Rochester Folk Art Guild Offers Up "Green" Gifts

If you're planning to do some holiday shopping and you want to keep it green this year, we've got the place for you.  The Rochester Folk Art Guild's Holiday Festival of Crafts is this weekend at the Harley School.

Many of the products they sell are "green".  Members of the Rochester Folk Art Guild work for this all year.  Crafters make everything from pottery to clothing and everything in between.

"People have trees that they want to have perpetuated.  They'll call us, we'll get the tree and make things from it. So we have wood from Bushnells Basin, University Ave in the city. We're helping old wood live on," says David Barnett.  

He  is a master woodworker. He lives at the guild, which is located in Middlesex, New York.

We visited it a few years ago for another go green story.  The focus there is on sustainability.  Many artists live on the grounds and use green practices in making their crafts.

Annie Schliffer is a master potter.  "Clay is made from the earth.  So basically the materials that we are using both stoneware and clay dug from our own pond is from the earth so instead of manufacturing something we make our own clay."

At the guild they also grow vegetables. They've been selling them at farm markets for two years and now have formed a CSA.  Which stands for community supported agriculture.

Thomas Arminio says,  "it's a way of connecting people with farms and have them be more aware of the food they are eating and what they are putting in their bodies."

People sign up and pay for the food at the beginning of the season. Then, they can pick up a box of veggies each week through the growing season. Drop off points are at the JCC and the farm in Middlesex.

Cordelia Hall says, "rather than getting a set box of produce each week and everyone gets the same, it will be more like going to a farmer's market except you already paid for your food and you get to pick what you want each week."

You'll be able to get more information on that. Plus, all of the craft items will be for sale at the show this weekend.