CT Green Scene

2nd Annual Hyper-Local Craft Brew Fest June 14th

Friday and Saturday, June 14th and 15th

 6:00 PM-9:00 PM

$35.00 to Register

21 and Up

The Armory

Somerville, MA

This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate beverage producers who pull together local ingredients to make ciders, mead, artisan beverages, and brews. This event is a huge fundraiser for the Sustainable Business Network and all of New England is encouraged to join in the fun. In addition to unlimited 2 ounce tastes tests of the locally brewed and cultivated beverages, people are welcome to taste tests of locally produced food from local companies such as Taza Chocolates and Valicenti Organico. Local ingredients from cranberries to hops will be presented by experts in the beverage industry. Moreover, for the first time ever, there will be a presentation of a hyper-local home brew showcase that will celebrate home brewing and brewing with locally grown ingredients, an experience that will encourage local brewers in the New England region by showing them the resources that are available to them. This event runs in three different sessions that can be mixed and matched at will during registration. Any over the age of 21 is encouraged to register for what is sure to be an exciting and enlightening experience. 

An Overview of the Sessions

Session I: Hyper-Local Home Brew Showcase Night & Brewfest

Friday, June 14, 2013, 6:30 - 9:30pm

Session II: Hyper-Local Brewfest

Saturday, June 15, 2013, 3:00 - 6:00pm

Session III: Hyper-Local Brewfest

Saturday, June 15, 2013, 7:00 - 10:00pm

 

To register for the event and learn more information on the different sessions: http://hyperlocalbrew.eventbrite.com/

CT NOFA's 31st Annual Winter Conference

2 March 2013

8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Registration Fee Depends on Status

Wilton High School

Wilton, CT

Join the Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association as they celebrate 31 years of growing better together! There will be over fifty vendors providing fresh local food, crafts, and books as well as a raffle that includes offerings such as a basket of gardening supplies. Lunch will be Included for an extra fee, but it is worth the price. During the lunch break, attendees have the opportunity to taste delicious local flavors concocted by chefs involved in Fairfield County's farm-to-restaurant program. The New Connecticut Farming alliance will also meet during this time to discuss news and share information. 

    Guests may select from a wide variety of workshops to attend. There is no need to register for your desired workshop, you may simply show up at the allotted classroom. A program will be handed out to you upon registration that looks exactly like the link provided above. Parents and families are welcome to participate in children's workshops as well. There will also be a screenings of the GMO documentary "Genetic Roulette" throughout the afternoon, where Elaine Titus of GMO Free CT and GMO Free Moms will be available to answer any questions. 

Schedule for the Day                                                               Registration Fees

8:30-9:30 : Registration (pre-register at this link)                  Non-Member:      $60
9:30-10:45: Workshop I                                                          Member:           $50
11:00-12:30: Opening announcements and Keynote               Student/Senior:    $35
12:30-2:00: Lunch                                                                  Children:           FREE
2:15: 3:30: Workshop II                                                      *Lunch is optional: an extra $15 for adults
3:45 to 5:00 ~ Workshop II                                                  and $8 for children

2013 Conference Program: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/2013%20WC%20programOPT.pdf

Register at: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/2013WC_registration.html

If you forget to register for lunch: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/winterconference_lunch_registration.html

For more Information: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/index.html

Wholesome Food Where There is None

by Eileen Weber

Wholesome Wave is at it again. With a $600,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente, they will be expanding their farmers’ market programs to eight new locations worldwide. The funding will primarily support its Double Value Coupon Program (DVCP). That program has been a major step in bringing fresh, local produce to the very people who need it most. Perhaps it goes without saying, but it’s always healthier to get your tomatoes fresh-picked from the vine than to convince yourself they can be found in a can of Chef Boyardee.

“We at Wholesome Wave are so grateful for Kaiser Permanente’s support, which is allowing us to take these next, vitally important steps towards increasing the accessibility of nutritious foods throughout America’s food-insecure communities,” said Michel Nischan, president and founder, Wholesome Wave in a recent press release. “Wholesome Wave and Kaiser Permanente have a shared mission of building a healthier future, and this generous partnership will allow Wholesome Wave to nourish neighborhoods across America.” 

Boxed Goodes

by Eileen Weber

Pamela Dunn started her own business in one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression. She couldn’t be happier about it.

“You have these little moments when you feel like a rock star,” said Dunn, founder of Boxed Goodes, a natural goods business focused on whole grains, rice, beans and spices. Dunn’s business launched last April. Since then, she has seen an increasing number of customers who are interested in how to cook with natural foods. A growing number of consumers are consciously stepping away from foods with artificial ingredients.

Dunn started out as a chef in residence in Litchfield. Because she used whole foods in her cooking, it seemed only natural to jump into this market. “I built the business to compliment the local, seasonal foods in my recipes,” she said.

