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Stories and Events in the WPSU Community
The opinions expressed in these blogs are solely those of the people who wrote them, and do not represent the views of WPSU or Penn State University.
Local Food Journey
Grilled Corn Salsa
Posted by Steve Spanelli on 07/29 at 01:35 PM
Stacks of sweet corn can still be found at many farmers markets. Are you picking some up for the weekend? If so, try this Grilled Corn Salsa from Steve Spanelli of Tait Farm.
Or make your own recipe and share it with the Local Food Journey for your chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Nature’s Pantry in State College. Entries must be submitted by midnight on Sunday, July 31st, and the winner will be randomly selected and announced by noon on Monday, August 1st. Good luck!
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Local Food Journey
Preparing for Market Day
Posted by Tony Ricci on 07/28 at 10:18 AM
It’s vegetable high season, and farm stands are cropping up like weeds in a carrot patch. Corn squatters and cantaloupe hucksters have taken over every vacant space along the highways, and official farmers markets are swarming with customers hungry for the fruits of the farmers’ labor. This sudden appearance of bounty after months of impatient waiting for the first ripe tomato seems almost magical. From the outsider’s perspective it’s just another one of those immutable expressions of the natural world that most people accept, like the rising of the sun. Is it even conceivable to have summer without a farm stand overflowing with tomatoes, corn, squash, and peaches?
But farmers generally have a different perspective on the weekly event that keeps them swarming like wasps over a ripe melon patch – even though we are more than willing to encourage the illusion of our supernatural ability to make vegetables appear out of thin air. What really happens is more mundane and unexciting. It’s mostly the culmination of a steady, weekly routine that starts sometime in March and winds down at the end of November. This time of year we’re basically on autopilot.
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Our Town
So Many Amazing Stories From Kane & Mt. Jewett!
Posted by Whitney on 07/27 at 10:20 AM
The production team returned from the Kane Depot on Saturday with more than 30 fantastic stories for the “Our Town: Kane & Mt. Jewett” show on Saturday. It was such a beautiful day and everyone welcomed the team into the area and shared their stories about history, arts, industry, recreation, and so much more! It was so great to keep hearing over and over a deep appreciation for the gorgeous landscape around McKean County and for the great way in which everyone gives back to help each other in their community. It’s so nice to see communities that care and that’s what the “Our Town” series is all about!
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Our Town
WPSU Excited to Premiere “Our Town: Bellwood” on Thursday, August 4th at 8 PM
Posted by Whitney on 07/27 at 10:04 AM
WPSU will broadcast the 61st episode in the popular “Our Town” series on Thursday, August 4th at 8 PM. This episode tours the Bellwood-Antis community and will share stories about local history, business, education, festivals, and organizations. The program features stories told by local members of the area and highlights the neighborly & giving spirit found throughout the region.
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Local Food Journey
Corn Salad with Sweet Chili Lime Vinaigrette
Posted by Kim Tait on 07/27 at 09:58 AM
It’s no wonder that sweet corn is right up there with tomatoes as America’s favorite vegetable. Nothing beats the flavor of fresh picked corn. Whether you eat it on the cob, or turn it into delicious salad, the time to enjoy it is now!
Try this nice, light, and refreshing salad courtesy of Cindy Tait Law. And don’t forget to share your favorite sweet corn recipe before July 31st for your chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Nature’s Pantry in State College!
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Local Food Journey
Chef Harrison’s Green Beans Gorgonzola
Posted by Kit Henshaw on 07/26 at 09:54 AM
Eleven years ago, former Farmer Mark from Tait Farm had a bumper crop of freshly grown green beans and showed up at our back door with several large boxes of them. Chef Harrison created this recipe and officially and deliciously launched our local foods menu.
Over the years, Harrison’s Green Beans Gorgonzola has become a seasonal summer favorite. It is easy to make at home and is a great recipe for those beautiful farmers market green beans this summer. Enjoy!
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Local Food Journey
Unpaid Field Hand: Name this Crop
Posted by James Eisenstein on 07/25 at 01:21 PM
Driving around central Pennsylvania, I typically see entire fields dedicated to neat rows of corn and soybean plants – all instantly recognizable. And photos from mega-agribusinesses show similarly uniform fields. Any media consultant smarter than a brick would advise a farmer client to only depict similarly pristine views of growing crops.
