Late Summer Dinner at Healcrest with Grit & Grace

On September 7th 2014 at Healcrest Urban Farm located in Garfield,  Blue Collar will host its first ever participatory dinner in Pittsburgh.  The idea is simple. An all volunteer driven dinner to raise funds for groups trying to further the values of independence and hard work held so dearly by the denizens of our magnificent city. The dinner will be a three course dinner with drinks provided. Each guest will be provided 4 tokens representing 25% of their total donation. During the event each group will give an in depth performance showcasing their mission in Pittsburgh. At the end of the dinner the guests will give their tokens to the groups that they value the most. The chef for this particular dinner is chef de cuisine Curtis gamble of grit and grace and former executive chef at bread and wine in Chicago IL..

 

 

 

HEALCREST URBAN FARM – Healcrest Urban Farm  is a women-owned urban farm and social enterprise business.   Through nurturing  abandoned urban land we empower all people to reclaim, restore and sustain our collective knowledge and health.  We grow culinary and medicinal herbs, creating an oasis of wild and cultivated plants, using our platform  in the community to offer education on food, health, and healing.  We hand blend our herbs with local seasonal fruit creating supportive tea blends and delicious ice pops that we call Tea Pops, a vehicle to open everyone to the power of herbal medicine.  Healcrest is a place of healing- both the land and ourselves. 

 

 

 

 

GIRLS ROCK PGH -Girls rock pgh -Girls Rock! Pittsburgh is an empowerment program for female youths of all definitions, abilities and backgrounds. Girls Rock! Pittsburgh utilizes the process of making music to instill tools for amplifying self-confidence, creative expression, independent thinking, mutual respect and cooperation, while cultivating a supportive and inclusive community of peers and mentors. Girls Rock! Pittsburgh is committed to community awareness and social agency, fostering a network of role models for the endeavors of girls and women that promote social change amongst its diverse participants. Girls can play any kind of music they want. Creative voices of girls and women need to be amplified to create social change. Girls need positive role models and support for their creative endeavors. We can build a community where girls support each other rather than tear each other down. We can empower girls to recognize, understand, and respond to discrimination. “Girls Rock” is more than just a slogan.

 

 

HOMESTEAD BOYS CHOIR – AAMI Boys’ Choir, a positive community-based alternative, enables its members to experience the richness and excitement of creative expression. The benefits gained by the youth are discipline, confidence, motivation and the continual building of their self-esteem.  Additionally, the choir prepares members to be productive individuals allowing them to believe in themselves and their potential.  They learn the value of friendship and the importance of respecting self and others.

 

 

 

Founded in 1986, Just Harvest works in Allegheny County to change the unjust public policies that create hunger and poverty. Just Harvest is a membership-based non-profit organization that is mobilizing our community, connecting people to public benefits, and advocating for a stronger anti-poverty safety net, with the aim of economic justice for all.

 

You can register & choose your level of giving, for the

Late Summer Dinner@ Healcrest Urban Farm 

by heading to our events page 

REGISTER FOR DINNER NOW!

Healcrest TeaPops Now at East End Food Coop! Join Us THIS Sunday for a Delicious Sampling Event!

GUESS WHAT IS NOW IN THE FREEZER CASE AT THE EAST END FOOD COOP?

We are VERY excited to bring our artisanal TeaPops to the East End Food Coop! Now you can enjoy individual pops for your immediate refreshment needs, as well as, take home a variety pack of 3 different flavors.

Enjoy our Tea Favorites variety pack complete with two each Nettle Vanilla Ice, Bergamot Creme, and PGH’s favorite, Coconut Chai. Also enjoy our Summer Season Variety Pack including 2 each Cherry Calendula, Nectarine + Tulsi (holy Basil), and Cucumber Cilantro Lime. All deliciously refreshing and comforting whatever the mood or weather.

This new market is a BIG one for us! Many of us shop at, have volunteered, or been employed by the coop for years. We have a long personal relationship with the Coop and its members and it is such a pleasure and a personal achievement to experience OUR OWN products on Coop shelves.

We’re inviting all of our regular patrons to go to the Coop and make TeaPop purchases. Show your support for the Coop as they support us in our growing business!

Join us at the Coop this Sunday, August 3rd, 2014, from 11-2pm for a delicious sampling event. Come visit Meg as she shares a large variety of our mini sample pops. Enjoy!

