By Betsy Keller, MS, RD

In the summer of 1996, my first child was born, TWA flight 800 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean and genetically engineered ingredients were introduced into our food supply.  I was too distracted by the birth of my first child and the tragic CNN images to be aware that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were approved for the Flavr Savr tomato and being introduced indirectly into my breast milk.

Where’s the GMO?  The New Label Game

I am a registered dietitian and have spent countless hours teaching the workshop “How to Read a Food Label.”   It is inconceivable that I never once included information on GMO ingredients in my lectures.  There is a simple explanation for this-GMO ingredients are not listed on food labels. I did not become aware of the controversial issues surrounding GMOs until I purposefully became involved in the green food movement.

WHAT- GMOs can be simply explained as plants that contain genes transferred into their DNA from another living organism. Plant genes can be changed with DNA taken from bacteria, viruses, insects and animals.For example, genes from an arctic flounder which has an “antifreeze” property can be placed into a tomato to prevent frost damage.  I wonder what Watson and Crick would have thought about their DNA research being used to scientifically alter the world’s food supply 50 years later.

WHO- Four major players-Monsanto, DuPont, Dow, Bayer, and Syngenta – lead the way with bioengineering and marketing of four principal GM crops –soybeans, corn, rice canola and cottonseed.

WHY-These companies manipulated plants to either resist herbicides (like Monsanto’s RoundUp) or produce their own internal pesticides to protect against pests. The claims and chief selling points have been and remain, despite growing evidence to the contrary,  that GMO crops require fewer chemicals while producing a greater yield.

WHERE- As my son was growing into a young man, GMO crops were multiplying exponentially and being processed into several hidden ingredients used in packaged foods.  According to the Institute for Responsible Technology, GMO crops in the U.S. include soy (91%), cotton (88%), canola (88%), corn (85%), Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%), zucchini and yellow squash (small amount), and tobacco (Quest® brand). About half of the sugar beets grown for sugar in 2008 were GM and current projections are that about 90% grown in 2009 will be GM. The GM potatoes and tomatoes were taken off the market.

NO TRANSPARENCY – Today, at least one GMO ingredient is found in 90% of packaged food products in US grocery stores, but you’d never know it because they aren’t labeled. Despite efforts to pass state or federal mandatory GMO labeling laws, none have succeeded. Just yesterday California failed to pass legislation mandating the labeling of GE salmon.

UNFETTERED GROWTH -The majority of GMO corn and soy is routinely fed to farm animals and studies show that GMO material can appear in the resulting food products. In addition, GMO wheat and vegetables are being developed.

Issues

Change in DNA- Like other novel ingredients such as Trans fats, it has taken decades to realize they may be harmful to our health.  Change to DNA may ultimately affect the organism (humans included) in ways that scientists may not be able to predict.

Allergies- Many genes being introduced into GMO plants have not been part of the food supply so we may not know if they cause allergies. In one case, soy beans blended with a gene from a Brazil nut caused allergic reactions.

Change in gut bacteria- Preliminary studies show unexpected changes in gut bacteria in animals fed GMO feed.

Genetic Pollution - Genes engineered into plants can be transferred to other plant species, and seed and pollen can drift to non-GE farms, thereby contaminating them. The introduction of GMOs into complex ecosystems, like our oceans, may bring effects that we can’t predict or control. The USDA approved a strain of Monsanto’s GMO sweet corn that will be incorporated into the food supply with no ability to track safety. Chances are this corn is being planted this season in our state and will be sold to you as fresh ears of corn this summer.

GMO Crops Show Resistance- As weeds adapt to herbicides systematically sprayed on them, they develop resistance and evolve into what are called “super weeds.” With the rise of Round-Up resistant ‘super weeds’ the company is simply telling farmers to go on the offense and spray even more potent toxic herbicides. New generation GM corn varieties are being created to resist not only Round-Up, but older more toxic herbicides that fell out of use but are now being reintroduced to fight off super weeds.