And how local is her food? Everything she uses for her food demonstrations at local farmer’s markets comes directly from her CSA at Wild Carrot Farm. Deb Parker, the Store Manager at the farm, said her products have been flying off the shelves since they opened for the season in April. “We have lots of customers who don’t know what to do with the produce we sell. They’ve never tried it before,” she said. “But they use one of Pamela’s recipes and her ingredients and it’s a good tie in with the produce. “

Going Local

by Abbie Walston, founder of the Farmer’s Daughter blog

Abigail Rose Walston is mother to Joshua, wife to Ed, an environmentalist, teacher, and blogger. She was raised on her family’s 300 year old farm in Connecticut, where she learned to love animals and nature. She holds both a BS and MS in Biology and Secondary Education, and has taught Biology, Environmental Science, Botany and Forensic Science at the high school level for the last eight years. She’s adjusting to her new role as a nursing mother who also works. She supports sustainable living, shops from local farms, cooks from scratch, gardens, reads, writes, and crafts in her spare time, and blogs about it on her web site.

As part of the 12th generation on my family’s tercentennial farm in North Branford, I’ve been a supporter of Connecticut agriculture since I was a child. Now as an adult, I source food as locally as I can, from growing a victory garden to visiting farms and farmer’s markets. My family’s farm still supplies a lot of our produce, and my husband’s family raises most of our meat. But don’t worry, you don’t have to live on a farm or have agricultural roots to enjoy seasonal, locally grown foods.

Eating locally is good for your family, the local economy and the environment.  One of the best things you can do to provide healthy food for your family and connect with your food and the seasons is to start a garden.  It may be mid-July, but it’s not too late! Here in Connecticut, you can harvest cold-weather crops as late as November without any additional equipment! I’ve had success with peas, spinach, lettuces, scallions and carrots when I planted them in late August, and you can also try parsnips, broccoli, kale or radishes.  If they have a chance to start growing when it’s still hot and the days are long, their growth will slow as the days get shorter and you’ll have a great fall garden!  For garden help, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is a wealth of information and advice, from identifying insects and testing soil to tips on varieties of tomatoes to grow. You can also visit the Connecticut Community Gardening Association to learn about community gardening, if you want to start a garden but don’t have the space.

Deadline Today for Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week

Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week, a new promotion initiated by the CT Department of Agriculture's Farm-to-Chef Program, will run Sunday, September 26, 2010, through Saturday, October 2, 2010. Open to all restaurants and foodservice businesses in the state, it invites participants to create and offer a separate Farm-to-Chef menu showcasing CT Grown ingredients and CT wines.

"While many Farm-to-Chef members source locally on a regular basis, we hope this special event will entice new restaurants and businesses to give CT Grown ingredients a try. Because it is only a one-week commitment, it is an easy way for chefs to try local farm products without feeling overwhelmed," said Linda Piotrowicz, Farm-to-Chef Program Manager.

Food Miles

by Courtney Dumais

Today, the agricultural industry looks nothing like it did fifty or one hundred years ago. The changes that have taken place have revolutionized farming and have transformed it into a scientifically manipulated, outsourced process.  According to Lester Brown’s Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, the world’s grain harvest has increased from 630 million tons in 1950 to 2 billion tons in 2008, with the help of science and a growing application of chemical fertilizers.

While each advancement made since the industrial age seems justified in attempting to address growing populations and increasing demands, consequences of the current system are evident in the environment and in human health. If valid, why have such developments contributed to environmental degradation and failed to adequately nourish the world? The current global food system produces enough food to feed the nearly 7 billion people living on the planet. However, World Hunger estimates that about one–sixth or a little over 1 billion people in the world are hungry or undernourished. There is a disconnect here and it is just one of the many mysteries of the current food system.

A significant portion of today’s American diet consists of foods grown or produced in other countries. Shifts in food production have transformed a once local and delicate process into the hands of a few large corporations. Most Americans fail to consider how pineapples, oranges, and asparagus arrive in their local grocery stores in the middle of winter in New England. We have grown complacent, accustomed to the availability of all types of produce regardless of the season. 

The Collinsville Baking Company: Just...Go.

by James Simpkins

Three years of my life have been spent mixing, shaping, and baking bread. The four ingredients common to leavened breads—flour, salt, yeast and water—have near-sacred qualities to me, and the quirky, often- fervent types of people who create it hold a special place in my heart.  Artisan bakers, like great bread, are hard to find, and to be treasured when you do. In the tiny town of Pine Meadow (just “up river” from the old locale) along Route 44, you can find both.

No, ironically enough, the Collinsville Baking Company is not located in Collinsville.Quick story: I first became acquainted with the Collinsville Baking Company when my wife and I found out that we would be moving to Canton from Boston. I started looking for work and discovered that CBC (still at old location) was looking for a baker. I spoke with Gail on the phone, emailed my resume and went in a worked for a night to try things out (a common practice in cooking/baking known as a stage). I loved their products and was appreciative of the rare mixture of passion and ability that was so evident in how Gail worked. I did not end up working there (I cost a lot), but I had found the best bread between the Farmington River Valley and New York City. ANYwho…back to the current CBC...

