News and Blog
In October the National Food Security Coalition (NFSC) and members of various food organizations in our area (including HM&F) are hosting a food justice conference called "The Gumbo that Unites Us All". On Tuesday, we met Emily (from the Oregon based NFSC), David & Natalie (Second Harvest Food Bank), Michael (NOLA Food Co-op), Ann Rose (LSU SNAP-Ed) and Emily (Trouser House Urban Farm) at Cochon's Butcher to discuss our progress with planning. There will be field trips, walking tours, workshops, short courses, networking sessions and of course a second line that will allow us to band together and strengthen our local food systems. Check out their website www.communityfoodconference.org and join us for the conference!
Hollygrove Market & Farm, in conjunction with the Master Gardeners of New Orleans, will conduct farm tours and educational programs every Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 to 11 a.m., beginning June 15 and ending July 29, 2010, at
Hollygrove Market & Farm
8301 Olive St.
New Orleans
The tour and programs are suitable for children ages 6-12 and will feature a combination of educational and fun activities such as:
- How fruits and vegetables are grown
- Backyard worm composting
- Make your own seed bracelet
- Hunt for plants and bugs
- Feed the chickens
- Take-home seeds and plants
- Juices and snacks
The cost of the program is $5 per child. Space is limited to 24 children per visit. Reservations are required.
Reserve your space now: 504.483-7037
info@hollygrovemarket.com
New Orleans, LA—The New Orleans Food and Farm Network, in collaboration with the Tulane School of Medicine, the Food Policy Advisory Committee and Our School at Blair Grocery, will host a dinner for faith leaders to discuss food, hunger and health in our communities on Tuesday, May 18th from 6 to 8 pm. The event will take place at Café Reconcile, located at 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, and will include a brief screening of the documentary, Food, Inc. This is an opportunity for faith leaders to join in a discussion about how to address hunger in our communities.
According to Feeding America,
1 in 8 Louisianans are at risk of hunger.
1 in 5 Louisiana children are food insecure.
There are an average of 10,000 people for every grocery store.
In New Orleans, there were 18,000 people for every grocery in 2008.
The event kicks off the our city’s participation in the Ingredients for Change Campaign, a nationwide initiative to address America’s alarming rates of obesity and other major health problems directly linked to our country’s food system.
The New Orleans Food and Farm Network was selected as one of 30 organizations around the country to participate in the Ingredients for Change Campaign, and will convene a range of related local projects to join a nationwide network of local, agricultural and public health groups working to increase the availability of nutritious food and improve their communities’ overall health. The Campaign is a collaboration of Active Voice and Participant Media.
In addition to a short film screening which will share a few clips from the movie, this event will feature a delicious meal catered by Café Reconcile. Following the film, a panel of faith leaders will share innovative ways they are bringing fresh, wholesome food to their communities. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss ideas over dinner and to learn about organizations in New Orleans that provide resources for food projects such as gardens and farmers markets. The event is free, but space is limited so you must RSVP in order to attend. Please contact Danielle Dinner by Monday, May 10th at the New Orleans Food and Farm Network at 864-2009 or Danielle@noffn.org to RSVP.
The event’s organizers are encouraging neighborhood organizations and religious congregations to help spread the word amongst their communities, and to also consider organizing transportation for their constituents to the screening. Organizations working on food-related initiatives are invited to get in touch to arrange for on-site education and outreach opportunities.
Food, Inc., the critically acclaimed 2009 hit documentary from Participant Media, Magnolia Pictures and River Road Entertainment, gives audiences a vivid view of industrial food production, a system that in the last 50 years has drastically changed the American diet. Scrutinizing our national agriculture and food policies, the film examines why soda and fast food are now significantly cheaper and more accessible then fresh fruits and vegetables, and how this change has directly contributed to soaring rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems. For more information, visit www.foodincmovie.com.
ABOUT ACTIVE VOICE AND THE INGREDIENTS FOR CHANGE CAMPAIGN
Active Voice, a non-profit media strategist and national organizer of the IFC Campaign uses film, television and multimedia to put a human face on pivotal social justice issues and spark social change. The year-long IFC Campaign began in June 2009 with support provided by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
ABOUT PARTICIPANT MEDIA
Participant produces social issue films intended to entertain audiences and inspire them to actions. Through social action campaigns accompanying each film, Participant partners with relevant organizations to create opportunities for education and direct involvement in film-specific issues. To date, Participant has developed active, working relationships with 112 non-profits, and has reached over 60 million people worldwide.
Be sure to visit us this weekend at the French Quarter Festival in the French Market. We will have stall in the Farmers' Market section of the French Market and will be selling delicious local goodies. Our presence at the French Market for the FQF and JazzFest marks the beginning of our efforts to serve the French Quarter and the Marigny/Bywater area with fresh, local produce.
Starting in May, Hollygrove Market & Farm will have a operate a second location in the Farmers' Market section of the French Market. Our hours will be every Wednesday and Saturday from 10am to 5pm.
