You Can Win a New Jacket by Supporting Our Mission!

Our Spring Appeal is in full swing, and there are prizes you can win! Donate $100 or more to be entered into a raffle to win one of these AWESOME JACKETS from Patagonia! Take on those chilly spring nights in style!

Click here to donate!

 

Your donations support our programs that train new farmers, encourage the growth of Community Farms, teach organic vegetable gardening and bring attention to the important agricultural and food work that is happening in Connecticut’s urban areas. You can help us continue to grow a local and organic food system and an organic land care system by donating.

We also encourage you to set up a recurring monthly donation; if you call the office at 203-888-5146, we would be glad to assist you. 

Again, you can make a donation here.

Thanks so much for your help!

Become a Volunteer with CT NOFA!

CT NOFA needs you!

A message from Debra Sloane, the CT NOFA Board Member Responsible for Volunteers:

This could be you!

CT NOFA is actively recruiting volunteers to be part of a sustainable team committed to supporting the incredibly wide array of events and activities we sponsor and get involved with throughout the year. Only with your support can we continue to be a dynamic and growing organization able to participate in all of the state’s events and programs committed to organic farming and organic food. That’s why we need you to be part of our volunteer team!

Please plan on joining us at either one of our two upcoming volunteer training sessions:

Sunday, April 7, 2013
3:00 – 6:00 PM
Auerfarm, Bloomfield CT

Monday, April 8, 2013
5:30 – 8:30 PM
New Morning Market, Woodbury CT

The agenda will be the same at both events and food and drinks will be served. Please join us at the date and time that suits your schedule by registering HERE.

Your commitment to our volunteer team is essential to helping CT NOFA reach the

entire state with our message. We will have opportunities for you to be active throughout the year to help strengthen and grow our membership base and support the CT NOFA vision. Our plan is to become a regular presence at various farmers markets, open farm days, conferences, fairs and to provide informational brochures to a targeted set of natural food stores and CSAs. We will support you with training and mentoring so that you are comfortable with your role and so that you look forward to your volunteer commitment.

Volunteering with CT NOFA is fun!  Depending on what's happening at the time, you might be able to visit farmers markets, table at expos and symposiums, or learn new computer skills.  As someone who has done all of those things and more with CT NOFA, I can say that it's a great way to grow, meet amazing people, and have a great time!  Again, if you'd like to get involved, sign up for one of the training sessions online here.

Have a great evening,
Melissa

Get Excited - CT NOFA 2013 Winter Conference Just a Week Away!

In December 2012, I joined CT NOFA as the Outreach Intern. I very quickly learned that a majority of my time would be devoted to helping Kristiane (the Events and Outreach Coordinator) and other CT NOFA staff promote the 2013 Winter Conference on March 2nd.

As I learned more about the event my curiosity peaked and my thoughts started to go from  "This seems really cool!" to "I can learn about dairy goats, maple sugaring, climate change and meet with local vendors all in the same day? This is AWESOME!".  When I realized today that the conference is only a week away, that curiosity turned into excitement and unlike the rest of the CT NOFA staff, I have never attended the Winter Conference (or really any conference similar in magnitude). This experience will be entirely new to me and I am greatly looking forward to it. 

Here are some reason's why you should be excited too (newbie or not):

• Workshops, workshops, workshops. Did I mention the workshops?
• There are over 50 workshops (53 to be exact) to choose from and we are providing three sessions throughout the day to attend any of them that you are most interested in. Best part is there is something for everyone - topics like small business lessons, basic vegetable production, sustainable living, food preservation, school gardens, climate change and small scale agriculture, organic land care, and even seaweed aquaculture are all available!

• Get to know your neighbors 
• A big part of sustainable eating is supporting local farmers and businesses. Throughout the day you can "meet and greet" with over 40 vendors and exhibitors from all over Connecticut. You might be surprised to find that some of them are located right in your own community and you just never knew it!

