Hudson Valley Adirondack Workshops for Food Entreprenuers

CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SARATOGA COUNTY

Get Your Food Business off the Ground and Growing Wednesday, April 8, 2015

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Workshops for Food Entrepreneurs

9:00-10:00 Get Permission: Regulations and Licensing Where do you go to get permission to sell your packaged food product at retail locations, or sell ready to eat food at venues, such as farmers’ markets? Can you make your product in your own home kitchen? Get these and other questions answered. Presenter:John M Luker, Assistant Director, Division of Food Safety & Inspection, New York State Department of Agriculture& Markets

10:00-11:00  Get Approval: Making sure your food product is safeMany food products require review and approval by a food safety expert called a Process Authority. The NYS Food Venture Center at Cornell University provides process authority services. The path to approval requires review of formulations, container and storage requirements, and processing methods. The Food Venture Center offers assistance with product and process safety evaluations, regulatory compliance, process development recommendations and shelf-life evaluation.Presenter: Elizabeth Sullivan, Cornell University Food Venture Center

11-12:15 Get Ready: Taking your passion for food and making moneyWhat are your first steps in taking your passion and creating a viable business? How do you make sure your foundation is strong enough to support your growth? How do you get started? We know you have a great recipe but while that is important there is so much more to plan (and no you don’t need a 40-page business plan with charts and graphs)…but you do need to know how to create a path for yourself to walk.Presenter: Katherine Gregory – Food Business Entrepreneur

12:15-1:00 Lunch (on your own)

1:00-2:15Get Set: Outgrowing your Kitchen…the next steps in processingAre you ready to move out of your home kitchen? Is your community ready for a shared-use kitchen? Learn about the steps you need to take to produce your products for market in a commercial kitchen. Discover some options, ask questions and learn first-hand about our experiences doing just this & how we navigated the process.Presenter: Katherine Gregory & Jeri Woodhouse2:15-3:30Get Going: Bringing your Product to MarketExplore the decisions you need to make to create an identity, to use packaging and branding to set yourself apart from your competition, and to develop an action plan to successfully market your products. Presenter: Jeri Woodhouse – Food Business Entrepreneur

3:30-5:00 Get Down to BusinessHow can you maximize your chances for a successful food business venture? Learn about developing a small business feasibility study and plan.Presenter: William Edwards, Small Business Advisor

Fee: $65 or two for $95 (one information packet)To register call: Cornell Cooperative Extension 518-885-8995

Contact Diane Whitten Community Nutrition/Health dsh23@cornell.edu 518-885-8995 Location Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County 50 West High Street Ballston Spa, NY 12020

KINGSTON FARMERS MARKET HOSTS COOKING DEMOS SLOW FOOD

KINGSTON FARMERS MARKET HOSTS COOKING DEMOS

 

KINGSTON — This Saturday, the Kingston Farmers’ Market will host cooking demonstrations by Slow Food Hudson Valley and Culinary Institute of America students, the music of David Michael Peters, face-painting with the Smile Factory and a presentation by the Forsyth Nature Center.

The Kingston Farmers’ Market has about 40 vendors offering fresh fruits and vegetables, organic and natural meats, an assortment of cheeses, wine, breads and other baked goods, honey, fresh-cut flowers and more. Shoppers can bring a recyclable bag or pick one up at the market.

The Kingston Farmers’ Market is located on Wall Street between Main & John Streets in the Historic Stockade District of uptown Kingston.

Shoppers can receive updates, recipes and coupons by signing up for the weekly newsletter on the Kingston Farmers’ Market website, www.kingstonfarmersmarket.org, or follow the Kingston Farmers’ Market on Facebook.

The market will continue, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday through Nov. 22.

 

Community Farm to Table Thanksgiving Dinner and Food Drive

A WONDERFUL WAY TO CELEBRATE  AN ORGANIC THANKSGIVING IN COMMUNITY AND FOR A GOOD CAUSE!

NOFA-NY ORGANIC FARMERS AND OTHERS HAVE PARTNERED TO PUT ON THIS SPECIAL THANKSGIVING FEAST IN LAKE HUNTINGTON  NEW YORK. PLEASE MAKE RESERVATIONS BEFORE NOVEMBER 21. ALL ARE WELCOME AND IT IS FREE TO ATTEND! TRANSPORTATION IS PROVIDED AS WELL. CALL 888-551-8625 OR EMAIL info@NaturalContents.com

IT’S TIME TO TRAMP FOR RAMPS IN THE CATSKILLS

Selling to the Wholesale Marketplace Free Workshop Honesdale PA March 18

Presented by Fair Food Philadelphia

With funding from The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

When: Monday March 18^th, 9am – 3pm

Where: The Cooperage, 1030 Main Street, Honesdale PA 18431 in Wayne Co.

Selling to wholesale customers such as restaurants, grocery stores, and distributors can help farmers grow their business and their income. This workshop is designed to introduce farmers to a variety of wholesale markets and help them decide which customers fit their style of operation.

