Category Archives: Delaware Farms

Two Lists for Local Eating

June 4, 2012 by rachelocal

Today’s the day; I am a locavore. As of right now, I will only eat locally sourced foods. I’m not gonna lie, I kind of feel like I’m going on a diet. I am, after all, purposely restricting my food choices. In an effort to allow my new locavore status to inspire me rather than scare me (I love Italian cheeses so much!), I decided to make two lists. The first list states the reasons I’m embarking on this All […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets • Tags: coffee, CSA, farmer's market, food, health, life, local, locavore

Local Treats + Cows = Somerset Farm

May 28, 2012 by rachelocal

“Who wants a treat?” When my dad uttered these words, my eight-year-old self would fly into a flurry of excitement. A treat meant ice cream. And ice cream meant Peaceful Meadows, a dairy farm in Massachusetts (my homeland). Not only does Peaceful Meadows have amazing ice cream treats, but it also has cows. Lots of them to watch whilst enjoying your Coconut Chocolate Almond Hot Fudge Sundae with extra (and homemade) whipped cream. Nothing better in the world even now […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Local Stores • Tags: food, ice cream, life, local, locavore, memorial day

Strawberry Picking with the Joneses

May 23, 2012 by rachelocal

I promised Cindi Filasky I would be back to pick strawberries, so a few days ago my dear friend Phil and I headed to Middletown. I was beyond excited about this adventure because Phil has two amazing children–Sean, a charming, melt-your-heart-with-his-smile four-year-old, and Sophie, an intoxicatingly darling (and outspoken) two-year-old. Such great ages for the wonders of strawberry picking. Combine their adorableness with the the fact that they speak with a lovely South African accent and your heart could literally […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Local Stores • Tags: Christianity, farmer's market, food, gardening, life, local, locavore, photography, strawberries

Strawberries and More at Filasky’s

May 22, 2012 by rachelocal

I’m tempted to start this post with a Strawberry Fields Forever reference, but I won’t. (Or did I?) Instead, I’ll start by simply saying I love Filasky’s Produce! Located in Middletown on Bunker Hill Road, Filasky’s is more than just a place to buy fresh, local produce, it’s an experience! While driving down the long, gravel road with a strawberry field to the right, you can see the red, red berries peaking out from under their plentiful leaves. The fields […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Local Farms, Local Stores • Tags: farmer's market, food, gardening, life, local, produce stand, strawberries

Local Inspiration at Harvest Market

May 14, 2012 by rachelocal

Don’t you just love it when an inspiring shopping trip ends in a lovely meal? The inspiration started with a strawberry. To learn more about Harvest Market in Hockessin, I set up an appointment with April Lea, marketing coordinator for the store. Immediately upon entering her office, April asked, “Would you like a strawberry?” Sitting on her desk was a blue container of beautiful, redder-than-red strawberries. I gladly accepted her offer. “Organic,” she said. “And red all the way through.” The […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Local Farms, Local Stores • Tags: Amish, CSA, GMOs, Harvest Market, life, local, locavore, strawberries

Rewards

May 7, 2012 by rachelocal

John and I planted about 14 tomato plants today and started on another 14 (this is after John planted about 28 of them by himself). I’ll share this process soon, but for now, check out the gifts John gave me before I left his backyard. I scored three radishes, two spring onions, many beautiful romaine leaves, and a jar of pickled beets canned by John’s wife. Thanks for sharing, Kathy! These gifts remind me of a few Proverbs: Well-spoken words […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Gardening • Tags: Christianity, food, gardening, life, local, locavore, Proverbs

8 Reasons to Shop Local (an Infographic)

May 5, 2012 by rachelocal

Originally posted on A Transparent Life:
You already know that I get excited about local and rural shops, but here is a beautiful graphic worthy of printing and hanging on your fridge or desk or wherever you might look at it, to remind you that while box stores might be convenient, the local store is where it’s at: Let’s start a revolution: pass it on!

