Announcements
Our Happenings page is the perfect place to start planning your holiday festivities!
Nov 8th Election Day; go to www.indianavoters.com to find your polling center, ballot questions, and registration information.
Nov 19th and 20th Holiday Magic in the Village Tree pick-up; it’s not too late to order a tree, deadline in Nov 6th! Email cvrobbins@sbcglobal.net, janeforbes01@gmail.com, call Caroline Robbins at 733.3509 or order via paypal- http://www.troop-358-zionsville.org/recycle/HolidayMagic/PayPal%20Checkout%20Page.htm.
Dec 3rd (Saturday) Annual VRA Progressive Dinner; Invitations will be out soon; contact Jill Ridge at jrhands@hotmail.com or rsvp@zvra.com to volunteer with setup/cleanup.
Dec 3rd to Feb 5th Superbowl Sports Art Exhibition in the Village; please email Chris Bucher at president@zvra.com to sign up for a few 2-3 hours shifts and become a gallery manager for a few hours!
Letter From The President
Hello Neighbors,
The October Zionsville VRA meeting at the Sullivan Munce had a packed house with everyone there to talk about all the things we are working on here in the Village, as well as have our upcoming Town Council Representative Steve Mundy in to chat with us, and to top it off we had a lengthy discussion about a proposed development at the Citgo, Stacy LaBolts, etc properties. This development could go all the way West to the corner of 4th and Sycamore, and the developers have mentioned a mixed use development with Retail and high density apartments, hundreds of apartments. This will obviously affect the Village greatly.
To learn more about this, I asked a committee of VRA members to help discuss this further and find out more. So we have asked the developer to come to Zionsville and tell us what they have in mind for that property. As you can see below, we have shared with him many of the questions that we have about this so that they can be prepared when they come to share their ideas with us. We will keep you updated with the time and venue of that meeting with an eblast, and I hope that someone from your household will be able to attend.
Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns so that we can share those with this potential developer.
Have a great Fall, and hopeful we will see you at Christmas in the Village!
Chris Bucher
I am the president of the Village Residents’ Association (“VRA”). The VRA’s membership consists of individuals who live in the Village area of Zionsville. We understand that your company may propose a retail/residential project on an approximately 20 acre parcel consisting of the Citgo, Stacy, Calico Corner and existing mobile home park properties. Needless to say, the membership of the VRA is interested in the development of this parcel given its impact on the adjacent Village neighborhood, Eagle Creek and the Eagle Creek watershed area.
We invite you to make a presentation to the VRA membership on a mutually convenient date, but definitely before any formal zoning submission. In order to make your presentation more informative, I include a list of issues and questions we would like to have addressed as a part of any presentation and preferably in writing so that we can pass this information along to those members unable to attend our meeting. Please let me know when you would be available to meet with the VRA membership. I look forward to your response.
Very truly yours,
THE VILLAGE RESIDENTS’ ASSOCATION
Chris Bucher, President
Artisans’ Fare November 18th and 19th
by Kelly Masoncup
The second Artisans’ Fare at the SullivanMunce Cultural Center is on Saturday, November 19 from 10am until 5pm. At this event, you can shop for a variety of Indiana’s finest food and drink related items. Shopping for scrumptious hostess and holiday gifts is encouraged, as well as a treat for yourself!
As you enter the SullivanMunce, booths will be set up throughout the museum where Indiana’s premier vendors have an opportunity to showcase their product. Among food and drink artisans is Burton’s Maplewood Farm of Medora which was named 2011 Food Artisan of the Year by edibleCHICAGO magazine. Others include: The Amazing Potato Chip Company, Artisano’s Oils and Spices, Boyd’s Fudge, Ghyslain Chocolatier, Hoosier Momma, LocalFolks Foods, New Day Meadery, Redwine Farms, Sapori D’Italia Inc., Sunrise Coffee Roastery, Tea’s Me Café, Two Cookin’ Sisters Specialty Food Co. Shop, Uncle Henry’s Candies, Upland Brewing Co., Valentine Hill Farm and Wildflower Ridge Honey.
In addition to food and drink, various art will be available, too. This year, during the Saturday event, there will be a number of demonstrations, including Holiday Entertaining, by Claudia Pierson of To The Last Drop, Oil and Vinegar Tasting by David Burcham of Artisano’s Oils and Spices, Tea Blending by Wayne Ashford of Tea’s Me Café, Pam Newell, painter and Jim Dupler, wood turner.
A delicious way to kick off the holiday season!
Artisans’ Fare: Saturday, November 19 from 10am to 5pm $5/person 12 years and older, at the door
Preview Party: Friday, November 18 from 6 to 8pm $50/person, by reservation
For more information call: 873-4900 or visit www.sullivanmunce.org
VRA News
Sports Art Exhibition in Zionsville!