The workshop will cover:

• Wholesale customers: who they are, what they want, and how they want it
• Communication: what you have to sell, how you let them know about it, and how you keep them hooked
• Logistics: packing, packaging, PLU’s and PO numbers, and getting paid
• Compliance: know what you need – licenses, insurance, food safety
• Strength in numbers: working together to aggregate and bring the food to market

Learn from industry professionals and farmers who are making it work.

 

To register please email:

lindsaygilmour@comcast.net

A delicious lunch will be provided courtesy of Ant Hill Farm.

Please arrive at 8:45am so we can start promptly at 9am.

 

The Presenters

Ann Karlen is the executive director of Fair Food in Philadelphia. Ann and Fair Food have been connecting local farmers with businesses and consumers for over a decade, promoting the importance of family farms and creating a year-round marketplace for fresh, local and humane food products in the Greater Philadelphia region. http://www.fairfoodphilly.org/

 

Lindsay Gilmour is the chef/owner of Organic Planet Handcrafted Foods and a long time local food systems advocate. In addition to her personal chef services, Lindsay works on Farmer Outreach and Product Development for Common Market Philadelphia, a local food distributor. Lindsay is the former Farm to Institution Program Manager at Fair Food and the current board co-chair.

The Little Farm Show Plays Pakatakan Farmers Market August 11

photo Ten Pilonero

The Little Farm Show appears at local Farmers’ Markets FREE

 

THE LITTLE FARM SHOW is the greatest show on dirt! Created by NACL artists Tannis Kowalchuk, Brett Keyser and Jane Wells, The Little Farm Show asks: where does your food come from?” The world-famous MacDonald twins take the audience ona whirlwind music-filled tour through the history of agriculture and finish with a visit to Millicent’s little farm. The play speaks to people of all ages.

http://www.nacl.org/

 

Upcoming Shows: SpiegelTent at Bard College August 4/5, Pakatakan Farmers Market August 11, Center for Discovery August 15, Touchstone Theatre September 8th, Bethelwoods Harvest Festival September 23, Ithaca State Theatre September 30.

 

 

Rondout Valley Organics Hosts CSA Collaborative Pot Luck May 5 at Rusty Plough Farm

Rondout Valley Organics is a collaborative of local farms, anchored by Rondout Valley member  Rusty Plough Farm.

Membership allows you access to a weekly availability list of products from our farms. You choose what you want to order each week. No minimum requirements. Skip a week if you’re away. The value of your items is then deducted from your account each week. As your account nears depletion, we welcome you to reinvest through the remaining season. Since your account dollars are yours until you use them, balances carry forward into the following season. However, inactive balances are forfeit after two years.

Choose from the following pickup locations in Ulster and Sullivan Counties:

• Rusty Plough Farm, Ulster Heights, from Thursday mornings
• Farm & Granary, Rte.209 Wawarsing, from Thursday mornings
• Catskill Native Nursery, Samsonville Rd., Kerhonkson, Fridays 10am – Saturdays 3pm
• Kingston Farmers’ Market, Kingston, Saturdays 9-2
• Ellenville (downtown location/time TBA)
• Cragsmoor Library in Cragsmoor, Thursdays noon – 7:30pm
• MyRadiantYoga, Main Street in Mountaindale, Thursdays noon-7:00pm

For more information about the potluck on May 5 or CSA membership call Oleh or Nadia at  845-647-6911 or visit the website http://www.farmtocity.org/Home.asp

Ramp Festival Slow Food UpdeRiva Celebrates the Arrival of Ramps

Slow Food UpdeRiva

On May 6th, at the Callicoon Farmer’s Market, Slow Food UpDeRiVa will be celebrating the Ramp, one of this region’s most wonderful wild delicacies.

Courtesy of Sullivan County Farmers Market, we’ll be hosting demonstrations, recipes, and tastings.

Ramp Recipes and Classes

11:00 – 12:00    Quick basics:  How to make ramp butter and ramp pickles

12:00 – 1:00    Bob Eckert of Northern Farmhouse Pasta, will join us with samples and demonstrations. Have you had his ramp ravioli? It’s pure joy in a dumpling.

   1:00 – 200   Ethical Ramping: How to find, harvest, and transplant ramps.

  Slow Food UpdeRiva will  also have a cookbook, totebags, and maps available for the Ramp Tramp.

2:00- 3:00    Relocating and caravanning to the Ramp Tramp in Callicoon Center

3:00   Ramp Tramp

Channery Hill Farm, 77 Keller Rd, Callicoon Center NY

 Meet at the house, then tramp up the hill, where we’ll forage for ramps, and maybe some other seasonal plants as well.

4:00 Ramp Cook

Once harvested, we’ll cook the ramps in as many ways as possible.

6:00 Ramp Potluck

Channery Hill Farm,  77 Keller Rd, Callicoon Center NY

After we’ve walked and dug all day, let’s just sit and eat and invite everybody else to join us.

