By Analiese Paik

This  guide was created to make it easier for Fairfield County consumers to buy grass-fed meat for preparation at home, and to guide diners to establishments that serve grass-fed meat. Some of the businesses listed below are also excellent resources for a wide variety of local, organic and sustainably-grown and raised foods. We cover everything from CSAs and farmers’ markets to farm-to-table restaurants in this exhaustive guide. Enjoy it and please share! If you have an additional resource you’d like to tell us about, please email us at info@fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com.

Farmers’ Markets (winter only; spring and summer will be updated for 2012)

Greyledge Farm of Roxbury, CT is a premium grower of pasture-raised beef along with pastured chicken and pork. Visit the winter farmers’ markets at the New Canaan Nature Center on Tuesdays and Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens in Westport each Thursday to purchase directly from the farmer. Eaglewood Farms offers natural beef (fed 90% grass and hay, no corn or soy, no hormones or sub-therapeutic antibiotics) and pork each Saturday at the Norfield Grange winter market. Click here for a complete guide to all four winter markets including hours, locations and vendors.

Meat CSA

John Morosani of Laurel Ridge Farm is a grower of 100% grass-fed beef who supplies top restaurants including Community Table in New Preston and Toll Gate Inn in Litchfield. He uses no pesticides or herbicides on his farm and no GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism) are grown or fed to the cows. John makes a CSA delivery the first Thursday of each month to Fairfield; please consult this CSA article for a complete description and subscription instructions. If you live outside Fairfield, John will take custom orders for half or whole cows and add a delivery fee. All in, you still wind up saving 30-35% off retail prices. Your order will be completely broken down into retail cuts, but since he gives you meat from the whole animal, be prepared for lesser-known cuts. If you and some friends decide to “cowpool”, contact John Morosani at john@lrgfb.com for pricing and delivery fees. Laurel Ridge Farm also sells pork and chickens and uses exclusively organic feed.

Specialty Retailers

Saugatuck Craft Butchery in Westport is a whole animal butcher (think oxtail, tongue, and offal in addition to all the regular cuts) specializing in fresh (not frozen) beef, pork and lamb from sustainably run family farms in New York and Connecticut. When buying in quantity, inquire about the meat buying club. The Double L Market in Westport has everything from New York state bison to Vermont grass-fed beef and The Farmer’s Table in New Canaan typically has a small selection of meats from John Boy’s Farm in New York, a “beyond organic” farm. Nature’s Temptations in Ridgefield sells 100% grass-fed beef fromVermont,  The Pantry in Fairfield sells NY strip steaks from Australia that are 100% grass-fed (that’s a lot of food miles though!) and Palmer’s Market in Darien carries 100% grass-fed filet mignon and strip steaks, also from Australia (ditto on the food miles!).

Supermarkets

Whole Foods Markets sell a variety of New England and other US grass-fed beef products that have humane ratings on them, some of which are organic. Mrs. Greens Natural Markets sell Grateful Harvest brand grass-fed beef, which is Certified Organic.

Farm-to-Door Delivery Services

Farm-to-door delivery services are practical and convenient for busy families. Order online and they’ll deliver to your door. Offerings change week to week as the season’s change. Connecticut Farm Fresh Express serves all of CT and sells exclusively CT Grown and made foods, Graze (Fairfield County only) specializes in VT Grown and made foods, Concierge Foods (Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan only) sells local, farm-fresh and sustainable foods and now sources from at least two Connecticut farms (Chef Alvarez will also cater your private party), Mike’s Organic Delivery (Stamford, Greenwich, Darien only) focuses on market baskets from small, sustainably run NY farms.

Dining Out

Fairfield County has watched the number of farm-to-table restaurants grow over the last year, and there are more to come. Bill Taibe, celebrated chef/owner of LeFarm in Westport and a James Beard Foundation Award 2011 Semifinalist for Best Chef Northeast, has just opened The Whelk, a new seafood eatery (that also serves meat) in Saugatuck Center directly across from Saugatuck Craft Butchery. Chef Brian Lewis, best known for his collaboration with Richard Gere and Carey Lowell in creating the Bedford Post, will be opening Elm in New Canaan in early 2012. Chef Lewis describes his modern American cuisine as rooted in tradition and inspired by the seasons. Our listings will be updated to reflect new openings. Vegetarian and vegan restaurants can be found in our Town Guides.

