To watch it is to desire to do more with what you have, to strive not to take anything for granted, and dog-gone it — to go out and garden.

It’s a film about a family. A family that is close and caring and devoted to each others’ well being. It’s about the Dervaes Family. They have created a small, organic farm in Pasadena, Calif. It’s not in the outskirts of the city, either. It’s in the heart. They live off the grid, use bio diesel for their car, and are able to harvest 6,000 pounds of produce on a piece of land maybe just a bit more than 1/5 of an acre.

What may be the best thing about “Homegrown” is that it will make you feel warm and fuzzy. This is how feel-good movies should be. Thank goodness we get to experience it in such a nicely thought out documentary.

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What about big business? It’s a lot easier to find organic products at the store, but how has this affected the small organic farmers that started the movement?

“What’s Organic About Organic?” explores how the business of organic vs. conventional products has changed in the last few decades and how the growing demand for organics could be affecting the requirements of those products.

The film focuses mainly on the small farmer – the dairy farmer in Florida, the neighborhood garden in Brooklyn, the entrepreneur at the farmers’ market. It touches upon the pinch locals feel financially when organic foods are imported at a lower price than what the rancher down the way can compete with, and it shows what can literally be the life and death struggle of the small farmer versus big industry.

It’s a serious film, but it shows the good that has come with the dedication of people who believe in healthy food. You get to experience a bit of a canning class in an urban setting, a young boy philosophizing about the gloriousness of ducks, and a farmer sampling her homemade sausage at her local food co-op.

It shows the best of what organic food can be and underscores how important it is, both for the health of human beings and the health of the planet.

Related posts:

1. A “Food Fight” You Won’t Want To Miss
2. “Homegrown”

“Food Fight” is the exploration of food politics at its best — it gives the viewer tools to be proactive in the food movement.

It analyzes the history of food, from the beginning of the Farm Bill to the overabundance of processed food. It talks about the movement to use organic, local produce, meat, and dairy – how it started, and how it is currently. It delves into how the Farm Bill is used today and the people trying to move it back to its original role of supporting the farmer.

“Food Fight” is beautiful. It shows green, growing plants, down-to-earth farmers, and gorgeous food. It emphasizes the pleasure that food can bring and all of the sensory experiences that go along with it.

Maybe most importantly, “Food Fight” is inspirational. You’ll want to do more after watching this film. This documentary emphasizes good food so poetically, how can you not feel inspired to shop at the Farmer’s Markets, create your own garden, and purchase as much fresh, wholesome food that you can?

“Food Fight” will be the next installment in BriarPatch’s Film Festival Follow-up. See it in the Community Room on February 26, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Related posts:

1. “Homegrown”
2. What Does Organic Mean, Anyway?

All in all, we’re making great progress toward an understanding of what real food is, and where it comes from.

In our quest to behave more sustainably, shop more locally, support our community …. there seems to be something missing – I see a disconnect – in the momentum to support our local producers, and our local businesses.  Caught up in a wave of … maybe .. romanticism – we tend to see farming, and buying from the farm, through a rose-colored mist.  The so-called ‘middle-man’ has become a loathsome interloper in the perceived progress.

So, I’m writing this – perhaps a misguided plea – for the cause of the ‘middle-man’.  The local restaurateurs, specialty chefs, and groceries, who sincerely want to be a part of this local food renaissance – but are, for a variety of reasons, still hesitating on the side-lines.

Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I don’t see the harm in ‘middle-men’, when they are providing us with “food-service”.  Perhaps, wearing my own rose-colored specs … I am happy to support my local grocers for the convenience … and practicality … of picking up my food in a central location.  And, to the local restaurants and chefs … my hearty thanks for sharing your love of cooking with all of us.

For a small farm, the thought of selling to a popular local restaurant is both exhilarating and daunting.  Local fare on the menu is a coup for sure.  For the restaurant, the same is true.  And the customers are clamoring for more local entrees, more local ingredients.  So – what’s the hold-up ?

If you set aside the rose-colored spectacles, and take a real look into the business of providing local food, you’ll begin to see the hurdles … not impassable, but enough to cause most business people (farmers included) to pause.