A Blogger For Any Diet

by James Simpkins

Last week I wrote about a pizza place in Avon and no one said a word. Over the holidays I penned two articles expressing my displeasure about shopping at Discount Food Outlet in Canton; and readers are still writing in droves to expressing their displeasure about my perspective, even attacking me personally. More than one comment suggested that I leave town since I didn’t like it. I was both confronted and amused by such responses. The confrontation part is obvious, I hope—no one likes being openly despised, especially by people they are unacquainted with. Unfortunately, humans seem all too willing to express malice towards those people with opinions that do not match their own (see our current political climate). In my mind, this is akin to hating the guy next to you because you don’t like the color of his tie. Ties, like opinions can, and do, get changed. The life that wears that tie or has that opinion, however, is no less precious, and we are all hard-wired to preserve it. Fortunately that is not all us humans are born with. Laughter, they say, is the best medicine.

In another sense, I was very much amused by all the uproar realizing people’s anger was not because of an unpopular stance on abortion or gay marriage, but a grocery store. Now that is funny!!! I had no idea that people were so attached to where they bought their food. Shame on me, though, as food is always chock-full of intimate meaning for people. Lesson learned.

In the wake of the fallout from the DFO articles, this week allow me to offer a more personal piece that I hope will establish a context for what I write, and why I write it; a kind of road map to my inner gastronome.

The first item on the colloquial menu is the term “connoisseur”; this is what I consider myself in the food arena. Think of it as the “who does this guy think he is?” part of my writing. The second proffering is the usefulness of critique and analysis. While criticism nearly always gets a bad rap, I think we need critics and critical understandings of any subject, food included. As subjectivity is common to all of us, being critical can actually help us appreciate even our least favorite ideas by allowing us to see there is always another side to any story. But first, the connoisseur…

How to Green Your Thanksgiving

by Analiese Paik, Founder of the Fairfield Green Food Guide

Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating the harvest and giving thanks with friends and family for the food that sustains and nourishes us. This year I challenge you to choose at least one new way to “green” your Thanksgiving. Think of reducing your “foodprint” as a way of giving thanks to Mother Earth. Bonus Feature: A Guide to Buying Local and Sustainable Turkeys.

#1 Source locally grown foods and eat with the seasons. When we choose local, we know our “food miles” are low and our food is farm-fresh and delicious. Choosing locally-grown, seasonal foods supports family-owned farms, farm stands and farmers’ markets as well as the independent and specialty grocers that carry their products.  Keeping food dollars local supports the local economy while investing in the future of a local food shed. Additionally, many locally grown foods are not packaged at all since they are sold loose at farm stands and farmers’ markets, thereby cutting down on waste. Apples, pears, New York chestnuts so delicate they can be eaten raw, winter squash, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, turnips, honey, maple syrup and artisan cheeses are available locally because we actually still have some working family farms. Yes we have turkeys in Connecticut! Please consult the Guide to Buying Local and Sustainable Turkeys below.

#2 Choose organic whenever feasible. Agricultural practices related to growing food are significant contributors to greenhouse gases. “Food miles”, however, are not the main contributors to food chain greenhouse gases, agricultural practices are and animal agriculture is a big percentage of that. Indeed, choosing organic and other sustainably grown and produced foods over conventional is an excellent means to further reduce one’s “foodprint”. Make your holiday meal extra special this season by choosing an organic, free-range or Heritage turkey since it will surely be the most delicious turkey you have ever served. Many farms, specialty grocers, and mail order businesses sell these gourmet turkeys, but please place your order early, expect to pay a price commensurate with the quality you are receiving, and follow the cooking directions specific to your breed for optimal results. Yes we have Heritage, organic and free-range turkeys in Connecticut! Please consult the Guide to Buying Local and Sustainable Turkeys below.

#3 Don’t buy more than you’re going to cook. Stop buying fruits and vegetables in bulk if you frequently find them in your refrigerator or on your counter going bad. We think we’re doing right by our family by saving money from buying in quantity, but throwing out food is just wasteful. To avoid spoiled leftovers, portion and freeze food from your Thanksgiving meal that will not be eaten in the next few days.

Goats: Not Great Gardeners, But the Cheese Is Great

by James Simpkins

This past Sunday on route 2E about ten miles southeast of Hartford, I realized that I spend very little time in that part of the state. This was not exactly a revelation since I spend most of my time in Canton in the opposite corner, but it is rather beautiful out that way. However, I wasn’t just out for the colloquial “Sunday drive” (though I wouldn’t have minded); I was on a mission. For goat cheese. 

