Posts Tagged ‘organic’
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Senate Passes Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
The Senate passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act on Thursday, a bill that will provide $4.5 billion to make school food more nutritious. The New York Times reports the bill was passed unanimously by the Senate and will now move to the House of Representatives, where it is also expected to pass. The current school nutrition legislation will expire on September 30.
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will continue the existing nutrition programs in schools and add the first non-inflationary increase in funding since 1973.The funding will allow schools to update their menus with healthier choices and set higher health standards that include more fruits and vegetables and less salt and fat. School vending machines will be overhauled to provide nutritious options instead of junk food.
The funding will expand afternoon snack programs into full meal services for needy children and will also provide an increased number of free or reduced-price school lunches.
Michelle Obama has voiced her support for the passage of the bill in conjuction with her Let’s Move campaign, which aims to reduce childhood obesity.
More National News
Aug. 7: Farm Aid announced it will hold its 2010 concert at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel
Aug. 6: Valley Meat Company, based in Modesto, California, has recalled one million pounds of ground beef for possible E. coli contamination. USDA
Aug. 6: Crayola LLC has installed 26,000 solar panels at its headquarters in Easton, Pennsylvania. Associated Press
Aug. 3: Heat in the Northeast has pushed up the apple harvest and may affect apple color. The Packer
July 30: New York Governor David Paterson signed a new law that will prohibit the sale of child care products containing bisphenol A. North Country Gazette
July 26: Despite the recession, sale of organic produce has grown by 12.1% for the year. Supermarket News
Regional News
Aug. 8: Late blight has affected gardens and farms in Vermont. Burlington Free Press
Aug. 7: Frank Perretta, the co-owner of the now defunct Vermont slaughterhouse Bushway Packing Inc., was arrested for animal cruelty charges. Associated Press
Aug. 4: Vermont will receive $116 million to increase broadband access in underserved areas. Vermont Business Magazine
Aug. 4: Vermont conservationist Elizabeth Putnam was honored at the White House with a 2010 Citizens Medal. Vermont Business Magazine
Aug. 2: The oldest family farm in the country is up for sale. The Tuttle Farm in Dover, New Hampshire, has been run by the Tuttle family for 378 years. NPR
July 31: Magic Hat Brewing Company may be sold to North American Breweries of Rochester, New York. North American Breweries owns Labatt USA. Boston Globe
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Three Chapters in an Eating Life
As a lifelong athlete and avid squash player, I have always been conscious of the fuel I put into my body. I grew up on a farm, eating grass-fed beef, free-roaming chickens and their eggs, and fruits and vegetables from the garden. That describes, roughly, the first 20 years of my eating life.
The next 20 years saw less farm-fresh food and more processed, on-the-go foods. I ate institutional fare at college and grad school, and later, frequent restaurant meals with clients. At home with the kids, quick, processed foods like packaged snacks and instant (oversweet) oatmeal were the norm. We had Popsicles for sore throats and comfort foods like mac ‘n’ cheese. The fridge was stocked with my sports rehydration drinks. I wasn’t much of a label reader, I preferred to spend any free time doing something physically active.Two years ago marked the start of a new, entirely different chapter. An unpleasant surprise came in the form of a directive to immediately go gluten-free (for life!) in order to rebuild my previously undetected iron deficiency. I had never heard of celiac disease, a condition where the digestive system cannot tolerate wheat protein.
I began reading and rereading labels as if they were love notes. Didn’t want to miss a trick. I then realized how dependent I had become on processed, packaged foods, laced with wheat (gluten) as well as the sweet, sinister and sometimes subtle ingredient sugar! I had a fast learning curve, thanks to some patient, celiac veterans and alternative practitioners. A nutritionist urged me to go local, raw and organic. She said that at the time (2008) food labels clearly indicated nut, soy and dairy ingredients but did always dependably identify gluten.
My first homemade dishes were summer squash and winter squash — probably because I so loved the sport, not so much the vegetable itself! I needed some familiarity in this time of uncertainty! I became obsessed with trying to clean up my act in terms of what I ate and what my kids ate as well as what products we used on our bodies and in our home. I was fortunate to find resources like FarmPlate for local, raw, organic, sustainable foods, products, ideas and a community of like-minded people. It’s certainly a lot easier to enjoy a healthy diet this way.
