Rhode Island Feeds

We wanted to give an update after our post a few weeks back about the first successful gleaning trips.

• The interest grew in the following weeks and apples were still ripe for the gleaning, so a joint group of Brown University and Johnson & Wales University students traveled to Barden Family Orchard in North Scituate, where they picked 62 bushels.

• Just last weekend, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah class from Temple Emanuel in Providence gathered another 8 bushels from Barden.

• With the initial two trips that added up to 58 bushels, these combined efforts came out to a total of 128 bushels of apples, all sent to food pantries and meal sites around the state.

• That’s over 10,000 apples picked in just 3 weeks!

These are apples that would have gone to waste without the efforts of so many students and volunteers. We’d like to acknowledge the generosity of Barden Family Orchard and Hill Orchard and the dedication of local students in coming together to accomplish an amazing feat!

 

 

The Saturday and Wednesday Wintertime Farmers Markets were overflowing with fresh produce and bustling shoppers. Thanks to all the farmers, customers, volunteers, musicians, FFRI staff, family, friends, who made the opening days so successful and fun!

2011 Pickle Contest Update

A big thanks to our contest Judges:

• Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts
• Peter Cooper, Executive Director of Culinary Procurement, Johnson & Wales University
• Josh Miller, State Senator and owner, Local 121
• Valeria Molinelli, Director of Culinary Events, Johnson & Wales University

And congratulations to the 2011 Pickle Contest Winners:

1. Best Traditional Pickle: Allison Westhoven; cucumbers from DeCastro Farm, Portsmouth, RI
2. Best Brine: The Harvest Kitchen; Dillly Beans; green beans from RI Nursuries, Middletown, RI
3. Best Ferment: Yael Warshai; Sauerkraut; made at Adamah Farm in Falls Village, CT
4. Best All-Around Pickle: Yael Warshai; Sauerkraut

More pictures of the Pickle Contest on Facebook!

Shop for fresh fruits and vegetables not once, but twice a week this winter! Opening day of the Wednesday Wintertime Farmers Market is this Wednesday, November 9th from 4-7pm inside Hope Artiste Village – 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860.

What you can find on Wednesdays:

• Fresh, local food – Locally inspired, savory dishes from India Restaurant in Providence, RI; organic meat from Simmons Farm in Middletown, RI; and goat cheese, greens, potatoes, squash, fish, scallops, vegan goodies, wood-fired pizza, radishes, herbs, from over 25 farmers and vendors!
• Cooking demos with free samples every week from Johnson & Wales University.
• Farmers Market Tours for community groups to discover what’s fresh, share delicious recipes and discuss shopping strategies for every budget. By appointment only, contact Kayla@farmfreshri.org

To celebrate the opening of the Wednesday Market on November 9, EcoRI and Whole Foods will host a free screening of Forks over Knives at 7:30pm in the Greenhouse (off of main hallway).

*SPECIAL DEAL* Save more on the market with this deal from www.nest4less.com. Pay $5 and receive $10 worth of Fresh Bucks to spend at the market (Wednesday or Saturday). Deal ends this Thursday!

Over 20 volunteers joined us on Saturday for a morning gleaning trip to Hill Orchards in Johnston, RI. In under two hours, the crew picked 50.5 bushels of apples, which we estimate at 2,000 pounds (1 ton!), and at pick-your-own prices, $2,500 worth of apples.

Farm Fresh RI is now coordinating delivery of these apples to pantries, to supplement our Farm to Pantry program, now in its 17th week of operation. About 25 bushels went out to the St. Teresa Food Pantry in Providence and the MLK Community Center in Newport today!

Everyone who participated had a great time and learned a lot. There were sooo many apples still on the trees – the group’s 50 bushels barely made a dent on what was available. Click here for more pictures.

Another gleaning trip is scheduled for this Saturday at Barden Family Orchard. The goal: collect 2 tons of apples!

Thanks to Hill Orchards and all who participated.

FOOD DAY – OCTOBER 24TH 2011 “Food Day seeks to bring together Americans from all walks of life-parents, teachers, and students; health professionals, community organizers, and local officials; chefs, school lunch providers, and eaters of all stripes-to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way.” www.foodday.org

In celebration of Food Day, Mayor Taveras announced the City’s participation in one of our newest programs, Veggie Box. Several City Hall employees signed up and will be receiving a box of fresh, local fruits and vegetables bi-weekly for 2 months. The program seeks to improve the health of both worksite employees and farms by:

• Increasing sales and consumption of locally grown products
• Providing convenient access to local foods
• Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption
• Creating demand for local foods in workplaces

Learn more on the Veggie Box website.

See below for exciting information on additional Food Day events in Rhode Island!
After the day’s events stop by the free screening of Urban Roots hosted by Whole Foods, New Urban Farmers, EcoRI, and Farm Fresh RI

• Monday, October 24th – 7pm
• Johnson & Wales University, 265 Harborside Boulevard, Providence, RI

For a full list of events visit www.eatdrinkri.com

This year the Perfect Pickle contest is back, so get your jars and recipes ready, and check out a farmers market for the finest in fresh produce! If you are new to pickling or have a favorite recipe, all are welcome to participate. All entries must contain at least one local ingredient.

