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News Bites: Senator Reed Helps Launch Senior Nutrition Initiative, Hope & Main Schoolyard Market, Rhode Island Named #1 Food-Friendly State

by David Dadekian September 14, 2017
written by David Dadekian

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Sen. Reed, RI Community Food Bank, USDA & RI Division of Elderly Affairs to Launch New Food Assistance Program for Seniors

Commodity Supplemental Food Program will help provide low-income seniors with monthly food boxes containing items like cereal, fruits and vegetables, pasta, and peanut butter

Rhode Island Community Food Bank

In an effort to help end senior hunger, U.S. Senator Jack Reed will join representatives from the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Rhode Island Division of Elderly Affairs on Monday, May 18th at 1:00 p.m. at the Food Bank to launch a new senior nutrition initiative in the state, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).

The partnership between USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the RI Division of Elderly Affairs, and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank – made possible through a legislative boost from Senator Reed — will help the Food Bank distribute boxes of nutritious USDA commodities on a monthly basis to seniors in need as part of the federally-funded CSFP, which provides monthly food assistance specifically targeted to low-income seniors.

The contents of the box will change each month, based on what is available through the USDA, but will include a variety of canned vegetables and fruit, beans, cereal, pasta, rice, and other seasonal items. The food package provided by CSFP is intended to supplement the diet of seniors, providing healthy options to help seniors meet their dietary needs for essential nutrients like protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and fiber.

Eligibility for the food boxes is based on income and age. Recipients must be at least 60 years old and their monthly income must be less than 130% of the Federal Poverty Guideline (not exceeding $1,245 per month if single or $1,681 per month if married).

Senator Reed, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, worked at the federal level to successfully insert language into the Fiscal Year 2015 Agriculture Appropriations bill making it possible for Rhode Island to start participating in CSFP, along with six other states that did not have the program. He also secured over $100,000 in federal funding to help launch the program.

In 2013, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank distributed 9.9 million pounds of food, and each month more than 63,000 Rhode Islanders seek food assistance. According to the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, one out of eight Rhode Island seniors faced the threat of hunger in 2013.

“This is a proven, effective program that makes it easier for hungry seniors to get some extra nutritional assistance. I am pleased to help bring this program to Rhode Island. And I appreciate the hard work of the Rhode Island Division of Elderly Affairs and Andrew Schiff and his team at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank for playing critical roles in establishing it and getting it up and running. The Food Bank has already begun a successful senior food box pilot program. They do an outstanding job of distributing food and serving people with respect and dignity,” said Senator Reed, Reed who helped appropriate $211.5 million in FY 2015 for CSFP nationwide. This funding will support over 600,000 caseload slots in participating states and more than $44 million in state administrative grants. In FY 2015, Rhode Island has been allocated 2,000 caseload slots and will receive an estimated $110,669 in administrative grant funding to carry out the program.

“At the Food Bank, twenty percent of the 63,000 people we serve each month are over 60 years old,” said Andrew Schiff. “Thanks to Senator Reed’s efforts, the CSFP program has been expanded to include Rhode Island and six other states. This funding will allow us to partner with the Division of Elderly Affairs and the USDA to provide this vulnerable population with healthy food and nutrition education to help them remain independent and healthy.”

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture is honored that Rhode Island will be participating in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program,” said Kurt Messner, acting regional administrator for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. “This federal nutrition program strives to improve health by supplementing seniors’ diets with nutritious USDA commodity foods. Once enrolled, eligible seniors will receive a box of nutritionally balanced supplemental food every month.”

The Rhode Island Division of Elderly Affairs will help to facilitate and raise awareness about the program.

The USDA commodity foods included in the food boxes are all U.S. grown and produced products. While the cost to the USDA to provide the food package is about $20 per month, the average retail value of the package provided to seniors often exceeds $50 per month.


