text:
Erin Donahue -
Christina Barkanic -
Brittany Trott -
Emily Wiley -
Jessica Reilley -
Chris Raines -
Will Nichols -
Emily Reddy -
Michele Marchetti -
Michele Frank -
James Gherardi -
Kit Henshaw -
Christina and Erin -
Kim Tait -
Erin McKinney -
Steve Spanelli -
Sam Komlenic -
Katherine Taylor Grofic -
James Eisenstein -
Tony Ricci -
Laura Young -
Jamie Oberdick -
Kristin Camplese -
Harrison's Fresh + Local -
Danielle Matalonis -
Local Food Journey -
Kristine A. -
Linda Weaver -
Naomi Elle Schwartz -
Dana Stuchul -
Cara McShane -
Brittany Smith -
Jessica Illuzzi - Frosty
Jessica Paholsky -
James Sechrengost -
Brad Yeckley -
Maya Althouse -
Jordan Reabold -
Kim Chase -
Maria Bryant -
Anna Lombardo -
LacCreta Holland
All Posts by Jamie Oberdick
Food court featuring local food? Find it at the Farm Show
One of the reasons to head down to the Pennsylvania Farm Show is the food. A lot of it is from Pennsylvania sources, so it's more or less a locavore's dream: a food court full of local food.
There's a main food court in the Weis Exposition Hall and an additional food court in the Main Exposition Hall. Both of them have a rather charming town square motive. But what to get?
Well, there's plenty of choices, and no matter if you are a carnivore, a vegan, or a picky five-year-old, everyone can find something to nosh on. My personal favorites include milk shakes that are ALMOST as good as the Creamery's; maple sundaes made with real maple syrup from the Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers Council; an excellent mushroom soup made by the Pennsylvania Mushroom Growers Cooperative; and for those looking for something very healthy, a broccoli-cauliflower salad from the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association. Not only are these things tasty, the money raised by sales of the food items go to good causes.
Here's the full list of all the amazing selections:
Continue Reading: Food court featuring local food? Find it at the Farm Show
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/14, 2015 at 12:45 PM
Tags: FarmShow | food | vegetables | meat | fruit |
Local Food Notes for January 9
Here's a quick look at the local food world in Central Pennsylvania on this snowy and cold January Friday morning:
- Tomorrow the Pennsylvania Farm Show kicks off for the public and runs through Jan. 17. The Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the nation, with nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibits, but one of the biggest attractions is about the best food court you'll ever visit. It features a variety of foods prepared by various Pennsylvania farming associations using local ingredients, including their famous milk shakes.
Continue Reading: Local Food Notes for January 9
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/09, 2015 at 10:04 AM
Tags: CSA | FarmShow | fermentation | Notes |
Warm up with some online seed shopping
Any thoughts that were planted the last few weeks that we will have a warm winter this year are currently lying frozen under a coating of snow. Winter has made itself known once again here in Central Pennsylvania. While flying flakes and howling arctic winds may not put one in a spring-like mindset, you can escape via seed company websites. There, you can have a virtual spring.
But is it too soon to start seed shopping? Not at all! In fact, some seed companies sell out of interesting and rare varieties in January. The time is now to start planning and shopping for your 2015 garden.
Continue Reading: Warm up with some online seed shopping
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/07, 2015 at 10:47 AM
Six tips for a perfect New Year's Day pork and sauerkraut dinner.
Eating pork and sauerkraut for good luck on New Year's Day is a Pennsylvania tradition based on a few rather rural observations. First, you have pork because pigs root forward, while chickens and turkeys scratch backwards. Therefore, the folk logic goes, eating pork equals progress in the next year.
Then there's the sauerkraut, which symbolizes prosperity. This is because sauerkraut apparently swells as it ferments.
Whatever the reasons for eating it, pork and sauerkraut is an excellent, hearty meal for a mid-winter day. Here are six tips to help you make the best pork and sauerkraut possible:
Continue Reading: Six tips for a perfect New Year's Day pork and sauerkraut dinner.
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/30, 2014 at 09:50 AM
In memory of PASA board member Jerry Brunetti
Reprinted from an email, sent out by Brian Snyder, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture:
At a time of year already packed with emotional intensity, it can be especially hard to lose a loved one. This year all of us at PASA are greatly saddened to note the passing of our board member, good friend, mentor and inspirational leader, Jerry Brunetti, who succumbed to cancer this past Saturday, just shy of his 64th birthday.
I refuse to assert that "he lost his long battle with cancer," as we so often hear being said, because Jerry was nothing if not a winner, in this and other life struggles as well. In facing this disease so courageously over many years, he taught us by example about natural systems for healing, and how to live in general. Jerry will be greatly missed, but will forever be our teacher through the many lessons he has left behind.
Continue Reading: In memory of PASA board member Jerry Brunetti
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/26, 2014 at 01:28 PM
Head to Boalsburg Farmers Market today for holiday recipe ingredients
For your holiday dinners, it's always good to try to serve local food. While it's cold and gloomy and eating local produce is a lot harder to do than when it's sunny and summery, but the Boalsburg Farmers Market is open today from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and has some local produce options.
Melanie Rosenberger of the Boalsburg Farmers Market has shared with us two delicious side recipes to complement whatever holiday main dish you decide to make.
Continue Reading: Head to Boalsburg Farmers Market today for holiday recipe ingredients
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/23, 2014 at 09:05 AM
Tags: holiday | squash | kale | recipe | apple | cabbage | BoalsburgFarmersMarket |
Last minute local food gift ideas
Uh-oh…just realized you forgot to get someone a gift? Delayed your shopping to the last possible moment? Decided to get someone a gift as the last minute? Hard to go wrong with food, especially the local variety. There's lots of great gift ideas out there in our local food world that are delicious. Plus, if you buy a local food gift, you are supporting the Central Pennsylvania economy. So, everyone wins.
Here's some great ideas for local food gifts…
Continue Reading: Last minute local food gift ideas
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/22, 2014 at 10:25 AM
Holiday events with a local food twist
There are several holiday events coming up that have a local food angle to them. If you want to celebrate the holiday and support local food vendors, here are several opportunities to do so:
Continue Reading: Holiday events with a local food twist
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/11, 2014 at 11:06 AM
Tags: holiday | shopping | TaitFarm | Bellefonte | MountNittanyWinery | wine |
Yes, believe it or not, there are still local veggies/fruits 'in season'
With winter in full swing across the area, it may come as a surprise to many that there are still vegetables and fruits that are "in season" and available via both CSA's and local farmers markets. Here are some examples of vegetables that are available either due to being able to store them well or because they can be grown in greenhouses:
Continue Reading: Yes, believe it or not, there are still local veggies/fruits 'in season'
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/09, 2014 at 10:01 AM
Tags: farmersmarket | winter | rootvegetables | brassicas | apples |
PASA gift guide offers great local food gifts for the holidays
Trying to come up with a perfect gift for that foodie in your life? The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) has the solution—the PASA Good Gifts Guide. javascript:nullo();
Continue Reading: PASA gift guide offers great local food gifts for the holidays
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/03, 2014 at 09:18 AM
Annual PASA Conference Feb. 3-7, early Pre-Registration window for discounted registration now open.
You may have received your 2015 PASA Conference brochure in the mail over the holiday weekend. If not, then you can find it at pasafarming.org/conference.
This year PASA will offer a Pre-Registration window where you can get the lowest rate possible for the conference. The deadline for registration to get this discount rate is Jan. 5 at 5:00 p.m.
Continue Reading: Annual PASA Conference Feb. 3-7, early Pre-Registration window for discounted registration now open.
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/01, 2014 at 10:16 AM
Tags: PASA | annualconference | event |
Winning (literally) apple pie recipes for Thanksgiving
After everyone finishes their seconds tomorrow at the Thanksgiving table, you always have to make some room for dessert. After all, dessert is as much a part of the Thanksgiving spread as the turkey.
Back in late October, Way Fruit Farm held their annual Apple Pie Contest. I had the honor of judging around a dozen excellent entries and it was very difficult to decide on a winner. After the contest, I thought to myself, any of those pies would be perfect at Thanksgiving. So, I figured I'd share a few examples of the wonderful pies I sampled.
The winner, Jamie Liner of Port Matilda, and a runner up, Cathy Cohan of State College, were gracious enough to offer their apple pie recipes for you to use if you decide to bake an apple pie for Thanksgiving dessert. Enjoy!
Continue Reading: Winning (literally) apple pie recipes for Thanksgiving
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/26, 2014 at 10:13 AM
Tags: applepie | recipe | Thanksgiving |
Five local food additions to your Thanksgiving table
It's likely a bit too late to get a local turkey if you already haven't, but there are a lot of local food items that you can add to your Thanksgiving table. You still have time to head out and pick them out (although based on the weather forecast might want to do it before Wednesday).
Here are five fine additions to your Thanksgiving table from local food producers:
Continue Reading: Five local food additions to your Thanksgiving table
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/24, 2014 at 09:26 AM
Tags: Thanksgiving | gluten-free | wine | beverage | bread | BoalsburgFarmersMarket |
Final day of the season for two popular farmers market
If the brutal cold this week hasn't got its point across that winter is more or less here, the fact that two outdoor farmers markets having their final day today and tomorrow is the final bit of proof. Soon our stone-faced friend in the picture above will get his winter coat of snow.
Today, the outdoor Downtown State College Farmers Market on Locust Lane closes the season on a chilly note. That market runs today from 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Then tomorrow, the Bellefonte Farmers Market will be open from 8:00 a.m. to noon.
Continue Reading: Final day of the season for two popular farmers market
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/21, 2014 at 10:15 AM
Tags: farmersmarket | winter |
This weekend get great local food at Harrison's and help fight diabetes
From our friends at Harrison's Wine Grill & Catering:
World Diabetes Day, a day set aside for the global diabetes community to join their voices in order to raise diabetes awareness and advocacy, is Nov. 14.
Dine in at Harrison's from Nov. 10-Nov. 16 between 11:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. and 10% of all lunch, dinner, bar, and carry-out sales will be donated to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to help support promising diabetes cure research.
Our menu features many low-carb and Type 2 diabetes-friendly selections. You can eat well and…
Continue Reading: This weekend get great local food at Harrison's and help fight diabetes
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/14, 2014 at 07:00 AM
Tags: Harrisons | fundraiser |
PSU researchers among group that discovered that bees do better on a natural diet, too
It's pretty much a no-brainer that it's healthier to live on a natural diet as opposed to a diet of processed, artificial food. Penn State and other university and government researchers discovered that bees also do better on a natural diet—it makes them more resistant to pesticides.
This is something that's quite important in light of the recent die-offs of honeybees. As most people know, bees are extremely important to humans for their pollination work. Often, they are exposed to agricultural pesticides, so having a high resistance is vital to their survival.
Continue Reading: PSU researchers among group that discovered that bees do better on a natural diet, too
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/04, 2014 at 09:11 AM
Support local food by supporting WPSU? Absolutely!
As I write this we are in the last hours of the fall pledge drive at WPSU. My wife and I renewed our membership this morning (I am not in fact, a greyhound, and if you were listening around 6:30 a.m. you'll get that). The local food scene and WPSU run parallel to each other…each offer outstanding stuff produced right here in Central Pennsylvania. I think it makes sense to support both.
The similarities run deeper than that, to the point where we support each other. Local food businesses have been underwriters of WPSU and of course, WPSU offers you this very blog. Recently, WPSU's Anna Foley produced a radio feature that told the story of that amazing El Gringo Taco Truck that serves up remarkable renditions of Mexican classics at area farmers markets. If you've had one of Ben Stanley's delicious creations, chances are you've become hooked. But, as you found out by listening to Anna's story, how El Gringo came about is as interesting as his food is good.
Continue Reading: Support local food by supporting WPSU? Absolutely!
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/24, 2014 at 09:28 AM
Boalsburg Farmers Market seek administrator to implement key USDA grant
Continue Reading: Boalsburg Farmers Market seek administrator to implement key USDA grant
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/21, 2014 at 08:43 AM
This weekend, get your fill of fall festivals
If you like, this weekend you can do a mini fall festival tour around the Centre Region. Here's four fun ones that will make for a nice autumn weekend:
Continue Reading: This weekend, get your fill of fall festivals
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/17, 2014 at 09:55 AM
How to extend your garden-fresh tomato season
One of the better garden writers out there is Doug Oster, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Last week, he wrote about tomatoes and how to save them for, believe it or not, Thanksgiving dinner.
That got me thinking; despite our cold morning last Sunday (we got down to 30 degrees in Port Matilda) somehow, someway, my tomato plants survived it despite not being covered. So, this idea of fresh tomatoes in November has a lot of appeal to me and given our mild weather forecasted for the next week or two, any remaining tomatoes can be encouraged to ripen.
Continue Reading: How to extend your garden-fresh tomato season
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/14, 2014 at 08:51 AM
Friends & Farmers to hold inaugural membership meeting Oct. 11
Friends & Farmers Cooperative, which is opening a member-owned grocery store that will specialize in local, sustainably-produced products, is holding its inaugural membership meeting this Saturday, Oct. 11, at the State College High School South cafeteria at 2:00 p.m.
The co-op, nearly 300 members strong, will elect a permanent board of directors; hear an update on its progress and future plans, including the upcoming launch of the Friends & Farmers online farmers market; and answer members' questions.
Continue Reading: Friends & Farmers to hold inaugural membership meeting Oct. 11
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/08, 2014 at 08:00 AM
Tags: FriendsandFarmers |
Recipe: Roasted tomatillo salsa verde
Salsa verde is a delicious twist on its red cousin, regular salsa. While regular salsa gets its red color from tomatoes, the classic Mexican salsa verde gets its green color from tomatillos ("verde" means "green" in Spanish). Salsa verde gets its tangy-sweet flavor from tomatillos.
If you are not familiar with tomatillos, they are a fruit that's in the nightshade family. While many hear "nightshade" and think "poison", other members of the nightshade family include tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and ground cherries, all things that are both tasty and good for you. Like ground cherries, tomatillos grow inside thin husks. You may have seen them at grocery stores around the Hispanic produce, but they are also sometimes offered at farmers market. They are simple to grow and do surprisingly well in our climate. Think of them as similar to growing peppers or tomatoes. They offer some pretty spectacular yields.
