Livin' in the Blurbs: Bites, Birds and Bikes

If free Northwest hazelnut-finished prosciutto sounds appealing, there are several tastings in Portland this month that have your name on them. Aaron Silverman and Morgan Brownlow of Tails & Trotters want to get their product in your mouth so you'll get excited about their sustainably raised and Food Alliance certified pigs. They'll also no doubt mention a project to open a retail store with donations from fans of their product that's being funded through Kickstarter, a micro-financing platform that allows people to pledge any amount of money to help fund a project. Check them out:

• Fri., Sept 10, 6-9 pm. Cook's Pots & Tabletops, 2807 Oak St., Eugene.
• Wed., Sept. 15, 5-7 pm. Papa Haydn, 5829 SE Milwaukie Ave.
• Wed., Sept. 22, 5-7 pm. Park Kitchen, 422 SW 8th Ave.

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There's no time like Indian summer in the Northwest. Warm days, cool nights and changing colors make it the perfect time to get outdoors, and the Backyard Bird Shop has a series of expert-guided bird walks around the metro area coming up that look fantastic. Free to anyone who calls to reserve a spot, they're great for families and individuals who want to know more about birds, habitat, bird calls and migratory habits. Offered pretty much weekly through mid-December, the next few are:

• Sept. 25: Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
• Oct. 2: Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge
• Oct. 10: Jackson Bottom State Park
• Nov. 6: Vancouver Lake

Details: Free Guided Bird Walks. 8-11 am; free with reservation. Check the website for details and more trips, or browse the GoodStuffNW calendar on the left for dates and locations.

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You can celebrate the harvest and our community in classic county fair style at an Urban Farming Expo & Bicycle Rodeo sponsored by Grand Central Bakery. Coming on Sept. 18, it will have activities for the whole family including baking and preserving contests, a judging of urban grown produce, a bicycle rodeo and a wide array of baking, cooking and urban farming seminars and demos. Novella Carpenter (left), urban farming expert and author of "Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer," will share her experiences with starting an urban farm at 11 am, with a Q&A to follow. Best of all, the modest entry fee will benefit Zenger Farm and the Community Cycling Center.

Details: Grand Central Bakery's Urban Farming Expo & Bicycle Rodeo. Sat., Sept. 18, 10 am-4 pm. Admission $5 adult; $3 child; $10 family. Grand Central Bakery, 714 N Fremont St. Phone 503-546-5311.