This in from Gail Ciampa's Food Blog at Projo.

"Rhode Island Premier of Food Inc. benefits the Rhode Island Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education (RICAPE), Wednesday, July 22 at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport.
The film will screen at 7pm, followed by a panel discussion to discuss agriculture in Rhode Island. At 6 pm light refreshments provided by Whole Foods, Greenvale Vineyards, Newport Vineyards and others will be served.

Tickets are $25 each with a portion of the proceeds to support RICAPE and may be purchased in advance at Jane Pickens.

Learn more about the film at Food Inc."

The movie is now playing through Thursday.

Strawberries Ready!

Check out your favorite supplier, but Sweet Berry Farm is ready on Monday at 8 am.

Local Farmers' Markets

Coming soon, although you can now also buy products locally! Try Sweet Berry Farm or Chase Farms in Portsmouth on East Main (many plants also). You can also go to the Green Grocer in P'mouth on Fri. from 3-6. Haven't been there yet.

I love these things. You can buy almost anything from farm produce- both grown & meats, prepared foods to-go, plants, and whoever else shows that day. Have a hotdog or It. sandwich with Middletown's own Lou & Denise of "Lou's Hotdogs." Knishes, too!

I'm listing the closest. Right now farm products include all kinds of greens, kale, scallions, lettuce, mushrooms, asparagus, radish, rhubarb (yum), and some herbs. Too early for strawberries, sigh. Meats, eggs, milk, cream... if you can't find them, you ain't looking. I always try & puchase Rhody Fresh- no hormones! There is also a Tiverton farm which supplies local products- Arruda Dairy. And don't forget Susanna's homemade ice cream (she's always working out new combos) at Sweet Berry & Cory's Kitchen bakery products. Ahhh, why I live here- well, one reason, at least.

Local farm products- good for you and No Recalls! And ALWAYS- local honey; esp. if you or your pets have allergies!

There is a new location this yr.- the Grange! And I hadn't previously known about the Green Grocer.

Aquidneck Growers' Wednesday June 10
Wed 2:00-6:00 Memorial Blvd. along the wall

Aquidneck Growers' Saturday June 6
Sat 9:00-1:00 Middletown Newport Vineyards & Winery

Middletown / Aquidneck Grange June18
Thu 2:00-6:00 Middletown Aquidneck Grange corner of Aquidneck & E. Main Rd.

Portsmouth
Fri 3:00-6:00 May-Nov The Green Grocer E. Main Rd. (must be inside their store)

Sakonnet Growers' Market June 27
Sat 9:00-1:00 Tiverton Pardon Gray Preserve

Swiss Village Annual Open House

Annual Visitors Day Saturday, June 6, 2009

9:30 am - 3 pm

You must go if you've never been. Wear your walking shoes. Parking at the

Free parking available at Fort Adams State Park

Trolleys will shuttle between parking area and SVF

9:30 am - 3 pm.

No parking will be allowed onsite. SVF Foundation is a non-profit organization working towards the preservation of endangered breeds of livestock. Please visit www.svffoundation.org for in depth information regarding our mission. SVF will be opening to the public for one special day to allow visitors a glimpse of the beautiful historic estate and an opportunity to learn about our important scientific mission.For more information contact the main office. Phone: 401.848.7229

Email info@svffoundation.org

Simmons Farm

Picked this video up from Projo. Get the latest info.

Simmons Farm are now doing their summer greenhouse plantings. They produce meat, eggs, goat cheese, &, of course, veggies. Stand will be open soon. They have a petting farm!

Sweet Berry Farm Opens Today!

Today is the day! Too early for strawberries, though (sigh). What local produce will I find? Milk, cream, eggs, ice cream. Meats. Greens, spring onions, ?peas. Who knows what else? Prepared foods from their chef. Seedlings. Excellent soup. I think I'll sit outside & do lunch.

Here is their link. 8:30 AM- 7:30PM

915 Mitchells Lane.

Farmers' Market Open This Sat.

Open from 9-2 behind 909 E. Main. This is their holiday market.

