News & Events Late October 2012
Join Berkshire Grown here!
Berkshire Grown supports and promotes local agriculture as a vital part of the Berkshire community, economy and landscape. We do this by advocating for farmers, supporting good agricultural practices, fostering education and outreach, increasing food accessibility for the community, farm-to-table networking, promoting locally grown and produced food. Our goal is to keep farmers farming!
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Community Forum Monday October 22 - 6:30 - 8 pm
at the First Congregational Church, Main Street Great Barrington
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Keep Berkshires Farming details, call Melissa Adams, Glynwood at 413-268-8269, or Amy Kacala at BRPC, 413-442-1521 or Luke Pryjma 413-281-2651
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Tickets for the screening of "Genetic Roulette" will benefit:
Berkshire Organics SEEDS School Delivery Program
 Over 1,500 lbs of of local produce was delivered last week to twelve Pittsfield, MA schools by Berkshire Organics S.E.E.D.S (a non-profit).
The schools received 800 lbs of Apples from Hilltop Orchard, Richmond, MA. 350 lbs of Peeled & Cut Butternut Squash, 150 lbs of Peeled & Cut Sweet Potato and 200 lb of Carrot Sticks came from Lakeside Organics, Hadley, MA. At least 500 lbs of produce has been delivered each week since the school year began.
There are more schools in Berkshire County that would like to order. Berkshire Organics donates their time, vans and coolers but they need help paying for a driver to make these deliveries.
For more information, please contact: info@berkshireorganicsseeds.org
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 Apple Tasting and Cooking: with Amy Cotler Friday October 26, 12 - 3 pm, West Stockbridge, MA
 Compare and contrast local seasonal apples.
Make and bring home apple sauce.
Prepare and dine on Apple Galette with Berkshire Ice Cream
$55 including an apple sauce and heavenly dessert.
amy@freshcotler.com for details and to register.
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Volunteer for Berkshire Grown:
e-mail Barbara@berkshiregrown.org if you can help stamp, seal and stuff envelopes, post flyers around the Berkshires, table and/ or set up at events .... thanks!
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What we are reading
Everyone Eats There:
California's Central Valley is our greatest food resource. So why are we treating it so badly? By MARK BITTMAN in the NYTIMES
 "I came to the valley both by choice and by mandate. In preparation for the magazine's Food and Drink Issue, I asked readers to suggest my assignment. They could send me anywhere they wanted, within limitations of climate and jet lag. After reviewing the suggestions, it became clear that readers wanted an article that incorporated big farming, small farming, sustainability, politics, poverty and, of course, truly delicious food - and in the United States, if possible.
"So I decided to head to the Central Valley, where all of this was already happening. This also happened to satisfy a curiosity of mine. From a desk in New York, it's impossible to fathom 50 m.p.h. carrots, hills of almonds, acres of basil and millions of tomatoes all ripening at once. How can all of this possibly work?" READ MORE
photo by Vincent Laforet for the NYTIMES
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What We're Reading
Vote for the Dinner Party:
Is this the year that the food movement finally enters politics?
By MICHAEL POLLAN
 "One of the more interesting things we will learn on Nov. 6 is whether or not there is a "food movement" in America worthy of the name - that is, an organized force in our politics capable of demanding change in the food system....
"Clearly there is growing sentiment in favor of reforming American agriculture and interest in questions about where our food comes from and how it was produced. And certainly we can see an alternative food economy rising around us: local and organic agriculture is growing far faster than the food market as a whole. But a market and a sentiment are not quite the same thing as a political movement - something capable of frightening politicians and propelling its concerns onto the national agenda.
"California's Proposition 37, which would require that genetically modified (G.M.) foods carry a label, has the potential to do just that - to change the politics of food not just in California but nationally too. read here
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Quick Bites
DISCOVER THE:
Berkshire Grown Online Farmers' Market
a 24 hour Farmers' Market!
 Berkshire Grown has created a Facebook page
called Berkshire Grown Online Farmers' Marketplace - a central place for Berkshire Grown members to congregate and talk supply and demand.
Self-propelled by Berkshire Grown members, the page will benefit those of you who choose to participate in it. Farmers and food producers can post what they have available, and chefs and community members can comment or contact suppliers directly with requests for product or more information.
Thanks for the photo to Nicole Calero, taken at Hawthorne Valley Farm
Berkshire Grown offers this as a networking service and bears no responsibility for transactions.
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MASSACHUSETTS GROWN...and FRESHER!
If you are traveling through Massachusetts check out this map, support our local farmers throughout the state!
CHECK OUT MAP-O-LICIOUS FOR FRESH
LOCAL EGGS, CHEESE, MEAT & MORE
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SAVE THE DATES:
November 17-18 and December 15-16, from 10 am to 2 pm
Saturdays in Great Barrington Sundays in Williamstown
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Edible Education: ALL NEW Season 2
 Wednesday November 14th, 7 pm at the Lecture Center
at Bard College at Simon's Rock, videotaped lectures
"The Politics and Economics of Meat"
taped at UC Berkeley
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 Stay In touch!
Berkshire Grown's e-newsletter comes out monthly. Please send information to barbara@berkshiregrown.org, thanks! Join Berkshire Grown here.
Barbara Zheutlin, Director
Sheryl Lechner, Outreach Coordinator
413-528-0041 |
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