2012 Calls for Major Shifts!

It’s here. The year 2012 is finally upon us. It’s incredible to think that when Dandelion opened in 2006 we had no idea that the next six years would bring so many major shifts. Our first black president. Facebook and it’s instantaneous news sharing of engagements, babies being born, the party happening right now. Twitter organized revolutions by the people. New Orleans. Japan. Haiti. The massive bank fiasco. Millions of people utilizing consensus based decision making through occupation movements worldwide. A vegetable garden at the white house. A massive movement to re-localize. And a Jetson’s future turned reality with facetime on smartphones. Whoa.

In Central Florida we’ve seen massive growth in the re-localization movement: the creation of Slow Food Orlando, Ourlando Local Business Alliance, the exponential growth of Homegrown Co-op, Edible Orlando, Winter Park Harvest Festival, Audubon Park Community Market, Food Truck Bazaars, Grandma Parties, the creation of mini Main Street Districts throughout the city and mini festivals held at local businesses like never before.

At Dandelion, we’ve seen our little block transform into a haven for the open minded. Our community has welcomed the Florida School of Holistic Living, Misty Forest, Shine On Yoga, Michael Arthur Acupuncture, Urban Re-Cycle, the launch of Homegrown Co-op (now in fancy quarters on Orange Ave) along with moon circles twice monthly, the planting of the Bodhi tree, a medicinal herb garden, an edible garden, walls covered in American Clay. In our walls, dozens of people have met and fallen in love, several couples have gotten engaged, one blessed wedding and countless moments of synchronistic ah-ha moments between the amazing folks who find themselves here enjoying the delicious food and tea our tribe prepares for us.

Within our tribe, babies have been born, engagements have been proposed, hearts have been opened, dreams have been encouraged and pursued.

It is apparent to us, with enough to look back at, that the close of 2011 brings The End of The Beginning. The start-up is now established. The foundation is solid. Our community has found it’s rhythm and we know the basics of who we all are and how we are connected; what we have and what we need; when to be proactive, when to be reactive and when to leave well enough alone; where to get our needs met locally; why it is important for all of us to support local. And as a community, each of us is learning how to shift with the times by re-educating, re-skilling and re-membering that we are all here to take care of one another, to share in an atmosphere of plentitude and to co-create the “more beautiful world our hearts tell us is possible.”

Welcome to the future. 2012 is here. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are one. There is no central figure come to save us, the time of the guru is gone. We are each a leader, a teacher, a student. We are each here to do our part, we are each here to change within, to dream a new dream. Thank you for being yourself, for believing in yourself, for using your power to co-create an interdependent community that is thriving, feasting, singing, dancing and doing good work that nourishes the soul of self, family and community. We are so grateful to be in this moment out of time with each of you.

May our hearts be open at the dawn of 2012 and beyond.

Happy Holidays

We hope you are enjoying this delightful holiday weather as you make your final preparation for the holidays!

Just a quick reminder that we will be CLOSED on Christmas and CLOSING EARLY at 4pm on Christmas Eve.

Even though the cafe is closed, there will still be a moon circle on Christmas Eve in the garden if you would like to join in.

Our favorite picks for last-minute holiday idea:

• Gift certificates and Gift Baskets from Dandelion are still available at the cafe
• The Ourlando 2012 Event Calendar is also available in the cafe and features the urban sketches of Thomas Thorspecken of Analog Artist Digital World. A collectors item for the local lover in your life. One is on display in the front room of the cafe for you to check out!
• Membership to Homegrown Co-op for the new year!

And here are some cool things we’ve found to make the holidays just an itty bit more enjoyable…

• Local Listen. Hey, It’s Christmas – Put this awesome album of local orlando musicians in your iPod rotation. Totally Free Download. This is volume two featuring a majority of Florida musicians. Volume one is just as awesome, see link at bottom of page.
• Gather. Around the tree – local, u-pick Christmas trees complete with hayride, petting zoo, zip lines, kettle corn at this family farm just 35 minutes north of downtown for your last minute tree needs. Trim off the branches when you are done and cut the trunk into block sized pieces – instant present for the cool kid in your life!
• Mystical Santa. We love holiday myths and legends of all kinds and we recently discovered the Mushroom-Santa Link. Should make for delightful conversation around the yule log!
• Simplify.Too often, the holidays seem to exhaust rather than uplift us. Take the 2011 Simplify the Holidays Challenge and get a free e-book full of ideas!