Eateries serving farm-to-table and/or organic food and drink, from fast food to fine dining:

• Boxcar Cantina (Green Restaurant Certified), Greenwich, Southwestern food, also a regular lunch vendor at the Westport farmers’ market
• LeFarm, Westport (innovative local farm-to-table cuisine; Chef Bill Taibe is a James Beard Foundation Award 2011 Semifinalist for Best Chef Northeast)
• The Whelk (cutting edge seafood eatery on the SautatuckRiver, Chef/restaurateur Bill Taibe’s new restaurant in Saugatuck Center)
• Farmer’s Table, New Canaan (Southwestern casual fare made with local meats and vegetables; features in-store mini farmers’ market).
• Harvest Supper, New Canaan (seasonal farm-to-table, named one of top 4 chefs in New Canaan by Patch in 5/11)
• Schoolhouse at Cannondale, Wilton (elegant and refined regional farm-to-table cuisine)
• The Dressing Room, Westport (white tablecloth regional farm-to-table cuisine)
• The Boathouse at Saugatuck, Westport (refined regional farm-to-table cuisine)
• The Filling Station, New Canaan (hamburgers, hot dogs and sloppy joes made with organic raised beef from local farms, organic French fries, and hormone free & anti biotic free milkshakes)
• Elevation Burger, Rye Brook, NY (100% grass-fed, free-range, Certified Organic beef burgers, French fries cooked in olive oil, veggie burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. Franchisee Daniel Magnus will be opening 7 locations in Westchester and Fairfield counties.
• Napa & Co., Stamford (“innovative wine country cuisine made from organic, farm-fresh, seasonal ingredients”)
• Sugar & Olives, (Green Restaurant Certified) Norwalk (local, sustainable farm-sourced ingredients for a seasonal menu)
• Restaurant North, Armonk (refined farm-to-table new American fare)
• Tarry Lodge, Westport & Port Chester (Green Restaurant Certified; some sourcing from local farms, sustainably farmed ingredients)
• Artisan, Southport, (“seasonally inspired” New England cuisine)
• The Perennial Chef, Ridgefield & Bedford, prepared foods and catering using their own organically-grown vegetables, locally sourced ingredients and sustainable seafood.
• The Organic Market, Westport (also has a lunch counter, hot buffet and seating area). 285 Post Road East Westport, CT 06880-3613 - (203) 227-9007 Note: At press time we could only confirm that this meat is Certified Organic but not that it was grass-fed. By definition, Certified Organic meat must spend at least part of its life on pasture.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill, Darien and Fairfield, (a fast-food chain  based on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, organic when possible, and humanely raised) Note: Grass-fed beef may not be served in every location, in which case it is vegetarian fed.

Do you have a resource to share? Please post in the comments below and/or on our Facebook page.

By Analiese Paik

Back in 2007 Jonathan Rapp, chef/owner of River Tavern in Chester, and Drew McLachlan, then chef/owner of Feast Gourmet Market in Deep River, recognized the vast, untapped potential of reconnecting people with their food and the land. The two entrepreneurs partnered to establish Dinners at the Farm, a series of plein air, farm-to-table, community dinners held on select Connecticut farms every July and August for the last 5 years. The perennially sold out events are powerful fundraisers for the very organizations working to preserve farmland and create a more equitable food system –  Working Lands Alliance, City Seed Farmers’ Market, and Connecticut Farmland Trust. They’re also a mecca for local food lovers in search of a unique, seasonal meal enjoyed at the source.

For 2012 Dinners at the Farm is adding a third farm, Scott’s Farm & Greenhouses in Essex, and holding dinners there for eight nights in September. July and August host farms will once again be Barberry Hill Farm in Madison and White Gate Farm in East Lyme.

Click here for the 2012 dinner schedule and to pre-purchase your tickets. Now through March 30, all Thursday and Sunday dinner tickets are $100, a 33 percent discount off the regular price.

By Analiese Paik

It’s time celebrate the bean. This lowly legume has a reputation as peasant food, but it’s a comfort food in our house and my go-to solution for quick meals. Beans are easy to cook and will come out great if you follow my Golden Rules. Once cooked, beans are both versatile and delicious. Serve them as a side dish with pork, a main dish with rice and a vegetable, in a burrito, as soup, and in chili.

I suppose beans got their peasant reputation from being relatively inexpensive compared to other proteins. With all of us watching our budgets, figuring out ways to serve family-friendly meals on Meatless Mondays, and searching for leftovers that actually reheat well day after day, reaching for beans is a no-brainer. Additionally, groundbreaking research has revealed that the iron in beans is more readily absorbed by the body than iron supplements or the iron found in meat, making it a top food choice for anyone suffering from iron deficiency, the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide and the most common nutrient deficiency in children.

