Hounds In The Kitchen » columbus

Earth Day Events {Friday Five}

Rachel — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:44:19 +0000

Earth Day is every day around here. We reuse, recycle, and repurpose. We grow our own, capture rain water, dry laundry on the line, and more. No matter where you are on your earth-friendly journey, here are some ideas for marking Earth Day this weekend.

1) City Folk’s Farm Shop Grand Opening – Shop City Folk’s from 9 am – 5 pm Saturday for discounts, samples, Sharpening on Site, GNix Food Cart, and a donation of proceeds to benefit Local Matters.

2) Do Something Outside – Take a walk, visit a park, look for eagles, identify wildflowers – be outside and enjoy what the earth has to offer.

3) Root Down Earth Day Celebration – Join the citywide celebration from 11 am – 10 pm at Columbus Commons featuring music, food trucks, a kid’s area, ecofriendly booths, and more. Free!

4) Plant Something Edible – Plant a pea, transplant an herb seedling, and soon enjoy eating from your own patio or backyard.

5) Clothing Swap at OSU Urban Arts Space – How cool is this event on Saturday? Turn in your unwanted clothes from 11 am – noon, get tickets, and at 1 – 3 pm exchange them for other’s used clothes!

What are you doing for Earth Day?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Earth Day Events {Friday Five} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

City Folk’s Farm Shop First Look

Rachel — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:27:33 +0000

City Folk’s Farm Shop opens today in North Clintonville. Located at 4760 North High Street, at the intersection of Beechwold and High, City Folk’s is a sustainably-minded urban homesteading store. They stock gardening, house keeping, and animal husbandry supplies for central Ohio backyard growers. Lil and I stopped in yesterday to see the store before the soft opening.

It’s hard not to scheme and dream in City Folk’s. Tucked into corners of the store are charming handmade bat, bee, bird, and worm houses. A rack on the wall holds the most rustically beautiful hand tools I have ever seen. Everything a homesteader needs from laundry detergent to cheese making supplies to dehydrators are stocked in the welcoming, well lit show room.

Seeds from a variety of organic and heirloom producers are stacked in colorful packages just waiting to burst into plants. Pots in a variety of sustainably sourced materials are available to fill with bulk or bagged organic soil.

The back of the store houses a selection of chicken feed, soil, and amendments that can be loaded right out the back door into the parking lot.

City Folk’s Farm Shop obviously has a preference for local, sustainably made tools – a preference I share. Shop keeper Shawn is committed to providing what local homesteaders need and welcomes our ideas. She put together a schedule of educational events to be held in store, including Backyard Chicken Basics (April 15, 3:30-4:30 pm) and Homesteading with Children (June 3, 3:30-4:30 pm) led by yours truly. See the full calendar on the City Folk’s event page.

City Folk’s opens today with hours from 10 am – 6 pm. They are planning a grand opening celebration for Earth Day weekend, April 21-22. Visit soon to outfit yourself for the spring growing season.

Disclosure: City Folk’s hired me to write copy for their website and manage their social media account during opening. This post was not part of our agreement and opinions are my own.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

City Folk’s Farm Shop First Look is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Spring Events in Columbus 2012

Rachel — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:09:41 +0000

Spring is most definitely in the air in central Ohio! We’re already sweating with nearly 80 degree highs, we just had our first huge storm and there are buds blooming everywhere. I am uneasy about this weather and worry about a late frost, but I can’t help but enjoy the outdoor time.

Hop into spring gardening and food culture by attending some of these great events:

Lil and I will be in the Central Ohio Food Forum crowd to talk about home gardening and homesteading at this month’s discussion. Doors open (free admission) this Monday at 5:30 pm at Wild Goose Creative to enjoy Sassafras Bakery goodies; the forum starts at 6:30.

City Folk’s Farm Shop soft opening is this Tuesday at 10 am. I am working with City Folk’s to promote their new organic gardening and homesteading store and couldn’t be more proud of their philosophy and offerings. Tuesday’s first day will include treats from Pattycake Bakery and free seeds (up to $15) for every tenth seed buying customer!

