Krohn Conservatory's 1st Annual Setting Your Holiday Table

Meet your local farmers and food producers from 4p-7p on Monday December 20th at the
Krohn Conservatory for a Holiday farmers market, food sampling and recipe give away. This will be a great opportunity to purchase fresh, locally grown produce and handmade specialty foods for your holiday table.

Who will be there…

Carriage House Farm
CORV Local Food Guide
Cox Family Farm
Dolce Vita Café
Fab Ferments
Grateful Grahams
Harmony Hill Vineyard
Lucky John’s Market
Napoleon Ridge Farm
Our Garden Runs Through It
Sugar Valley Farm
Wind Dance Farm

Chef John Clark Jr. of Lucky John’s Slow Market on Woodburn
Ave. will be hosting a live food demo using local produce from the
holiday farmers market.

Eat Local Right Now - December

Time flies this time of year. It feels like just moments ago we were cleaning the dishes from Thanksgiving Dinner and now I'm planning market trips for Christmas. So, what does local eating look like now?

In the Garden
Our garden is quiet under a blanket of snow at the moment. The first of the seed catalogs arrived in the mail this week. I love January days sitting under a blanket, sipping tea and dreaming of the spring garden as I catalog shop for seeds... but that is January, for us this December all is quiet on the garden front.

At Market
I continue to be amazed at what I can find at market right now. Last trip I was still picking up onions and potatoes, apples and carrots as well as salad greens freshly harvested from the greenhouse.

My next trips to market will include gift shopping, I look forward to visiting the booths of craftsman, potters, bakers and the chocolateier.

Now is the time to shop markets for your holiday meals and gifts. Wyoming Avenue Farmers' Market does winter orders, place your order by 6pm Today, December 17th, for delivery on the 21st. Today is the last Lettuce Eat Well Market of 2010 (though they'll be back in January). This weekend you can shop Findlay Market. Findlay also has hours during the week. A special one day farmers' market will be held at the Krohn Conservatory on Monday from 4-7pm. Next week you can also visit the Northside Farmers' Market on Wednesday and the College Hill Farm Market on Thursday.

In the Kitchen
This morning I had butternut squash soup for breakfast made with local onions and squash from the back yard. Local eggs are a staple for us. We've had those with local cheese, local bacon, local spinach and onions, local sausage and I even hacked up some of a frozen local red pepper to add to an egg dish yesterday morning. Local meats are served at our table and we've had chicken and beef lately. We still have berries in our freezer from the spring and we've had strawberry smoothies and blueberry muffins as of late. A couple of weeks ago we enjoyed a yummy black bean and sweet potato chili. The onions, garlic and sweet potatoes were all local and after helping with the black bean harvest at Carriage House Farm in late November I feel hopeful that the next time we eat this dish we'll have it with local black beans, too.

For/ From the Root Cellar
We're still enjoying garlic from our own harvest in June. I've been adding onions to the root cellar from local farmers buying some for our weekly use and extra for when they run out. We still have some apples but I'm planning on buying a lot more this weekend and on my list of things to do is to make applesauce and can it in small mason jars so we can have individual serving sizes ready to go. We still have squash from our backyard and local growers in the root cellar but I hope to add a few more from markets this week. We've been eating potatoes as fast as we buy them but I'm hoping to stock up just a bit if I find them at market again.

It feels good to remember how local food shows up in our lives as the year ends and plans are made for the new year... looking forward to January garden dreaming, in the meantime Happy Holidays!

Cooking Class

Turner Farm and Laura Robinson will hold a hands-on, farm-to-table cooking class in the Meshewa kitchen (adjacent to Turner Farm) on January 8th, 10AM to 1PM. This is the first in a series of classes that will focus on basic cooking techniques using seasonal ingredients picked fresh from the farm.

In this class, you will learn the ins-and-outs of two fundamental kitchen recipes: a pie dough and a custard. Once mastered, these two classic components will become invaluable tools in your kitchen repertoire and work in a variety of applications. In this class, we will combine the dough and the custard to form a lovely quiche!

Weather permitting, we will start by picking the greens that will be used in the dish. We will then make our way to the kitchen to make the dough from scratch and assemble the custard. We will end by enjoying the meal together.

Space is limited, so please email Sally @ turnerfarm@zoomtown.com if you are interested in joining. The cost of the class is $35 and a check must be received by January 5th to reserve your spot in the class. Checks are payable to Turner Farm and can be mailed to Turner Farm, 7400 Given Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45243.

Eat Local Right Now

It is my conviction that it is possible to eat local in some way "right now" no matter what time of year it is. I had this great idea for that post in late March, early April. It felt a little too early, and now after a whirlwind summer it feels a little too late. I suppose that is the point, though, it is truly neither and I might as well begin.

I am Susan, I am a wife, mom to a nine year old and custodial step-mom to a 17 year old and 3 young adults, 2 of which at the moment are still living at home. Your guess is as good as mine about who might show up for dinner tonight. My husband and I enjoy the self-reliance and sustainability of eating local, both in growing our own food and from buying from growers and producers in our community. I love the nourishment of local food, as well as the connection and reassurance of knowing who grew it and how it was grown. We really find the whole endeavor fun.

I am also co-founder of the CORV Eat Local Guide. When the project began 4 years ago I remember saying, "this listing is important but it isn't everything. I have this list of farms on my computer and I'm still not eating local as much as I'd like." And that still holds true for me. In these posts I'm going to explore some of the various aspects of eating locally, hoping to continue to remove barriers for myself and inspire you as well.