Besides the superior taste and texture of home-cooked beans, they’re also healthier than canned beans containing bisphenol-A (BPA) in their linings. BPA is a known endocrine disruptor commonly found in the lining of canned foods and made headlines when it was banned in baby bottles and sippy cups in 10 US states. Some companies, like Eden Foods, never put BPA in their liners. It’s not just canned beans that can expose you to BPA, it’s all canned foods. Prevention Magazine recently published a list of 7 Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips and canned tomatoes topped the list because their linings contain BPA and the acidic nature of tomates causes it to leach. Choose jarred tomatoes instead, a product available at farmers’ markets. Visit this post on TreeHugger for a list of retailers and food manufacturers that use BPA-free cans.

Don’t wait for the FDA to finish its “in-depth studies” in order to make a determination about whether to ban BPA on March 31; take steps to avoid it now. Canada declared BPA toxic in 2010 and regulates its use in food and consumer products. The FDA is way behind as usual. This excerpt from the FDA’s website should get you motivated to avoid canned food with BPA in their liners (you will not find any such information on the cans.)

“….both the National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Health and FDA have some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children. In cooperation with the National Toxicology Program, FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research is carrying out in-depth studies to answer key questions and clarify uncertainties about the risks of BPA.”

Now, back to making beans. Follow these simple rules and you won’t go wrong. Beans are cheapest when purchased in bulk and one of the widest selections is available in the bulk aisle at Whole Foods Market, including an enticing line of heirloom beans from Cayuga Pure Organics in New York state.

The Golden Rules of Cooking Beans

1. Always soak dried beans overnight in water.
2. Always rinse beans before cooking.
3. Never boil beans or they will crack and break.
4. Always skim off the foam that rises to the top.
5. Never add salt until they are tender.
6. Do not drain excess cooking water after the beans are done.
7. Season beans with aromatics and spices during or after cooking.

Anyone who wants to quibble about my Golden Rules is welcome to comment below. There’s scientific research and/or common sense behind each one, not to mention firsthand experience!

Basic Bean Recipe

Time: overnight soaking plus at least 2 hours for cooking

Servings: 6-8 as a main dish, 12 as a side dish or snack

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups dried beans – black, pinto, cannellini, navy, or heirloom varietal

Preparation:

1. Measure out beans, place in a single layer on a cutting board or sheet pan, and remove any damaged beans or foreign objects. The light background of a cutting board provides a contrast that makes this easier.
2. Rinse the beans, place them in a medium bowl and cover  with cold water until it rises above the level of the beans by 4 inches. They beans will absorb the water and expand to fill the bowl. Leave them undisturbed overnight or at least 6 hours.
3. When ready to cook the beans (within 24 hours of beginning the soak), drain and rinse them, then place them in a cast iron French Oven (Le Creuset) or other sturdy pot with a lid that’s large enough to hold the beans and enough water to cover them by 2 inches.
4. Add cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches, cover with a lid, and turn heat to medium to bring it to a boil. Once the beans reach a full boil, immediately remove the lid and turn the heat down to a low simmer.
5. Take a metal or wooden spoon and skim the foam that rises to the top of the beans. Optional: If you wish to add aromatics like onion, celery and carrots to the pot, now’s the time. Just tie them up in a piece of cheesecloth so you can easily remove them when the beans are done. Add a fresh habanero or dried chipotle to the pot for a simple seasoning. Dried, ground chiles like Anchos, make a delicious addition along with some ground cumin and Mexican oregano.
6. Cook uncovered at barely a simmer until beans are soft, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the bean. The beans should remain covered with water so add some fresh, cold water if necessary.
7. When the beans are tender, add salt and taste. Add more salt as necessary to bring out their flavor.
8. Serve with rice and a vegetable for lunch or dinner; spoon into a tortilla and top with roasted peppers, aged or fresh cheese, and some hot sauce to make a burrito; or spoon into a bowl and top with cheese for a quick snack. To make soup, remove and puree half the beans or puree the entire pot with an immersion blender.
9. Store leftover beans in their cooking liquid. When you reheat the beans, this liquid is your insurance against dried out or burned beans. Beans freeze well!

The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester (BGCNW) will officially begin a year-round, indoor Farmers’ Market on Saturday, January 21, in Mount Kisco. The market showcases more than twenty five regional vendors in addition to special activities and demonstrations.