We will have the Buyers' Club available for purchase one week in advance (must pre-order through website or by email) for Saturday pick-up. We will include our dairy line of Smith and Ryals, fresh yard eggs, cheeses, pastured meats, and a local seasonal selection of the very best the farm collective has to offer.
Hollygrove Market & Farm started organizing, purchasing, and providing access to locally grown foods in October 2008. Since our birth we have worked with over 50 farms, transformed an acre of blighted property into community garden plots, composted several thousand pounds of unmarketable material, and given over $5,000 in edible donations to other food/social justice community organizations. Our unique location off South Carrollton provides the surrounding neighborhoods with a centralized location in which to take part in the city’s only CSA (community supported agriculture). A CSA can be defined as a community of citizens who pay a farmer, in advance, for a season of produce thus supporting & sharing the risks with the farm. A weekly CSA share consists of fresh fruits & vegetables while on occasion they may sometimes supply stake-holders with fresh dairy, pastured meats, flowers etc.
We, of course, have modified this somewhat. There is no advance payment and the share comes from many, different farmers, depending upon the season. Nevertheless, our farmers can depend upon us to buy what they grow, thus reducing risk. Hollygrove Market & Farm operates as farm collective not only with rural growers but also with urban growers in the New Orleans area. In conjunction with our farm collective our partners, New Orleans Food & Farm Network, AARP-La., and Trinity Christian Community also strive to share resources, such as labor, through strong volunteer networks. Our partners have also provided financial support for creating lasting community initiatives such as our mentor farmer program. This model of a CSA-style farm collective provides greater opportunity among many rural and urban growers with an outlet to move the local foods they produce thus further stimulating a regional economy. Hollygrove Market & Farm’s collective has successfully provided access to fresh local foods not only to the Hollygrove neighborhood but to other surrounding underserved communities and Greater New Orleans.
Our Average Food Miles.
The average distance, nationally, fresh food travels from farm to table is currently in the neighborhood of 1,500 miles (one way). During the delay from farm to table, sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink, and produce loses it vitality, not to mention the carbon footprint. The average distance the produce purchased by HFF travels is 181 miles (round trip).
Our Local Diversity.
We have worked with over 50 farms since our start in October 2008. The largest farm in the collective is an eighth generation strawberry farm with 40 acres is in production at one time.
2 farms are certified Organic.
10 practice organic methods but are not certified.
15 employ alternative/sustainable methods such as crop rotation, minimal pest control, composting, rotational grazing, etc.
14 use some alternative methods as well as conventional management practices.
9 are conventional* producers of fresh fruits and veggies.
*Conventional farming: a farming system with out the application of alternative methods. The small family farms we work with limit their conventional methods of pest management and fertilizers as it is not cost-effective to intervene with pest management unless absolutely necessary.
Our Local Economic Impact.
Hollygrove Market & Farm works diligently to keep our dollars within the local economy. We purchase from small, family owned farms and locally-owned businesses whenever possible. Research shows that purchasing goods and services locally strengthens the economic foundation of a community.
In 2009, we purchased $168,333 of produce from local growers and $64,106 in goods and services from local businesses. Using a standard multiplier effect, this translates into approximately $1,000,000 of economic impact for our local economy.
Conclusion
As an urban farmstead and market, along with our partners whose focus is food and social justice, we are building a strong foundation to create lasting community initiatives.
Thanks
This is only possible because of you, the Hollygrove Market & Farm patrons. On behalf of all our staff and our family farmers we say Thanks a million!!
Spurred by a comment from one of our customers last week, I decided to investigate what the growers at Hollygrove Market & Farm have planned for the upcoming spring planting season. While the list isn’t comprehensive, it does give a good idea of what you can expect to see at the farm in the upcoming months.
Mentor Farmers
-Ronald Terry, a new mentor farmer, is getting his fields ready and should start planting soon. On his plot he will have blackberry bushes, trellised muscadine grapes, dwarf citrus trees, persimmons, and pomegranates. He will also intercrop veggies and beans between the trees to make the most of his space.
-Macon Fry, Garden Guy, will continue to grow his variety of lettuces, kale, arugula, and Swiss chard through the spring. He will also plant some tomatoes once the weather warms up a bit.
Community Gardeners
-Ramona Wallis plants edible flowers such as violas and nasturtiums, as well as a mix of herbs and veggies including icicle radishes, Swiss chard, dill, parsley, and carrots.
-Michael Beauchamp has a mix of greens and lettuces in one bed, with the second bed focused on growing flowers.
-Our new community garden plots, tended by Bernadette Green, Eddie Woods, and Andrea Moore, contain garlic, mustard greens, collards, and
lettuces, and some bean crops for the spring.
-Kevin Fitzwilliam has parsley, peas, and carrots planted, and his planning to put in some sweet pepper starts as well.