I intend to post monthly about Eating Local, Right Now, and the posts will be a collection of what is possible for this time of year and what my family is actually doing. I honestly didn't do so great this year in getting to market regularly and in putting things up for the winter so it should be fun to see what we can accomplish a bit "after the fact" but then again this is about now.

It is now November, what does that mean for folks striving to eat local, right now, all year long?

In the Garden
We have carrots still in the ground I hope to harvest this week. This weekend we planted our garlic which will should ready in June.

At Market
Last night my husband, Ken, and I went to Northside Market. The Market is now indoors for the season and a great resource for local eating year round. We purchased carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, eggs, apples and some local Hopi Blue Corn Polenta. There was lots more available onions, greens, beets, sprouts and microgreens, sweet potatoes, squash, and that is before the breads, preserves and specialty items.

In the Kitchen
November is still a good time to go to the Farmers' Market before you finalize your meal plans and grocery lists for the week. There is still lots of fresh veggies, apples, eggs, poultry, meats and cheeses. It's great to have a rough idea of what you'd like to serve in the week, but not so planned out that you can't utilize those great beets you didn't expect to see.

In the next week we'll have local ham (we purchase a side of pork about every 6 months) and local broccoli; local chicken, with local potatoes, carrots and onions; butternut squash soup with onions and squash from our garden; and the polenta I bought last night.

For the Root Cellar
We do have a root cellar set up in our garage, it is a small room with lots of shelves, a cabinet ventilated outside for squash, apples and such, and then hooks in the main room for garlic and onions. Here also lives our freezer. So for my purposes the root cellar really just means put away for later use regardless of preservation and storage method.

Our root cellar is as of yet pretty bare. In the spring I went crazy with strawberries and lost a lot of my enthusiasm for taking anything like that on with all the busyness of our home. I am realizing I might be more successful doing a little at a time. Last night after market and before the 9 year old got home from his dad's, I cleaned, steamed and froze carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. I'm definitely excited to try this little bit at a time method for the next couple of weeks to see if I can't stock up a bit better going into winter.

We also individually wrapped half of the basket of apples we bought and put them in a bin in the cabinet downstairs. That cabinet has several butternut squash from both my backyard and the farmers' market but otherwise is empty.

I'm thrilled to be sharing our story with you as we head into the holidays and winter. What does eating local right now mean for you?

Pumpkin Pie Baking Class : November 13th

Using winter squash, eggs and other ingredients from Turner Farm, participants will leave with an unbaked crust and filling for one fresh pumpkin pie to bake at home. The basics of pie crust making will be demonstrated and then experienced hands on. One pie will be baked and shared with the participants. The class will be held at the Meshewa kitchen (adjacent to Turner Farm) on November 13th from 9:30AM to noon. The cost is $30 per person. Reservations are needed by November 10th. To reserve your spot, email (turnerfarm@zoomtown.com) or call (513 561-7400). This class is co-sponsored by Turner Farm and Slow Food Cincinnati and will be taught by Sarah Anthony.

Participants should bring their own:
Pie pan (glass or metal will do)
Storage container to take the filling home in
Rolling pin
Mixing bowl
Mixing spoon

Optional:
Pastry cutter
Pastry cloth
Measuring spoons and cups
Sharp knife

Emergency Preparedness: Grow a Little of Your Own Food

An online acquaintance in New Zealand, who runs the Locavore 365 site, wrote to me about the importance of growing a little of your own food as part of your emergency preparedness plan:

I’m not sure if you saw on the news, Christchurch New Zealand, (the city where I live and the birthplace of Locavore365) recently suffered a big earthquake (7.1). My family and I are all well, but it has been very difficult for a lot of other people who lost their homes.

Since the earthquake, we had an interesting experience with our local locavore community and our Locavore365.org website, I though it may be an interesting idea for a blog if you were interested...

The earthquake really changed a lot of peoples attitude to being locavores. We learned how fragile modern food chain systems can be, and how important it is to have a strong local food chain in place. After the quake, many people were without power for up to several days, and clean running water for over a week. Basically people had to live on what food and water they had stored. Supermarkets were initially all closed for a day or two and when they open, they did not take deliveries for some days, so food staples such as bread, milk, bottled water etc were quickly sold out. The day after the quake there were reports of fighting in stores that were selling whatever they had.

Incredibly though, during the week after the quake, we found that visitors to locavore365.org actually increased from the Christchurch area (despite many people being without power even). We believe that people realised that in a disaster you can’t count on complex modern food supply chain systems, the best thing was to find locally produced food.

There were some good stories. We found that some people who had water on at their house added listings to the site for fresh water, this enabled people who didn’t have any to find some. Many people around Christchurch have chickens, chickens kept laying eggs, so many people where adding listings for eggs to swap or sell, eggs are great as you can easily make a fried egg and they don’t require water to cook (even vegetables need washing, and if they water is not clean this is difficult). There were good examples of local food chains springing up that didn’t previously exist; a farmer who had potatoes stacked in large wooden crates ready for delivery to market found that the boxes had fallen down in the quake and were damaged. The farmer advertised their slightly blemished produce (which modern supermarkets would not accept) on Locavore365.org.

Of course it is not much use hoping that when disaster strikes you will luckily find a local food chain system in your own area. Like the day of a power cut everyone realises they should have checked the batteries in the torch beforehand – it’s too late. Developing and strengthening local communities and food produce infrastructure needs to be something that individuals consciously encourage and support in their own areas every day. In this way the local food chain will be in place when you most need it. So get out there support your local farmers, head down to the local farmers market, plant even a few veggies of your own, and get to know your neighbours.

