Free Cone Day at the Farm!
Stop by for free ice cream cones and lots of fun! We'll have hayrides and calf petting. You can have lunch 11-3 pm in The Loft or grilled outside on the deck. Farm tours will be available at 2, 3, and 4 pm.
Everyone is welcome! Bring your family and friends and come celebrate the launch of our Creamline Artisan Ice Cream!
Friday Dinner on the Deck
Unless the weather takes a dramatic turn, this Friday we will have our first Dinner on the Deck of the season! If you've been to a Deck Dinner before, then you know how relaxed and convivial they are...if you haven't yet been, you're in for a treat. The food is great, the company is the best in Indy, and the setting is unbeatable. Bring your family, your colleagues, your friends, and plan to run into old friends and meet some new acquaintances...
This Friday's dinner menu will include smoked paprika rubbed pork loin with sage aioli; orzo with sundried tomatoes, feta and herbs; green beans with almonds; and rye rolls. For vegetarians, we will have smoked paprika rubbed seitan with sage aioli.
Kids can enjoy a barbeque pork sandwich and chips.
Beverages: Choice of ice tea, lemonade, water
Adults $15
Kids $7
***Specialty Beers and Wines available for puchase***
While you're here, be sure to stop by and shop at the Green Market from 4 - 8 p.m.
Farm Camps
Are your kids interested in learning about life on the farm? They can come spend three days being real "farm hands." We'll help milk cows, collect eggs, work in the garden, and tend the animals. It won't all be work - we'll also spend time hiking along Eagle Creek, discovering the ecosystem within and around the Creamery. And, of course, we'll make crafts and food! Come meet new friends at the Farm and eat the Creamery's yummy treats Every Day!
Date:
- July 7th - July 9th (child is entering 2nd or 3rd grade in the fall)
- August 4th - 6th (child is entering 4th or 5th grade in the fall)
Time:
Cost:
- $180 per camper ($10 discount for siblings attending either week)
- Includes snack each day, crafts, and cookout on the last day of camp
To register or get more information, contact Amy Rhodes at 317-733-1700 or camp@tpforganics.com.
Fromage Blanc Recipe Contest
New deadline June 10th!
Submit your favorite recipe highlighting Traders Point Creamery's Fromage Blanc. We'll choose a winner in each of three categories: Fromage Blanc, Fromage Blanc Spicy, and Fromage Blanc Garden Herb.
Each winner will
* receive a $35 gift certificate for products from the Traders Point Creamery Farm Store!
* have their recipe published in our newsletter
* have their recipe featured on our Loft Restaurant menu
Send your recipes to events@tpforganics.com by June 10th. Finalists will be contacted to bring in their dish for final judging.
Demo Garden Volunteers Needed!!
It's dry!! The demonstration garden is ready to plant. Calling all volunteers!
Contact Norm "The Garden Guy" at 574-903-5125 or Amy at 317-733-1700 to help!! Call right away!
New Milkshake Flavor - Banana Cream Pie!
Have you ever had a thick, creamy, delicious Trader's Point Creamery Milkshake?! If not, you are really missing out. With the hot weather on its way, now would be the time to try one. Stop by the dairy bar and be sure to try our new flavor - BANANA CREAM PIE!!!
Federal Legislation, Local Effects?
Many local-minded, organic-shopping readers are expressing concern about currently pending Congressional legislation. There are several pieces of legislation that would affect food processing, selling and growing, such as House Resolution 759 ("the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act"), House Resolution 875 ("The Food Safety Modernization Act"), and House Resolution 814 ("The Tracing and Recalling Agriculture Everywhere Act").
These bills are attempts by moderate representatives to improve food safety and eliminate the contamination and outbreaks in the industialized food system. Unfortunately, this legislation, if passed in its current form, could impose costly and heavy burdens for small farmers.
For more information on each of these pieces of legislation and links, see the full story at the end of this newsletter.
Green Market
Vendors Attending this Week
* Aboubakar Allal -handmade silver, leather and wooden works, as well
as traditional drums from Niger, Africa
* Bluffwood Creek Honey-honey sticks, hand cream, lipbalm, honey
candy-no honey this week!
