foodperson.com

We’re on fall activity overload this month in Lawrence, Kansas, and a few events this weekend and next have to do with food and the environment. Besides the usual Saturday morning Lawrence Farmers Market, check out these events :

• The 2007 Kaw Valley Farm Tour on Saturday and Sunday, offering visitors (for $10 a carload) view and tours of some 14 area farms, from elk and bison ranches to orchard, wineries and truck farms. I’ll let you know how it goes.
• The Little Green Festival in the Big Cottonwood Forest in Burcham Park, which is supposed to “celebrate all that is good and “GREEN” in Lawrence” with music, food, and demonstrations. Haven’t heard much about it, though, so I’m not sure whether it’s really happening on Sunday or not.
• The annual Octoginta bicycle extravaganza, although it’s more recreational than environmental and, in my experience, riders see more of the pavement and other people’s behinds than of the countryside.

Next weekend has three good options:

• Rolling Prairie Farmers Alliance potluck and “farm walk and talk.” The farmers of the RPFA will play host on Oct. 13 to members for a potluck at Hoyland Farm then visits to East Stone House Creek Farm, where Paul Johnson will talk 75 minutes (yikes!) about soil fertility management using cover crops and green manures, and to Sandheron Farm.
• Home Energy Conservation Fair and Sustainable Homes Tour. This one will run all day Oct. 13 at the Lawrence Free State High School with buses taking people to see those sustainable homes.
• Kansas Land Trust’s Fun in the Flint Hills. The land trust, which preserves prairie lands through conservation easements, is hosting this event, also on Oct. 13, in the Flint Hills featuring a hayrack ride, barbecue and music and prize drawings that include art prints from my friends Ann Trusty and John Hulsey.

And those don’t even count my sister’s birthday, my neighbor’s birthday party or the sports and cultural activities. What to do? I just hope the weather is good.