Each evening begins at 6:30 pm with a potluck dinner that is usually outstanding. I mean, think about it. These farm tours tend to attract people who love local, fresh food. You can be assured that you will eat well. The dinner is followed at 7:30 pm by a tour of the farm.

The series, which runs on the first Wednesday of the month from June to September, opens with a visit to Tussock Sedge Farm, home of Henry and Charlotte Rosenberger. The Rosenbergers, who are ardent conservationists, preserved 284 acres of their 450-acre spread in 2001 and protected an additional 140 acres in 2009. They received the Heritage Conservancy’s Business Leader Conservation Award in 2010.

Tussock Sedge raises fine, 100-percent grass-fed, pasture-finished red angus beef, where the primary focus is “growing exceptional grasses for natural birthing and rotational grazing of cows and calves.” They feed no growth hormones or prophylactic antibiotics to their cattle. Henry and Charlotte are also role models and mentors to new, young Bucks County farmers. Maybe you’ve heard of Blooming Glen Farm, the community supported agriculture farm? That’s on Rosenberger land.

This is a perfect opportunity to learn how Tussock Sedge employs such conservation practices as planting legume cover crops to add nitrogen to the soil; eliminating the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers; and protecting the soil with field terracing, pipe outlets and riparian fencing along streams. Oh, and how they produce some very fine tasting beef.

Tussock Sedge Farm is at 1239 Souderton Road (Route 113 or West Main Street) just west of the village of Blooming Glen. Look for the Tussock Sedge sign. Click here for directions. Any cancellations due to extremes of weather (thunderstorms, flooding) will be posted on the BCFA website.

There is no charge and no need to register for the event: come to one, two or all, bringing a picnic dish to share and your own beverages, eating equipment and seating. This educational and entertaining event is appropriate for school-aged children who are under an adult’s careful supervision.

Join the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance for three more summer farm evenings:

On July 6 at Purely Farm, where Joanna and Marc Michini raise pastured pork, lamb, chicken and rabbit, and free range eggs. On the same property is Just One Seed run by farmer and former Del Val professor Eve Minson. Eve will show you how to grow exceptional organic vegetables in a surprising small plot of land. The property is at 55 A Municipal Road in Pipersville. For directions, click here.

On August 3, come to Shady Brook Farm in Yardley. Paul and Dave Fleming, the fourth generation to be working this family farm, will give the tour of this landmark, sharing its evolution from wholesaler to retailer, and beyond. See their website for directions.

The final summer farm tour will be on September 7 at Snipes Farm and Education Center, part of the Snipes Family Foundation in Morrisville. The Snipes Farm grows organic vegetables and fruits and raises pastured pork. In addition to running a community supported agriculture farm, the Snipes Farm offers many educational programs. Come find out more about this special family farm, now being run by the 11th generation of Snipes to farm in Lower Bucks County.

Related posts:

1. Tidbits: Farm-to-school and back
2. Bucks County Farmers’ Markets 2010
3. Bucks Food Calendar: April 30, 2010

That started to change a bit when I moved into my first home, a townhouse in a condo community. I started doing some herbs and flowers in pots, which is also a daily watering chore on a sunny summer deck. I became enamored of geraniums. They like sun and can handle neglect. I do neglect very well.

But when we moved into our home in Wycombe over two years ago I immediately set to work establishing an herb garden. The vegetables I could get from more talented and experienced local farmers at markets and our Community-Supported-Agriculture (CSA) farm. But herbs! I wanted to gather parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme mere steps from my kitchen. One of my proudest gardening moments was Thanksgiving, when my brother (the chef) was visiting and preparing the turkey. He reeled off a bunch of herbs he would need and asked if I could buy them. I smiled, handed him a scissors, and pointed him towards the backyard.