While attending a party in Simsbury at a colleague’s house, I met a Latin teacher named Mark. Though he insulted the French language (pronouncing it “badly spoken Latin”), which normally removes people from the Christmas card list, he quickly redeemed himself by sharing some of the goat cheese be had brought. There were four different kinds of fresh chevre on the plate—chive, herbes de Provence, black pepper, and dill—and all were delicious. When I inquired where he acquired such bon fromage, Mark further endeared himself to this gourmand when he said “we made them at our farm.”

The “we” Mark was speaking of includes his husband Paul, the main cheesemonger and their farm—already well-known to more local residents—is called Beltane Farm located in Lebanon, CT. Mark and Paul breed, raise, and milk their flock of Oberhasli and La Mancha goats twice a day to bring lucky Connecticut residents their fresh goat’s milk and cheeses. And from my own experience, the goats appear really happy to be there, too. And why shouldn’t they be?

Starbucks Wins! (Crap.)

by James Simpkins

I moved to Connecticut’s Farmington River Valley about two and a half years ago and am still looking for a good cup of coffee. Check that—an amazing cup of coffee. Spare me the Dunkin’ Donuts angle; I’m tired, and their coffee couldn’t hold a candle to what I’m talking about. Here, go to this website so you’ll have a frame of reference. Honestly, Equator Coffee is the best cup o’ joe I’ve ever had, which is backed up by them winning Roaster of the Year for 2009 in Roast Magazine to add to their growing list of accolades. To top it off, they all drive hybrids or bio-diesel, recycle everything, compost their waste, just purchased their own farm in Panama where they are sustainably growing coffee with Panamanians at the helm, AND they are owned by women.

How’s that Dunkin’ Donuts tastin’ about now?

This upper echelon of coffee is what's missing in my locale. And while it may sound over the top for some of you, once you try it, you will at least appreciate the gross difference between what Equator and DD are selling--it's like finding out your butter is margarine.

Fairfield Farmer

by Eileen Weber
 
Most people in Fairfield know Wyatt Whiteman. They just don’t know they do. He lives in an old farmhouse that dates back to 1760. He raises chickens, rabbits, ducks, and horses. He even has a tiny Dexter cow named Bridey. He grows an organic garden. He has his own beehive. And, all of this farm activity is done on one acre of land on a busy street.

But that’s not what people know Whiteman for. They know his house because of the gigantic carved pumpkins he puts out front every October. But his neighbors know him as the guy who sells them organic produce. They also know him as the guy who cooks meals over his fireplace and doesn’t use electricity periodically.

“Imagine what this was like even one generation ago, living off the land with an outhouse in back,” Whiteman said of the property he inherited from his family.

Standing tall not unlike a grizzly bear recently awakened from a long winter’s nap, he will tell you he prefers to live a simpler life from a simpler time. He remembers when life was without its technology and its gadgets. Today, however, his house comes equipped with computers and DVD players. He’s even got an above ground pool out back. “It’s for the kids,” he said of his three children, the youngest of whom is a toddler.

Old Rural, New Urban: Farm Fresh...Downtown

by James Simpkins

I grew up in suburbs, and no one ate very well there--but it wasn't a bad gig to live there. Still, great food wasn’t really an option—you just went to the grocery store and ate what they had. It turns out we had wonderful farms and plenty of freshly grown produce about the minutes from the house, but they weren’t exactly widely available. Twenty years ago, the farmers’ market of central Ohio amounted to a pick-up parked on the side of the road with its tail-gate open with bushels of corn or stacks of fresh beefsteak tomatoes in the back. The pick-ups are still parked out there during July and August, but nowadays you don’t have to cruise back roads to find farm fresh produce, you just get on the internet and find your closest farmers’ market.

Urban, especially sub-urban, places have started to see a change over the food landscape in recent years, and the in-roads of goods from the country to the city have started being not only more visible, but also more accessible. Historically, this is significant. I mean farmers have been taking their wares to market in the city since urban environments started springing up 6,000 years ago. But they faded out of view after the Industrial Revolution and the rise of our modern food distribution systems. But that’s changing, and for the rising number of urban and suburban gourmands, this can only be good news. Just look at Connecticut: Less than five years ago, we had a handful of farmers’ markets across the state—mostly nowhere convenient. As I have written before, the Collinsville farmers’ market started just a few years ago with less than five vendors. Now it is at capacity and the waiting list is long, not to mention there are more than 140 farmers’ markets across the state on every day of the week from June until October. If we take farmers’ markets as a sign of the demand for fresh food (and we do), this bodes well for getting more fresh, local food into our local supply chain. What I didn’t fully realize until the other day was that it is blurring the lines between rural and urban, farm and city, and bringing farmers into direct, personal encounters with the general public and forming mutually beneficial and sometimes exclusive relationships. (I know I won’t buy beets from anyone except Tom…a local farmer in Burlington, CT)

Cooking Through the Autumn Blues

by James Simpkins

If you’re anything like me, autumn is merely a signal that the bounty of garden love and affection is about to hibernate. Cooking in the fall climate is a little rough after summer’s spoils, but perhaps a little guidance for you fair-weather cooks out there could help you avoid despair.