Schoolyard Market Launches July 19

Hope & MainHope & Main is launching “Schoolyard Market” Sunday afternoons July 19 through September 27, 2015, transforming a former playground in a 100­-year-­old school into a uniquely interactive food experience. The market will feature a wide variety of vendors including farmers, fishermen, and Hope & Main culinary artisans. Workshops and how-to demonstrations for adults and children will be offered each week on nutrition, food preparation, urban gardening, and more.

Schoolyard Market will provide a highly interactive experience, connecting eaters with farmers and makers. “Food is a relationship that goes so much deeper than reading a label in a supermarket,” said Hope & Main Founder, Lisa Raiola. “We want to share the fascinating story of the origin and production of the food we eat everyday.”

The market will be dedicated to educating the community about cultivated, caught, and crafted in Rhode Island ­­ from growing to production to distribution­­ and enabling eaters to better understand and manage their personal relationship to local food.

Each week Schoolyard Market will offer free themed workshops for adults and children on topics such as fermentation; raising backyard chickens; home pickling; bee education and honey making; bread baking; solar and renewable energy demonstrations; composting and more. Families can also enjoy live music and other performances. “We want to stir up important conversations about food and reconnect with our community, our food, and our planet,” said Hope & Main Community Education and Outreach Director, Bleu Grijalva.

Cooking demonstrations with some of the region’s pre­eminent chefs will also be offered. For example, Chef Jonathan Cambra from Eating with the Ecosystem, a non­profit that promotes a place­based approach to sustainable seafood, will demonstrate how to prepare some atypical fare featuring catch that is abundant in Rhode Island waters such as razor clams, scup and slipper limpets. Schoolyard Market will also collect food waste through a program managed by Leo Pollock, President of the Compost Plant. Market­goers can learn the basics of composting and will be given receptacles for at­-home use that they can bring to Schoolyard Market on a weekly basis.

The Community Table will feature a different local non profit each week to spread the word about their mission and upcoming activities. Schoolyard Market plans to accept WIC, SNAP, and Senior Coupons.

For more information, to apply as a vendor, or to volunteer, email market@makefoodyourbusiness.org.

IF YOU GO
Sundays July 19­ – September 27
11 a.m­ – 3 p.m.
691 Main Street
Warren, RI 02885
Free event
*No market Sunday, September 6


America’s Top 10 Food-Friendly States

Rhode Island at #1 via Retale.com

Retale's America's Top 10 Food-Friendly States

Retale’s America’s Top 10 Food-Friendly States

“Rhode Island is the food-friendly powerhouse in these fifty states – and for good reason. This pint-sized non-island is stocked with top-tier, flavorful foods – many of which are “all their own” in the same way New Orleans claims beignets and Kentucky claims fried chicken. For one: Rhode Island has “Stuffies” (baked clams stuffed with herbs, mollusc, chourico sausage, and peppers), “Donut Cake,” coffee milk , Awful Awfuls, and Del’s lemonade.

“Little Rhody” offers the most total restaurants per one million inhabitants in the U.S. Further, they have the most snack bars per one million inhabitants, and they hold the eighth place in “best access to food,” meaning that if people really want a “Stuffie,” they’re likely to find one not too far from home. The Ocean State is also the number nine best state for Farmer’s Markets, where seafood, vegetables, and RI classics abound.”

Check out Retale’s visualization to compare Rhode Island’s rankings here: http://www.retale.com/info/food-friendly-states/

September 14, 2017 0 comment
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News Bites: RI James Beard Foundation Award Semifinalist, Farm Fresh RI March Madness, Haven Brothers Documentary on RIPBS, Green with Bleu Workshop Series at Hope & Main, The Mooring’s Weekly Specials

by David Dadekian March 3, 2015
written by David Dadekian
Chef Champe Speidel at Persimmon Provisions

Chef Champe Speidel at Persimmon Provisions

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Another James Beard Foundation Nod for Persimmon’s Champe Speidel

The 2015  James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards Semifinalists were recently announced and Rhode Island’s own Chef Champe Speidel, co-owner of Persimmon in Bristol and Persimmon Provisions in Barrington, was named in the Best Chef: Northeast category.