Continue Reading: Recipe: Roasted tomatillo salsa verde
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/06, 2014 at 09:19 AM
Tags: recipe | tomatillos | salsa | Mexican |
Friends & Farmers Co-op to Launch Online Marketplace
Continue Reading: Friends & Farmers Co-op to Launch Online Marketplace
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/02, 2014 at 07:41 AM
Tags: FriendsandFarmers |
Now is the time to plant garlic
While you can plant garlic in the very early spring, between now and late October is the best time to get your garlic bulbs in the ground. By planting garlic now, you can get bigger, better quality bulbs next summer.
There are several basic types of garlic:
- Softneck: This variety of garlic generally does not produce scapes, those delicious edible flower stalks, but is great for braiding. You have to be cautious when selecting a variety with softneck types as not all varieties can handle our cold climate.
- Hardneck: These do produce scapes, and generally handle our cold climate well. One of my favorite types of garlic, the purple stripe variety, is a hardneck garlic.
- Elephant: This variety of garlic is related to leeks, and is famous for its large, mild cloves. Does need a mulch to make it through the winter.
Continue Reading: Now is the time to plant garlic
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/23, 2014 at 07:29 AM
Local Food Notes for Sept. 12
For this week's Local Food Notes….honeycrisp apples are back, your chance to meet a sheep at the Millheim Farmers Market, Tait Farms Foods introduces a fall flavored shrub, and how to store that winter squash purchase you made at farmers market.
- Honeycrisp apples are back: Honeycrisp apples are a much-loved variety, due to their crisp texture, sweet flavor, and juicy mouth-feel. They are back now, and can be found at various Central Pennsylvania orchards, such as Harner Farm and Way Fruit Farm. Get them before the rest of the Honeyheads end up eating them all.
Continue Reading: Local Food Notes for Sept. 12
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/12, 2014 at 08:13 AM
Tags: LocalFoodNotes | fall | apples | shrub | wintersquash |
Five local food fantastic fall flavors
As the leaves turn and the weather cools, our palates start to turn towards more hearty fare. Here's five outstanding local food items that you can find in the area that are sure to warm you up when those first chilly winds of autumn start blowing…
Continue Reading: Five local food fantastic fall flavors
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/09, 2014 at 07:43 AM
Local Food Notes for September 5
September is here, the kids are back to school, and there's even a bit of color showing up on the trees. Despite our summery heat and humidity this week, cooler days are just around the corner, and fall is a great time for local food. Here's some quick updates on the local food scene:
- If you are going to the Friday Downtown State College Farmers Market, please keep in mind that you can get up to 30 minutes of parking validated. Please visit Janet at her Piper's Peck stand to get your parking validated.
Continue Reading: Local Food Notes for September 5
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/05, 2014 at 08:23 AM
Tags: LocalFoodNotes |
Good Intent makes great cider
There's a cider boom going on in America right now. The proof is in the fact that sales of cider (the alcoholic kind) reached $600 million last year, more than tripling sales from 2007, according to research firm IBISWorld.
Adam Redding is getting in on this explosion by founding Good Intent Cider, a new cidery out of both Gettysburg and Bellefonte. Cider making seems to be in Adam's blood, something that has become a bit more than just a hobby to relax with after his day job as a scientist. "When I was in college we used to make cider in our dorm room. That was pretty rough stuff that we made back then, not anything you'd want to sell," Redding said. "I didn't really get back into it until years later. I saw that Cornell offered a cider making course at their ag extension in Geneva, so I talked to my wife about it."
Continue Reading: Good Intent makes great cider
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/04, 2014 at 10:16 AM
Tags: cider | GoodIntent | beverages |
Local Food Notes, Aug. 29
- First off, we'd like to offer our best wishes for a swift recovery to a Rising Spring Meat Company employee named Billy, who was seriously injured on the job this past Wednesday. You can read more about it below, and you can offer good thoughts and best wishes below at the company's Facebook page. They posted the following on that page:
"So, our jobs are dangerous. There is a careful line of respect and awe one has to have working around large animals. Even with the most caution, things can still happen - like they did yesterday. One of our guys (actually our very first employee) was seriously injured on the job yesterday. It looks like everything is going to be OK, but it was a tough tough day for the whole crew and as you can imagine, we have been very distracted by this. As we were thinking what this means for the team in the coming weeks while he heals, we realized that there is a whole community of people out there following us and that maybe if we posted this you could send some get well messages for him (Billy) and maybe it could help lift his spirits. He is one of the guys, very much behind the scenes, who is responsible for bringing food to your plates - so even if you don't know him - he's probably helped to feed your family! Please help us in wishing Billy well in his recovery!!"
Continue Reading: Local Food Notes, Aug. 29
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/29, 2014 at 08:25 AM
Tags: LocalFoodNotes | farmersmarket | TaitFarms | Crickfest |
How to deal with two devastating late-season garden fungal diseases
As we wind down a summer that will go in the weather record books as one of the top five wettest summers in the 119-year history of weather records at State College, gardeners face a late-season challenge to their plots. Along with all that rain, we've had a cool but humid summer. These are just about perfect conditions for all sorts of garden fungal diseases to lay waste to your remaining garden season.
There are plenty of fungal diseases that can lay a hurt on your home garden production, but I am going to focus on two common and particularly destructive plant illnesses, late blight and powdery mildew.
Continue Reading: How to deal with two devastating late-season garden fungal diseases
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/25, 2014 at 07:50 AM
Local Food Notes, August 22
Downtown State College Farmers Market moves for one week only: As you may have noticed, Penn State students are moving back in. This means the Downtown State College Friday Farmers Market will move to Heister Stree, one block east of Locust Lane, for this week only.
Continue Reading: Local Food Notes, August 22
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/22, 2014 at 07:19 AM
Tags: farmersmarket | TaitFarm |
Your guide the final day of Ag Progress Days
After a bit of a hullabaloo yesterday due to visits by the dueling gubernatorial candidates, Ag Progress Days returns to a more normal schedule for its final day. The event goes until 4:00 p.m. today, and up until then the schedule is packed with events, tours, exhibits, and good food. There's 80+ acres of crop and machinery demonstrations, and 55 acres for indoor and outdoor exhibits, so there's plenty to do. Here's a guide to attending the event on its last day:
Continue Reading: Your guide the final day of Ag Progress Days
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/14, 2014 at 07:45 AM
Tags: AgProgressDays | agriculture | events |
Recipe: It's still blueberry time! Giving blueberries a chance to shine on the grill
Blueberry season can last well into August here in Central Pennsylvania, and you can still find the little blue globes of greatness at farmers markets, farm stands, and pick-your-own farms like Mountainhome Farm in Julian. Blueberries have a lot of things going for them beyond taste, including lots of antioxidants.
Most people think of blueberries as a dessert food, but blueberries can be a star in savory recipes, such as salads and meat dishes. I have found that blueberries go well with meats such as pork and chicken. With this in mind, this recipe for grilled chicken thighs with honey blueberry sauce is a good introduction to the idea of blueberries as part of an entree.
Continue Reading: Recipe: It's still blueberry time! Giving blueberries a chance to shine on the grill
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/12, 2014 at 08:54 AM
Tags: blueberries | recipe |
Nittany Lion Inn chef wins the 2014 Golden Basket Award with…guinea fowl?
So, my only prior knowledge of guinea fowl was via a bait and tackle shop in rural Washington County, which I used to visit when I lived in Pittsburgh. No, they didn't use them for bait. There were a ton of the noisy things wandering around outside of the shop, and the reason they were there was apparently due to their propensity to control ticks by eating lots of them.
I tried not to think of my previous experience with the critters as Kirsch McMaster, a la cart sous chef at the Nittany Lion Inn, brought out a plate that featured a remarkable dish called "Guinea Fowl, Two Ways" to the judges' canopy at the annual Boalsburg Farmers Market Golden Basket Award, held Tuesday afternoon. I was one of the six judges seated under that canopy, joined by State College Magazine editor Kate Delano, State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham, Health and Neighborhood Services Director Kevin Kassab, local food writer and Friends and Farmers Coop board member Michele Marchetti, and WPSU television producer and personality Patty Satalia.
Continue Reading: Nittany Lion Inn chef wins the 2014 Golden Basket Award with…guinea fowl?
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/07, 2014 at 08:42 AM
Head out to the Tomato Festival today (Friday Aug. 1) at Downtown State College Farmers Market
Editor's Note: Since the weekend's local food activities is dominated by Local Foods Week stuff, those looking for Local Food Weekend can find plenty of local food stuff to do this weekend by going here.
It's the time of year that tomato lovers crave when the snow is flying and the only "fresh tomatoes" are those flavorless waxy things in the supermarket. Tomatoes are everywhere now, fresh and tasty, and can be found at farmers markets throughout the area. To celebrate this annual bounty, the Downtown State College Farmers Market will hold its Tomato Festival today at the market.
Continue Reading: Head out to the Tomato Festival today (Friday Aug. 1) at Downtown State College Farmers Market
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/01, 2014 at 10:22 AM
Local Foods Week celebrates our local bounty Aug 2-9
As any reader of this blog is well aware, we live in an area full of fantastic sources of local food. And it's growing, from new places to find local food to the excitement building around the burgeoning Friends & Farmers Coop and their plans to build a grocery store dedicated to local food. Really, something as awesome as our community of farms, markets, roadside stands, local food restaurants, etc. is something to be celebrated.
With that in mind, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is celebrating Local Foods Week August 2-9 with a variety of events, including the Centre County Farm Tour. FYI, this year, folks can buy a farm tour pass on-line or at the farmers markets during Local Foods Week. Purchasing a pass in advance means you can go to some of the farms starting at 10:00 a.m. (please review the list to see which ones open early). Passes will be available only at the North Atherton Farmers Market and the Millheim Farmers Market on the day of the tour.
More details about Local Foods Week, including other events:
Continue Reading: Local Foods Week celebrates our local bounty Aug 2-9
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/31, 2014 at 09:59 AM
Tags: LocalFoodsWeek | 2014 | FarmTour | FarmFest | GoldenBasket |
Get baking: Friends & Farmers Co-op Pie Contest to be held Aug. 2 at 2014 FarmFest
Summer is a perfect time to bake pies, given all the fresh produce available. So many fruits, like peaches, and berries, like blueberries, are in season and can be found in farmers markets, roadside stands, and backyards all across our area. Do you have a pie you are particularly proud of? Then enter it in Friends & Farmers Coop's "A Slice of Community: People's Choice Pie Contest", to be held Saturday, Aug. 2 as part of the 2014 FarmFest from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
"You don't have to be a professional baker to enter," said Michele Marchetti, Coop board member. "This is a people's choice pie contest and another way the cooperative is bringing people together around food."
Continue Reading: Get baking: Friends & Farmers Co-op Pie Contest to be held Aug. 2 at 2014 FarmFest
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/30, 2014 at 07:00 AM
Your Local Food Weekend for July 26-27
Sample and learn how to make pickles at Tait Farm, learn how to get your baby started on solid foods at Mt. Nittany Medical Center, see inspirational art of local farmland at Centre Furnace Mansion, and enjoy local food, beer, and great folk-rock at Elk Creek Cafe…
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for July 26-27
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/25, 2014 at 08:37 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend |
Local Food Video: Plowshare Produce offers access to produce with a small environmental impact
Video by WPSU intern Kelly Tunney
Micah and Bethany Spicher Schonberg like to know who their vegetables are going home with. As the founders of Plowshare Produce, a CSA (for community-supported agriculture) near Huntingdon, Micah and Bethany know their members. The farmers greet their members by name; one of them is even the doula who delivered their son Ben.
A CSA is a subscription model for produce. Members pay in advance to have a weekly or biweekly delivery of fresh, organic vegetables. On their appointed day–Tuesday in State College, Friday in Huntingdon–they pick up their share of whatever ripened that week. At a recent distribution in State College, that included kohlrabi, garlic scapes, strawberries, beets, carrots, chard, and sugar peas.
Continue Reading: Local Food Video: Plowshare Produce offers access to produce with a small environmental impact
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/22, 2014 at 10:57 AM
Tags: LocalFoodVideo | PlowshareProduce |
PASA meets fundraising goal for 2013-2014 fiscal year
Editor's Note: The following is a letter sent out by the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) Executive Director Brian Snyder. This is wonderful news for an organization that is a big part of the local food community. The letter was sent July 3 but we figured it was never too late to share such good news!
Every once in a while we get to celebrate the unique character of the PASA community in a special way. This is one of those times. Having been notified in early June of an impending budgetary shortfall and increased annual fundraising goal, our members and other supporters came through in a big way, contributing over $50,000 in the last month of our fiscal year!
Continue Reading: PASA meets fundraising goal for 2013-2014 fiscal year
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/18, 2014 at 07:00 AM
Tags: PASA |
Your Local Food Weekend for July 12 and 13
This weekend, check out the local food part of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and the Peoples Choice Arts Festival, enjoy wild blueberries, and discover the local food growing right in the Pennsylvania wilds.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for July 12 and 13
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/11, 2014 at 07:30 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend |
Believe it or not, still time to plant summer vegetables/herbs/flowers
While many of us have a full garden by now, there may still be holes to fill due to rascally rabbits, devious deer, disastrous disease. Or, you just haven't had a chance to get out and plant certain parts of your yard. No worries, believe it or not, there's still time to plant summer vegetables (and soon time to plant fall vegetables, more about that in a future post). And there are bargains to be found at local garden centers/greenhouses.
For vegetables, we basically have about 80-90 days left in our growing season, depending on where you live. So, any plant that matures by that time, you can plant and harvest.
Continue Reading: Believe it or not, still time to plant summer vegetables/herbs/flowers
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/07, 2014 at 08:25 AM
Tags: gardening | greenhouse | peppers | tomatoes | vegetables | perennials | herbs |
Ebensburg and surrounding area's growing local food scene
WPSU's recent episode of "Our Town" featured a visit to Ebensburg. Part of the episode looked at the food scene and featured an interview with Penn State Altoona employee and part-time pastry chef Julie Fether. I recently chatted with Julie and learned more about a growing local food movement in Blair and Cambria Counties.
When Julie Fether moved back to her hometown of Ebensburg from Oregon, she wasn't anticipating a thriving local food scene like she had in Oregon. But what she discovered was a growing local food community in her old stomping grounds.