More pesticide use- a next generation GMO corn from Dow has been created to better resist the poisonous herbicide 2, 4-D, a key ingredient from Agent Orange used to defoliate forests and croplands in the Vietnam War. While the USDA tries to assure the public that 2, 4-D is safe, scientists have raised serious concerns about its effects on human health including increased cancer risks especially for soft tissue sarcoma and malignant lymphoma. According to the Cornucopia Institute, the approval of a crop resistant to 2, 4-D will cause an exponential increase in use of the herbicides.

What do the Europeans and Peruvians understand that we don’t? In Europe, GMO labeling laws first came into effect in 1997 and were updated in 2004 to include all food products that utilize GMOs during any point in their production. GMO crops have been rejected by consumers in Europe, possibly due to balanced media coverage of the including health issues. In Europe, at least 174 regions, more than 4,500 councils and local governments have declared themselves GMO free. Peru recently declared a 10-year ban on genetically modified foods.

FDA and GMO- Two acronyms to be wary of.

In 1992, the FDA declared that GMO food ingredients need not be labeled based on industry sponsored research showing that GMO ingredients are nutritionally equivalent to non-GMOs.

The FDA did not conduct its own research or hire third party researchers and to this day continues to rely on GMO industry findings. One Monsanto study involved a nutritional analysis of non-GMO soybeans vs. GMO “Roundup Ready” soybeans, which were created to be resistant to Monsanto’s “Roundup” herbicide. The nutritional content of the two soybeans were found to be similar in composition and amount. It’s important to remember that there are 1000’s of plant substances we are still unaware of that protect our health  (i.e polyphenols – more than 8,000- were discovered in the last 20 years).  We need to look beyond the Dietary Reference Intakes on food labels – established originally as the RDA for only 30 + nutrients in 1941- by the Institute of Medicine as a baseline to determine good nutrition for our armed forces. http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=3&tax_subject=256&topic_id=1342&level3_id=5140

We are Confused-A recently published Neilson Survey of global healthy eating trends, found that 6 out of 10 people in the US don’t understand why a food is healthy or not. Interesting to note that three of the top five foods purchased for their apparent health benefits – whole grains, bread fortified with calcium, and yogurt with probiotics – all contain GMOs in some form or another.

Consumers are being encouraged to move away from packaged, processed food products and get back to the basics – preparing meals at home from scratch with fresh ingredients. But that advice becomes a labeling Tower of Babel as even basic ingredients will contain GMOs unless the product is Certified Organic.  Even then,  a small amount of non-organic ingredients are allowed in organic foods.

What can you do?

Educate yourself and avoid GMOs in your diet using these resources:

A GMO  primer by Analiese Paik, founder and editor of the Fairfield Green Food Guide

The Institute for Responsible Technology- Founded in 2003 by international author and GMO expert Jeffrey Smith, IRT has worked in more than 30 countries on 6 continents, and is credited with improving government policies and influencing consumer-buying  http://www.responsibletechnology.org/ Smith’s Campaign for Healthier Eating in America is designed to “end the genetic engineering of our food supply quickly” through consumer rejection rather than through “politics and government.” IRT’s Executive Directory, Jeffrey Smith, will be the keynote speaker and a workshop leader at CT NOFA’s annual winter conference on March 3. Click her for more information and to RSVP.

The Center for Food Safety – works to protect human health and the environment by curbing the proliferation of harmful food production technologies and by promoting organic and other forms of sustainable agriculture. Their recent claim to fame- a California court case halting the planting of GMO alfalfa.  Monsanto appealed twice and lost. http://truefoodnow.org/about/. Join the CFS effort and link here- http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5440

Read Food Labels- Ignore marketing hype and look for three items on the package label- the nutrition label, the ingredient list and the certified organic logo. Take a mental picture of your pantry- the canola oil, the soy lecithin in every bakery product…all from soy crops, 80% of which are GMO.Whole Foods Market and 365 brands are non-GMO and all of Trader Joe’s store brand products are Non-GMO! According to Jeffrey Smith, founder of the Institute for Responsible Technology, the 5-digit PLU code on produce does not tell you what is genetically modified or natural. This can now be classified as an urban legend. http://www.responsibletechnology.org/blog/24

Check out the Non-GMO Shopping Guide-http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/

Email a letter- Write your legislators and encourage them to support laws and policies that protect our food supply from GMO industry pressure. A group of Connecticut legislators will be once again be introducing legislation mandating package labeling of products containing GMOs. According to the Institute for Responsible Technology, the industry pressured USDA to let GMO products pass as organic. During the public comment period, the USDA received more than 275,000 angry letters from citizens. Thanks to this public protest, GMO products cannot be labeled organic.