Supply and demand, price and margin, labor and time, consistency, accountability …. this isn’t rose-colored, its just plain boring black and white, with some gray areas.

To simplify the story – groceries and restaurants have a much higher product turnover than we ( looking in from the outside ) realize.  Keeping shelves full, and menu items available are fundamental to their operation.  Small farmers may not, even on a very good day, be able to provide enough to sustain the demand.

There is a balancing act for small producers – a wavering line where the benefits of selling to a store or restaurant barely outweigh the benefits of selling directly from the farm.

The financial risk is there for the businesses also – paying producers for the real value of real ( unsubsidized ) food – is a substantial hit to the budget of a small restaurant or business.

The uncertainty of this, unfortunately leaves a void …

One that is noticeable to the community that is hungry for good local food.

To fill this void, there has to be flexibility, determination and listening to the needs of both parties.  Does this sound like relationship counseling ?  Good.  That’s what it is. Its not going to be a typical vendor-buyer dynamic, this must be a partnership.

For those farmers and businesses who have taken the leap – the partnership is so very worth the effort.

Along with the partnership between producers and businesses, will be education for the community.  More education about real food … about seasonal availability, about knowing – and paying for the real value of real food, about flexible menus to accommodate supply, surplus and variety of local foods.  And about finding the middle ground that will provide benefits for everyone involved.

So – to end my story this week, I would like to encourage new partnerships – and cheer the existing ones !   And to the rest of us out there … ask for local food at your favorite restaurant, and be sure to thank your local groceries for partnering with local producers.

***

– thanks to my personal favorite restaurants for offering flexible menus featuring locally available ingredients :

BriarPatch Deli

Diego’s Chilean Restaurant

Flour Garden Bakery

fudenjuce vegetarian café & juice bar

New Moon Café

Summer Thyme’s Bakery & Deli

and, of course our locally owned groceries featuring local products :

BriarPatch Co-op Natural Foods Market, SPD Markets, Mother Truckers and Natural Selection Markets

If I left your favorite off this list …. start your own list !!

or check in with Think Local First Nevada County Foothills to help make connections.

Related posts:

1. A Locavore of a different color

It’s a movie about bottled water – how it’s collected, how it’s distributed, how it may or may not be tested, how the plastic bottle could affect our health. It’s a movie about a really popular product.

“Tapped” was recently shown at SYRCL’s Wild and Scenic film festival. As part of our Film Festival Follow-up, BriarPatch will also be showing this excellent film. “Tapped” is an opportunity for education.
BriarPatch is responsive to the wishes of our membership. After you view the film, tell your friends about what you’ve learned. As demand decreases for bottled water, less will be carried on the shelves.

BriarPatch’s grocery manager, Charles Brock, has been very proactive about the bottled water issue. As opportunities have become available, he’s been replacing as much as he can with glass bottles. While still planning on carrying the larger 1.5 liter bottles and above of Crystal Geyser, these bottles are BPA free and come from a water source at Mt. Shasta, a regional location.
Still want to do more? The large plastic bottles for water carried in our household section are also BPA free. Much research was done in terms of the quality of the filter purchased for our bulk water, so you can trust that the water is clean. If you’re not comfortable, or unable, to drink your tap water, buying bulk water at the Patch is an excellent option.

Curious what all the hub bub is about with bottled water? Come see “Tapped” on Friday, February 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Patch’s Community Room, and make sure to bring a friend.

Related posts:

1. SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic
2. A “Food Fight” You Won’t Want To Miss

Below is information about a new website that may help you in your pursuit of staying GMO free:

Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier? A new website may aid you in your success.

The Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) recently launched http://www.nonGMOShoppingGuide.com. It takes the guesswork out of how to avoid genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and gene-spliced food products. With polls indicating that 9 out of 10 Americans want GMOs labeled, the site’s brand vs. brand comparison is expected to have a significant influence in shifting the choices shoppers make in supermarkets.

IRT’s Executive Director Jeffrey Smith, who hears from thousands of consumers on trips around the US, frustrated at the lack of labeling, says “Our new website gives consumers back the power to make an informed choice.”

