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

Local Food Notes for June 26

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/26 at 10:27 AM

Find out where to go to learn how to make amazing cocktails, discover the art of ice cream making, buy some of summer’s ever-growing bounty, and find out how to register for PASA’s summer conference:

Read more »

Permalink

Local Food Journey

South Hills Food Festival keystone of Happy Valley Culinary Week

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/23 at 08:13 AM

By Jeffry P Stachowski, community outreach director, South Hills School of Business and Technology

The Second Annual South Hills School Culinary Week Food Festival will be held on Wednesday, June 24 from noon to 6:00 p.m. on the north lawn of South Hills School, 480 Waupelani Drive in State College. This joint production with the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau was such a hit last year that we have an even bigger festival planned for this year.

Live chef demonstrations, an all-local-foods farmers market, live music, workshops and tours will provide an afternoon of learning, fun, and fabulous food for the entire family. And here’s some food for thought…workshops on starting a small restaurant business, hot careers in Central Pennsylvania, exploring financial aid resources, and much more will also run throughout the day.

Read more »

Permalink

Local Food Journey

Local food part of Happy Valley Culinary Week June 22-28

Posted by Local Food Journey on 06/22 at 07:59 AM

The Third Annual Happy Valley Culinary Week is here, starting today, June 22, and running through Sunday, June 28. There are 18 restaurants in Happy Valley offering special menus, but there’s special events as well. Learn more about Happy Valley Culinary Week by reading the post below, written by Lori Miller, director of visitor and member services with the Central Pennsylvania Convention & Visitors Bureau. Then tomorrow here on Local Food Journey learn about one of the major highlights of the week, the South Hills Culinary Week Food Festival which will be held on Wednesday, June 24.

By Lori Miller, Central Pennsylvania Convention & Visitors Bureau

We’re very happy to be celebrating our 3rd Annual Happy Valley Culinary Week! It’s a great way to celebrate the dining scene in Centre County. We have a lot of familiar as well as unique dining options with some great chef talent. We hope to encourage people to try a new place and hopefully discover a new favorite.

Read more »

Permalink

Local Food Journey

Strawberry season nearing end, but there’s still time!

Posted by LacCreta Holland on 06/19 at 10:27 AM

It’s strawberry season and I could not be happier! The strawberries in my garden are ripe enough to pick everyday, despite the chipmunk that wants to eat them—he sometimes sneaks under our chicken wire fence to sample a few! The strawberries look lovely at the various farmers markets and the PA strawberries that are being sold in local grocery stores are plump and juicy!

Way Fruit Farm is a great place to take the family for strawberry picking. But with all the rain, the strawberries might have a shorter season this year, as a recent e-mail from them informed. So get there soon for the best berries.

Read more »

Permalink

Local Food Journey

Help local food, take the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/16 at 08:30 AM

The buzzing of bees on a warm summer day is more than just a pleasant sound, it’s a signal that things are pretty good for us as humans. Given that, according to the National Pollinator Garden Network (NPGN), one out of every three bites of food we take every day is due to the work of pollinators, we need to keep them buzzing.

How can you help? By joining the NPGN’s Million Pollinator Garden Challenge. The project is designed to accelerate pollinator garden efforts across America in an attempt to reverse the decline of pollinating insects such as honey bees, native bees, and monarch butterflies. While there are nearly a million active gardeners and 15,000 pollinator gardens at schools, the goal of this effort is to have a million additional registered pollinator gardens by the end of 2016.

Read more »

Permalink

Local Food Journey

Lemont Farmers Market offers local food variety in picturesque, friendly setting

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/10 at 10:49 AM

One of the more scenic and interesting communities in Central Pennsylvania is the quaint town of Lemont. Artsy, friendly, historic, and filled with beautiful old houses, it stands to reason that they would have a farmers market. It just makes sense.

The Lemont Farmers Market is a relatively new market in our area, and it’s also one of the most picturesque ones. The market was founded in 2012 by the Lemont Village Association and is located at the John I. Thompson Grain Elevator and Coal Sheds, known to most in the area simply as The Granary. Built in 1885, The Granary was originally constructed for storing grain and for a place for trains to deposit coal. Today, the coal shed part of The Granary makes for a unique and beautiful location for a farmers market. “We have such a perfect site for a farmers market,” said Susan Smith, chair of Lemont Village Association board.

Read more »

Permalink

Local Food Journey

Six must-do chores for the June garden

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/08 at 09:30 PM

The idea of no-maintenance gardens is a foreign concept to me. There’s always something to do in the garden. You put in a lot of work leading up to now, with prepping the soil, sowing seeds, transplanting plants, etc.

In June, the frost-sensitive plants in your garden are well on their way to becoming established. However, this is a critical time for them, and for best production, it’s no time to slack off on your hobby. There are key chores in June to carry out that will ensure your garden season is a successful one:

Read more »

Permalink

Local Food Journey

Local Food Notes for June 5

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/05 at 08:14 AM

We are entering prime time for local food; the farmers market vendors are displaying an ever-increasing variety of produce and that will only get better as we head deeper into summer. Here are some highlights for this weekend and beyond:

Read more »

Permalink

Local Food Journey

Recipe: Strawberry mint yogurt smoothie

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 06/04 at 08:28 AM

There are two tasty items that are in season at the farmers markets: strawberries and mint. Finding a use for strawberries is easy: they are fantastic for fresh eating, and there are countless strawberry recipes out there. In my experience, mint is one that stumps people as to how to use it. Sure, it can used in teas and as a garnish, but what about other uses of fresh mint?

One way to use it is in beverages. This recipe for a strawberry mint yogurt smoothie is a great example of how mint can play off other flavors. In this case, it helps to enhance the strawberry flavor with something extra, and the yogurt gives it a nice creamy texture for a refreshing smoothie for those warm June days.

Read more »

Permalink

Local Food Journey

Spring veggie breakfast casserole - great for potlucks!

Posted by LacCreta Holland on 06/02 at 10:51 AM

Memorial Day is over. The Northern and Southern guns at the Boalsburg Cemetery are silent, the homemade pies are eaten, and the carnival rides are gone out at Boalsburg’s Memorial Day celebration. But summer is coming with all its fun and wonderful garden bounties.

As spring fades into summer, be sure to make this easy breakfast casserole filled with healthy veggies from the local farmers markets before all the fresh spring vegetables are gone. Try this for your next large group gathering, family reunion, or anytime there are lots of people (or a few teenagers) to feed!

Read more »

Permalink