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Archive for the ‘events’ Category

Dinner in Paradise opens Sunday

Posted in agritourism, chef, events, locavore, tagged , , on December 6, 2010|

The new season of the legendary Dinner in Paradise series opens Sunday, Dec 12th.  Each dinner features hors d’oeuvres, a sunset tour of Paradise Farm, and a five-course menu prepared by an all-star line up of some of the best chefs in town.

The first dinner features the talents of four chefs — Chef Timon Balloo from Sugarcane, Chef David Bracha from The River Seafood and Oyster Bar, Chef Jason Prevatt from the Loews Hotel, and Chef Frederic Delaire from several Michelin rated French restaurants. World class wines will be paired by Sommelier Shari Gherman.

A portion of the proceeds this season will be donated to the non-profit organization Urban Oasis Project. Members and volunteers plant food gardens in underprivileged neighborhoods, and operate the brand new Liberty City Farmers Market.

To purchase Dinner tickets online, go to the Paradise Farms site.

To make donations to the Urban Oasis Project, click here.

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More farmers markets!

Posted in events, food, location, locavore, market, tagged , , , on December 1, 2010|

There are a few new farmers markets, and one returning market,  opening up soon. Here’s a quick rundown of all-local, grower supported markets.

Monday 2 – 6 pm (starts Dec. 6)
Homestead Farmers Market
Losner Park, 104 N Krome Ave., Homestead

Wednesday and Friday 1 – 4 pm (starts Dec. 8th)
Roots in the City Farmers Market
NW 10 St. and 2nd Ave., Miami

Thursday 12 noon – 6pm (starts Dec. 2)
Liberty City Farmers Market
TACOLCY Park, 6161 NW 9th Ave., Miami

Saturday 9 am – 2 pm (starts Dec. 4)
South Miami Farmers Market
City Hall, 6130 Sunset Drive, South Miami

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New Farmers’ Market in Urban Food Desert

Posted in events, food, location, market, tagged , , on December 1, 2010| 1 Comment »

 

Do as Michelle does and shop at farmers' markets!

Hey there Redland Ramblers!

Guest blogger Melissa Contreras here, back again for some more exciting blog-worthy news! All the news that’s fit to blog about Redland farms right here folks!

You know me as founder of Urban Oasis Project, and we have been helping Liberty City residents create food gardens for more access to fresh VERY LOCAL food for quite a while now. As a formerly closeted farmer, now aspiring urban micro-farmer, I must say that I love plants, especially food plants, and I feel really great when I am surrounded by fresh-picked local produce! So, last year, I began helping Bee Heaven Farm sell their lovely produce at 2 local markets, Pinecrest and Overtown.

The Overtown market was the first all local, producer-run market in Miami in recent history, and seeing its success, many of us started to think that this would be great to have in Liberty City, an urban food desert. It’s easy to find processed foods or fast food there. It’s not so easy to find a mouthwatering, voluptuous heirloom tomato, or any tomato for that matter. This is due to inequalities in our food system, in which not all people have access to real food, produced by farmers and not by factories.

We are so pleased to take one more step toward transforming an urban food oasis from an urban food desert! Our new community farmers’ market will debut in Liberty City this Thursday, featuring lots of Redland produce, and a  dollar-for-dollar match for food stamps (SNAP) users, up to $10 per user,  per market. That’s found money in their pockets for local food!

Some Redland growers represented are Bee Heaven Farm, Three Sisters Farm, Teena’s Pride, and the Homestead Pole Bean Co-op, the only farmers’ co-op left in south Dade.  Hani’s Mediterranean Organics will have goat cheese and his exotic specialties. Redland Organics member Worden Farm from Punta Gorda will be represented as well, with produce grown by those award-winning farmers, Chris and Eva Worden.