People attitudes have changed from thinking eating locally produced food is “cool/fun/nice” to it being necessary, and the only option during a disaster.

Cheers, Simon.

Will Allen at Xavier Sunday Sept 26

Will Allen, recipient of a MacArthur Genius Award for his activism in demonstrating the connection between obesity and diabetes among urban populations and the lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables among the urban poor and co-founder of the nonprofit Growing Power, which advocates urban farming, will speak on Growing Power and the Urban Farming Revolution at Cintas Center as part of Xavier University's 2010/2011 Ethics/Religion in Society lecture series.  The event is co-sponsored by the Center for Closing the Health Gap in Greater Cincinnati, the Civic Garden Center and the Central Ohio River Valley Local Foods Initiative.

Sunday September 26
7:00 pm
Cintas Center
Xavier University
Free and Open to the Public
For more information, contact The Center for Closing the Health Gap at 513-585-9872.

Nectar Dinner benefiting Slow Food Cincinnati

Join Slow Food Cincinnati for a private dinner at Nectar in Mt. Lookout on Sunday, October 10th at 6:30PM. Chef/Owner Julie Francis embodies Slow Food ideals year-round, serving local, seasonal, and organic ingredients whenever possible. Dinner will include a fall salad course with wine pairing, a main course with wine pairing, and a dessert course, all served family-style. A vegetarian option will be available.

Tickets, which include three courses with beverages, tax, and gratuity, cost $55 for members or $60 for non-members, and can be purchased online: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/126287.

Members, please contact Krishna at volunteer@slowfoodcincinnati.org to receive your discounted pricing.

Nectar Dinner Club: Green Tomatoes

Nectar in Mount Lookout continues its Dinner Club, which focuses on a single ingredient from a local farmer or artisan food producer, with a dinner featuring green tomatoes from Walnut Ridge Acres.

Menu:

• Green Tomato Soup with Cumin Gouda, Rye Croutons, and Bacon
• Cornmeal Crusted Fried Green Tomatos with Saffron Shrimp and Scallop Remoulade, Corn Sage Sauce
• Green Tomato BLT with Chile Aioli, Fried Farm Egg
• Niman Ranch Pork Shoulder with Summer Bean and Chard Gratin, Green Tomato Relish
• Green Tomato Tart Tatin with Local Plum and Black Walnut Ice Cream

Thursday, September 9 and Thursday, September 16
7:00PM
Nectar Restaurant
1000 Delta Ave
513-929-0525

Kinkead Ridge Vineyard Tour/2008 Red Wine Release

Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery in Ripley, which has produced internationally-recognized wines from their vineyard east of Cincinnati, will open on September 4 and 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the release of four 2008 red wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Petit Verdot); and will host the annual vineyard tour.  Meet winegrower Ron in the vineyard and taste the grapes on the vine. Maps available to the vineyard at the winery, 904 Hamburg Street. The vineyard is located three miles away at 4288 Kinkead Road. Sorry no restrooms at the vineyard. Dogs on a leash please. Children welcome.

The winery will open on September 11 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; this is the last opening before the winery closes for harvest.

Make a day of it and visit your local southern Ohio wineries! For more information call 937-392-6077 or see www.KinkeadRidge.com

Ed Begley at Farmers' Fair this weekend

Ed Begley, who is keynoting at Farmers' Fair this Saturday, was interviewed by local blogger Amy's Table.

Farm Dinner & Art Celebration : September 25th

Blue Sky Farm and Bethany Kramer are teaming up for a locally inspired night to celebrate food and art. There will be a four-course meal prepared with produce grown organically and sustainably by Blue Sky Farm in Villa Hills, KY. Each serving is paired with its own uniquely designed dish made by local ceramicists Bethany Kramer and Tony Bove. When the meal is finished, the dishes are cleaned, and the same set you ate from, valued at $75, is packed up and ready for you to take home that night. Tickets are $100 with part of the proceeds benefiting Slow Food Cincinnati. The event will be held rain or shine on the evening of September 25th at Sunrock Farm in Wilder, KY. For more information, directions and tickets, please visit: http://www.autumnblossombanquet.com/

Turner Farm & Slow Food Cincinnati Canning Class

Please join Slow Food Cincinnati and Turner Farm in collaboration with Lydia Hirsh to extend the summer bounty through a hands-on tomato canning class. The class will be held at Turner Farm on August 7th from 9:00AM - 1:00PM. We will begin by picking organic tomatoes straight from the vine; we will then peel, dice, process and pack the tomatoes together. You are welcome to tour the farm and bring snacks or a picnic lunch (or a dish to share) to enjoy afterwards while the cans are cooling. The cost of the class is $35. We will provide all necessary equipment along with step by step instructions. You will leave with 3 wide mouth pint jars of chopped tomatoes to enjoy well past the summer season. Turner Farm is located at 7400 Given Road - Cincinnati, Ohio 45243. To sign up, please follow this link: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/121644

Slow Food Cincinnati Movie Night

Come enjoy a free showing of the film Polycutures, a recent food documentary featured at the 2009 Cleveland International Film Festival and 2010 OEFFA conference. We will be serving up scoops of Dojo gelato, popcorn, and refreshments with alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. It will be held on Friday, July 30th at the UC Niehoff Studio, 2728 Vine Street. Doors open at 8:30, movie begins at 9:00 PM.

