Category Archives: Farmer’s Markets

The Amish Know Best

April 10, 2012 by rachelocal

Every time I walk through the doors of the Dutch Country Farmer’s Market, I’m hit with a heady aroma evoking nothing but happy thoughts—Saturday morning breakfast, still-hot apple pie, blueberry picking in the sunshine, cozy Sunday afternoon naps, and s’mores around a bonfire. It’s hard not to think happy thoughts when fresh bread is baking, bacon is sizzling at the lunch counter, and local produce is awaiting my shopping cart. And do you know why this place is so heart-warming […]

Categories: Farmer's Markets, Local Farms • Tags: Amish, Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, farmer's market, food, local, sustainable agriculture

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

Rumbleway Farm

April 4, 2012 by rachelocal

I visited a local meat market recently. (An actual meat market, selling beef and poultry, not a club or a bar.) After my visit, I was disappointed that I couldn’t recommend this place. Not because it’s a bad place. In fact, the butcher and staff were hospitable and answered all of my questions. When I found they get their meat mostly from two places, one located in Philly and another in Maryland, I was thrilled. But after doing some research, I […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Local Farms, Local Stores, Random • Tags: farm, farm to table, food, gardening, local, maryland, rumbleway farm, sustainable agriculture

How Does Your Garden Grow?

March 27, 2012 by rachelocal

Honestly, I don’t know how a garden grows, but I’ve been asking for help. My friend Valerie gave me some good advice. “It’s easy,” she said. “Just cut open a bag of potting soil and sow some arugula seeds in the bag. Instant garden.” Is it really that simple? Maybe I’ve been reading too many books. Most of the books are helpful, but sometimes I get overwhelmed by the sheer bounty of things to plant, the ways to plant them, […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Random • Tags: bag gardening, gardening, in season, life, local, locavore

6 Reasons Katniss Everdeen Makes a Case for Local Eating

March 27, 2012 by rachelocal

“May the odds be ever in your favor!” It took more than luck to win the Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen proves that living off the land and eating locally has some life-giving advantages, and I intend to build a case for local eating based on Katniss’ well-played game. But first some back story for those of you who have not seen TV, looked at the internet, or read a magazine since 2008: The Hunger Games is a wildly successful young […]

Categories: Farmer's Markets, Random • Tags: food, Katniss, local, movies, The Hunger Games

Meet John, a Local Backyard Farmer

March 25, 2012 by rachelocal

When I pulled into John’s driveway he was standing by his shed with bare feet. I’ve talked about John before, mainly about how a cherry tomato from his garden inspired me to eat locally. I told him this. He looked pleased. “Oh really?” he said. “It was that good?” John was kind enough to take a break from potato and asparagus planting to show me around his garden. He has two generously sized plots. Part of one was tilled with […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Random • Tags: farmer's market, gardening, life, local, produce stand, spring

Teenage Mutant Ninja Food

March 23, 2012 by rachelocal

What do Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo have in common with our supply of corn, soybeans, and canola (all major parts of the North American diet)? They’ve all been covered with glowing ooze and genetically modified. Much like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were transformed into man-child humanoids by mysterious ooze, our food supply has been genetically modified by the “mysteries” of science. Thanks to a helpful link from my brother, I’ve recently learned that genetically modified foods (GMOs) make […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Random • Tags: farmer's market, food, genetically modified, GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, local, locavore, produce stand, salmon, seasonal, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

My Local List

March 15, 2012 by rachelocal

Let’s give Delaware a break. Delaware gets a bad rap sometimes. The newest blight comes in the form of a Top 10 list that I’ve seen circulating Facebook. Unfortunately, Delaware was listed as the number 4 most miserable state to live in by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. The index considers things like emotional well-being, education, physical health, and work environment. (But come on, New Jersey was listed as one of the best places to raise a child by the same people, […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Random • Tags: CSA, farmer's market, in season, LBR 614, local, locavore, produce stand, restaurants

An Eggsperiment

March 13, 2012 by rachelocal

Yeah, I went there. (Thanks to my darling husband for suggesting such a mind-blowingly smart title.) Weekends are for two things: sleeping and big breakfasts. Well, maybe only for big breakfasts if you have kids. I don’t, so I sleep in and then eat a big breakfast. This past weekend I decided to try a little experiment. Yes, with eggs. One egg was free range, pasture fed, hormone and antibiotic free. The other was the grocery store brand. Here are […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Recipes • Tags: eggs, farm to table, farmer's market, food, free range, in season, local, locavore, sustainable agriculture

The Lorax was a Locavore

March 11, 2012 by rachelocal

I took my niece Sarah to see The Lorax for her 10th birthday. I would like to say that in preparation for this environmentally-friendly movie, I prepared some treats using local ingredients and then sneaked them into the theater in my giant, but fashionable bag. I would like to say that, but instead I have to say that we visited the dollar store five minutes before the movie started and I let Sarah choose Swedish fish, Sprite, and pretzels. I then […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Random • Tags: food, high fructose corn syrup, in season, Joel Salatin, local, locavore, Polyface Farm, seasonal, sustainable agriculture, The Lorax

Local Asian Short Rib Tacos

March 10, 2012 by rachelocal

How can something be both local and Asian? Or for that matter, how can something be both Asian and tacos? Very easily in my kitchen. I try to make whatever I have on hand work; it’s how I came up with my famous Pasta (Because that’s the Only Thing in the Cupboard) with Sausage and Zucchini (Because that’s the Only Thing in the Fridge). Haven’t heard of it? I shall remedy that in a later post. This Asian taco recipe […]

Categories: Farmer's Markets, Random, Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: cabbage, farmer's market, food, in season, locavore, recipes, seasonal, short ribs

A Teaching Restaurant

March 8, 2012 by rachelocal

What does Seattle Grace of Grey’s Anatomy fame have in common with my favorite new place to eat, LBR 614? The former is a teaching HOSPITAL and the latter is a teaching RESTAURANT. (Thanks to Jimmie for the clever and cute reference.) I attended a class at LBR 614 last night, taught and hosted by Jeff and Jimmie (we’re on a first name basis now). The topic was “Restaurant Secrets,” and to my surprise, most of the discussion and questions […]

Categories: Farmer's Markets, Local Stores, Restaurant • Tags: Delaware, food, Grey's Anatomy, LBR 614, local, locavore, produce stand, restaurants

LBR 614: A Local Table

March 6, 2012 by rachelocal

Last night I learned a simple equation for an astonishingly good meal: 1 male model + 1 legislative aide (and new friend) + 2 cups of freshly pressed coffee + 1 executive chef + locally sourced ingredients = LBR 614. How does that add up? Read on. LBR 614 is a new restaurant, and I had the pleasure of chatting with Jimmie Sylvester (CEO, owner, and male model) and Jeffrey Bailey (Executive Chef, owner, and genius in the kitchen) at […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets, Restaurant • Tags: Delaware, farm to table, farmer's market, food, goat cheese, LBR 614, local, locavore, restaurants, seasonal

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