery SUMMER WINE DINNER -- Benefiting Om Organics
Mon, 6/11/07; 6:30pm reception, 7:00pm dinner Rose's Cafe, 2298 Union @ Steiner in SF; $110.00 per person (plus tax and tip)

Rye Monday Mixing Contest N.012 ~ Featuring Square One Organic Vodka
Mon, 6/11/07; 7:00pm
Rye, 688 Geary St./Leavenworth in SF; Free

Easy Market Meals
Tue, 6/12/07; 11:30am-1:30pm
North Arcade of the Ferry Building in CUESA's Dacor teaching kitchen. in SF; Free

Oceanic Dinners at Oliveto Restaurant
Wed-Sat, 6/13/07-6/16/07 Oliveto, Rockridge Market Hall, 5655 College Ave. at Shafter Avenue in Oakland

Basic Organic Vegetable Gardening - Learn How to Grow Your Own Food
Sat, 6/16/07; 10:00am-1:00pm
Register to get location in Berkeley; $15 general, $10 Ecology Center members, no one turned away for lack of funds.

Vegetarian Cooking Class—Mexican and Southwestern Cuisine
Sat, 6/16/07; 10:00am-1:00pm
First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th St. at Castro in Oakland; $45 (in advance), plus $5 food/materials fee (due on day of class).

Seasonal cooking demonstration ~ Anjali Ansari of Literacy for Enviromental Justice, author of Healthy Community Cookbook
Sat, 6/16/07; 11:00am
North Arcade of the Ferry Building in CUESA's Dacor teaching kitchen. in SF; Free

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Local Organic Ice Cream
Sun, 6/17/07; 11:00am-3:00pm
Nicasio Valley Farms, ¼ mile north of Nicasio Square. in Nicasio; $15 MALT & Slow Food Marin members / $20 non-members / $8, $12 children / $55 per family of five or more

Commonwealth Club: Technology in the Kitchen: Innovation and Discovery of Modern Cuisine
Mon, 6/18/07; 6:00pm reception, 6:30pm program
Ferry Building, Port Commission Hearing Room, 1 Ferry Plaza in SF; $12 for Members, $18 for Non-Members

CEL Seminar: Rethinking School Lunch
Wed-Thu, 6/20/07-6/21/07; 8:30am-4:30am
Center for Ecoliteracy, 2528 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley; $300 total fees for tuition and breakfasts and lunches

Booksigning and Talk with Michele Simon, author of Appetite for Profit and Public Health Attorney
Wed, 6/20/07; 7:30pm
Diesel Book Store, 5433 College Avenue in Oakland; Free

Taste of the Nation: Benefit Dinner for Share Our Strength at Acme Chophouse
Thu, 6/21/07; 6:00pm reception, 7:00 seated dinner Acme Chophouse, 24 Willie Mays Pl. in SF; $250

Commonwealth Club: Nina Planck, author of Real Food
Fri, 6/22/07; 11:30am check-in, 12:00pm program, 1:00pm book-signing Club office, 595 Market St., 2nd Floor in SF; Free for Commonwealth members; $15 for Non-Members

SummerTini, annual fundraiser for the CHEFS Program
Fri, 6/22/07; 6:00pm-8:00pm
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission Street in SF; $80

Talk and book signing ~ Nina Planck, author of Real Food: What to Eat and Why
Sat, 6/23/07; 12:00pm
North Arcade of the Ferry Building in CUESA's Dacor teaching kitchen. in SF; Free

Point Reyes Books and Marin Organic Present an Evening with Paul Hawken
Sat, 6/23/07; 7:00pm sharp Toby’s Feed Barn, Main Street in Pt. Reyes Station; $25

Outstanding in the Field: Devil's Gulch Ranch - Marin County
Sun, 6/24/07; 4:00pm
Devil's Gulch Ranch in Nicasio; $180

Easy Market Meals
Tue, 6/26/07; 11:30am-1:30pm
North Arcade of the Ferry Building in CUESA's Dacor teaching kitchen. in SF; Free

Postcards from Italia: Food, Land, and Culture
Thu, 6/28/07; 7:00pm-9:00pm
Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo Ave, near Dwight Way in Berkeley; Free

Full Moon Feasts
Sat, 6/30/07 Three Stone Hearth, Addison and Bolivar Drive in Berkeley; $40 donation / $10 for kids under 12

Seasonal cooking demonstration ~ Samin Nosrat of Eccolo Restaurant
Sat, 6/30/07; 11:00am
North Arcade of the Ferry Building in CUESA's Dacor teaching kitchen. in SF; Free

Tour: Food, Fuel And Fruitful Living
Sat, 6/30/07; 9:00am-4:00pm
Various in Marin County; $35

Cooking classes: In the Kitchen with Wendy Van Wagner
Tues & Wednesdays, 6/5/07-6/27/07; 6:30pm-9:00pm
Mission District in SF, $50

Frugal Foodies Tuesday Night Dinners
Tuesdays, 6/5/07-6/26/07; 6:30pm-9:30pm
A live-work studio in Southwest Berkeley; $7/person

Even a little snack! If you use these newsletters, use our website, or simply enjoy having delicious, organic food in the Bay Area, please support our programs that serve local, organic farms and the community. Om Organics is a project of the San Francisco Foundation - Community Initiative Funds, and can only continue with the help of contributions from conscientious people like you!

Any amount is appreciated!
You can make a donation:

• via Paypal.com: to donate@omorganics.org
• by credit card: via the SFF CIF donation page
• by check: "Om Organics: Project of SFF CIF", 225 Bush St. #500, SF, CA 94104

THANK YOU!