The Semifinalists will be narrowed down to a list of finalists on Tuesday, March 24 and then winners will be announced at the Awards Gala in New York City on May 4 at what is essentially the Oscars® ceremony of the food world. View the complete list of semifinalists here.

 


March Madness at the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market

Seasonal Sales, Cooking Demos, Games, Events and Prizes!

March is a challenging month for local farmers. It signals the start of a long thaw from a harsh winter and the beginning of work for planning next year’s harvest. It is also typically a slow time for retail sales at the market. Given the seasonality of farming, March is the time of year when farmers and producers need your business and support the most.

To celebrate these local heroes, Farm Fresh Rhode Island is hosting March Madness at the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market. Shop at the market every Saturday in March to take advantage of seasonal sales and participate in a series of events, cooking demos, and a one-of-a-kind scavenger hunt and raffle with a chance to win over $250 in prizes.

March Madness Events include:

  • March 7th – Cooking Demos by Chef Scott of Melville Grille and Chef Fab of Nosh Eatery
  • March 14th – Humble Pie’s Second Annual Pi(e) Day Pie Eating Contest
  • March 21st – Hope & Main and Bucket Brewery Sample Showcase
  • March 28th – Cooking Demo by the African Alliance of Rhode Island

What to expect:

  • Baskets . . . of delicious produce to feature on your dinner table!
  • Dunks . . . of fresh baked-goods into steamy, locally roasted coffee!
  • Hoops . . . used to support greenhouses that make winter harvests possible!
  • Nets . . . that harvest fresh-caught seafood!

Participating in March Madness is a great way to support local agriculture, empower small businesses and create a vibrant community with local food at the center of every table. To find out more about March Madness, visit www.farmfresh.org/winter.

The Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 9am – 1pm at the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket. Take advantage of RIPTA’s R-Line to be dropped off at the door of 1005 Main Street in Pawtucket!

 


Original Food Truck Movie TV Premiere on RI PBS!
Thursday, March 5, 9:30 p.m.

The Original Food Truck,” Haven Brothers: Legacy of the American Diner tells the story of Haven Brothers Diner, the oldest operating diner on wheels. The original fast food – and the first food truck owned by woman – this late night lunch cart has served patrons for more than 120 years.

“The Original Food Truck,” Haven Brothers: Legacy of the American Diner premieres on Rhode Island PBS on Thursday, March 5 at 9:30 p.m. David Piccerelli, Rhode Island PBS president, and Margie O’Brien, television producer, present the documentary in segments taped in a full-size replica of a diner exhibited inside the Culinary Arts Museum on the Johnson & Wales University Bayside Campus. Museum Curator and diner expert Richard Gutman provides entertaining and informative information about the original “fast food joints.”

Located in the birthplace of the American diner, Providence, RI, the Haven Brothers diner was almost lost to the modernizing of Providence. The political decision to move the diner from its reserved parking spot next to Providence City Hall was considered blasphemous by its loyal followers, and the ensuing public outrage successfully reversed the ill-conceived notion.

The documentary recounts that story, as well as traces the history of Haven Brothers truck and its owners over the years. The story is told by dozens of fans, in what quickly becomes an endearing, humorous cavalcade of Rhode Island’s famous and infamous personalities. Only in Rhode Island!

The story of Haven Brothers is a rich commentary on the American Dream, the American diet, and what it is to be a success.

 


Hope & Main's 'Green with Bleu' series

Hope & Main’s ‘Green with Bleu’ series

‘Green with Bleu’ Series to Offer Classes on Bone Broth, Fermentation, Seeding and more

New Englanders can forget this winter’s weather and start focusing on spring in the upcoming ‘Green with Bleu’ workshop series at Hope & Main.