La Vigna Estate Winery Open Every Saturday

La Vigna Estate Winery will be open every Saturday and holiday Mondays throughout the summer. Hours of operation will be 12-6pm. They will be pouring 2008 Proprietary White (Petit Manseng), 2008 Proprietary Red (Cabernet blend) and 2009 Proprietary White (Petit Manseng). All wines are 100% Estate grown – ground to glass. Cost $5 (includes logo glass)Come celebrate summer with La Vigna Estate Winery. Call 937-375-1104 for more information or visit our website for directions: www.lavignaestatewinery.com

Turner Farm Garlic Class

Join Turner Farm's head gardener Melinda O'Briant and Laura Robinson for a discussion on growing garlic, its flavor attributes and the correct way to slice, chop and mince to get the most out of this pungent plant. Tastings will be available to demonstrate its wide ranging flavors. The class is held at Turner Farm on July 19th from 7-8:30 pm. The cost is $12. Call 513.561.7400 or email turnerfarm@zoomtown.com for reservations.

Sustainable Sunday : June 27th

Join Park+Vine, Slow Food Cincinnati, and the Miami chapter of the Sierra Club for our next Sustainable Sunday. We'll meet at 11 a.m. at Park+Vine, stop by Coffee Emporium for a fuel-up, then head out on a leisurely stroll along the river to Maribelle's for lunch. We'll plan to be back at Park+Vine around 2 p.m. or so. Email Laura at events@slowfoodcincinnati.org by June 22nd if you are interested in attending.

Cooks Needed for Community Shares Fundraiser

Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati, a partnership of 28 local nonprofit groups focused on social and economic equality and environmental health, is looking for "locavore" cooks for its Guys, Griddles and Grub fundraiser on August 7.

GGG is Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati's major annual fundraiser and features “tastes” of great food from appetizers to dessert prepared and presented by men.  For the first time GGG will feature a “Local Best” category. 

Contact Estelle McNair if you are interested in participating.

Fermenting Class

Slow Food Cincinnati and Turner Farm are offering a fermenting class with Jennifer and Jordan from Fab Ferments. This is a beginners hands-on workshop teaching the basic fundamentals you will need to make your own raw cultured veggies! Everyone will go home with three quart jars of fermented food. Jars will be provided, but please bring a harvest basket, cutting board, knives and a pounding instrument. Space is limited so reserve your spot now: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/113919. The cost is $30.

Search Engine for Local Food

Locavore365 is like a combined Freecycle & Craigslist for produce, with one vast improvement: it's searchable by location.

If you've got a couple of cows you want to sell in halves or quarters, you can post them for people nearby to buy.  If your apple tree is heavy with fruit and you'd rather give the apples away than let them go to waste, you can post them.  And if you input your zip code and a distance you're willing to travel, you can see all the produce that's up for sale, swap, or giveaway within that distance, along with any events.  I would have loved to use this last week when I had green garlic coming out of my ears and none of my neighbors wanted any! 

Of course it only works if people list things so that other people can find them.  The service started in Christchurch, New Zealand, and it's taken off there.  Here in Cincinnati it's just starting out.  So go list something!  I'm going to go list the chives that are taking over my garden.

La Vigna Wine Release Memorial Day Weekend

La Vigna Estate Winery will be open Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 29 from 11 to 6 and Monday, May 31  from 12 to 6 for the release of their 2009 Proprietary White Wine and 2008 Proprietary Red Wine.  A library tasting of the 2007 Proprietary Red Wine and 2008 Proprietary White Wine will be available.  Music May 29 by Jazz trombonist Sarah Morrow.   937-375-1104 for more information.

Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council Accepting Applications

The Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council is now accepting applications for seats on the board.  This is a great way for anyone interested in issues surrounding food in our area to get involved. 

Read and download the application, an application overview, and a brochure.  Applications due by May 30th, 2010. 

2010 CORV Guide Available May 13th

The 2010 Central Ohio River Valley (CORV) Local Food Guide will be unveiled 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 13 at Park + Vine, 1109 Vine Street. A donation of $1 per guide will help CORV cover all its costs for the printing of the guide.

Two New Farmers' Markets to Serve the Northeast Side

Montgomery Farmers' Market will operate Saturdays 9a - 12:30p June 5th - October 30th at Shelly Lane between Remington and Cooper in downtown Montgomery's historic district.  Updates on Twitter and Facebook. 

Madeira Farmers' Market will operate Thursdays 3:30 - 7:30p June - October on Dawson Road in downtown Madeira.

Granny's Garden School Cooking Classes

Granny's Garden School, located on the grounds of Loveland Primary & Elementary (550 Loveland-Madeira Rd, 45140), is offering a series of seasonal cooking classes by French home cooks Brigitte Cordier and Martine Eneselme using vegetables grown onsite.  The hands-on classes will give participants an opportunity to identify, harvest, prepare and learn the many ways to enjoy local vegetables and herbs.

May 26th:  9:00 am -12:00 pm

June 24th:  9:00 am -12:00 pm

July 13th:  Breakfast in the garden 6:30-9:00 am

September 2nd: 9:00 am -12:00 pm

September 29th: 9:00 am -12:00 pm

$40 per person; $70 for two registering for same class.  Adults and children 14 and older.  (Call for information about children's cooking classes.)   For more information or to register call Brigitte at (513) 235-2644 or Martine at (513) 240 -8994 or email Brigitte or Martine.

Did that "Farmer" Grow the Food He's Selling?

Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal this week about farmers vs. resellers, who purchase cheap produce at auction (photo above of produce at an auction) and sell it at a farmers' market as if they grew it themselves and often at a price that undercuts the farmers who are selling what they produce.