Contest Categories:   Compete in any or all of these categories:

• Best Pickle (traditionally brined cukes)
• Best Brine (any pickle-able produce, any flavor)
• Best Ferment (any sauerkraut or kimchee)
• Best in Show (the most mouth-watering of them all)

We have 3 fabulous judges confirmed for the Pickle Contest:

• Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts
• Chef Valeria Molinelli of Johnson & Wales
• Chef Peter Cooper of Johnson & Wales

Judging Location and Time:

• Register for the contest online.
• Bring your entry to opening day of the Wintertime Farmers’ Market, Saturday, Nov. 5th, 2011 at Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket.
• Entries must be submitted by 11am, tasting will begin at 11:30.  
• Judges to be decided. Are you a pickle expert? If you’d like to judge email Sarah
• Winners will be announced by 1pm; winners from each category will receive unique, handcrafted local goodies and recognition on our website!

On September 1st, Farm Fresh RI made its first delivery of donated food from local farms to a local food pantry. Since then, we have been making deliveries twice a week to a rotation of food pantries across the state. The produce, gleaned at the end of the day from the Wednesday and Saturday Hope Street Farmers Markets, includes cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, squash, radishes, greens, herbs, potatoes, green beans, onions, apples, nectarines, sweet corn, and more! So far we have received donations from 13 participating farms and made deliveries to pantries that serve in total almost 1,000 Rhode Island residents per week.

Farm to Food Pantry builds upon the great local food infrastructure developed through the Market Mobile program. With farmers markets and trucks in place, it’s simple to get fresh food to the neediest in our communities while at the same time tackling the issue of food waste.

This is what a community-based food system is all about. Rhode Island farmers play a critical role in providing nutritious food for our communities. Restaurants and other institutions support them by putting local food on their menus. We now are able to use farmers markets and Market Mobile as a platform to make sure this year’s harvest reaches more Rhode Islanders.

Thank you to the farmers who have contributed so far for their continuous generosity! And thanks also to the food pantries and soup kitchens across the state for their crucial work feeding the neediest in our communities. Check out our new Farm to Food Pantry page to find out more about participating farms and pantries.

Celebrate the harvest and One Seed Rhode Island today, September 22nd at the Armory Farmers Market. Tastings, kids activities, special food trucks, and a bouncy house rain or shine!

One Seed Rhode Island brings together the RI community to celebrate summertime, good food, and local agriculture. People of all ages, backgrounds and locations participated in this inaugural year, and here are a few of their stories.

This August, Annie Rose, a CityArts teacher at the South Providence Recreation Center, built a community garden with her youth cohort where they planted the One Seed green beans. She adds, “but even more excitingly, I made take-home planters with the kids last week and we planted your seeds in there!” The youth had an opportunity to connect with their food and they were all smiles (see photo on right).

Michael Giroux, of the Fertile Underground spread beans throughout the Providence community with his guerilla tactic. He explains, “I scattered 10 of the One Seed RI packets while riding on a bike between Harkness & Harrison on Westminster Street. There is much bare soil where they’ve been re-doing the sidewalks.  The beans were scattered from the bike, then riding I’d pull another packet out of right cargo pocket, rip it & shake ‘em out to my left.  Very effective.” Fertile Underground also hosted green beans in their community garden and promoted the project at their new store.

Lastly, One Seed green beans made the journey all the way down to Tiverton, RI to Sandywoods Farm. David Noyes and Harmony Winters of the farm feel a statewide sense of community that comes with the project. “We love the idea of so many people growing the same crop, talking, sharing and learning together.” They appreciate the “sense of community that is being fostered by participating… meanwhile developing an awareness of growing your own food, eating local, and farming in general.” Their farm planted about 6,000 seeds in plantings this summer. Harmony and Dave report that everyone at Sandywoods Farm has been greatly enjoying the experience. The One Seeds continue to pay it forward, as Sandywood’s growing season has been so productive that they’ve “begun to donate produce to a local soup kitchen and food pantry.”

Thanks to all who participated this year! Come celebrate and learn more at the Armory Harvest Party today, rain or shine. YOU can help choose the 2012 One Seed Rhode Island.

Stay tuned to www.farmfresh.org/one or email Sarah@farmfreshri.org with questions, ideas, interest.

HFHF Team, Valeria Reyes center, at the Armory Market. Not shown: Andrea Rojas

Sybil Gotsch, the Program Coordinator of Healthy Foods, Healthy Families, was a bit nervous when Valeria Reyes showed up to volunteer at the fast-paced Armory Market. “My first impression of Valeria was that she was very friendly and sweet, but shy,” expressed Sybil. “But man was I surprised! Valeria really came out of her shell working with us and has been amazingly helpful this summer.” But the amazing volunteer help didn’t stop there!  Andrea Rojas, Valeria’s neighbor, joined Valeria and the dynamic duo impressed us all with their commitment and hard work helping Healthy Foods, Healthy Families (HFHF) each week. Valeria Reyes and Andrea Rojas are our amazing Volunteers of the Month for August!