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A Day At NYC’s Tribeca Greenmarket
The 90-plus degree New York City weather didn’t stop shoppers from picking up fresh food in the city’s Tribeca neighborhood this Wednesday. Shoppers who could have easily slipped into the air-conditioned sanctuary of Whole Foods (a mere block away) were opting instead to support local farmers and bakers and stock their baskets at the Tribeca Greenmarket.The quiet, family-friendly market is located on Greenwich Street, between Chambers and Duane Streets, adjacent to a usually busy playground. It’s open year-round on Saturdays; it’s also open on Wednesdays from April 7 to December 22.
Red and Yellow Swiss Chard from Alex Farm, Milford, NJ.
This week’s Wednesday market boasted fresh fruits, berries and juices from Toigo Orchards and Red Jacket Orchards. Homemade baked goods made with local flour and organic ingredients could be found at Bread Alone or Not Just Rugelach.
Alex Farm, located in Milford, New Jersey, sells vegetables like radishes, garlic and kale directly to consumers at farmers’ markets throughout New York. In addition to the Tribeca Greenmarket, Alex Farm has a booth at Bowling Green on Tuesdays and Thursdays and at City Hall on Fridays.
Squash, Beans & Shell Peas From Lani's Farm, Bordentown, NJ.
Shoppers at the Tribeca market can also pick up produce good enough for famed restaurateur Danny Meyer if they stop by the Lani’s Farm booth. Located in Bordentown, New Jersey, Lani’s Farm sells both at the Tribeca Market and to some of New York’s most buzzed about restaurants, including: Union Square Café, Gramercy Tavern, Momofuku, Northern Spy Food Co. and Blue Hill Farm (The Obamas’ choice when they came to New York).
In addition to wonderfully fresh local foods, shoppers can pick up free recipes and produce storage and preparation tips from the GrowNYC Greenmarket information booth.
For locations, hours and vendor listings for all of New York City’s Greenmarkets, see the GrowNYC website.
Tribeca Greenmarket• Greenwich & Chambers Streets, New York, NY 10007
See more great images of the Tribeca Greenmarket on our flickr page!
Tribeca Greenmarket
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Organic Food Inspection Group Banned By USDA
Foreign products that receive the USDA organic label can be found in supermarkets and natural food stores across the nation. To ensure products meet USDA organic standards, the U.S. government hires third party, independent inspectors.
The USDA announced on Monday that it will ban the Organic Crop Improvement Association from operating in China because of conflicts of interest and concerns on food safety. The non-profit group has been a leading inspector of organic food for U.S. markets in China.The Wall Street Journal reports that the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) “improperly used Chinese government employees to inspect Chinese farms that use state-owned land to grow crops for export to the U.S. bearing the USDA’s organic seal.”
In addition to the ban of OCIA, the USDA plans to send an audit team to China this year to broadly review the certification process, reports the New York Times.
OCIA is a non-profit based in Lincoln, Nebraska, that was founded by farmers in the 1980s. On its website, the group describes itself as “one of the world’s oldest, largest and most trusted leaders in the organic certification industry. A nonprofit, member-owned, agricultural organization, OCIA is dedicated to providing the highest quality organic certification services and access to global organic markets.”
The Wall Street Journal reports the USDA has been trying to take away OCIA’s authorization since 2007, when it was discovered that Chinese government employees had been working as farm inspectors, but the OCIA appealed the ruling.
OCIA began shutting down its operations in China in March, due to financial difficulties and regulatory pressure, says the New York Times. The group signed a settlement agreement with the USDA on May 28 that bans its operation in China for one year. The company can reapply for accreditation after the one-year ban is up and can continue inspecting organic food in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Organic products from China are sold in supermarkets nationwide, including at organic retail leader Whole Foods. Whole Foods stopped stocking products inspected by OCIA last year. The grocery store has decreased its Chinese organic offerings in the past two years, going from selling 30 products made with Chinese organics to selling only 2, shelled and unshelled frozen edamame, by the end of this year. The shift away from Chinese products has come from customer complaints and better prices from other sources.
More National News
June 14: The “Go Local Chicago” initiative works to distribute locally produced food and beverages in corporate offices. Chicago Tribune
June 13: Wisconsin dairy farmers who want to legally sell raw milk will make their case in court on June 15. Chicago Tribune
June 12: Revolutionary British food critic Egon Ronay died at age 94. Associated Press
June 12: Despite an increase in milk prices, dairy farmers in New York state are still in financial trouble. Associated Press
Regional News
June 14: If approved, Williamstown, Vermont will boast the state’s largest solar farm. Times Argus
June 14: Woodchuck Cider donated 8,432 trees to plant as a part of the Global ReLeaf campaign. Burlington Free Press
June 14: NeighborWorks of Western Vermont, the housing non-profit, was awarded a $4.5 million grant for innovative energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. Vermont Business Magazine
June 11: Maple syrup production in Vermont has dropped 3 percent this year, but nationwide production of maple syrup has dropped by 19 percent. Associated Press
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A New Business Model for Farmers’ Markets
Farmers’ markets might be the easiest way for a consumer to connect directly with the farmers that grow their food. Outdoor markets are a social scene in themselves–a weekend venue where community members can connect, socialize and buy fresh food that supports the local economy.