• All this talk about food is making me hungry....
• In past years lunch has been served Pot Luck style and while that is a fun and creative way to eat, it doesn't really cater (no pun intended) to the capacity the Winter Conference has grown to. So this year some of the very best farm-to-restaurant chefs from Fairfield County will be serving you lunch! I am particularly excited for this since in all honestly, my just-out-of-college-and-broke budget doesn't really allow me to go out to eat very often. This will be a great way to eat locally and organic from many different restaurants all at once! (The cost for lunch is $15)

• Silent Auction/Raffle
•  Many of the vendors donate wonderful items and products to the raffle so if you see something you like during the day, maybe you could walk home with it! 

• Celebrate sustainability with music!
• The band Gatsby's Green Light will be joining us during registration and the lunch hour to bring us good vibes for the day. The band often plays with organizations, events, and fairs that promote local food and clean energy solutions. They also donate 30% of their profit to organizations like NOFA. 

Check out this video of the 2012 Winter Conference highlights to get even more excited!

I hope to see you next Saturday! Best, 

Katie

Come Visit CT NOFA at the CT Flower and Garden Show!

CT NOFA's booth from last year's show

Join CT NOFA at the CT Flower and Garden show Thursday February 21-Sunday February 24! We'll be one of over 300 booths offering education and products for the garden and landscape enthusiast. Come to the show to explore beautiful landscaped gardens and booths overflowing with fresh flowers, plants, herbs, bulbs, seeds, gardening books, garden equipment and much more.

Why Attend?
Gorgeous landscape exhibits constructed by some of the most talented landscape designers in Connecticut. The award winning landscape exhibits occupy over an acre within the Convention Center Exhibit Hall. Landscapes in full bloom with lush green grass and fragrant flowers continue to amaze attendees each year.

Highlights:

• Over 300 booths filled with plants, flowers, fertilizers, garden tools, tractors & mowers, patio & lawn furniture and more!
• Floral & garden related artisian section with one of a kind artwork, garden ornaments, jewelry, photography to name a few.
• Non-profit and educational exhibits (including ours!)
• Floral Arranging Demonstrations
• Seed planting for children
• Hours of educational seminars

And the best part is you can take advantage of all the show has to offer for free by volunteering with us for part of a day!  CT NOFA will be at the show all four days, and we still need help on Thursday and Friday, especially in the evenings.  Volunteers receive free admission to the show as well as reimbursed parking in the Convention Center Garage. If you are interested in coming to volunteer, email me at melissa@ctnofa.org.

Learn more about the show here. View a list of exhibitors (including us!) here.

Can't wait to see you there!
-Melissa

A Full House at the Getting Started in Organic Farming Conference

Last Saturday, January 26, 2013, CT NOFA held it's annual Getting Started in Organic Farming Coneference at Goodwin College in East Hartford.  Despite a winter storm that inundated much of the mid-Atlantic states, we had sunny, albeit cold, weather up in Connecticut on the day of the event.  This was the first time the conference has been held at Goodwin, and we couldn't have been happier with how the day turned out.

The conference began just after 8am, and every seat in the room was filled.  Our Executive Director, Bill Duesing, kicked off the day with a compelling 30 minute overview of our current agricultural situation and how that ties into important global issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, and nutrient loading in fresh and salt water.  Bill gave an inspiring call to action for new farmers, explaining that organic farming directly addresses our planet's (and humanity's) most pressing ecological concerns.

After Bill's excellent introduction, Joe Bonelli from the UConn Cooperative Extension Service spoke briefly about Connecticut Farm Risk Management and crop insurance, explaining the tools that UConn and RMA have to offer new farmers to help them get started.

Our first full-length speaker of the day was Kip Kolesinskas, a conservation scientist with 35 years of experience. Kip has been a major contributor in efforts to increase farmer access to land, develop farm friendly municipalities, and promote locally grown food.  Kip's 45 minute presentation, Gaining Access to Quality Farmland, gave an overview of the common methods and sources for gaining access to affordable farmland, such as matching services, opportunities on Municipal and Land Trust properties, and the basic elements of a good lease, technical resources, and its role in risk management.