On Wednesday I will join other food blog fans of Ree Drummond at her Pioneer Woman book signing from 6-9 at the Barnes & Noble at 1739 Olentangy River Rd Columbus OH.

I really wish I could get out to the Creative Arts of Women show opener this Thursday, March 22 at the Shot Tower 546 Jack Gibbs Blvd, Columbus, OH 43215. The reception will feature dance and puppetry performances by CoCo Loupe, Heidi Madsen & Denise McDonough.

Grab a bite of spring locavore fare at Black Creek Bistro and stop in the nearby CS Gallery for their Open artist’s show through March 27 and in early April their Two Year Anniversary show debuts. Alex’s parents have pieces in both shows.

Next Tuesday the 27th, I’m excited to be attending Cement Marketing’s Timeline for Facebook Pages workshop. I love the work of Alaina and her crew and look forward to learning more for myself and my clients.

The North Market debuts a new event at the end of March: the Coffee Roast. Samples, demonstrations, and a home-roasted bean contest will buzz visitors about Columbus’ vibrant coffee scene. Grab a cuppa March 31 from 9 am to 2 pm.

Columbus Food Adventure‘s famed Taco Truck Tours start up again April 1. Or choose the Short North, German Village, or Alt Eats Tours. All are great for a staycation, special date, or introduction to a new food scene in the city.

Beginning gardeners or anyone wanting some new skills will want to check out the Gardening Programs at Franklin Park Conservatory. They offer everything from container gardening to making a living wreath to constructing a rain barrel.

Register now to volunteer with Root Down for Earth Day and then go to the celebration on April 21 at Columbus Commons.

Join me to talk hens at the Backyard Chicken Basics class April 15th from 3:30 – 4:30 pm at City Folk’s Farm Shop. We will cover coops, chicken varieties, care and feeding.

I’m teaching about sauerkraut, yogurt, kimchee, and more Fermented Foods at Franklin Park Conservatory on Sunday April 22 from 3:30-5:30 pm. Taste and create cultured, healthy foods in this workshop.

Clintonville Farmer’s Market Spring Sprout Day begins the farmer’s market season on April 28, only seven weeks from now! Buy organic seedlings from me at the Swainway booth and check out the season’s first produce.

The spring 2012 Market to Market ride is scheduled for May 5th with the bicentennial theme Moustaches & Monacles. Get your bike tuned up for another great ride!

NB. Our new family travel blog has its first posts up! Check out Curious Wanderlust for a little bit about our recent travels and look for updates from Alex in India this coming week.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spring Events in Columbus 2012 is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

200Columbus Food & Arts Events {Friday Five}

Rachel Tayse — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:14:45 +0000

Our fair city is celebrating its 200th birthday in 2012!

Bicentennial events are planned all around Columbus, OH. Below is a curated list of my top five. Thanks to travel plans, we will not be able to attend many festivities but we will celebrate in spirit.

200Columbus Best Bicentennial Events

One of our cities most beloved institutions, the Columbus Metro Library, will host birthday parties at all 21 locations at 3 pm on Saturday February 11. Nosh on some cake in your favorite reading spot.

Columbus 2012 Bicentenial Artists’ Informal – Saturday, February 11, 7 – 10 PM – The Columbus Cultural Arts Center, 139 W. Main St. A *free* ball celebrating Columbus’ history and future as a home for artists.

Shop North Market Spices with a 20% off coupon during 200Columbus Days February 11 – 15. Franklin Park Conservatory, a favorite photography spot pictured at right, is offering $2 off admission. Other shops and activities are discounted too; download a flyer with all the details at the 200Columbus Days website.

Finalists in the Columbus in Song contest will appear on the 200Columbus website February 14. I can’t wait to hear how the talent of this city speaks for our home.

Bicentennial State of the City Address – Wednesday, February 29, 6 pm at The Ohio Theater. Join Michael Coleman for the State of the City Address and The Harmony Project who will close the event with an original song “I Call Columbus Home”.