The site was developed for the 53% of Americans who say they would avoid GMOs if labeled. It lists popular brands that don’t use ingredients from the eight GM crops such as GM soy and corn. It also lists dairy products that don’t allow the controversial GM bovine growth hormone.

BriarPatch Co-op Community Market’s merchandising policy prohibits carrying GMO products on its shelves. This new tool will help BriarPatch stay GMO free. The Co-op also recommends visiting the Non-GMO website so that customers can make informed choices, no matter where they’re shopping.

Ann Marie Michaels, proud mom of a two-year old, says “I am so grateful IRT put up this site. The Non-GMO Shopping Guide fits easily into my purse, and now I wouldn’t leave home without it.”

Physician Amy Dean, who is a board member of AAEM, a Physicians’ association that recently asked doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets to all patients, says she regularly provides the Non-GMO Shopping Guide for her patients, and is pleased to recommend IRT’s informative and easy-to-use new website.

The Non-GMO Shopping Guide is a joint production of IRT and the Center for Food Safety. To find more information on GMOs, go to http://www.healthiereating.org and http://www.nonGMOShoppingGuide.com.

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So many rainy days in a row have kept me inside, and, I’m almost ashamed to admit …  spending more than a healthy amount of time in front of my computer screen.  But even while I’m house-bound, I can (and you can too !) learn about the day to day chores on the local farms, watch ranchers visit their animals,  … even plan ahead to summer by signing up for a CSA subscription.  Its not clairvoyance folks, … no, its YouTube, facebook and twitter!   Yeah – your iPhone … don’t leave the farm without it!

Local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscription announcements, as well as announcements for locally raised broiler chickens and lamb are posting now on the Local Food Coalition email network.  And, up-close and in-person, many of our local ranchers and farmers have been sharing their tech tips and growing know-how — at the SYRCL Film Festival workshops last week, the Eco-Farm Conference this week, and preparing for the PlacerGROWN Farm Conference next weekend.

Now, granted, some of my time in front of the computer has been spent working … but, I’ve found myself sliding down the slippery slope of the ‘information-seeking-junky’ that I swore I would never be!  If you know the internet, you know that you just can’t stay on that one page …. while searching for veggies, I’ve stumbled from the farm right into a class reunion. Thanks to facebook, I’ve learned more in the past week about my childhood friends lives than if we had never grown up and gone out into the world!  Happily, I’ve learned that many of them are fans of local food – local to where they live!

I’m really making an effort to do some work on the computer, but I find myself – almost unconsciously hitting the ‘refresh’ button on fb to see if there are any earth-shattering updates.  I guess it is a handy way to combine work and social life without ever leaving your chair.

As I jump back and forth from recipe research (work), to preparing my bit for the conference (work), to my fourth grade best-friend’s daughter’s husband’s new cat’s photos (social life ???)…..  I start noticing similarities.

“Has she lost her mind?” you may be wondering.  Well, no.  Not entirely.

Just pondering the old ‘Ugly Duckling’ notion.  Just look how well those old friends have turned out ….  and not only the ‘one’s most likely to …’

… and then there’s that ‘who’d’ve ever thought … !’ moment  where you realize that the kid who bugged you in pre-school is now a rock star … or, a farmer – nice !

Maybe my screen or my vision is blurring … but the very same theme is running through my recipe pages ….   ‘who’d’ve ever thought…’ I’d be searching online for new ways to accommodate my infatuation with cooked carrots and brussel sprouts into my meals.  And then – in a new tab – looking up the most inviting recipe for those ‘wall-flowers’ of the meat world … kidneys and beef tongue …. (yes, work).

I guess, to those of you who knew me when …. it would come as no surprise.  Me – the kid who always liked spinach and wanted liver and onions for my birthday dinners!  Lucky I even had friends left to find on fb !  Thanks Mom for insisting I should have spaghetti and cake for the birthday parties …. “eat that other stuff when you’re alone !”