Next Erin Pirro, a Farm Business Consultant for Farm Credit East with a background in agricultural economics, spoke for an hour about Budgeting from the Bottom Up.  Erin has been helping farmers large and small make their businesses run better since 2001, and showed her knowledge and expertise by describing how to build a plan in numbers, designed to show you if you can take your business where you need it to go. Erin delved into the many aspects of building a strong and comprehensive budget, and showed how doing do will save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.

Kerry and Max Taylor, owners and operators of Provider Farm in Salem, CT, followed Erin with  a half hour presentation about Starting a CSA for Long Term Success. Provider Farm is a 200 share CSA, wholesale, and market biodynamic farm.  Kerry and Max described what it takes to start a CSA and why it can be a really valuable tool for new farmers. They addressed the benefits and draw backs of starting a CSA in the first year as well as lessons learned, tools for success and how a CSA fits into a whole farm plan.

Kerry and Max's presentation served as a great opening to the 45 minute CSA Panel where five Connecticut farmers, including Kerry and Max, addressed CSA-related questions from the audience ranging from the more general to the technical and specific. Other than Kerry and Max, the panel was also represented by three other farmers: Karen Pettinelli from Holcomb Farm, Mark Gauger from Maple View Farm, and Rodger Phillips from Grow Hartford.  Together, the panelists operate CSA programs in a wide range of sizes and specialties, and cater to different clientele.  The panel was a great way for attendees to learn a great deal about the different approaches to running a successful CSA program.

After the panel, the conference broke for lunch, some of which was generously donated by Whole Foods West Hartford and Chabaso Bakery. Thanks to CT NOFA staff and board members for providing some of the lunch as a supplement to the donations! There was plenty of food to go around, and the  break afforded attendees a great chance to network and get to know one another.  It also gave the staff and presenters time to get ready behind the scenes for a packed afternoon program!

The afternoon program started off with NRCS Opportunities for the Organic Producer, a 45 minute presentation from Adam Maikshilo, a Soil Conservationist for CT NRCS. Adam talked about technical and financial assistance that's available through the NRCS to organic producers, how to apply for those services, and common conservation practices that organic producers follow.

After Adam's presentation, Kim Stoner, the vegetable entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, presented about Pest Management for Organic Farms.  Kim explained which pests can be tolerated, which can be managed at low levels, and which can appear suddenly and devastate a crop.  She also described ways to reduce pest damage, like diversifying, using resistant varieties, and using other non-chemical strategies for control.

Our last presenter of the day was Duncan Cox, a  Certification Administrator at Baystate Organic Certifiers.  Baystate is the only organization that certifies organic farms in Connecticut, and it was important to end the day describing the step by step process of becoming certified.  Duncan explained not only the certification process, but also addressed common concerns among farmers about becoming certified and maintaining certification.

This year's event was a blast!  Many thanks again to Whole Foods and Chabaso, as well as to the USDA RMA and the Specialty Crop Block Grant for providing some of the funding for this event, and to Goodwin College for the venue.  Also, a very special thank you to all the presenters for making the event informative and engaging.  Lastly, thanks to all the attendees for coming and learning about how to get started in organic farming!  We really appreciate the evaluations you filled out, and will use them to make even better programming for you in the future.  Thanks for your support!

Couldn't make it to this year's event?  No worries - we will be offering 8 beginning farmer workshops this year focusing on a variety of technical topics, and three CSA fairs.  Check our website often for the most up to date information.

Have a great weekend!
-Melissa

Are You a New or Transitioning Organic Farmer?

If so, you should join us at our Getting Started in Organic Farming Conference! 

CT NOFA Getting Started in Organic Farming Conference

January 26, 2013

8:00am - 3:30pm

Goodwin College
One Riverside Drive
East Hartford, CT

 

This conference helps aspiring organic farmers develop successful farming careers by linking them with important resources and experts in the field.  Whether you're interested in farming for the very first time, or you've been farming for a while and want to learn more about how to work organically, this conference will provide you with valuable insight and support.

Here's some information about some of the conference presenters:

 

Wayne Hansen, Wayne's Organic Garden -Diverse “Tools” For Success in Organic Vegetable Production
How several tools, some small, some larger, some inexpensive, some not so, have helped me to create a productive growing situation on a tiny lot not obviously meant for growing and selling produce. How I got there may help you do the same.
 

