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

Our Local Food Journey comes to an end

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/31 at 09:56 AM

All journeys must come to an end, and so it is with this one.

With a great deal of sadness, I must inform you that WPSU Local Food Journey is ceasing publication as of today. This is the blog’s final post, and it’s probably the hardest one I’ve had to write. First off, I want to thank all who have read our posts over the years. I also want to thank our writers, who have volunteered to share their expertise with all of us. And finally, I want to thank all of the farmers, prepared food producers, restauranteurs, and others who allowed me to share their stories.

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Local Food Journey

Winter isn’t a quiet time at the farm

Posted by James Eisenstein on 01/31 at 09:29 AM

It’s too cold for anything to grow or harvest at the farm. Most of the to-do list requires going outdoors. What to do? How about sitting by the fire, eating dark chocolate bonbons, and finishing a fascinating biography of Millard Fillmore to its exciting conclusion?

Alert readers will detect the faint whiff of irony and sarcasm in that introduction. You would be correct. So what might there be to do in late January and early February at Jade Family Farm?

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Local Food Journey

Get the taste of garden season right now by growing herbs indoors

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/26 at 12:21 PM

Here we are, in the dead of winter, and garden harvests seem at least a few months away. Believe it or not, there is a way to get some fresh-grown flavor into winter dishes, and that’s by growing herbs indoors.

Growing herbs indoors can be a bit of a challenge but not as hard as you may think. Here’s some helpful tips to get you started with growing herbs indoors:

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Local Food Journey

All you need to know about PASA’s Farming for the Future conference

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/19 at 10:34 AM

From our friends at the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), all the information you’ll need about the 27th annual Farming for the Future conference, to be held February 7-10 at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center. Two things you need to know right off the bat: pre-conference registration ends January 31, and this is the last year that the event will be held in the State College area. Read on for more details on the event from PASA:

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Local Food Journey

January is National Soup Month, so celebrate with some Local Food Journey soup recipes

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/12 at 11:21 AM

We have a January thaw going on today, but tonight Old Man Winter ends the party and back into the ice box we go. A traditional way to beat the chill is having a nice hot bowl of soup. January is National Soup Month, and given how cold this month can be, that makes a lot of sense.

Soup is actually rather fun to make, and fairly simple. There’s really no limit to variety when it comes to soup, there are the standards like chicken noodle, ham and bean, tomato, etc. but there are some really unique and fun soup recipes out there. In fact, over the years, here at Local Food Journey we’ve gathered quite a selection!

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Local Food Journey

Going to the Pennsylvania Farm Show? Here’s some tips on what to check out

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/10 at 09:56 AM

The Pennsylvania Farm Show is in full swing this week, with the final day this Saturday. If you’ve never been to the Farm Show, it’s well worth the trip.

Going to the Farm Show is an educational trip for people of all ages. You get to learn a lot about what Pennsylvania farmers produce, and the challenges inherent in that production.

There’s also lots of fun things, like the sheep-to-shawl competition, baby farm animals, and of course, lots of fantastic local food.

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Local Food Journey

10 local food resolutions for 2018

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/29 at 09:21 AM

2018 is just around the corner, and it’s that time of the year again…to make resolutions! Here are 10 easy-to-make resolutions that can not only help you improve your life, but can also have an impact on the local food scene:

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Local Food Journey

Winter got you down already? You can still get your farmers market fix

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/13 at 09:10 AM

The cold winds and snow this week has sent us all a message that’s loud and clear…winter is here in central Pennsylvania and isn’t going away any time soon.

But that doesn’t mean that farmers market time is over for the season. Far from it. Farmers market fans have several indoor options in our region to get their fix.

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Local Food Journey

Local food part of Campus and Community Sustainability Expo on Dec. 7

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/06 at 11:35 AM

Penn State students will offer the public an opportunity to learn more about sustainability and its role in our local lives at the Campus and Community Sustainability Expo, to be held tomorrow, Dec. 7, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the State College Borough Building on 243 S. Allen St. in State College.

The event will feature poster sessions by student teams and will offer an opportunity for members of the public to learn about community sustainability initiatives and perhaps get involved themselves. Among subjects covered will be workforce recruitment strategies, water quality monitoring, climate messaging strategy, waste and recycling, and human health. Of interest to Local Food Journey readers, the event will also highlight local food, sustainable food systems, and community gardens.

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Local Food Journey

Local Food Notes for Dec. 1

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 12/01 at 09:19 AM

Lots of events to give you the holiday cheer in this week’s Local Food Notes.

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Local Food Journey

Get ready for Thanksgiving today at the Boalsburg Farmers Market

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/21 at 09:11 AM

If you want to get something local (and delicious) to serve on Thanksgiving, today you can head out to the Boalsburg Farmers Market and find a holiday co-star for your table.

A few things the Boalsburg Market recommends include delicious pies from Ardry Farms, Nomad Kitchen’s soups (great starters for your meal!), and Katina Baklava. But, see below for the complete list of what you will find there today. The market is open in the winter months every Tuesday from 2 to 6 p.m. at the St. John’s United Church of Christ on 218 N. Church Street in Boalsburg.

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Local Food Journey

Recipe: Roasted Parsnips with Thyme

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/15 at 09:48 AM

Parsnips are a highly underrated vegetable. When roasted, they are sweet, a little earthy, and even a bit spicy.

They are also an underrated example of why local food can be better than supermarket food. If you grow parsnips in your garden or buy them this time of year from a local farmer at say a Farmers Market or via Friends and Farmers Coop’s online market, they have a distinct advantage over the supermarket ones. Why? It’s simple…cold weather exposure.

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Local Food Journey

Chores to do in the garden before winter sets in

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/10 at 06:59 AM

It has definitely become colder. This week has turned out to be pretty wintry, a sign that weekend yard work needs to come to a close for the year very soon. This includes your vegetable garden.

There are certain chores that you need to do before the ground freezes and is covered in snow. These are chores that help ensure a successful 2018 gardening season by preparing the soil and helping to prevent diseases.

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