For more information:http://slowfoodupderiva.org/

Rondout Valley Growers Association Farm to Community Series FOOD MATTERS

 

Food Matters! A Series of Farm-to-Community Conversations A Day in the Life of a Local Farmer Friday, Febrary 24, 6:30-8:00pm, Accord Firehouse Find out from local farmers what it takes to work the land, grow crops and raise livestock that keep us happy and healthy. Chris Kelder of Kelder’s Farm, Deena Wade of Transition Marbletown and a group of local farmers will talk about the real-time world of farming right here in the Rondout Valley. Suggested donation: $5. The Accord Firehouse is at 22 Main Street (entry in rear). Goodnight Irene: Lessons in Resilience Friday, March 9, 6:30-8:00pm, Accord Firehouse Our region was walloped by Hurricanes Irene and Lee, and many of our local farms were hit hard. Find out from farmers how they have recovered and how we can help strengthen our local food resources for a secure future. Suggested donation: $5. The Accord Firehouse, 22 Main Street (entry in rear). Food Landscape: Farmer, Food and Family Friday, March 23, 6-7:30pm, Marbletown Elementary School Did you know that our valley has some of the best farmland in the United States and we are lucky to have a great variety of farmers? Come find out about the bounty outside your door. This evening is part of the “Breakfast for Dinner” event organized by the Marbletown Parent Teacher Friends and the Chefs Consortium. Join the fun with optional dinner prepared with local food, Zumba (r) workout for all ages, local food exhibits and farmers who will share with you how our local food is created. Kids are welcome! Suggested donation: $5. Dinner is $7 for adults, $4 for children, with reduced family pricing. Marbletown Elementary School is at 12 Pine Bush Road in Stone Ridge. http://www.rondoutvalleygrowers.org/

 

This program of RVGA’s Rondout Valley Growers Education Project is fiscally sponsored by the Open Space Institute as part of their Citizen Action Program. Co-Sponsored by: Transition Marbletown, Town of Rochester Environmental Conservation Commission, Marbletown Parent Teacher Friends & Chefs Consortium.

New York Organic Grains Focus of Sunday Winter Farmers Market Callicoon New York

ORGANIC STONE GROUND POLENTA FROM CAYUGA PURE ORGANICS

http://www.cporganics.com/

WAS FEATURED AT THE CALLICOON WINTER FARMERS MARKET LAST SUNDAY. DANIELLE AND JENNIFER OF NATURAL CONTENTS, A UNIQUE  ORGANIC AND REAL FOODS  SERVICE  LOCATED IN NARROWSBURG NEW YORK TALKED ABOUT A LIFESTYLE CHANGE IN CHOOSING FOOD AND EATING THAT HAS LED THEM TO A HEALTHEIR  LIFESTYLE.

Their website is worth a visit for information on preparing real food.

http://naturalcontents.com/

Cayuga Pure Organics Polenta is available on the Natural Contents  web store

http://naturalcontents.com/farmer-ground-flour-polenta.html

or at this NOFA-NY bricks and mortor store

 the Catskill Harvest Market on Route 52,  Liberty New York

http://www.catskillharvest.com/

THE COOKING DEMONSTRATION WAS HELD IN THE KITCHEN OF THE DELAWARE VALLEY YOUTH CENTER WHERE THE INDOOR WINTER FARMERS MARKET IS HELD. IT  ATTRACTED A LARGE AUDIENCE OF ORGANIC FOODIES WHO HAD LOTS OF QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT WHOLE FOODS COOKING TECHNIQUES OF THIS  INCREASINGLY POPULAR, GLUTEN-FREE GRAIN. THE DEMONSTRATORS FURTHER ENHANCED NATURAL CONTENTS COOKING  PRESENTATION BY INCORPORATING OTHER INGREDIENTS FOUND AT THE FARMERS MARKET SUCH AS TONJES DAIRY FARMSTEAD  CHEESE

  Outside the demonstration kitchen, selling his products, I found Bob Eckert of Northern Farmhouse Pasta.  which is produced in Roscoe New York using organic wheat from Cayuga Pure  Organics  as well.  Bob,  also known as “the pasta guy”,  makes  beautiful handmade pastas and ravioli (using other local ingredients for fillings)  and is a NOFA-NY business member too!  Bob may be reached at NorthernFarmhousePasta@gmail.com Presently Northern Farmhouse Pastas are also available through The Main Street Farm Store in Livingston Manor, New York  http://mainstreetfarm.com/. Main Street Farm market also carries bulk flour and beans produced by Cayuga Pure Organics and distributed through Regional Access http://www.regionalaccess.net/Home.html

SUNDAY’S VISIT TO THIS FARMERS MARKET WAS AN  EXAMPLE OF HOW OUR ORGANIC FOOD MOVEMENT, ESPECIALLY GRAIN, IS  EXPANDING FROM GROWER TO PROCESSORS AND CHEFS THROUGHOUT THE REGION…