In collaboration with John Boy’s Farm and Slow Food Metro North, the market will offer visitors one-of-a-kind access to regional farmers and vendors including Wave Hill Bread, Clean Ridge Soap Company, Healthway Farms, Hudson Milk, Hummingbird Ranch, John Boy’s Farm, Kontoulis Family Olive Oil, Healing Home Foods, Krazy for Kazu, Madura Farms, Meredith’s Bread, North Winds Farm, PickleLicious, Cabbage Hill, Red Barn Bakery, the Farm Foodie, Gluten-Free Kitchen, Capaccio Pasta, Newgate Farm and Wil-Hi Farm. The $5 Slow Food Local Harvest Meal, a gourmet meal prepared each week from local and organic ingredients, is a special feature of the market. Dishes are available for breakfast, lunch and to-go.

Enjoy this video from the Chappaqua-Mount Kisco Patch taken on Dec. 3 during their soft opening.

“A local farmers’ market is vital to the community,” explains BGCNW Executive Director, Brian Skanes. “This market will provide the opportunity to encourage community members to consider healthy food options while supporting local and regional farms.”

The market will take place Saturdays, from 9:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. in the BGCNW gymnasium. The market will be moved outdoors as the warmer months arrive. For more information, please contact Shelley Waln at swaln@optonline.net.

The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester is located at 351 Main Street, Mt. Kisco, NY and can be reached at (914) 666-8069 or by visiting www.bgcnw.com. For the latest news, photos and updates, please “like” the Club on www.facebook.com/BGCNW and follow on www.twitter.com/BGCNW.

About the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester
The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester was established in 1939 as a place for “boys to get off the streets.” It is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and enabling young people, especially those who need it most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. Located in Mt. Kisco, NY, the 36,000-square-foot facility features an eight-lane pool, Child Care Center, gymnasium, game room, and two computer labs, and an additional 1,600-foot Teen Center facility. The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester serves 2,000 youths, boys and girls ages 6 months to 18 years, from more than 60 Northern Westchester communities. The Club has been ranked among the outstanding Clubs in the national network of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Visit the New Canaan Nature Center each Tuesday in February, between noon and 3 pm, to enjoy a winter farmers’ market in their cozy greenhouse. We’re told there’s a little indoor fish pond to keep the kids entertained. The market may extend past February, so we’ll keep you informed.

Vendors:

Gazy Brothers Farm, Riverbank Organic Farm, Goatboy Soaps, Butterfield Farm Company/promotethegoat.com, Smyth’s Trinity Farm (dairy), Greyledge Farm (pastured meat and poultry), Whistle Stop Bakery, MamaCat Q. Teas, Rauss Coffee, Connecticutly Grown Hot Sauce and Bistro du Soleil.

Lunch:

Walter Stewart’s Market will be catering lunch. Come early to enjoy soup and a sandwich. Some indoor seating is available.

In this photo Abby Yates of Connecticutly Grown, LLC, maker of Hoardable Hot Sauce, is pickin’ peppers in the rain at Gazy Brothers Farm. Alexis Gazy said “She wanted hot peppers, so we picked off the last of the 2011 crop in the pouring rain. What a trip! Alexis, who is market master, also said that “Abby also uses produce from market vendors such as Riverbank Farm, Plasko’s Farm, Vaszauskas, as well as other CT farms. She just loves Riverbank carrots for one of her blends.” Sounds like CT Grown in a bottle!

New Canaan Nature Center

144 Oenoke Ridge

New Canaan, CT

203-966-9577

http://www.newcanaannature.org/programs/adult/index.php#330

Editor’s note: This giveaway was amended on 1/18 to make it easier for more people to participate.

We’re celebrating National Hot Tea Month by giving away 2 Mamacat’s Q. Tea sampler packs. Mamacat’s Q. Teas are hand-blended and packed in Wilton, CT and use only the finest organic herbs, dried fruits and flowers. Using family recipes, the unique blends contain zero-caffeine, zero-calories and can be enjoyed hot or cold, day or night by the entire family. Sampler packs will contain a mix of of Amber Maharani, Casablanca Mist, Emerald Wonderland, Golden Slumbers and Ruby Slippers teas.

Click here to learn more about Mamacat’s Q. Teas and their sister company, Babycat Milkbar, where the full line of herbal teas can be enjoyed hot or cold with a local, artisan treat.

How to Participate:

To qualify entrants must complete item 1 below and abide by the simple rules.

1) Share a comment below about how you enjoy hot tea, especially organic, herbal and decaf teas. Please use the same name or email address you use in items 2 and 3 below so we can qualify you.

