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Archive for the ‘events’ Category

Great Green Family Festival

Posted in agritourism, events, food, locavore, market, tagged , on November 10, 2009|

If you want to get heirloom tomato plants for your own garden, but didn’t make it to the Edible Garden Festival, you have another chance. Bee Heaven Farm will be at The Great Green Family Festival at the Fruit and Spice Park this coming weekend, Nov. 15-16. Farmer Margie will be selling more tomato starts (baby plants, seedlings) along with eggs, honey, lemongrass and who knows what else.

Late breaking news: here’s a list of the heirloom tomato varieties that will be available — Sun Gold, Jaune Flamme, Green Grape, Black Prince, Lollipop, Matt’s Wild Cherry, Black From Tula, Brown Berry, Brandywine OTV, and Homestead 24. Slow Food Ark of Taste varieties:  Cherokee Purple, Red Fig, Sheboygan, and Sudduth Strain Brandywine.

Also available, vegetable and herb starts:  Fordhook Chard, Genovese Basil, Mrs. Burn’s Lemon Basil, Thai Basil, Russian Red Kale, Lacinato (Dinosaur) Kale,  Garlic Chives, and Lemongrass.

According to the Redland Evening Herb Society’s web page, “The purpose of this event is to raise awareness of simple, green-living practices, products and services that local families can put into use in their homes and community.” (For some reason I was thinking of the Jolly Green Giant with his kids in tow… silly me… )

The Great Green Family Festival
November 14 & 15 from 10 am to 5 pm
Admission: $8 (Children under 11 are free)

Fruit and Spice Park
24801 S.W. 187th Avenue
Homestead, Florida 33031
305-247-5727

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Extension says thank you!

Posted in events, farmer/grower, tagged on November 1, 2009|

If you are setting up your first edible garden, or your 100th, and have questions or problems, Miami-Dade County Cooperative Extension Services is the place for answers. They can teach you how to become a Master Gardener, castrate a pig, or keep your ornamental shrubs from yellowing. Extension was in danger of losing it all due to proposed county budget cuts — but were (mostly) spared at the last minute.

Extension-table

Lots of good eats at the reception

That called for a party to thank everyone who supported them, and there was a nice turnout of local growers for the festivities. The Extension staff went all out preparing food and decorating the auditorium. A long table was loaded with many kinds of delicious food. Dr. John McLaughlin made cheesy wafers and little meat pies. Adrian Hunsberger baked buttery cookies dipped in chocolate and rolled in nuts. Teresa Olczyk and her daughter designed cards and assembled goody bags of thank you candies. Don Pybas greeted guests and guided them to the punch bowl on the left, which had an bit of extra kick. Other delicacies I sampled were veggie empanadas, chicken enchiladas, and creamy guacamole. Mmmmm local food makes for good eating! Tables were decorated with palm and monstera leaves, and various blossoms were picked from flowering trees in staffer’s gardens.

Ken-Bedat

Ken Bedat, Master Gardener

Had the pleasure of meeting fellow CSA member Ken Bedat. He said he had tried to join the CSA for three years and wasn’t able to because of the cutoff on the waiting list.His doctor had ordered him to join, and he finally got in last season. I asked Ken what he enjoyed the most, and he said it would be the greens. He loves chard, kale and collards. He and his wife finally ate the last package of kale out of the freezer. (Clever man, freezing extra greens for later. Will try to remember to do this when I’m in a sea of greens at the start of the season.) Ken recommends eating collards the traditional way, with hot sauce or a splash of vinegar, because the acid helps your body absorb the calcium and iron. Ken is a retired USDA inspector, and a Master Gardner who volunteers lots of hours at Extension. If you call the office for gardening assistance, there’s a good chance you’ll talk with Ken.

Extension-band1

Mike Hatcher, Jim Maiuri, and Louise King

Extension-band2

Mort Glosser

The afternoon’s entertainment was provided by a pickup bluegrass band consisting of Mort Glosser on harmonica, Mike Hatcher on bass, Jim Maiuri on guitar and Louise King on guitar. Mort and Mike play together in a band called Corn Country at the bluegrass festival at Greynolds Park on the first Sunday of every month.

Margie-Don-Teresa

Margie Pikarsky, Don Pybas, Teresa Olczyk

Thanks again to Don Pybas and his staff for all their good work and all the good eats!

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Laurel wilt symposium

Posted in events, farmer/grower, fruits, location, tagged , , , on November 1, 2009|

If you have only one avocado tree in your yard, or a grove full, come get the latest information on the laurel wilt disease. It was spotted in Northern Florida earlier this year, and this summer in a grove in Redland. If the disease spreads, it could wipe out not only commercial groves but also backyard trees. I’ve blogged earlier about this in more detail the post titled Avocados are threatened.

Dr. Jonathan Crane of UF IFAS/TREC will lead the Laurel Wilt Disease and Redbay Ambrosia Beetle Research Symposium on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Download the agenda here (PDF 60 KB).

Location:
Miami-Dade County Cooperative Extension Service Auditorium
18710 SW 288th Street, Homestead, FL 33030-2309.
(305)248-3311

Driving Directions:
Traveling south on the Florida Turnpike (Homestead Extenstion), take Exit #5 (Biscayne Drive / SW 288th Street), and go west for about 5 miles. The Extension Office is at the corner of SW 288th Street and SW 187th Avenue (Redland Road), on the left. It is a one-story, beige, block building.

