Open to all: RWU offers shellfish farming course

BRISTOL, RI, The Bristol Phoenix - East Bay Newspapers — If you’ve been thinking about starting up a small shellfish farm, the Roger Williams University Center for Economic and Environmental Development is teaching a new 12-week course this winter.

The course will teach the basics of shellfish farming in the waters of Rhode Island and nearby Southern New England, including principles of hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations, risk management, siting, permitting and business management.

The university is enrolling students now to the non-credit course, “Practical Shellfish Farming.” Dale Leavitt, Ph.D., associate professor and aquaculture extension specialist, will teach the course at the Bristol campus.

Twelve classes are from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Jan. 11 to April 18, weather permitting. The fee for the course and all handout materials is $120. Students may attend classes on a drop-in basis at a rate of $10 per session.

To register for the course, contact Cheryl Francis at 254-3110 or cfrancis@rwu.edu or Dale Leavitt at dleavitt@rwu.edu.

Lee Ann Freitas: Bristol's Local Farmer

This article recently came out in the Bristol Warren Patch and was written by Esther Trneny. Photo by Esther Trneny. Congratulations to Lee Ann Freitas for starting a chemical free sustainable farm of her own!
"Indie growers is a small farm located in Bristol RI. All vegetables, greens, herbs and edible blossoms are grown independent of chemicals and pesticides. Sustainability and appreciation for Mother Nature are the driving force behind all they do. They strive to bring the farm to YOUR table." From the Indie Growers website: www.indiegrowers.com
 http://tinyurl.com/c33kz6z

Words from Elizabeth Warren's Mass campaign.

Sign seen in NYC

Photo by Dr.Greg Hinson, Birds in Fog, Nantucket

Bristol Harbor's Mysterious Floating Christmas tree!

 http://tinyurl.com/6sqq2m2 
Have you seen it? It usually appears for about 48 hours for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day around Windmill Point.

Why you're not married by Tracy McMillan

http://tinyurl.com/463sq9o 

This will take about 10 minutes to read but could save your marriage or encourage you to get married! Would love to hear your comments.

The RWU Barn: A lecture by the guys who made it happen

The RWU Performing Arts Center Barn: A talk by the guys who made it happen - Kevin Jordan and Bill Grandgeorge. Please click on the image once to enlarge. Event is on Thursday December 15 at the Barn at 7pm.  http://barn25.rwu.edu
or call 253 3626. FREE.

Plain food and grateful for it

If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat plain food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
then you are probably the family dog!

British Beer Company may be coming to State Street

If you are a beer drinker like I am this may be of interest to you.
There is a new business planning to open in a few months (end January at the earliest) on Bristol's State Street where the Anchor Tavern is currently located. It's called the British Beer Company and will serve beer only - over 25 kinds. It is a privately held Formula Business located mostly on Cape Cod with about 10 locations in that area. The owner, Gary Simon, said he has opened a new store every 12 - 18 months - the first one opening 14 years ago in Plymouth MA. The Bristol store will be the first in the state of RI and be very similar in size and design to the one in Plymouth.
Mr. Simon will need to go before the HDC (Thursday Dec 1) and Zoning (Monday Dec 5). At last Wednesday's Town Council (TC) meeting he received conditional approval to open in Bristol. The TC was most concerned about the entertainment license he would inherit (from Mike Ferriera) and wanted to know what the entertainment would be. Simon said that it would be sympatico with a "pub atmosphere" - low key with no rock n roll and that the music would be to 'enhance' the public experience with no amplified music - at most a guitar and singer.
Town Councilor Halsey Herreshoff noted there is something unique about the culture and spirit of an English Pub and said he was grateful this British Beer Company wanted to come to Bristol.
The entertainment license was approved on a 3 month trail basis with a final review in July. Town Solicitor Ursillo wished him well and noted he be sure to comply with the wastewater treatment ordinance.
Photo shows the Plymouth MA business.

CSP: Franklin Street Music before Illumination on Sunday

Come to support the Community String Project (CSP) and enjoy a lovely festive afternoon from 3 to 5pm before the downtown Grand Illumination. There will be hors d'oeuvres and wine, hot cider, a brief program at 4:00 with performances by young violin and viola students, a string quartet by their instructors, and tours of the stunning historic 3 story home owned by Wendella Jiskoot (restored by Mark Bosco) that has been transformed from the former American Legion Hall.
Sunday, December 4
3 - 5 pm
57 Franklin Street, Bristol RI
Look for the 6' colorful banner hanging from the front porch!
Call 253 6084 for more details.
www.communitystringproject.org

The Community String Project (CSP), a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization, began in July of 2009 with the goal of serving disadvantaged, at- risk youth in the East Bay area through an innovative, school-based music program centered on string instruments.