1) Do NOT give up on local foods after the farmers’ markets close.

While most of the CT markets will board up in October, there are plenty of folks around who milk Mother Nature for all she’s worth, even through the “killing frost.” While you’re going to have to give up on the tomato plants (if you hadn’t composted them already), basil, cucumbers and peppers pretty soon, you can look forward to leeks, squashes, beets, and heartier greens like escarole and my favorite post-frost buddy, kale. Actually, there’s a great website I found here that you can bookmark for easy reference. Not only can it aid you amateur gardeners in harvesting as well as next spring’s plantings, but all you foodies can start scouring your region for those who already have it down pat. Turns out, it’s pretty much good sense—notice I didn’t say “common?”). Look at a Brussels sprout plant: Did you really think it was going to fold after just a couple of cold nights? Not a chance.

The Dandelion: Unlikely Gastronomy from the Suburban Jungle

by: James Simpkins

As a former chef I suspect I have fielded the question “What’s your favorite food?” more than most people, and by and large the answer is always peanut butter. It really is my favorite food and has been since I can remember. This past week I re-discovered an item that may have never been the answer to that question for anyone: dandelion greens. This much-eschewed weed and its flower (Taraxacum officinale) that you, o’ dauntless suburbanite yard-tender, have spent uncountable hours trying to get rid of, is an edible and nutritious-not to mention plentiful- food source. I can personally attest to its abundance after taking a tour of my yard this past weekend--the things are everywhere. I can also tell you that even I, o' dedicated food-guy, did not think of them as food. That is until now--but with a disclaimer that I will share later. Part of the chicory family, the soft, soothing murmur of its name is even overlooked; in old French, it was le dent-de-lion, or “the tooth of the lion”. With such a great name, something must have been lost in translation: How did this ancient yellow flower become a New World nuisance?  

Looking into the history of this lawn-loitering green I kept finding Old World style recipes: Chopped, boiled, then sautéed in olive oil; blanched, then chopped and mixed with olive oil; chopped then mixed with other greens for a salad with olive oil dressing. See a pattern? However, it turns out all the chopping and olive oil is not without merit.

A Sweet Business: Artisan Maple Syrup at Leonard's Sugarhouse

by James Simpkins

Most mornings, my idea of breakfast involves freshly ground coffee and a piece of whole wheat toast—with butter, peanut butter and strawberry preserves. Recently, however, I’ve been dreaming of waffles, pancakes and oatmeal. What these three food items have in common, aside from traditionally being eaten at breakfast, is that they are perfect vehicles for consuming maple syrup.

Like most people of Generation X, I did not grow up on real maple syrup. In fact, what we ate in my house wasn’t referred to as “maple syrup” at all, just “syrup”--those sickly sweet and wickedly cheap maple syrup substitutes. It wasn’t until after high school that I tried the real thing and realized all that I had been missing…which turned out to be between 96-100% of it.

Most commercial brand syrups contain between 0-4% maple syrup. For example, the bottle of Mrs. Butterworth’s that I found in my mother-in-law’s cupboard has not a drop of anything maple—not even artificial maple flavoring. An imposter at best, it is essentially high-fructose corn syrup with molasses and caramel coloring to give it a recognizable look. Oh, and don’t forget salt, sodium phosphate (a preservative), and the potassium hexametaphosphate. Ironically, this last ingredient is a flavor enhancer designed to reduce sodium content in food products. The unconscionable greed that generates these kinds of products, I reluctantly understand. It’s the people who knowingly and willingly buy the stuff.

In my world, ALL the responsibility rests with the consumer. Not that there aren’t horrible and treacherous folks at a company, but they simply will not make something no one buys. It’s one thing to be a 12 year-old with a sweet tooth; it’s quite another to be a parent who overlooks the ingredients clearly marked on the bottle and gives this kind of crap to their kids anyway to save a few bucks. (If this sounds harsh, you are reading it correctly.)

Enter Raymond Leonard.

Ray is the sole proprietor of Leonard’s Sugarhouse, a local maple syrup producer located on Cherry Brook Rd. (CT-179) in North Canton, CT. I had driven by the sign no less than 100 times and realized one day that I had never actually read it. I mean, I knew what it said, but it’s a little like hearing someone yell “Fore!” on the golf course and assuming it is meant for someone else. Getting hit in the head by such a whizzing white projectile is comparable to the force of recognizing the meaning of the sign: For more than two years, I had lived less than six miles from an artisan producer of maple syrup, one of my favorite foods of all time, and had never tasted a drop of it. (sigh) That all changed last Saturday morning.

