Edible Nutmeg

Edible Nutmeg is an important resource for any Connecticut resident.  Part of a nation-wide network of 55 food publications, Edible Nutmeg focuses on celebrating Connecticut foods, releasing a quarterly magazine to mark each season with enlightening and instructive articles on everything you need to know.

They even have an extensive recipe list for each season, including a shallot fig spread, a cranberry pear pie, and a butternut squash sauce with sausages, broccoli and organic penne pasta.  More delicious recipes can be found here.

Edible Nutmeg has been a supporter of CT NOFA for a while now.  We want to personally thank them for listing our events and for promoting Connecticut’s agriculture.  Another really neat feature is that Edible Nutmeg will give a lagniappe to community partners.  A yearly subscription to the magazine costs $28, and when you sign up, Edible Nutmeg will donate $10 to your choice of Lagniappe Community Partners.  And CT NOFA just happens to be on that list with 20 other great organizations!

Well, what are you waiting for? Check out the Edible Nutmeg site  (http://www.ediblecommunities.com/nutmeg/) and sign up!

From all of us at CT NOFA...

CT NOFA thanks all of you who make our important work and programs possible throughout the year. If you haven't already done so, we hope you will consider making a financial contribution before the end of the year to help us continue our work. Visit ctnofa.org today to give using your credit card. Checks can be made out to CT NOFA and mailed to CT NOFA, PO Box 164, Stevenson, CT 06491.

All donations are tax-deductible. If you give before Friday at midnight, you can claim the full amount of your charitable contribution on your 2010 tax return. Thank you for your support!

We wish you all the best for the upcoming year and growing season!

Bill Duesing, Executive Director
Deb Legge, Office Manager
Marion Griswold, Bookkeeper
Ashley Kremser, Organic Land Care Program Manager
Clara Buitrago, Organic Land Care Accreditation Manager
Teresa Mucci, Program Coordinator
RJ Mercede, Event and Outreach Coordinator

Bulk Grain Order - Due December 31

For those in the New Haven area...

      The FOOD ACTION GROUP is now taking bulk grain orders. They are offering 5 organic choices, each sold in 12.5 lb units (from Natural Way Mills). You have until December 31 to place your order!
 
* HARD RED SPRING WHEAT BERRIES ($1.10/lb shipped) = $13.75/12.5
lbs
  * Can be used as a whole grain (Wheat Berry Salad), ground into
flour, or sprouted.Check out: What to do with Wheatberries!
  * Stores very well - much longer than berries already ground into
flour.

* 100% WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR ($1.17/lb shipped) = $14.75/12.5 lbs
  * Can be used in baking of all types: breads, pancakes, cookies,
muffins, etc.  Check out: Whole Wheat Flour Recipes[7]
  * Does not store as well as Whole Wheatberries, but doesn't require
a grinder to use.
 
* WHOLE YELLOW CORN ($1.06/lb shipped)  = $13.25/12.5 lbs
  * Can be ground into cornmeal to be used in a variety of recipes.
  * Can also be nixtamalized[8] (releases the niacin in the corn),
and used as hominy in soups, stews, breads and puddings.
 
* ROLLED OATS ($1.35/lb shipped) = $17.00/12.5 lbs
  * Can be used for oatmeal, in savory grain dishes, and is a great
addition to breads.  One more word on oats.... Granola!!
  * Can be eaten raw (after soaking) - which makes this an ideal
emergency food.
 
* 7 GRAINS BREAKFAST CEREAL ($1.42/lb shipped) = $17.75/12.5 lbs
  * Contains: Wheat, Rye, Barley, Flax, Steel Cut Oats, Corn, and
Millet.  This is a good way to get familiar with new grains.
  *  There are about 10 servings/pound = $0.14/serving.
 
Order Closes:  December 31, 2010. Five gallon food-grade storage buckets will be available for purchase at the time of the distribution.

Forward this order out to friends and family - the  more the merrier.  If you have any questions regarding the order,  recipes to share with the group, or suppliers for future orders  (especially local suppliers!!), please email tgnh.food@gmail.com.  This is part of the pantry-building project.  Interested in helping?   Ideas, tips, tricks for pantry-living?  Please send them along!