How can you tell if the farmer you're buying from actually grew what he's selling you?  Here are some things to consider:

• If he grew them himself, the farmer will know that the cucumbers are Greensleeves versus Raiders.  He'll be able to tell you exactly why he chose that variety and how it did for him this year.  If he can't, I'd wager he didn't grow it. 
• Look at the produce.  Are the potatoes as clean as they are at Kroger's?  Are the onions all the same size?  Do the ends of the asparagus or the silk on the corn look dried out?  None of these are good signs.  Produce at a farmers' market should look both fresher and less perfect -- not as clean, less consistently sized, less photogenic -- than the stuff at the grocery. 
• Consider the variety versus quantity in her stand.  If a farmer has tomatoes and peppers and corn and beans and cucumbers and cabbage and peas and cauliflower and melons and zucchini and turnips and lettuce and onions and herbs and all in large quantities, I'm suspicious. Very few farms can produce large quantities of lots of different produce all at the same time. 
• Does he have lots of strawberries while other farmers are saying they won't have strawberries for a couple more weeks because of all the rain?  It's not a sure sign -- different varieties ripen at different times, and two farms that vend at the same farmers' market may be dozens or even more than a hundred miles apart and so be getting different weather and have different seasons.  But it's worth asking about. 
• Ask the Market Manager if they have a rule about reselling -- and if so, how they check and whether they enforce it.  If the market doesn't have such a rule, ask why -- and consider finding a different market if what you really want is to buy fresh, seasonal produce direct from the grower.  

Anyone have some other things to consider?

Rivertown Breweries Kickoff Party at Arnold's May 19th

Cincinnati’s newest beer producer, Rivertown Breweries, is having their Downtown Kickoff party in the courtyard at Arnold's Bar & Grill (210 East 8th Street 45202) to celebrate Arnold’s being the first bar downtown to carry their brews. The brewers and owners will be in house all night to talk about their beers, and they'll be tapping their Dunkel at 8pm. Arnold’s will also be carrying all 5 of their other brews in the bottle for a short introductory period.

Arnold’s menu for the occasion will consist solely of items that are infused with each of the Rivertown brews. The specials menu will run through the weekend. Live music (local blues staple John Redell) on stage 8-10. Special prices on draft and bottles all night.

Kinkead Ridge Release of 2009 Whites May 29 & 31

Kinkead Ridge Winery will open on Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday May 29 and Monday May 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the release of two 2009 white wines. From their announcement:

Mother Nature was not kind to us in 2009 and quantities are VERY limited: only 126 cases of Kinkead Ridge Viognier/Roussanne, and only 42 cases of River Village Cellars White Wine,(a blend of all our other grapes) were produced. There is no Riesling, white Revelation or Traminette from this vintage. To see a list of the 2010 releases, see

This may be your only chance to get these wines. After Memorial Day, whatever is left will be allocated to our wine store customers. Can't make it? We are accepting phone or email orders for these wines prior to May 29. The wines must be picked up the following Saturday June 5th.

Due to the shortage of white wine, Kinkead Ridge Winery will not be open this summer but will open in September for the red wine release.  

Email Nancy or call (937) 392-6077 to reserve the 2009 whites. 

Nectar Dinner Club Announces Spring/Summer Offerings

 Nectar Dinner Club, which highlights farmers and growers of fresh, seasonal, sustainable food in our area, has announced its offerings for Spring/Summer.  From their newsletter:

May 6
May 20
Rhubarb with Vicky Tewes of Thistlehair Farm, Union Kentucky. Ed and Vicky Tewes have been growing produce on their farm since 1986. In 2002 they started selling at farmer's markets. They are Certified Naturally Grown, which follows the same guidelines as Certified Organic. Vicky grows the green stalk variety of rhubarb called ''Victoria'' which, when it arrives in April through June, signals the beginning of summer. Although rhubarb is technically a vegetable, it is usually combined with fruits and used in pies, compotes, or traditionally made into wine. We will discover delicious new ways to use this versitile, brightly flavored vegetable which is high in vitamin C, fiber, and calcium.

June 10
June 24
Summer Greens with Sarah and Adam Mancino, Farm Beach Bethel, Bethel Ohio. What started as a small garden in 1998 is now a working family farm and CSA growing heirloom vegetables with organic and biodynamic methodology. Sarah and Adam focus on growing many wonderful types of lettuces and greens. They grow leaf lettuces, escarole, dandelion, tatsoi, and arugula, and put together beautiful lettuce mixes like Spectrum and Spicy Mesculin. We will sample many of Sarah and Adam's  tasty greens in the classic salads of French cuisine, or in salads with seasonal vegetables, cooked fish, meats or local cheeses. Summer is the time to enjoy these bountiful greens just picked from the garden.

July 22
July 29
Squash Blossoms with Sallie Ransohoff. Sallie has been farming sustainably and chemical free on her farm in Batavia, Ohio for over 20 years. Area chefs eagerly await Sallie's squash blossoms to become available-hers are always just picked, pristine, and easy to stuff, batter and fry, or use as is. The beautiful male blossoms, and female blossoms with small squash attatched, are one of the wonders of the summer garden. Learn some new ways to cook with these edible flowers.

Price per person: $55  Dinners starts at 7pm.  Reservations required; call Nectar at 929-0525 to reserve.

Green Eats Catering

Green Eats is new local catering and personal chef service focusing on locally-grown and sustainably-produced ingredients.  For Chef Krishna's sample menus, see the website.