Happy Birthday Columbus!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

200Columbus Food & Arts Events {Friday Five} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Bincho-tan at Freshstreet Yakitori

Rachel Tayse — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:48:09 +0000

Freshstreet Yakitori (previously Section 8 Yakitorium) has received a good bit of press lately. The reviews are universally great but no one has picked up on exactly what makes the Yakitorium so tasty and authentic.

It’s the bincho.

Bincho-tan is a special hardwood charcoal produced and imported from Japan. So far as I can find, no one else in Columbus (and possibly the state) is using this cooking fuel.

Bincho-tan is produced from oak by steaming the wood at high temperatures. The resulting charcoal burns at a lower temperature but for longer periods of time than traditional coals. More importantly to cooks, bincho-tan does not smoke.

Yakitori stands prefer bincho-tan, therefore, because it allows the true taste of the meat to come through the flames. The charcoal also powers a grill for many hours, allowing the chef to cook through a meal shift.

Yakitori the Freshstreet Way

Kenny Kim and Misako Ohba first brought Japanese street food to Columbus with their Foodie Cart crepes. They later added takoyaki (pancake-batter like savory balls filled with octopus or corn) and moved into a shack in the Short North. Yakitori is their latest endeavor, served late nights at the Double Happiness bar in the Brewery District.

Kenny and Misako import their bincho-tan from Japan through a Chicago importer. Several other ingredients including ramen noodles are obtained in this way. They invest great cost in importing these authentic goods because they are not satisfied with lesser replacements.

The pair skillfully skewer small bits of meat, some of it local, on wooden spikes so the meat rests evenly across the yakitori grill bricks. Traditional Japanese chicken thigh and skin are offered, as are more adventerous cuts like beef cheek, pork belly, tongue, and tuna. At least one vegetable is always available. Skewers run between $2-4.

Yakitori are grilled over hot bincho-tan to order. Some are served simply with lemon and salt; others are dipped in a soy-based sauce. The resulting meat has the crisp texture of a grilled product without excessive smokiness.

Wise visitors order a variety; I was surprised at how much I loved the unctuous beef cheek and also that I enjoyed okra cooked yakitori-style, as I don’t like it in any other preparation.

Other Japanese specialities compliment the yakitori, including an excellent take on okonomiyaki (savory cabbage pancakes) for $4. Diners can eat at the Double Happiness bar or in their comfy lounge. The bar makes notable soju (barley spirit) and sake cocktails, well matched to the Freshstreet food.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the Japanese street food authenticity, Freshstreet Yakitori is widely appealing to many palates. Kids will enjoy meat on a stick as much as adults. There is something for every diet and adventure-level.

If you go:

Freshstreet Yakitori at Double Happiness is a bit hard to find. It is just over the 70/71 split from downtown at Front and Brewer streets. Look for the slender building on the east side of the street across from Wasserstrom and Via Vecchia.
Current hours are Thursday – Saturday 6:30 – 11:59 pm.
Find parking on the street or nearby garages.
Prepare to wait 5-10 minutes for your food. Every dish is made to order.
Freshstreet crafts their menu to have options for gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, and low-carb diets. Be sure to specify if you are gluten free, especially, so that there is no contamination on the grill.

Freshstreet Yakitori at Double Happiness
482 S Front St
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 220-5558

http://www.facebook.com/freshstreet
www.doublehappinessohio.com

NB. I will be cooking yakitori with the Freshstreet folks in Cleveland at a Brick & Mortar pop-up Japanese Festival this Thursday, February 2, at 6:30 pm. Tickets are still available for the event. Columbus Food Adventures has a few spots left for their road-trip adventure that includes the festival dinner, ride from Columbus and back, and a meet and greet with Chef Jonathon Sawyer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bincho-tan at Freshstreet Yakitori is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

The Coop {Food Truck Review}

Rachel Tayse — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:41:53 +0000

A food truck with a name dear to our chicken-loving hearts opened recently in close proximity to our house. Alex visited first, took pictures, and wrote this review:

Clintonville is seeing an influx of food trucks recently. Despite the objections of various stick-in-the-mud types, the diversity is only growing.