 - Food Action Group

email: tgnh.food@gmail.com[11]
group: http://groups.google.com/group/tgnh-food[12] 
meetings: Each 1st Tuesday; 7pm; UU Society, 608 Whitney Ave, New Haven
web SITES:
  www.newhavenbioregionalgroup.org
  www.transitionnewhaven.org

Philip H. Howard's Information Graphics

Are you a map kind of person? You can read and read all you like, but without visual aids, you still won’t get it.  Well Professor Philip H. Howard at Michigan State University has made your life easier! Professor Howard teaches courses in Community, Food and Agriculture and through his site, you can access over 30 different information graphics related to the food system.

On the site, you can find charts on the food system, foodborne illness, seeds, organic farms, organic distribution and retail, organic processing, and soft drinks.  There are some really interesting graphs…let’s let them do the talking.

Seed Industry Structure

Organic Industry Structure - Private Label Brands

Organic Processing Industry Structure - Acquisitions by Top 30 Food Processors in North America

Soft Drink Industry Structure

To view these in full size and the rest of the information graphics, please visit https://www.msu.edu/~howardp/index.html.

Hartford Food System

 The Hartford Food System is a non-profit organization that was established in 1978.  Since then, it has been working to create an equitable and sustainable food system in the area -  focusing on the causes of hunger, especially issues related to those in poverty and the elderly.  Their mission statement is “to fight hunger and improve nutrition for disadvantaged members of our community through sustainable, non-emergency strategies”.

These strategies include partnerships and working relationships with over 20 organizations in the greater Hartford area, releasing some informative publications, and establishing numerous programs for Hartford residents.

One important program is the Healthy Food Retailer Initiative.  The Hartford Food System is addressing the problem that there is only one major supermarket in the city, and that many of its residents have rely on corner markets and bodegas for their groceries, which in the past have usually offered less healthy choices.  Through the initiative, if store owners agree to switch a portion of their junk food to healthier options, they will receive promotional assistance and grassroots outreach.  To find out what consumers want, HFS is working with the UCONN Center for Public Health and Healthy Policy.  Since 2006, they have recruited 40 stores to be a part, and have seen an 8% overall shift of junk food to regular groceries in these stores. 

Additionally, HFS has established Grow Hartford, a project to “cultivate youth leadership and civic participation through agriculture”.  There are currently three sites that function as outdoor classrooms to empower young people, encourage physical activities, foster community action, and provide residents with local and organic fruits and veggies.  

To find out more, please visit their website - http://www.hartfordfood.org/

GoodFood World

Many of us have no connection to our food sources so we really have no idea what we are eating and where it came from, which in many cases leads to unhealthy eating habits.  GoodFood World (http://www.goodfoodworld.com/) wants to end this cycle by educating consumers about people, companies, restaurants and other organizations that are involved in healthy foods, from production to service, and any phase in between.  The editors of this online source believe that good food is everybody’s business...and we're right there with them! 

In order to measure sustainability, the site follows three measures: Social Responsibility, Environmental Resiliency, and Economic Vitality. 

The editors recently re-posted an article on “Top Organic Food and Farming Trends in 2011”.  It’s an interesting read. You can find it here.

Closing Out Another Great Year!

      We can't believe that 2010 is almost over! We at CT NOFA want to thank you for your part in making 2010 a successful year in spreading the benefits of local, sustainable, and organic agriculture.  To date, CT NOFA has over 770 members and Gleanings, CT NOFA's free monthly e-newsletter is sent out to over 3,400 subscribers!

      Here are some inspirational comments from members:
    "CT NOFA joyfully inspires people to work together for a sustainable future.. In a deeply trouble world, I can think of no more important work than teaching people how to grow fresh nutritious food in harmony with nature."

    "Saving our planet and feeding our families in our rapidly changing environment requires us to return to the land and to sustain and guide us.  NOFA serves as a beacon that will inspire others."

    "NOFA is wonderful, sane, safe, healthy, local, important, helpful, growing, politically correct, well-run, and vital."

    "As a farmer, I'm grateful for the educational work, the workshops, newsletters, bulk order, conferences. As an environmentalist - for the focus on land stewardship, public education, NOFA presence on important environmental issues. Thank you!"

      Thank you for these kind words! Without your help, we would not be able to spread the message of keeping our food local and organic!
      If you have yet to visit our website, you can do so here - http://ctnofa.org/.  We have an extensive list of resources for farmers, gardeners, and consumers, along with event listings, community notices, CSA listings, and much, much more! We have a lot planned for 2011 so please keep checking in for updates!