We have decided to make one exception to the local rule, although it could still be considered local, depending on your definition, but it definitely regional. Thomas Produce of historically black Liberty City has a relationship with small African American farmers from southern Georgia, who will sell peanuts, pecans, sweet potatoes, and greens.  We are proud to support them, for they too have suffered their own  inequities in the food system. (USDA discrimination suit finally settled today!)

The market will also feature seedlings for your garden and native plants, healthy food, kids activities, music, and monthly health screenings, as well as local organizations. C’mon out!

When: Thursdays from Dec through April from 12 noon – 6pm or dusk (whichever comes first)

Where: Tacolcy Park at Belafonte Tacolcy Center, 6161 NW 9th Ave., Miami, FL 33127

Everyone is welcome!!!

 

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South Miami Farmers Market

Posted in events, food, locavore, market, tagged , , , on November 29, 2010| 4 Comments »

Locavores rejoice! There’s a new farmers market coming to town!

The South Miami Farmers Market starts Saturday, December 4th, and will run every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The location is in the parking lot in front of South Miami City Hall, 6130 Sunset Drive. The market will run year-round, and will feature prepared food vendors, artisans, green technology vendors, and community groups.

This new market will showcase the best local, organic and sustainably-grown produce in season (tropical fruits, annual and perennial vegetables, mushrooms), eggs, dairy, and value-added products (jams, jellies, salsas, fermented and pickled foods). Only local growers will participate in this market. Food will come from local area organic growers (including participating members of Redland Organics), community gardens and backyard growers. The market will also sell edible and native plants.

Mario Yanez, director of Earth Learning, explained the need for another new market. “The Community Food Summit [held in July at Miami Dade College] made it clear to us that our community needed more outlets that insured access to local, sustainably-grown foods. We decided we could redefine what a Farmers’ Market can be: for us it is about building community around good, real food in a manner that ensures the viability our local farmers that grow our food, and take care of our soils and our natural systems with responsible farming practices.”

Earth Learning is very involved in the startup of this new market, which will be managed by members of Community FoodWorks, a new program developed by Earth Learning and funded by a three year USDA Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Grant. Mario Yanez is very proud of this undertaking. “We have just begun with our first class of apprentices in our Community FoodWorks program. They will learn to grow food in unconventional ways using permaculture methods in underutilized spaces throughout the Greater Miami area, and they will be the new wave of social entrepreneurs rebuilding our local food economy.” The new market is the first expression of this new wave of entrepreneurialism, and has major community support. “The South Miami Farmers’ Market idea grew out of the South Miami Green Task Force, which Earth Learning had the pleasure of attending regularly,” Mario explained. “Health Foundation of South Florida is providing some funding, and many local organizations such as South Miami Hospital are strong supporters.”

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Dinner in Paradise 6th season

Posted in agritourism, chef, events, farm, food, location, locavore, tagged , , on November 16, 2010| 1 Comment »

Gabriele Marewski of Paradise Farms Organic announces another season with a stellar line up of Miami’s best chefs! Prepare yourself for an incredible evening of rustic decadence as Dinner in Paradise takes you away to a lush and tropical setting.  Upon arrival, guests enjoy a welcome reception with delicious hor d’oeuvres, before heading off on a farm tour, conducted by Gabriele that encompasses this beautiful five acre organic paradise and its fruit trees, edible flowers, mushrooms, and fragrant herbs.  As the sun sets on the evening, the magic truly gets underway.

This year, Dinner in Paradise proceeds benefit the Urban Oasis Project, a not for profit organization, whose mission it is to make fresh local food available to every one. Paradise Farms’ Ready to Grow garden beds will be installed in Liberty City and homeless shelters that house children in Miami Dade County.

Dinners are scheduled from December through February and begin at 5 PM with a cocktail reception followed by a farm tour. Dinner begins at 6 PM. March & April dinners will begin at 7PM with the cocktail reception at 6PM. Each dinner, priced at $165.50 (tax and google fee included), features five courses made with local, organic products, paired with top quality wines. Schedule/Chefs subject to change. Please visit the Paradise Farms web site for updates and to make reservations.

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