When I worked at clearing out my herb garden this year, I was thrilled. As expected, the oregano, thyme, sage and garlic chives had all survived the winter. But the parsley! It’s back in a big way. The workhorse of the herb garden and a staple of so many recipes. Another thrill was the garlic cloves I had planted for the first time last fall. Their shoots are growing an inch a day, it seems, with all this rain and I can’t wait til they begin to curl. Then I’ll have my first garlic scapes – the top part of the garlic bulb, cut down in spring to encourage the garlic below ground to grow into a healthy bulb. Chop it up, sauté it or just throw it in a salad. It makes a brief appearance in late spring, mostly at farm markets.

I’m beginning to “get” gardening. The joy of peering over something you’ve planted and seeing it thrive. Harvesting it and turning it into something you can eat, instead of buy at a supermarket. If you’ve ever considered starting food production in your own backyard, or have made some tentative steps and want to do more organic gardening, then come to the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance’s monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 4th, being held at the Doylestown Mennonite Meetinghouse. The topic, “Bringing Food Production Back Home,” will be led by organic gardening pro Paul Thompson, president of the BucksMont Organic Garden Club. Thompson, a veteran of 35 years of organic vegetable production, will share ideas about creating a backyard food supply and answer questions for experienced as well as novice gardeners. For example:

• Which vegetables are the easiest to grow?
• Which crops will save my household the most money?
• What can I grow that’s tasty, easy, nutritious — and new and different?
• What are the most efficient and productive organic gardening techniques?
• How can I expand my growing space and increase my yields?

“A small garden can reap big returns in taste, nutrition, savings and convenience,” says Thompson. “But the larger issue is ‘food security.’ Growing our own food and buying from local small farms yield dividends to our communities and our ecosystems by helping to preserve our region’s rich agricultural heritage and reduce our dependence on unsustainable petroleum fertilizers and transportation fuels.”

The May event, which is free and open to all, will be held at the Doylestown Mennonite Meetinghouse, North Broad Street and Sandy Ridge Road, Doylestown, 7:30-9:00 pm.

Another news item about new gardens caught my eye. The Yardley Inn now has its own riverside garden to supply their kitchen and the creative talents of Chef Eben Copple. Chef Eben has long been a supporter of using local produce at the Yardley Inn and he’s thrilled to have a garden of his own, although he admits in an article on phillyburbs.com that it will be a learning experience.

‘Our goal is to get four seasons of yield out of the garden, which is going to be a little tricky. We’re going to be learning a lot this year, but the payoff will be incalculable.’

The new garden will grow several varieties of vegetables and herbs including peas, peppers, tomatoes, thyme, squash, eggplant, cucumbers, fava beans, cranberry beans, scallions, beets, radishes, turnips, carrots, arugula, frisee, kale, chard, mustard greens, trevisio, brussels sprouts, melons, gooseberries, rhubarb, cress, mache and much more.

Diners can expect to experience fresh additions from the garden as early as next month.”

If you really want to explore backyard self-sufficiency, stop by the Doylestown Bookshop on Saturday, May 7 from 1:00-3:00 pm for a discussion with author Scott Meyer. He’ll be talking about his new book, City Homesteader: Self-sufficiency on Any Square Footage, a handbook about being resourceful, saving money, reducing consumption, and increasing self-reliance. Meyer is a former editor of Organic Gardening for Rodale. The book covers topics such as: gardening on small and large scales, raising dwarf fruit trees, sprouting grains, smoking meats and fish, grinding grains for flour, making cheese, making wine, cellaring, heating without fossil fuel, harvesting rainwater, and composting.

The Doylestown Bookshop is at 16 S. Main Street in Doylestown.

Check it out. The Bucks County Foodshed Alliance, in lieu of their regular monthly meetings, “meets” at local farms once a month during the summer, hosting a potluck full of great food. We went to our first one last summer at Manoff Market Gardens in Solebury. It was fascinating…and delicious. Everyone brought seasonal, yummy dishes, and we chatted until the sun started to set. Then Amy and Gary Manoff walked us around their farm and we learned how they produce their wonderful fruit – berries, peaches, apples, to name a few – as well as some of the hardships.

