AP story goes to print, featured on ABC News.com

The Associated Press story written about us this Summer was published online today, and was picked up by ABC News.com in their Entertainment section. The story, written and reported by Dan Sewell, was very well-done and we're ecstatic that ABC News picked it up so quickly.

You can read it here.

Food where once was nothing; Gardens at food pantries

The surge in popularity of urban agriculture is still growing around the country, with once-booming metropolitan areas rediscovering their agrarian roots and realizing the potential of unused land. Detroit has become the poster-city for urban ag, with its vast acreage of abandoned land, a veritable food desert inside the city limits and its dilapidated industrial base. Oakland is another city at the forefront of the urban ag movement. The University of California at Berkeley released this comprehensive study last month [pdf] which gathered data on all the unused land in the Bay Area and its potential if retooled to grow food. But because of other factors (poor soil quality, manufacturing pollution, et cetera) cities have a number of hurdles to clear before they can realistically grow enough food to feed their densely populated communities.

Rural areas have it a little easier. We have far more land, fewer mouths to feed and relatively fertile soil. We are surrounded by farmland and have a good number of farmers and agriculture professionals at the ready. Through the Clinton County Fresh Network, we're hoping to connect those food-farmers to people in our community and make it viable for newcomers to take up the spade and contribute to our local food economy.

This Thursday: Ohio Local Foods Roundtable

Ohio Agriculture Director Robert Boggs will be hosting a local foods roundtable this Thursday, Nov. 12 [pdf], in Reynoldsburg, OH. Director Boggs will be joined by Amalie Lipstreu, who heads up the state's sustainable ag efforts, and other representatives from Ohio's 11 food policy councils.

Dessie and Jenn will be attending the roundtable along with other "local food advocates from around Ohio to discuss current issues relevant to Ohio’s local food movement." (Read the full press release after the jump). The agenda for the roundtable features some interesting breakout sessions, including: "Innovative Local Food Distribution" and "Small Scale Local Food Processing" in the morning session. The afternoon will feature "Making the Economic Case for Local Food Systems" and "Building Partnerships in Local Food Policy."

Wilmington College invited Director Boggs and Program Manager Lipstreu to campus in early June to discuss the state's progress on the sustainable agriculture front, and to talk with growers and distributors here about how to grow our local food economy. I wrote about that talk here, and hope to have some good content to report after Thursday's roundtable. Consider attending and stay in the know with sustainable ag issues in our state.

Press release below

'Read and Seed' this Saturday

"Read and Seed" with Grow Food, Grow Hope
November 14, 2009 2:00 p.m. Wilmington College

Our successful food-literacy program is coming back to Wilmington College this weekend, and will be back in the classroom at Clinton County Head Start the following Tuesday. Mariah, our Youth Outreach Coordinator, is still looking for volunteers for Tuesday. See her contact information below if you are interested.

The next "Read and Seed" will be on Saturday, November 14 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Check-in will start at 1:30 at the Center for Service & Civic Engagement on campus. Kids will be split into three categories: Lil' Sprouts - ages 2-4; Seedlings - ages 5-7, and Blossoms - ages 8-12.

If you or your kids would like to participate or would like more information, call Mariah at (937) 382-6661 ext. 488, or email her at mariah_fulton@wilmington.edu 

First Clinton County Winter Farmers' Market

We had a mild and beautiful Saturday morning this past weekend for our first ever Winter Farmers' Market. Vendors brought pastured meats, eggs, artisanal breads, jams, winter greens & vegetables and more.

I (John) bought a pound of ground lamb from Taylor's Tunis, a jar of honey from Breezy Acres Fruit Farm, blueberry & butterscotch granola and dark chocolate-covered coffee beans from Sycamore Tree General Store and a spaghetti squash from Nancy Pickard at Garden Delights.

The next Winter Farmers' Market will be Saturday, November 17. Click here to view the product list and here to view the order form. Get your orders in soon! Pictures of the day after the jump.

Weekly Food Roundup - Tom's of Maine, Keeping Mum and State Issue 2

*Weekly Food Roundup is a weekly recap of local, national and global food issues as they play out online, in print and in our everyday lives. Check back every Friday for new installments.*


Last Friday was the end of our month-long voting campaign to win a $20,000 grant from Tom's of Maine, and we are still crossing our fingers. We haven't received word one way or another about the outcome of the voting, and, as far as we know, neither has anyone else. Today is supposed to be the last day for Tom's to announce the winners, so hopefully this post will be followed with some excellent news. Cross your fingers, too.

However the news plays out, though, we are extremely grateful for the amount of support we received from our local community, from our farmers and families, and from our growing network of supporters around the country. We would be nothing without that support.

Introducing the new Winter Farmers' Market

We're excited to announce that the Clinton County Winter Farmers' Market will have its grand opening from 9 a.m.- 12 p.m. on Saturday, November 7 at Swindler & Sons Florists. In the market's eleven year history, there's never been a Winter or year-round market, and we're pleased that the farmers and community partners have embraced it.

The Winter market will be a little different from the Spring and Summer market in that customers are encouraged to look through the product catalog and place orders on the Tuesday before the Saturday market. This way ensures the farmers know how much product to prepare and bring, and that there's enough for everyone. The market will be held every other Saturday, and the order form and product list can be viewed and downloaded from the Clinton County Farmers Market website. Orders for the first market are due by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, so get your orders in now!

• Clinton County Winter Farmers' Market product list

• Winter Farmers' Market order form

Order forms can be emailed, faxed (937-383-8560) or sent via Postal Service to:

Pyle Box 1145
1870 Quaker Way
Wilmington, OH
45177

We hope to see you all next Saturday, Nov. 7, and make sure to look through the great products being offered by your hometown farmers and artisans.