With love from the entire Dandelion Tribe!

Become a Patron, Get it Delivered with Your Local Groceries!

We are pleased to announce that you may now place your order for your favorite Dandelion goods through Homegrown Local Food Co-op. We currently offer Hummus, Chili, Whirled Peas and are going to be adding our dressings and more dips and sauces in the near future. With Homegrown, you place an order online, we prepare it for you fresh in the morning and it is delivered to your home that afternoon along with other local grocery items or you can visit the Farm Store on Orange Avenue and pick some up there. We are proud to be patrons and producers for this awesome local food gem!

About Homegrown: Homegrown Local Food Cooperative exists to ensure convenient access and consistent supply of locally grown foods that are ethical, organic and sustainable in production to the communities of Central Florida. Our mission is to support the production, promotion, and distribution of these foods throughout our region. Educating the community about the products we sell, and don’t sell, is our contribution to a healthier, better informed community. Inspiring and empowering our members to grow their own organic food is our commitment to a sustainable future.

Have a Fairy Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we stand in gratitude for our all those who bring the delicious food we serve to the table. From the long line of seed savers, our rich soil, the buzzing bees, the hardworking farmers, pickers, packers and drivers to the hands of our Dandelion Tribe who transform the grains and vegetables and fruits into something delicious for you to enjoy. And, of course, to you, our patrons and friends, who make eating organic and supporting local & independent a priority.

In honor of gathering around the table with friends and family, we will be closed on Thanksgiving and closing early today at 5pm. We will reopen on Friday for normal business hours.

We wish you an abundant, safe and joyous Thanksgiving!

Click for larger view of menu

We are happy to announce a delicious dinner menu available after 6pm during Eat Local Week. Dandelion is also hosting a film about the young farming movement. Click here for trailer & information.

Local Seasonal Vegetable Medley Soup featuring Jonathan’s Farms local produce including: Squash, Zucchini, and Green Beans.
Stuffed Portobella Caps featuring Zellwood Farms Portobella Mushroom Caps stuffed and served on a bed of organic spring greens drizzled with red wine demi-glace.
served with Quinoa Pilaf featuring Organic Tempeh from Gainesville’s Tempeh Shop

Local Beverage Options
Autumn Tea Blended by Local Herbalist Dawn Gates featuring 100% organic and feature biodynamically harvested Spanish Needles from Dawn’s Enchanted Garden and
Orlando Brewing Organic Beers

Pre-Order Today

For Thanksgiving, we’ve crafted a homemade feast for your enjoyment. We use delicious organic ingredients that are completely vegan and gluten free! Our gluten-free “Feast” is pre-cooked and packaged –  just reheat and enjoy when you get to your Thanksgiving destination.

Sorry, we are not able to accept any more orders at this time. Check back for a Christmas feast in December!

The Thanksgiving Feast To-Go is vegan, gluten-free, organic and homemade.  You will get a Marsala Mushroom Nut Loaf, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Roasted Root Vegetables, Cranberry Ginger Sauce and Corn. Single serving is $14.95 or $49.95 and feeds a family of four.

We Made the Top Five! Thanks for your votes!

We must learn to invest as if food, farms and fertility mattered. We must connect investors to the places where they live, creating vital relationships and new sources of capital for small food enterprises. – Slow Money Principle #3

With your support, Dandelion placed fifth in the nation out of over 600 integrity oriented businesses. Thank you for shining the light of Orlando in front of the nation. We know that light has been seen and look forward to witnessing how local investors find new ways to connect with local food producers to help our local food movement reach critical mass and long term sustainability.

Stay tuned for more Slow Money news!

Let us celebrate the new generation of entrepreneurs, consumers and investors who are showing the way from Making A Killing to Making a Living. – SM Principal #5

This $5 Deal is fresh and delicious!!! Click here to learn more about our Stir Fresh including popular variations.
This deal is so good it can’t be combined with any other offer.

Click for photos of the nursery!

Looking for a good variety of vegetables and herbs from heirloom and organic seeds for your garden? Well, look no further! My Yard Farm has a fully stocked edible nursery on our patio with lots to choose from, and several varieties of your favorites like tomatoes & beans. Sweet Potato, Collard Greens, Tomatillo, Cucumber, Okra, Kale, Chives, Basil, Mint and SO MUCH MORE! While you are picking up some veggies, check out our own garden, in phase one of development. You can’t get more local than this!!!