Fether has become part of that local food scene herself. Along with her role as a project coordinator for the Center for Community-Based Studies at Penn State Altoona, she works part-time as a pastry chef at the Ebensburg destination restaurant, Amichi's Ristorante. She notes that Amichi's is not only a fantastic fine-dining experience but also a place to eat local. "They work very closely with couple of local farms," Fether said. "They also buy from the Johnstown Farmers Market and the Ebensburg Farmers Market. The perk of working there is local farmers will come with produce and give out samples."
Continue Reading: Ebensburg and surrounding area's growing local food scene
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/01, 2014 at 07:56 AM
Tags: Ebensburg | Potatofest | Amichi's | EverydayGourmet |
Your Local Food Weekend for June 28 and 29
Pesto tastings at Tait Farm, a real live bison at the Bellefonte Farmers Market, the final June free wine and cheese tasting at Mt. Nittany Winery, and great live music at Gamble Mill Inn.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for June 28 and 29
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/26, 2014 at 09:45 PM
State College couple takes action to help those in need with Giving Garden
Two members of the Mount Nittany United Methodist Church have led an effort to create a "Giving Garden" on the church grounds to help address the issue of hunger in our community.
Robert and Joanna Jones of State College got a double dose of inspiration from the documentary "A Place At the Table", about food shortages in the United States, and a TED Talk by fashion designer and activist Ron Finley about guerrilla gardening in South Central Los Angeles. So, they decided to take action themselves and help address our local food shortages here in Central Pennsylvania with local food from a garden on the church grounds.
Continue Reading: State College couple takes action to help those in need with Giving Garden
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/26, 2014 at 10:00 AM
Tags: gardening | localfood | volunteers | foodshortage |
Your Local Food Weekend for June 21-22
This weekend you can enjoy a summer celebration at Tait Farm, experience a garden via your five senses, meet PBS Kids' very own Daniel Tiger, enjoy free wine and cheese tastings, and go back in time musically with The Dustbowl Revival.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for June 21-22
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/20, 2014 at 08:44 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend | TaitFarm | summer | gardening |
It starts in your backyard: Help the environment via native plants
WPSU radio's Kelly Tunney ran a great story this morning about the importance of native plants in your garden, as they provide an important link in the ecosystem.
Continue Reading: It starts in your backyard: Help the environment via native plants
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/16, 2014 at 10:15 AM
Tags: WPSU | nativeplants |
Your Local Food Weekend for June 14-15
This weekend, you can enjoy pick-your-own strawberries, a Strawberry Festival in Lemont, wine and cheese tastings, and blues and soul to go with your local beer at the Gamble Mill Inn.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for June 14-15
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/13, 2014 at 08:38 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend | strawberries |
Why your seeds didn't germinate
One of the more frustrating things in gardening is taking time to prepare a garden bed, plant seeds, and then have them not germinate. The good news is, you have time to replant many vegetables in the garden.
So, when you do replant, here are some tips to help you avoid germination issues in the new planting:
Continue Reading: Why your seeds didn't germinate
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/10, 2014 at 08:30 AM
Kids Day Learning Kitchen at Boalsburg Farmers Market June 10
Students from Corl Street Elementary school have been invited to attend a cooking demonstration at the Boalsburg Farmers Market on Tuesday, June 10. The highlight of the event will be a "learning kitchen" cooking class conducted by Tony Sapia of Gemelli Bakers that will show children how to make simple dishes using ingredients obtained from the market. He will be assisted by noted local food writer and chef Anne Quinn Corr and her students from Penn State's nutrition program. After the demonstration, the vendors at the market will answer questions from the children about how they grow and make the products sold at the market, and Corl street students will be able to use a voucher worth $5 to purchase items themselves.
Continue Reading: Kids Day Learning Kitchen at Boalsburg Farmers Market June 10
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/09, 2014 at 08:05 AM
Tags: BoalsburgFarmersMarket | KidsDay | cookingdemonstration |
Your Local Food Weekend for June 7-8
This Local Food Weekend features a Pink Day, Millheim Mayfly Festival, wine and cheese at Mount Nittany Winery, and a Friends and Farmers Coop fundraiser at Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for June 7-8
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/05, 2014 at 09:04 PM
Your Local Food Weekend for May 17-18
After our May monsoon, looks like a cool but decent weather weekend coming up. This weekend, there's two plant sales, the Blair County Arts Festival, The Big Spring Festival, and live acoustic music to be found. Continue reading to learn more and plan your weekend.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for May 17-18
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/16, 2014 at 08:01 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend | May17-18 |
Penn State students work to create a food bank for students
We recently had a story on here about the Penn State Community Food Security Club. The organization is run by Penn State students that has a mission which states that their goal is to "spread conscious eating habits to the Penn State and State College communities, to assist in the support of a local food system, and to raise awareness and support for food security."
Recently, WPSU ran a radio story during Morning Edition about another Penn State student-run effort that addresses an issue that many may not be aware even exists—University students who struggle to feed themselves.
Continue Reading: Penn State students work to create a food bank for students
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/15, 2014 at 08:57 AM
Tags: Foodbank | Lion'sPantry | hunger |
Your Local Food Weekend for May 10-11
This weekend features Way Fruit Farm's Apple Blossom Festival, Centre Furnace Mansion Plant Celebration, Harrison's Wine Grill & Catering special Graduation Dinner, and Webster's Mother's Day Brunch Buffet.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for May 10-11
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/09, 2014 at 07:39 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend |
Five must-have local food bites
While we are most certainly not Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, we here in Central Pennsylvania are not living in a good-food black hole. We have some excellent restaurants and other vendors of prepared meals/snacks using local food ingredients in our area. You can find local food in fine dining establishments, taverns, diners, festivals, and, of course, farmers markets. Here are five great local food items that we think you must try:
Continue Reading: Five must-have local food bites
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/07, 2014 at 07:30 AM
Tags: ElGringoTacoTruck | Harrison'sWineGrill | WayFruitFarm | ElkCreek | Gemelli'sBakery |
Local Food Journey looking for writers to share their local food stories
Do you like to write and love local food? Well, we'd love to have you help us tell Central Pennsylvania's Local Food Stories! We are looking for writers to post on Local Food Journey about anything local food related, including:
Continue Reading: Local Food Journey looking for writers to share their local food stories
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/05, 2014 at 07:31 AM
Tags: writerswanted |
Your Local Food Weekend for May 3-4
This is a really exciting time to be a local foodie, as the warm season is finally here (even though most mornings we still need a jacket). Because this is the time of farmers markets, outdoor festivals, etc. we are bringing back the Local Food Weekend feature. Each Friday we help you plan your weekend by highlighting some of the local-food related events going on Saturday and Sunday.
Our first event is put on by one of our hubs of local food, Tait Farm, which is holding their Gardener's Open House. Click the link below after "Continue Reading" to find out more about that event and others…
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for May 3-4
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/02, 2014 at 07:59 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend | TaitFarm | nativeplants | gardening | farmersmarkets |
You have until May 2 to get great benefits by becoming a Founding Member of Friends & Farmers Co-op
Friends and Farmers Cooperative is nearing their goal of 200 Founding Members by Thursday, May 2, but they still need your help if you already haven't signed up. Please note that you can fill out the member application form online, then mail your check to the Co-op. As long as you fill out the form by Thursday, you'll be considered a Founding Owner-Member.
One of the first perks of membership is the Local Loyalty program. Owner-members will be able to use their brand-new membership card at 35 local businesses to receive discounts, and this list of businesses is growing and not limited to food!
The Local Loyalty Program includes businesses that offer food, acupuncture, book, clothing alterations, massage, jewelry, and more. Along with this, there are a lot of other benefits of membership. You can find the form to fill out here.
Continue Reading: You have until May 2 to get great benefits by becoming a Founding Member of Friends & Farmers Co-op
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/30, 2014 at 09:00 AM
Tags: friendsandfarmers | members | localfood |
Five tips to help you avoid early season gardening set-backs
It's almost May, and garden preparations are in full swing. Like anything else, a successful garden can really rely on a good start. There are multiple mistakes that can set your garden back that can be easily avoided. Here's some tips to help you avoid five of the most common early season garden mistakes:
Continue Reading: Five tips to help you avoid early season gardening set-backs
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/28, 2014 at 08:43 AM
Tags: gardening | earlyseason |
Recipe: Dandelion salad with hot bacon dressing a PA Dutch Easter staple
To many, the image above may cause anger because the dandelion is considered one of the worst lawn and garden weeds to control. However, to many of the Pennsylvania Dutch persuasion, dandelions are good to eat and are a staple at the Easter table. They are, as we all know, quite plentiful and are ready to harvest right now so you can gather enough for Easter dinner.
There are two key points to remember when harvesting dandelions. First, perhaps most importantly, make sure you are not harvesting greens from ground that has been hard hit with herbicides and other chemicals. In fact, there are cultivars of dandelions that you can grow in your garden. Second, you must harvest the greens before the flower head appears. Once that happens, they become so bitter they are inedible.
Continue Reading: Recipe: Dandelion salad with hot bacon dressing a PA Dutch Easter staple
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/18, 2014 at 10:04 AM
A perfect recipe for your first day of trout season catch
Tomorrow is practically a Central Pennsylvania holiday—first day of trout season! Our area is known across the country as a prime area for trout fishing, boasting legendary trout streams like Spruce Creek, Penn's Creek, Bald Eagle Creek, and Black Moshannon Creek. Saturday these streams will be filled with anglers trying their luck.
There are three different species of trout to be caught in our streams, including brook, brown, and rainbow, and all are quite tasty. This recipe allows the trout's flavor to stand more or less on its own, with assistance of two other tastes of spring, the grill and fresh local spinach.
Here is the recipe for Grilled Butterfly Trout Over Spinach (good luck tomorrow and hopefully you'll catch something that will allow you to try this recipe!):
Continue Reading: A perfect recipe for your first day of trout season catch
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/11, 2014 at 08:30 AM
Philly Farm and Food Fest a showcase of Pennsylvania local food
In 2011 Fair Food Philly and PASA (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) teamed up to create a new annual marketplace for farmers and local food producers. The shared goal was to assist small businesses in growing their bottom line by providing a low-cost venue accessible to a diverse audience of potential customers. The event is the Philly Farm and Food Fest, and it is happening this year on Sunday, April 13 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Annex.
Fest is also a fundraising event for Fair Food and PASA, with proceeds going to support our non-profit educational and technical assistance programs for food producers. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
Continue Reading: Philly Farm and Food Fest a showcase of Pennsylvania local food
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/08, 2014 at 09:07 AM
Tags: PhillyFarmandFoodFest | TaitFarms | VillageEatinghouse |
Taking back the reputation of fava beans
There is no doubt that Anthony Hopkins is one of the finest actors of all time. In fact, he is so good, he actually managed to ruin the reputation of one tasty vegetable—fava beans.
Even if you haven't seen his role as the cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lector in the film The Silence of the Lambs, unless you live under a rock you've probably heard Hopkins' character's infamous quote about one of his devious meals, and how he accompanied it with fava beans and a nice Chianti. To this day, I've noticed that whenever you mention fava beans, that scene is mentioned. However, fava beans are not a horror, they are a tasty vegetable that has a long history as a food, going all the way back to the Romans and Ancient Greeks.
Continue Reading: Taking back the reputation of fava beans
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/03, 2014 at 07:45 AM
Early spring is salad time at indoor farmers markets
One of the best early season treats for the locavore is a fresh salad made with the first greens of the season. While some might be surprised to hear this, there are three farmers markets going on right now that offer delicious and fresh greens: Boalsburg Farmers Market on Tuesdays 2:00-6:00 p.m. at the Boalsburg Fire Hall, the State College Indoor Farmers Market on Fridays from 11:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at the State College Municipal Building Lobby, and the Millheim Indoor Farmers Market on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Bremen Town Ballroom.
Continue Reading: Early spring is salad time at indoor farmers markets
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 03/31, 2014 at 08:03 AM
Easterly Parkway PTO latest to do fundraising local-food style with Harrison's Wine Grill
Harrison's Wine Grill and Catering has established itself as a go-to place for outstanding dining with a local food focus, but they also conduct one of the most-delicious and well-respected fundraising programs in the state. Harrison's Eat Well Fundraising program has been awarded the National Restaurant Association's 2010 Good Neighbor Award and the CBICC's 2010 Philanthropy Award.
State College's Easterly Parkway PTO and Harrison's are once again teaming up for an Eat Well fundraiser. From today though Sunday, March 30, if you mention to your Harrison's server that you are a supporter of Easterly Parkway PTO, Harrison's will donate 20 percent of your check before taxes and gratuity to Easterly Parkway PTO. But that's not all.
Continue Reading: Easterly Parkway PTO latest to do fundraising local-food style with Harrison's Wine Grill
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 03/21, 2014 at 09:13 AM
Tags: fundraiser | Harrison's | EasterlyParkwayPTO |
Online platform makes it easier for grocers, chefs to source local food
Recently, Anne Field, a contributor with Forbes, wrote about a way for restaurants and grocery stores to meet the growing demand for local food.
Direct Local Food is an online wholesale market place for local food. It helps farmers find new buyers, manage their inventory, update buyers on product availability and new products, and track their sales. For buyers like chefs and grocers, it helps them find and order the best products, find special deals, discover and maintain relationships with new farmers, and track their orders.
Continue Reading: Online platform makes it easier for grocers, chefs to source local food
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 03/18, 2014 at 08:42 AM
Tags: Directlocalfood |
Friends & Farmers Co-Op membership kickoff event's success points to a bright future
From Friends & Farmers Co-op, an update on their recent membership push and other news:
The Friends & Farmers Co-op membership kickoff was a tremendous success—more than 200 people attended the event. The co-op now has 88 Founding Members and sufficient capital to fund its marketing study.
Membership in Friends & Farmers requires an equity payment (you can read more about that payment under "How and Why of Signing Up" here). The equity payment is not a fee, nor is it dues. It is not an annual charge. It is a one-time investment that brings with it ownership in a community-owned enterprise—in this case, a grocery store—that is democratically controlled.
Continue Reading: Friends & Farmers Co-Op membership kickoff event's success points to a bright future
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 03/14, 2014 at 08:39 AM
Bring the heat this summer with hot peppers in your garden
Believe it or not, it's time to plant peppers…indoors, that is. Generally, you want to start pepper seeds inside about 6-10 weeks before last frost to give the plants time to grow and produce peppers. If you haven't bought seeds yet, area stores have seeds in stock now, and if you want more variety, you can go to any number of online seed vendors to make your order and get the seeds in time to start.