Bio: I never knew what I wanted to do in life. Academia seemed like a trap to put me in an unimaginative job in a world without a soul. I've found a life in soil, weather, hard work, and the joy of good food. It's all been worth it.
 

Erin Pirro, Farm Credit East - Budgeting From the Bottom Up
It's good to have a plan. Before you have a plan, you have an idea - something on the back of a napkin about how you will run your business. A budget is a plan in numbers, designed to show you not just if it's worth it, but if it can take you where you need to go. A bottom-up budget is an easy-to-use technique to help you get there.

Bio: Erin Pirro has been helping farmers large and small make their businesses run better since 2001. As a Farm Business Consultant for Farm Credit East with a background in agricultural economics, Erin's focus has been on benchmarking and profitability improvement because sustainability means economics, too! At home, Erin's small family farm raises and markets sheep and wool products in southern New England.

Kerry and Max Taylor; Provider Farm - Starting a CSA for Long Term Success
CSAs are great but starting a CSA should not be taken lightly, and involves careful planning. We will address the benefits and draw backs of starting a CSA in your first year as well as lessons learned, tools for success and how our CSA fits into our whole farm plan.

Bio: Max and Kerry Taylor own and operate Provider Farm in Salem, CT. Provider Farm is a 200 share CSA, wholesale, and market biodynamic farm. We also maintain a small herd of beef cows on 20 acres of rotationally grazed pasture.

Adam Maikshilo, USDA NRCS - NRCS Opportunities for the Organic Producer 

NRCS can provide technical and financial assistance to organic producers utilizing Farm Bill programs. Who is eligible and how do you apply? Common conservation practices for an organic producer.

Bio: Adam has been a Soil Conservationist for CT NRCS for approximately 2 years. Previously worked as a Wildlife Technician for USDA - Wildlife Services for approximately 6 years. Graduated from UCONN with a degree in Natural Resources.
 

Kip Kolesinskas, Gaining Access to Quality Farmland
Participants will gain an overview of the common methods and sources for gaining access to affordable farmland, such as matching services. Opportunities on Municipal and Land Trust properties will also be explored. Basic elements of a good lease, technical resources, and its role in risk management will be discussed.
Presenter bio

Bio: Consulting Conservation Scientist, Formerly State Soil Scientist for CT /RI, USDA-NRCS, 35 years of experience. A.A.S. SUNY Cobleskill, B.S. Cornell University, Lancaster University, and Schumacher College -UK. Kip has been a major contributor in efforts to increase farmer access to land, develop farm friendly municipalities, and promote locally grown food.
 

Kim Stoner, CT Agricultural Experiment Station - Insect and Pest Management
Organic farmers need to think ahead about pest management. Plan to reduce pest damage by diversifying, using resistant varieties, and using other non-chemical strategies of control. Learn which pests can be tolerated, which can be managed at low levels, and which can appear suddenly and devastate a crop.

Bio: Kim Stoner has been the vegetable entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven since 1987. Her current research focuses on pollination and bees – including measuring exposure of bees to pesticides, monitoring native bee species, and studying pollination in pumpkins and squash.

Duncan Cox, Baystate Organic - Organic Certification
Duncan will explain how the organic certification process works. He will describe how crop, livestock, and processing operations large and small can become certified to the USDA National Organic Standards.

 

Bio: Duncan Cox has been inspecting organic farms and processors for Baystate Organic Certifiers since 2003, after first obtaining an MS in Soils from Washington State University, organically producing apples and onions in Washington State, and assisting farmers in both the Pacific Northwest and in South Carolina. 

In addition to these presentations, the conference will also feature a CSA Roundtable with Mark Gauger of Maple View Farm, Rodger Phillips of Grow Hartford, and Karen Pettinelli of Holcomb Farm.  During the roundtable, attendees will be split into small groups and be placed with one of the three roundtable speakers.  This will give attendees a greater opportunity to ask questions and start a dialogue with farmers who have had many years of experience with running a CSA program. 

You can learn more about the conference and register here.  If you have questions, or want to register over the phone, give us a call at 203.888.5146.