Camouflague Green: The Unknown Gardener

by: James Simpkins

I like to think of myself as someone who doesn’t miss much. Not about everything, mind you, but specifically around food related issues. Of course, this doesn’t mean there is no room for improvement. On the contrary, the more I look for foodishness around Connecticut, the more I find--the more I realize how much I’ve been missing. While this week was no exception to that rule, the folks I came across are birds of a different feather. Usually, when people talk about the players in food world they are recognizable entities like Whole Foods, ideas like fair trade or organic, and brand names like Kashi, Silk or Stonyfield Farms. Others are also well-known but reside outside the realm of mass distribution, like “farmers’ markets”, “sustainable and responsible agriculture”, and “compost.” This week, I added “The Unknown Gardener” to my list of those making a difference in American gastronomy thanks to two households near North Canton. As I’ve mentioned before, this summer I’ve been driving quite a bit and have found myself looking for short-cuts wherever I can find them. Heading north from Canton, Case Street cuts off some distance between route 179 and route 219 on the way towards Granby and the airport. This wasn’t a new discovery as I’ve driven this way many times during my tenure in the Farmington River Valley. What was new to me was a certain table with fresh cut flowers that I saw a few weeks back. At first I thought this was someone who was trying to make some money by selling unsuspecting drivers whatever they could pull out of their backyard. In some ways, I was right. When I stopped being cynical about it, I realized I was looking at the front line of sustainability, the effort of individuals homes----and driving right by. So I stopped.

What I saw were four gorgeous bouquets of cut flowers, protected from the heat by the (now charming) pink umbrella overhead and sitting in fresh water from which they were certainly drinking deep. These were not only generic “flowers”, but a lovely mixture of daisies and black-eyed susans and at least five other types of blooms that I don’t know (I’m not very knowledgeable about flowers). The result is in an almost wild aesthetic that brings to mind idyllic, windless, locust-filled meadows of summer that seem to delight in their efforts in growing under the still, even encouragement of the midday sun. And they are five dollars. I am nearly sick with appreciation.

What kind of person tends their flock of flowers throughout this strange Connecticut  summer then shares them with the rest of us for pennies on the effort? I don’t know. Somewhat romantically, I don’t want to. It is enough to stop the car, leave my money on the saw-horse table and look forward to the next time I drive by. My wait isn’t long. A mile later I see another umbrella---and more flowers. I pull over again, incredulous. This time, however, the scenery is not as beautiful, but more delicious. Underneath this second umbrella I found a pile of green peppers, as well as a half-dozen or so cucumbers both proffered for fifty cents each. I don’t care for green peppers, so I left the pile undisturbed. However, the dollar I had left in my wallet proved useful and I took two cucumbers for the road. Slicing them for dinner later that evening I found them as fresh and crisp as my imagination wanted them to be. The small, white thorns (that’s what the little bumps are) were still intact on the startlingly unwaxed skin—a perfect cucumber indeed. I put my dollar in the metal box on the table and yelled a quick “thank you” to the man working up near the house. He waved and said I was welcome.  I certainly felt that way…and for a dollar. I have spent thousands and not felt the wave of satisfaction that came from eating those two cucumbers that evening.   I started to think that I was supporting these folks by putting my six dollars in their respective pots. Thinking about them again, I realize it is quite the opposite. Gardeners who will sell their wares to the rest of us are supporting others, their bodies, their health and their families just by setting up a table and an umbrella and using the honor system. How many of us can say we do that…and on the honor system?! What I like thinking about this is that the individuals and families who set up these tables, these “Unknown Gardeners”, do not think about it like this at all. The poetry of the offerings demands that the proprietors owners simply be offering unused blooms and produce on the cheap, unaware of the gift they really are. Even if they are aware, I still hope they’re making a couple hundred tax-free dollars on the side. In any case, they can have my money, and my gratitude along with it.

Holly’s Oatmeal

by James Simpkins

Did you know there is a company that makes consciously healthy, all-natural oatmeal from scratch in Torrington? Me neither.

Recently, I’ve been heading south for my day job going through Torrington to avoid dealing with Hartford traffic. I noticed a sign for Holly’s Oatmeal a few times and decided that I was, in fact, not seeing things. Located on Northside Drive, it serves as both office and residence for Holly DiMauro, founder and owner of Holly’s Oatmeal.

In November, 2006, Holly started packaging the oatmeal she had been serving at her restaurant “Holly’s Place” in Saulsbury, CT. A short while later, she sold the ‘place’ and starting creating oatmeal full time in March of 2007. Her recipes are generated from fond childhood memories. Because she couldn’t source the grains she needed anywhere else, she gets her main ingredient from Bob’s Red Mill, an all-natural grain supply in Oregon.

Take a look at Bob’s products the next time you’re at the supermarket—especially a Whole Foods. They are pure, whole grains—and you’ll pay for them, but Holly swears there is no substitute. For instance, she uses a flax meal that is guaranteed to hold its nutritional value for 12 months. And, none of the recipes have added sugar or salt. When I asked her why she was spending the money on sourcing the grains, she said, “Look, I’m going to make you something I would make and give to my family.” Not exactly spoken like a capitalist.