Rules:  No purchase necessary. One entry per household. Must be 18 or older and a legal resident of Connecticut with an address that includes a street number (no PO boxes). The retail value of each sample pack is $15.

Two winners will be selected at random from a list of qualified entrants and will be announced on this blog on February 1. Any blog comment submitted under item #1 above, along with the name of the author, may be republished on this website or Mamacat’s Q. Tea’s website. Winners will contacted via email to obtain a mailing addresses and sampler packs will be mailed during the first week of February. Winners who do not supply us with their legal mailing address within 2 weeks of our sending the request will forfeit their winnings.

The Farm Apprentice program at Wakeman Town Farm is designed to teach the ins and outs of organic farming and gardening to middle schoolers through hands-on instruction from seed to harvest. During the Spring Session, students will be challenged to plan, design, prepare, and plant the Wakeman Town Farm gardens.  Some of the activities that students will participate in alongside instructor Michael Aitkenhead include garden planning, seed starting and planting, and garden preparation and maintenance.  Aitkenhead, a Staples HS Environmental Teacher and 2009 Westport Teacher of the Year, oversees the Farm where he lives with his wife and children. Students will also help to care for farm animals (chickens, rabbits and honeybees) while also learning about sustainable farm practices like composting and renewable energies.

This is a unique opportunity for students to learn about science and nature in ‘nature’s classroom’ instead of the typical school environment. This program is perfect for students who like to get their hands dirty while learning about the environment.  It is also a great opportunity for students to practice problem solving skills and critical thinking in preparation for their high school experience ahead.

*To extend the experience, students are encouraged to register for the farm apprentice summer session, which runs through July and August, or the fall session, which starts in September.  For more information about this and other Wakeman Town Farm programs, visit them online at www.wakemantownfarm.org

• Fee:  Standard Charge $175
• When:  Most Thursdays from February through June, 2012.
• Specific Dates:  2/2, 2/16, 3/1, 3/15, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24, 5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28
• Time:  3pm – 5pm
• Location:  Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport Public Schools
• Ages:  Middle School Grades 6-8
• Registration Dates:  Rolling (January 1, 2012, 9:00am through June 28, 2012)
• Register by mail: Checks made payable to Town of Westport, with “Wakeman Town Farm” in the memo.
• Please mail your payment to: Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport, CT, 06880
• Questions? Call us at 203-557-9195 or email wakemantownfarm@gmail.com

Editor’s Note: In 2012 one of our main goals is to help our readers get back in the kitchen cooking seasonally inspired meals for themselves and their families. Welcome to Back to the Kitchen, our seasonal, home cooking series where you will find tried and true recipes and techniques using locally sourced and sustainable ingredients.

By Jennifer Spaide

Celery root, or celeriac, is the root of the wild celery plant, a cousin of the celery stalk we all know and love.  Its white flesh is earthy and mildly herbaceous, with undertones of celery, and offers a good source of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C and potassium.

While it is similar in size and shape to a turnip, celery root’s knobby, gnarly appearance often lands it in the unwanted bin. But given its versatility and ease of preparation,  celeriac deserves a spot in our farmers’ market bag or grocery cart. Celeriac is delicious eaten raw- grated into slaws, salads, and remoulades.  It is also a wonderful alternative (or accompaniment) to potatoes- roasted, mashed, or used in gratins, soups and stews.

This hash is a stepped-up version of the diner standard.  While it’s delicious alongside your morning eggs, it also makes a hearty side dish for brunch, lunch or dinner.

Celery Root & Potato Hash

Serves 4

• 1 celery root, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 2 russet potatoes (or whatever you find at the market), peeled & cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 3-4 slices bacon (optional), thinly sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp thyme leaves, chopped
• extra virgin olive oil

Place the diced celery root and potatoes in a small pot and cover with cold water.  Add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  As soon as the pot boils, turn heat off, and drain the celery root and potato in a colander.  Set aside.

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the sliced bacon and cook until golden and crispy.  Remove bacon bits and drain on a paper towel.  Reserve.

Add the onion to the sauté pan, season with salt and pepper and sauté until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and thyme leaves, sautéing another 1-2 minutes.  Then add the parboiled celery root and potatoes.  Sauté until the veggies are browned and tender.   Season with salt and pepper.  Top your hash with the bacon bits before serving.

Variation:  Sauté the sliced bacon in 2 tbsp olive oil, then toss with the remaining ingredients, spread out on a sheet pan and roast for 20-30 minutes, at 350˚, until golden brown.