Hope to see you there!

-Melissa

Get Ready for our 2013 Winter Conference!

Keynote David W. Wolfe

The 2013 Winter Conference brings into focus the challenges of adjusting to climate change for farmers, gardeners and consumers. Join us to discuss the future of sustainable farming and celebrate local food.

In between workshops, attendees can visit with over 50 vendors and exhibitors with local foods, crafts, books, and sustainability initiatives. There will be a silent auction with garden supplies and other Connecticut grown and crafted items and services. Families are invited to participate in children’s activities and workshops scheduled throughout the day.

Our keynote David W. Wolfe Ph.D., the Faculty Fellow and Chair of the Climate Change Focus Group, Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future and Professor of Plant and Soil Ecology, Department of Horticulture at Cornell University.

Dr. Wolfe's topic will be Farm and Landscape Management for a Changing Climate.

Click here to listen to a recent interview with Dr. Wolfe on climate change, agriculture and policy issues.  For a list of confirmed workshops, vendors, exhibitors, and a video of last year's conference highlights, click here.  Online registration will be available by the weekend, so stay tuned!

A Successful Organic Land Care Business Workshop

On Friday, November 9, 2012, the NOFA Organic Land Care Program hosted its fourth advanced workshop, titled Business Essentials: Pricing and Marketing your Landscaping Services for Success. The half-day workshop was held at the Connecticut Forest and Park Association in Rockfall, CT. Frank Crandall of Frank Crandall Horticultural Solutions in Wakefield, Rhode Island began the first presentation about pricing and estimating organic versus conventional lawn care services.

Frank started out by reviewing the fundamentals of profitable estimates, and then went on to compare the pricing of organic, transitional, and conventional lawn care programs over a three year period. Frank was able to show from the three year comparison that:
a transition program can convert to fully organic after the second year
an organic program can approach traditional lawn care in cost in the third year and
all phases of the organic plan can be profitable with comprehensive estimating

One of the biggest concerns many land care professionals and clients have about organic land care is the idea that it more costly and less profitable than traditional land care. Frank's presentation argued that this isn't always the case, as long as land care professionals provide accurate estimating, and make sure to sell organic as a comprehensive program rather than the organic version of a 4-step program. Frank emphasized discussing expectations with clients before signing an agreement, to ensure that clients understand the differences in methodology between organic and conventional management. He also noted that it's easier to finalize contracts with clients that request organic services rather than trying to convert traditional customers. More>

If you are interested in organic landscaping, we are excited to tell you about our other upcoming events this winter, including our Accreditation Courses, Annual Gathering, and Organic Lawn Care Certificate Courses!  Check out our website to learn more.

Have a Healthy Halloween!

Today is Halloween, and even though the first word that comes to mind for many of us when we think about Halloween is "candy", the holiday doesn't have to revolve around sweet treats in order to be fun.  You can have a more healthy lower sugar Halloween experience by using some of the following tips:

From Snack Girl, comes ten tips for a healthy Halloween. I especially like numbers 6 and 7:

6. If your children are young, tell them about the CANDY FAIRY. My six year old bought the idea that she could put her candy out and a fairy would replace it with a toy. She is truly excited about giving away her candy - magic, no?

7. If your children are old enough to understand, try making a care package of candy for a soldier in Afghanistan. There are a bunch of different organizations that can help you find a way to cheer up a soldier. One example is Any Soldier. They seem to always be looking for snack food.

Now, some of Snack Girl's candy tips might not be up your alley, but if you are okay with the idea of handing out an inedible item to Trick or Treaters, the American Dental Association has teamed up with Pop Cap Games to offer free downloads of its wildly popular game Plants -vs- Zombies.  You can download coupons to hand out here.  The ADA's colleagues at the Center for Science in the Public Interest have also come up with this comprehensive handout detailing healthy Halloween ideas that you can use at parties and for trick or treaters. There are many recipes and craft ideas that will entertain groups of all ages without consuming large amounts of sugar.

Whatever your plans for this holiday, I hope it's safe, delicious and fun!
-Melissa

Get Ready for Food Day!