As for what to plant, there are countless varieties of hot peppers out there to try. Here are six varieties that are sure to spice up your life this summer:
Continue Reading: Bring the heat this summer with hot peppers in your garden
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 03/12, 2014 at 08:47 AM
Five local food related signs of spring
March is often a tease to those of us weary of winter's cold, snow, and ice. One day we may have pleasant mild weather, the next, biting wind and snow.
But really, we're entering the end-of-life phase for Old Man Winter. As the glacier that was covering Central PA continues to shrink, and mild days become more frequent, the harbingers of spring become more frequent. Here are five signs of spring, local food style:
Continue Reading: Five local food related signs of spring
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 03/10, 2014 at 09:02 AM
Tags: spring |
Friends & Farmers Co-op's next big step
If you read Local Food Journey, you are probably well aware of the Friends & Farmers Cooperative project, which is a food cooperative in State College committed to showcasing the best local products in support of a strong local economy. The good news is you can finally join Friends & Farmers at the Membership Kickoff Celebration to be held Sunday, March 2, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County. You can RSVP here.
Along with signing up founding member/owners, the Celebration will have a lot to offer attendees. It will feature performances by local musicians including Andy Tolins, Scott Mangene, and Paul Brigman & Friends; opening remarks by State College Mayor and local food advocate Elizabeth Goreham; local food donated by various local vendors such as Webster's, Harrison's Wine Grill, Tait Farm, Byler Goat Dairy, Katz Raw Foods, Stone Meadow Farms, and Sweet Sunrise Bakery; kids activities led by the Penn State Community Food Security Club, and more. "The whole setup of this event is 'drop-in,' meaning you don't have to come and be there the whole time," said Michele Marchetti, local freelance writer and Friends & Farmers board member. "The idea is you come when you want, you hear some music, you get some food, and of course, sign up to be a member."
Continue Reading: Friends & Farmers Co-op's next big step
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 02/27, 2014 at 11:48 AM
Tags: Friends&Farmers | event | membership |
Believe it or not, gardeners, it's soon time to start seeds
Despite the relatively mild weather outside melting the snow, if we are being truly honest with ourselves, we know that winter is not over. Far from it, based on where we live. We know that it can snow into late April and even early May here in Central PA.
The good news for gardeners is that despite the snow-covered yards, it's soon time for us to start gardening. We need to start certain things from seed inside, giving the plants adequate time to sprout, grow, mature, and produce fresh goodness by the time summer ends. In fact, certain things can be started very soon or even right now, depending on your last frost date.
Continue Reading: Believe it or not, gardeners, it's soon time to start seeds
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 02/20, 2014 at 01:24 PM
Tags: seedstarting | gardening |
Six local food things to do to get you through the rest of this tough winter
Without a doubt, this has been one really rough winter here in Central Pennsylvania. Below-zero temperatures and lots of snow has made this the worst winter we've had in this area in 20 years, and right now it seems like spring will never come.
But we all know that soon enough, we will get warmer, and the grass will reappear and turn green, the flowers will pop out, and all of our moods will likely get better. In the meantime, here are six things that involve local food that can make you perhaps feel a bit better about our current weather situation:
Continue Reading: Six local food things to do to get you through the rest of this tough winter
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 02/17, 2014 at 09:33 AM
Tags: winter | cold | localfood | snowcream | farmersmarket |
Local food fans: Join Friends & Farmers Coop starting March 2
Friends & Farmers Cooperative, which is working to open a member-owned cooperative store that will specialize in local, sustainably-produced products, will begin taking members on March 2 at its Membership Kickoff Celebration at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County.
Founding members will help build a store that will stock produce and products grown and prepared right here in Happy Valley, promote real food, and serve as the central hub of the local food economy. Simply stated, it's a store that will feed our community.
Continue Reading: Local food fans: Join Friends & Farmers Coop starting March 2
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 02/14, 2014 at 11:11 AM
Tags: FriendsandFarmers |
Recipe: Sausage, carrots, and potatoes an easy comfort food solution for cold winter nights
With plenty of mornings with temperatures below the zero mark and plenty of snow and ice to go with it, the winter of 2013-2014 has been a fairly harsh one compared with recent years. Such weather calls for a hearty meal, and I have the perfect solution that I brought up to Central Pennsylvania from my childhood growing up in York, Pennsylvania. And it's easy to prepare, too, and something the whole family will enjoy.
Continue Reading: Recipe: Sausage, carrots, and potatoes an easy comfort food solution for cold winter nights
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 02/07, 2014 at 10:00 AM
Farmers Get Down to Business
Food Entrepreneurs Will Find Wealth of Resources at Annual PASA Conference
Farmers and other food entrepreneurs are set to acquire tools for success at the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's (PASA) 23rd Annual Farming for the Future Conference, Feb. 5-8 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA.
On Feb. 6, PASA hosts "Raising Dough: Financing Your Food Based Business," an intensive, day long track aimed at farmers looking to amass capital for farm-based businesses.
Continue Reading: Farmers Get Down to Business
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/30, 2014 at 09:14 AM
Tags: PASA | FarmingfortheFuture | conference | entrepreneur |
Why Eat Local?
Below is the first of many posts on Local Food Journey by our new intern, Penn State student Jordan Reabold. We're excited to have Jordan aboard, and in the coming weeks she will be exploring the local food scene, including profiles on local food people, stories about various local food offerings in our area, and more.
One of the things I love most about State College, being that it reminds me of home, is the farmland. I've come to appreciate the cultivated fields where wooden barns nestle among the hills of Happy Valley, peacefully enveloping the bustle of the University. While the farms of State College certainly have aesthetic worth, they serve a more practical purpose as well—food, of course! And what better way to show your appreciation for these farmers than to choose local produce over large-scale food systems. In doing so, you support not only the farmers, but the local economy as a whole, and yourself.
Continue Reading: Why Eat Local?
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/28, 2014 at 10:00 AM
Tags: JordanReabold | localfood | |
Sustainable Ag Community to Reflect, Rally at Premier Gathering
The following is a press release for the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's 23rd Farming for the Future Conference. Look for more about this event on Local Food Journey in the next several weeks, as this is a major happening for our local food community…
MILLHEIM, PA January 6, 2014 – The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) hosts the 23rd Annual Farming for the Future Conference next month, February 5-8 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA. Farmers, foodies, artisans, activists and other members of the sustainable agriculture community will gather around the theme "Letting Nature Lead" as the debate over the future of agriculture continues to garner widespread attention, from dinner tables to the halls of Congress.
Continue Reading: Sustainable Ag Community to Reflect, Rally at Premier Gathering
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/23, 2014 at 09:15 AM
Tags: PASA | conference | FarmingfortheFuture |
Hogs Galore pork loin a dinner party winner
Hosting a dinner party can be a real challenge. You want to hit a home run with your guests, especially with the main course, but what if your cooking skills are limited? You don't have to look far for a solution; in fact, it's right up the road near Philipsburg, at one of our region's local food gems, Hogs Galore.
Continue Reading: Hogs Galore pork loin a dinner party winner
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/20, 2014 at 09:45 AM
Tags: recipe | hogsgalore | pork | pineapple |
Eat local, support local at fundraiser for Friends & Farmers Cooperative
Editor's note: The following is a press release regarding a fundraiser by Friends & Farmers Cooperative. Please help support what is a very worthy cause for our local food community.
Friends & Farmers Cooperative, which is working to open a member-owned cooperative grocery that will specialize in local, sustainably-produced products, is holding a fundraising event at Spats at 5-7:30 p.m, January 26.
Entitled "Local on the Menu," the event will offer community members a behind-the-scenes look at the local food scene and an opportunity to hear firsthand how Spats owner, Duke Gastiger, and others are turning local into a point of Pennsylvania pride.
Continue Reading: Eat local, support local at fundraiser for Friends & Farmers Cooperative
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/17, 2014 at 09:11 AM
Tags: Friends&Farmers | fundraiser | localfood |
10 garden chores you can do in the winter (and probably should)
Earlier this week, the coldest air in 20 years overspread Central Pennsylvania, dropping temperatures below zero. While shivering through a cold snap like that, it's hard to imagine doing garden work. But there are still some chores you can do, either in the comfort of your living room or during one of our inevitable thaws that we have most every winter and will have this weekend. Getting them done now can help ensure a better harvest this spring and summer.
Here's 10 garden chores you can do this winter:
Continue Reading: 10 garden chores you can do in the winter (and probably should)
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/10, 2014 at 08:50 AM
New Year's traditions in Pennsylvania: why pork and sauerkraut?
Many people are aware of the New Year's tradition of eating pork and sauerkraut, including the supposed good luck and wealth it brings. This tradition is part of our Pennsylvania German heritage; the idea of sauerkraut symbolizing wealth for the new year comes from Germany. Before having the New Year's dinner, each diner wishes the other as much wealth as there are shreds of cabbage in a pot of sauerkraut.
What about pork? Interestingly enough, the actions of a pig give us this New Year's tradition.
Continue Reading: New Year's traditions in Pennsylvania: why pork and sauerkraut?
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/31, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Tags: recipe | NewYears | PennsylvaniaDutch | sauerkraut | pork |
Recipe: Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas cookies
I grew up in York, part of the original Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Therefore, there are several things that say Christmas to me that most others have no idea about. One is Der Belsnickel, a sort of nasty fellow who's job it is to make sure children are good in the weeks before Christmas by, well, beating them with a stick. Think of him as Santa's muscle.
Another, more benevolent aspect of Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas is some of the traditional cookies that families bake for the season.
Continue Reading: Recipe: Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas cookies
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/24, 2013 at 10:02 AM
Tags: recipes | PennsylvaniaDutch | Christmascookies | cookies |
Some great sources for last-minute local food gifts
Looking for a perfect last-minute gift for someone on your holiday list, but are stumped as what to get them? Our area's local food community has a lot of fantastic options. I mean, who doesn't love a food gift? And thankfully, we have a plenty of local food vendors who provide a lot of wonderful gift options.
Here's just a few gift ideas, and some places to find them:
Continue Reading: Some great sources for last-minute local food gifts
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/19, 2013 at 10:33 AM
Sweeten up the holidays with desserts from Gemelli Bakers
Gemelli Bakers has made a name for itself by baking wonderful bread. However, they also make some fantastic desserts. Gemelli is not as well known as a source for great baked desserts, but more and more people in the area are becoming aware of the sweet goodness that they offer at their downtown State College location, or at area farmers markets.
"We've been making desserts from day one," said Tony Sapia, owner of Gemelli Bakers. "A few examples of what we bake include Italian cookies like biscotti and macaroon, American-style cookies like oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip, apricot fruit bars, pies…there's quite a list."
Continue Reading: Sweeten up the holidays with desserts from Gemelli Bakers
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/18, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Tags: Christmas | holidays | Gemelli | dessert | cake | pie | cookies |
Friends and Farmers Cooperative grocery store getting close to becoming reality
This past Tuesday night, the Friends and Farmers Cooperative held a Meet and Greet at Whiskers in the Nittany Lion Inn. The event featured some local food created by Andrew Monk, who is the executive chef of the Nittany Lion Inn and big supporter of both local food and the Co-op. The event also was a way to inform the community about the progress the Co-op has been making, including the building of a Co-op grocery store.
Continue Reading: Friends and Farmers Cooperative grocery store getting close to becoming reality
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/12, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Tags: FriendsandFarmers | retail | grocerystore |
Reedsville man turns his passion for spicy heat into Red Hawk Premium Peppers
If you love the kind of heat that only a great hot sauce can provide, then Red Hawk Premium Peppers offers your kind of product line. The Reedsville company offers a variety of rubs, sauces, powders, and other condiments such as hot pepper jelly.
The owner of Red Hawk Premium Peppers is Dan Lowenstein. Dan notes that the love of hot spice is in his blood. "I was very fortunate to inherit my love of heat from my little Irish Grandmother," he said. "She was very well known for carrying her own shaker of red pepper flakes or Tabasco sauce in her small purse. Ever since I was a child, I have loved a little fire in my food."
Continue Reading: Reedsville man turns his passion for spicy heat into Red Hawk Premium Peppers
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/09, 2013 at 09:04 AM
Co-owner of Way Fruit Farm shares three favorite apple recipes
Way Fruit Farm offers all sorts of things that are good to eat; from different types of fruit to a variety of local food products from places like Tait Farm Foods and Hogs Galore. But their bread and butter, what put them on the map, is of course apples.
As a big fan of Way Fruit Farm, I can tell you that I see a lot of people buying huge amounts of apples for all sorts of recipes. I met a woman there last year who was baking apple pies for recipes, planning on giving them as gifts…a total of 25 pies! Apple pies certainly are a great way to use Way's apple bounty, but I recently had the opportunity to talk to Megan Coopey, who with her husband Jason are co-owners of Way Fruit Farm, about some other recipes for apples. Jason and Megan are two reasons to visit Way Fruit Farm, always friendly and helpful, and Megan was glad to help by giving me several fantastic recipes that would make a fantastic addition (or additions) to the Holiday table.
Continue Reading: Co-owner of Way Fruit Farm shares three favorite apple recipes
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/05, 2013 at 10:13 AM
Friends and Farmers Cooperative Meet and Greet Dec 10
Special to Local Food Journey by Carolyne Meehan
The Friends and Farmers Cooperative Meet and Greet at Whisker's in the Nittany Lion Inn on Tuesday, December 10 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. will be a fun, delicious, and informational evening. Chef Andrew Monk will be serving up light appetizers prepared with local ingredients and a cash bar will be open for refreshments. Chef Monk has been a big supporter of the cooperative's goal to make more local produce, meat and dairy more accessible to all. He has been making big changes as the executive chef of the Nittany Lion Inn - serving up local grass fed burgers that come from a single steer and introducing folks to local kale and beets as the stars in his main dishes. He is also big into the concept of "nose to tail" cooking, a method that involves serving up dishes to incorporate all cuts of meat.
Continue Reading: Friends and Farmers Cooperative Meet and Greet Dec 10
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/04, 2013 at 08:30 AM
Tags: FriendsandFarmersCooperative |
Local food sides share a rightful place next to turkey star on Thanksgiving stage
Traditionally, unless of course you are vegetarian or vegan, turkey holds top billing at the Thanksgiving table. We've all seen the classic "Freedom from Want" painting by Norman Rockwell, an image that quickly became the template for our truly American holiday, Thanksgiving. Grandma lowers the giant golden-brown bird onto the table, as all the relatives ooo and ahh.