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Local Farms, Random • Tags: farmer's market, food, life, local, locavore, shopping

BJ’s Goes Local

April 28, 2012 by rachelocal

My mother loves stores like BJ’s Wholesale Club and Costco. She will come home with giant containers of olive oil and enough ketchup to last a thousand summer barbecues. The produce she buys there is always so pristine and BIG. Enormous apples, large cellophane packages of bright red peppers, and oranges as big as my face. I can’t help but think this is unnatural. The produce is too glossy, too perfect. So when my brother told me BJ’s will offer […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Local Farms, Local Stores • Tags: BJ's Wholesale Club, Costco, farming, food, life, local

Pink Slime, Coasters and Personal Responsibility

April 27, 2012 by rachelocal

While ordering coasters from my friend Julie’s Etsy shop, Maida Some Art, I discovered Etsy’s blog. I’m always up for reading a blog, so I perused the topics. Lo and behold, I found a post by Danielle Tsi called “How Pink Slime Can Make You a Better Eater.” My interest was piqued, of course, as pink slime is a topic that spurs me on to become a social activist, complete with picket sign and slogan. Danielle’s take on the whole thing is […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Local Farms • Tags: art, farmer's market, food, fructose corn syrup, life, local, pink slime

How to Plant Local Corn

April 16, 2012 by rachelocal

Last Friday I was pleased to hear John on my voice mail. Was I interested in helping him plant the last of the corn? Does he even have to ask? I was thrilled to help! I rushed home to change into appropriate farmer gear. (No, not overalls, but I’m considering purchasing a pair. Too bad I didn’t keep my “grunge” ones from the 90s. I was so cool.) After grabbing my compost bucket, I headed to John’s house. Yes, you read […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Gardening • Tags: blue birds, corn, food, gardening, life, local

A Letter to My Inner Foodie on the Subject of Becoming a Locavore

April 12, 2012 by rachelocal

Dear Inner Foodie, I hate to break it to you, but you have been beguiled by the slow food movement, and you are in for a rude awakening. Eating locally and being a “foodie” are not the same thing. At all. While the definition of foodie is varied, I like this one best: having a love of food for consumption, preparation, and study (thank you, Wikipedia). Unfortunately for you, the definition of a locavore is not as broad: a person […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Random • Tags: food, gardening, life, local, locavore, slow food movement

The Well-Inspired Three Bean Three Pepper Turkey Chili

April 11, 2012 by rachelocal

While traversing Lancaster Pike in Hockessin, I passed a friendly looking barn-like building, complete with green roof and faux silo. Intrigued, I made a very illegal u-turn. What I found was The Well Marketplace. When I entered the store I was greeted by a happy sight–an array of flower bouquets. A nice welcome. The store is not large. In fact, I would say it’s more of an upscale convenience store than a full-fledged market. In fact, The Well is so […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Fall Recipes, Local Stores, Random, Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: chili, food, ground turkey, local, locavore, swiss chard, woodside farm ice cream

Parsnip + Sweet Potato + Goat Cheese = Miracle

April 8, 2012 by rachelocal

Miracles really do happen! One occurred in my kitchen this evening. I turned a lumpy sweet potato and a bumpy parsnip into an absolute miracle just by adding goat cheese and a secret ingredient I might tell you about later. But first let me introduce to you the owner of this miraculous parsnip. Valerie is her name and she has an acre of garden beds on her property, along with chickens (oh how I envy her those chickens!). Valerie manages […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Gardening, Random, Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: food, gardening, goat cheese, local, parsnip, sweet potato, vegetarian

“Saving and More” with Local Connections

April 6, 2012 by rachelocal

Tuesday night, my husband came home and gave me two things: a parsnip and a business card. These two things were from people who know I’m all about anything local. The parsnip was from Valerie’s garden–the last one she harvested. The business card was from our mutual friend and may involve a wine tasting at a later date! When I went to see John, he gave me a newspaper clipping. He remembered that I love the restaurant LBR 614 and he […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Local Stores, Random • Tags: budget, coupons, food, life, local, parsnips, saving and more

How to Plant Strawberries

April 5, 2012 by rachelocal

John called me this week, wanting me to help plant new strawberries–75 of them. When I got to his house, he already had 50 in the ground, so I helped with the rest. Nothing more local than your own strawberries, so I was eager to learn how it’s done (as you know I am a novice <understatement> gardener and have a paralyzing fear of growing things). The first thing you must do is buy strawberry plants. John orders his from […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Gardening, Local Farms, Random • Tags: farmer's market, food, gardening, in season, strawberries

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