But, seriously – I am having a glorious affair with those cool weather veggies.  And thanks to the facebook posts from Four Frog Farm, I know that those carrots only get sweeter with the cold.  And brussel sprouts !  I always knew I liked them … even in high school …, but now that I’ve grown up and learned a few things about olive oil, butter and cast iron skillets – they’ve become a frequent dinner companion.  And, now everyone knows … because BriarPatch twitters !

Now I’m thinking of food again– click to facebook.  Why there? All of my favorite local growers are on fb, I’m collecting farm-fan-pages like baseball cards, and I don’t want to miss any breaking news on winter veggies … (especially carrots).

Ok, ok, back to work … and those lowly organ meats.  These may be the true ‘ugly ducklings’ of this story .. but I’m inspired by my fb friends’ success stories.  Once a staple of the diet .. for economic and nutritional considerations .. liver, kidney, tongue and heart may have faded in popularity as the handsome ribeyes, tenderloins and New Yorks enjoy their day in the sun.  But, don’t underestimate those unassuming cuts of meat.  With a little encouragement, and some social networking …. plus these recipes I’ve just found … these may just become the next local ‘rock stars’ in your kitchen!   Watch for their debut at the meat counter at BriarPatch … date and time to be announced via twitter …….

…………………………………….

Links to local CSA Farms

Four Frog Farm, Honey in the Heart Farm, Living Lands Agrarian Network, Mooney Flat Farm, Mountain Bounty Farm, Riverhill Farm, Sunsmile Farms, Fulcrum Farm, Grass Valley Grains

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The afternoon involved a cupping of Barefoot coffees, the same that you can find on our coffee bar beginning today. As the cupping commenced, I was transported to a glorious realm of smells, tastes, and textures.

As with all excellent coffees, with my first slurp, my mind’s eye also conjured up images. The first bean on the list was Chiapas Otilio Decaf from Mexico and the UDEPOM Co-op. It didn’t taste like a decaf! Instead, it was like an old friend sitting across the table, familiar and comforting. The nose was full of dark chocolate. I tasted orange blossoms and night jasmine with just enough acidity to tease the tongue.

Barefoot’s cupping notes are below:

Sweet and smartly bright. Touches of orangey citrus highlight the light dustings of chocolate and spice. Light and bright with nice medium body. Surprisingly sweet and involved for a decaf. Retains almost all its warm chocolate and citrus flavors and has a warm clarified butter finish and mouthfeel.

Next up was the Nueva Granada from El Salvador, producer Gloria Rodriguez. This time I was sent to a spring meadow. A breeze caressed my face with smells of damp grass and green growing things as I watched fat bumblebees spill out of buttercups. The taste of golden raspberries followed by meyer lemons caressed my tongue. I wanted to consume every last drop.

Barefoot’s notes:

Crisp and sweet at the same time. Nicely balanced stone fruits and rounded citrus flavors blossom and boogie. Butterscotchy middle layers with sweet finish. Very complex and sweet. More rounded stone fruits and syrupy thickness than Gloria’s other lots.

Finally, a Guatemalan from producer Edwin Martinez took me by the hand. The Honey Michicoy was like sitting in a warm, dark movie theater, snacking on candy bars that I had hidden in my pockets, sweeter and more satisfying than if they’d been eaten in the light of day. The cup sang of blood oranges and dark chocolate with a gloriously full mouthfeel and a honeycomb finish.

From Barefoot:

Crazy fruit bomb of honey & maple syrup with bing cherries, blackberries and apple. Rounds out with buttery caramel and cocoa. Succulent and juicy mouthfeel with crazy sweet fresh juice. A decadent, long lasting finish of apricot nectar and honey.

I am incredibly grateful that I got to experience this magical range of coffees. I feel even more grateful that we’re carrying these coffees in our deli. More information on this truly inspirational business (I didn’t even go into their kick-ass ethics!) can be found at Barefoot’s website. Make sure to come in as soon as you can so you too can be transported by these amazing, bewitching beans.

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Whether it’s focusing on the relationship between food and the environment, the history of food, or other major issues like colony collapse disorder, Foodies have a lot to choose from in this year’s line-up. Films like the “Elements of Food,” “What’s Organic about Organic?” and “Nourish” will give the savvy consumer a lot to chew on.