Directions are here: http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets_details.php?market=1

Local News & Happenings

Sorry for the lack of postings recently. I travelled to Missouri (heart of the Bible belt), found out why I always have such a pain -in-the-neck (no, it's not my sons or husband, but rather arthritis)), knit 2 scarves, & am preparing for Thanksgiving. Once again my NEW laptop is in the shop (#3).

Turkeys for sale (no, I'm not talking about our local politicans): Check out Simmons Farm at $4.89/lb. They led short but happy lives there. E-mail Karla with requested size at simmonsfarm@cox.net or call 848-9910 soon!!! Pick-up is next Mon. afternoon.

Cookie Exchange this Sun. afternoon at Middletown Public Library at 3. Bring cookies that you want to exchange. I'll never forget the yr. I participated in one of these at school & had to make 12 dozen cookies in a galley kitchen with a toddler underfoot while working full-time. E-mail your RSVP to dmmhl@aol.com. Requested but not required. I need to look up that no-bake recipe...

Easton's Beach water temp is 44.5. It dropped 10 points from last week! It's light when I go test it with my partner around 6:15 AM, but just barely. When it's dark we have to keep our headlights on.

So much news (little of it good) and so little time. So respond with topics that you are interested in. And pray for my laptop. Praise Jesus! (oops- left over from my Bible Belt travels).

Senior Farm Vouchers

This was certainly well publicizied-NOT! I just read about it. Councilor Santos, where were you? This comes from Middletown's Senior Center website which ain't much but at least has the current newsletter up. You can call the Dir. but don't bother with e-mail.

The Senior Farmers Market Program August 1st – October 31st 9:00am to Noon

Purpose: To provide locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables to low-income seniors.

Eligiility Criteria: Must be 60 or above and have an annual income of:
* 17,223.50 for a single individual
* $23,106.50 for married couples

Benefits: Each approved applicant will receive a voucher with three (3) $5.00 coupons to purchase at APPROVED Farmers Markets in the state. Vouchers will be available on August 1st at the Middletown Senior Center.

This works around the State, I assume. Granted, it ain't much, but it's something.

Farmers' Markets Open!

This Sat. from 9-1 the Aquidneck Farmers' Market opens!

The Newport market on Memorial Blvd. opens June 11 from 2-6.

Pardon Gray's (Tiverton) opens July 5 from 9- 12.

Great food! Each market has slightly different vendors. I'm waiting patiently (well, maybe not so patiently) for fresh strawberries. Hurry up!!!

This is the Farm Fresh link. Support your local farms! Support local business! Don't eat all the strawberries until I get there!

Here's the link for Middletown's Simmons Farm. It may be open now: 9-5.

Here's the link for Sweet Berry Farm. It's close-by so they know me well. Try the homemade ice cream from the freezer. Yum. You can also eat there (self-serve). It has a small grocery store with other stuff. Many local products. 8:30-7.

R.I. Farm Fresh Calendar for Sale

Buy local! Two Farm Fresh calendars for $17. The money promotes local farming & stays here.

Thanks to Projo for the "heads up." Here is the link.

"From beets in January to chilies in December, this beautiful calendar wows with every month. Offering nude bodies dressed with seasonal, locally grown fruits and vegetables, ripe 2008 celebrates the intimate and wondrous connection between our bodies, ourselves, and our food. This calendar seeks to ignite your passion as well as your taste buds.
ripe 2008 features photographs by Lucas Foglia and Kate Abarbanel, accompanied by seasonal recipes that will not disappoint your senses. Now is your chance to harvest the beauty."

Rhode Islanders Against Harkin's Farm Amendment

*UPDATE: The vote has NOT been taken yet.

This note was rec'd vis a local Islander activist for Newport schools & improving school lunches:

Subject: Senator Reed Needs to hear from anyone NOT in support of Harkin's amendment by today!

" PLEASE send a note to Senator Reed if you are not in support of the State Pre-emption of the Harkin/Murkowski amendment or to sign onto the attached Kids First letter. It appears that the vote to attach the Harkin amendment to the Farm Bill could happen as early as tomorrow, Dec. 12.