This summer’s potluck farm tours start tonight, Wednesday, June 2nd. Even if you can’t make it for the potluck, come later for the tour. The potluck begins at 6:30 pm. Bring your own place settings, beverage and dish to share (8-10 servings). Folding chairs or blankets may come in handy as well, depending on the turnout. The farm tour begins at 7:30 pm.

Here’s the line-up for the summer.

• Wednesday, June 2nd: Gravity Hill Farm, an organic farm in Titusville, NJ (just over the bridge)
• POSTPONED TO JULY 14TH Wednesday, July 7th: Sunnyslope Farm, who raise all natural, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef and chicken products, on Lurgan Road in New Hope, PA
• Wednesday, August 4th: Milk House Farm Market, a family farm selling produce and cage-free eggs, on Woodhill Road in Newtown, PA 
• Wednesday, September 1st: WoodsEdge Wools Farm in Stockton, NJ, a farm that breeds llamas and alpacas.

Mark your calendars for these fun, fascinating, feel-good farm visits!

UPDATED July 6, 2010

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Related posts:

1. Last Farm Tour and Potluck at Manoff Market Gardens
2. 'Tis the Season

There are a lot of ways to do this. Certainly some schools are trying to improve the quality and freshness of foods served in the cafeteria. Locally this is happening in the Palisades school district in Upper Bucks County, and movement is being seen in other parts of the county too.

Newtown Elementary School held a fundraiser in April for an organic vegetable garden they (parents, teachers and kids) are installing at the school. Jackie Ricotta, a professor at Delaware Valley College and board member of the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance, has been consulting with them about how to do it. Jackie specializes in sustainable farming techniques. Read more in the Bucks Local News’ article from April 23rd.

Wrightstown students are learning up close at Anchor Run Farm in a great farm-to-school program in partnership with the Snipes Farm Education Center in Morrisville. A four-session program is a joint effort between Snipes , Wrightstown Elementary School and PTO, Wrightstown Township’s Environmental Advisor Council, Anchor Run Farm, the Bucks County Food Alliance and the Sierra Club. Learn more about it in Jeff Werner’s article published last Saturday in the Bucks Local News. Educator Melanie Douty-Snipes of Snipes Farm & Nursery and Wrightstown Elementary teacher Liz Cirelli talk about what they like most about the program,

For me, as a teacher, it’s fun because we’re always learning together,” said Douty-Snipes “It’s an adventure. We’re learning about the world and life together. I’m hoping that my inspiration gets passed on to them so they are inspired to be farmers, to protect farmland and to support local farms when they get older.”

Third grade teacher Liz Cirelli said the Farm-to-School program fits in with classroom studies about plants and seeds. “This is tying it in from classroom to the community. This farm is allowing them to see what’s happening outside of the school building.”

“It’s amazing to see them learning,” said Cirelli. “It’s a working classroom. I don’t think the kids realized how much work it takes to get from seeds to plants to the kitchen table. When we go back to the classroom we’ll be talking about what we saw on the farm and connecting that to what we’re learning about seeds and bring them to plants.”

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Related posts:

1. Summer Farm Tours 2011 kicks off on June 1st

My sister lives in England, in the Cotswolds. It is green, lush and beautiful, like Bucks County in many ways. She lives in a small – and I mean small – village with farms all around. I once asked her what her neighbor farmers produced. “Livestock, dairy, some crops,” she said. “Can you buy stuff from them?” I asked. Her answer, after a confused pause, was, “Uh, no. It all goes into a regional collective. We can’t buy directly.”

I was stunned. And that’s when it really hit me. I realized how fortunate we are here in Bucks County. Gosh, when corn or pumpkins are in season, you can’t drive a half-mile without seeing a farm stand. Or someone putting their garden’s bounty out by the curb with a small self-serve cash box and a hand-lettered sign.

