The FamilyFarmed EXPO is now the Good Food Festival and Conference. The 2012 Good Food Festival Chicago will be at the UIC Forum from March 15 – 17. Here you’ll discover fun and new products from over 100 exhibitors, learn about the Good Food Movement from passionate nationally significant leaders, and see some of Chicago’s best chefs in live demonstrations. Bring your passion for homemade artisan products and local ingredients, and watch as experts demonstrate their craft and teach you the art of making and growing wholesome food. For those interested in the business of food, it also includes a Trade Show, Financing Conference, and Policy Summit.
Consumers and residents wishing to eat more consciously face a number of difficult questions. Where does my food come from? How far has it traveled? Is it sustainable? And what if I decide to eat out? In this two-part series we highlight some of the bountiful, greener choices that Chicago residents can increasingly make and also draw attention to some great eco-conscious food havens that we’ve been excited to play a role in developing. Article one focuses on eating out in Chicago while article two considers better options for dining in. Continue reading 'Eating Your Greens: Eco-Conscious Eating in Chicago'»
A year ago today my desk was covered with my favorite Thanksgiving recipes and maps of the Chicagoland area. My computer screen was an endless stream of tabs–local farms, mileage calculators, farmers market locations and vendor lists. It had all the markings of a college research project including the nearly unbearable stress. Could I pull it off in time? And would I get a passing grade? Worse still, my project was being critiqued by more than 20 people–my relatives. I passed, or rather, the meal passed–our first-ever 100-mile Thanksgiving was a success.
In spite of the rave reviews and heightened awareness regarding the origins of our meal, we weren’t ready to commit Continue reading 'Our 100-Mile Thanksgiving Becomes a Family Tradition'»
Faith in Place sponsors indoor Winter Farmers Markets throughout the Chicagoland area. These markets provided small, local farm producers with additional venues to extend their income beyond the growing season. Hosted by many different congregations and also open to the public, these markets offer consumers an opportunity to purchase cheese, meat and poultry, soap, syrup, honey, wool, raw fibers, vinegars, dried fruits, milled flours, sauces and salsas, preserves, cider, and fresh produce as available.
For the farmers, there is no fee to participate, but they donate 10% of what they take in at the market (after a threshold amount) via Faith In Place to an Illinois Farmer Crisis Fund modeled after Wisconsin’s Harvest of Hope Fund which, for almost 20 years, has been giving monetary gifts of up to $1,000 to farmers in crisis due to illness or unexpected expenses.
When and Where? Continue reading 'Faith In Place Winters Farmer’s Market'»
The unmistakable smell of fall is in the air. The sun is lower in the sky than it was just a month ago. And every porch on the block is littered with pumpkins. As I pull my favorite boots from the back of the closet, I’m reminded of my other fall favorites–the sweetness of the first roasted winter squash of the season and pesto. Before the first frost of the fall, I transform the remains of my bountiful herb garden–mint, basil, sage, and parsley–into a wide variety of pestos and stock my freezer. In February when the notion of something, anything green and fresh is but a distant memory, my pesto supply will see me through. Mix it with cream and toss it with pasta. Spread it on a slice of crusty bread. Stir it into a soup, risotto, quiche, or souffle. Slather it on a pizza crust. Smear it on a pork tenderloin. Drizzle it on a poached egg. Continue reading 'Pesto, If You Please'»
Comments (0) 
Themocracy