Senator Reed is prepared to vote that RI is not in support of State Pre-emption, nor the allowance of sports drinks and artificial sweetened beverages in RI high schools. However, he needs to hear from all who have the same opinion and all who support him in that in that vote.

Send notes to Kristen_Sarri@reed.senate.gov with your signature at the bottom or just send a note that you do not support the State Pre-emption clause of the Harkin/Murkowski amendment."

"The RI Department of Health and RI Department of Environmental Management, Division of Agriculture are NOT in support of the amendment as it is currently written and are sending letters. Please, if you can send a note from yourself or for your organization, Senator Reed needs to and wants to hear from you tonight or tomorrow."


Kids First Letter:

November 8, 2007

The Honorable Jack Reed 1000 Chapel View Boulevard, Suite 290 Cranston, RI 02920

Dear Senator Reed,

We asked you to become a co-sponsor for Senator Harkin’s Bill S771 that originally directed USDA to set standards for foods that compete with the Federal School Meals Programs and you did. The existing standards are out of date and quite meaningless, as we can all see given the competitive junk foods and sugary beverages, etc. that had been available in schools for some time.

S 771 has since changed to include specific nutrition criteria as opposed to letting USDA formulate the criteria and most likely formulate it based on the Institute of Medicine Science-Based Recommendations that were released this year. I and Kids First can no longer support this Bill. This Bill contains a State Preemption Clause and its nutrition criteria is weaker than RI State Laws, as enacted in 2006 and 2007 and that will go into full effect on January 1, 2008.

The Bill, although it has some very good criteria that RI is working towards in regards to sodium content, has the following two significant differences from our Law that sets RI back at least two to three years. The differences are as follows:
S771 allows artificially sweetened beverages and sports drinks in high schools; RI Law rids all RI schools of these beverages as of January 1, 2008.
Has a sugar allowance in snack foods of 35% sugar by weight while RI Law specifies 25% sugar by weight or 7 grams per ounce.

The artificially sweetened and sports/energy drink allowances in the Harkin Bill is of GREATEST concern for the following reasons:
These Harkin Bill components/clauses are driven by for-profit industry groups and we believe that to be too potentially damaging for our children in our schools, not to mention unconscionable in regards to law-making that directly impacts our nation’s school children in school.
Opening the door to artificially sweetened beverages and energy /sports drinks opens the door to a wealth of energy boosting and super-fortified beverages that will be allowable in our high schools under this Law. Harkin’s Law DOES NOT address caffeine and other energy boosters, NOR does it address super fortification; therefore drinks with these ingredients will be allowed in our RI high schools. Drinks with these ingredients have no real nutritional value nor have any place in our children’s diets, as supported by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The beverage industry re-gains its place in our schools for highly branded and differentiated products, thus continues to have the right to market to our children in school everyday and has the ability to potentially hook our children on these products for life!
In RI, our high schools have accepted that they need to unhook themselves from the funding streams of the big beverage companies, except for water, milk, and 100% juice (in 12 ounce or less). However, if Harkin’s Bill is passed, the beverage companies will be allowed, by federal law and superseding our voided State Law, back into our schools to negotiate and re-hook our schools on these funding streams created by selling products to our children that they do not need to be consuming.

I, as well as every staff member of Kids First, an organization that works in very close partnership with RI Departments of Education, Health, Environmental Management, Division of Agriculture, the RI General Assembly and all 36 RI school districts, plead with you to stand up for RI and support that we DO NOT WANT to be pre-empted by the Harkins Bill. We do not want the beverages, nor the sugary snacks that this bill supports and that our RI Law does not support back in our schools!! The advocates for this Bill are misrepresenting Rhode Island’s nutritional standards and achievements in all of its schools and we need you to help us!

Sincerely,


Dorothy A. Brayley
Executive Director




"We guide communities to improve the nutritional & physical wellbeing of children"

Dorothy Brayley, Executive Director
Kids First
5 Richmond Square
Providence, RI 02906
401-751-4503
dbrayley@kidsfirstri.org
website: http://www.kidsfirstri.org/

Music on the Farm!