The Coop is the latest truck to arrive on the Clintonville scene. As the name suggests, it is a poultry-themed establishment and happens to have thrown out a shingle on the corner of Indianola and Cliffside. As this is only a few blocks from our house we had their fare (one of each thing on the menu) for our Wednesday family dinner.

The dishes were:

French Omelet BLT sandwich - Delicious folded omelet with thick-cut bacon and fresh veggies on white bread. The whole thing melted in your mouth and was done exceptionally well.

Udon noodles with duck – This was probably the standout dish of the evening. The noodles were well cooked, the duck was delicious and it was all complimented wonderfully with a hot and sour broth. This was a fabulous dish that I could eat every day. Of course, as with their other dishes, it was topped with an over-easy egg.

Chorizo Hash – Exactly what the name describes. Very nicely done with chopped up bits of corn tortilla incorporated into the mix. The over-easy egg made for a delicious sauce over the hash after the yolk was broken open.

Roasted Chicken Quarter (thigh/leg) over Corn with Parsley and Parmesan - This was a very simple presentation that pleased the ever-picky Lillian. The chicken was cooked very well and the corn mixture was creative and delicious.

Overall, we left full, satisfied and with a very favorable impression of Coop. It’s not the cheapest food truck out there, but come on, you can order duck on the side of the street. Give it a try, you definitely won’t be disappointed.

I couldn’t resist Alex’s raving and took our family on the short walk to the vintage cart on October 13. Here’s my take:

Alex wrote ‘delicious’ four times in his review. While it is the most over-used adjective describing food, The Coop might be deserving of the quadruple praise.

The chef/owner of Coop, Angela Theado, is a restaurant veteran. She features local ingredients including Ohio eggs, meat, greens and fruit in from-scratch recipes.

The menu changes often to reflect what is seasonally appropriate and available. Beverage options are Clintonville-roasted Thunderkiss coffee, Coke, and San Pellegrino. The Coop uses Eartha Limited eco-friendly serving dishes and offers recycling bins for patrons. Two picnic tables are available for seating and there is parking for at least four cars in the lot.

We tried the duck leg ($10, a steal) for Lillian. Cooked in fat as confit first and finished in the oven, the meat was fall off the bone delectable. Lil gobbled it up while I savored the kale. Dressed lightly when raw, the tender leaves wilted slightly under the heat of the duck. Not wanting to upset the picky kid, I ate the pepper giardiniera on the side. This was the right choice for our family – Lil would have balked at the heat – though I can taste how well it would pair with the succulent duck meat.

I ordered the Omelet BLT ($7) after hearing about it from Alex and several friends. This high stacked sandwich layers bacon, arugula, tomato, and a gently cooked egg and cheese omelet between two slices of grilled Texas toast. It is saucy but manages to hold together for eating. Some don’t enjoy the intrusion of soft egg in a BLT but I liked how The Coop transformed a summer tradition into a more filling meal.

My sister Megan has become a regular at The Coop. By happenstance, she pulled up just after our food was served. She ordered the Chorizo Hash ($8) and ran off to work before I could taste it. I snapped a few pictures to capture the sweet potatoes covered in Ohio bison chorizo sauce, egg, and cheese.

Angela told me that The Coop will continue operating until the water lines freeze. Water lines for a food truck? Yep. One difference between The Coop and many other food carts is that it has a full dish station to handle the skillets in which Angela prepares each dish to order. While having to hook up to water makes this truck less mobile than some, a fresh skillet for each patron means that The Coop can accommodate food allergies and play with a wider range of ala minute cooking styles than those carts with a grill top alone.

More than the local sourcing, delectable dishes, and sustainable practices, what diners will like enjoy most about The Coop is the care with which the menu is planned. Rich duck confit needs a zesty accompaniment like citrus dressed kale. Sweet potato hash begs for a balance like spicy chorizo sauce to come off as a pleasant savory dish. Dishes include vegetables as thoughtful components. And everything IS better with an egg on top.

The Coop
Current location: Cliffside and Indianola, 43202, look for the sweet blue pickup or yellow lights after dark
Cash or credit accepted
Website
Facebook

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Coop {Food Truck Review} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Autumn 2011 {Events and Classes}

Rachel Tayse — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 02:16:26 +0000

Fill your calendar and your belly with some of the local food events scheduled for this autumn!