* Country Mouse City Mouse-condiments, dips, soups and dressings made
from generational recipes
* Daina's Petite Pies-single serving dinner and dessert pies made with
premium local meats and vegetables
* Farming for Life-lacto-fermented vegetables and beverages
* Feast Catering-a variety of tamales, sweets, salsas, asparagus
tarts, strawberry rhubarb tarts and granola
* Fields of Agape-chemical-free grains (Omega III golden flax, hard
red wheat berries, hard white wheat berries)
* Flower Child Aromatherapy-handmade soaps, sachets, teas, incense,
and perfumes
* Fran Monforte, Artist- paintings of country themes; purses and
cording made from recycled plastic bags
* Green Savings Indy- locally published coupon book featuring farmers
and other green-product vendors around Central Indiana
* Harvest Cafe Coffee Company-freshly brewed coffee, a variety of
freshly roasted coffee beans or freshly ground beans,loose tea, and
iced mochas
* Life Farm-Certified Organic Produce, vegetable plants
* Literally Divine Toffee and Truffles-chocolate and vegan truffles
(made with organic ingredients) and almond toffee (both vegan and
organic)
* Magnolia Mill Farm-chemical-free asparagus
* My Puppy Cakes-handmade dog treats made from organic ingredients
* New Leaf Farm- pledge-organic produce, vegetable plants
* Pet Lover's Organic Bakery-organic pet treats; part of proceeds
benefit the Humane Society
* Phelps Family Farm-a variety of meats and sausages, and eggs
* Redwine Farm- fresh produce, hot pepper sauces and ground shakers,
beef, and eggs
* Seldom Seen Farm-transitional organic produce. This week?s features
are heirloom tomato plants, pepper plants, flowering perennials and
leaf lettuce
* Seven Springs Farm-beef, chicken (whole and parts), lamb, eggs,
popcorn, rhubarb and Border Collie puppies
* The Swiss Connection-unique (and delicious) cheeses, meats and ice
cream, plus a variety of pet products (Animal Welfare Approved Farm)
* TraceyClean-a full line of household cleaning products made from
natural, earth-friendly ingredients
*Traders Point Creamery- Organic milk, yogurts, cheeses, meat, and ice cream
* Valentine Hill Farm- variety of whole wheat breads, English muffins,
pasta, European style lemon pound cake & their famous spritz cookies
(all made with Certified Organic Ingredients)
* Zen Sheep Farm LLC-certified organic frozen lamb cuts. Wool products
including bed pillows, travel pillows, roving, yarn and batts
14th Annual Garden Walk
The Indianapolis Garden Club's 14th Annual Garden Walk will be:
- Wednesday, June 10, 2009
9:00am - 4:00pm
Enjoy a walk through captivating private gardens at your leisure. Proceeds from the garden walk provide funding for worthwhile community projects. For ticket information, please call 317-255-1681 or go to igcgardenwalk.com
Quote of the Week
It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope; and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
Robert F. Kennedy,Make Gentle the Life of This World, The Vision of Robert F. Kennedy
Recipe of the Week
Spring Vegetable Beef Soup
1 lb. TPC grass-fed ground beef
1 yellow onion, small diced
3 stalks celery, small diced
4 medium carrots, small diced
2 cups whole green beans
1 cup corn
1 cup red peppers, small diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups beef stock
salt & pepper to taste
In a large pot, sauté onions (until translucent), carrots, and celery. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add stock, green beans, corn, and red peppers. Cover and simmer for one hour. Taste and season to taste with more salt and pepper.
Federal Legislation, Local Effects (cont.)
(continued from above) There are several pieces of legislation that would affect food processing, selling and growing listed below. You can access the full text of this legislation at: thomas.loc.gov
House Resolution 759 ("the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act") would change the entire FDA structure, including:
- extend record keeping requirements that currently apply to food processors to farms and restaurants. Require record keeping to be electronic.
- require standard lot numbers to be used in food production
- require food processing plants to pay a registration fee to the FDA (to defer inspection costs)
- instruct the FDA to establish production standards for fruits and vegetables and establish "Good Agricultural Practices" for produce
This bill could affect small farms, local growers and small scale processors, imposing "one-size-fits-all regulations" that may be too costly and complex for them to stay in business.
House Resolution 875 ("The Food Safety Modernization Act") seems to be getting the most press. This bill would:
- split the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) into 2 agencies, one to address food safety and one to address drugs and medical devices
- increase number of inspections of food processing plants
- require farms to have a food safety plan and consider where potential food safety problems may occur
- require imported food to meet the same safety standards as food produced in the United States
This bill addresses only food covered by the FDA, not food covered by the USDA (such as beef, pork, poultry, lamb). It also does not cover food grown in backyard gardens. Its regulations would not apply to farmers markets or direct marketing arrangements/CSAs. Perhaps most importantly, it does not apply to food that is not sold across state lines.
House Resolution 814 ("The Tracing and Recalling Agriculture Contamination Everywhere Act") calls for:
- a mandatory animal identification system, which would apply to food, meat, and poultry products
This bill would essentially make proposed regulations (National Animal Identification System) into law. The bill would require animal identification for all animals that move in interstate commerce. This bill might impose timely and costly requirements that would make it hard for small farmers to stay in business.
All of these bills aim at eliminating the contamination and outbreaks that have occured in our industialized food system. Unfortunately, this legislation, if passed in its current form, could impose costly and heavy burdens for small farmers.
If you would like to contact your legislative representatives concerning any of this information, the easiest way to do this is to go to writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml. Based on your state and zip code, it will direct your e-mail to your representative.