The Z-bowl Committee is pleased to announce that starting December 3, 2012 the National Art Museum of Sport (NAMOS) will be displaying most of its permanent collection of Football themed art in the Village businesses, such as Watts Fine Art, Goodman Jewelers, and the Prudential Z’Bowl Host Office, as well as the Indianapolis Executive Airport on the North side of Zionsville..
With the strong ties that Zionsville has to the Arts, the Z-Bowl Committee contacted NAMOS to host a special exhibition of sports art for the Big Game festivities. We need volunteers to man the galleries on weekends, starting on Dec 3rd (Christmas in the Village) through the Feb 5th (Superbowl). Please email Chris Bucher president@zvra.com to sign up for a few 2-3 hours shifts and become a gallery manager for a few hours!!
Citgo property development
With all the discussion about the development of the Citgo Property, the Economic Development Commission Strategic Plan Working Group meeting will be discussing that area as well as development all along Zionsville Road. This will be done through the EDC and when there are meetings of the working group will send out an eblast with that information. The next regular EDC meeting is November 16th, 7:00 PM at the Town Hall Community Room.
Annual VRA Progressive Dinner
Invitations for the Annual VRA Progressive Dinner will be out soon but seating is limited so RSVP ASAP. This year we will be charging $5 per person to offset the cost of the main dish, drinks and supplies. Locations are being kept secret this year! If you would like to hear some of the inside scoop- volunteer! We will need people to help out with the food, prep and cleanup. We are also looking for someone to help co-chair the event with Jill Ridge. Please contact Jill at jrhands@hotmail.com or rsvp@zvra.com if you would like to help with this annual tradition.
Village Voice Arts
by Sarah Zack
(Click to zoom.)
Backyard Delights: Wild Spinach Seeds
When walking through a forest~ or any other natural place that radiates abundance~ I feel most alive. I know that I am far from alone when I write that I deeply sense the power behind and artistry within the way ‘eco~pieces’ fit so perfectly into a rich and dynamic whole. I lack an adequate description for how this harmony puts me at ease…
While enjoying the nutritionally rich ‘sparkle’ of a salad that was collected five minutes before meal time (when much of the produce at the market was grown a month ago) and curtailing grocery bills are both notable benefits of foraging~ one of the greatest treasures of collecting and eating wild foods is of a soulful and mindful nature. There is something about picking and noshing on wild plants that ‘charms in’ the most discerning of onlookers. Even folks who sport a serious disinterest in nature will toss out a dozen questions when they spot you, trail side, plucking up an ‘offensive’ weed and sticking it in your mouth. This intrigue is more than just inquisitive criticism; it is an outward expression of a deeper, more intuitive, nudging. Foraging reminds us that our food is not created in a factory or a supermarket. It is created by our Earth…and it reconnects us in a deep and sustaining way~ going far beyond the boundaries of physical nutrition. No advancement in science can make this variety of beautiful connection obsolete. While the below is about dining directly from Earth’s garden, if you have skills at reading between the lines, you’ll recognize a very sincere plea for less consumption and more self~reliance. I encourage all of us to do all that we can do to nourish ourselves, our children the planet that nourishes us all……
……dig up, dig in, ‘re~wild’ yourself…..and enjoy!!!
Wild Spinach Seeds
My enthusiasm for wild spinach (also called ‘goosefoot’ and ‘lambsquarters’…which I’ve already written about and, consequently, plan to side-step an identification recap here and now) successfully ventures past its greens. The entire plant, with each new facet and manifestation, is generous in its spread, growth and wide spectrum of nutrients. While the greens are well-known and easily accessible throughout many of the warmer months, the seeds~ which mature in late fall in an equally abundant fashion~ are much less likely to land a spot out on the table; literally and figuratively…
If you let a mess of wild spinach plants continue to grow and mature in your yard, you’ll eventually walk out to discover hundreds of thousands of seeds. Amazing! Like amaranth and quinoa, the tiny black seeds (encased in plant material) are rich in protein and contain a small amount of oil. You can cut the seed branches off (I like to wait until they are dry and brown on the plant before harvesting, but you can let them dry after cutting, as well) and save the entire dry seed branches for later use…or you can take the time to separate all of the little seeds from the branch (easiest by simply rubbing them between your palm and letting the seeds fall into a container or onto wax paper). If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can even separate all of the tiny black seeds from the surrounding chaff—which is indigestible and claimed by some to lack the same taste appeal as the black seeds, alone.
After harvesting and soaking (all seeds are more easily digested after soaking/sprouting), you can toss the seeds into smoothies and shakes…cook them into a morning porridge (in the same way that you would prepare quinoa), grind them into a more coarse meal for a different textured porridge (the whole seed doesn’t soften well when boiled whole, so grinding offers a fairly different ‘hot cereal experience’), or grind them even more finely~ flour-like consistency~ to be mixed with other flours for a variety of baked goods.