While it’s delicious alongside your morning eggs, it also makes a hearty side dish for brunch, lunch or dinner.

Jennifer Spaide is a natural foods chef, writer, and mother. Spaide received her Masters in Human Nutrition at Columbia University and attended culinary school at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. Jennifer grew up with an innate appreciation for fresh-from-the-garden foods and wants to share that passion with others. Her online magazine, Simplicious, gives readers fresh recipes that are healthy and easy to prepare, bites of tasty information that help bring health into the home, and breaks down complex topics into easily digestible table-talk that even the kids will understand. In addition to her magazine, Spaide maintains a bi-monthly column in the New Canaan Advertiser, and continues to work as a freelance writer and recipe developer. www.simpliciousmag.com.

CT NOFA’s Winter Conference Welcomes Families, Farmers and Foodies

March 3, 2012

8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Manchester Community College

Manchester, CT

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA) announces its 30^th Annual Winter Conference, an important day or learning and sharing for farmers, gardeners, locavores, homesteaders and anyone interested in sustainable living. The conference features workshops (listed in detail below), internationally-celebrated speakers, and the largest local-sustainable food potluck lunch you’ve ever seen. (Yes, attendees are expected to bring a dish to share. No stress; we’ll be posting recipes.)

The 2012 Winter Conference’s keynote speaker is Jeffrey Smith, noted author and speaker on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the leading consumer advocate promoting healthier, non-GMO choices. He is the author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette, and will share insights on the real threats that GMOs pose to local food production as well as to consumers’ health.  A second workshop on GMOs will be hosted by Daniel Ravicher, legal counsel representing CT NOFA and 80 other plaintiffs against Monsanto to legally protect small farms and farmers.

In this video Jeffrey Smith succinctly (2 minutes!) explains why corporate science is wrong when they say GMOs are safe.

If you’re in the mood to be entertained while learning more about GMOs, Rob Herring’s rap video is excellent!

All workshops are taught by Connecticut professionals bringing expertise from the farm, kitchen, government, or non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable living. Learn to grow fruit, garlic, honey, nuts, and mushrooms. Classes on pollination, nitrogen management and soil microbiology are among those that will provide more technical instruction. Sustainable home-life classes include seminars on root cellars, food storage, cooking, household products as well as well as how to make healthy choices in cosmetics. For activists and community organizers, the conference offers workshops in climate change, starting food co-ops, and establishing winter farmers’ markets.

The Winter Conference is a celebration of local foods and farms.  In keeping with this theme, attendees are asked to bring a favorite food dish for the potluck feast.  Local, organic vendors including Sweet Sage Bakery of Madison, CT and Bean & Leaf of New London, will be selling delicious, sustainable treats.  Children are welcome to spend time in the Family Play ‘n’ Chill room.

The CT NOFA 30^th Annual Winter Conference will be held at Manchester Community College, on Great Path Rd in Manchester, CT, on March 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration is $50 for NOFA members, $60 for non-members ($35 for students or seniors).  This is a bargain considering the value your receive- a keynote address plus multiple workshops that would easily cost $25 each elsewhere. There is a $5 discount for early registration (before  February 18^th) and an additional $10 discount for those interested in volunteering.  For more information and registration online, visit  http://ctnofa.org/events/CAOC/2012/2012_Winter_Conference.html,  or call the office at 203-888-5146.

WORKSHOPS

Organic Seed vs. Monsanto: The Lawsuit Challenging Patents on Seed – Attorney Daniel Ravicher, NYC

Certified Organic Nutrient Dense Small Fruit – Julie Rawson & Jack Kitteredge,  Many Hands Organic Farm, MA

Wild Bees and Pollination – Dr. Kim Stoner of CT Ag Experiment Station

Root Cellars & Food Storage – Chris Chaisson, Whole Farm Services, VT

Public Act 490 - Joan Nichols, CT Farm Bureau

Nitrogen Management on Farms – Tom Morris, UConn Plant Scientist

Science and Principles of Soil Microbiology – Joe Maggazi, Green Earth Agriculture

Pasture Raised Laying Hens – Brianne Casadei, Exec. Director Terra Firma Farm

Better Choices in Rx, Cosmetics, Household Products – Valerie Cookson-Botto

Raising Garlic – Farmer Wayne Hansen, Wayne’s Organic Gardens

Honey Bees – Marina Marchese, Red Bee Honey

Growing Nuts in Connecticut – Dr. Sandra Anagnostakis, CT Agricultural Exp. Station