At this point in my learning curve about local food, I’m also stunned when I meet Bucks County residents who still buy their fruits and veggies from the supermarket at the height of our growing season. Maybe I’m preaching to the choir here, but truly, the produce does taste better when we buy it locally. Sometimes it costs a bit more, but many times it doesn’t, especially in season. I like meeting the person who has grown the food. I really like knowing I am supporting the local agricultural economy so that we’ll continue to have fresh, local food in the future as well.

Changing shopping habits
Here’s what I discovered last summer. Once you get to know your local farmers’ market – be it a seasonal one, or one of the year-round markets – you start to change your shopping patterns. When I make my grocery list now, I know what I’ll buy at the farmers’ market each week, and what I’ll pick up at the supermarket. My supermarket visits also become more infrequent, which actually saves me money – less impulse buying. In addition to fruits and vegetables, I now buy bread, coffee, meat and cheese at my local farmers’ markets. That pretty much leaves toilet paper and detergent for my monthly visits to Wegmans.

Farmers’ markets everywhere
Seasonal farmers’ markets in Bucks County are growing – no pun intended. This year there will be ten eleven  seasonal markets in the county, and more farms are opening up farm stands each year. According to Robin Hoy, executive director of the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance, the number of farmers’ markets in the county selling Bucks County grown and produced products has quadrupled since 2006. Attendance at the Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, one of the busiest, increased 20% just this past year.

Most farmers’ markets in Bucks County are now selling a wide array of goods, all grown or produced in Bucks or nearby. Products like delicious baked goods (including cookies, breads, tomato pies, Stromboli, and Greek pastries); Grass-fed Angus beef, pasture-raised pork, poultry, lamb and rabbit; eggs, cheeses and yogurt from pastured animals; pasta; ice cream; local unprocessed raw honey, maple syrup and beeswax candles; flowers and plants; jams, jellies, condiments and sauces; organic, fair trade, locally roasted coffees; prepared foods, hand-made soaps and lotions, artisan and handcrafted goods, and, of course, locally grown produce.

Many markets now have special events every week that really lend an air of festivity. Local chefs show shoppers how to use seasonal produce to create tasty dishes. Chefs David Zuckerman and Chris Tavares of Earl’s Bucks County in Lahaska will be at the season opening of the New Hope Farmers’ Market this Thursday, May 6th (for more details see list below). The Ottsville Farmers’ Market at Linden Hill Gardens has fun events every week, most geared towards the whole family.

Let’s not forget the great year-round farmers’ markets in Bucks. None Such Farm Market in Buckingham provides meats, cheeses, baked goods, grocery items, plants, and fresh produce from their farm across the street. Shady Brook Farm in Yardley, and at The Market at Delaware Valley College, also offer a wide variety of foods, in addition to fruit and produce from their farm and from the college. The indoor Newtown Farmers’ Market has been a mainstay in Newtown for years, with a diverse group of vendors from Amish, to Middle Eastern, to Asian and Mexican. In Ivyland, Tanners Bros. Dairy Market offers their own meat and dairy products (and ice cream!), and nicely priced produce. Carroll’s Seafood & Produce in Plumsteadville carries produce, milk, and a good selection of fish. Likewise, Bolton’s in Silverdale. In addition to local produce, you can get their fresh, hormone-free, antibiotic-free poultry year-round, raised on their farm adjacent to the store. And as you wind your way up Route 611, stop in at Trauger’s in Kintersville. They carry a huge variety of fruit and vegetables from their 9th generation-owned farm. The most recent year-round indoor market to open is the Stockton Farmers’ Market, open on Saturdays and Sundays in Stockton, NJ. [See our post on the Stockton Market here.]

To find more local farm stands and markets, check out the listing on the Web site of the Penn State Cooperative Extension, Bucks County. It’s organized both alphabetically and by type of product. So if you want to know where you can do “pick-your-own” produce, or who sells locally raised beef, it’s a great resource.

Here’s a listing of seasonal farm markets in Bucks, arranged geographically (going south to north). Most of the markets take place rain or shine. Some have email lists, a great reminder as well as source of what will be selling in the market that week. Click on the name of the market to go to their Web site and get even more information.

