Feast from our Fields - Local Foods Benefit

Feast from our Fields
Women's Resource Center in Alamance County, NC

Women’s Resource Center invites you to a
Feast from Our Fields

Featuring locally-grown & raised foods
Grass-fed beef from Braeburn Farms
Pork from Cane Creek Farm
Organic Vegetables from Timberwood Organic Farms
Wine from Irongate Winery
Goat Dairy Products
Catering by Marg of Sonny’s Catering
Desserts by the Women’s Resource Center

Special guest Tony Kleese of Carolina Farm Stewardship

Come enjoy great local food at our Historic Depot located at 200 S. Main Street downtown Burlington and learn why local is so important in our global world

Saturday, October 8, 2005 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
$40 per person Casual Attire
Limited Seating Reserve today PH 336.227.6900

Chard with Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

I have been trying to acquire a taste for cooked greens in the last couple of years. Particularly rainbow chard, because it is so lovely in the garden and has such a long growing season. The first time I planted chard, it lasted through the summer, through the winter and into the following year.

This recipe, adapted from Deborah Madison's instructions in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, may have helped me reach my goal. Don't be put off by the seemingly high cost of pine nuts. A small amount packs a lot of flavor and they are very lightweight. If you buy a little at a time in bulk, it is definitely worth the money.

Chard with Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

About 12-15 large chard leaves, washed
2 T olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
several basil leaves, slivered
handful of cherry tomatoes (I used Sungolds)
1 T pine nuts
salt and pepper

Trim the stems from the chard leaves and discard (or use for another dish if you like them). Chop the leaves and boil for 5 minutes in salted water, 8 minutes for older, tougher leaves. Drain.

Heat olive oil, garlic, and basil. Add chard, whole tomatoes, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are warm and toss together well.

Serves 2-3.

A Taste of Floyd

My partner and I went to Floyd, Virginia on Saturday to a Slow Food event called "A Taste of Floyd." After tasting samples of delicious local foods and wines from Villa Appalachia and AmRhein, you could then go inside a wonderful store/gallery/cafe, Harvest Moon, and purchase the items of your choice. There was music and interesting conversation - in other words, it was a terrific event.


Foodies line up to taste farmstead cheeses from Meadow Creek Dairy and egg salad from happy hens at Copper Hill Farms.


My favorite apple was the Jonagold.

Apples from Blue Ridge Cider and Good Food, Good People may seem to have ruled the day, but there were peppers and pears from Five Penny and Mood Indigo Farms, goat cheeses from Ladybug MicroCreamery and Lotsa-Cedars, "ewe"gurt from Icelandic sheep at Sunny Hill Farm, buffalo jerky from Brush Creek Buffalo, tomato sauce, sausage, coffee, and local honey as well.

After all this, hubby was still hungry! On a great tip from Billy the Blogging Poet, we headed to Oddfella's Cantina for a late lunch. I was full from the Farmer's Appreciation Day breakfast at the Greensboro Farmer's Curb Market and apple slices and goat cheese,
so I just had a pint of Newcastle and took in the ambience of the place. Sandy had a chicken chimichanga, which was one of the best I've ever tasted.

Oddfella's states on its menu that "our ground beef and our greens are organic, and, in season, we make extensive use of local, organic growers." Everything on the menu looked wonderful.

The wooden floors, old storefront windows and doors, and lovely patio in the back added to the relaxing atmosphere. We were especially charmed that all the tables and chairs were different, many of them vintage. The owner, Rob, told us that he'd been asked why he doesn't open another Oddfella's in another town, such as Christiansburg. He said that he would not be able to furnish it in the same way because of health regulations - for example, the drop leaf table at which we were sitting would probably not pass. What a shame! This is not the first time I've felt that the government has lost sight of what is important in regulating food and food production.


A small curtained stage in the corner provides a venue for old-time, blues, jazz, classical guitar, Irish music, and other performances, such a Spoken Word event in which Floyd bloggers Fred and Colleen will participate Sunday, Sept. 18.



Add food, beer and dirt, and I'd say that pretty much adds up to everything I need. We didn't go here; that will have to wait for next time. I hope that "next time" will be soon - three hours is not enough time to savor the atmosphere of Floyd.

September 10 - a BIG Slow Food Day!

On Saturday, September 10, three great farm and food events are happening! What to do, what to do? Well, I suggest that we all get up early, eat breakfast and shop at "Farmer's Appreciation Day" at the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market. Then, either head south for Rising Meadow Farm's "Farm Fest" in Randolph County, or north to Floyd, Virginia for "A Taste of Floyd." Or, if you're a fast slow foodie, maybe you can catch all three!

Farmer's Appreciation Day, Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market
6 am-noon
The market opens at 6:00 AM with a breakfast of locally raised foods being served at 7:00 AM. Take some time this morning to hang out with others that love our farmers as well as the market. There will be information booths, live music and great fellowship! Contributors include Neese's Country Sausage, Old Mill of Guilford, Simple Kneads Bakery, Phillips Brothers Country Ham, and Alex Amoroso of Cheesecakes by Alex will be the chef. For more information, go to Epicourier.

Farm Fest at Rising Meadow Farm
All day event ($5 per person) with demonstrations, food, artisans and music. See http://www.risingmeadow.com/ for more information. (It's just down the road from Goat Lady Dairy.)

A Taste of Floyd
Floyd, Virginia
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“A Taste of Floyd” will take place on the grounds surrounding the Harvest Moon building located on Rt.8. It will feature offerings from the local farmers and store suppliers plus samples from the new Over the Moon Bakery & Coffee Shop.