Hounds in the Kitchen classes at Franklin Park Conservatory:
register by calling 614.645.5923 or download, print and mail a registration form.

Puttin’ Up
Keep the summer bounty easily at hand all year long with tried and true preserving techniques. Homesteader Rachel Tayse Baillieul will guide class participants to make freezer basil pesto, water-bath canned applesauce, “sun” dried tomatoes and home frozen fruit.
Sun., September 11, 4 – 6pm
$15 Members (Member Madness Pricing!); $35 Non-members

Fermented Foods
Fermented foods, like traditional sauerkraut and kefir, are believed to improve digestion and increase absorption of nutrients. Plus, they taste delicious! We will sample a variety of fermented foods and demonstrate how to easily make kefir, buttermilk, sourdough, pickles, and sauerkraut at home.
Sun., October 16, 4 – 6pm
$30 Members; $35 Non-members

Whole Bird Cooking
Fear the holiday turkey and goose no more! Participants in this class will practice carving, eat a small meal, hear tips and tricks for flavorful juicy roasting, and learn how to use leftovers to best effect. Leave with the confidence to add roast birds to your menu year round.
Sun., November 13, 4 – 6pm
$30 Members; $35 Non-members

Fruit or Vegetable? PreK
Using the powers of observation, preschoolers will identify what is a fruit and what is a vegetable, explore the gardens to see crops growing on trees, vines, and plants and then cook and taste nutritious recipes with local and seasonal produce.
Thursdays, September 8, 15, and 22; 11am – 12pm
$30 Members (Member Madness Pricing!); $70 Non-members (for the three-class series, price includes one child age 3-6 and one adult)

Harvest Fun PreK
The harvest season is full of kid-friendly foods and activities. Kids will cook with local favorites including apples, potatoes and pumpkins during this series. Each week series will include a food-related craft.
Thursdays, October 13, 20 and 27; 11am – 12pm
$63 Members; $70 Non-members (for the three- class series, price include one child age 3-6 and one adult)

Whole Grains PreK
Kids will explore nutrient-dense grains, from familiar rice and wheat to exotic tabouli and quinoa, through measuring, cooking and tasting a wide variety of grains. Your family may find a new favorite!
Thursdays, November 3, 10 and 17; 11am – 12pm
$63 Members; $70 Non-members (for the three-class series, price include one child v and one adult)

Hounds in the Kitchen Classes at Wild Goose:
register online through Wild Goose

Apples Year Round
Rachel will share her favorite ways to enjoy apples in all seasons by dehydrating, canning applesauce, and storing long term. We’ll focus on more advanced ways of preserving apples including making cider vinegar and hard cider. Tuesday September 20, 6:30-8:30 pm, $30 per individual, $55/pair (one person takes two classes or two people take one class)

Home Charcuterie
Learn how to make pancetta and bacon at home with no special tools or equipment! We’ll also demonstrate how to stuff sausage and sample a variety of home cured meats. Tuesday October 18, 6:30-8:30 pm, $30 per individual, $55/pair (one person takes two classes or two people take one class)

Hounds in the Kitchen appearances:

Bacon Camp 2011!
Rachel will be part of the judging team for the annual bacon camp hosted by Wild Goose Creative at the North Market. There are still tickets available for next Saturday’s event. August 27, 1-4 pm, $10 for bacon samples and fun. Register online.

Country Living Fair
Held on the beautiful Ohio Village, the Country Living Fair is an annual gathering of fans of antiques, farm fresh cooking, and crafting. Rachel will present “New Ideas with Ohio Apples” on Friday at noon. The fair runs 10 am to 5 pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday September 16-18. Tickets are for sale online ($13) or at the gate ($16).

Recommended Events:

Hungry Planet at Franklin Park Conservatory – August 20 – November 6
The conservatory hosts a food show this harvest season. See food art installed throughout the horticultural displays, tour the Edible Campus, and wander through a blown glass garden. A Food for Thought lecture series and special events like Market Days and Food Truck Sundays compliment the exhibits.