Led by the Bleu Grijalva of New Urban Farmers, the nine-class series will run March through May and include Basics of Bone Broth, Fermentation Basics, B is for Brassicas, Easy Seed Starting, The Succession Garden and more. Cost ranges from $25-$33, with supplies included in the registration fee.

Classes are offered on Wednesday evenings from 6-8 p.m., and will take place at Hope & Main, 691 Main Street in Warren. Registration is required. Complete class list:

March 11: Easy Seed Starting in the Garden and Indoors
Starting seeds early is essential for planning out quality succession planting in your garden. From soil and substrates and indoor lighting to basic care needs, this class will explore the simple and easy steps to seed starting directly in the garden and indoors. The workshop will also include demonstrations on cloning, soil blocking and more. Participants who are fans of heirloom and special varieties of garden favorites like tomatoes, peppers, flowers and herbs, will learn how to improve garden growth and increase harvest. Students will leave class with seeds galore! Cost: $29. Register: http://gwbmarch11.eventbrite.com

March 18: Necessary Nourishment: Feeding Plants for Healthy Harvest
What is an organic fertilizer? Can you compost at home? Get answers to all of your organic gardening questions and learn the basic principles and techniques of foliar feeding, soil amendments and simple observation skills. We will discuss various nutrient techniques and forms of growing, including biodynamics and soil mineralization, and practices to help you provide plants with the extra nutrients to ensure plant health and a bountiful organic fruit and vegetable harvest. Cost: $29. Register: http://gwbmarch18.eventbrite.com

March 25: The Succession Garden
This class will focus on how to cultivate a perfect succession garden at home. Participants will learn how to plant one crop after another and to interplant gardens to maximize seasonal harvest. When you grow within a short and intense planting season it is important to plan on proper soil amendments throughout your season. This workshop will walk you from spring through fall on crop planning and soil-fertilizer plans to make your garden grow to your desired needs, as well as how food crops, herb plants and flowers all can be grown together to benefit each other when planted with good planning. This class is great for folks who like to grow a variety of plants and for those who want to maximize garden yields during the growing season. Cost: $25. Register: http://gwbmarch25.eventbrite.com

April 1: Living Soils
Soil is a living system and the heartbeat of your garden. When we begin to understand what soil health means we can then determine how best to support the life in the soil, eliminating dependence on synthetic pesticides, fungicides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. By encouraging organisms in the soil, we get healthy soil and clean water, sequester carbon, and grow beautiful landscapes and food crops that truly nurture us from the inside out. This class will touch on how to create and maintain a healthy soil. Learn how to nourish your soil that will ultimately nourish you! Cost: $25. Register: http://gwbapril1.eventbrite.com

April 8: Basics of Bone Broth
Referred to as a great gut soother and beauty elixir, bone broth is a super healing food that is said to help to ease food intolerance and allergies, heal a leaky gut, strengthen joints, ease depression and anxiety, strengthen hair, skin and nails, and boost the immune system. This class will discuss the benefits of homemade broth and the importance of properly sourcing your ingredients. Drawing inspiration from “Nourishing Traditions” and “The Heal Your Gut Cookbook,” participants will learn various preparation techniques for busy cooks and will walk away with a week’s worth of nutrient-dense recipes based on variations of this wonderful traditional food. The workshop will also include a general discussion about gelatin, collagen, broth, and healing the gut for optimal health. We will also have samples of broth to share and enjoy. Cost: $33 (includes materials). Register:http://gwbapril8.eventbrite.com

April 15: Fermentation Basics
An introduction to the ancient practice of fermentation, this workshop will demonstrate three do-it-yourself recipes in fermenting vegetables, Kombucha (fermented tea) and Tsukemono (Japanese pickles). Using lactic acid fermentation, or lacto-fermentation, this process is among the most common preservation methods and one of the easiest to experiment with at home. An anaerobic process in which bacteria convert sugar into lactic acid, the process acts as a preservative and creates beneficial enzymes, B-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids and various strains of probiotics. Whether you’re an enthusiast of culinary tradition, interested in potential health benefits or simply enjoy trying new food preparation techniques, this class will be your how-to guide in creating ferments at home. Cost: $33 (includes canning jars, materials). Register: http://gwbapril15.eventbrite.com

