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May 12, 2010 01:00:54
Posted By Jen at Learn Great Foods
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Posted by Ann Dougherty of Learn Great Foods.
Last month's Leopold Center workshop in Ames,
Iowa was eye-opening. I was inspired by many of the working groups’ reports, got
excited about transportation and economic research by civil engineer Omar Smadi and
economist David Swenson, respectively, and got to hear Anthony Flaccavento speak about
how the Appalachian Harvest Network feeds people and has grown in Virginia and
Tennessee. Anthony was brokering for himself and other farmers to restaurants and trying
to work with a CSA, models that worked for California and metro New York areas –
and then realized those models would not work in his rural areas, especially for the tobacco
farmers transitioning to something else.
Their network considered growing niche foods - produce
with unusual tastes, unfamiliar to local home cooks, organic produce and meats.
Instead of Niche Foods, they went with “Ordinary Food for
Ordinary Folks.” The first tagline is sexy. The second tagline is real. Their success has
meant working with local grocery stores, and investing in handling equipment - for grading,
sizing, washing – and coolers – both for taking field heat out of incoming
crops and for storing produce.
It’s true for all of us living in rural areas: We need
the best quality ordinary food for us best quality ordinary folks. See more about
Appalachian Harvest network at
images.businessweek.com. |
Categories:
farmers,
CSA,
Virginia,
Tennessee,
Omar Smadi,
David Swenson,
Leopold Center,
Ames,
Iowa,
Anthony Flaccavento,
Appalachian Harvest Network,
tobacco,
organic
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April 2, 2010 01:00:54
Posted By Jen at Learn Great Foods
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Blog entry by Ann Dougherty of Learn Great Foods. 
Just returned from an inspiring one-day Leopold
Center’s Workshop*. I met bankers, farmers, food distributors, professors,
researchers, teachers, organizers, chefs, extension staff, and more – more than 250
people spent the day discussing research and food system ideas– while working
together. Is it the caucus political system? Is that what makes Iowans able to work
together so well?
*(complete name: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Marketing
and Food Systems Initiative and Value Chair Partnerships Workshop). What I learned yesterday was directly applicable to our
new Beef FoodBook. I have struggled with how to present sustainability information about
beef production, when farmer friends are polarized in their views and definitions of what is
sustainable. The
Leopold Grass-Based Livestock Working Group gave me some answers. Their working group
includes members that fit into the spectrum of management practices, from grass-fed to
corn-finished and the spaces around and between. Everyone works and learns
together, despite their place on the continuum. Farmers are able to educate non-farmers
about the high levels of skill and experience needed to care for livestock. Conservation
groups are able to educate farmers about the benefits, financial and environmental, of
managed grazing. Big and small improvements are made in big and small operations,
and everyone benefits from civil discourse and communication. It’s a
continuum, just as all
sustainability practices are a continuum. All management practices - whether feed,
slaughtering, supplements, etc. - are brought to the table.
See more at www.valuechains.org. Look under Grass-
Based Livestock. Also check out Small Meat Processors, Pork Niche, and the other
working groups. Also inspiring was the Appalachian Sustainable
Development’s Anthony Flaccavento, and his Wendell Berry readings. Stay tuned for
tidbits from Anthony in the next blog installment.
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February 15, 2010 09:27:18
Posted By Jen at Learn Great Foods
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Learn Great Foods (and our fuel efficient truck - ha ha! It's 1/80 the size of the real one.)
has been traveling to Fruit and Veggie
Expos, farmers markets, and other conferences this winter season. Along the way we have
been encountering
many
a strange but fascinating creature, thought to be hibernating at this time, known as "the
farmer."
These said farmers have been courageously leaving their farms in search of seeds and
information
to continue their important work of feeding the world.
In all seriousness, we have been meeting lovely folks, eating lovely food, and when not
meeting
and greeting, have had our own heads buried in the production of our new Foodbook titles.
We are in the process of creating booklets on Apples, Blueberries, Beans, Garlilc,
Mushrooms,
Pumpkins, Strawberries, and Venison. Peppers is also coming up.
And, of course, we've been sampling new foods along the way. I finally tried sunchokes at a
farm-to-table restaurant in upstate NY, after reading all about the ugly, but delicious root
vegetable in
Edible - Finger Lakes. What a treat! I also visited the one and only Moosewood Cafe...do
you
know the one that came out with the cookbook in the '70s? They are located in the Dewitt
Mall in
Ithaca, NY which is a renovated brick school building. It's got a similar feel to the Village at
Grand
Traverse Commons in Traverse City, MI and is home to many shops - books, music, fabric,
vintage
items, and of course, the food co-op. The food at the Moosewood is definitely something
you
should try before you leave the world. It was amazing!
Next stops: Missouri Agritourism & Small Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Farm to School -
Setting the Table for Wellness in Northern Michigan, and the Midwest Organic Farming
Conference in WI. Hope to see you there!
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January 11, 2010 09:36:13
Posted By Jen at Learn Great Foods
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So, it's mid-January in Northern Michigan, and the temps are pretty low outside. We made
it
through the holidays, and used up every last bit of energy. It's a great
time
to hunker down, hibernate a little, and re-fuel with some good reading! Check out
these
websites:
-http://beginningfarmers.org/beginning-farmer-resources/
-http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/nutrition
-http://www.theslowcook.com/2010/01/06/local-food-in-healthy-schools-the-debate-
begins/
-http://kitchengardeners.org/
-http://www.delish.com/food/best-of-food-blogs
List inspired by MOFFA's Autumn 2009 Newsletter
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December 1, 2009 09:07:28
Posted By Jen at Learn Great Foods
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COLCANNON
This traditional Irish recipe loaded with market vegetables helps you fill your daily veggie
quota in a tasty way with its toothsome texture of creamy potato puree and crunchy
cabbage.
4-5 medium potatoes, unpeeled, cut into quarters, for mashing
1/2 cup milk, heated (more if needed)
1/2 head cabbage, sliced into 1/4" strips
1/2 red onion, sliced into 1/4" strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 slices of center-cut (lean) bacon
Boil potatoes beginning with cold salted water until fork tender. Meanwhile, fry bacon (or
emu!) in a large pan over medium heat until crispy. Remove, crumble, and reserve bacon.
Wilt the cabbage and onion in the bacon grease until softened but still slightly crunchy, 5-
10 minutes, adding garlic towards the end and stirring frequently to prevent burning.
(Deglazing the pan with a splash of your favorite vinegar is always a good idea.) Season
with salt and pepper of choice. In a large bowl, mash potatoes, adding milk, buttery salt,
and pepper to taste. Stir in bacon, cabbage and onions, and serve. Great add-ins or
toppings are melted butter, shredded cheddar, crumbled feta or blue cheese, sautéed leeks,
green onions, and parsley.
Left - Black Forest beer, Center - Colcannon, Top Right - Popcorn Soup, Bottom Right -
Salad
Recipe by Dietrich Bronner
President of Frankenmuth Farmers Market
Board Member MIFMA (MIchigan Farmers Market Association)
dbronner@chartermi.net
989 245 0806
www.frankenmuthfarmersmarket.org
www.farmersmarkets.msu.edu
Last weekend was the last of our 2009 Michigan Farmers Market Tours which took place in
Frankenmuth, MI.
Frankenmuth is a fascinating little town (where it is Christmas everywhere, all the time!) with
many tourists. I had such a nice time there, cooking with farmers market friends and
volunteers, and sampling beers from Black Forest Brew Haus. Dietrich made this dish for
dinner and paired it with the Grateful Red. Maybe this could be something you try for your
Christmas dinner.
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