Mushroom Growing on a Small Scale – Carol Brzozowy & Jim Peppin, Maggie’s Farm

Biotech Threats to Organic Agriculture – Ed Stockman, Summit Farm

Animal Welfare Approved Certification – Brigid Sweeney, Animal Welfare Approved

The Dynamic History of the Connecticut Forest - Jeffrey Ward, CT Agricultural Exp. Station

Collards & Other Cold Weather Greens for Health & Flavor – Chef John Turenne, Farmer Wayne Hansen and Naturopathic Physician Leigh White

Winter Farmers’ Markets Are Hot! - Winter Caplanson, Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market

Worm Composting Simplified – Nick Mancini, Organic Gardening Simplified

Co-ops Build a Better World: Co-operatives and Food Security - Erbin Crowell, Neighboring Food Co-op Association

How You Can Easily Grow Fresh Greens All Winter - David Zemelsky, Starlight Gardens

Climate Change In Connecticut: What Can We Expect and Do – Jennifer Pagach, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Raising Dairy Goats and Making Cheese - Paul Trubey, Beltane Farm

Soil Management Techniques – Bryan O’Hara, Tobacco Road Farm

Food as Medicine – Dr. Leigh White, Natural Family Health, LLC

Transition Movement Workshops:

• First:  Transition Success Stories – Tina Clarke & Terry Halwes
• Second: Permaculture and Transition – Cynthia Rabinowitz & Joan Spear
• Third:  Transition: Lighting the Fire for Action – Coleen Spurlock

Lead in Soils – Concerns and Corrections – Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory

Edible School Gardens – Dan Levinson, Green Village Initiative (GVI)

and more to come…

VENDORS & EXHIBITORS

Interested in being a vendor or promoting your organization at our event?  Last year’s conference attracted over 400 passionate organic-minded individuals, and at least the same number are expected this year.   Email CT NOFA for details, print and mail this form, or call 203-888-5146.

Confirmed exhibitors:

Animal Welfare Approved - Alexandria, VA
Barefoot Books - East Granby, CT
Green Earth Agriculture – North Branford, CT
Healthy Cleaning Solutions- Tolland, CT
Land for Good – Keene, NH
Lancaster Ag Products – Ronks, PA
Natureworks – Northford, CT
Progressive Asset Management – Wellesley, MA
Sunlight Solar Energy – Milford, CT
Sweet Sage Bakery – Rockfall, CT
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service – Tolland, CT
USDA-New England Agricultural Statistics – Concord, NH

FAMILY PLAY AREA

Music, storytime, children’s workshop, hanging out. CT NOFA provide pillows, books, and comfy places for kids to just shlump down and read!

POTLUCK

Chef John Turenne of Sustainable Food Systems and an impressive staff of kitchen volunteers will once again be on hand to pull it all together, making sure hot dishes are hot and salads are dressed.

Please bring a dish to share with everyone—it need not be local food or even organic—do what you can. Email info@fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com if you need help with a recipe or ingredients or just have a questions. Thanks! Put a label on the bottom of the container and claim it at the end of the conference. Please bring a plate and utensils as this event is committed to avoiding waste.

RAFFLE

CT NOFA is accepting raffle donations. Gently used treasures, duplicate garden tools, gift baskets, unused gift certificates or gift certificates for your business (=great advertizing!) are all welcome. CT NOFA Board member Janet Heller will be coordinating this year. Call the office at 203-888-5146 or email.

By Elizabeth Keyser

Bill Taibe has taken to the sea. Known for trekking to local farms to get sustainable, seasonal produce, the chef-owner of the heralded restaurant Le Farm is about to open The Whelk. The new restaurant in Westport will feature sustainable seafood from local and regional sources.

Taibe and The Whelk’s chef de cuisine Dan Kardos recently boarded Norm Bloom’s oyster boat and sailed out into Long Island Sound.  Bloom is a third-generation oysterman in Norwalk who has branded local blue point oysters as “Copps Island oysters” after one of the Norwalk Islands near where he seeds, farms and harvests oysters. As Taibe and Kardos watched Bloom’s crew haul in the harvest, the importance of replenishing the beds was underscored.

For Taibe, sustainability is also about relationships, getting to know the people whose hard, physical labor brings food to his kitchen. “Norm is one of the most humble men,” he says, “I was so impressed with his approach and intelligence.”

