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News & Events Mid-September 2010
 
Berkshire Grown envisions a community where healthy farms define the open landscape, where a wide diversity of fresh, seasonal food and flowers continue to be readily available to everyone, and where we celebrate our agricultural bounty by buying from our neighboring family farms and savoring their distinctive Berkshire harvest.

Jasper Hill Farm VT











Call to buy your tickets now, this event sells out!

Monday
September 20
6:30 pm








Tickets $65

Berkshire Grown members $55

Farmers (only) $30.

 



413-528-0041







LIVE AUCTION!

We're thrilled to offer two extraordinary Wine Dinners for eight guests, each one created by a phenomenal chef:

  * Peter Platt, Executive Chef and Owner of The Old Inn on the Green  (see menu below)
  * Brian Alberg, Executive Chef at The Red Lion Inn, who will create a 5 course menu and wines with the winning bidder.

Plan now to put together a team with your friends to bid as a group on one or both of these two delicious evenings. Opening bid $1,000 for each dinner.


The Old Inn On The Green Berkshire Grown Wine Dinner

 
Selection of Chef's Canapes
 
Warm Maine Oyster
Caviar Sauce
 
2000 Champagne Dom Perignon, France
~   ~   ~
Seared Hudson Valley Medallion of Foie Gras
Chanterelles, French Green Lentil Salad, Madeira Sauce
 
N.V. Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois, Les Petits Grains, France
 
~   ~   ~
Roasted Autumn Vegetable Risotto
Parmesan and White Truffle Essence
 
2002 Chablis, Grossot, France
~   ~   ~
Pan-Roasted Maine Scallop and Butter-Poached Lobster
 Caramelized Fennel & Lobster Sauce
 
1990, Corton Charlemagne, Louis Latour, France
~   ~   ~
Crispy Veal Sweetbreads
Foie Gras & Garlic Flan, Local Micro Greens, Porcini Sauce
 
2005, Pommard, Premier Cru, Domaine Coste-Caumartin, France
~   ~   ~
Roasted Lamb Chop Persill�
Crispy Polenta, Rosemary Infused Lamb Reduction
 
2001, St. Julien, Chateau Leoville Barton, France
~   ~   ~
Selection of New England Artisan Cheese
Poached Fruit and a Petite Salad
 
1982, Vintage Port, Smith Woodhouse-Madalena, Portugal
~   ~   ~
Frozen Chocolate Parfait
Salted Caramel Sauce, Chocolate Tuile
 
The menu may be adjusted to suit the tastes of the winning bidder.

                                       Peter Platt & Merdith Kennard, Proprietors

                                                  

What We're Reading

NESAWG is the Northeast's food and farm network - a 12-state network working for a sustainable, healthier and more secure regional food system.

Want to stay up to date on what's happening, with articles and updates on:


Farm economic viability and food system economic development� Natural resource conservation and enhancement� Rural and urban community food systems� Food security, nutrition and food-related health issues� Food citizenship

Read their newsletters, join NESAWG, sign up for their e-newsletter!
 What We're Reading
 
 
Denis Guyer Sees Room for Agriculture in Crane Mill in Dalton

"Berkshire Community Development Corp., once in place,  will acquire and redevelop the 100,000 square foot Crane & Co. Stationary Factory at 63 Flansburg Ave. into a multipurpose facility that will include condominium-style housing, commercial kitchens and an agricultural food processing center.

"The goal of all this, according to Guyer, is to create jobs and opportunities, particularly for area farmers.In addition to the affordable housing option, Guyer has ambitious plans for local farmers and their crops as well.

"'We're hoping that some of the farms in the area will become energized because of their proximity to the facility. We're hoping this will spur a lot of 'agripreneurs.'"

"Indeed, a food processing plant would allow many area farmers more flexibility in what they can grow and where and how they sell their food..."
 
Read more here

What We're Reading

Our colleagues in the Pioneer Valley, CISA, highlight an article in the Boston Globe on Farm to School programs, read CISA's e-newsletters.

"Seems like everyone - from politicians to TV chefs - wants to make over school food programs. But even advocates concede that major changes can't happen overnight...getting locally grown food into all school lunches will take time, money and a lot of will power...

"One ...step you can take is to find out what your local school is doing to celebrate Massachusetts Harvest for Students, organized by the Massachusetts Farm to School Project from September 27 to October 1.


Read More about FARM TO SCHOOL in the BOSTON GLOBE here


Preserving logos sm 2010




Please call each workshop for details, each class is unique!

September 16: 7 - 10pm Ketchup with Carole Murko Heirloom Meals, Stockbridge,  carole(at) boulderwoodgroup(dot)com, 413-298-0173 $25

September 18: 10 -12:30 Preserving Herbs for the winter with Amy Cotler author of The Locavore Way, West Stockbridge amy(at)freshcotler(dot)com, 413-232-7174

September 19: 9 - 12 pm Join Elyse Etling and Katherine Miller at Pronto Cooking School in Lenox. Dehydrator and pickling.... Menu posted on web site. Reservations: elyseetling(at)aol(dot)com 413-637-3949 $50

September 19: 3 pm Honey lavender poached port pears with Chris Bonnivier/ Gala Restaurant, Williamstown 413-458-9611 x517

September 21: NOTE NEW TIME: 7 - 9 pm Pickling with Lauren Gotlieb /Mezze Bistro + Bar takes place at Sheep Hill, Williamstown call  413-458-0123  $25

September 25: 10 am Pickling with Andy McMeekin at Ward's Nursery and Garden Center, Gt. Barrington 413-528-0166

preserved peaches Caroline's blogSeptember 25: 10 am Pickling workshop for kids with Jenny Schwartz at Berkshire Co-op Market , Great Barrington 413-528-9697 free

September 25: 4 - 7pm Harvest Cooking Guido's Fresh Marketplace and The Marketplace Kitchen focus on tomato sauce, will include dinner, takes place at The Marketplace Kitchen, Sheffield, call 413-442-9912 x122 for reservations and details

October 30: 2 - 3pm Food Preservation 101 Julie Gale at Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield 413-443-0188  $17 or free for members of HSV

Visit Berkshire Grown to learn more


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  THANK YOU TO OUR
PRESERVING THE BOUNTY SPONSORS:
Please support them!


 
Quick Bites


Visit a Farmers' Market, find one on
 Map-o-licious
Meet your farmers, enjoy the harvest!



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PICK-YOUR-OWN FALL RASPBERRIES!
 
At Howden Farm in Ashley Falls, 413-229-8481
Lakeview Orchard in Cheshire, 413-448-6009
Mountain Pasture Farm in Becket 413-623-645
Thompson-Finch Farm in Ancram, New York 518-329-7578.

raspberriesPlease visit Berkshire Grown on the web  for contact information, and call ahead to confirm availability!

Other Berkshire Grown member farms - including The Berry Patch in Stephentown, NY -- have fall raspberries available for retail sale. Check our Web site under "What's in season" to locate raspberry growers.
 

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New Online Courses for Beginning Farmers Debut This Fall!
Reserve Your Spot Now!

Need some guidance on the development or expansion of a farm enterprise? Can't find any trainings near you?

If you're comfortable enough with a computer to consider learning online, you'll be glad to know that the Cornell Small Farms Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension are expanding offerings of their popular online courses for beginning farmers with two new online courses this Fall, in addition to their usual beginners Fall course, BF 101.


BG logoStay In touch!

Berkshire Grown's e-newsletter will come out twice a month, around the 1st & 15th, during the growing season.  Please send information to [email protected], thanks!

Barbara Zheutlin, Director
Sheryl Lechner, Outreach Coordinator
413-528-0041