10 reasons to attend the Fruity Nutty Affair

If you haven’t heard of the Victory Garden Initiative (VGI), this Saturday’s Fruity Nutty Affair will be your perfect chance to get familiar with Milwaukee’s unique community organization focused on urban gardening and sustainability.

“We bring people and resources and good ol’ fashion common sense together to help people grow their own food in Milwaukee,” said Gretchen Mead, executive director of VGI. “Growing our own food gives us access to fresh high quality veggies, reduces wastes, promotes biodiversity, builds community, and so much more.”

The Fruity Nutty Affair is the organization’s annual fundraiser, focused around their fruity nutty campaign. The campaign aims to create food forests throughout the city by planting fruit and nut trees in parks and residential areas.

This year’s fundraiser will add a twist: the Fruity Nutty Five Contest. Milwaukeeans competed for a chance to win 30 fruit and nut trees to be planted in their neighborhood by VGI volunteers, and five neighborhood winners will be announced at the event on Saturday. They will also receive free training and classes to help guide them in the growing process.

Not convinced yet? Here are the top 10 reasons why you should attend the Fruity Nutty Affair (in no particular order because all of the reasons are awesome):

1. You get to interact with a few fruity/nutty characters, who might get a little silly for your entertainment.

2. Get your fabulous photo taken in the TCD-sponsored photo booth by our own Lacy Landre.

3. Enjoy heavy appetizers catered by local vendors, including Outpost, Ball ‘n Biscuit, MKE Localicious and more.

4. The night will move right along with help from Wisconsin foodie Kyle Cherek, the host of the evening.

5. Live tunes from The BriarPickers, and a chance for some good old fashioned contra dancing.

6. You’ll get to soak in the beauty of Turner Hall, one of Milwaukee’s most iconic landmarks, and enjoy a variety of drinks from their bar.

7. Bid on a range of experiential silent auction items including a private lesson on how to brew your own beer, a mushroom hunting adventure, a compost pile set up in your own yard, and more!

8. Get fired up during the live auction and bid on trees for your own home, for your friend’s home, or for your community!

9. Leave feeling good, knowing that you contributed one of Milwaukee’s most unique organizations!

10. Proceeds will support the planting of 150 fruit and nut trees in 5 Milwaukee neighborhoods, continued Victory Garden Initiative programming, and a more sustainable future for Milwaukee!

You can buy your tickets online or at the door for $50. If you can’t make it to the event, the organization is always accepting donations.

http://www.victorygardeninitiative.org/fruitynuttyaffair