Sourcing seafood is not as straight-forward as getting produce from a farm. “Knowing who is raising [the seafood] is hard,” Taibe says. But with Copps Island oysters the source will be “boat-to-table.” “Norm wants us to take them right off his boat,” Taibe says. A direct source for Connecticut lobsters will be Justin Cummings at Nice Tail Distribution (www.nicetaildistribution.com).  Cummings is a “an ex-cook of mine,” who showed Taibe that Connecticut lobsters are nothing to sniff at – they make good eating. “I was impressed with the taste of the Connecticut lobsters. They were super-sweet,” he says. Taibe will supplement with Maine lobsters as needed.

Scallops will come from Stonington, Conn. Taibe will venture farther up the coast to Island Creek Oysters in Duxbury, Mass for their bivalves. Browne Trading Co., a company based in Portland, Maine (www.brownetrading.com), will provide a wider range of responsibly sourced seafood, including “great smoked fish,” Taibe says.

Sunburst Trout Farms (www.sunbursttrout.com) in the mountains of Western North Carolina will provide hot- and cold-smoked trout, which they raise without antibiotics or hormones in pristine mountain water that runs 20 feet per minute – double the industry standard for farmed fish. Sunburst tests the fish to insure that they are free of PBCs, mercury and pesticides.

Right now Taibe’s working on The Whelk’s menu, which he sees as something that will keep evolving.  The food will be the opposite of Le Farm’s rich, meaty sensibility. The raw bar will bring clean, clear flavors. The hot dishes, which Taibe describes as “medium-sized plates,” will bring “different and fun takes” on classics like oysters Rockefeller. Look for variations on Le Farm’s addictive clam butter. At The Whelk it might be poured over fried pork belly.  Many dishes will be cooked on the  plancha – a flattop grill – and seasoned with “spicy flavors, mayo, lemon.” Looking forward, Taibe says “I’d like to get to the point of doing fish charcuterie.” No matter what, The Whelk will evolve. “What it will be three weeks from now will be different from what it will be three months from now,” he says. Meat specials, for instance, could be based on what Ryan Fibiger, at Saugatuck Craft Butchery, just across the plaza, has available.

Produce served at The Whelk will come from the group of local farms with whom he has trusting relationships – Sport Hill, Millstone, Holbrook and Urban Oaks.

Sustainability is a theme in the interior design of The Whelk as well. The Whelk’s window-lined room, which gets sunshine throughout the day, seats 54 and has a spare, industrial-chic design. The view of the Saugatuck River and I-95 spanning it high overhead bring together the sensibility of nature and industry. Inside the restaurant (there will be outdoor dining in summer), a row of high-topped tables down the center of the room are topped with reclaimed white and red oak. They are supported by sturdy metal bases painted dark green. Taibe says they are from an old printing press. Metal stools were sourced through John Weiss of Lillian August, who had them fabricated in Philadelphia.  Custom wood benches were crafted by a carpenter in Rowayton to Taibe’s request for a“English park bench” look. A long white marble bar and a wall of white subway tiles add to The Whelk’s clean look. The dominant work of art is a graphic black-and-white design that turns out to be framed sections of an antique pirate’s flag.

The wine list is overseen by co-owner and general manager Massimo Tullio, formerly of Fat Cat Pie (where he remains a co-owner). “He knows more about wine than anyone,” Taibe says, “And he has a fun, young approach to wine that’s not stuffy.”

Tulio is one of the few new staff members. Taibe finds “like minded people” who follow him from restaurant to restaurant. Kardos worked for Taibe at Relish. Since then Kardos has cheffed at Harvest Supper in New Canaan and at Bar Rosso in Stamford.  Taibe is proud of The Whelk’s “monstrous” gleaming kitchen, a welcome change from Le Farm’s tiny kitchen. And The Whelk’s kitchen has windows. Even the “stunning” dishwashing station has windows.

It’s hard not to imagine that the place will be a hit. How many of his customers will choose The Whelk because the seafood is sustainably raised or harvested? Taibe feels that sustainability is a concern with a core group of his customers. Then, “There’s a percentage who could care less,” he admits, “but there is a percentage of people who are teetering and I have conversations with them. The numbers are multiplying,” he says.

The Whelk will solidify Saugatuck as Westport’s new dining destination. “Fairfield County needs a fun, mature place to go out and be communal,” Taibe says.

“This is a slow approach,” he says, of the new restaurant, “a humble approach. I don’t have all the answers.” One thing can be expected, however. “We’ll try to achieve greatness every day.”

The Whelk

575 Riverside Avenue

Westport, CT 06880

Opening date TBA. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. Sundays and lunch will be added as the restaurant hits its stride. No reservations accepted.