Lobster Days at The Hills Market
Join The Hills Market in Worthington as they serve traditional Maine Lobster Rolls (filled to the brim with 1/4 pound of fresh lobster placed atop a buttered and toasted roll) with Ballreich’s potato chips (from Tiffin, Ohio), lemonade and a slice of Judy’s blueberry pie (from Waldo, Ohio.) Seatings are at 1 and 5 p.m. August 27 and September 3. Reservations for the $15 dinner are required by calling 614.846.3220.

Farm to Table Dinners at Murphin Ridge
Murphin Ridge in West Union, Ohio will offer two different opportunities for travelers to enjoy the inn’s memorable farm-to-table dining experience, with dinners slated for Sat., Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. and Sat., Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. The dinner is only $50 per person or $65 for wine pairings. Lodging is also available.

Horn of Africa Benefit at Solay Bistro>
The Horn of Africa benefit dinner at Solay Bistro promises to be one of the most interesting cultural exchanges in Columbus this fall, and a delicious one to boot. Solay Bistro will prepare a African foods buffet on September 7 and 14th to raise funds for starving Africans, many of whom have relatives living here in Columbus. Tickets cost just $35 each and proceeds will go to CARE, a highly regarded non-profit doing work in the Horn of Africa.

Taste the Future – Columbus State Community College
The 23rd annual culinary showcase, Taste the Future, will be held on September 13, 2011. More than 50 chefs will prepare samples for guests to enjoy on the Columbus State campus. All proceeds benefit student scholarship. Be sure to read Hounds in the Kitchen this Monday for a ticket giveaway!

Kids World at Independents Day – Saturday, September 17 10am – 8 pm at Gay Street and Pearl Alley
Kids World will be a special area for children up to the age of 13 along the Gay Street sidewalk between Sugardaddy’s and Pearl Alley during the Independents Day celebration. Openheartcreatures will perform in body puppets, the Cooking Caravan will put on a performance and pass out food samples, there will be a kids fashion design/creation hour and fashion show, and an art station where they can make music shakers and bird feeders. The SBB will host a “Start Your Own Business” seminar for kids with ideas of how they can get involved with the community through entrepreneurship, and then will run a kids parade through the fest to show people that children are our next community leaders.

North Market’s 6th Annual Microbrew Festival
The North Market will toast the end of summer with the 6th annual Columbus Microbrew Festival on September 16 and 17. Celebrate locally brewed ales, lagers and stouts in the company of the brewmasters from participating local microbreweries. Admission free; beer tasting is $20.

Farm to Table Dinners at Jorgensen Farms
After an informal tour of Val’s organic herb and lamb farm in Westerville, guests will enjoy a chef-prepared meal of seasonal ingredients every third Sunday through December. Dinners start at 5 pm and cost $40 per person.

Local Foods Week – locations across Columbus, presented by Local Matters
From a movie night to local drink tastings to the harvest ball, September 30 – October 8 will be a celebration of all things local. Events for are scheduled for foodies of all ages. Stay tuned to Eat Local Ohio for details and registration.

I know there are more events out there. What did I miss?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Autumn 2011 {Events and Classes} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Market at 15th and High {Farmers Market}

Rachel Tayse — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:58:12 +0000

Continuing in the 2011 farmer’s market tour series, two weeks ago I visited the Market at 15th and High. It is held on OSU campus in front of the Wexner Center, 1871 North High Street, on Thursdays from 3:30 – 6:30. This small market brings fresh produce to Ohio State students and employees, and anyone else who wants to know the hands that feed them. The location is easily accessible by the Olentangy bike trail and COTA bus. Car drivers can pay for parking in the nearby Ohio Union South garage accessible from High Street and College Road.

Vendors were sparse on the very hot (95 degrees or more) day I visited. Wayward Seed anchors the market with their CSA pickup and offered a few items for sale to the general public. A whole wheat bread baker displayed beautiful loaves and half loaves baked just around the corner in a nearby church. Hirsch Fruit Farm brought peaches and blueberries. Their large stand will fill with apples and other fruits as the season progresses.