April 22: B is for Brassica
Dive deep into the delicious and bountiful world of Brassicas! Impress your friends and neighbors with year-round kale, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens and more, grown right on your balcony, along driveway or in your backyard. In this class we will learn how to cultivate these well-adapted and nutritious vegetables in coastal New England gardens. We will learn the history of these delectable vegetables along with how to plant, grow, harvest and, of course, how to cook and eat them too. Cost: $25. Register: http://gwbapril22.eventbrite.com

April 29: Organic Lawn and Garden Care at Home
Planning, creativity and sustainable products are essential for flourishing organic gardening systems and low-maintenance organic lawns. Learn more about effective and natural maintenance practices that will keep your lawn beautiful while keeping your labor to a minimum. Topics covered will include weed control, watering techniques, food & fertilizers, pest management, mulch and other organic cultivation tips to keep both your lawn and garden on track. This class will save you time and money on your lawn and garden care at home – no need to pay expensive lawn care fees when you can do it all at home chemical-free! Cost: $25. Register:http://gwbapril29.eventbrite.com

May 6: Greens with Bleu
Fresh salad greens are one of the most exciting and rewarding crops to grow year-round in the Rhode Island coastal climate. A salad from your garden can be so much more than a bowl of plain chopped lettuce. From common greens like arugula and spinach, to under-appreciated wild edibles like purslane and amaranth, salad consists of diverse shapes, colors, textures, flavors and nutrients. In this hands-on class, participants will discuss potential plants as well review tips you need to know about producing and collecting your own salad greens from seed to the dinner table. Participants will prepare salads to taste and walk away with seeds to get your salad garden. Cost: $33 (Includes seeds!). Register: http://gwbmay6.eventbrite.com

About Hope & Main: As Rhode Island’s first culinary business incubator, Hope & Main’s nonprofit incubator program helps local entrepreneurs jump-start early-stage food companies and food related businesses by providing low cost, low risk access to shared-use commercial kitchens and other industry-specific technical resources. Members benefit from extensive mentoring, access to fully-equipped and affordable work space, and immersion in an entrepreneurial environment where they can collaborate with industry experts and peers. Hope & Main’s aim is to create a community of support for food entrepreneurs and to serve as a springboard for the launch and growth of new culinary enterprises. Applications are open. www.makefoodyourbusiness.org

 


Step into The Mooring and Enhance the Week with Delicious Seafood Experiences on Newport’s Historic Waterfront

Newport’s Award-Winning Dining Destination Introduces Unique Weekly Specials

WHO: The Mooring, an award-winning Seafood Kitchen & Bar offering the freshest local seafood, al fresco seating, expansive harbor views, and warm hospitality, has created weekly specials worthy of celebration.

WHAT: The Mooring invites diners to stray away from weekly routines and experience a taste of New England life. Elevating the Newport seafood tradition to a new level since 1981, The Mooring provides casual elegance while maintaining the relaxed Newport charm.

Beat the Monday blues with Build Your Own Prix-Fixe Mondays – where guests are invited to build a unique prix-fixe from the seasonal menu. First, choose from any soup or salad, then complement it with a choice of any entrée, and finally end with a delicious seasonal dessert. This customized 3-course offering is available every Monday for only $30.

Celebrate the best of New England with Half-Price Raw Bar Wednesdays. Sample the freshest local seafood every Wednesday with half-off the ever-changing assortment of raw bar offerings, including “top-of-catch” oysters, littlenecks, shrimp, lobster, and more.