“I started with the ideas of healthy, convenient, and easy-to-make,” she continued. “Then I considered the money.” When I asked why she goes through all the trouble to do what she does if not for the dough, she said, “If for no other reason, it’s for the thanks that people give me. Those keep me going when I wake up sometimes and think, ‘Why do I do this again?’ It’s definitely a labor of love.”

Take the CT Grown Challenge

by Analiese Paik

In celebration of National Farmers’ Market Week, August 2-8, Connecticut’s Commissioner of Agriculture has challenged state residents to eat one locally grown food a day during the week. If you’re already a dedicated local-sustainable foodie like me, it’s a pretty low bar and I think we can easily rise to a double challenge – say two local foods a day or one food plus some local wine. But for those of us just beginning to appreciate the sheer joys of eating a farm-fresh tomato or local peach so juicy it runs down our chin, a few ideas about what to buy, where to buy it and how to serve it are in order.

1)    Pick from your own backyard. Do you have some tomatoes, fresh herbs or lettuces growing? Add them to any meal to make it a CT Grown feast.

2)    Go foraging for free food! Raspberries and blueberries are in season and you can find them in your neighbor’s backyard (ask first) or along the roadside. Just look for cars parked at weird angles on the side of the road and people hunched over with containers. Be sure to wash well before eating if picking from the roadside. Fresh blueberries and raspberries are great in cereal or added to yogurt. Beltane Farm’s goats’ milk yogurt is as good as it gets and is available at the Westport, Greenwich, and Milford farmers’ markets.

3)    Visit your local farmers’ market or farm stand and buy some veggies, fruits, eggs, dairy products, meats, seafood, bread, cheese, herbs, honey and baked goods so you’re stocked for the week. Peaches and plums are in season and can be sliced in half, lightly brushed with honey or maple syrup and grilled until warm and caramelized for a delicious but casual dessert which easily doubles as a topping for ice cream or frozen yogurt. Visit the Fairfield Green Food Guide’s Buying Guide to search for farmers’ market and farm stand locations and hours in your town.

An Argument for the “Gourmet” Fisherman

by James Simpkins

I’ve been regularly fly-fishing the Farmington River this year and loving it. The river has a huge population of trout for the catching! Fishing, particularly fly-fishing, is a fascinating sport in which one anticipates fish behavior as well as thinking about bugs and their life cycles. It’s gravy on an already easy-to-enjoy day on…er, in…the river.

I think any sport where you spend time in water and don’t get super wet is pretty neat (think SCUBA). As I was fishing the Farmington this past Friday, I realized that, along with personal pleasure, trout fishing is a fantastic addition to the Green lifestyle. Although I’m a big supporter of transforming everyday personal habits into sustainable ones, I really haven’t ever considered hunting my own food a serious part of it. But no more.

Gardening has once again become all the rage—and why not? Lots of people growing at least some of their own produce. But how many folks who have gardens are also on the river with a cooler and packing trout in ice as they catch them? I haven’t been, that’s for sure.

In the world of fishing, generally there are two types of anglers: 1) The “catch and release” fisherman who fishes for the sport of it, ‘releasing’’ each fish that is caught; 2) There are the “meat fishermen”, the guys who keep all legal sized fish for their next meal.

I have always been a “catch and release” guy, thinking that I was doing the fish a favor by letting them grow to see another day. But as a former chef and committed foodie, it bugs me a little every time. Honestly, every time I catch a trout in the river that’s big enough to eat, I think about how nice it would be smoked, broiled with roasted chestnuts, or à l’almondine with butter, pan toasted slivered almonds and flat-leaf parsley. Then I let the thing go. What is wrong with me?

The Collinsville Farmers’ Market: Taking great CARE to be local

by James Simpkins

Until recently, I thought bumper stickers were for other people. Not anymore. I’ve finally found something I don’t mind saying to--or in this case asking of--those around me. The winning sticker directly asks “Who’s your farmer?” and suggests buying Connecticut grown everything. What had me put this on my car is that I actually know my farmer!  His name is Tom and he owns and operates Hard Rain Farm in Burlington, CT. As I realized that I could answer the question, it made me consider what our fine planet might be like if we all knew who grew our food.

The resulting image made me peel off the back and slap it on the back of my Subaru.

For those of you within shouting distance of Collinsville, CT, you may consider a visit to a particularly fine Farmers’ Market and pick out a farmer (maybe two?) that you’d like to know, then buy from them. Often. Tom Sevigny (different Tom), the founder of the Canton Advocates for Responsible Expansion (C.A.R.E.) and the Collinsville Market Master would second me on this. After all, he’s the guy who started it.