Why then, aren’t more people shopping weekly at farmers’ markets? A new article by The American Prospect highlights the areas in which the farmers’ market business model could be improved to address problems facing low-income consumers: high prices, limited availability of food staples and awareness of farmers’ markets.Picking up a few items at a farmers’ market to make dinner can get pricey quickly, especially if you choose to eat organic. For some consumers, the price point of the farmers’ market just can’t compete with the low cost of canned items in a grocery store or a meal from the dollar menu at McDonald’s. Farmers’ markets in low-income neighborhoods struggle without the support of the majority of the community and are at risk of being put out of business by chain grocery stores that offer discounted prices.
To make shopping at farmers’ markets financially possible for low-income families and profitable for farmers, government programs need to be extended to farmers’ markets. Though some farmers’ markets currently accept food stamps, vendors who do not accept debit card purchases often cannot process food stamp payments, since food stamps are currently issued on debit cards (EBT or Electronic Benefit Transfer) instead of on paper.
Some farmers’ markets have developed creative strategies for working around these obstacles. In Washington, DC, FreshFarm Markets has implemented a food assistance program that doubles funds for low-income customers through a public-private partnership. The market allows EBT purchases and has put up tents where a food stamp recipient can easily swipe his or her EBT card in exchange for tokens that can be used at the farmstands.
To make farmers’ markets more accessible to families in need, the USDA’s Women, Infants, and Children Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program received expanded funding in 2009. The program “provides supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education at no cost to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding post-partum women, and to infants and children up to 5 years of age who are found to be at nutritional risk.” The program issues “Get Fresh” checks to be used specifically at farmers’ markets.
The American Prospect article cites the Ward 8 farmers’ market in Washington, DC, as an example of how changing the farmers’ market business model increased revenue for farmers while serving a low-income community. The market got directly involved with the community, working with customers to determine what products were most desirable so farmers could anticipate demand. Jody Tick, the director of the Capital Area Food Bank’s Harvest for Health initiative, started a youth gardening project to educate children in the area about eating healthfully. The conveniently located market started accepting EBT payments, and leftover produce from the farmers’ market was donated to convenience stores to extend the market’s reach through a partnership with the D.C. Healthy Corner Store Program.
Focusing on the community, facilitating collaboration between consumers and producers and accepting payments from subsidized government programs are steps every farmers’ market can take to expand their reach and build a prosperous market where both the consumer and the producer are beneficiaries.
More National News
May 24: The USDA announced the availability of the compliance guide for mobile slaughter units. USDA
May 22: The “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative has received criticism from senators claiming it favors small, organic farmers and slights “conventional farmers who produce the vast majority of our nation’s food supply.” Kansas City Star
May 21: Raw alfalfa sprouts have been linked to salmonella outbreaks in ten states, causing a nationwide recall of Caldwell Fresh Foods alfalfa sprouts. FDA
Regional News
May 23: Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy is asking Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to close the Canadian border crossing at Morses Line, rather than expand the facility, which would require land to be seized from a family farm. Associated Press
May 22: The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife designated the animals (including the now famous Pete the Moose) at the Big Rack Ridge Preserve a “special purpose herd,” which spares them from being killed as a measure to prevent the spread of disease. Associated Press
May 21: Green Mountain Power is moving forward with plans to build what will be Vermont’s largest wind farm. The farm will be large enough to power 20,000 homes. WCAX
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Fishing and Dining on the Battenkill
When planning your getaway to a picturesque Vermont inn this spring, you might want to pack a nice shirt to wear to dinner, a great book to read by the fire and a camera to take pictures of the gorgeous setting. When your destination is the West Mountain Inn in Arlington, you’d also better pack your fly rod and Woolly Bugger Streamer. This inn is on the shores of the famed Battenkill and it’s trout season.