Bring a friend, family member or loved one and enjoy a dinner for two with Paella Thursdays. This seafood comfort dish of paella for two is served with a pitcher of sangria for only $55. The old world-style paella is prepared with whole lobster, clams, mussels, chicken, shrimp, calamari, rice, sausage, and saffron-garlic sofrito paried with house-made sangria.

WHEN: Build Your Own Prix Fixe Mondays
Every Monday
11:30AM – 9:00PM

Half-Price Raw Bar
Every Wednesday
11:30AM – 9:00PM

Paella for Two Thursdays
Every Thursday
11:30AM – 9:00PM

WHERE: The Mooring
1 Sayers Wharf
Newport, RI 02840
401.846.2260
www.mooringrestaurant.com

March 3, 2015 0 comment
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News Bites: Hope & Main Announces First Group of Local Culinary Entrepreneurs, RI Food Policy Council Call for Nominations

by David Dadekian September 4, 2014
written by David Dadekian

Hope & MainCurrent news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items, though I will add I’m a huge fan of Hope & Main and was proud to have several of these first incubuses sample their product at the Eat Drink RI Festival in April, and I’m a member of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council—please follow any links for more information.

Hope & Main Food Business Incubator Announces Inaugural Cohort

More than 30 food entrepreneurs will launch culinary businesses this month as members of the state’s first food business incubator program

Hope & Main, a forward-thinking, non-profit food business incubator designed to support the local food system and to strengthen the region’s economy, today introduced its inaugural group of members, a cohort of more than 30 culinary entrepreneurs who will be growing early-stage food startups and other food-related businesses from the organization’s headquarters in Warren, Rhode Island. The companies will begin full production at Hope & Main’s newly renovated facility in September 2014.

The many resources offered by Hope & Main’s incubator program, coupled with the fact that the organization does not receive equity in its members’ companies, prompted a flood of applications from entrepreneurs seeking to jump-start food ventures. Members hail from across Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and include specialty food product makers, catering companies, food trucks, farmers, personal chefs and nutritionists.

Hope & Main will hold a Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting event on October 3 to celebrate the opening of the newly-renovated facility, largely financed through a USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Loan, and to introduce the public to the inaugural cohort of member companies.

As the state’s first food business incubator, Hope & Main’s nonprofit incubator program gives food startups the chance to grow in their first two to three years without the cost of equipping their own commercial facilities. Members benefit from extensive mentoring, access to fully equipped and affordable workspace, and immersion in an entrepreneurial environment where they can collaborate with industry experts and peers. Hope & Main’s aim is to create a community of support for food entrepreneurs and to serve as a springboard for the launch and growth of new culinary enterprises.

Hope & Main is great example the new ‘sharing economy’ where small producers can access an extensive platform of resources that not only reduce expense and exposure to risk but also increase the chance for success,” says Lisa Raiola, founder and president of Hope & Main. “It has given these fledgling entrepreneurs the opportunity to think big even as they start small. It is their promise and enthusiasm that has brought us to this milestone.”

The inaugural cohort of entrepreneurs and their food-related startups are:

Acacia Food Truck & Kitchen
Member: Dawn Brooks-Rapp
www.acaciacafe.com
twitter.com/AcaciaFoodTruck

Agraria Edibles
Member: Barbara Link
www.agrariafarm.com
facebook.com/AgrariaFarm

Allie’s Genuine Goodness
Member: Elizabeth Alvarez
www.alliesgenuinegoodness.com

Anavila Bakehouse
Member: Margie Aitkenhead

The Backyard Food Company – CURRENTLY RUNNING A KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN
Members: Matthew McClelland and Loubnen Sukkar
www.thebackyardfoodcompany.com
twitter.com/BackyardFoodCo

Bella Piccolina
Member: Daniela Mansella
www.bellapiccolina.com
twitter.com/dmansella
facebook.com/daniela.mansella

Biggest Little Popcorn Company
Member: Roselette W. DeWitt
www.biggestlittlepopcorncompany.com
twitter.com/biggestlilpopc
facebook.com/biggestlittlepopcorncompany