Join the Pro-Labeling Movement-A pro-labeling movement has been gaining momentum and a coalition of sustainable-food NGOs and organic businesses has launched a campaign to raise awareness both at the government level and publicly to support GMO food labeling.  Major print and broadcast media-CNN, Time and Grist- have taken on the topic and are helping to raise awareness about GMO content in foods and halt Monsanto’s monopoly on seed crops. Gary Hirshberg recently stepped down from his position as CEO of Stonyfield Farm to lead the Just Label It campaign. Join the CFS effort and link here- http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5440

Food Democracy Now (from website)- On January 31 (today!), family farmers will take part in the first phase of a court case filed to protect farmers from genetic trespass by Monsanto’s GMO seed, which contaminates organic and non-GMO farmer’s crops and opens them up to abusive lawsuits.

“Like” and follow tweets by Adam Eidinger, the GMO protest poster child who organized last October’s a 100 person, 313 mile “Right2Know March” from New York City to the White House for federally mandated GMO food labeling.  On January 24, 2012 he presented to Monsanto officers and shareholders a proposal to create a study of “material financial risks or operational impacts” associated with its chemical products and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monsanto-attempts-to-lockout-socially-responsible-shareholder-at-annual-meeting-137783058.html

Say No To GMOs! The Non GMO Project verifies and labels processed food products using a trustworthy standard. Right now there are efforts underway for an industry wide effort to create labels for non-GMO foods.

Betsy Keller, MS, RD is a nutrition marketing and communications consultant specializing in sustainable food, nutrition and health-related issues. She is a freelance writer and also lectures in Fairfield County, CT.

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.

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.

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 Analiese Paik

Winter CSAs in Connecticut are rather uncommon, principally because most farms don’t produce enough to complete a share. Urban Oaks Farm, a 4-season organic farm in urban New Britain, Conn,. has teamed up with neighboring produce and fruit farmers to offer a 10-week winter CSA bursting with root vegetables, winter greens, and late fall fruit including apples and pears. Although Urban Oaks (UOF) grows some citrus fruit in their greenhouses, demand always outstrips supply. UOF completes shares by sourcing from trusted organic citrus growers.

Any home cook committed to eating seasonally who cannot make it to a farmers’ market or a farm stand will enjoy the convenience of picking up a whole or half share winter CSA from UOF at GreenGourmetToGo. And if you don’t cook, simply can’t make time to cook, or need a way to ease into a flexitarian diet, sign up for GreenGourmettoGo’s CSK (Community Supported Kitchen). Linda Soper-Kolton, chef/owner of Green Gourmet to Go, on a never-ending quest to support healthy eating, will turn your weekly CSA box into ready-to-serve organic, vegetarian family meals. Weekly CSK shares will include vegetarian main dishes, soups, desserts, and treats chosen from a weekly menu. I’m signing up because I want my family to eat more plant-based meals and Linda’s well-seasoned dishes and healthy treats are popular in my house. You can try the CSK for a week to see if it’s a fit for your family, but be sure to give at least one week’s notice when signing up for future weeks so Linda can properly prepare.

Subscribe to the CSA only or to the CSA+CSK. Both optins are picked up at GreenGourmetToGo on Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport (Black Rock section just over the Fairfield line).

Urban Oaks Farm Winter CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

Each share will contain a combination of the following each week: seasonal root veggies like parsnips, beets, carrots, turnips, celeriac and potatoes, a variety of delicious greens, late harvest fruit (apples, pears) and beautiful herbs to freshen up your winter meals. Urban Oaks combines its own organic produce and what it sources locally and regionally to put together a box of organic goodness to keep you well-nourished even in the darkest days of winter.