But really, the sides are the co-stars of this culinary production, and rightfully so. While there is certainly nothing wrong with tradition, they don't have to be sugary sweet potatoes with marshmallows, green bean casserole, or "cranberry sauce a la Bart" direct from a can (Simpsons reference). With local ingredients, they can have flair and pizzazz that almost steals the show from the big turkey (not your one annoying uncle, I mean the main course).
Continue Reading: Local food sides share a rightful place next to turkey star on Thanksgiving stage
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/26, 2013 at 09:25 AM
Tags: Thanksgiving | recipe | squash | cabbage | sandwich |
USDA awards grants to school districts to integrate local food into cafeteria offerings
The United States Department of Agriculture recently announced they awarded 71 grants in 42 states to help the schools connect their cafeteria with local farmers. The grants are part of the "Farm to School"
program. In Pennsylvania, the School District of Philadelphia won one of the awards and will use the money to launch a pilot local food project, offering local blueberries to students at two schools. The second year, they will expand this to collard greens.
Continue Reading: USDA awards grants to school districts to integrate local food into cafeteria offerings
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/20, 2013 at 09:46 AM
Your Local Food Weekend for Nov. 16 and 17
As per the weather forecasts, this weekend we end our winter preview and get some mild weather to enjoy. For this Local Food Weekend weekend, we have the Bellefonte Farmers Market, Santa's arrival plus a chance to unwind at the Winery at Wilcox store at the Nittany Mall, and great music to go with great local food and beer at Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for Nov. 16 and 17
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/15, 2013 at 09:08 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend | ElkCreekCafe | Bellefonte | farmersmarket | Christmas |
Farmers market season not over quite yet
All good things must come to an end, and if you are like many of us local food foodies, tomorrow will be a melancholy day as two of the local Saturday farmers markets end their 2013 run. However, others will soldier on as the cold air blows and the first snowflakes fly.
Continue Reading: Farmers market season not over quite yet
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/08, 2013 at 09:52 AM
Recipe: Haluski brings a real old-country flavor to chilly fall Pennsylvania nights
When central and eastern Europeans emigrated to Pennsylvania in the 19th and 20th Centuries, one of the dishes they brought with them was haluski (or as some spell it, halusky). The dish is a simple one with some variations. Traditionally, haluski referred to the homemade noodles/dumplings, which were potato based much like gnocchi. However, today you can either purchase dried haluski noodles in any grocery store, or use any medium-wide egg noodle.
Growing up in York County, which is Pennsylvania Dutch country, I had very limited exposure to haluski, but when I went to Pittsburgh for college and eventually to live, I was introduced to the dish at a Polish Catholic church fish fry, which is just about the best place to have your first taste of haluski. Haluski has just a few ingredients, and the one I learned to make includes noodles, cabbage, onion, bacon, butter, salt, pepper..and that's it. You can also make a vegetarian version by leaving out the bacon and a vegan version by using vegan-friendly noodles and olive oil instead of butter.
The flavors combine to make a fantastic dish, especially if you are a gardener like me and use a fresh-harvested garden cabbage that has been sweetened by frost. And speaking of frosty weather, this is a great cold-weather dish that's a snap to make.
Continue Reading: Recipe: Haluski brings a real old-country flavor to chilly fall Pennsylvania nights
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/06, 2013 at 08:52 AM
Tags: recipe | garden | haluski | cabbage | vegetarian | vegan |
Wines that match well with the unique flavors of fall
Editor's Note: The fall season brings food that features flavors and ingredients that are unique to the season, and this may raise some challenges for those who want to pair wine with these autumn dishes. Linda Weaver of Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery has some suggestions to help you make the best wine/food pairing call.
Continue Reading: Wines that match well with the unique flavors of fall
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/31, 2013 at 07:24 AM
Tags: fall | autumn | recipe | wine | winepairings |
Able to take a freeze, hardy kale supplies fresh garden greens well into fall/early winter
Kale is a superstar in the fall garden. The plant is tough as nails, able to take some very cold temperatures. In fact, myself and many other gardeners have harvested kale from under the snow.
Along with its toughness, kale has many other good properties. It's very easy to grow, can grow in part shade, and is quite tasty. It is best after a couple of good frost/freezes, which give the leaves a sweet flavor and cuts down on the bitterness.
There are many varieties of kale, and here are a few of my favorites:
Continue Reading: Able to take a freeze, hardy kale supplies fresh garden greens well into fall/early winter
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/28, 2013 at 07:15 AM
Your Local Food Weekend for Oct. 26 and 27
There always seems to be something to do on an October weekend, and this last October weekend is certainly no exception. This weekend you can help make apple butter, meet some retired greyhound racers (and maybe give one a good home), carve a pumpkin at the Central PA Flea & Farmers Market Harvest Season Event, enjoy wine in a beautiful fall setting at the Mount Nittany Winery, and explore the Halloween Trail for kids at the Shaver's Creek Fall Harvest Festival. Learn more by continuing to read:
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for Oct. 26 and 27
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/25, 2013 at 08:25 AM
Local food, free wine tastings highlight Saturday's Mount Nittany Winery Harvest Festival
The Mount Nittany Winery is holding their annual Harvest Fest Saturday, Oct. 26 from noon to 5:00 p.m. at the winery in Centre Hall. In their beautiful Mt. Nittany-side setting, you can enjoy free wine tastings, take a winery tour, try free samples (and then buy) local food from vendors, and enjoy live music by Richard and Papa (aka long-time State College musicians Richard Sleigh and Gary Brubaker).
Continue Reading: Local food, free wine tastings highlight Saturday's Mount Nittany Winery Harvest Festival
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/24, 2013 at 08:06 AM
Tags: MountNittanyWinery | HarvestFestival | wine | festivals |
Local Food Weekend for October 19-20
This Local Food Weekend includes a few ways to use (or abuse) pumpkins in ways other than eating. Our events for Saturday and Sunday include the Howard Fire Company Punkin' Chunkin' Festival, the Penn State Arboretum Pumpkin Festival, and the Harner Farm and the Terrace at Brookline Fall Festival. Continue reading to learn more…
Continue Reading: Local Food Weekend for October 19-20
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/18, 2013 at 08:01 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend | fall |
How might GMO labeling affect our local food community?
On yesterday's NPR show All Things Considered, correspondent Martin Kaste had a story on a food controversy that is growing—GMO labeling. This idea is growing steam especially in the Northeast, where Maine and Connecticut have already passed laws that require labeling on any foods that contain GMO (genetically modified organisms). From the story:
Continue Reading: How might GMO labeling affect our local food community?
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/17, 2013 at 09:23 AM
Tags: GMO | NPR | AllThingsConsidered | foodlabeling |
Your Local Food Weekend for Oct. 12-13
It's fall festival time in Central Pennsylvania, and these events offer fantastic opportunities to sample local food and make some discoveries of new products. This weekend we have the Wasson Farm Fall Fest, Black Moshannon Cranberry Festival, and the Way Fruit Farm Fall Festival to tell you about. Keep reading for more…
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for Oct. 12-13
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/11, 2013 at 07:28 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend | autumn | fall | festival | cranberries |
Take advantage of extra time and plan now for killing frost
We are getting an extended summer, with temperatures that feel more like August. Looks like our run of summer weather ends today, but the threat of a killing freeze that ends the growing season for tender plants still seems at least a week or more away as per the weather forecast, which is quite unusual for October. Of course, as any gardener in Central Pennsylvania knows, that will not last forever. So, here's a list of tips to help you prepare for when the ground is coated in frost and your tomato plants finally succumb:
Continue Reading: Take advantage of extra time and plan now for killing frost
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/07, 2013 at 07:55 AM
Your Local Food Weekend for Oct. 5-6
Okay, so the weather right now isn't exactly fall-like. However, there are still plenty of fall-ish things to do this weekend that are local food related, including the Aaronsburg Dutch Fall Festival, State College's Fall Fest, and the Mt. Nittany Vineyard & Winery's Winemakers Harvest Dinner
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for Oct. 5-6
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/04, 2013 at 07:39 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend | fall | autumn | festivals |
Your Local Food Weekend for September 28-29
This weekend's local food event list is highlighted by Oktoberfests at Tussey Mountain and Millheim, a new farmers market at the Grange Fairgrounds, Gamble Mill MusicFest, and last but not least, the WPSU International Wine Festival. Quite a slate of things to do! To learn more, keep reading…
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for September 28-29
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/27, 2013 at 08:00 AM
Mt. Nittany Vineyard & Winery hosts Winemakers Harvest Dinner Oct. 5
September is harvest time in the fields, orchards, and, of course, vineyards in Central Pennsylvania. One of the area's best-known wineries, Mt. Nittany Vineyard & Winery, is gathering the grapes that make their variety of signature wines, and each year this is a time to celebrate a good harvest. With this in mind, Winery Owners Joe and Betty Carroll are holding the Winemakers Harvest Dinner Oct. 5 at the Winery.
Continue Reading: Mt. Nittany Vineyard & Winery hosts Winemakers Harvest Dinner Oct. 5
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/25, 2013 at 08:24 AM
Tags: Mt.NittanyWinery | harvestdinner | wine |
Slow-roasted tomatoes are a revelation of flavor
Even this late in the season, you probably still have tomatoes in your garden, and if you're not a gardener, probably still see good-looking tomatoes at farmers markets. If you are a serious tomato-lover, you've turned them into sauce, whipped up some salsa, canned them, frozen them, made some sort of pasta, made tomato salad, etc. You may think, like I did, that you've tried just about every use for those wonderful globes of deliciousness. But, I can recommend one way to use tomatoes that is positively amazing and yes, a revelation of flavor—slow-roasting them.
Continue Reading: Slow-roasted tomatoes are a revelation of flavor
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/20, 2013 at 08:03 AM
Your Local Food Weekend for September 14-15
A quiet local food weekend last Saturday and Sunday, but not so this weekend. Some very cool events to check out tomorrow and Sunday. On a bit different note, you can make your Penn State tailgate or party a local food event by offering up some local food like Hogs Galore bratwursts, drinks mixed with Tait Farm shrub, an apple pie made with Harner Farm apples, etc. Anyway, onto the scheduled events for this week…
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for September 14-15
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/13, 2013 at 08:44 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend |
How Buy Fresh Buy Local became a key part of local food scene
Back in 2002, the wheels were set in motion to create an organization whose goal was to make it easier for people to find, choose, and enjoy great local foods and support the farmers and land that produces them. This organization became the local foodie's best friend—Buy Fresh Buy Local.
"The process actually began in early 2002, through a "learning community" of partners from across the country assembled by the FoodRoutes Network headquartered in Millheim," said Brian Snyder, executive director of both the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) and also the FoodRoutes Network, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PASA that runs the Buy Fresh Buy Local® program nationally. "At the time, FRN was run by Executive Director Tim Bowser, now of the Elk Creek Café and this particular project was coordinated by Joani Walsh, a Centre County native who is now a Deputy Undersecretary for the Ag Marketing Service at the USDA."
This meeting was a key moment in the local food movement history not just here in Pennsylvania, but nationally. In fact, the group represented four states—Pennsylvania, California, Louisiana, and Iowa. They wanted to learn more about consumer preference, and come up with a national brand identity for locally-grown food.
Continue Reading: How Buy Fresh Buy Local became a key part of local food scene
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/11, 2013 at 10:57 AM
Tags: BuyFreshBuyLocal | history |
How to plan for frost in your garden
Last night was quite chilly for a lot of people in central PA but it seems that many of us escaped frost. However, the slow march of the seasons are inevitable, and eventually there will be frost on the Happy Valley pumpkins. Frost or even temperatures below 40 are very bad for plants like tomatoes, basil, beans, cucumbers, etc. On the other hand, a lighter frost is okay for plants like beets, chard, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, etc.
Here are some tips for both figuring out when your garden might get hit by frost, and what to do when it does.
Continue Reading: How to plan for frost in your garden
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/06, 2013 at 08:49 AM
Restaurant puts local food in your Green Bowl
The Green Bowl is one of those interesting restaurants that let you build your own meal. The concept is simple. You choose your vegetables, fruits, noodles, etc.; then specify what sort of meat you want, if any; pick your sauce; then a staff member stir fries it for you. It's sort of like being your own prep chef.
Some places refer to this sort of thing as Mongolian barbeque, although there are some difference such as a wider variety of sauce selections at the Green Bowl as opposed to other places like it. Along with the great flavor, one aspect of the Green Bowl that makes it stand out from similar establishments is inclusion of local food ingredients, thanks to owners Scott and Marley Wong.
Continue Reading: Restaurant puts local food in your Green Bowl
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/05, 2013 at 07:20 AM
Tags: GreenBowl | restaurants |
Pleasant Gap's Village Eatinghouse celebrates local food and art
The Village Eatinghouse has a fairly long history as a stalwart of the central PA food scene. It was originally started in 1985 in Boalsburg by Clay and Melanie Phillips as a small restaurant and catering service. However, in 1996 they decided to focus solely on catering and their line of food products. Then in 2006, they focused on specialty food products and out of catering, but that changed in 2012. "We realized that our lives worked better for us and our marriage when we worked together and we decided to re-open the Village Eatinghouse in the town that we live in, Pleasant Gap, in early Sept of 2012," Melanie said.
Today, the Village Eatinghosue is a combination restaurant, catering business, specialty food market, and showcase for local artists. In the one year of their existence, they have become a must-go place for breakfast, lunch, or an early dinner. And local food certainly plays a part in their business. "The Marketplace and Cafe idea came about through our love of this area and its abundant local entrepreneurs producing everything from homemade salsa and jams to handmade arts and handicrafts," Melanie said. "We believe in the local economy succeeding by utilizing the local resources and supporting locally owned small businesses."
Continue Reading: Pleasant Gap's Village Eatinghouse celebrates local food and art
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/03, 2013 at 08:17 AM
Tags: VillageEatinghouse | restaurant | specialtyfood |
Local Food Weekend; Labor Day edition
It's the semi-official end of summer and with it, the end of summer festivals. This week, there are two local festivals to check out that involve local food as part of the attractions.
Continue Reading: Local Food Weekend; Labor Day edition
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/30, 2013 at 07:51 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend | Crickfest |
Local Food recipes for Labor Day
Labor Day already? Seems like the start of summer was about two weeks ago. Time truly does fly, and soon the focus here on Local Food Journey will turn to autumn-y things like pumpkins, apples, winter squash, soups, etc. All the things we like to have when the weather gets frosty and footballs replaces baseballs.