The CupCake Contessas
Members: Marylee Dixon and Karianne Polak
twitter.com/TheCupcakeConte
facebook.com/TheCupCAKEContessas

Dough
Member: Helena Sheusi
www.doughtreats.com
facebook.com/doughtreats

Essentially Coconut
Member: Sophia Gartland
www.essentiallycoconut.com
twitter.com/essentiallycoco
facebook.com/essentiallycoconut

Fox Point Pickling Company
Member: Ziggy Goldfarb
www.foxpointpickles.com
twitter.com/FoxPointPickles
facebook.com/FoxPointPicklingCo

Great Gaines Foods
Member: Judy Venter-Gaines
www.greatgainesfoods.com
twitter.com/greatgainesfood
facebook.com/GreatGainesFoods

Griffith Gardens
Member: Bryan Sirois
facebook.com/GriffithGardens

Halsey & Bowen Peanut Sauce
Member: Morgan Hollenbeck

HOLLISTER Tamales
Members: Charles and Kaari Groscup
www.HOLLISTERTamales.com
facebook.com/HollisterTamales

Laughing Gull Chocolates
Lindsay Tarnoff
www.laughinggullri.com
twitter.com/laughinggullri
facebook.com/LaughingGullRI

Lori’s Primo Granola
Member: Lori Vartanian
www.primogranola.com

Matt’s Magic Brownies
Member: Matt D’Alessio
www.mattsmagicbrownies.com
twitter.com/MattsMagicBrwne
facebook.com/MattsMagicBrownies

Mima’s Gluten-Free & Nut-Free
Members: Lois Mahoney and Betsy Shealy
www.mimasglutenfree.com
twitter.com/mimasgf
facebook.com/mimasgf

My Lil’ Chefs
Members: Jack Achenbach and Casey Paige
www.mylilchefswebsite.com
twitter.com/MyLilChefs

New England Syrup & Tonic
Members: Candace and Chris Clavin

New Urban Farmers
Members: Bleu Grijalva and Emily Jodka
www.newurbanfarmers.org

Nutritionally Sound
Member: Meg O’Rourke RD-LDN
www.harmonywithfood.com

Ocean State Smoked Fish Company
Member: Jeffrey Powell
facebook.com/OceanStateSmokedFishCompany

Pies by Moira
Member: Moira Walker
facebook.com/piesbymoira1

Spicy Penguin
Member: David Peligian
www.thespicypenguin.com
twitter.com/SpicyPenguinPVD
facebook.com/thespicypenguin

Tito’s Cantina
Member: Richard Reavis
www.titos.com
facebook.com/titoscantina

Uncle Truscott’s Classic American Confections
Member: Peter Kelly

 


Members of the RI Food Policy Council tour Hope & Main

Members of the RI Food Policy Council tour Hope & Main

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council is seeking new Council Members for the 2015 term.

New members will be elected at the December 2014 Annual Meeting.

Nomination Forms due on September 30th.

Who Should Be Nominated?

The Council seeks qualified candidates, from diverse sectors of the Rhode Island food system, who are committed to and interested in food systems change.

The membership selection process strives to achieve racial, socioeconomic, ethnic and geographic diversity.

What’s Involved?

Responsibilities of Council members include:

  • Create new and innovative ideas and plans for the Rhode Island food system
  • Monitor and promote the Rhode Island food system across multiple sectors
  • Help to maintain direction, purposes & goals, functions and responsibilities of the RIFPC

Detailed info on Council duties can be found on our website.

How Do I Find Out More?

If you have specific questions about Council roles and responsibilities, please contact RIFPC Vice-Chair Krystal Noiseux.

If you are a part of (or know of!) a community organization that might benefit from hearing more about RIFPC in general -who we are, what we do, and how community members can get involved with us – please let Krystal know and she’d be happy to reach out to them as Chair of our Governance Committee.