One block around the corner of Penn & Braddock, 7516 Meade Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208 is the wonderful little market and cafe of the East End Food Coop. If you’ve never been, be sure to visit for a great collection of local and organic goods and products.

VISIT THESE OTHER GREAT RETAIL LOCATIONS

FIND TEAPOPS!

• 52nd Street Market, 601 52nd Street, Pgh, PA  15201 (LVille)

• Biddle’s Escape 401 Biddle Avenue 15221 (Regent Square)
  

• Commonplace Coffee, Penn Ave (Garfield) & Forbes Ave (Sq. Hill)
  

• East End Food Coop, Penn Ave & Braddock Ave (Point Breeze)
  

• Klavon’s Ice Cream Parlor 2801 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15222

• Sewickley Confectionery 600 Beaver Street, Sewickley, PA  15143

FIND TEAS!

• Commonplace Voluto 5467 Penn Ave  Pittsburgh, PA 15206
• Penns Corner Farm Stand Online CSA w/ Farm Stand Pick-up
• Breathless Beauty 108 Route 6 Bdg. 2 Milford, Pennsylvania 18337

We’ll Be Joining Farmers @ the Firehouse this Saturday!

The ladies of Healcrest are excited to bring you delicious Summer refreshment at a new market this weekend! We are so fortunate and grateful to have wonderful new market opportunities.

Visit Maria at Farmers @ the Firehouse for Iced Tea, TeaPops, Loose Tea, and other amazing herbal edibles. Our flavors this week are Blueberry Lemon Balm, Roasted Peach Basil, Fresh Apple Mint, and Cucumber Surprise.

We are excited to see you this Saturday in the Strip at “Pittsburgh’s first & largest mostly organic or Certified Naturally grown farmers’ market.” Read more about Farmers @ the Firehouse.

Voted Best Farmers’ Market in Pittsburgh, Edible Allegheny 2010; 100 Best Things About Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Magazine; Best Farmers’ Market, City Paper Staff Picks.

JULY :: Classes & Events at the Farm

On a small hill in Garfield, Healcrest Urban Farm is bursting with the colorful flowers of herbs in the height of summer! Our working, urban, organically run farm hosts a variety of events. Contact Michelle for booking at 615 804 0064.

Volunteering on the Farm!

Every Sunday from 11­4 join us for a volunteer day! We’ll be busy harvesting flowers, weeding, and working in our berry patch this month. Farm Tour at starts at 4pm, free for Garfield residents.

Classes & Workshops

In July we have 5 classes scheduled­ three Fermentation Classes with Natalya and two Herb Classes with Michelle! Fermentation classes will not run with fewer than 8 participants, so please register early at http://www.healcresturbanfarm.com/events.html

Salve Making Class! Monday July 7, 6­8 pm ($20)

From blooming garden to a wonderful finished product! Learn abut the therapeutic properties of different herbs and why you would chose them for your oil. We will talk
about many plants in the gardens and how to harvest them. Then we’ll harvest our own
roots and flowers to infuse our oils, discuss different techniques and turn your finished infused oils into a salve. Participants will leave with samples of products made in class. (Please register in advance so we can have enough supplies on hand)

Sauerkraut and Kimchi – Wednesday July 9, 6­8 pm ($25)

During this show, tell, an taste you will learn the foundations of making sauerkraut and kimchi. There is no one way of doing it. Come and explore the exciting possibilities that variations offer for our breakfast, lunch, and dinner plate.

Fermented Beverages – Monday July 14, 6­8 pm ($25)

This show, tell, and taste session will introduce you to the making of lightly fermented natural sodas with water kefir grains, fermented syrups to be mixed with sparkling water, and a variety of alcoholic meads.

Herbal Sleep Aids – Monday July 21, 6­8 pm ($10)

Trouble getting to sleep? Staying asleep? Bothered by sleep apnea? Or is it impossible to wake up?

Learn about different herbal approaches for addressing difficulties falling asleep all and trouble waking up. Walk through the gardens to identify common sleep aid plants and discuss how to grow and process them.

The Easy and Fun Milk Fermentations – Wednesday July 30, 6­8 pm ($25)

This session will cover the making of cultured and non­cultured butters, milk kefir,
okroshka (eastern European cold soup with milk kefir) and clabbering raw milk to make a
simple but delicious farmer’s cheese. Yum!