But let's not bury summer yet. There's plenty of warm weather to go, including September. Here's three great recipes that together make for a fantastic Labor Day grill meal.
Continue Reading: Local Food recipes for Labor Day
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/29, 2013 at 08:16 AM
Tags: LaborDay | recipe | greenbeans | groundbeef | zucchini | tomatoes |
A visit to the Grange Fair, and the connection to local food
Last night I went to the Grange Fair. One of the more unique events in Pennsylvania, the Grange Fair celebrated its 139th year. The event has humble origins, beginning as a picnic event in 1874 in the rather scarily named Leech Woods just west of Centre Hall. It has evolved into today's version, featuring an encampment that visitors often find sort of puzzling (but seems like fun for the campers), a dazzling array of food stands that at times makes choosing a snack or meal rather overwhelming, and, of course, various agricultural exhibits. It really is one of those things that offer something for just about anyone in the area. I think if you live in this area it's something you should attend at least once.
So, what's the connection that the Grange Fair has with the local food scene? One is, of course, obvious—the focus on agriculture. But there are a few things that seem to be missing as far as local food.
Continue Reading: A visit to the Grange Fair, and the connection to local food
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/28, 2013 at 08:55 AM
Tags: GrangeFair |
Will new FDA food safety rules hurt the local food movement?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) may say it's about imported food, but the new rules proposed to govern the growing, harvesting, shipping, and storing raw fruits and vegetables have raised some concerns for the small farmers who make up the backbone of the local food movement. Recently, FDA representatives have embarked on a multi-state tour to visit farms and to discuss the new rules with the public.
Continue Reading: Will new FDA food safety rules hurt the local food movement?
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/26, 2013 at 07:55 AM
Tags: issues | FDA | foodsafety |
Your Local Food Weekend for August 24-25
This weekend is a Grange Fair weekend, so that's what dominates the schedule for our Local Food Weekend. Billed as the "Nation's Most Unique County Fair", I'd say it lives up to that title just by the encampment alone, which is a series of large tents where families basically spend a week living at the fair. So, it sort of makes for an interesting version of people watching. I can imagine for the kids, living at the fair is a dream come true.
The Grange Fair is an agricultural event, so if you are a local food enthusiast, it's definitely worth a trip. Along with livestock exhibits, they also have a variety of produce exhibits, including canning. My wife was mortified by the sight of a whole chicken canned in a large Mason jar. I admit that the sight of a whole chicken in a jar, which is something most of us are used to seeing frozen or in a roasting pan, is rather unusual but this is an old way of preserving meat. You can also find freakishly huge pumpkins, unusual tomatoes, and more.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for August 24-25
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/23, 2013 at 07:00 AM
Tags: LocalFoodWeekend |
You can still plant fall crops for a tasty end to the garden season
I know that lots of people turn their thoughts to football and raking leaves once the days getting shorter and mornings are foggy and cool, but fall is really a good time to grow certain vegetables. While a lot of vegetables thrive in summer heat, there are a fair amount that prefer fall's cool weather. And it's not too late to plant; if you plant this weekend, you have anywhere from 37 to 52 days before this area's average first freeze, depending on where you live.
Continue Reading: You can still plant fall crops for a tasty end to the garden season
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/22, 2013 at 08:26 AM
Your Local Food Weekend for August 17-18
It's mid-August already? Don't lament that we are this late in the summer, celebrate that we are in what I think is the peak period for local food. And there's lots to do that has a local food angle this week! Go celebrate tomatoes at Tait Farm, attract butterflies at Rose Franklin's Perennials, get artsy/crafty in Bellefonte, learn how to survive The End with really local food, and/or have a tasty cold one at the State College Brew Fest. Keep on reading…
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for August 17-18
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/16, 2013 at 09:35 AM
Something for everyone at Ag Progress Days
Billed as one of the largest outdoor farm-related shows in the East, Ag Progress Days continues today and tomorrow out at the Russell E. Larson Agriculture Research Center on State Route 45 near Rock Spring. The festival of farming runs opens today and tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. Today the show runs until 8:00 p.m., giving those of us with a day job an opportunity to head out after work and perhaps have supper at one of the food vendors at the event.
While some may have the idea that it's just for farmers and farm machinery enthusiasts looking for a Tractorpalooza, Ag Progress Days has something for everyone, including kids' activities. The event is put on by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
Continue Reading: Something for everyone at Ag Progress Days
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/14, 2013 at 07:57 AM
Tags: Agprogressdays | agriculture | events |
"Why won't my tomatoes ripen?"
This weekend I was at a very nice event, a barn dance. In between promenades, I was chatting with some people about gardening, one of my favorite small talk subjects. As often happens when talking gardening, tomatoes came up. And as often happens when talking tomatoes, concerns about fruit not ripening came up. So, are there any ways to speed up the process?
Continue Reading: "Why won't my tomatoes ripen?"
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/12, 2013 at 08:42 AM
Your Local Food Weekend for August 10-11
A look at various local food-related events being held this weekend around the area. The headline event is the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's 2013 Centre County Farm Tour which will be held tomorrow. You can find a four-part preview series on this farm tour here, here, here, and here. To find more local food-related things to do this weekend, keep reading.
Continue Reading: Your Local Food Weekend for August 10-11
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/09, 2013 at 09:44 AM
Tough job but someone has to do it: being a local food judge
I recently was asked by the folks at the Boalsburg Farmers Market to serve as a judge for the Market's Golden Basket Awards, an annual event held as part of Local Foods Week here in Centre County. For those not familiar with the Golden Basket Awards, chefs from the local area compete for the prize by creating a full entree with ingredients found at the Boalsburg Farmers Market. Having to use local ingredients probably is the easy part of the contest. I mean, the chefs do their cooking in an area in the middle of the market and are surrounded by local meats, cheeses, eggs, dairy, sauces, and of course fresh produce. That's a pretty formidable pantry.
So, I got to judge their end result. It was a challenge to be presented with creative and delicious dishes made by professional chefs and then eat them, but I persevered. Seriously, though, the food coma I was in by the end of the event really was a bit of a challenge, but it was a happy feeling.
Continue Reading: Tough job but someone has to do it: being a local food judge
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/08, 2013 at 09:37 AM
Tags: BoalsburgFarmersMarket | GoldenBasketAward |
Eight local chefs to compete for Boalsburg Farmers Market Golden Basket Award
Eight of the best local chefs from the area's finest restaurants will compete for the Boalsburg Farmers Market Third Annual Golden Basket Award to be held from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6. Part of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's "Local Foods Week," the event will feature the chefs preparing a main dish and two sides from ingredients produced by Boalsburg Farmers Market vendors. This will be the largest judged competition among chefs in the State College Area, and it has been described "as the culinary Olympics of Centre County." The chefs will gather their ingredients at the start of market, then prepare their plates for submission to the judges in front of market goers.
Continue Reading: Eight local chefs to compete for Boalsburg Farmers Market Golden Basket Award
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/05, 2013 at 08:07 AM
Tags: LocalFoodsWeek | GoldenBasketAward | chefs | |
Next week is Local Foods Week!
From our friends at Buy Fresh Buy Local Centre County Chapter, an announcement about Local Foods Week, a celebration of the amazing bounty we have right here in the Centre Region
August is a month of cookouts, family gatherings, and finding creative ways to beat the heat. Did you realize that all the ingredients you need for your next summer get-together—mouthwatering burgers, juicy watermelons, crisp salads, and refreshing ice cream—are produced right here in Centre County? They're closer than you think, and the growers are eager to meet you in person. Buy Fresh Buy Local® Centre County Chapter is presenting Local Foods Week from August 3rd through August 10th, which will offer events for the whole family to explore and connect with the county's vast agrarian offerings and sustainability practices. The week's happenings will appeal to anyone with an interest in local foods at any level, from backyard gardening, homesteading, or cooking with sustainable ingredients right up to larger scale farming. Even if you don't have a green thumb, Local Foods Week will help you and your family appreciate and understand what it takes to bring your meals from the farmers' fields to your fork.
Continue Reading: Next week is Local Foods Week!
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/31, 2013 at 01:00 PM
Tags: LocalFoodWeek | BuyFreshBuyLocal | farms |
Interview with Jason Coopey of Way Fruit Farm
Way Fruit Farm apples and apple products are among the Centre Region's favorite local foods. As something of a cider snob connoisseur due to having grown up in the Appleland that is southcentral Pennsylvania, I am picky about cider but have found Way's cider to be one of my personal highlights of a Happy Valley autumn. However, Way Fruit Farm is so much more. They offer a wide variety of local fruit, and vegetables, almost year-round. They also have a pleasant cafe for breakfast and lunch, a gift shop, and provide a one-stop shop for other local food items such as meats, cheeses, sauces, etc. You can build a heck of a meal in one visit to Way Fruit Farm.
I recently had the pleasure to talk to Jason Coopey, co-owner of Way Fruit Farm, about what fruits are in season now and in the near future, why local food is so fantastic, and when they will again offer cider this year.
Continue Reading: Interview with Jason Coopey of Way Fruit Farm
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/31, 2013 at 11:12 AM
Tags: WayFruitFarm | fruit |
Interview with Fred Volz of the soon-to-be Nittany Mountain Distillery
You may have heard about rumors about a new business called Nittany Mountain Distillery opening up in Happy Valley. You may have even seen and liked their Facebook page. Yes, there really is a spirits distillery coming to Centre County, joining our area brewers as a local source for "adult" beverages.
Of course, our overall region, the Appalachians, has a long history of distilleries, many of them illegal (think: "moonshiners"). But this one is perfectly legal. In fact, the licensing process is one of the reasons they aren't in operation as yet. To learn more about the future Nittany Mountain Distillery, I recently talked to one of the founders, Fred Volz.
Continue Reading: Interview with Fred Volz of the soon-to-be Nittany Mountain Distillery
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/24, 2013 at 09:31 PM
Tags: NittanyMountainDistillery | moonshine | bourbon |
Tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes: What to do with all those tomatoes
If you are a gardener, a friend of a gardener, or frequent farmers markets, chances are pretty good that soon you will be awash in tomatoes. It's that time of the year, and it's hard to imagine summer without fresh tomatoes. This is, at least to me, the only time to eat fresh tomatoes. Local summer tomatoes are simply the best, and supermarket tomatoes in January with their bland flavor and waxy consistency do not even come close.
Not only are tomatoes tasty right now, they are abundant. So, what to do with all those tomatoes? Here are some recipes.
Continue Reading: Tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes: What to do with all those tomatoes
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/24, 2013 at 06:56 AM
A startup gardening service makes getting fresh vegetables easy
Originally published on the WPSU blog and broadcasted on WPSU-FM:
A new gardening concept is sprouting in Central Pennsylvania. Woody Wilson, a graduate of Penn State, took an idea he entered in an agriculture competition and made it his business. Wilson's Home Farms gives State College area residents another way to bring local vegetables to their kitchen tables. WPSU intern Jessica Paholsky went along with Wilson to find out more.
Continue Reading: A startup gardening service makes getting fresh vegetables easy
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/23, 2013 at 09:04 AM
Fighting the good fight against garden diseases
This summer has definitely been a wet one so far, and gardeners and farmers alike across Central PA know that wet weather also means plant diseases. Cloudy, humid, and downright wet conditions provide ideal conditions for these diseases to strike. However, if your plants are under the disease gun, there are ways to save your plants and ensure a good harvest, even in a less-than-ideal year like the one we are currently having. Here are some tips:
Continue Reading: Fighting the good fight against garden diseases
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/22, 2013 at 08:03 AM
Preview of Local Food Weeks Farm Tour, Part 2
This is part II of the Centre County Farm Tour preview, by Maya Althouse, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture intern
As Local Foods Week gets closer, it's time to mark your calendars for August 10th and plan where you want to stop on the Centre County Farm Tour! There are seventeen farms on the Tour, all of which are eager to welcome you to their world and share their livelihood with you. Since most people make it to only four or five farms depending on how long they spend at each location, it's good to look ahead in order to make the most of the day. To help you out, here is a preview of the next four farms on the tour—check back next week to read about more!
Continue Reading: Preview of Local Food Weeks Farm Tour, Part 2
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/10, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Tags: CentreCountyFarmTour | preview | |
Preview of Local Foods Week Farm Tour, Part 1
Post by Maya Althouse, PASA intern
With our calendars now turned to July, that means that Local Foods Week is just a month away! August 3-10 are the dates of a week-long celebration coordinated by the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) and Buy Fresh Buy Local (BFBL) to connect consumers with all of the agricultural wonders found right here in Centre County. The week will end with PASA's most anticipated event, the Centre County Farm Tour. This is your chance to visit local farms to meet the farmers and learn how they produce healthy, sustainably raised foods!
**A Farm Tour Pass can be purchased for $15 at BFBL Partner locations (the IngleBean Coffee House, Webster's Cafe, Tait Farm, and Nature's Pantry), as well as at weekly farmers markets. Some of the farms will open early to pass holders, and the pass also gives you access to special promotions during Local Foods Week from our Partner businesses.
Continue Reading: Preview of Local Foods Week Farm Tour, Part 1
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/03, 2013 at 10:10 AM
More great Fourth of July recipes (including cocktails!)
This is part two of a two-part post on local food Fourth recipes that you can serve friends and family at Independence Day gatherings. You can see the other recipes in the post right below this one. As an added bonus, today we've added some summer cocktail recipes as well.
Continue Reading: More great Fourth of July recipes (including cocktails!)
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/03, 2013 at 08:07 AM
Fantastic Fourth recipes that will rock your holiday cookout
July 4th is a fun time, almost as much of a celebration of our American summer as it is a celebration of our American freedom. As a general rule, the gatherings of friends and family take place outside (weather permitting, of course) and take the form of the cookout/backyard barbeque. I am sure other culture do this, but the American version is unique to us. We play a variety of lawn games like horseshoes, ladder toss, etc., hang out with friends and family, and enjoy a variety of summer foods. This is the time of the year when local food really shines; and I asked a sampling of local food vendors and Local Food Journey vendors to offer some favorite Independence Day recipes that will dazzle backyard diners. In fact, I got so many I decided to do this in two parts. Today, we offer you part one.