September 4, 2014 0 comment
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New Urban Farmers in Pawtucket Closes in on Fifth Anniversary

by Adam Baffoni March 9, 2020
written by Adam Baffoni
Bleu Grijalva watering the plants inside one of New Urban Farmers' geodesic domes
Bleu Grijalva watering the plants inside one of New Urban Farmers’ geodesic domes

While walking me through one of the geodesic dome greenhouses at New Urban Farmers in Pawtucket, Bleu Grijalva stopped to look at a stray tomato plant that was growing up the side of a table. “Sometimes when we accidentally drop a seed on the ground, it will grow on its own,” Grijalva said. “I like to let them grow there. It serves as a good reminder that no matter how many hours and sweat we put into growing food and making perfect rows of plants, the food wants to grow on it’s own, and maybe that’s what we need to do sometimes—just go with the flow. Grow where we fall.” That is just one of the life lessons that can be pulled from farm work, and the team at New Urban Farmers have found the perfect audience for these lessons.

Originally started with the intention of becoming a local farm and community garden, the small plot of land situated behind a housing project near the Pawtucket/Central Falls border, has evolved into a “living classroom” for the 500+ children who live here. While the responsibility of watching over children can certainly add to the farm work—especially when they’re being mischievous, as all children are—it’s nothing short of inspiring to see that there is a group of people here to provide these kids with some guidance and structure that they may not have at home. It’s even more inspiring to see that these kids, who could be on the couch watching television or on the streets getting into some very negative situations, are choosing to come to the farm instead.

Emily Jodka, New Urban Farmers co-founder, with some of the neighborhood children
Emily Jodka, New Urban Farmers co-founder, with some of the neighborhood children

Closing in on their five-year anniversary, New Urban Farmers now has four locations throughout Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts, all utilizing sustainable growing techniques. When Grijalva walked us past a table with growing plants, one of the kids with us grabbed a fistful of fish food and threw it under the table into a tank of water. Immediately, as the pebbles of food touched the surface of the water, the tank erupted into a tumult of frenzied fish, all racing to grab the first bits. “This is our aquaponics system. It holds over one thousand tilapia,” said Grijalva. Aquaponics is a mix of aquaculture and hydroponics, in which the waste from a fish tank is converted to nitrates by bacteria and is used to feed plants. The plants clean the water, which is then cycled back into the fish tank, creating a sustainable fish farm and vegetable garden.

Along one of the edges of the fenced-in farm, is a row of community garden plots. Although there were some less-than-perfect looking garden plots, it was obvious that some of the gardeners had developed green thumbs, and were learning to grow everything from flowers to vegetables. While they sell most of the plots, they also give some to the older residents in the housing project who are interested in gardening. “We provide then with the seeds and the know-how,” said Grijalva. “It’s really nice to see that some of these people who might not have jobs, or a whole lot of accomplishments, now have something to be proud of. But we’re still looking to find that perfect balance between doing good in the community and making enough money to keep doing good.”

Although the farm has become a classroom for so many, there is no set curriculum. Grijalva emphasized that as we finished our tour. “There are no textbooks here,” he said as he took a bite of a fresh tomato, just picked from another stray plant growing out of a pile of fertilizer. “We just try to teach the kids whatever lessons can be taken from what’s happening in the garden.”

Scroll down for more photos from New Urban Farmers.

Shucked fava bean
Shucked fava bean
Antique David Bradley tractor that farm worker Chris Combs has helped to repair and use at New Urban Farmers
Antique David Bradley tractor that farm worker Chris Combs has helped to repair and use at New Urban Farmers
Freshly harvested garlic drying in a shed
Freshly harvested garlic drying in a shed
New Urban Famers CSA basket with corn, pole beans and favas
New Urban Famers CSA basket with corn, pole beans and favas
New Urban Farmers Pawtucket location
New Urban Farmers Pawtucket location
New Urban Farmers The Garden of Life
New Urban Farmers The Garden of Life
March 9, 2020 0 comment
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