“I like learning about fruits and vegetables, and where they come from,” Valeria answered when asked about her favorite moments volunteering with the Healthy Foods, Healthy Families program. This is Valeria’s 1st volunteer experience and she added, “I’ve learned a lot.” Valeria and Andrea, both high school students in Providence, served as translators, activity leaders, and general helpers with HFHF, primarily at the Armory Market in the West End of Providence. They helped the program reach its goal of signing up 250 low-income families to participate in the farmers market education program this summer!

Sybil Gotsch had more praise for the two young women,”Valeria and Andrea have been amazingly helpful this summer at the Armory market, which is by far our busiest market. Both young women are fluent in Spanish and English and can easily communicate and connect with our families.” Sybil adds, “They are also hard workers, always asking what more they can do and wanting to learn as much as they can about our education activities.”

We hope that Valeria and Andrea will help us out next year as well! Farm Fresh seconds Sybil’s remark, “It has been a pleasure working with you both!” Thank you!

Woonsocket Mayor Fontaine Cutting the Ribbon!

Last week, Farm Fresh RI and Thundermist Health Center of Woonsocket officially cut the ribbon in celebration of an innovative pilot program, The Fruit & Vegetable Prescription Program (FVRx), which is running at the Woonsocket Farmers Market this season. FVRx is a nutrition education outreach program that builds upon Farm Fresh’s “Healthy Foods, Healthy Families” program, for it promotes affordable and healthy eating while simultaneously supporting local agriculture.

This season, 40 enrolled families are receiving “prescriptions” from their doctors at Thundermist redeemable at the Woonsocket Farmers Market, which is held in the Thundermist parking lot each week. Each enrolled family receives $1 per day per family member for produce, which certainly adds up over an entire market season. Family sizes range from two to eight members, and they are returning week after week to buy fresh and local fruits and vegetables.

The Fruit & Vegetable Prescription Program is a public health initiative of the Wholesome Wave Foundation and Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited (CAVU). In its pilot year, FVRx is running in only seven sites across the country, and Farm Fresh is proud to be supporting one of them!

Thank you to Wholesome Wave for creating such an important program, to Thundermist Health Center for its dedication to bringing healthy food to Woonsocket residents, and to the Woonsocket Farmers Market vendors for providing “nature’s best medicine” to families who need it!

For more information on FVRx, please visit our website: Fruit and Vegetable Prescriptions

Winners from the "guess the weight of the vegetable" contest at the Armory farmers market!

The 2011 National Farmers Market Weekis coming to a close, and here at Farm Fresh we wanted to take a minute to thank the farmers, customers, supporters, and all of our partners that contribute to successful farmers markets throughout the state!

At our Broad Street, Armory, and Downtown farmers markets we celebrated the occasion with mini-contests, tastings, and fun! You can still celebrate tomorrow (Sunday August 14th) at the Pawtucket Farmers Market at Slater Mill from 12pm – 3pm.

Check out more photos on our Facebook Page from National Farmers Market Week!

By Angelica Sullam

There is a growing sense of community as a result of the One Seed Rhode Island Project. It is hard to miss when there are 10,000 Rhode Islanders planting the same Provider bush beans across the state. You can see bean sprouts growing in the sidewalk planters of Providence and you can see the same beans at farmers’ markets everywhere.  The farm profiled today has a particularly concrete understanding of the community surrounding this project.

David Noyes and Harmony Winters of Sandywoods Farm feel this statewide sense of community. They write, “We love the idea of so many people growing the same crop, talking, sharing and learning together.” They appreciate the “sense of community that is being fostered by participating… meanwhile developing an awareness of growing your own food, eating local, and farming in general.” Sandywoods Farm was particularly excited to participate in this project because of their own mission statement, which is about cultivating a sustainable community focused on arts, agriculture and building community.

Their farm has just planted about 6,000 seeds in plantings spaced about one week apart. Their last three rows of seedspopped up just recently. Harmony and Dave report that everyone at Sandywoods Farm has been greatly enjoying the experience. They are hoping to harvest their Provider beans starting in August and up until the first frost.

Not only do Dave and Harmony understand the community created around planting the beans, but they also see where the community- building begins and how to carry it over after planting the seeds. Their “favorite part about participating is being able to obtain these seeds through your [Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s] program and turn them into a valuable food source.” They are planning on sharing the crop with all of their community members and are also hoping to share their beans with a local food shelter. The sense of community is not just about everyone planting the seeds together, it is also about community interactions that come with obtaining the seeds, planting, growing, harvesting, and eating the beans. Every part of the One Seed Rhode Island Project works to enhance this state’s sense of community.

A big thanks to Sandywoods Farm for participating this year!

A message from Sandywoods Farm: Our farm is in the final stages of a nationwide contest to win an orchard of fruit trees. We are currently in the top 5, which guarantees us an orchard, but we are at risk to be knocked from our place! If you could spread the word about our contest, we’d appreciate it! You can vote once a day per email address! Thanks for your support! http://www.communitiestakeroot​.com/Plant/Index