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When I was a kid I was told that blooming goldenrod is a sign of fall. Now it seems to me that it blooms too early for that, but its bright yellow, late July roadside flowers could be seen as a reminder to start filling the pantry and the freezer for next winter. Winter farmers' markets and CSA shares are a great source of locally grown food in the winter, but if you want tomato sauce from your favorite farmstand tomatoes, or midwinter blueberry pancakes, now is the time to put them up.
CISA's food preservation resource page is a good place to get started. If you like learning in person, I'll be teaching a food preservation workshop at Red Fire Farm's Tomato Festival on August 27th. Watch our events page for additional food preservation classes around the Valley.
If you heat up your kitchen canning peaches or freezing green beans, treat yourself to a meal out during CISA's Restaurant Days Celebration! Forty-six Local Hero restaurants will highlight dishes featuring locally grown products on those two days.
Margaret Christie
Special Projects Director
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Local Hero special from The Wagon Wheel
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Local Hero Restaurant Days Celebration
On Tuesday, August 23rd and Wednesday, August 24th, participating Local Hero restaurants will highlight dishes featuring locally grown products. Show your support for local agriculture and great food by dining out at one of the 46 participating Local Hero restaurants. See participating restaurants and selected specials here.
On the Table: A Local Harvest Dinner and Auction to Benefit CISA
Thursday, September 15th, 2011 - 6:00 to 9:00pm
The Garden House at Look Park - Florence, MA
CISA's local harvest dinner and auction, On the Table (formerly Taste the View), is right around the corner. Only 200 tickets are available for this year's event - so be sure to get your tickets early and save your seat at the table! The evening will be filled with delicious local food provided by Localvore Catering, soulful sounds from the O-Tones and the chance to bid on local items, dinners, and weekend getaways. But best of all, we will celebrate the beauty and the bounty of our local farms with you. Thanks to our generous sponsors, 100% of your ticket price for On the Table will support the programs and initiatives of CISA. Purchase your tickets here!
Calling all Volunteers
CISA is looking for volunteers to help make On the Table a sweet success! Do you love visiting local farms and can help with food pick up? Do you have a flare for the fabulous and want to release your inner decorator? Are you handy with a knife and dying to get into the kitchen? Or perhaps you're a full blown party princess who loves working the room? We've got jobs for you! To find out more about these and many more tantalizing opportunities please contact Ann Pemberton, Volunteer Coordinator extraordinaire at volunteer@buylocalfood.org. Volunteer. It feels good.
Food Safety Information for Farmers
Ensuring the safety of the food they grow and sell is one of the fundamental responsibilities of farmers and food producers. But the alphabet soup of programs and regulations related to food safety isn't easy to navigate. We've added new information on food safety planning to the resources for farmers section of our website.
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Local Hero Restaurant Profiles
Trying to decide where to go for the Local Hero Restaurant Celebration? Remember, it's two days long-that's six meals to try! Visit our profiles of Local Hero restaurants to learn more about Paul & Elizabeth's in Northampton, Monarchs in Deerfield, and several other nearby restaurants.
Local Heroes in the News
See our "Local Heroes in the the News" webpage for news about Local Hero businesses, including a recent profile about Taproot Commons Farm in Cummington and a news update about Diemand Farm. From Plot to Plate Northampton resident Amanda Minoff has a great new blog, "From Plot to Plate: Exploring the Farms and Eateries that so Sustainably Feed Western Massachusetts." She's visited several Local Hero farms and restaurants and has stories and photos to share. |
CISA's events calendar is full of farm and food related events: workshops, farm festivals, film screenings, and lots more. Here is just a small sample of what you'll find on our website.
- Farm Bill Education Session, Friday, August 12, 10:30 a.m. to 12, UMass Amherst, Lincoln Campus Center Room 803
Want to know more about how this crucial piece of legislation affects New England farmers and consumers? Hear an overview from the New England Farmers Union. Free and open to the public; more information here. - Chilifest 2011, Saturday, August 20, 12-5pm, Stone Soup Farm, Belchertown
Stone Soup Farm presents a family friendly, free, fun, farmtastic festival, including a chili cookoff, farm tours, music, craft vendors, salsa tasting, face painting, kids games, and more! Rain date: Sunday, August 21. More information here.
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Please do not take images or content to use on your own site or project without CISA's explicit permission. Please feel free to link to our newsletter. Archives can be found at www.buylocalfood.org. |
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Email:communications@buylocalfood.org
Phone: (413) 665-7100
Website: http://www.buylocalfood.org
Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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