EGGS, PORK AND CSA: Mike Foley on Timber Trail Rd in Shafstbury & Clearbrook Farm

Last week my neighbor called me and invited me to go with him to pick up his last CSA for the winter and his eggs for the week.

Our first stop was Clearbrook farm to pick up the CSA. Clearbrook was my favorite place to food shop in the summer and fall. My sister would drive out to pick up local veggies, cheese and the most delicious chocolate milk on earth!

I should have signed up for the winter CSA but wasn't sure of my schedule. Anyway, we loaded up on delicious winter veggies and I bought local organic maple beef sausage from Burley Farm (I will do a sperate blog for that farm).

After picking up the CSA share we headed down to Timber Trail Road where Mike Foley lives. He moved to VT from NYC after 9/11 and restored an old house and started farming. We picked up 3 dozen eggs and chatted for a bit.

Mike sells his eggs to Henry's Market in Bennington and the Shafstbury Country Store. Mike feeds his chickens organic scraps from Shaws market in Manchester. He makes a trip to Manchester everyday to pick up the extra food. He also has his children's classes at Shaftsbury Elementary scraping food scraps for the pigs.

If you want to buy eggs from Mike directly, you can call him at 375-2889. Tell him the girl writing the food blog sent you. He is also currently raising pigs if you are interested in some pork this year. I am going to share one with a couple people. I have already named it Yiddle (yiddish for little jew).  Mike raises the pig and then hires a butcher to, well, butcher it. The pigs are happy pigs raised above his house and fed local food scraps!

Happy eggs and piglets :)

My 29th Birthday Dinner at SoLo Farm & Table

I arrived back in VT October 5th, 2011. I was planning on doing a NYC birthday with my family at a vegan restaurant but needed to be in VT. It turned out to be one of the nicest birthdays I have ever had.

My sister knew I would want to go out for a nice meal so she suggested her friend Miles' sister's new restaurant in South Londonderry, VT. SoLo Farm & Table!! Sadly it was so long ago that I don't remember everything I ate. However, the dessert I will never forget!  Homemade basil ice cream--it was simply divine. 

I was in heaven the entire evening because, from a social justice standpoint, I felt good about eating the meat. They locally source almost everything. The owners, Chloe and Wesley, work in the restaurant.  She is the maitre d' and he is the head chef.

The matzah ball soup also tasted like heaven (everything made from scratch).  It was so good we brought some home to my dad. The bread is delivered fresh three times a week from Red Hen Baking Company.

The restaurant is located in an old house with charming rooms and tables and a very nice bar. I give it 5 stars for food, social justice practices, service, and atmosphere and I hope to go back very soon!

WELCOME

Hello everyone-

To go along with my screaming eagle food guide to southern VT, I have decided to start a blog. You will have to bear with me as writing is not my strength. I am hoping through this exercise it will get a bit better.  If you are ever reading and feel so inclined to edit, I welcome edits and critiques with open arms.

Over the past couple of months I have become somewhat obsessed with all things "food." In 2011 I did a Social Justice fellowship through Jews United for Justice that forever changed my life. My final project was supposed to be a social justice food guide to DC but my life changed a bit in October  and I moved back to VT for a few, what turned out to be glorious, months.  

It also turns out that the idea of making a social justice food guide for southern Vermont is much more of a realistic project in terms of size than DC.

The idea is to provide a guide for locals and tourists that connects local food to people. A couple friends and I have started a google doc and we already have some data on over 50 nearby farms. The long term hope is that we can cultivate the guide and farmers together and create a co-op!

If you are interested in the project please, please e-mail me/ call me :)

So welcome and thanks for reading!

My motto for 2012 is to fall in love with everything- so I hope that while reading the guide you fall in love! Maybe not with my writing, but with a farm, farmer, or a specific food.

Kisses forever- Shira