Continue Reading: Fantastic Fourth recipes that will rock your holiday cookout
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/02, 2013 at 09:15 AM
Not too late to get plants in the garden
Oh, man! A rabbit ate half your annual bed…your tomato plants got trashed by a storm…the neighbor's dog dug up your favorite herb plant…too late to plant something new now, right? Actually, that's not the case. You can can still plant flowers, vegetables, herbs, etc. and still get beauty and flavor from your 2013 garden.
Continue Reading: Not too late to get plants in the garden
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/28, 2013 at 12:37 PM
Tags: PatchworkFarms | gardening | annuals | perennials | vegetables |
Water your garden the right way during next dry spell
Despite last night's deluge that soaked many a garden and farm around the area and a forecast for a lot more rain, summer almost always has at least a few dry spells. Those are the days when the sun bakes the soil to a crispy golden brown dry, and your plants sometimes do things in desperate self-defense, like curl up leaves in the case of corn. You really have no other alternative but to give your plants the life that only good old water can give them.
Continue Reading: Water your garden the right way during next dry spell
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/26, 2013 at 01:58 PM
Tags: garden | watering | plantdisease |
Interview with Kim Tait on Summer Solstice Celebration, local food economy
This Saturday, June 22, Tait Farm Foods will hold a Summer Solstice Celebration out at the farm to benefit the Centre County Farmland Trust. On a beautiful day last Saturday I went out to Tait Farm to talk to Kim about this event, and why farming and supporting our local farms is a vital to our community. To listen, click on the "play button" below.
Continue Reading: Interview with Kim Tait on Summer Solstice Celebration, local food economy
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/20, 2013 at 12:29 PM
Tags: TaitFarm | SummerSolstice | event | localeconomy | audio |
How to make your own scrapple
Editor's Note: Nick Benard of Bellefonte is a new writer with Local Food Journey. Nick has a local food blog called the Culinary Pen, and is interested in home cheese making with local raw milk, curing meat from local farms, gardening, and home butchering. With this post, he talks about his love of a real Pennsylvania food, scrapple, and offers a recipe to make your own.
I love scrapple. Not just for the savory taste, but also for what it represents: a need to use up every part of an animal and stretch the meat as far as possible. For the uninitiated, scrapple is a mixture of cereal grains cooked in broth with pork meat. The grains can vary, depending on the region. The Philadelphia region is famous for buckwheat scrapple, oats are preferred in Ohio, and rice is traditional in the Carolinas. For me, I prefer the classic Pennsylvania Dutch use of dried corn, particularly Brisner's Best, which is traditionally dried, roasted corn milled in Pennsylvania.
Continue Reading: How to make your own scrapple
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/18, 2013 at 10:16 AM
Tags: recipe | scrapple | PennsylvaniaDutch |
Morel madness!
Editor's Note: This story is by one of our new Local Food Journey bloggers, Jim Sechrengost, a Penn State employee who prior to entering the tech world was a chef in restaurants ranging from diners to Chinese places in Southern CA. He grew up in the Somerset/Johnstown area so he has a lot of local recipes from all types of ethnic backgrounds, and will be sharing them with us in the months to come.
When I was young I lived in Somerset County and my uncle introduced me to camping and all the wonders of nature at an early age. We used to go camping as much as his work would allow and he showed me how to live off the land hunting and gathering edible plants. When I joined the military I carried this love of the outdoors with me and every chance I got I would explore and find the new plants that were edible where ever I happened to be. This turned into a love of cooking and trying to find new ways to prepare some of these edible delights. I have cooked in almost every type of restaurant you can think of from Mom and Pop Diners to Chinese.
Continue Reading: Morel madness!
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/12, 2013 at 09:42 AM
June 11 is Kids Day at the Boalsburg Farmer's Market
Kids Day at the Boalsburg Farmer's Market will occur Tuesday, June 11. The event will feature Tony Sapia of Gemelli Bakers demonstrating to children how to prepare simple dishes from products available at the market. This will happen at 3:00 p.m. at the Pennsylvania Military Museum. After the demonstration, farmers and other vendors will be available to talk to children in attendance about what they do.
Continue Reading: June 11 is Kids Day at the Boalsburg Farmer's Market
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/10, 2013 at 09:08 AM
Tags: Kid'sDay | BoalsburgFarmer'sMarket | children | events |
Local food innovation in Singapore is something you can look up to
Singapore is known for its food. For those who have been there, Singapore is a world of delicious and unique flavors. Much of this food is trucked in, but an entrepreneur has come up with a vertical farming idea that uses limited energy and may enable Singapore to grow more local food for its residents and visitors.
Continue Reading: Local food innovation in Singapore is something you can look up to
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/06, 2013 at 08:13 AM
Tags: Singapore | localfood | innovation |
Things are just Peachey in Belleville
Tucked into a beautiful slice of Pennsylvania known as the Big Valley, Belleville is a small town around 25 miles to the southeast of State College in Mifflin County. Belleville is a community with a variety of different Amish and Mennonite groups. One of the groups of Amish are known as the Peachey or Renno Amish, also known as "black-toppers". Named after the Peachey family, the Peachey folk are industrious with a variety of businesses in the general Belleville area carrying the Peachey name. Two of my personal favorites are local food related—Peachey Greenhouse and the famous A.J. Peachey and Sons. This past Saturday, I decided to take a drive and pay a visit to both of them.
Continue Reading: Things are just Peachey in Belleville
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/03, 2013 at 10:33 AM
Tags: Peachey | Belleville | meat | greenhouse | garden |
Video: Three Belle Cheese…Milking past financial and cultural limits
Local Food Journey is pleased to announce that Penn State student and WPSU Multimedia Intern Jessica Paholsky will be producing videos for us that will cover a variety of local food topics, places, businesses, and more. These will generally run every Friday. The first one looks at a few of the challenges of being a goat dairy farmer with Three Belle Cheese General Manager Darren Rhyne.
Continue Reading: Video: Three Belle Cheese…Milking past financial and cultural limits
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/31, 2013 at 01:00 PM
Tags: ThreeBelleCheese | goats | video | JessicaPaholsky |
At the Dinner Table: Shellie Mierwald, founder of Sweet Heat Gourmet
This edition of At the Dinner Table (a conversation with someone involved with local food), is with Shellie Mierwald, founder/owner of Sweet Heat Gourmet, a State College-based sauce company that uses local vendors for the ingredients.
Continue Reading: At the Dinner Table: Shellie Mierwald, founder of Sweet Heat Gourmet
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/28, 2013 at 01:08 PM
Tags: SweetHeatGourmet | AttheDinnerTable | peppers | sauce | farmer'smarket |
Fundamentals of Pairing Wine with Food
Post by Jamie Ryan, Wine Consultant & Educator, Mt. Nittany Winery
In wine and food pairing, the fundamental goal is balance. The flavors found in both the wine and the elements of a dish should be balanced and neither should overpower the other. A well-matched pairing should enhance the existing elements of each and ultimately bring out new flavors that are not detected in the wine or food when they stand alone. As a wine educator, the most frequent questions my students always ask how they can make safe pairing choices when they are on their own, either at home or dining out. Here are some basic guidelines that are fairly universal in the world and I find that they are a great place for beginners to dive in and start playing with their pairings.
Continue Reading: Fundamentals of Pairing Wine with Food
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/23, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Tags: wine | foodpairing | JamieRyan | Mt.NittanyWinery |
PASA sows seeds of sustainable, innovative farming practices in Pennsylvania fields
Article by PASA Staff
Back in the early '90s a small gathering of Centre County "kindred spirits" came together around the idea of founding an organization that focused on a variety of sustainable farming practices, addressed issues family farmers faced, and filled a need for those who wanted to support "alternative" agriculture, as some may have called it back then. Through the dedicated efforts of this group (many of whom still live, work, and farm in Centre County), the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) took root over 20 years ago and today continues to flourish throughout Pennsylvania.
Continue Reading: PASA sows seeds of sustainable, innovative farming practices in Pennsylvania fields
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/20, 2013 at 08:58 AM
Tags: PASA | profile | localfarms | localfoodweek |
LFJ Farm Report: Mud season at Green Heron Farm
Continue Reading: LFJ Farm Report: Mud season at Green Heron Farm
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/17, 2013 at 08:22 AM
Tags: FarmReport | GreenHeronFarm | mud | spring |
WPSU radio story asks: Can State College support a local food co-op store?
A few weeks ago, WPSU ran a story by Kate Lao Shaffner during Morning Edition on the new Friends & Farmers organization. We wrote about them back in early April. Their goal is to establish a co-op grocery store with local food here in State College.
Continue Reading: WPSU radio story asks: Can State College support a local food co-op store?
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/15, 2013 at 09:39 AM
Tags: Friends&Farmers | co-op | WPSU | KateLaoShaffner |
Want to become a food blogger? Write for Local Food Journey!
Hi everyone! We are looking for volunteer writers for Local Food Journey. If you have a passion for local food, the philosophy behind local food, and enjoy writing, then we would love to have you join us as a contributor. This blog has always been about the local food community and having the community contribute to content we believe makes perfect sense.
Continue Reading: Want to become a food blogger? Write for Local Food Journey!
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/14, 2013 at 12:58 PM
Tags: writers | helpwanted |
Elk Creek brewer offers summer beer/food pairings
Editor's Note: This is part 1 of a two-part look at summer food and beer pairings with Centre County brewers - today, Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks, and next Friday, Otto's Pub and Brewery. Traditionally, pairings of food and drink has usually been about wine. But over the last decade or so, as craft beers and ales have become more and more prevalent, beer and food pairings have come to the forefront. Everybody knows how well a nice cold glass of beer goes with wings or burgers, but what about more adventurous pairings? I recently talked to Tim Yarrington, the brewer responsible for the excellent libations that Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks puts out on a regular basis, about some beer food pairings that will make you want to head to Millheim and grab a growler or two.
Continue Reading: Elk Creek brewer offers summer beer/food pairings
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/10, 2013 at 10:35 AM
Tags: beer | ElkCreekCafe+BrewWorks | beerpairings | summer |
Finally, someone sets the record straight on what's "real" Pennsylvania Dutch food
I grew up in York, PA, which is part of what is considered the most famous of our state's "Pennsylvania Dutch" country. While York doesn't attract the throngs of tourists that Lancaster does, Pennsylvania Dutch cooking has had a big influence on the area's local eating. Because of this, I consider myself a bit of a Pennsylvania Dutch food "purist"—for example, I know that if a book has a recipe for "Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie" and it includes a crust, then it's not an authentic recipe. So, I was quite thrilled to stumble upon an NPR blog post about a new book by a Pennsylvania Dutch food expert, William Woys Weaver.
Continue Reading: Finally, someone sets the record straight on what's "real" Pennsylvania Dutch food
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/08, 2013 at 01:05 PM
Tags: Amish | PennsylvaniaDutch | book | NPR |
Local plant sales offer variety of food and ornamental plants
Plant sales are a fairly common sight in and around Happy Valley in May. They are a boon for gardeners who want to find unusual or native plants to add to their garden. They are also a good way to keep your garden a more "pure" source of local food, since instead of buying plants that were shipped to a big box store, you buy plants from a local vendor or organization.
Continue Reading: Local plant sales offer variety of food and ornamental plants
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/06, 2013 at 02:15 PM
Farmer's market season gets underway in Centre County
While a few farmer's markets in central PA operate indoors during the cold months, the warmer weather of May means it's time for outdoor farmer's markets. Here's a general guide to what you can expect at an outdoor farmer's market.
Continue Reading: Farmer's market season gets underway in Centre County
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/03, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Tags: farmersmarket | buyfreshbuylocal |
At the Dinner Table with French Penn State Graduate Student Sandra Rosseau
Editor's note: At the Dinner Table is a new series on Local Food Journey. The concept behind this feature is a type of conversation you might have at dinner with a friend. I am sure many of you have talked local food at dinner, while having local food on the table (how meta is that?), so this series will feature members of the local community talking about local food and the role it plays in their lives. This is the first in the series, and in this inaugural At the Dinner Table I talked to Sandra Rosseau, a PhD student at Penn State from France. She came to Penn State in 2007. Her research interests now focus on the roles that humor plays in the context of Franco-Algerian memory. In her free time, she enjoys music, photography, and as you will soon see, cooking.
Continue Reading: At the Dinner Table with French Penn State Graduate Student Sandra Rosseau
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/02, 2013 at 09:00 AM
Tags: AttheDinnerTable | SandraRosseau | Frenchfood | localfood | recipe | michon |
Stanford student finds connection between local food and building a diverse community
Local food has many benefits, from supporting local businesses to just plain tasting good. But did you know that local food has potential to enhance diversity and improve race relations in the local community? A student from Stanford makes his case on the Huffington Post.
Continue Reading: Stanford student finds connection between local food and building a diverse community
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/01, 2013 at 10:02 AM
Recipe: Spinach salad with bacon and smoked cheese
I didn't care how many times Popeye beat Bluto after downing a can of spinach, as a kid I just plain HATED spinach. But as my culinary horizons broadened as I grew up, I quickly learned that spinach didn't have to be a lifeless splatter of lumpy green on a plate. In fact, spinach has become my favorite salad green, and since it is a spring crop, we are in spinach season here in Central Pennsylvania.
Continue Reading: Recipe: Spinach salad with bacon and smoked cheese
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/29, 2013 at 11:42 AM
Tags: recipe | spinach | cheese | bacon | HogsGalore | Gemellis | GootEssa | StarHollowFarm | GreenmoreGardens |
Otto's spring/summer menu includes food grown in on-site garden
Otto's Pub and Brewery finds a lot of what they serve both on the plate and in the pub glass from local vendors, but one source can be best described as hyper-local—a couple of onsite gardens. These onsite gardens may entail some work—when I talked to Pete Herncane, head chef of Otto's, for this post he had just came in from weeding their garden—but they offer a source of very fresh herbs and vegetables for their local food menu.
Continue Reading: Otto's spring/summer menu includes food grown in on-site garden
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/25, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Five Reasons to Compost
You just made a big pot of soup with all sorts of stuff you got from the farmer's market. Now you have carrot tops, potato peels, yellowed greens, etc. Throw them in the garbage? No way! You have compost, not trash.
Continue Reading: Five Reasons to Compost
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/22, 2013 at 02:01 PM
Tags: composting | FiveReasons | gardening |
How Harrison's innovation, partnerships with local vendors create great dishes for diners
As our Unpaid Field Hand pointed out yesterday, the local food scene here in Central Pennsylvania is growing as rapidly as a tomato plant in June. One of the pioneers and advocates of local food is Harrison's Wine Grill and Catering, located within the State College Hilton Garden Inn. They do local food and they do it quite well, as evidenced by multiple awards for both their restaurant and their catering. This Local Food Journey post will take a look at how Harrison's built relationships with local farms and other vendors to become a go-to source for innovative dishes made with Central Pennsylvania ingredients.