South West OEFFA Event

Lots of local eating events this week!  From SWOEFFA (Southwest Ohio Ecological Farms and Foods Association):

Sunday, April 25 at 2:00, will be the next Southwest OEFFA chapter program,  held at the Civic Garden Center.  The program will feature chef Todd Hudson from the Wildflower Cafe and Coffee House in Mason.  Todd is knowledgeable about our subject "Factory Farms and You" and has spoken at other events about this topic.  He hopes to bring a farmer to the program who used to farm conventionally to share his thoughts about the subject, as well.

Please join us for this interesting discussion about an important topic for anyone who eats! 

It is free to all.  We would like to get an idea of how many to expect, so send an email to swoeffa@gmail.com if you think you might make it.  If you don't RSVP, though, don't let that stop you from coming!

Edible Ohio Valley

Edible Ohio Valley, one of a family of regionally-oriented magazines covering local foods issues, is starting here in Cincinnati. 

There's a facebook page here.

Cincinnati Chapter Weston A Price Foundation events

The Cincinnati Chapter of the Weston A Price Foundation is offering several events.  From their newsletter:

MAKE REFRESHING KEFIR & KOMBUCHA FOR THE SUMMER
Sunday May 2, 3-5pm at the Gorman Heritage Farm
Make your own kefir using kefir grains, or kefir powder, and eliminate the harmful ingredients in store bought kefir. Experienced kefir maker, Sandy will show us how to make plain kefir and smoothies. And we will sample the yummy results!
Making Kombucha will be presented by one of our skilled fermented beverage makers. Learn to be confident in making this efferevescent and satisfying beverage. Costs less than a dollar to make a gallon of this thirst quenching drink. 

GOAT FARM TOUR & POTLUCK
Sunday, June 6, 3:00 PM at the farm in New Richmond
Our event host, has invited us to her goat farm near Bethel. This is an excellent opportunity to see some lovely goats- Nigerian Dwarfs, Alpines, Saanens- learn about goat milk and cheese, enjoy an incredible feast, and take in some fresh air. She is planning on having a few samples of goat cheese available for tasting, and even some goat summer sausage. She will tell us about the goat herdshare program she has started, how she milks and other aspects of the program. After the tour and presentation we will conclude the session with the Potluck. 

DOUBLE J DAIRY FARM TOUR
Sunday, July 11, 2:30 PM at the Double J Farm in Hamilton
Joe and Janet Streit own the Double J Farm, which is now a thriving cow herdshare program for real milk drinkers in the areas north, south, east and west of Hamilton (including Cincinnati). We will listen to how the Streits went from a very small operation to the one they have today. Their story includes their involvement in the legal wrangles with Ohio, moving to a herdshare program, growing the herd and the farm operation. The Streits are members of the Ohio Dairy Grazing Producers, which is a recently formed organization. Joe and Janet are knowledgeable farmers who can answer your questions about dairy farming. This farm is an excellent example of what can be with love and knowhow. We will also discuss milk nutritional and safety issues.

For more information or to register, visit the website.

Slow Food Cincinnati events

Very impressive lineup of events from Slow Food Cincinnati, which appears to have finally hit its stride!  From their newsletter:

• May 1st: Mushroom Foraging Join us for a day of hunting the elusive morel mushroom at Flying J Farm in Johnstown, Ohio (outside of Columbus).  The hunt starts at noon with a potluck to follow at 4:00 p.m.  Please bring a dish with mushrooms in it to share.  Contact Katie@slowfoodcincinnati.org by April 24th if you are interested in carpooling.  (Note: This event was originally scheduled for April 24th but was rescheduled by Flying J Farm.)
• May 14th: Cheese and Beer Pairing We all know that a good wine and cheese pairing can be an eye-opening experience if done right, but what about beer and cheese?  Abbe Turner from Lucky Penny Farm and Grant McCracken, a Certified Cicerone, will tell us why beer and cheese deserve a place at your table, and give hints to pairing them effectively.  The cost, which includes 5 beer and cheese tastings, is $15 for Slow Food USA members and $20 for non-members.  This event begins at 7:00 p.m. and is only for those ages 21 and above.  Location is still being determined, but will likely be central.  Space is limited so please email Laura at events@slowfoodcincinnati.org to RSVP by May 1st.
• May 23rd: Vista Grande Ranch Cookout and Buffalo Farm Tour If you want to learn more about the meat that you consume, this is a perfect opportunity.  Learn how animals are raised humanely and without the use of antibiotics or hormones.  We begin the day at a park near the ranch (exact location still to be determined) at 11:00 a.m. with a delicious cookout featuring Vista Grande buffalo.  We will then head to the ranch for a tour from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.  There will be a nominal fee to cover the cost of the food, and space is limited so please email Laura at events@slowfoodcincinnati.org to RSVP by May 10th.
• June 17th: Fermenting Class with Fab Ferments Want to learn how to ferment your own food?   Curious about the numerous health benefits and culinary applications?  Join us for a hands-on learning experience at Turner Farm with Jennifer and Jordan from Fab Ferments!  More details to come – please watch our blog for more information.

2010 Cincinnati Regional Food Congress

The 2010 Food Congress will be Saturday April 10th from 9 - 5. Click on the form to see it full size.

Why a Salad Costs More Than a Big Mac

Because there are no lettuce lobbyists, that's why.  (Chart courtesy of Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine.)

Cooking Classes

Jolene Struebbe, an adjunct culinary instructor at the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State and after school cooking instructor at Norwood High School, is offering a series of classes stressing the use of local, seasonal and cleanly grown ingredients. 