My favorite find of the trip was the OSU Metro Farm stand. This farm, run by students, is an experiment in organic and sustainable agriculture. On the mid-July date they had new organic garlic, fresh cut flowers, and onions. Their display was lovely and prices fantastic.

The Market at 15th and High includes a few tables of non-commerce activities too. I enjoyed chatting with a representative from the Wexner Center about their many fascinating upcoming programs. The agriculture specialist from Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) staffed a table as well. He shared their well-researched Local Food Assessment and Plan with me.

The Market intends to feature a food cart each week, though the Cheesy Truck could not come because of the heat on the date I attended. Also notably absent were any cheese or meat vendors.

I suspect that the Market at 15th and High is much better attended by sellers and patrons in more hospitable weather, and when OSU is in session. I will return for a visit later in the fall to scope out a harvest market and free admission to the Wexner Center from 4-8 pm Thursdays.

Have you been to the Market at 15th and High this year? What did you think?

2011 Hounds in the Kitchen farmers market reviews:

New Albany Farmers Market

Pearl Alley Market

Easton Farmers Market

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Market at 15th and High {Farmers Market} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Be My Guest and Meet Will Allen {Giveaway}

Rachel Tayse — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 02:55:55 +0000

Growing Power

A week ago, I shared that urban agriculture genius Will Allen is visiting Columbus. Tickets are still available to the Friday keynote and Saturday-Sunday workshop intensive.

Thanks to a donation from Scotts via Slow Food Columbus, I am able to give away a ticket to the keynote address this Friday, July 15, 2011 at Franklin Park Conservatory. The winner can attend both the semi-private meet & greet session at 5 pm and the 6 pm talk, a $50 value!

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment with the reason you want to attend.

I’ll start. I can’t wait to hear Will Allen because:

he has all the dirt on building healthy soil. I aspire to be more than a lazy composter.
a former basketball player, Allen now builds hoop houses. I need to have one of these some day.
he believes in the transformative power of edible gardening. I look forward to being inspired by his radical back-to-the-earth ideas.

Leave a comment with your reason and a way to contact you before midnight Wednesday July 13, 2011 when the contest ends. I’ll draw a random winner and notify them by 10 am Thursday.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Be My Guest and Meet Will Allen {Giveaway} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Will Allen is Coming to Columbus!!

Rachel Tayse — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:00:04 +0000

Have you heard? Two weeks from today, Will Allen will be here with staff from Growing Power to educate and inspire central Ohio gardeners and food lovers!

Who is Will Allen?

The New York Times magazine article ‘Street Farmer‘ provided my first introduction to Allen and his company Growing Power. From the cover photo of his strong hands holding precious garden worms to the thoughtful questions raised and answered by Allen’s work in urban agriculture, the Times tells all.

That is, everything up to the publication date of July 2009. In the intervening years, Will Allen’s fame and funding has grown. In 2010 he was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and serves as an advisor to the Obama whitehouse on matters of garden and food education, among other accolades.

I am thrilled that Stiletto Gardener of Columbus Ohio is the newest Regional Outreach Training Center for Will Allen’s Growing Power initiative. Ameena Salahuddin, the Stiletto Gardener, is leading the way for Will Allen to train hundreds of gardeners here in central Ohio over the next five years.

Learn from Growing Power

Allen’s first visit will be July 15 – 17, 2011. He will give a keynote address on Friday night and a two-day workshop on Saturday and Sunday.

The keynote address will be held at 6 pm at Franklin Park Conservatory. Tickets for this event are $35 per person.

A semi-private reception at 5 pm will allow visitors to meet Allen personally. Tickets for the reception, including keynote address, are $50 and selling fast.

The Saturday and Sunday intensive is a series of workshops on hoop house building, composting, aquaponics, vermiculture, and microgreen production. Held at Stiletto Gardener’s site in Blacklick, the workshop costs $170 per person. The workshop ticket includes lunch and the keynote address.

Buy tickets to the Will Allen keynote or workshop online or by contacting Ameena at 614-859-4105.

Will I see you there?

Photo by Pete Amland (UWM Photographic Services)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Will Allen is Coming to Columbus!! is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!