• Langhorne Farmers’ Market: Tuesdays 3:00 – 6:30 pm, at the Jesse Soby American Legion Post, 115 W. Richardson Ave. Starting June 28 until October 26.
• Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market: Thursdays 3:30 – 6:30 pm, at Edgewood & Heacock Roads in Yardley. Starting May 20 until October 14.
• Wrightstown Farmers’ Market: Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm, at 2203 2nd Street Pike (next to the Wrightstown Township Municipal Building). Starting May 1 until November 20.
• Warrington Farmers’ Market at Valley Square: the newest market, just opening this year. Fridays from 3 – 6 pm, beginning May 14 (end date TBD). For more information, contact Christie Honigman at ch@grassholdings.com.
• Doylestown Farmers’ Market: Saturdays 7 am – noon, on Hamilton Ave. near West State St. Starting April 17 until November 20.
• New Hope Farmers’ Market: Thursdays 3:30 – 7 pm, in the parking lot of the New Hope-Solebury High School on 180 N. Bridge St. Beginning May 6 until November 18.
• Plumsteadville Grange Farm Market: Saturdays 9 am – noon, at the Plumsteadville Grange near the intersection of Route 611 and Keller’s Church Rd. Starting May 29 until October 30.
• Ottsville Farmers’ Market at Linden Hill Gardens: Fridays 3 – 7 pm, 8230 Easton Rd. (Rt. 611, between Rt. 113 and 412). Beginning May 28 until October 29.
• Springtown Farmers’ Market: Thursdays 4 – 6 pm, at the Springtown Fire House, 3010 Main St. (Routes 412/212). Starting May 20 until September 30.
• Indian Valley Farmers’ Market: Saturdays 8:30 am – 12:30 pm, at Penn Ave. and Main St. in Telford. Beginning June 26 until October 16.

Update: Just heard from Joe Ferry in Perkasie – “The Perkasie Farmers Market will return on (Saturday) May 22 after a few years hiatus. We have a great group of vendors lined up, plus some live entertainment and business specials.
It’s all part of ‘Saturday Mornings in Perkasie,’ which will happen on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month through the fall.”  Thanks for the info, Joe!

Look for Bucks County Taste on Facebook and Twitter!

Related posts:

1. Farm markets in winter
2. Bucks Food Calendar: May 14, 2010
3. The winter farmers’ market report

Strawberries, yes, strawberries. While most local strawberries won’t be coming in until later in May, you could say this weekend is the official welcome of the lovely spring fruit. Peddler’s Village will celebrate on Saturday and Sunday with their 41st Annual Strawberry Festival. Earl’s Bucks County will be serving a special Strawberry Arugula Salad and – are you ready? – “Chocolate Covered Strawberry Beer” (Lancaster Brewing Company Strawberry Wheat Beer finished with Rogue Chocolate Stout). Town Crier Bakery has everything from chocolate covered strawberries to strawberry pie to strawberry fritters.

And if you’re about to complain that strawberries aren’t “local” yet, Shady Brook Farm reports that their strawberries will be ready for “pick-your-own” this Monday. For an update on their crops, call 215.968.1670.

To market, to market. The Wrightstown Farmers’ Market opens this Saturday, May 1st with Personal Chef Karen McGinn giving cooking demonstrations on spring vegetables. The New Hope Farmers’ Market starts their season this Thursday, May 6th, with Chef David Zukerman of Earl’s Bucks County providing a cooking demo. And of course the Doylestown Farmers’ Market started a few Saturdays ago. Look for spring greens – spinach, lettuce – and radishes, rhubarb, herbs and bedding plants. Market products also include flowers; pastured beef, chicken and lamb; cheeses and yogurt from pastured animals; pastured eggs; bread and baked goods; preserved products; handmade soaps and lotions; honey, maple syrup and beeswax candles; organic, fair trade, locally roasted coffees; and prepared foods.