The Battenkill is reputed to be one of the most technically challenging fly-fishing streams in the country. The late John Atherton, a Vermont artist, author and master fly-tyer, described the Battenkill in his 1951 classic The Fly and the Fish as “the most difficult of rivers and yet the most rewarding in the things which count the most.” The trout here are wild brook and brown trout that are by their very nature harder to catch than released hatchery trout. The inn offers a private guide service for fishermen with Orvis-approved guides.It’s not only fly fishing that counts at West Mountain. The historic inn is a draw for discriminating, hungry localvores as well. Breakfast is a sumptuous affair with just-baked muffins, breads, omelets and pancakes. Chef Jeff Scott sees to it that the kitchen uses local, organic produce, free-range meats and poultry, and local cheeses and dairy products.
When we caught up with Chef Scott yesterday he was prepping local leeks that had just been delivered. “I’m a skier so I hate spring,” he laughed. “But then I start thinking about all the things I can do with spring vegetables. Look at these gorgeous leeks, next week we’ll have fiddleheads. I love this job.”
The chef then got a phone call from his spud man, Donald Heleba, owner/farmer of Heleba Potato Farm outside Rutland. They’re collaborating on a localvore’s dream product: Heleba Good Potato Chips are made by locals with local potatoes. Look for the chips and the chip-makers at the Dorset Farmers Market.
The 2010 trout fishing season runs through October 31, with prime fishing from May 15 to July 15. A valid fishing license is needed for anglers aged 15 and older. For more information, call the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department at 802.241.3700. There could not be a more convenient base for your fishing excursions than the West Mountain Inn, so call the inn to book in your weekend now.
Sautéed Vermont Trout with Leeks, Oranges & Dill
from Jeff Scott, West Mountain Inn, Arlington, Vermont
If fly fishing season has ended or if the fly fishermen in your family come home empty-handed, contact Curt Sjolander from Mountain Foot Farm who raises trout in very cold water tanks without the use of antibiotics on his farm in Wheelock, Vermont.2 oranges, scrubbed
2 whole fresh-caught Vermont trout, cleaned
2 large eggs, beaten
½ cup flour
¼ cup oil
2 small leeks, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 tablespoons white wine
1 teaspoon snipped fresh dill
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepperGrate the zest from one of the oranges and set aside. Use a serrated knife to remove the peel and pith from both oranges. Cut out the orange segments and set aside.
To bone and butterfly trout, first cut off the head and the tail. Lay the trout on its back. Grab the top of the spinal cord and pull it away from the flesh. The spinal cord and two rows of bones should lift up without too much tugging.
Dredge the trout in eggs then flour. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place the trout in the pan and brown on one side. Turn over and brown the other side. This will take 4 to 5 minutes total. Place the trout on warmed plates.
Return the skillet to the heat, add the leeks and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the wine, dill and the reserved orange zest and cook for 2 minutes more. Working quickly, whisk in the butter until emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the orange segments and pour over the fish.
Serves 2
West Mountain Inn • River Road, Arlington, VT • 802.375.6516 • info@westmountaininn.com
See more great images from West Mountain Inn at our flickr page!
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The Sinking Iceberg and the Rising Greens
Iceberg lettuce has been slowly losing its grip on the national salad greens market for more than a decade while more flavorful, colorful and nutritionally dense salad greens have been growing in every way–and in every corner of the country, particularly in Vermont.
Heather and Jared McDermott are perfect examples of the new salad grower. They own the Vermont Herb & Salad Company, producing a wide variety of salad greens and herbs on their Benson, Vermont, farm. Their business grew out of
a passion for sustainable agriculture and good food. Area chefs have been keen on their products since the farm’s beginning more than 10 years ago. The family-owned Price Chopper supermarket chain, with 15 stores in Vermont, caught on quickly too. And now Trader Joe’s is selling their organic microgreens nationwide.Smart cooks know that Vermont salad greens are so delicious they hardly need any dressing at all. A light spritzing of balsamic vinegar might be all you need for a salad of Vermont Herb & Salad Company’s gourmet mix of buttery baby lettuces, piquant arugula and mizuna, tiny beet greens and faintly mustardy tatsoi for instance. These same cooks also understand that a fresh-flavored salad dressing can really make a salad shine. We’ve gathered together four basic dressings that are sure to become standards in your kitchen.
Susan’s Secret Vinaigrette
Perfect with Vermont Herb & Salad Company’s Gourmet Salad Greens mix. Sweet-tart, thick pomegranate molasses is the secret ingredient here, which you can find at City Market in Burlington.1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepperRub the inside of a salad bowl with the garlic clove; discard the garlic. Whisk together the mustard, pomegranate molasses and vinegar in the bowl. Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking to blend. Season with salt and a generous grinding of pepper.