Goosefoot Gruel
Basic recipe (serves 4-6)
1 cup quinoa
¼ cup wild spinach (goosefoot) seeds
2 ½ cups water
dash of sea salt
Combine all above ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes (or until tender).
The fantastic thing about the above basic blend is that it can be easily added to for a variety of wonderful breakfast flavors…
A few fun ones to try:
• Apple Pie~ add in almonds, diced dried or fresh apples, raisins, vanilla and cinnamon
• Berry Flax~ add in 3 tablespoons of blueberries (fresh or dried), 3 tablespoons of cranberries (dried), vanilla stevia or honey to taste, top with 1-2 tablespoons of ground flax seed.
• Raisin Spice~ add in ¼ cup of raisins, vanilla stevia or honey/maple syrup (to taste), cinnamon and nutmeg (to taste).
• Maple Walnut~ add in ½ cup of chopped walnuts and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
• Peaches Cream~ cook the above seeds in seed or nut milk of choice (I enjoy using coconut or hemp milk), then add in ½ cup diced fresh peaches and cinnamon and vanilla stevia to taste.
Enjoy!!!
(The one rule, sans exception, of foraging; KNOW YOUR PLANT. While the benefits of eating wild plants are significant and very worthy~ there is no room for error. You can, and should, take all of the time that you need to get to securely know a plant before consuming it…in a way that you can comfortably and positively identify it 100% of the time.)
Carrie Ciula is a writer and educator, focusing on health and sustainability through indigenous nutrition and vibrational medicine. (Learn more at www.carrieciula.com)
Christmas in the Village
by Kelly Masoncup
Ahhh… Christmas in the Village, can you hear the sleigh bells ringing yet? Our family has always enjoyed this wonderful Zionsville tradition. We have attended this event with our family for over ten years and, even though our children’s ages currently span from teenagers to preschooler, Christmas in the Village still has something to offer everyone in the family.
From the anticipation to see Santa and Mrs. Claus, or listening to the Carolers sing songs of old, maybe take a horse drawn carriage ride through the village, and stop by all of our favorite stores and art galleries to catch up on our holiday shopping- Christmas in the Village highlights the best of Zionsville.
In years past, we have started our day with a trip to the SullivanMunce Cultural Center to see the festive gingerbread houses on display. Some years we have even entered our own quaint gingerbread creation! We would have a bowl full of warm chili in a handmade bowl to support the museum, then head over to Main Street. This year, we hope to visit Black Dog Books and listen to a story about the “Gingerbread Man”, then, decorate a gingerbread cookie with Le Dolce Vita. Later we will swing by Kogan Antiques lighting to look for a unique holiday decoration and to Ballerinas and Bruisers for a gift for the youngest of cousins. Of course, we will stop by Watts Fine Art to add some art to mom’s wish list! Afterwards, we plan to take our family out for dinner at one of Zionsville’s enjoyable restaurants. Perhaps for some fondue at G. Simone’s.
Zionsville’s Christmas in the Village brings us back to what is important about living together in a community. It allows us to celebrate the beauty of the season with our family and neighbors, young and old, by supporting our local businesses, museum and library, all in our own backyard.
There is something for everyone in the Village. I wish I could name all the businesses and restaurants and my favorite things about each one, but that would end up being an entire book! We love supporting the Village. The best advice I can give is to take the time to explore all the Village has to offer.
Hope to see you there!
For more information about the activities occurring in Zionsville during the Christmas in the Village weekend, please visit:
Zionsville Merchant Association — www.zionsvillemerchants.com
Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library – www.zionsville.lib.in.us
SullivanMunce Cultural Center – www.sullivanmunce.org
Election Day Tips
1. PLAN AHEAD Visit www.IndianaVoters.com or call 1-866-IN-1-VOTE (866-461-8683) to check your voter registration and polling place. You may also call your county clerk or county board of voter registration. Polls are open Election Day from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, prevailing local time.
2. BRING PHOTO ID A voter must provide an Indiana state government-issued or federal government-issued photo ID before casting a ballot. An Indiana Driver’s License, Indiana Photo ID card (available free of charge for voting purposes from the BMV), US Passport, or Military ID is sufficient. The ID must:
- Display the voter’s photo
- Display the voter’s name, and the name must conform to the voter’s registration record (Conform does NOT mean identical)
- Display an expiration date and be current or have expired sometime after the date of the last General Election (November 2, 2010)
3. VOTE EARLY by taking advantage of your county’s absentee voting options. Voters who qualify may vote absentee by mail or absentee by traveling board by completing the ABS-1 and returning it to your county election office.
4. PAY ATTENTION Look at the signs at your polling place for directions on how to use the voting machines, a list of your voting rights, information on provisional ballots, and instructions for filing a complaint if your rights have been violated.
5. KNOW THE LAW Every polling place is required to have facilities and voting machines accessible to elderly voters and voters with disabilities