Quiches and Tarts
Monday April 5 or Monday April 19
6 - 9pm
Learn to make a homemade pie crust, form and fill the crusts to make a variety of seasonal and savory tarts, mini tarts, tartlets, free form tarts and quiches.  Class is vegetarian friendly.  $55.

Mother's Day Tea Celebration
Monday May 3, 6 - 9pm (if demand supports it, class will repeat Saturday May 8, 10am - 1pm)
Finger sandwiches, scones, miniature desserts.  $55.

Sensational Summer Entertaining
Monday June 21, 6 - 9 pm or Saturday June 26, 10am -1pm
Two complete menus: Southern Frogmore Stew, cornbread, fresh fruit trifle, fish tacos, farmers' market-inspired side dish, peach pie.  $65.

All classes held at Jolene's home in North Avondale.  For registration call Jolene at 513.221.4018 or contact her via email.

Murphin Ridge Inn

I'd been meaning to get out to Murphin Ridge Inn (750 Murphin Ridge Rd, West Union 45693) in Adams County, and when I heard Joanne Drilling was the new chef there, I was especially interested in visiting.  So this week while I was attending a seminar in Piketon (about 30  miles beyond Murphin Ridge; both are just off Rt 32) rather than camping out at the Comfort Inn Piketon I decided to take my husband along and check out Murphin Ridge.

We don't do dining reviews here on Cincinnati Locavore, but I have to say the meal was impressive.  Highlights were the onion bisque soup -- one of the best things I've eaten in a while -- and the crab mashed potatoes that accompanied my husband's steak.  I'd go back just for either.  The dining rooms are in the 1810 brick farmhouse, and it is charming.

They source out of their own garden for a nightly special they call "Will's Harvest" (Will's the gardener -- we saw the ruins of last year's garden beside the guest house) and they source a lot from local farmers, including the large Mennonite and Amish populations nearby.  Their wine list includes selections from local wineries Kinkead Ridge and Harmony Hill, which was refreshing to see as often restaurants sourcing locally don't extend the practice to their wine list.

Soapbox on Cincinnati's Local Foods Movement

There's an article on Soapbox today about local eating in the area.

Workshops for Market Gardeners

Have you thought about growing a market garden and selling at local farmers' markets but aren't sure where to start? Turner Farm is offering a series of workshops to help new market gardeners start selling at farmers' markets.

EARN A LITTLE “GREEN” BY GROWING GREENS
Discussion will focus on varieties of greens that grow well and sell well, along with tips on how to raise them year round.  Led by Melinda O’Briant.  February 2nd, 7:00-8:30 pm.

TRAFFIC STOPPERS:
Start a conversation at your market table by growing unusual produce
Discussion will focus on fruits and vegetables such as jerusalem artichokes, broccoli raab, garlic scapes, tomatillos, and others that grow well but aren't commonly seen at area farmers' markets. Led by Melinda O’Briant and Nancy Ogg of Shady Grove Farm. February 23, 7:00-9:00 pm.

Attend one or both. Fee for each class is $12. Turner Farm, 7400 Given Rd, Indian Hill 45243.  Reservations can be made by calling the farm at 561-7400 or emailing them.

Basics of Herbalism Workshops

Local herbalist Abby Artemisia is offering a Basics of Herbalism series of workshops.  The first, Herbal Teas for Winter Wellness, is February 6th at Imago.

From the announcement:

In this class we'll talk about the different types of tea, i.e. black, green, white, herbal, etc.  We'll discuss herbal options for immunity boosting in this chilly season.  You'll learn how to create a tea that's not only healthy, but tasty, too!  There will be plenty of easily digestible (pardon the pun) information about the herbs and the various techniques for steeping tea.  And...you'll even get to create your very own tea blend to take home!

Saturday, February 6, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM, Imago Earth Center (700 Enright Avenue in Price Hill, Cincinnati)  $25, space limited to 20, reserve here.

Slow Food Cincinnati Kickoff Meeting Jan 27

Slow Food Cincinnati is having their 2010 kickoff meeting 6:00pm, Wednesday January 27th at Park+Vine (1109 Vine St, Over-the-Rhine, 45202).

From the evite:

Please join Slow Food Cincinnati for our 2010 Kickoff Meeting at Park+Vine downtown!  We are excited to meet Slow Food Cincinnati Members and food enthusiasts alike for an evening of delicious local food and beverages, conversation, and information about our group.  The event is free of charge, however we welcome any donations to offset the costs of refreshments.

Please bring your appetite, ideas, and interest in supporting good, clean, fair food.  We look forward to seeing you soon!

For more information on becoming a registered Slow Food member, please visit slowfoodusa.org.   We welcome both Slow Food members and non-members to this event.

Free (donations gratefully accepted), but reservations required.  To reserve your place, visit their facebook page.

Winter Farmers' Markets at Our Ohio

Our Ohio has a listing of winter farmers' markets. (If your market isn't listed, tell the market manager to contact Our Ohio.)

SW Ohio Beekeeper School March 27th

Southwestern Ohio Beekeeper School is open for registration.  The daylong school features multi-track programs designed for the beginner and experienced beekeeper.  This is a highly-regarded beekeeping school -- local beekeeper Richard Stewart of Carriage House Farm says:

"This school has a long history and is very popular, so much so that last year registration closed two weeks after opening with this year expected to go even quicker. The lectures are top notch, every major bee supply vendor in the business is present...If you only attend one beekeeping school ever, this should be the one hands down!"

 Saturday March 27th 8am - 3pm at the Oasis Conference Center (902 Loveland-Miamiville Rd, Loveland 45140).  $35 per person.  Lunch is provided.  Registration is by mail, first-come, first-served, and is limited to 300.  Download the forms here.  Last year's school sold out early, so don't delay. 