I talked with Mr. Sevigny this past weekend and he told me that the Collinsville Farmers’ Market began four years ago with only three vendors. The now-thriving weekly gathering has exploded into a localvore’s Eden of fresh produce, crafts, flowers and other goods. Each Sunday from June to October brings big crowds who enjoy the festive atmosphere and scenic locale on the Farmington River. This, along with Collinsville’s other businesses like the seemingly eternal LaSalle Market and The Crown and Hammer Pub, as well as antique shops and art galleries--all within a couple hundred yards of (farmer) Tom’s snap peas.

A Local Guide to Green Food

by Eileen Weber

Looking for great places to get organic food? Try the Fairfield Green Food Guide. Founded by marketing whiz and food and wine enthusiast, Analiese Paik, the web site has taken the organic food market by the horns since its inception in January. She was even recently reviewed by Local Food Rocks.

“The green food scene,” she said, “that’s my niche.”

With an MBA and certificates from prestigious cooking and wine schools, Paik has the experience, the know-how and the drive to give consumers the organic information they’re looking for.

“There’s really no place for people to go to look for fresh food,” she said. “If consumers want to find the nearest farmers market, CSA, organic restaurant, or green event, this is a place they can go. I want to become the place consumers go to look for this information. So far, we’ve had unanimously positive feedback.”

Paik said she’s been involved in the local food movement with the Fairfield Wellness Committee and being a part of improving the nutritional profile of the school lunches. “Being a health nut myself, I wanted to know where I can buy the best food for my family.”

One Fairfield shop owner believes Paik’s web site provides a great service. “People want this food, but don’t know how to get it,” said Sue Cadwell, owner and founder of Health In A Hurry, a shop that takes an organic, vegetarian twist on “fast food”.

What's In Season CT?

by Megan DiPerri

Had any cherries or strawberries lately? Bet they don't taste half as good as they did over the summer.  Chances are you didn't grab a bad bunch at the grocery store; they're just not in season.  Knowing which fruits and vegetables are in season will reduce future disappointment and actually start saving you some money.  Best of all, seasonal produce is much more nutritional because it requires less chemicals, pesticides to produce.  They also offer one more way to support the local economy.  Who knew buying in season would taste that good!

The Connecticuit Department of Agriculture has this fantastic guide that takes all the guess work out of knowing what to buy and most importantly, when.  Next up?  Apples, cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, greens, pears, potatoes, herbs, carrots...the list goes on.  Just because we live in New England doesn't mean we're short on variety! Local farmers markets and pick your own facilities also take the guess work out of buying seasonal produce.  Ok, I agree, most of us aren't going to go pick our own fruits and vegetables once the snow comes, but that's where knowing what to buy from your local grocer comes in handy.

Spending extended time somewhere else?  The USDA offers an extensive list of local farmers markets and Field to Plate has plenty of links to help you find out what's in season and when across the entire country.  How great is that?

Beer Brewed by the Sun

If you enjoy a cold brew with your favorite meal yet want to do your part for the planet, there is a new "green" beer. The Lucky Labrador brewing company installed their solar panels in December of 2007 and began production of the Sun Beer in February of 2008. They are the first brewing company to use the sun in quite this manner. Unlike other companies like Sierra Nevada, who use the sun hitting photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, Lucky Lab's solar hot water system installed by Ra Energy , heats the brewpub's water.

Although Lucky Lab uses the sun for the brewing, they still use natural gas to create the final product. The finishing product is a light summer ale and was released in the summer of 2008.

Demand Grows for Farmers' Markets

Via CT Environmental Headlines
EVERTON BAILEY Jr.

Connecticut Post: 07/05/2008 11:23:52 PM EDT

With summer officially under way, the 2008 Connecticut Farmers Market season is yielding a bumper crop of new markets around the state — with more and more people demanding locally grown products in the face of rising food prices.

Rick Macsuga, marketing representative for the state Department of Agriculture, said there has been a significant increase in requests by towns and cities to offer farmers' markets.

"Town involvement has definitely increased over the years," he said. "Before, we would kind of have to reach out to towns in order to hold a farmers' market. But nowadays, more towns have been reaching out to us and demanding more and more farmers' markets.

"With more and more town support, it definitely makes this process a lot smoother and easier," he said.

Macsuga said 21 new farmers' markets will debut this season, bringing the total statewide to "a little over 100," with 320 farmers contributing fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and other produce. However, farmers are not the only suppliers to these markets. Fishermen, bakers and florists also participate, adding variety to the markets.

The draw of the farmers' market is "the fact that it is local," Macsuga said, "that the money spent here stays here. There is less of a carbon footprint and the food travels less miles in order to get here."

Customers at the Fairfield Farmers Market at Greenfield Hills agreed.

"I like the whole ambiance of the farmers' market," said Fairfield resident Art Beagan.

Some just want to help support hometown goods. "I like the idea of buying local, homegrown products," said P.J. Calyne, of Fairfield, who was shopping with his wife, April, and two children, Abigail and Alexandra.

Others have another agenda.

"I like the cookies," said Abigail with a giggle.

Vendors say they most enjoy the one-on-one contact when dealing with buyers of their crops.