Continue Reading: How Harrison's innovation, partnerships with local vendors create great dishes for diners
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/18, 2013 at 01:48 PM
Tags: Harrison's | localvendors |
Recipe: Oven-fried Pennsylvania panfish a surprisingly tasty dish
Saturday was the first day of trout season in Central Pennsylvania, and thousands of anglers hit Pennsylvania waterways in hopes of catching their own local food. While many fish for trout due to the fish's delicious flavor, there is another group of Pennsylvania fish that are as tasty and like trout are often caught in the spring - panfish. Panfish such as crappie, yellow perch, and bluegill may offer small fillets, but their sweet, mild flavor make them a welcome addition to the local food table.
Continue Reading: Recipe: Oven-fried Pennsylvania panfish a surprisingly tasty dish
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/15, 2013 at 08:00 AM
How one CSA plans planting with you in mind
Participating in Community Support Agriculture - you probably know it as a "CSA" - is a lot like subscribing to a farm like you might a newspaper or magazine. You buy a subscription, or as it is better known, a share, at the beginning of the year. This helps participating farms, as they can establish their operating budget for the year, and gives the farm a known market for the produce, meat, eggs, dairy, etc. that their farm will produce that year. In turn, people with CSA shares get a regular source of the best food their local farm can offer. So, how do CSA farms manage this system? How do they plan the growing season and work with the community each year to give them a bounty each week or month? To find out, I talked to Kim Tait of Tait Farms.
Continue Reading: How one CSA plans planting with you in mind
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/11, 2013 at 10:30 AM
Pennsylvania moves up in 2013 Locavore Index
The Vermont-based local food advocacy Strolling of the Heifers, has released its second annual Strolling of the Heifers Locavore Index, ranking all 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of commitment to local food. Where does Pennsylvania rank?
Continue Reading: Pennsylvania moves up in 2013 Locavore Index
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/10, 2013 at 07:38 AM
Tags: issues | rankings | organizations | LocavoreIndex |
Tasting spring with grilled chicken with lemon-garlic arugula
Well, what do you know. During the last several days the weather finally began to resemble spring after what was a pretty cold March, followed by a chilly start to April. Yesterday was especially nice and really got me thinking spring, a time of year that I just plain love.
There are two local-food related things that I love about spring time—the first fresh greens of the year and breaking out the grill. While a spring greens salad with a grill burger made from local beef is a nice way to kick off the spring season, I decided yesterday to try to combine greens and grilled meat in one dish.
Continue Reading: Tasting spring with grilled chicken with lemon-garlic arugula
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/08, 2013 at 09:00 AM
Tags: spring | grilling | chickenbreast | arugula |
Newly incorporated Friends & Farmers to hold local food potluck April 16
Some good news to report for those looking for more local food sources. Friends & Farmers, a food cooperative in State College committed to showcasing the best local products in support of a strong local economy, has taken several important steps toward opening a member-owned community grocery store that is open to the public, seven days a week.
Continue Reading: Newly incorporated Friends & Farmers to hold local food potluck April 16
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/05, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Tags: localfoodorganizations | potluck | events |
Check your garden temperature before sowing (even after it finally gets warm!)
Even though winter is hanging around this week like a lazy brother-in-law who just won't get off the couch, those of us who garden turn our thoughts to planting seeds. While many gardeners have already started seeds indoors in trays under artificial light, we are really one warm spell away from being able to plant seeds outside.
Continue Reading: Check your garden temperature before sowing (even after it finally gets warm!)
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/03, 2013 at 01:30 PM
Tags: garden | BackyardLocal | seeds | earlyseason |
Local Food Journey announces new editor
Hello everyone. My name is Jamie Oberdick. You may (hopefully? maybe?) recognize my name as one of the gardening bloggers here at Local Food Journey. I am the new editor of Local Food Journey.
Continue Reading: Local Food Journey announces new editor
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/01, 2013 at 08:57 AM
Tags: NewEditor | JamieOberdick |
Measure of garden success?
Recently, several fellow gardeners and I discussed something that ended up being very interesting: how do you define a successful garden year?
We came to a conclusion—it's all subjective. When you garden, you go into it with a variety of goals in mind. These might include fresh-grown herbs and veggies, saving money, or just making the yard look prettier. These are the yardsticks to measure a good garden year.
Continue Reading: Measure of garden success?
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/24, 2012 at 01:54 PM
Tags: gardening |
Too Much Zucchini? Try Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Tons of zucchini are a garden cliche. They are so easy to grow that's it's almost impossible to not have more zucchini than you need. By this time of the year, all your friends politely turn down your offer of free zucchini because everyone in their family, at work, and in their circle of friends has given them about 1,000 zucchinis.
Continue Reading: Too Much Zucchini? Try Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/17, 2012 at 12:32 PM
Five Unusual Edibles from the Garden
Right now, people are beginning to harvest all sorts of stuff from the garden. Some of it is conventional stuff, like tomatoes. However, there's a lot of food in gardens that many people ignore. Some of these may sound outright, well, weird—but give them a shot. They are the "best kept secrets" of the garden.
Continue Reading: Five Unusual Edibles from the Garden
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 07/18, 2012 at 07:50 AM
Tags: gardening |
Rabbit vs. Gardener
I have heard before that a mild spring means a lot of rabbits the following summer. 2012 seems to be proving this true, as we have had both a warm spring and seemingly, a lot of rabbits.
Continue Reading: Rabbit vs. Gardener
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/25, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Diverse Beans a Warm-Weather Garden Star
Beans are a popular garden plant, with good reason—they are one of the tastiest vegetables in the garden. They are also pretty easy to grow, and with a little bit of TLC you can get quite a yield of tasty pods or shelled beans that can be used in all kinds of recipes. Beans are also a perfect garden crop for vegetarians because of their high protein content. What's not to like?
Continue Reading: Diverse Beans a Warm-Weather Garden Star
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/31, 2012 at 08:31 AM
How to Transplant Tomatoes Now for Great Harvests Later
It's mid-May, which is peak time for "putting in the garden," an old saying that means planting your frost-sensitive plants now that we are mostly past the risk of frost. (Although not completely, more on that later.)
Whether you started tomatoes from seed or bought the plants at your favorite garden center or farmer's market, transplanting them the right way is very important.
Continue Reading: How to Transplant Tomatoes Now for Great Harvests Later
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/23, 2012 at 08:43 AM
Ten Tips to Get Your Garden off to a Great Start
Despite some recent backsliding into winter, spring weather is mostly here to stay. If you are like me, you are steadily spending more and more time in the garden, getting things growing to start the season. A good start is very important for a successful gardening season, as your plants are very young and tender at this point.
Here are ten tips, in no particular order, to get your garden off and moving toward a big harvest.
Continue Reading: Ten Tips to Get Your Garden off to a Great Start
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 05/07, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Tags: gardening |
Paper Pots Offer Cost-Effective, Environmentally Friendly Home for Seedlings
In my last post I talked about planting seeds indoors. And given that we are four to six weeks away from the last frost as I write this, you should have seedlings growing somewhere in your house.
Continue Reading: Paper Pots Offer Cost-Effective, Environmentally Friendly Home for Seedlings
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/20, 2012 at 08:00 AM
Tags: gardening |
Planting Cold-Hardy Veggies for Spring Crops
As you probably noticed, the weather in mid-March was more along the lines of early June. This caused some absolutely incredible early spring scenes as spring growth is about a month ahead of schedule—blossoming trees, daffodils in full display, and perennials peaking out of the dirt at a much earlier date than normal.
For us gardeners, it was so tempting to get out there and plant something. So I did. I planted several rows in my garden, knowing full well that they would need protection later from the inevitable cold snap. If you still haven't planted, no worries—you still have lots of time to plant cold-hardy vegetables in your garden.
Continue Reading: Planting Cold-Hardy Veggies for Spring Crops
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 04/05, 2012 at 02:18 PM
Tags: gardening |
Starting Seeds is Easy: How to Plant the Seeds
If you followed my last blog post, you should be ready to plant some seeds indoors. First things first, fill your cell flats with moistened potting soil or seed starting mix. You want it moist, not saturated.
Next, plant the seeds. This is by far one of the most important tasks of your gardening year, and you need to make sure you do it correctly because, well, you want them to germinate.
Continue Reading: Starting Seeds is Easy: How to Plant the Seeds
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 03/23, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Tags: gardening |
Starting Seeds is Easy: How to Set Up
The weather has been warm lately, warm enough to start thinking about gardening. However, while the mild weather is great for daffodils, crocuses, and forsythia, it's still too chilly to plant vegetables, especially frost-sensitive types like tomatoes and beans. You want to hold off planting those outside until early-mid May.
Continue Reading: Starting Seeds is Easy: How to Set Up
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 03/16, 2012 at 08:00 AM
Tags: gardening |
Take a Jar of Summer off the Shelf
In my last post, I talked about the benefits of freezing vegetables to use in the winter. Now let's look at another way of preserving your garden harvest—canning.
Canning for me brings back memories of my mother and grandmother, who both canned. They canned stuff like pears, green beans, tomatoes, etc. Pretty much straight up, old-fashioned canning.
Continue Reading: Take a Jar of Summer off the Shelf
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 02/22, 2012 at 01:50 PM
Pulling Summer from the Freezer when it's Freezing Outside
During my garden harvest season, which stretches from summer through much of fall, I preserve a lot of what we get from our backyard in two ways—canning and freezing.
I like to do both because of cooking flexibility. You can do a lot of great things with canning: sauces, relishes, pickles, etc. But freezing for me tends to be about just the vegetable/fruit.
Continue Reading: Pulling Summer from the Freezer when it's Freezing Outside
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 02/07, 2012 at 10:09 PM
Don't wait to make online seed orders for 2012 garden season!
We are in the heart of winter, so buying garden seeds may not be the first thing on your mind. However, if you are planning on ordering seeds online (you will more choices online than you will in a store), now is the time to do so.
Continue Reading: Don't wait to make online seed orders for 2012 garden season!
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/18, 2012 at 05:48 PM
Tags: gardening |
Five Gift Ideas for the Gardener in Your Life
Looking to buy a holiday gift for that special gardener in your life? Here are five great suggestions:
Continue Reading: Five Gift Ideas for the Gardener in Your Life
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/12, 2011 at 01:58 PM
First National Thanksgiving and York County Filling
I grew up in York, PA. Christmas and Easter were at my grandma's, but Thanksgiving was at my parents' house. There was typically a crowd of 12-15 relatives, but it always felt to me, as a kid, like 50 people because my childhood home is pretty small.
Continue Reading: First National Thanksgiving and York County Filling
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/22, 2011 at 02:35 PM
Sowing the Seeds of a Great Marriage
Going to go a bit off-topic here, but I had to share this story with everyone who reads this blog. Gardening is something that often is done together by couples and who knows how many relationships are sparked at a plant sale or garden center. However, gardening is not really thought of something as romantic, per se.
Continue Reading: Sowing the Seeds of a Great Marriage
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/16, 2011 at 09:00 AM
Tags: gardening |
Get your garden ready for a long winter's nap
While we haven't quite yet had a true killing frost, it's inevitable - at some point, your 2011 garden will be covered in frost, and soon after, snow. The garden will go to sleep until it warms again, but there is some work yet to do on your garden that will make things easier next spring. Time to put it to bed.
Continue Reading: Get your garden ready for a long winter's nap
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/21, 2011 at 06:00 AM
Pumpkins - not just for pies and front stoops anymore
The humble pumpkin at one time was known for being just two things - a front porch decoration and a pie. Also, unless you lived in Pennsylvania Dutch country like I did as a kid and saw "neck pumpkins," pumpkins were always orange and round.
Continue Reading: Pumpkins - not just for pies and front stoops anymore
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/14, 2011 at 07:00 AM
Frost looms in the garden, but that's not always a bad thing
While the weather in recent days has been more like summer, the changing leaves are a definite sign that it is autumn and gardening season is coming to a close. While much of central Pennsylvania hasn't seen the first frost as yet, that soon will change. It's definitely frost season.
Continue Reading: Frost looms in the garden, but that's not always a bad thing
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/29, 2011 at 07:20 AM
Broaden Your Culinary Horizons
Just 20 years ago, the selection of produce was nothing like it is today. Iceberg lettuce, round red tomatoes, green bell peppers, regular orange carrots, and plain potatoes ruled the supermarket shelves.
However, today the expansion of the American palate is quite evident. Sushi is found in supermarkets. An imitation of a latte can be found at a convenience store. Ethnic restaurants such as Indian, Thai, Austrian, and Korean can be found in central Pennsylvania. And the broadening selections for the home chef have expanded culinary horizons, as well.
Continue Reading: Broaden Your Culinary Horizons
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/16, 2011 at 09:52 AM
Tags: gardening |
Saving Seeds from Tomatoes
Okay, you got some fantastic heirloom tomatoes, among the best you've ever had. You may have bought them at a farmers market or received them in a CSA box, or perhaps they were gifted to you by a friend. But you're not sure of the variety so you can't buy the seeds, right? No worries—saving tomato seeds is actually quite simple.
Continue Reading: Saving Seeds from Tomatoes
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/09, 2011 at 12:12 PM
Useful Beauty
Home vegetable gardens are an ideal and super-local way to get fresh, delicious produce, but they can also be a beautiful addition to your yard. Many vegetable plants not only taste great, they look great, too—and not just on a plate.
Continue Reading: Useful Beauty
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/23, 2011 at 12:29 PM
Tags: gardening |
Plant Now for Garden-Fresh Fall Harvest
Please welcome Jamie Oberdick to the Local Food Journey! Jamie is an enthusiastic home gardener who grows a variety of plants from around the world in his Centre County backyard. Take it away, Jamie!
A lot of people think of vegetable gardening as a spring/summer thing, and you shut it down in the fall with the exception of the last pumpkins. Actually, there are plenty of different vegetables that thrive in the cooler conditions we have in fall in central Pennsylvania.
Continue Reading: Plant Now for Garden-Fresh Fall Harvest
Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 08/19, 2011 at 12:40 PM
Tags: gardening |
Page 1 of 1 pages