We have some exciting projects launching this year.  Read below about our new members, farm to school network website, local food guide, upcoming events, and more.
 
Remember to like us on Facebook to stay updated on CAFF happenings! 
Just Launched:  
CA Farm to School Network!

After eight years of work and extensive coordination, the California Farm to School Taskforce has transitioned into the California Farm to School Network, open to anyone in the state who is working on linking family farmers to schools. We're a resource hub and convener across many organizations and communities. Join today and help us get California organized!

 

Visit us at cafarmtoschool.org and on Twitter at @cafarmtoschool for more information and to get connected to the network.
New CAFF Buy Fresh Buy Local 
Member Corner:
Vintage Farm

We want to give a warm welcome to new farm member Vintage Farms in Hollister, CA!  Four years ago, Gilbert Vallejo decided to become a farmer and started Vintage Farms, giving up a lucrative career as an architect.  Heirloom tomatoes are Vintage Farms' specialty; the farm produces between 12-15 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes every season. Gilbert sells his delicious tomatoes to a local restaurant called The Grove, who even named a salad on the menu after the farm! While heirloom tomatoes are the main focus, Vintage Farms also grows kale, chard, zucchini, and honey.  Gilbert delivers his produce all over the Bay Area, as far north as Oakland.  Contact our Farm to Market Coordinator, [email protected], if you are interested in purchasing from Vintage Farms.   

 
H&H Company
 

CAFF would like to welcome The H&H Company on board as new members! The H&H is behind a handful of innovative, family-based companies in Los Altos, which include Bumble Restaurant, Forest on First, and The Alley-slated to open this summer.  All three of the restaurants promote using locally sourced produce, dairy, and meat.  In March, H&H will be teaming up with Hidden Villa, an educational farm located in the Los Altos Hills, for a "Family Farm Brunch", where guests can tour the farm and gather produce for brunch. Visit their website for more information about this event. Welcome to CAFF and thank you for supporting our local farmers!

 

Farm to School Update

Cauliflower in Class

 

January's Harvest of the Month item was cauliflower.  We ended up with beautiful white, cheddar, purple, and romanesco cauliflower and featured ALBA Organics.  Sometimes the item we plan for has to be changed due to the weather; it's always necessary to be flexible in farming!  Many growers had less cauliflower than predicted because of the freezing temperatures earlier in the winter.  While we think of cauliflower as a hardy winter brassica, it can end up with unsightly damage from both frost and sunburn if its large leaves do not cover the head of cauliflower.  Everyone was grateful that we ended up with enough cauliflower for students to

taste in their classes and cafeterias.  The Farm to School educators planned for a  homemade ranch dressing for the students to dip their multi-colored cauliflower in during the lesson.  It went over well and some students surprisingly wanted to eat their cauliflower just plain!  The educators reported many of the students saying how much they looked forward to trying the suggested cauliflower "popcorn" recipe provided at the end of the lesson at home with their family.  

 

The February tasting is an exciting jump back in time to when this area was the stone fruit capitol of the world: dried fruit from Van Dyke Farm.  Tune in next month to learn how the scrumptious fruit went over in the schools.

Food Service Culinary Trainings in January

While vegetable consumption increases at home, school food service staff report an increase in consumption at lunch, as well.  The cafeteria staff make an effort to feature the monthly item in the meals or salad bars.  Through our work with several districts funded by Kaiser Permanent South Bay and The Silicon Valley Health Trust, we are able to hold fun and delicious culinary trainings with the food service staff.  

 

At the end of January, both Gilroy Unified and Franklin McKinley School Districts participated in a training with Chef Jamie Smith.  We talked about what farm to school and local mean in our region, had equipment demonstrations, and prepared colorful coleslaw, stir fry, and bean & cheese burrito recipes.  Thanks to a grant from the Silicon Valley Health Trust, the Gilroy staff were able to walk away with new kitchen equipment:  chef knives and Sunkist Produce Sectionizers.  Because so many schools these days do not cook from scratch, but "heat and serve", they aren't equipped with even the most basic kitchen tool, the chef knife.  One food service employee was almost brought to tears at the thought that she could leave with a sectionizer for her kitchen.  It is a fabulous and necessary tool to slice fruit (and vegetables) to increase consumption by students on the salad bar.  Studies show children will eat more fruit if it is sliced, rather than whole.  The trainings were very successful and well received, with the staff being newly inspired and leaving with some new tips, tricks, and recipes.

We Want You to be Listed in the Next Local Food Guide Publication!

 Bay Area food guide cover.

CAFF's Local Food Guide contains a comprehensive listing of regional farmers' markets, CSAs, restaurants, grocers, and more. It's an indispensable resource for Bay Area consumers and a strategic opportunity for advertisers. Target your ideal audience by advertising in CAFF's 5th annual Local Food Guide.  The upcoming issue will be released in early summer and will highlight the South Bay region! The guide will be distributed at restaurants, retailers, markets, and other locations and events around the South Bay Area.  CAFF Members located in the South Bay will get a complimentary listing in the guide.  Contact Rosemary Quinn at [email protected] for more information about being listed or advertising in the guide. 

Stay Tuned!
 
CAFF's Buy Fresh Buy Local 
Farmer Business Upcoming Mixer
Date and Location will be sent to CAFF members soon!
 Workshops in March 
Production 101 for Beginning Farmers
March 19th, noon-5:00
Produce at market.
Morgan Hill Community Center, Morgan Hill
Jim Leap will present on row crop production, Darryl Wong on business planning and marketing, Sadie Clements on Farm to Market tools, and Brett Melone on financing options.  To RSVP visit www.sagecenter.org, $10 or sliding scale for lunch and workshop. 

Agri-Tourism Workshop Farm to School Intern leads students on a feild trip at Redwood Roots Farm
March 26th, 9:00am-3:30pm
Morgan Hill Community Center, Morgan Hill
Come hear from a panel of current agri-tourism presenters, learn about business, marketing, and regulatory resources and more.
To RSVP visit www.sagecenter.org, $10 or sliding scale for lunch and workshop. 
CAFF Santa Clara Valley to Participate in SVGIVES.org
Silicon Valley Community Foundation will host the first-ever day of giving [May 6, 2014] to benefit every nonprofit organization in our region, an event aimed at inspiring and uniting the local community to support philanthropic causes.  CAFF will have a page on Razoo for this 24-hour online fundraiser.  Stay tuned and spread the word so that we may continue the workshops, lessons, relationship-building, and publishing that you've read about above!


In This Issue
Fresh Search Widget
Allow your site visitors to search for local foods! Click here for instructions and to download.

 

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