It’s been ages since I’ve posted anything, but it’s not for want of information or activity. It’s been a busy time and incredibly we’re actually nearing the deadline for the fall issue!
Our summer issue has been a huge hit and we are officially out of magazines! There may be a few left here and there, but for Local Table news keep in touch with the website.
The big news is that we are doing a fundraising campaign to help build Local Table’s Farm to Plate food hub – a link between Tennessee farmers and local businesses. Food retailers, restaurants, hospitals, school systems, food banks and more will be able to easily find the items they are looking for and connect directly to the producer. We won’t be able to do it without your support. Times are very tough and every dollar is important and we truly appreciate your efforts to help us achieve our goal!
http://www.gofundme.com/LTFarmToPlate
Also, new to our website are some of the Nashville Food Bloggers. Check ‘em out and we’ll add more as go along!
Posts Tagged ‘Local Table Magazine’
Catching Up
Monday, July 23rd, 2012Waiting for spring
Friday, March 2nd, 2012
It’s pouring down rain and the skies are that eerie color of grey black. Storms are supposed to be here all day. Yesterday it was a perfect blue sky day of mid sixty temps and I was lucky enough to spend part of it in the garden. I’m still waiting for the birth of our goat mamas Lizzy and Jane’s babies and yesterday I ordered chicks!
It’s spring in Tennessee and I love it! I saw my first trillium yesterday and more of my favorite wildflowers aren’t far behind. It’s a time of anticipation, expectation and all things are possible in the garden. The garden hasn’t been ravaged by flood, drought or pests yet and I know this will be the best garden yet!
I’m also waiting for the delivery of the Spring issue of Local Table and hope to start getting out and around Middle Tennessee over the weekend and for the next few weeks.
Please let me know if you’d like to help spread the word and put magazines out in your community!
First ever Local Table Holiday Guide
Wednesday, November 16th, 2011I’m so excited to let everyone know about our first ever Local Table Holiday Guide – it’s a gift catalog of local vendors selling items for the holidays. We have so many talented, passionate and creative individuals and families doing such wonderful work in our area. We’ve got farmers who do value added products such as soaps, body care items, CSA gift certificates, artisan producers creating cheese, sausages, coffees, sauces, preserves, and much more. And, if you need some help with your holiday meals, there are bread makers, bakers and cooks galore to help you serve the best holiday meal ever. Some of our most unique and quality crafts folks are also included. Please support our local vendors and consider making your holiday gift giving a local thing!
Too much stuff in the world, think about giving to two of our favorite community organizations, WCTE-TV and The Land Trust for Tennessee. Both groups working to help preserve our farmland and support our local farmers. A small gift to The Land Trust will help keep our state ‘green’.
Also, don’t forget the good works and beautiful products from Thistle Farms – one of Nashville’s most successful community organizations.
The new Local Table Holiday Gift Guide has been made possible with help from the Nashville Farmers Market and in conjunction with the guide, we’re going to do a Holiday Bazaar on Sat, Dec. 3rd at the Market. It will be from 5:30 – 8:30 and include Holiday Guide vendors and Markethouse favorites. It will be similar to a Night Market with wine, beer, music and more! I know it’s a busy time of the year, but mark this one on your calendar for a great night of local food and gifts!
And, it wouldn’t be Local Table without a guide to seasonal farms – so it can only mean Christmas trees! Make a trip to a local Christmas tree farm for not only your tree, but all your holiday greenery and many farms also carry ornaments and other decorating items.
It’s a great start to the Holiday season and I hope you’ll Give, Live, Love Local!
Importance of the Local Food Movement
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010
The past few years have been challenging economic times for so many of us. One bright spot on our local horizon has been the emergence and development of the local food community – whether it be new farmers and farmers markets, artisan bread, cheese, pasta and chocolate makers, restaurants, mobile food trucks, fabulous sweet shops and bakeries, locally made sauces, jams and even locally brewed and distilled beverages.
I was recently struck by the importance of our farmers markets during a recent visit to Los Angeles and visiting the farmers market that originally got me hooked on local food – the Hollywood Farmers Market. The weekly market draws over 8000 people together on a Sunday morning and sells everything from raw milk, six kinds of plums, buffalo burger, citrus to California sea bass and fresh oysters. When I was a regular patron, there were two blocks of produce, flowers and two blocks of prepared foods such as bread, honey, jams and some crafts folks. Now it’s at least 8 blocks of nothing but fresh and prepared food.
Like here, there are farms who have existed for several generations, but like us too there are so many new faces at the market. People are looking for a better, more meaningful and purposeful life and since the traditional means of making a living have become more precarious, many folks are taking the leap and living their dream of a creative, rooted life. Whether as a farmer/producer or as a creator of healthful and amazing food.
In the late eighties, Robbie Whitelaw, was a musical refugee from South Africa and part of the band Tribe After Tribe. They came to this country to become rock stars. It didn’t exactly work out, but Robbie is now an owner/operator of one of the Hollywood Farmer Markets new businesses, Raw Cane Super Juice. He and his partner started their business of organic juice and smoothies at the market and have been so successful that they now have a retail shop along Sunset Blvd and sell at other markets almost 7 days a week. There are always lines at his stall and my young friend Nate has to have one of the cane coconut juices every week. His juices are created with love and joy and you can taste it. It looks to me like he has finally won the golden ring.
Farmers Markets are vital to our growing local food movement. They are serving as incubators for new businesses and bringing back the mom and pop shop we had begun to lose during the last few decades of big box stores and suburban homogenization.
So, though we only have a few markets open over our winter season, please continue to visit and support our local businesses.
Www.nashvillefarmersmarket.org
www.franklinfarmersmarket.org
Robbie and his loyal customer Nate Newburn.