Fresh produce for those in need. The Bucks County Foodshed Alliance, who run the Wrightstown Market, is partnering with the Bucks County Housing Group and market shoppers to provide fresh produce to the Housing Group’s food pantry on Durham Rd. in Penndel. They are inviting shoppers to purchase fresh produce items at the market and donate them. The (tax deductible) produce donations will be collected at the Foodshed Alliance table and delivered at the end of the market each Saturday. Volunteers are needed to help with delivery too. See the Foodshed Alliance table at the market for more information.

Bucks County Wine Trail. Not only is this weekend the Bucks County Wine Trail’s Spring Fling - celebrating the first wines of the season – but the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce is holding its very popular Bucks County Wine Tour on Sunday (Oops. Sorry, it’s sold out). What a great weekend to sample some local wine – sun, warmth, sitting outside sipping wine. Does it get any better?

The Doylestown Food Club is becoming the Doylestown Food Co-Op…and you can be part of the process. The five month old Doylestown Food Club, a collection of 50 households who buy locally produced goods and produce collectively is moving quickly towards a co-op structure. This Sunday, May 2, from 2 – 4 pm, and Thursday, May 27, from 7:30 – 9:30 pm, the Food Club will hold Town Hall meetings to gather input and answer questions about the development of the co-op. If you are at all interested, please come! You can also get on the Food Club/Co-op’s email list to stay in the loop.

For more details, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Have a lovely weekend!

Friday, April 30th:
Forecast – Sunny, 81°

• Jim Popik @ Pennsylvania Soup & Seafood Company, Doylestown [6 - 9 pm]
• Barbara Trent @ The Centre Bridge Inn, New Hope [7 - 11 pm]
• Kindle Cafe Supper Club @ Rojo’s Roastery, Lambertville [7:30 - 9 pm]
• Simon & Garfunkel Tribute @ New Hope Winery, New Hope [8 - 10:30 pm]
• Dave Marion Duo @ Vader’s Bar & Grill, Southampton [8 - 11 pm]

Saturday, May 1st:
Forecast – Sunny, 88°

• Spring Fling – Bucks County Wine Trail, Various Bucks County Wineries
• Doylestown Farmers’ Market, Doylestown [7 am - 12 pm]
• Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, Wrightstown [9 am - 1 pm]
• Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [9 am - 3 pm]
• 41st Annual Peddler’s Village Strawberry Festival, Lahaska [10 am - 6 pm]
• Wine Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton [12 - 5 pm]
• Beerfest @ McCoole’s, Quakertown [12 - 9 pm]
• Family-Style Roast Beef & Ham Dinner – Trinity UCC, Pleasant Valley [4 - 7 pm]
• Ham Dinner @ Riegelsville Fire Company, Riegelsville [4 - 7 pm]
• Ham Dinner @ First Baptist Church of Lambertville, Lambertville, NJ [4:30 - 7 pm]
• Jazz Night! featuring Eric Mintel Quartet, Michener Art Museum, Doylestown [8 - 11 pm]

Sunday, May 2nd:
Forecast – Sunny, 87°

• Spring Fling – Bucks County Wine Trail, Various Bucks County Wineries
• Breakfast Buffet @ Plumsteadville Fire Co., Plumsteadville [7 am - 12 pm]
• Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, Hellertown [9 am - 1 pm]
• Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [10 am - 3 pm]
• 41st Annual Peddler’s Village Strawberry Festival, Lahaska [10 am - 6 pm]
• 2010 Bucks County Wine Tour – Bucks County [12 - 5 pm]
• Doylestown Food Club Town Hall Meeting, Doylestown [2 - 4 pm]

Monday, May 3rd:

• Complimentary Wine Sampling @ Yardley Inn, Yardley [5 - 9 pm]
• Entertain with Ease! @ The Cooking Cottage, Sellersville [6:30 - 8:30 pm]
• Dim Sum and Other Asian Treats @ Carlow Cookery, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]
• A Tasting Tour of Spain @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [7 - 9 pm]
• Soupcon Salon by Kindle Café, Lambertville, NJ [7 - 9:15 pm]

Look for Bucks County Taste on Facebook and Twitter!