Local wineries, including Villa Appalaccia, Chateau Morissette, and AmRhein, will be participating along with the area's four premier cheesemakers: Meadow Creek Dairy, Lady Bug Microcreamery, Lots-a-Cedars, and Sunny Hill Farm. Fresh artisan breads from Sweetwater Baking Co. and Austin's Fresh Bread will be available for sampling as well as fresh roasted coffees imported by the Honduras Coffee Company. Tastings from Bright's Beef and Brush Creek Buffalo, eggs from Copper Hill Farms, organic produce from Good Food-Good People, and sauces from Hooper's Specialty Foods will round out the local products available. Come spend the day exploring all the delicious tastes they have to offer, and become inspired to slow down and take time to savor the bounty of the land that surrounds you.

Tickets for the tasting are $3.00 with all proceeds going toward Slow Food. They will be raffling off two baskets stuffed with locally produced foods. All proceeds will benefit the Floyd County Food Bank. For more information please call the Harvest Moon at 540-745-4366.

Sustainability Fair at CCCC

SUSTAINABILITY FAIR
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Central Carolina Community College, Pittsboro Campus
Saturday Workshops & Exhibits (8:00 - 4:00)

Register for the workshop by 9/9/05 and save $25. Early registration for Saturday workshops $35 - price includes lunch. Walk-in registration $60.

The Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) Sustainability Fair will demonstrate and explore many areas of sustainability through Workshops & Exhibits. Exhibits on the Pittsboro CCCC Campus will feature a variety of sustainable products, processes and hands-on demos. On Saturday, also, you can register to attend a series of half-day workshops exploring sustainable practices in agriculture, building, transportation & land/water conservancy.

Attend the Saturday Workshops and you will learn:
* Sustainable Agriculture-Urban permaculture, organic compost
* Sustainable Transportation & Renewable Energy--biofuels & electric cars
* Sustainable Building--green building & natural building
* Land and Water Conservancy

Sponsored by:
* Central Carolina Community College
* Piedmont Biofuels

Who should attend the Sustainability Fair?
* Student & teachers
* Families & community members
* Renewable energy & biofuels supporters
* Farmers and gardeners
* Builders, architects, contractors & landscape architects
* Engineers
* Parks, recreation & wildlife organizations
* Land & water conservation groups
* Environmental professionals & businesses
* Local businesses, civic groups & non-profit organizations

Registration Fees:
$60 Saturday Workshops (includes lunch)
$75 Friday Tour & Saturday Workshops (includes lunch)
$25 Friday Tour only (includes lunch)
Free: General Admission is FREE to the outdoor Fair Exhibits

Exhibit Space and Sponsorship Opportunities are Available!
The cost for exhibits is $25 per booth. Event sponsorships are available
at Green $100, Blue Sky $250 & Global $2,000 levels. If your organization
is interested in this unique opportunity to advertise your services and
products, please contact our office to reserve an exhibit space or to
arrange a sponsorship.

To register for Workshops & Tour
& for more information on Exhibits & Sponsorships, contact:
Sandra McMahon, smcmahon@cccc.edu
919-542-6495 ext 224 or
Continuing Education Office at CCCC
919-542-6495 x223

http://www.cccc.edu/Sustainability/index.html

Tate is Chosen for Cheese 2005 Fair in Italy

Every two years, Slow Food International hosts a Cheese fair in the
historic town of Bra,Italy. There will be two hundred cheese vendors
from all over the world. This year, one of our own was invited by Slow
Food to participate! Steve Tate of Goat Lady Dairy is one of only five
artisan farmstead cheesemakers from the United States chosen to attend
the event. Additionally, all five chosen are from the southern U.S.,
and all are members of the American Presidium, a Slow Food organization
formed to promote and protect the production of traditional raw milk
cheeses.

Slow Food USA members received a booklet about Cheese 2005 last month.
I've copied excepts from the booklet about the event below:

"The fifth edition of 'Cheese', to be held in Bra from September 16-19,
2005, marks an important stage in the history of the event. As of this
year, in fact, it has been officially recognized as an international
fair in acknowledgment of its importance and capacity to attract the
interest and attention of exhibitors, visitors and media from all round
the world. With the support of Italian and European production
cooperatives, 'Cheese' provides a unique opportunity to taste all the
European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected
Geographical Indication (PGI) cheeses. Another important feature is
the vast number of top-quality artisan cheeses on display at the stalls
of the Market, where small producers, affineurs, cheesemakers, and
graders will all be present. Shepherds, on the other hand, will have a
whole street to themselves, and a section will also be devoted to the
cheeses of the Slow Food Italian and International Presidia.

"...The main focus at 'Cheese 2005' will be on goat cheeses, and a
special space will be dedicated to their extraordinary diversity. The
House of Goat Cheeses...will be a large-scale point of sale with
display counters featuring goat cheeses from the over 100 products on
the 'cheese list', complete with full details about origin, type, aging
and price. Cheeses will come from the major producer countries such as
France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Greece, as well as from emerging
countries such as Britain, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany.
'Guest stars' from the USA, Japan, Australia, and Cyprus will also be
making special appearances.

"Not that the House of Goat Cheeses (staffed by the cheesemakers
themselves, who will assist you in your selections) will only be a
place to shop; here it will also be possible to taste and learn.
Educational activities (guided and free tastings) and cheesemaking
demonstrations will be presented at set times, and the tasting program
will be supplemented by contributions by experts, production
technicians and the cheesemakers themselves."

The event will also include wine tastings, artisan breads, and other
food delights that pair well with cheese.

Congratulations, Steve!