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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

Farm Diary: Late Winter on the Farm

Posted by James Eisenstein on 02/29 at 10:39 AM

Every occupation has its rhythm. The rhythms of farming are special because they coincide with earthâ€™s yearly swing around the sun. January and February provide an opportunity to contemplate the prospects of the upcoming growing season. So my unpaid field handâ€™s diary for 2012 begins with news from winter.

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Local Food Journey

CSA Fair in State College Today

Posted by Emily Wiley on 02/27 at 01:42 PM

Join the Centre County Chapter of Buy Fresh, Buy Local today from 3:30pm - 6:30pm at the Friends Meeting House in State College (611 E. Prospect Ave.). Mix and mingle with CSAs from Greenmore Gardens, Jade Family Farm, Tait Farm Foods, Healthy Harvest Farm, Village Acres, Plowshare Produce, Howards End Farm, and GroundWork Farms. Learn about price and size options, workshare programs, and product availability to find the CSA that will work best for you!

The Sustainable Kitchen will also be there with ready-to-eat food.

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Local Food Journey

Early Signs of Spring

Posted by Tony Ricci on 02/23 at 05:33 PM

Signs of spring are appearing a little early this year, as can be seen from the picture above showing new garlic shoots poking through the soil. Garlic is always the first crop to make an appearance and has more credibility in predicting the beginning of spring than pampered rodents.

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Local Food Journey

Take a Jar of Summer off the Shelf

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 02/22 at 01:49 PM

In my last post, I talked about the benefits of freezing vegetables to use in the winter. Now letâ€™s look at another way of preserving your garden harvest—canning.

Canning for me brings back memories of my mother and grandmother, who both canned. They canned stuff like pears, green beans, tomatoes, etc. Pretty much straight up, old-fashioned canning.

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Local Food Journey

Why Organic? Part 2: Nutrition

Posted by James Eisenstein on 02/21 at 10:38 AM

If, as I argued in Part 1, organically produced food is more nutritious, it makes sense to eat it. It may cost a little more, but you are getting more for your money.

Over the past 15 years, weâ€™ve learned more about complex healthy soils. They are teaming with little critters, beetle grubs, earthworms, bacteria by the billions, and fungi. Together, they facilitate plantsâ€™ ability to obtain micro-nutrients and minerals essential to good health. Compost, manures, and other organic substances in the soil provide these organisms with what they need to do their thing.

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Local Food Journey

Field Notes: Mild February

Posted by Kim Tait on 02/17 at 06:59 PM

The mild February temperatures are allowing things to roll along pretty smoothly these days. We have made great progress on the new high tunnel and should have the ends completed, the roll-up sides installed and the plastic cover on within a couple weeks. Once this is complete, we will lay in compost and seed an early spring greens mix, which we plan to be eating come April!

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Local Food Journey

Muenster Chicken with Mushrooms

Posted by Kristin Camplese on 02/15 at 08:55 AM

Here is a delicious winter recipe that we ate all the time growing up, and I have just updated it a bit. Itâ€™s a great casserole for a big group, kids love it, and it makes a great drop off dinner for your friend or neighbor who just had a baby.

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Local Food Journey

Wine and Chocolate Pairings Event at Mt. Nittany Winery

Posted by Emily Wiley on 02/09 at 02:01 PM

You and your Valentine are invited to Mt. Nittany Winery in Centre Hall this weekend for a wine and chocolate pairings event. Treat yourself, your sweetheart, or a group of friends to Mt. Nittany’s wines paired with local sweets from Chocolate Madness.

Event hours are Saturday, Feb. 11th from 12-5pm and Sunday, Feb. 12th fromÂ 12:30-4pm. Cost is $4.50 per person, and reservations are required. Contact the winery at (814) 466-6373, 300 Houser Road in Centre Hall.

Continue reading for a chocolate truffles recipe from the winery.

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Local Food Journey

Pulling Summer from the Freezer when itâ€™s Freezing Outside

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 02/07 at 10:08 PM

During my garden harvest season, which stretches from summer through much of fall, I preserve a lot of what we get from our backyard in two ways—canning and freezing.

I like to do both because of cooking flexibility. You can do a lot of great things with canning: sauces, relishes, pickles, etc. But freezing for me tends to be about just the vegetable/fruit.

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Local Food Journey

Rustic Italian Fare at Harrison’s

Posted by Emily Wiley on 02/03 at 09:28 AM

In addition to the regular local menu at Harrison’s Wine Grill in State College, the restaurant is also featuring the flavors of rustic Italy during the month of February. Beginning today, sample a salad of arugula, fresh pear, and Pecorino; veal ravioli with fresh sage brown butter; seared sea scallops with whipped potatoes; and polenta with berries. Download the full menu.

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Local Food Journey

Parsnips Recipe Contest

Posted by Emily Wiley on 02/02 at 09:46 AM

Parsnips are root vegetables, similar to carrots, and are one of the few pieces of produce available locally in Pennsylvania during the winter. They are buttery and slightly spicy and get sweet when cooked. Parsnips are commonly broiled, roasted, or cooked in soups and stews. Let us know how you prepare parsnips by sharing your favorite recipe this month. Submit your recipe for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Tait Farm Foods.

Continue reading for some of our favorite parsnips recipes.

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Local Food Journey

Farming for the Future

Posted by Emily Wiley on 02/01 at 10:08 AM

The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture’s (PASA) 21st Annual Farming for the Future Conference begins today at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. Each year the conference gets bigger and better. Discover successful tomato growing techniques, take back the means of beekeeping, reclaim leftover landscapes, raise healthy chickens, and more. See the full workshop agenda and follow PASA on Facebook and Twitter for updates throughout the week.

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