Simmons Farm, that is. This Sat., Sept. 1 from 4 -7. Free! 1942 W. Main Rd. 849-9910

Acoustic music with Boston's Geoff Farina along with Newport's Fred Abong.

South Co. Swamp Yankee Bluegrass - Rank Strangers.

Bring chairs/blankets.

What is a swamp yankee you might ask? They live ONLY in a small area comprised of Ct. & R.I. Here's one definition:
"Anglo-Saxon farmers in South County there."
And : "a Yankee from poor origins, who had to really hack it out of nothing,"
My personal favorite : "a person who lived in woodland swamps and who became fiercely independent, stubborn, obstinate and uninformed of what was going on in the outside."

As my mother says, "Ya pays your money & ye takes yer choice." (Nah, she is Portuguese.)

Simmons Farm Winter Food Program

This is a first. So here is the info:

30 wks. from Nov. 3 through May 26 (all organic).

1 doz. eggs/wk - $135, or 1/2 dox. for $95

eggs + 1 lb. pastured ground beef $330 (-$45 for 1/2 doz. eggs)

eggs+ ground beef plus + 1 pkg. pork or 1 chicken (alternating wks.) + 1/4 lb. goat cheese and/or greenhouse produce for at least 15 wks. (- $45 for 1/2 doz. eggs)

50 members only, Sat. pickup between 10 & 6 at 1492 W. Main Rd., Middletown

Call 848-9910 or simmsfrm@aol.com

Good food. My turkey came from here at T'giving. I'm still trying to develope a fondness for goat cheese.

Sweet Berry Farm

There is a good article in today's "Daily News" on Sweet Berry Farm & the owners. Remember, their links are only good for a day. After that you pay. Jan Eckhart and his dad, Ted, aren't hard to spot on the farm, often tractor driving. A number of family members work there, including wife Michelle. You can also visit with the friendly German Shepherds.
My mom says that visiting there is "fun." And she's right. Each year the farmstand changes with what they stock. I used to work with Jan in his former life as an English teacher. Who knew he could be "Farmer Jan", too?
Chef Cory has prepared foods to purchase. Thank you, Cory. Lots of nights you are dinner.
Strawberries are available now until the beginning of July. Good crop this year. Sometimes shortcake biscuits are available, as is angelfood cake. Yum. Good with berries. I've been mashing them up & adding brown sugar this yr. instead of white. This supposedly enhances the flavor. Eat 'em out of the box or try them sliced with some heavy cream sold there from a Tiverton dairy.
The Farmers' Markets are also open now on Wed. in Newport (on Memorial Blvd.) in the afternoons & Sat. in Middletown off of East Main Rd. by the Glass Onion.

Buy fresh! Buy local!

The Strawberries Are Coming!

Thursday/Friday is the day at Sweet Berry Farm off Mitchells La. in Middletown. Pray for no more rain. It makes them mushy!

You can buy them picked (my choice) or pick them yourself. It's a short season so take advantage of local produce!

Bees Aren't Just for Honey

Further update: "Rhode Island beekeepers have lost as many as 80 percent of their honeybees this season..." Most of our beekeepers have only a few hives. Larger keepers use theirs to pollinate orchards & farms (veggies & berries). Our two largest crops (ornamentals & sods) do not use pollination. The price of new bees for hives has gone up. "At Trail’s End Farm, in Richmond, Robar is about to build a bee barn where he can work through the winter to develop a new strain of honeybee that will thrive in New England’s climate and resist many of the illnesses and pests threatening bees." Honeybees are not native to America!

Update: some researchers are now linking the collapsing hives with cellphone use.
We need more research into cell phone usage & linkage with cancer. Some European nations prohibit use of these to children & teens. I see now that Disney is promoting the use of phones for young children. Many say that using your cell phone should always be done keeping it as far as possible from you (like using a headset or the speaker setting). It's also been linked in studies to lower sperm counts in males.