SUMMER HAS ARRIVED AND IT IS HOT!

So to refresh and recharge you we have Savory Strawberry Creamsicle; Cucumber Lime Mint, and returning champs Chocolate Lavender, & Fresh Apple Mint. In addition we are bringing freshly brewed Iced Tea by the cup. Try our original Tea Blends like Goddess Blend or Everyday Tea. We look forward to hosting you for volunteer days, tours, and classes. And we are always happy to see you at market.

Fermention Workshops with Cultures Lab and Natalya

Join us at Healcrest Urban Farm for Fermentation Workshops with Natalya. Natalya has been creating, studying, and experimenting with fermented foods for many seasons. This Summer SHE’S BACK to offer more exciting fermentation workshops!

Register here http://www.healcresturbanfarm.com/events.html

Spring Has Sprung at Healcrest Urban Farm!

Whew! Spring has sprung and we are seeing the evidence of that all over the farm!

The daffodils are in full bloom, the forsythia has one whole garden in a wash of yellow, the hawthorns are budding out the cutest little leaves, and our perennials are coming back from the intense winter hibernation we were all in.

Meg and Michelle have been busy tilling the ground in several gardens to get beds ready for the hundreds of plants we have started inside.  Many herblings are more delicate than vegetable starts so we’ll wait till after the last frost to plant outside.

We are orienting garden beds differently this year in one garden and are breaking ground the what we used to call “the knotweed field”.  Although it does have medicinal qualities: the knotweed root contains high amounts of resveratrol- the feel good chemical in red wine, we are striving to eradicate our pristine piece of land from this invasive creature.  Slowly, but surely.

Suzy has built a rain barrel system to catch rainwater off the roof of our shed so that we can water everything grown on the farm with water collected from the farm.

 

 

As usual, the chickens have the run of a garden during the day to dust bathe and sun themselves.

 

We will post soon about upcoming classes and volunteer days!  Here’s to spring!

IMI for The Holidays 2013!

We look forward to seeing you this weekend at The Waterfront! FRIDAY & SATURDAY
Join US for a Wonderful Local Artisan Shopping Experience
The 6th Annual Holiday Artisan I Made It Nomadic Marketplace

AND

DEC 8th – Sterling Yoga Artists Market

Night Market FUN!

We had a wonderful time vending at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Bridge Party last Friday! It was so busy, full of people, music, and of course The DUCKY!

AND we are looking forward to the Garfield Night Market this Friday! Join us for a delicious line up of food trucks, local artisans, beautiful ambiance, amidst the Garfield First Friday Gallery Crawl!

 

Come visit us for some of the last TeaPops of the season! We will also have hot tea by the cup and tea by the box!

Flavors this Week

• Apple Saucy Goddess
• Chunky Peach + Calendula
• Pear Lavender
• Plum Chai
• Peaches & Basil Cream

 

A Summer of WOW!

Thank You for Supporting Healcrest Urban Farm

This summer has been very busy with over 40 events and over 45 different flavors of TeaPops! We have loved our diverse list of markets and farm events this season and it makes us excited for next year.

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With Autumn fast approaching we are in harvest mode at the farm, as well as shifting from our cold sweet treat to our delicious herbal tea blends for market. You can find both at PGH area markets and come visit our booth at the Mother Earth News Fair Sept 20th-22nd.

Visit us this weekend at the Garfield Night Market Friday, Saturday join us at the farm for a Late Summer Soiree, then Sunday visit us at Union Station for Station to Station.

• SEP 1st – @ Weather Permitting, Shadyside Nursery
• SEP 6th – First Friday Garfield Night Market, Pittsburgh, PA
• SEP 7th – Late Summer Soiree: A Healcrest Hafla with Amun Raqs, food trucks, and dance
• SEP 8th – Station to Station at Union Station, Dwtn
• SEP 13th – PGH Abides at Bayardstown, Strip District
• SEP 15th – SUN 1:30-3:30 – Fermentation Basics with Natalya
• SEP 15th – 5pm-9pm – TBA @ Weather Permitting, Shadyside Nursery
• SEP 20th-22nd –  @Mother Earth News Fair, Seven Springs, PA
• SEP 29th, 11am-4pm – @Green Innovation Festival, Hartwood Acres, PA
• OCT 12th – Harvest Dinner and Garden Party