Review of Dojo Gelato at EpiVentures

EpiVentures has reviewed Dojo Gelato, a local artisan gelato maker who sell at Findlay Market and around town.

Local 127 Reviewed at EpiVentures

EpiVentures has reviewed Local 127, which sources locally. This one's a particularly interesting review because they were at the chef's table.

Fabulous Fermentation 101 at Park+Vine

Park+Vine (1109 Vine St in Over-The-Rhine, 45202) is offering Fabulous Fermentation 101, a class by Fab Ferments' Jordan Aversman and Jennifer De Marco on how to ferment sauerkraut and pickles at home.  The beginners workshop features an overview of the health benefits of fermented foods, a fermentation demonstration and a question-and-answer session.

Feb. 6, 11am to 1pm, at Park + Vine. Space is limited to 30 people. Free, but donations are appreciated. RSVP  by Feb. 5 via email or at 513-721-7275.

Market Shelters Compared at Boulder Belt

Lucy over at Boulder Belt has reviewed various market shelters (portable gazebos to you and me) for sturdiness, ease of set up, and value vs. cost.  Useful information for anyone considering putting in a market garden this year and selling at your local farmers' market.

Sustainable Dinner Party

Sustainable Table is offering a free Sustainable Dinner Party Kit.  From the downloadable kit:

A sustainable dinner party is a shared meal that focuses on local food and the farms and people who produce it. Much like a typical dinner party, there will be good friends, delectable cuisine and stimulating conversation, but with a focus on the plate in front of you and the issues that surround it. A sustainable dinner party presents an opportunity to discuss modern agriculture and enjoy some delicious seasonal food in the process.

Pretty cool idea!

Taste of Belgium

EpiVentures has reviewed local artisan waffle producers Taste of Belgium, who have recently expanded to the North Market in Columbus.

Third Annual Buy Local Foods Seminar

The Catholic Rural Life Conference and the OK River Valley Chapter of OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Ass'n) announces the Third Annual Buy Local Foods Seminar. There will be workshops and discussions of interest to consumers and producers. Topics: Raw Milk, Community Supported Agriculture, Marketing Local Produce, Food Buying Clubs and more.

Sunday January 31, 1:30 to 3:45pm.  Admission is free. St. George Parish Hall, 509 East State St (State Route 125) Georgetown OH 45121.  For more information, call Julie Kline (937)392-1543 or Pat Hornschemeier (937)378-4769 (day); (937)378-4560 evening.

Article on Heritage Breeds in the NYT

Thanks to alert reader V for calling to our attention this New York Times article about preserving Heritage Breeds (such as the Tennessee Fainting Goat, pictured left) through cryopreservation.

Showing of Fresh at Civic Garden Center

SW OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association) presents the movie Fresh followed by a panel discussion with local growers at the Civic Garden Center in Avondale (2715 Reading Rd, 45206).

From the movie's website:

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

Among several main characters, FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

Sunday, January 17th, 2:00 pm.  Free to OEFFA members/$3 for non members.  Local popcorn, cider, and microgreens will be served.  Reservations are needed to arrange the space.  RSVP by 1/15:  Call Sally at Turner Farm 561-7400 or email her.

Nectar Dinner Club

Nectar in Mt Lookout (1000 Delta Ave, 45208) has announced the next three in its fabulous Dinner Club series featuring local foods.  The first series features local artisanal food producers Blue Oven Bakery, Chocolats Latour, and Fab Ferments.  

Handcrafted Bread with Blue Oven Bakery
January 21st & 28th

Sara Schuck and Mark Frommeyer of Blue Oven Bakery produce memorable breads made with fresh, local, and organic ingredients baked in their custom built wood-fired oven. With close to twenty different intriguing flavors such as Cider Raisin Rye, Buckwheat Pear or the popular Bad Boy (a white sourdough with fennel, poppy, sesame and flax seeds) their bread sells out quickly at area farmers' markets.  Nectar Chef Julie Francis will use Blue Oven's handcrafted breads not simply as accompaniments but as the basis for creating the entire menu. 

Chocolate with Chocolats Latour
February 18th & 25th

Shalini Latour's love of chocolate was nurtured while living in Brussels as a teenager. She's been a pastry chef/chocolate artisan for over 15 years, formerly worked at the Bonbonerie, and is the author of The Icing on the Cake. Shalini now creates unique truffles, molded and hand dipped chocolates with classic and modern flavor combinations like Chai Spice, Lime Thyme, or Dark Chocolate Sage. Shalini uses fairtrade chocolate, local ingredients, and earth friendly packaging.  The Nectar menu will be inspired by Shalini's creative use of sweet and savory in Chocolats Latour's artisan chocolates.

Kimchi with Fabulous Ferments
March 18th & 25th

Kimchee is a spicy Korean sauerkraut served at all Korean meals and is a delicious condiment for rich, full flavored foods. Fabulous Ferments, created by Jennifer De Marco and Jordan Aversman, make a number of traditional fermented foods such as sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, kimchee, beet kvass, and kombucha. They use local, pesticide free produce and make the products in small batches by hand, preserving the unique health properties of raw, lacto-fermanted foods. Kimchee is spicy, cooling, and effervescent. It is delicious alone or as a condiment and can also be used as an ingredient in a wide variety of foods like egg and meat dishes, stews, dumplings,and vegetarian dishes.

Price per person: $55  All dinners are on Thursdays at 7pm.  Reservations required.  To reserve your space, call Nectar at 929-0525.