November 2011

Top 10 Producers at The Farm Table: What’s On Your Plate?
Jeff Gangemi Nov 30, 2011 Brett Menke 0 comments
The Farm Table Restaurant, which is affiliated with the Kringle Candle Company, opened several weeks ago. Chef Brent Menke can’t believe the demand he’s seen, especially for being in the small town of Bernardston, Massachusetts. “We’ve had two-hour waits for lunch,” he says. Typically, demand like that is a great thing, but Menke, who cares deeply for the quality of his ingredients and the quality of his service, is careful not to sacrifice either of those elements. Before opening The Farm Table, Menke had been chef on motorized luxury yacht Paraffin. Since only a precious few individuals had the means to afford such an experience, Menke is set on sharing his culinary expertise...
The Food & Environment Reporting Network Launches To Produce Investigative Journalism
Jeff Gangemi Nov 29, 2011 CivilEats.com 0 comments
As of November 28, there is renewed hope for agricultural and environmental journalism. With support from The 11th Hour Project, McKnight Foundation, Clarence Heller Foundation, Columbia Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Food and Environment Reporting Network (FERN) launched with the mission “to produce investigative journalism on the subjects of food, agriculture and environmental health in partnership with local and national media outlets.” Judging from the list of folks directly involved and on the editorial board, this is no fly by night operation.   Here is a link to the first piece they’ve produced, on dairy farms and water pollution.  If you are...
Farmers' Markets Less Expensive? Over 75% of U.S. Families Buy Organic?
Jeff Gangemi Nov 28, 2011 Appalachia 0 comments
There have been a number of studies recently showing that the local food movement is more than a fad. In a recent blog post called "Studies Show More Americans are Purchasing Organic," the folks at the National Young Farmers' Coalition point out two more interesting (though somewhat problematic) studies: one that attempts to counter claims that local food is "elitist" and overpriced, and another that claims that three in every four households purchase organic foods. Here are a couple of interesting claims from this piece:   First, "both produce and organic produce tended to be less expensive at farmers’ markets," while eggs and meat are cost-competitive with grocery stores when quality...
Industrial Food Companies and “Flavor Addiction”
Jeff Gangemi Nov 28, 2011 60 Minutes 1 comments
Last night, CBS’ 60 Minutes provided an inside look at Givaudan, the largest flavoring company in the world. The piece begins with a group of “super sniffers” and “super tasters” parading business casual around a fruit grove with note-filled clipboards and furrowed brows. They are seeking inspiration for new sports drinks and soda flavors that will provide a burst of flavor without lingering on the palate too long. Their goal? To chemically improve upon nature’s flavors, driving increased demand for snacks, drinks, and other foods.   The piece reminds us why television news magazines can still be relevant. The reporting is balanced, while casting a critical eye – and some much-needed...
Thanksgiving Dinner: On the Side
Sean Buchanan Nov 22, 2011 apple salad 0 comments
This is the time of year when families and friends get together to give thanks the only way that Americans can: eating ourselves into a food coma. Thanksgiving is the crown jewel of all food holidays. Its devotion to an elongated meal, fiery conversations, and memories make it enjoyable for everyone. With the head of the table reserved for Tom the Turkey, sometimes we overlook what keeps this feast imaginative and exciting:  side dishes. What better way to keep your conversation civilized than to put satisfied smiles on faces, and keep them coming back for seconds? Inspired side dishes might keep Aunt Janice from complaining about rap music or bring your 15-year-old back to the dinner...
For Thanksgiving, FoodCorps Service Member Brings the Sweet Potatoes
Sebastian Naskaris Nov 21, 2011 CIS First School Gardens 0 comments
The FoodCorps MissionGetting local food into local schools is not impossible. In fact, on November 22nd — for the first time since anyone can remember — my county school system will be serving local sweet potatoes. I am a young farmer and cook who is taking a year to serve with FoodCorps, a great new national nonprofit made up of fifty leaders who are trying to foster some much-needed change in our nation’s school food system.  One of the ways we do this is through getting local produce into our school cafeterias. Our goal is to make a big impact on the health of our nation’s kids, while making a smaller impact on the health of our nation’s environment. Side effects include stronger...
Whole Foods Local Forager Denise Breyley Names Her "Top 10" Local Producers
Jeff Gangemi Nov 18, 2011 Denise Breyley 0 comments
Denise Breyley has one of the most coveted jobs in the local food world. As Whole Foods’ Local Forager in the Pacific Northwest and a 17-year veteran of the company, it’s her job to travel around Washington, Oregon and British Columbia in search of the next great local food products to sell at Whole Foods Market.  Breyley sees it as her mission to learn about the local community, find great local producers, and bring those products into Whole Foods’ stores. But more than that, she is dedicated to making food entrepreneurs successful. “Anyone can throw a local item on their shelf. My job is to make sure people have a good shot at being successful, that their products are actually going...
Industry Lobbies to Keep Pizza a Vegetable
Remy Franklin Nov 18, 2011 Child Nutrition Act 0 comments
If you’re interested in seeing healthier food in school lunches, you probably watched eagerly as President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into law last December, and the USDA followed by announcing upgraded nutrition standards for meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program. After 15 years of stagnant school lunch policy, the Obama Administration’s efforts to promote healthy food seemed to finally be bringing about change. But if you followed the news this week, you’ve probably been seeing headlines like, “Congress says Pizza and French Fries Are Vegetables” or “At Schools, Making Pizza A Vegetable.” The articles all present pretty...
On Our Thanksgiving Tables
Kim Werner Nov 17, 2011 Connecticut 0 comments
While I used to love cooking very involved meals (not necessarily fussy, just time-consuming), with three children, a busy husband and did I mention launching a business, time is one thing that is no longer part of my daily vocabulary. For that reason, of all the upcoming holiday suppers, I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving. Simple recipes, lots of helping hands and time for cooking will define the day. Here's what each of us at FarmPlate will be serving up next week for this traditional harvest supper: Kim WernerSlow-Roasted Bailey Farms TurkeyCornbread Stuffing with Hogwash Farm Sausage, Vermont Cranberry Co. Cranberries & Killdeer Farm ChestnutsRoasted Your Farm Sweet...
Local Food Market Near $5 Billion in 2008, Expected to Top $7 Billion This Year
Jeff Gangemi Nov 16, 2011 Associated Press 0 comments
New analysis by the USDA says the local food market is bigger than previously expected — $4.8 billion in 2008. That includes “sales to intermediaries, such as local grocers and restaurants, as well as directly to consumers through farmers markets, roadside stands and the like." The real story, though, is the continued growth expected to achieve. Between 1998 and 2009, the number of farmers’ markets doubled, and growth in total sales of local food is expected to top $7 billion this year, a 46% increase between 2008 and 2011. The bulk of the new sales came from supermarkets and restaurants, and the USDA analysis didn’t include sales to schools and other institutions. Take a look at this...