Chefs Experience Adams County Agriculture

If you are really into the Bravo Network’s Top Chef, or a history buff when it comes to American Presidents, you may have been a little star struck last Wednesday at the Gettysburg College Campus. The Pennsylvania Preferred program, which sponsored all of the Gettysburg Festival’s culinary events, brought in chef/restaurateur Richard Blais to sit on a discussion panel at the Country Culinary Fair which focused on the growing interest in eating locally. Blais gained notoriety when he placed 2nd in season 4 of Top Chef. Other panelists included Walter Scheib: former Executive White House Chef, Andrew Little: local chef from Sheppard Mansion Farms in Hanover, PA, JoAnna Gresham: Director of the PA Preferred Program, and Kathy Glahn: local farmer/famrers’ market organizer who pulled the Country Culinary Fair together.

The panel discussion topics ranged from unique foods like asparagus ice cream to the basic concepts of supply and demand economics. Chef Walter Scheib summed up the discussion: “About 30 years ago chefs around the United States rediscovered a concept that had fallen out of favor and that concept was that great food and great dining wasn’t about complicated culinary techniques but great food and great flavors were about ripe, seasonal, local and delicious product”

For interesting interviews with the chefs check out my podcast: http://adams.extension.psu.edu/Podcasts/FreshfromtheFarm/FreshFarms.xml

For recipes from Walter Scheib visit: http://www.theamericanchef.com/index.asp

Fresh inspirations from Andrew Little: http://www.chefandrewlittle.blogspot.com/

Cherries have arrived!

I like food that takes a little bit of work to eat. Maybe that’s why I always had a bag of sunflower seeds in my back pocket when I played little league baseball. Diligently cracking each shell then eating the seed was its own little sense of accomplishment. Now, carefully eating the flesh of a sweet cherry and spitting out the pit gives me a similar sense of satisfaction. Working around the pit gives you an extra few seconds to truly savor the flavor of each cherry. I guess that's why I was so excited at the end of last week when I realized sweet cherry season had arrived.

On top of their excellent flavor, the health benefits of sweet cherries have been given a lot of attention in the news over the past few years. Most of the news centers on the antioxidant properties that are present in all cherries, specifically natural chemicals called anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant, which give cherries their rich red hue. Antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals in the blood and help to prevent damage to cells are believed to protect against cancers of the digestive tract. They also protect against heart disease, act as an anti-inflammatory, and promote good sleep.

Here in Adams County, PA, Boyer Nurseries and Orchards are well known for their several varieties of delicious sweet cherries. Their fresh fruit season has just begun as they are now offering pick-your-own cherries as well as blueberries. Check out their website for more information. http://www.boyernurseries.com/market.htm

Putting The Desire For Local Foods Into Action Can Be Challenging But Rewarding

As I stared at the dichotomy that was my lunch today I could not help but shake my head in amusement. On one plate I had some delicious looking fresh Romaine Lettuce picked a few days ago from Mcleaf Orchards; no more than 10 miles down the road. On the other plate I had a frozen Lean Cuisine sandwich the ingredients of which came from who knows when or where. The lettuce was just about as minimally processed as food comes and the sandwich was processed to the max. The sandwich tasted good, but the salad I made with the fresh romaine tasted even better. Maybe it was because of the crisp, fresh nature of the leaves or maybe it was due to the fact that I know Corey McLeaf and have visited his farm.


The fact is, more and more people are choosing to eat locally grown foods, whether it’s a matter of taste, desire for a better sense of community, or concern for the environment. However, after attending a conference last month that centered on enhancing local and regional food systems, I can assure you that even those at the center of the “local foods movement” don’t eat 100% local 100% of the time. But, some have tried to eat exclusively local foods for a prolonged stretch of time such as Bill McKibben’s attempt that he describes in his book “Deep Economy”. However, it is a goal that is extremely difficult for the average person to achieve.

Old habits are hard to break and, for most of us, the way the current national and global food system works is all we have ever known. We were all brought up in a world where almost any type of food could be obtained any time of the year at one convenient location: the local supermarket. The question of how much of your daily food intake can or should be sourced from local producers is anybody’s guess and it depends heavily on geographic factors. But, you shouldn't feel guilty or that you can’t be part of the movement towards local if you choose to pair that local asparagus with fish that you bought at the supermarket. The point is that every little bit helps.

Diverse Offerings Becoming More Prominent at Local Farmers' Markets

Adams County Farmers' Markets are beginning to gain momentum and when most people think of farmers markets they think of bounties of fruits and veggies. Fresh strawberries are peaking and in the coming weeks salad greens and other berries will be harvested. But, these days local farmers’ market vendors are also looking to fill the center of the consumer’s plate with high quality meats.

Fridays Farm Fresh Market at The Outlet Shoppes in Gettysburg has two vendors that offer premium beef and pork products at the same stand. Sheppard Mansion Farms, located on the border of Adams and York County, sells 9 standard cuts of hormone-free, grass-fed, Highland Beef along with 2 or 3 weekly specials. Highland Cattle produce a lean cut of beef due to a thick hide and less subcutaneous fat.

Rettland Farm, located in Gettysburg, specializes in Berkshire pork, a heritage breed that is known for its gourmet taste and texture qualities. The pork products that they are selling at the market include loin, rib chops, bacon, various sausages, and ground pork. On top of that, they also have whole, pastured broiler chickens and pastured veal cuts while current supplies last.

Welcome to "Fresh From the Farm Market Report"

My intention for this blog is to address issues and educate consumers concerning the marketing of local agricultural products.