• The program runs 10 weeks beginning the week of January 22 and runs through the end of March.
• Order your UOF Winter CSA through GreenGourmetToGo
• Weekly pick up at GreenGourmetToGo on Wednesdays.
• Full share price: $550, enough for a family of four.
• Half share price: $275, great for a family of two to three.
• Deadline for ordering: January 17
• How to order: Call 203.873.0057 or email linda@greengourmettogo.com
  

GreenGourmetToGo Farm CSK (Community Supported Kitchen)

When you participate in this CSK program, your UOF Winter CSA share gets delivered to GreenGourmetToGo where they transform it into delicious meals using additional ingredients and pantry items to complete their favorite recipes inspired by the seasonal contents of the box. You pick up your meals, which will include soups, main and side dishes and snacks and desserts to nourish and satisfy you and your family. A weekly menu is posted on the website soyou can choose dishes based on your preferences or dietary sensitivities.

• The program runs 10 weeks beginning the week of January 22 and running through the end of March.
• Order your GreenGourmetToGo CSK for all 10 weeks or a week at a time, with adequate notice of renewal.
• Weekly pick up at GreenGourmetToGo on Fridays or by special arrangement. Delivery available depending upon location.
• Weekly full share CSK price: $149, enough for a family of four.
• Weekly half share CSK price: $99, great for a family of two to three.
• Deadline for ordering: January 17 for week one orders, weekly notice thereafter
• How to order: Call 203.873.0057 or email linda@greengourmettogo.com
  

In the event you cannot eat all the CSK food, freeze the meals to enjoy stress-free dinners and lunches whenever you want.

Note that the Urban Oaks CSA must be paid in full (through GreenGourmetToGo). It is a commitment and investment in the farm for the remainder of the winter season (that’s what a CSA is all about!). For the CSK service, Linda asks for a minimum of two weeks’ notice to get on the food prep schedule, but in this pilot form over the winter, she is not requiring a minimum commitment or payment in full. She wants you to try the service and see how it works for your lifestyle. How’s that for flexibility?

GreenGourmetToGo

2984 Fairfield Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06605
203.873-0057 (store)
203.615.8139 (cell)
www.GreenGourmetToGo.com

By Analiese Paik

Some of us have never tasted real extra virgin olive oil. That’s the shocking realization I came to after reading Tom Mueller’s riveting new book, Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil. Mueller, story by incredible story, reveals the ugly truth behind a surprisingly large number of supermarket olive oils carrying the extra virgin grade and why they fail quality tests. The saddest part is that olive oil fraud, in some cases impossible to detect with even sophisticated laboratory equipment, is nothing new. Adulteration of good oil with cheap and tasteless seed and nut oils and deodorization of low quality olive oils is a fraud that has been perpetrated on consumers worldwide for millennium according to Mueller.

In Extra Virginity Mueller describes the olive oil trade in Roman times and how at Monte Testaccio “you knew from the label exactly what you were getting” in each amphora of oil. He explains how an enormous pile of ancient fragments at the site reveals that each amphora was carefully labeled with the producer, point of origin, importer, weight and quality, then sealed to prevent fraud. It’s incredible that the olive oil industry remains plagued today with the same problems that existed in Roman times. If your olive oil’s label doesn’t conform to the Monte Testaccio standards, you have a lot of questions to ask.

In this video, Mueller discusses fraudulent olive oil and ways to find real extra virgin olive oil.

Enter Olivette. The timing of the opening of this boutique specializing in single varietal, single origin extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) from around the world is brilliant. At Olivette, you taste before you buy. Co-owner and General Manager Alina Lawrence said “This is a tasting room. You’re not going to go home and find out you didn’t like what you bought.” Gleaming stainless steel olive oil drums (fusti) line the walls and counters, each labeled in detail to provide tasters with complete product transparency, something unheard of in supermarket olive oil. The olive variety, date of crush, country of origin, awards received and a chemical analysis of the polyphenols, oleic acid, free fatty acids and peroxide levels – all determinations of quality and taste – are listed on each label. A low level of free fatty acids, for example, is desirable and is most common in oils that go from harvest to extraction within hours. Polyphenols are heart-healthy flavonoids naturally present in olive oil. Low free fatty acids are a sign of quality as are low peroxide levels, a product of oxidation.