Yesterday was World Food Day, and Food Day in the US is less than a week away!  Food Day's priorities include promoting safer, healthier diets, supporting sustainable and organic farms, reducing hunger, reforming factory farms to protect the environment and animals, and supporting fair working conditions for food and farm workers. To reach these goals, organizations across the country are holding events to raise awareness about food in the United States and foster excitement about affecting change for the better.  Below are just a few of the upcoming Food Day events going on in Connecticut.  If you want to learn more about events in your area, check out Food Day's Find an Event page.

Food Day in New Britain
October 24, 2012 at 12pm - 9pm
Urban Oaks Organic Farm
225 Oak St
New Britain, CT 06051
A celebration of fresh, organic, and local!

Barnum School holds Food Day Event in Bridgeport, Connecticut 
October 24, 2012 at 3pm - 6pm
Barnum School
945 Waterview Ave
Bridgeport, CT 06608
An event to celebrate local farms supporting the Bridgeport community. There will be booths set-up for nutrition workshops for students and parents, a Cooking Matters booth doing tastings, local pumpkins and apples for applesauce to talk about a healthy halloween, local eggs for omlette station, produce from the the school gardens around Bridgeport for tastings and much more!

Food Day at the Rowayton Library
October 24, 2012, all day
Rowayton Library
33 Highland Avenue, Rowayton, CT
The Rowayton library is holding three events in celebration of Food Day: The French Twist: Twelve Secrets of Decadent Dining and Natural Weight Management, Design Your Own Smoothies - For Kids, and Guilty Pleasures – Healthier Choices: Sports Night REDO! – for Adults.

Since the purpose of Food Day is as much to facilitate discussion about the past, present, and future of our food system as it is about celebrating healthy, affordable, and sustainable food, why not use Food Day as an excuse to have a diner party?  To help make the process of planning such a Food Day party relaxing and fun, Food Day has developed a Dinner Party Kit that includes Food Day recipes from Mario Batali, Dan Barber, Ellie Krieger, and other celebrity chefs; conversation cards; and a pumpkin stencil so that even your jack-o’-lantern can eat real!  What a great way to enjoy the company of friends, family, and coworkers while enjoying a great meal and becoming more well-versed on that state of food in America.

Have a deliciously thoughtful day!
-Melissa

Farm to Chef Week is This Week!

Yesterday marks the start of Connecticut's Farm to Chef Week, a celebration of Connecticut grown food with 65 participating restaurants and farmers markets across the state. Governor Malloy has encouraged Connecticut residents to visit one or more of the participating venues, and says,

As well as providing nutritious, fresh food for residents, locally-grown and produced foods contribute $3.5 billion to the state economy and represent about 20,000 Connecticut jobs.  Our state’s farmers produce an astoundingly wide variety of foods, and Farm-to-Chef Week is a great opportunity for people to get out there and really enjoy everything Connecticut has to offer.

See a list of participating locations here.  Participating venues celebrate Farm to Chef Week by providing special menus featuring Connecticut produced foods.  You can expect to see locally made ingredients ranging from meats and dairy, to maple syrup and honey, and fruits and vegetables. 

Farm to Chef Week runs until this Saturday September 22, so make sure to visit some of the participating restaurants and farmers markets this week to get a taste of the wide variety of foods Connecticut has to offer!

Have a tasty week!
-Melissa

Join us for our Third Block Party on the Farm!

Urban Oaks Organic Farm is a wonderful place to come relax as the summer winds down.  It's also an impressive site to learn about - this healthy and productive farm represents a success story of brownfield remediation and site renovation.  This article from a couple years ago provides an overview of Urban Oaks' history, starting back before Urban Oaks existed.  Here's an except that talks a little about the farm:

Urban Oaks Organic Farm opened on a portion of the Sandelli site in 1999. The farm provides education for residents and school groups in organic gardening methods, sustainable agriculture, nontoxic farming techniques, composting, and other environmentally friendly farming techniques. The establishment of the organic farm has helped enhance the urban environment by demonstrating farming responsibility, non- polluting techniques and soil amendments, pest control utilizing natural predators, and by providing greenspace in a dense and urban area.