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Redland Raised produce at Publix

Posted in events, food, locavore, market, politics, tagged , , , , , on October 28, 2009| 2 Comments »

Redland Raised, Fresh From FloridaRedland Raised launch event:
Thursday Oct. 29th, 10- 11 am
Publix at Tropicaire Shopping Center
7805 SW 40th Street, Miami

Starting this week, you won’t have to go too far to find locally grown produce. Redland Raised branded green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, boniato, okra and avocados will be available at all 1000 Publix stores in the state, during the local growing season which runs from November through April.

Miami-Dade County, Publix and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Fresh From Florida program teamed up to promote a “buy local” program throughout the county and state.

Charles LaPradd, Miami-Dade’s agriculture manager, was quoted as saying, “We were looking for a way to just make our local produce down here known a little bit better,” LaPradd said. “When you go local, you go green.”

Needless to say, larger local growers are delighted with this huge new market for their produce. Publix says the Redland Raised will help them keep transportation costs down, which should result in lower prices for customers, and a smaller carbon footprint.

Miami-Dade County’s agriculture industry is number two in the state (after Palm Beach County) and 18th in the country, generating an estimated $2.7 billion for the local economy.

On the Miami-Dade County web site, on the Office of the County Mayor’s page:

Buy Local, Redland Raised available at Publix

For South Floridians who want to buy local… the shopping experience is about to get even better. Thanks to a partnership with Publix Super Markets, more than 1,000 Publix stores will soon feature locally-grown fresh produce. The produce will be dubbed Redland Raised.

Along with ”organic”, ”buy-one-get-one-free”, and ”on sale” – Redland Raised can be the new buzz word in grocery store shopping. While Publix has always supported our local agriculture industry – shoppers who walk the produce aisle can now look for special labeling and displays that show when green beans, zucchini, avocados and more come from our very own backyard.

Redland Raised is a way to educate and encourage our residents to invest in local produce and in turn, stimulate our local economy. Miami-Dade County’s agriculture industry is number 2 in the state and number 18 in the country, generating an estimated $2.7 billion for our local economy.

I would like to thank Publix Super Markets for making it possible to promote our local brand, and for their continued investment in our community.

Enjoy Redland Raised!

Sincerely,
Mayor Carlos Alvarez

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Arazá ice cream

Posted in chef, events, farmer/grower, food, fruits, locavore, market, tagged , , , , on October 26, 2009|

Arazá! What a wonderful name! Too bad the fruit is so tart…. But Farmer Margie told me that Hani Khouri of Redland Mediterranean Organics was going to make ice cream with it. Robert Barnum confirmed he had sold some fruit. Hot on the trail, I spoke with Hani and he promised that arazá ice cream would be available at the Edible Garden Festival at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

Arazá ice cream

Arazá ice cream

So I braved sporadic rain showers on Saturday, sidled up to Hani’s tent and asked, “Got arazá?” Yes, he said, and his son Jad handed me a container from the cooler. The only ingredients are arazá, agave nectar, and fresh goat milk. The ice cream is pale yellow in color, sweet and tart at the same time, with a “yogurt-like flavor in the back as a finish,” as Hani described. From the first spoonful I was in a swoon, lost in the blend of sweet-tart-tangy flavors and the smooth, creamy texture. Almost forgot to photograph it, that’s why there’s some missing in the picture. It’s now my new favorite flavor. Sorry, mango-orchid. Sorry, papaya.

Hani started heating organic safflower oil in the big fry pan to make falafel, and I realized that a) I hadn’t had lunch and b) I hadn’t eaten his falafel in ages. Time to remedy that.

First came the flatbread, smeared with a dab of tahini sauce green with mint. Then three golden nuggets of falafel were topped with amba, fermented pickled green mango flavored with fenugreek and mustard seeds. “It’s spicy,” Hani warned, adding a small amount. (He claims that Farmers Margie and Gabriele are addicted to his amba.) I like how it added an exotic bite. Then came pickled turnips (bright pink from beets), thinly sliced cucumber and chopped tomato. Uniquely flavorful, this style of falafel is lighter than what I’ve tried elsewhere, and was told those particular toppings are quite popular in Israel.

Making falafel

Assembling falafel with pickled turnips

Redland Mediterranean Organics has teamed up with Sous Chef 2 Go and is sharing a tent at the Jackson Memorial Hospital farmers market. It happens on Thursdays in front of the Alamo building. Go look for their tent at lunchtime. The arazá ice cream is waiting to meet your taste buds. Also new on the menu is chicken roll — chicken seasoned with sumac (which gives it a cinnamon-like taste), rolled in dough and baked. And don’t forget the goat cheese!

[Note: Hani Khouri called me on Nov. 11 to tell me that he’s no longer selling at this market due to a sharp increase in vendor fees. He and Sous Chef 2 Go are partnering in a new lunch menu at the shop in Kendall. Look for my review coming soon.]

The Jackson Memorial Foundation Green Market @ Alamo Park
1611 NW 12th Ave., Miami
Inside the JMH Campus
Open Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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