-The Master Gardeners of New Orleans, whose mission is to educate the public on seasonal gardening, tend the raised beds next to the front fence. The following list breaks down the plantings in each bed:
1st bed (nearest entrance) – Ten varieties of peppers
2nd bed (kids' bed) – Strawberries and beans until June and then peanuts
3rd bed – Five varieties of squashes
4th bed – Corn and Tomatoes
5th bed - currently planted with potatoes - will add in 4 different varieties of eggplant during the summer
6th bed – Herb Garden
square foot gardens – Eight different varieties of basil; experimental seeds from Italy & Spain
For more information on what to grow in your own backyard during the spring season, check out the LSU Ag. Ext. Vegetable Planting Guide.
By John Burns
The pig has flown, hell froze over (it’s in the low 30’s on this Mardi Gras morning), and now it’s time for Lent. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, and concluding at the Ninth Hour of Holy Thursday, it’s a time when many of the WHO DAT Nation will prepare for Easter by altering their lifestyle and diet. Many will give up meat on Fridays and crowd the markets and restaurants in search of local veggies, spices, and seafood.
Food is persuasive here and often guides many of our local traditions, customs, and the cultural norms which define us. We may have shown the world how New Orleans can rebound from tragedy, win a Super Bowl, and pull off the biggest free party on Earth, but many outside the city never see a post Mardi Gras day when we continue the season with reflection and the resolve that maintains our traditional way of life. I often explain to visitors that New Orleans may look like a big party - but it’s really a celebration with purpose and meaning. Don’t believe it? Just ask anyone here if the New Orleans Saints mean more to them than just a professional football team.
After the biggest celebration we have ever had in our city (maybe winning the Battle of New Orleans was similar), many of us will enter into the Lenten season and enact our semi-fast tradition. Fasting during this season may have originated for very practical and agrarian reasons. During the time of subsistence agriculture in the West, food that was stored in the previous autumn was in very short supply, or had been used quickly to prevent spoilage, at this time. Not much food left in the cupboard? Might as well fast and conserve what you have. That idea is similar to the spring period that British gardeners call the “Hungry Gap.” For others, the semi-fast has very deep religious and spiritual meanings. Today, thanks to modern farming techniques, food is plentiful and its scarcity is not a driver for local fasting. Our modern society is defined by an abundance of food filled with sugars and fat, so semi-fasting can be very practical and beneficial from a nutritional perspective.
Given the variety of food available during this time of year in south Louisiana, there could not be a better time to replace some of our total food intake with local fruits and vegetables. We are blessed with not only a great football team this season, but one filled with oranges, satsumas, lemons, grapefruit, lettuces, kale, mustard greens, chard, collard greens, strawberries, turnips, radishes, mushrooms, rice, and an abundance of seafood. Giving up meat is not a bad thing to do for short periods, but including pastured beef, pork, goat, lamb and local free range chicken is also important in our diets and for the sustainability of our farming traditions and traditional Cajun and Creole inspired recipes.
The pig did fly – no doubt about it! Now it’s time to think about personal growth, our customs and beliefs, and the future of our city. It may sound simple, but a few more veggies on your plate might make a great substitute for a while until the pig flies back into town next season.
By Ashley Locklear
This past Saturday if you happened to stop by the Market chances are you had a chance to sample something very different: a red bean & rice cake. The red bean & rice cake was a serendipitous accident that Ashley Locklear had while trying to perfect the original intention: a chilled red bean & rice salad. After preparing the beans and chopping all the other ingredients for the recipe the realization came when checking on the rice — too moist, too sticky, and in a city who is proud their rice cooking abilities this is a giant blunder. Instead of scrapping the whole recipe and the ingredients (what a waste!), the idea came to shape them into patties and serve with a Remoulade sauce. Necessity is truly the mother of invention or really a lack of money to recreate the whole thing and being wasteful.
So you can download the original recipe below which is for the red beans and rice salad, it includes at least 4 ingredients that were in your Buyers’ Club box. Just remember if your popcorn rice is little sticky after cooking save yourself some time and shape the concoction into patties and lightly coat a hot iron skillet with a few drops of oil then throw those little patties in until they create their own little crisp crust.
By Ashley Locklear
In honor of Mardi Gras, we have decided to put coconuts in many of the boxes this week! As our volunteer, Kryss, and I bagged the popcorn rice on Friday afternoon, I couldn’t help but think of the breakfast I’d be making on Sunday morning using the following:
- Campbell Farms popcorn rice (in your box again this week!)
- coconut milk
- shaved coconut pieces
- a pinch of raw sugar
- a tiny bit of ginger
Though the rice is wonderful in savory dishes, I think it would compliment the coconut very well.
By Ashley Locklear
We at the Hollygrove are committed to bringing you fresh local produce and this past weekend was no exception. In your box you may noticed several leafy salad greens that range from winter density to speckled butterheads to a variety of endive known as escarole. It is because of the bounty of both Winter and Spring that we are flush with both tender and hardy lettuces.
We also had one veggie bin that changed rotation of produce throughout the day this is because we have limited quantities of those items and they are a little different so we try to give everyone a chance to try something new. So in honor of trying something a little different, we are already looking ahead to the cornucopia of Spring and Summer. This week it shows in our recipes something a little spicy and colorful such a Rougail or pico de gallo endive. Both recipes are light, spicy, and flavorful. Hope you enjoy!