You can learn more about the history of Urban Oaks and founding farmer Mike Kandefer by checking out this more recent Edible Nutmeg article.  Stop by this Saturday and listen to some live music, enjoy a potluck meal, and learn more about a farm that is a model of community engagement and investment.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BLOCK PARTY AND RSVP HERE.

Hands On Cheese Making!

Yesterday CT NOFA hosted a Cheese Making Workshop taught by Paul Trubey, goat farmer and cheese maker at Beltane Farm in Lebanon, CT.  When you drive into Beltane Farm (which is open to the public during cheese tastings), you will probably be greeted by some assortment of cats, chickens, and a goat named Milagro who "sometimes likes to eat paper."

Paul started out discussing the different ingredients used in cheese and the difference in terms of production between fresh, ripe and aged cheeses and yogurt which is made by adding culture and no other coagulant.  

This explanation came with a taste testing of Paul's own cheeses - below he is showing us ripened cheese which usually has been aged for 1 to 6 weeks and includes Brie, Crottin and Camembert.

.

Paul heated his goats' milk to 180 degrees in order to make ricotta, a fresh cheese.

After adding vinegar and continuing to stir, Paul poured the to-be cheese mixture into these plastic cheese molds.  If you make fresh cheese at home, make sure to use molds that have slots in them to allow the whey to drain off.

Then everyone had a hand at turning the cheese (you have to turn the cheese over once it is more solidified)  After turning and letting it sit a bit, the cheese can then be lightly salted, and eaten a little while after that.

Next we learned about how to make aged cheeses.  Here Paul teaches some of the group how to "cut the curd" to release the whey from the cheese, and showed attendees how the texture of the cheese changes as the curd is cut to increase the surface area of the little cubes and bits.  The curd was different among the three cheeses based on the amount of rennet added.  Paul explained that part of the art of cheese making was naming your cheese after you've made it.

Then we went on a little tour of Beltane Farm.  Below the group met all of Paul's kids (ha).

And we met all 52 of his dairy goats (below) and his two billy goats.

Look at the beautiful cheese we all made!

Milagro, in much the same way she greeted everyone and started off the workshop by attempting to eat Paul's handouts, found a bucket of whey, and helped herself.

It was a wonderful workshop! Many thanks to Paul Trubey for opening his farm to us and teaching us so much about his art!

Happy Homesteading!
Kristiane & Melissa

The NOFA Summer Conference Starts Tomorrow!

It's not too late to register for the NOFA Summer Conference that starts tomorrow, August 10, and runs through Sunday, August 12 up in Amherst, MA.  I'll be there, and you should come too!  The Conference is an exciting weekend packed with speakers, workshops, a country fair, and much more.  Here's an overview of what will be offered:

• Over 200 Workshops on Organic Farming, Gardening, Food Politics, Permaculture, Homesteading, Landscaping, Alternative Energy, Livestock, Cooking, and more!
• Hundreds of Vendors and Exhibitors, Live Entertainment, Children’s Conference, Teen Conference, Country Fair, Organic Meals, and Camping!
• Two Pre-conferences: Fighting GMOs and Raising Fruit!
• Keynote Speakers: Chellie Pingree, organic farmer and Member of Congress from Maine and Jeffrey Smith, world-renowned expert & activist on health risks of GMO Foods

Right now, the 200+ workshops have got me really excited.  You can view full descriptions of the workshops here.  There is such a wide variety of workshops at the conference that no matter what your interests are, there's something for you here.

Register here today to attend the Conference!

I'll see you there!

-Melissa

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree on the politics and business of organic food

Check out this all-new episode of The Business Beat, which aired 7/29/2012 on WICN/90.5 FM. 

Steve D'Agostino interviews Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine).  They talk about the politics and business of organic food.

In the 1970s, with a degree in human ecology from the College of the Atlantic, now- Congresswoman Pingree started an organic farm on the island of North Haven, Maine. By selling produce to summer residents and raising sheep for wool, she built a thriving mail-order knitting business that eventually employed 10 people in her small community.