Small tasting cups stand at the ready next to each olive oil type, inviting customers to taste and compare, perhaps for the first time, fresh extra virgin olive oils made from  single cultivars from distinct places around the world. How do oils from Chile and Argentina compare to Australia and New Zealand? Can California oils compete with those from France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain? Do organic olive oils taste different? A note here: Olivette has chosen not to label organic oils to avoid prejudicing your choices. If you feel strongly about only choosing organic oils, ask a staff member to point them out to you.

“The higher the polyphenols, the more bitterness you feel in your throat” explained Alina as we began tasting down the line of EVOOs.  Starting with the delicate and creamy, award-winning Australian Ultra Hojiblanca (polyphenols: 120) we worked our way up to the medium-intensity California Arbosana (polyphenols: 101) crushed in November 2011 that tasted of fresh olive and artichoke and was creamy and mild, a reflection of low polyphenol levels. “You want to taste olive oils just like wine” said Alina, “starting from the mildest and working your way up to the most robust.” The California Frantoio Verde, measuring 728 polyphenols at crush, was robust and exhibited bitter and peppery characteristics as well as a more more intense finish than the first two. Polyphenols (heart-healthy antioxidants) are not found in processed or refined olive oils due to heat decomposition, but no labeling laws require makers to divulge polyphenol levels, or free fatty acids or oleic acids for that matter.

Special “agrumato” oils made from crushing olives with whole, fresh native citrus fruits including blood oranges, lemons or Persian limes are a beautiful expression of a region and so versatile they’ll surely become pantry staples. Oils infused with herbs and spices, like Milanese Gremolata made from fresh lemon zest, minced garlic, Italian flat leaf parsley and a hint of mint, make gorgeous sauces for pasta, fish and fresh vegetables and are excellent seasonings for roast chicken, lamb, pork or beef. Olivette’s line of fine vinegars includes a rich and intense 18-year-old balsamic vinegar from Modena aged in the traditional Solera system in chestnut, oak, mulberry and ash barrels, a Champagne vinegar from France, and a 25-year-old Sherry reserva wine vinegar from Jerez, Spain. Something we’ve never seen or tried before is Handcrafted Artisanal Honey Vinegar, a 2008 Sofi™ Silver award-winning vinegar that’s both sweet and tart and made from 100% US honey! This vinegar can be used in place of grape-based vinegars in dressings and sauces.

Alina has a stack of Mueller’s books artfully displayed in her store and was quick to show us a US report corroborating the author’s claims of widespread adulteration and mislabeling of extra virgin olive oils worldwide. The July 2010 report by the UC Davis Olive Oil Center and Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at UC Davis was subtitled:  “Tests indicate that imported “extra virgin” olive oil often fails international and USDA standards.” The rise of specialty olive oil retail stores like Olivette is the private sector’s way of achieving what the US and Italian governments have failed to do – distinguish real extra virgin olive oils from cheap substitutes for the retail consumer. Veronica Foods, a leading importer and distributor of premium olive oils based in Oakland, California is the exclusive supplier of extra virgin olive oils and high quality vinegars to Olivette and 200 other stores around the country. Mueller lists Veronica Foods in his book and website as “a high quality source” for olive oils. Mike Bradley, President of Veronica Foods, is quoted frequently in the book and Mueller classifies him as having “among the most encyclopedic knowledge of world oil he’s encountered anywhere” and someone who shares his conviction “that the shortest route to oil quality runs through consumer education.”

Don’t miss our extra virgin olive oil and tasting event at Olivette on February 2. We will schedule a second tasting event to accommodate anyone wait listed.

Olivette

1084 Boston Post Road

Darien, CT  06820

203-621-0643

Alina Lawrence, co-owner and General Manager

www.olivettect.com (under construction)

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/OlivetteCT

Resources:

Guide to Buying Olive Oil in North America by Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil. Mueller lists Veronica Foods, the exclusive supplier of extra virgin olive oils to Olivette, as “a high quality source” for olive oils.

http://www.extravirginity.com/great-oil/how-to-buy-great-olive-oil/

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting & Pairing

February 2, 2012s (sold out)

February 9, 2012 (added)

6:00-7:30 pm

Free

At Olivette

1084 Boston Post Road

Darien, CT  06820

Email marketing@fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com to reserve your seat

20 seats only

(we will schedule a second event if this is significantly oversubscribed)

Taste real extra virgin olive oils from around the world and discover what you’ve been missing at Olivette, Fairfield County’s newest gourmet food store specializing in single varietal, single origin extra virgin olive oils. Join us for a special educational extra virgin olive oil tasting and pairing event with Alina Lawrence, co-owner and General Manager of Olivette.