The film festival runs from January 15 through the 17. Advance ticket buyers will be entered to win a drawing for a pass to next year’s festival along with other cool prizes. Plus, Patrick Stewart (of Star Trek NG fame) is this year’s featured guest. He’s the narrator of the environmental adventure film, “Nature Propelled.” How awesome is that?

What are you doing the weekend of the 15th? Why going to the film fest, of course!

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So, when I found myself at the butcher’s counter asking for 2” cubes of bottom round for a recipe made famous (twice) by Julia Child – I caught myself laughing out loud (yeah, lol).  Since I kind of pride myself in not knowing the trendy jargon of the times … I had to have some coaching on how to pronounce the name of the famous recipe.

Finding myself in this uncharacteristic situation was all thanks to my friend Tina, and her ambitious plan for a big family holiday dinner.  Boeuf Bourguignon for 14 people, and nothing less than local grass fed grass finished beef will do!

And … of course, this story begins at BriarPatch, where local grass fed grass finished Nevada County Free Range Beef is the ‘home brand’ at the meat counter.

My favorite team of resident experts in the meat department set me up right.  They knew just what I needed … including some French pronunciation lessons so I wouldn’t embarrass myself further.  I listened carefully while Robert explained in his best high pitched faux-Julia voice – how the cubes should be cut lengthwise to the marbling of the beef to insure tenderness, and as I tried hard to take this all in without focusing too much on the elf hat bobbing around as he worked, the whole place became filled with the joyful sound of Julia-impersonators calling out “Bon Appetit!”. – Ah, long holiday hours in the meat department!   I wasn’t the first to request this glamorous stew beef that day.

….. If my visit to the meat counter mirrors a scene from a movie, preparing this meal can only be compared to a theatre production.  And there’s nothing quite like arriving at the family holiday bearing gifts of fresh beef – for the opening scene.

The production begins, of course, by breaking the timeless rule about ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’, creating a tightly orchestrated chaos of Christmas music and 2 ½ conversations at once, over the underlying tenor of youngsters dodging underfoot – having no real reason to be in the kitchen, except to absorb some of the hectic atmosphere to mix with the sugar already in their systems – and me, creeping around under the radar – in the unfamiliar kitchen – opening each cabinet and drawer seeking baking dishes and allspice – hopefully without breaking the choreography of the boeuf  troupe who are spinning around the dancefloor, er kitchen floor at a faster pace than the pumpkin pudding troupe who are dancing to a more hesitant, uneven beat in a sort of mid-range octave between the staccato of the onion chopping and the slow, steady, adagio… of the eggnog stirring.

In-season vegetables, carrots, yellow onions, white pearl onions, red wine.

Didn’t have to convince anyone in this kitchen about the laurels of local, seasonal foods!

I’ll take a moment here, from the merriment … to mention:  when translating the recipe from boeuf to grass fed grass finished beef, be sure to allow some extra time – and pace yourself!  The grass fed beef should sear for a brief moment in the pan, to remain succulent, then be allowed to marinate in the wine and juices for a little longer than Julia might have.  Maybe a recipe-revision for a slow-cooker …

Toward the end of the suggested 2 ½ hours cooking time, slowly marinating in the juices … the boeuf needed more time, but since the wine and eggnog had been flowing freely, the cooks were rapidly marinating in our juices ….

But true to the season, we kept our spirits high.  Although the original 14 people had unexpectedly been reduced to 10.  I didn’t know at the time, having not seen the movie …… that this seems to be the curse of the Boeuf Bourguignon.  Announcing “more stew for us”, (again unconsciously mirroring lines from the script), received pretty much the same deflated response as it did in the film.

The final scene – good food, a quick recovery, compliments all around, and indeed – “..more stew for us”… another hour-plus later.  As Julia would have said, “ no excuses, no apologies, no explanations!”

So – I finally watched the movie.  The similarities to recent real-life are startling! .. right down to the food-blogging, and my quest to learn about good cooking.

Thanks Julia, for the inspiration .. and thanks Tina, for the adventure!

btw …  I got a lemon zester for Christmas !

Related posts:

1. Time for class: Cooking Grass Finished Beef 101.