Rep. Pingree is still a small-business owner, operating the Nebo Inn and Restaurant on North Haven, which features locally grown food. After serving on the local school board, and as the town’s tax assessor, she went on to serve eight years in the Maine Senate, become the national CEO of Common Cause, and in 2008 get elected as a Democrat to represent Maine in Congress.

As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, Congresswoman Pingree is committed to helping reform farm policy -- with interests of small farmers and consumers in mind. Last year, she introduced the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act — a comprehensive package of reforms to agriculture policy that will expand opportunities for local and regional farmers and make it easier for consumers to have access to healthy foods.

Don't forget, Rep. Pingree is one of the keynote speakers at the NOFA Summer Conference on August 10 - 12 at Umass-Amherst. She will speak on Friday, August 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Campus Center auditorium.  Register for the conference today to take advantage of the excellent keynotes and workshops the Summer Conference has to offer.

Hope to see you at the Conference!
-Melissa

Enjoy the Bounty of Summer All Year!

It's nearly August! The bounty of summer is in full swing, and in Connecticut there is no shortage of delicious, fresh, and varied produce to put in our kitchens. Produce, however, has a pesky habit of going bad over time, especially when you're dealing with highly perishable fruits like berries. This month, when all the tomatoes in your garden are ripening at the same time and you have more access to fresh local produce at the market than you know what to do with, use some of these methods to preserve the harvest so you can enjoy it all year!

Drying: Out of the three major food preservation options, drying is the most economical. It requires the least amount of energy input, and much of the work is done in the background while you're off doing other things. Here's an article by Jean Nick from Rodale that details the process of dehydration, complete with tips and recipes sure to make your mouth water.

Canning: Canning takes some time and skill, but it's the only way wet foods can be preserved without refrigeration. If you want to learn how to can just about anything, peruse this blog by Canning Granny. She provides a wide variety of recipes and tips from her own kitchen and from readers' submissions.

Freezing: Freezing is arguably the easiest food preservation technique, requiring relatively little time or preparation, but it requires a lot of freezer storage space and, therefore, a lot of energy. Good Housekeeping gives a good introduction to freezing, including what not to freeze and how to properly prepare and wrap food for freezing.

And if you want to learn more in depth guidelines and tips, the Cornell Extension has a great webpage about all three food preservation techniques. Check out our webpage as the summer draws to a close to learn about our fall food preservation workshops as they are scheduled.

Have a bountiful day!
-Melissa

CT NOFA Member Farms Spotted at the Coventry Farmers Market!

Sweet Acre Farm in Mansfield

Running June through October, the Coventry Farmers Market is the largest farmers market in the state of Connecticut, with dozens of vendors, many of whom are members of CT NOFA. Our Board Secretary, Janet Heller, went to visit the market recently and documented many of the CT NOFA member farms that were there to represent local organic farms and food.  Check out the farms' websites listed in the captions below their photos and pay them or the market a visit.  Shopping at a farmers market or visiting a local farm is a great way to spend some time outside on a nice summer's day while getting your grocery shopping done at the same time.  It's also a lot of fun for kids! 

Topmost Herb Farm in Coventry

Grow Hartford CSA

If you want to learn more about our other member farms and the farmers markets they attend, check out our listing online.  You can also download a PDF of our Farm and Food Guide, a listing by county of all our member farms, markets, and supporting businesses, complete with descriptions and maps, here.

Maggie's Farm in Lebanon

The Coventry Market specializes in organic, heirloom, ethnic and gourmet varieties of fruits and vegetables, and offers grass-fed beef, free-range eggs, milk, yogurt, smoked bacon, rustic breads, farmstead cheeses, European pastries, salsa, pesto, fresh herbs, cut flowers, chocolate, fudge, honey, and maple syrup, and also features the work of local artists and artisans including hemp clothing, goat’s milk soaps, beeswax candles, stoneware, herbal tinctures, handcrafted beadwork, vintage cotton tote bags, and handspun yarns.

Terra Firma Farm in Stonington

Provider Farm in Salem

What a wonderful way to support your local farmers and all the hard work they do to produce healthy, nutritious, and delicious food!

Happy Shopping!
-Melissa