Alina will teach us how to taste and evaluate extra virgin olive oils using attributes identified in the legal definition of extra virginity including pepperiness, bitterness and fruitiness, then guide us in pairing the oils with Olivette’s vinegars to create beautiful blends for flavoring simple, healthy and delicious meals at home.

Olive oils we’ll taste will range from single variety, single origin extra virgin olive oils, some of which are organic, to special “agrumato” oils made from crushing olives with citrus fruits including blood oranges, lemons and Persian limes. Oils infused with herbs and spices, like Milanese Gremolata, make gorgeous sauces for pasta, fish and fresh vegetables. Olivette’s line of fine vinegars includes an 18-year-old balsamic vinegar from Modena aged in the traditional Solera system, a Champagne vinegar from France, and a 25-year-old Sherry reserva wine vinegar from Jerez, Spain.

Each guest will receive a specially prepared guide to pairing Olivette’s olive oils and vinegars with various foods. Olivette’s olive oils and vinegars are available in 200 milliliter, 375 milliliter and 750 milliliter UV protected bottles to preserve freshness.

We visited with Alina at Olivette for a private tasting and interview and will be have published a full-length article about the shop and the world of extra virgin olive oil here. in our next this post. We couldn’t wait to post this exciting event. Happy Friday!

Please email marketing@fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com to reserve your seat.

www.olivettect.com (under construction)

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/OlivetteCT

Resources:

Buying Guide to Buying Olive Oil in North America by Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil. Mueller lists Veronica Foods, the exclusive supplier of extra virgin olive oils to Olivette, as “a high quality source” for olive oils.

http://www.extravirginity.com/great-oil/how-to-buy-great-olive-oil/

By Analiese Paik

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean opportunities to eat food from local farms have all dried up. On the contrary, there are more ways to source local and sustainable ingredients for home cooking than ever before at this time of year thanks to four season farms and plentiful artisan foods. Eating out sustainably can be a challenge, but our list of restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops will help guide you no matter what town you live in. 2012 will usher in at least two new farm-to-table restaurants, and we look forward to covering them here.

Winter 2011-2012 Guide to Eating Green

Fresh winter vegetables

The Saturday winter farmers’ markets at the Granges (Norfield and Greenfield Hill) and the Westport farmers’ market at Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens on Thursdays are THE places to go to find potatoes, carrots, celeriac, garlic, onions, hardy greens and other winter crops. The Double L Market in Westport is a seven-day-a-week source for seasonal vegetables and The Farmer’s Table in New Canaan has a small selection in winter.

Local and sustainably grown meats and poultry

The Saturday winter farmers’ markets at the Greenfield Hill Grange host vendors Greyledge Farm (pastured chicken, beef and pork) and Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm (lamb). Both vendors can also be found on Thursdays at the Westport farmers’ market at Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens. Eaglewood Farms offers natural beef and pork each Saturday at the Norfield Grange winter market. 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. 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.

Local and organic dairy products

The Farmer’s Cow’s rBST-free milk, cream, eggs and ice cream can be found in supermarkets including Stop ‘n Shop and Big Y. Visit the website for a complete list of retailers.

Cheese

The widest selection of cheeses are available at cheese shops like Fairfield Cheese Company, which is dedicated to sourcing from small artisan producers including Cato Corner Farm & Beltane Farm and other distinguished cheese makers from New England. The Saturday winter farmers’ markets at the Greenfield Hill Grange offers cheeses from Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm. It’s worth asking for their fresh sheep’s milk ricotta for making homemade lasagna, ravioli, tortellini and manicotti. Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm is also a vendor at the Westport farmers’ market at Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens, along with Beltane Farm, our state’s biggest producer of fresh and aged goat’s milk cheeses. Butterfield Farm sells goat’s milk cheeses at the Norfield Grange farmers’ market each Saturday. Walter Stewart’s Market in New Canaan and The Double L Market in Westport also carry Connecticut artisan and farmstead cheeses. When in New Haven, be sure to head to Caseus, where cheese is both sold at the fromagerie and served in the bistro.