Makes enough dressing for a big salad
Orange-Ginger Dressing
Use to dress baby bok choy or other fresh Asian greens.2 tablespoons bitter orange marmalade
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Small handful of fresh chives, snipped
Freshly ground black pepperIn a bowl, use a fork to blend together the marmalade, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce and oils. Blend in the chives and plenty of black pepper.
Makes enough dressing for a big salad
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USDA Releases New Guidelines for Organic Milk
Organic dairy standards have gotten a makeover from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The new guidelines, which will require that dairy producers meet more stringent criteria in order for their milk to be certified organic, will go into effect on June 17, 2010.
The amendments to the National Organic Program state that animals must be pastured for at least four months of the year to be approved as organic milk producers. During the four-month grazing season, 30 percent of their diet must come from pasture grass.Dairy farms in temperate climates will be expected to pasture their cows for more than the four months specified in the guidelines. USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan stated the standards were the minimum requirement for organic farmers, “You can meet this threshold whether you’re in Vermont or Arizona.”
Environmental considerations were also addressed in the new guidelines. The USDA states “Producers must have a pasture management plan and manage pasture as a crop to meet the feed requirements for the grazing animals and to protect soil and water quality.”
The changes are an attempt to standardize the organic certification process to protect the consumer. According to the Los Angeles Times: “The new rules seek to close loopholes that had allowed some of the country’s largest feedlots to sell their milk as organic, even though their herds rarely grazed in fields.”
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Mark Your Calendar! Register Now!
From February 13 to 15, join fellow farmers, homesteaders, activists, consumers and even kids at next week’s Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont’s 28th Annual Winter Conference. With the theme “Celebrating the Heart of the
Organic,” the event will be held in a newly expanded conference site at the University of Vermont in Burlington. Keynote speakers include LaDonna Redmond, founder of the Institute for Community Resource Development, and organic farmer Jack Lazor of Vermont’s Butterworks Farm, with a special appearance by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Check out the 70+ workshops, special children’s conference, farmers’ market, ice cream social, Young Farmer Mixer and much more.More Regional Events
(All events take place in Vermont unless otherwise noted.)
Saturday, February 6
Farmers’ Markets
Champlain Island Winter Farmers’ Market
South Hero Congregational Church, 10 am to 2 pmRutland Winter Farmers’ Market
The Old Strand Theater behind the Rutland Natural Food Market, 10 am to 2 pmMontpelier Winter Farmers’ Market
VT College of Fine Arts Gym, corner of E. State Street and College Street, 10 am to 2 pm
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Pete Johnson: Year-Round Farmer and Innovator
Spring is only three weeks away–at least for the savvy Vermonters who’ve already signed up for their Spring Localvore Share from Pete’s Greens’ Good Eats CSA.
Pete Johnson, the Pete in Pete’s Greens, is a rock star among New England organic famers, and his year-round CSA concept is spreading across the country. By growing salad greens in unheated, movable greenhouses on his 230-acre farm in Craftsbury, Johnson has made fresh local produce a cold-season reality here. Johnson is one of “a critical mass of new, innovative farmers” at the heart of “a massive wave of change,” says Dave Rogers, national policy director of NOFA (the Northeast Organic Farmers Association).The Spring Localvore Share begins on February 17 and runs through the first week in June. Good Eats CSA members pick up their weekly share at the farm or at one of 15 convenient pickup locations across northern Vermont. Members can look forward to a
wide variety of roots, potatoes, onions, garlic, cabbage, celeriac, kohlrabi and other storage crops from the PG cellars plus shoots, sprouts and mesclun that are growing outside throughout the colder months. Frozen vegetables that were harvested and frozen at their peak of freshness last summer augment the fresh veggies. Tomatoes, spinach and braising greens, frozen squash puree and pesto are just a few of the sun-kissed delicacies on ice. By May and June, a wider variety of fresh grown crops will be available—pac choi, baby beets, turnips, scallions, Asian greens and many more.In addition to flavor-packed vegetables, share members also
receive a wide variety of localvore staples from more than 30 producers in Vermont and southern Quebec. Offerings can include artisan breads, eggs, cheeses, organic Vermont flours, oats, cornmeal and other local grains, cooking oils, vinegars, sweeteners, miso, tamari and other basics.CSA members may also opt for a meat share, which features meats grown on the farm and meats and fish (yes! fresh trout!) from local producers. All meats are pastured and grass fed where applicable, and all are sustainably and naturally raised. Many products are certified organic.
For more information about the farm or to find a CSA sign-up form, click here.
For more images from Pete’s Greens, check out FarmPlate’s flickr gallery (Pete’s, too!).
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