Related posts:

1. Bucks Food Calendar: May 14, 2010
2. Bucks Food Calendar: May 7, 2010
3. Bucks County Farmers’ Markets 2010

The event, which is open to all and free of charge, is held at the Wrightstown Village Library, 727 Penn’s Park Rd., in Wrightstown, beginning at 7:30 pm.

A little info from the Ingredients website:

Narrated by Bebe Neuwirth, the film takes us across the U.S. from the diversified farms of the Hudson River and Willamette Valleys to the urban food deserts of Harlem and to the kitchens of celebrated chefs Alice Waters, Peter Hoffman and Greg Higgins. Ingredients is a journey that reveals the people behind the movement to bring good food back to the table and health back to our communities.”

Ingredients received the prestigious Silver Sierra Award for Documentary Filmmaking at the 2009 Yosemite Film Festival and has had showings at film festivals and environmental events across the country since its premiere at the Globians DocFest in Berlin, Germany, August 13. It was produced and filmed by cinematographer Brian Kimmel; written, directed and edited by Robert Bates; researched and produced by Debra Sohm Lawson. Executive producers are Corinne Bourdeau and Mary Elizabeth Murphy.

This event serves as the BCFA’s April general meeting. For more information, go to: www.BucksCountyFoodshedAlliance.org

Look for Bucks County Taste on Facebook and Twitter! 

Related posts:

1. Fresh food for community food pantries

The free event will be moderated by Brenda Slack, a director of the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance and fourth-generation farmer in Newtown.

This will provide not only a forum for the farmers themselves to talk about issues related to farming and its future in Bucks County,” says Slack, who raises chickens and produce on 30 of her family’s 120-acre farm. “We’re also encouraging consumers—that’s anyone who lives and eats in Bucks—to attend to meet their local farmers, learn what they produce and develop a better understanding of what they face in bringing fresh, nutritious, sustainably grown food and other products to market across the seasons.

The forum should be of special interest to the 50 or so farmers in Bucks, restaurant owners and local chefs, grocery and specialty food store owners, people concerned about farming and land preservation in the county, and young people interested in learning about farming through their involvement with 4-H groups, employment at local farms, or study of agriculture at the college level.

We want to help build strong, lasting, cooperative farmer-to-farmer and consumer-to-farmer relationships,” says Slack, “because we believe this is the way to ensure that Bucks County agriculture thrives, its farmers make a respectable living and all consumers know where their food comes from.

This event serves as the BCFA’s March general meeting. For details or to be a farmer represented at this event, please contact Brenda Slack, 215.852.4305 or at MHFM@verizon.net.

For more information: www.BucksCountyFoodshedAlliance.org. For directions to Delaware Valley College, click here.

Bucks County Farmer Forum
Delaware Valley College
Feldman Hall, Room 113
700 E. Butler Avenue, Doylestown, PA 18901

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Ms. Mantz, development officer, will present the Housing Group’s role and mission, as well as open a dialogue regarding a partnership between BCHG and BCFA that would enable the pantries to offer fresh food during local growing months. The discussion will revolve around the logistics of such an undertaking, engaging farmers and market vendors to participate, developing a volunteer base to deliver produce and considering how to fund it. BCHG also is considering offering its Penndel site as a setting for a farmers’ market.

The housing group’s three Community Food Pantries in Penndel, Doylestown and Quakertown served 39,000 individuals in 2009, with community food donations providing the bulk of the support.

BCFA members and interested others are invited to participate with ideas and questions. The Wrightstown Village Library is at 726 Penns Park Rd., Wrightstown 18940. There is no charge, and refreshments will be served.

Related posts:

1. Bucks Food Calendar: April 30, 2010
2. “Ingredients” at BCFA meeting this Wednesday