Milk, cream, yogurt

The Double L Market in Westport carries Arethusa Farm’s (Litchfield) milk, cream and yogurt and milk from Smyth’s Trinity Farm (Enfield). Saugatuck Craft Butchery carries an organic, grass-fed yogurt from New York state that’s fantastic. Visit Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm for sheep’s milk yogurt, both at the winter farmers’ market at the Greenfield Hill Grange and Westport farmers’ market at Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens. Beltane Farm does not milk their goats in the winter so there will be no yogurt until the spring. Take a trip to the Norfield Grange winter market for Butterfield Farm’s goat’s milk yogurt.

Eggs

Eggs are typically sold by various farmers at the winter farmers’ markets, but you’ll want to arrive early before they sell out. The Farmer’s Table and The Double L Market also carry local eggs.

Honey, jam, and maple syrup

Daffodil Hill Growers sells honey and maple syrup and The Herb Basket sells honey, maple syrup and their own diverse line of specialty jams at the Greenfield Hill Grange farmers’ market on Saturdays. Daffodil Hill Growers and Gazy Brothers Farm, two vendors at the Norfield Grange farmers’ market, sell honey and maple syrup. Winding Drive, an award-winning producer of jams made from Connecticut fruit, is a regular vendor at the Westport farmers’ market at Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens. The Double L Market in Westport carries honey from a Fairfield beekeeper, an enticing variety of jams from Red Jacket Orchards in New York, and estate maple syrups from Vermont. Fairfield Cheese Company, Catch a Healthy Habit Café, Michele’s Pies (Norwalk/Westport), Aux Delices (Greenwich/Darien), Plum Pure Foods (Old Greenwich),  Practically Green (Ridgefield), and Jones Winery (Shelton) sell single nectar source honeys and honeycomb from Red Bee Honey (Weston).

Home delivery of local and organic foods

Farm-to-door delivery services are practical and convenient for busy families. Order online and they’ll deliver to your door. 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.

Eating 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, will be opening a new eatery in Saugatuck Center directly across from Saugatuck Craft Butchery in January. 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.

Restaurants serving farm-to-table and/or organic food and drink, from casual to fine dining.

• Boxcar Cantina (Green Restaurant Certified), Greenwich, Southwestern food, also a regular lunch vendor at the Westport farmers’ market
• Le Pain Quotidien, Greenwich and New Canaan (source organic ingredients whenever possible and have green business practices)
• LeFarm, Westport (innovative local farm-to-table cuisine; Chef Bill Taibe is a James Beard Foundation Award 2011 Semifinalist for Best Chef Northeast)
• 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)
• Health in a Hurry, Fairfield (organic vegetarian food to go)
• Catch a Healthy Habit Cafe, Fairfield (organic, raw food cafe)
• Green Gourmet to Go, Black Rock (organic vegetarian food by weekly order only)
• Bloodroot, Bridgeport (organic vegetarian/vegan restaurant)
• 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)
• Napa & Co., Stamford (“innovative wine country cuisine made from organic, farm-fresh, seasonal ingredients”)
• Fat Cat Pie Company, Norwalk (pizza and salads made with organic and local ingredients)
• Sugar & Olives, (Green Restaurant Certified) Norwalk (local, sustainable farm-sourced ingredients for a seasonal menu)
• The Stand Juice Company, Norwalk & Fairfield(organic juice cleanses and casual menu using organic ingredients when possible)
• 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)
• West Street Grill, Litchfield
• 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
• Port Coffeehouse, Black Rock, Bridgeport, organic/Fair Trade coffee http://www.portcoffeehouse.com/
• Michele’s Pies, 666 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT and 180 Post Road East, Westport, organic/Fair Trade coffee from Bean & Leaf, some local ingredients used in her award-winning pies www.michelespies.com

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