Friday, May 30th "Edge Activism"

How much do you know about how the food you eat is grown and made? Who’s controlling our seeds, soil, and in turn, the future of food? Are there sustainable alternatives to the high-tech takeover of the global food system? What can we learn from grass roots, local food movements around the world? Lisa Weasel will share insights garnered from her work over the past 5 years with small farmers, agricultural ministers, and food and farming activists in Zambia, India, Thailand and Europe as they fight to resist the incursion of genetically modified food, and cultivate and celebrate local sustainable food systems in its place. She will also discuss how citizens can be proactive in local food policy and regulatory decisions. Uncovering how politics drives consumer preference and limits our food choices, this presentation will show us how and why we need to engage directly in food politics at both the local and the global level. (More)

Art Ludwig is an ecological systems designer with 27 years full-time experience in water, wastewater systems, energy, shelter and human powered transport. His specialty is complex, integrated “systems of systems.” Art has authored numerous articles (including one on water testing procedures) as well as the books “Water Storage” “Principles of Ecological Design,” and “Create an Oasis with Greywater.” (More)

Psychedelic / Dub / Electronica twisted records

The most fantastic modern dub from West Country, UK, reclusive genius OTT...

... who’s debut album really is over the top in quality, depth and shinning brilliance. Spacey strings, chants, otherworldly noises and pertinent samples collide with his massive rub-a-dub beats and bass. OTT s music is a world to it’s own, a pure undiluted atmospheric world of swirling stoned sound and colour. Indian to Arabic to African OTT s dub’s are boundary- less and boundless in their, scope and strength. OTT’s music is a paradox of dub, not stereotypically slow heavy sounds but at once an upbeat dancey dub full of light, world chants and funky beats, while still maintaining a slow and relaxed ambient groove.OTT

Ambient / IDM / Down-tempo

A classically trained pianist and master of the art of software production. Bluetech’s love of the melodic and exquisite sense of sound design makes him one of the most ingenius producers today. Bluetech’s sound emerges from his custom-built Reaktor instruments and software based synthesisers as a primordial electro-dub alchemy. While encompassing musical touches from different parts of the globe, he presents a total blend, crossing genres and borders. Bluetech has created a label called Native State Records to release his own music and music from other artists who cross boundaries between ambient/chill and more idm/experimental sounds. Not content to stay at home, Bluetech has toured extensively and performed in Japan, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Croatia, France, Denmark, Mexico, United States, and Canada. Bluetech has released two albums on Aleph Zero Records, an internationally acclaimed chill label run by recording artist Shulman, and is currently working on a third for release in 2008. Aleph Zero brought Bluetech’s music to the attention of the international chill audience, and helped to launch his career worldwide through strong support and beautiful packaging. Stay tuned for the next chapter! Native State RecordsBluetech

Brenna Bell, ReCode PDX & TLC Farm TLC Farm