Archives for October 2015
FarmOn! Advice: Think Carefully about your Food’s Origin
Program in Poughkeepsie Highlights “Edible Education” Efforts
A recent gathering of support for the FarmOn! Foundation at Café of Love in Mount Kisco offered an instant reminder of what constitutes the most ideal farm to table food. Just because something states “farm” does not mean a food is healthful, reminds FarmOn! Foundation founder and Family Farm advocate Tessa Edick.
Edick said it’s critical to distinguish between food from “factory farms” versus “family farms; each one of us needs to give careful thought to where the food on your plate came from, and also, at least once a day, choose a local ingredient!”
“It can make a big difference in your family’s healthy development when you eat fresh food acquired directly from a family farm,” said Edick.
While learning about FarmOn!, attendees enjoyed a platter of family farm fresh veggies and also Café of Love’s signature fried chick peas and beverages from the café’s beautiful lounge area while learning about FarmOn!. The event was sponsored by Houlihan Lawrence.
Wescthester Ambassador for FarmOn! Jackie Graziano of Katonah has embraced the group’s efforts to not only bring family farm fresh ingredients into area schools but to also teach the value of farm fresh eating to kids. Programming is intended to be fun and innovative, says Edick. One program “celebrating local farms and local foods” is described below. Notes Graziano: “I love the idea of an “edible education” in schools; it brings everything together!” — Grace Bennett
“Back to the Farm” Series in Pougkeepsie
FarmOn! Foundation in partnership with the Poughkeepsie Farm Project and local support in the Poughkeepsie School District is presenting “Back to the Farm,” this month, a month-long series of events in the Poughkeepsie School District celebrating local farms and local food.
FarmOn! Staff explain that there’s a missing link between farms and schools and that it’s essential that we bridge it for the health of our children and our communities.
FarmOn! Foundation is sponsoring the school cafeterias to serve a locally-sourced dish featuring Slope Farm to School New York State Ground Beef to more than 4,000 students district-wide throughout the month. Students at all four elementary schools will also enjoy tastings of local raw vegetables provided by the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, local milk provided by Hudson Valley Fresh, local apple taste tests lead by the Dutchess County Department of Health’s nutrition educator, and cooking demos and tastings of locally sourced vegetable dishes presented by chef interns from the Culinary Institute of America.
Every 2nd grader district-wide will visit the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, seeing how food is grown, harvesting and tasting fresh vegetables straight from the ground. Every 4th grader district-wide will visit a Hudson Valley Fresh dairy farm and see how cows are milked, tasting fresh milk and yogurt. Other interactive activities and demonstrations are also planned.
MORE ABOUT FARMON! FOUNDATION:
FarmOn! Foundation is a non-profit organization of professional farmers, educators, influencers, supporters, nutritionists, students, and community leaders invested in the future of local agriculture and building local economies. FarmOn! Foundation creates and funds youth educational programming and is working to preserve family farming in America with an edible education. Some of FarmOn! Foundation partners include TasteNY, John Varvatos, Bronx Zoo, NYS Department of Ag & Markets, Local Economies Project, Hudson Valley Fresh, Maple Hill Creamery, Yelp, Whole Foods Market, Modern Farmer, Cornell University CALS, NBA, Disney, and SUNY. In the first-ever partnership of its kind, students at SUNY Cobleskill, Morrisville State College and the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will be able to live and work at the Foundation’s working farm– FarmOn! at Empire Farm in Columbia County in New York State gaining real life experiences in the food production field. Learning will range from seed and soil crop planning to growing food, harvesting it, producing, and cooking food in a commercial teaching kitchen and extend all the way to custom growing for New York’s institutions, caterers, retailers and chefs.
For additional information, please visit www.farmonfoundation.org.
Compelling Reasons Trader Joe’s Should Choose Millwood as its Next Location
By Grace Bennett
10) A Fitter Customer Profile. Trader Joe’s Management could one day boast the greatest influx of fit citizens in its corporate history. Each day, hundreds of trim and toned men and women will pour into the market after cycling along our popular North County Trail, walking their dogs at gorgeous Gedney Park (check out the beautiful fall scene here), or pumping iron at nearby Club Fit for an energy boost—and for generous replenishments of your discounted nuts and produce.
9) A Spike in Healthy Item Sales. Following a flu shot at Drug Mart, it will be a natural response to stock up on Vitamin C packed juices, not to mention pounds upon pounds of organic chicken and root veggies for homemade soup.
8) The “Chappaqua Moms” Facebook Factor Busy commuter Chappaqua Moms are addicted to many of your frozen entrees and desserts already and have been loyally commuting to White Plains for them. BUT (and especially after a successful petition spearheaded by Chappaqua Moms), bring Trader Joe’s to Millwood and Chappaqua Moms will soon be comparing notes about their favorite buys of the week ALL THE TIME in must read threads on Westchester County’s most populated and chattiest “Moms” page, now 5,500 people strong.
7) Cover Story Possibility The publisher of Inside Chappaqua is always open to cover story ideas. Joe, if he’s handsome and generous, could be a contender.
6) Specialty Food Shoppers Galore. After stocking up on wine for Passover at Dodd’s next door, for example, a stop at Trader Joe’s for quality gefilte fish and gluten-free matzah will be a matz.
5) Noshers Galore. Of course we already love the treats at Tazza’s when we stop in for our morning java, but who can resist the free noshes at Trader Joe’s? Those yummy mini samples of chili this and quiche that! I know it would take care of those lunch hunger pangs that begin at 10 a.m. for me! Plus: After burning so many calories on the trail, our inclination to nosh–and then shop, of course–is limitless.
4) Cool Celebrity Customers Vanessa Williams, Helen Williams, Ben Stiller, Etc. Just keep cool when Millwood and Trader Joe’s are tapped to be a set for a future movie.
3) Free Enhanced Security. Trader Joe’s will have free additional security when any of our Secret Service residents stop in to shop.
2) Hillary. She was recently spotted shopping at a local supermarket and quipped to someone eyeing her oddly that she needs to eat too. My hunch is she will be a regular.
1) Bill. I apologize in advance for any slowdown at the checkout counter when he engages your staff on national and world policy matters.
Come on, guys! — Grace
More reasons via Facebook from savvy New Castle readers:
11. “It would be fabulous for the many vegetarians in the area as well as those who keep Kosher.” Andrea Dresner Weinreb
12. “It’s easy to get to from Route 100 and the Taconic. I shopped at the Eastchester store yesterday and their parking lot is much smaller than Millwood’s and they have only one way in and one way out. The Millwood shopping center already has two entryways and could easily add more.” Michelle Hecht
13. “The traffic on the northbound Taconic from 5-7pm is significant. Lots of potential shoppers passing by!” Michelle Hecht
14. “I was just in the Hartsdale store, second time this week and again they’re sold out of the Chocolate Croissants! The very nice customer service person told me they would have more this afternoon.. well that would have been great news if they were in Millwood. So instead of shopping there once a month, it would be once a day for this Chappaqua Mom!!! Ann Styles Brachstein
The NEXT MHA Community Conversation is November 4! Inside Press is the Proud Sponsor
Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk Magazines are proud sponsors of this MHA Community Conversation. Please look for event coverage in the upcoming Winter/Holiday edition at theinsidepress.com.