But what do you notice about the photo of this farm field?
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Local Food Journey
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Posted by Emily Wiley on 07/21 at 12:14 PM
With temperatures predicted to reach record highs today and tomorrow, what better way to manage the heat than with a bowl of homemade ice cream? It is National Ice Cream Month, after all.
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Local Food Journey
July is National Ice Cream Month
Posted by Kit Henshaw on 07/20 at 09:23 AM
As luck would have it, July is National Ice Cream Month as established by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. He also appointed the third Sunday of this month as National Ice Cream Day because an estimated 90% of the nation’s population consumes ice cream.
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Local Food Journey
The Great Divide
Posted by Tony Ricci on 07/19 at 10:01 AM
Every once in a while I’ll get a question from someone who feels the need to engage me in agricultural discourse in order to spotlight my complete ignorance of farming. And quite honestly, I’m the first to admit that I don’t know everything about farming. That’s why I love this business – there’s something to learn every day.
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Our Town
Kane & Mt Jewett Volunteers Excited to Share Stories About The Big Level For WPSU Production!
Posted by Whitney on 07/18 at 08:53 AM
The corps of “Our Town: Kane & Mt. Jewett” volunteer storytellers are eager to share stories about the Kane & Mt. Jewett area with WPSU this Saturday as they prepare to sit down for interviews with WPSU producers for the latest installment in the “Our Town” series. In addition to their sharing stories and memories about the area this Saturday at the historic Kane Depot, volunteers have been gathering video footage and still photos to help tell their stories. If you see your friends and neighbors out and about town with a camera — don’t be shy! They’re helping to shine the spotlight on Kane and Mt. Jewett for the public television special, scheduled to broadcast on Thursday, September 8 at 8 p.m. on WPSU-TV.
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Local Food Journey
Fruit Shrub from Tait Farm Foods
Posted by Katherine Taylor Grofic on 07/14 at 01:53 PM
The fruit shrubs from Tait Farm Foods are a popular summertime drink. Tyler Kulp describes their origin and ingredients and offers cocktail suggestions in this video interview.
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Local Food Journey
NPR: How Industrial Farming “Destroyed” the Tasty Tomato
Posted by Emily Wiley on 07/13 at 10:31 AM
If you bite into a tomato between the months of October and June, chances are that tomato came from Florida. And it tastes dramatically different than the varieties you might grow in your backyard or pick up at your local farmers market during the summer.
Freelance food writer Barry Estabrook looks at the life of today’s mass-produced tomato — and the environmental and human costs of the tomato industry — in his book Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit.
Listen to his interview with Terry Gross for Fresh Air.
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Local Food Journey
Unpaid Field Hand: Food Fear Part 1
Posted by James Eisenstein on 07/12 at 09:10 AM
Big hairy spiders, slithering snakes, white-faced hornets and yellow jackets—these are common fears among many people. They know they have them, and they are typically not shy about sharing them with others. I have recently realized, however, that there is one fear many people have that they do not admit to having. Indeed, they might not even know they have it.
I’m talking about food fear, specifically the fear of tasting or cooking something new.
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Local Food Journey
Corn on the Cob with Basil-Parmesan Butter
Posted by Emily Wiley on 07/07 at 09:59 AM
Grilled corn on the cob is a popular item on the menus of backyard BBQs and picnics across the country. Try this version with an herb butter that makes the corn seasoned and succulent. It’s a perfect summer treat.
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Most recent entries
Our Local Food Journey comes to an end- Wednesday, January 31, 2018
- By Jamie Oberdick in Local Food Journey
Winter isn’t a quiet time at the farm- Wednesday, January 31, 2018
- By James Eisenstein in Local Food Journey
-
Get the taste of garden season right now by growing herbs indoors
- Friday, January 26, 2018
- By Jamie Oberdick in Local Food Journey
-
All you need to know about PASA’s Farming for the Future conference
- Friday, January 19, 2018
- By Jamie Oberdick in Local Food Journey
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