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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

Local Food Notes for Sept. 30

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/30 at 08:51 AM

Aaronsburg Dutch Fall Fest, chicken barbeque, The Farmers Wife Fall Fest, and Apple Cider Demonstration Day are all part of this week’s Local Food Notes.

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Local Food Journey

The joy of fall gardening

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/27 at 08:43 AM

If you are like me, you are a gardener who doesn’t think of gardening as a spring-summer thing. Autumn may be to many people a time to rake leaves and watch football, but for gardeners, it’s still time to grow.

There are some advantages to gardening in the autumn. For one, it’s not near as hot, and you’re not limited to mornings and evenings. But there are other reasons to keep on playing in the dirt.

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Local Food Journey

Local Food Notes for Sept. 23

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/23 at 10:43 AM

The first Local Food Notes of autumn 2016 features the Millheim Oktoberfest, wine glass painting, fall cocktails, and the Milesburg Museum Apple Harvest Festival and Car Show.

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Local Food Journey

Coca-Cola and ice: exploring what it means to be ‘local food’

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/20 at 07:33 AM

Recently, the Lexington Herald-Leader did an investigative reporting piece on the University of Kentucky’s dedication to local food that included something that raised a lot of eyebrows.

As part of a $245 million contract, the university’s food vendor, Aramark, is required to spend 20 percent of the food and drink budget for the university from Kentucky farmers and local food producers. Curiously enough, more than $1 million of that was spent on two things that don’t really jump out when one thinks of local food—Coca-Cola and ice.

Okay, so it’s pretty obvious ice and Coca-Cola really do not fit the definition of local food (the argument was Coca-Cola had a distributor nearby). But the question here is what, exactly, is the criteria for local food?

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Local Food Journey

Local Food Notes for Sept. 16

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/15 at 04:41 PM

Local Food Notes for Sept. 16 features Mt. Nittany Vineyard and Winery’s September photo contest, apple cider’s back, and fast bluegrass at Elk Creek Cafe.

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Local Food Journey

Oven eggplant fries offer big flavor, low calories

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/14 at 10:24 AM

This recipe combines two great things about September. First, one of my favorite vegetables, eggplant, are widely available at farmers markets right now. This is due to the fact that they tend to need longer growing seasons, so August-September are peak times for them.

Second, with the cooler weather starting up, it’s easier to use the oven without running up a higher air conditioning bill or heating up the house.

Eggplants can be fried, stir-fried, sauteed, baked, or grilled, but this recipe turns them into a nutritious and tasty version of fries. Breaded but baked, these are lower in fat than fried eggplant.

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Local Food Journey

Six things that are great about local food and fall

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/08 at 09:50 AM

It’s going to feel more like July 8 as opposed to September 8 today, but the cooler weather of autumn really is just about the corner. Soon we will break out the fleece and start taking in the beauty of changing leaves in our pretty part of the world. And local food goes through a transition as well.

You can still find the stars of summer at the farmers markets and roadside stands, like tomatoes, peaches, and peppers, but produce like apples and pumpkins are slowing taking over. It’s truly a great time to be a locavore, and here’s six things that are great about local food and fall in Central Pennsylvania:

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Local Food Journey

Local Food Notes for Sept 2

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/02 at 11:47 AM

Happy Labor Day weekend! This edition of Local Food Notes is wine event heavy, but we also highlight Bee Tree Berry Farm and the annual Crickfest. Keep reading to learn more.

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