If bees were to disappear, man would only have a few years to live. — Albert Einstein

Honeybees are dying around the world and no one is exactly sure why. Beekeepers on the East Coast have seen 70% of their hives die while it's 60% on the West Coast. Some believe that it is a result of genetically engineered crops. Others that it's the result of a pesticide used to treat seeds.

Honeybees represent billions of dollars to the farm industry who use them for pollination.

I am wondering if any of the keepers locally have suffered any of these losses.

Rhode Island Schools Go to the Dogs!

I've never heard of"Literacy Dogs" but doggone it, there is a school in Cranston that has one. This is part of a nation-wide program called "Reading Education Assitance Dogs." Here is their brochure.

"They really love reading to Henry,' she said [Charlene Lataille, a speech pathologist]. 'A lot of the children like to snuggle up against him. Some have never patted a dog before, and we have heard from some parents that they now practice for Henry at home by reading books to their stuffed animals.'”

"The mission of the R.E.A.D. program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered Pet Partner® therapy teams as literacy mentors." And good news - cats and even birds have been trained to take part in the program. Farm animals also take part. I know that Simmons Farm sometimes has a summer program stressing literacy skills.

Animals have to be obedience trained, then lessons in being a general-service dog and finally schooling on how to be a literacy companion to be part of this program.

For all the librarians & dog lovers out there here is another article from "School Library Journal."

The Potter League has a similar program, "Reading Fur Fun", but more limited in its scope.

Thanks to Projo for the Article & pic

"Manic Organic" Farm

Today I received the application to purchase a farmshare from "Manic Organic" out of Portsmouth. With their share there is pickup in Newport and Portsmouth at their Stonewall Stand on East Main Rd. beginning in June for about 20 wks. You can also purchase their products at the local farmers' markets.
It's $575 for a full share & $310 for a half. In the past I've gotten a watermelon, flowers, honey, pumpkins, etc. I've bought from them as it's easier for me to pickup on Everett St. rather than go to Simmons on West Main Rd. But this yr. Simmons also has a delivery service for an extra fee.
You can contact Nicole Vitello -- Manic Organic P.O. Box 425 Portsmouth, RI 02871E-Mail: nicole@manicorganic.biz Phone: 401.480.1403 Website: www.manicorganic.biz
Whichever one you choose, I know that you'll be pleased. It's like getting a surprise gift once a week! Pray for good weather for a bountiful crop. It's made me far more aware of my environment.
Buy local! Buy fresh! Forget about recalls due to contamination.

Simmons Farm

Today I rec'd info in the mail regarding the upcoming year's farmshare program from Simmons. I love farm shares! In a good year a full share enables me to go and spend a LOT less time & money at the grocery store. Alas, last year was NOT a good farm year.

Simmons also has goat cheese, flowers, meat, soaps, & eggs. Every year the local farm programs seem to expand. Sometimes I've even had local honey as part of a share. They also sent a promo regarding their farmstay program involving renting a house and their farm's family history.

A full share is $525.00 and one-half share for $310 (you may pay in two parts). You can also sign up for eggs and beef & chicken. For a few $ extra they will deliver. It's all organic. Another farm share program involves "Manic Organic" out of Portsmouth. I haven't rec'd their info yet. Of course, both are organic. These foods are also available at the weekly markets in Middletown & Newport. I'm still using potatoes from "Maplewood" farm.

Since being involved with "Manic Organic," I've learned to love bush cherries, edamame, all kinds of herbs, and even some squashes. I love melon, but only tolerate summer squash & eggplant. Yum to cukes & baby greens. Tomatoes are often heirloom varities. Much of the produce is of types not available in the chains. I never get enough peppers or fresh peas. Sorry, but greens are NOT a favorite, although I've tried many recipes and know how good they are for my family. The best thing I can say about them is that you can finely chop them up & add them to soups, stews, & casseroles without anyone noticing.

Their phone is 848-9910 on 1941 West Main Rd. in Middletown. E-mail simmsfarm@aol.com. They also have a walking path this year & still have the petting zoo (I want to meet the fainting goats). Buy Local!