Homegrown Happy Valley

Last year Homegrown volunteered at PASA’s Central PA Farm Tour.  Michele and I sat at Tait Farm all afternoon welcoming visitors, handing out information, answering questions, and eating Gemelli cookies from the farm store.  But this year I wanted to take the tour myself.  So with map and directions in hand, I loaded the car with drinks, snacks, husband, child, and a few members of my extended family.

If you really want people to think you’re weird, tell them you ate goat. Ever since my husband and I cooked up some goat sausages on the grill, I’ve been singing this meat’s praises. It tastes great. It has less fat and more protein than beef. But the conversation seldom goes any further. When the subject of goat arises, so does the red flag in our brain that controls what goes into our mouth.

WPSU recently launched its “Local Food Journey,” a blog about eating local in Centre County. Starting this month Homegrown and WPSU are sharing content, hoping to inspire our collective readers with even more recipes, profiles, and fun stories about eating and buying local. “Local Food Journey” recently visited Brenneman’s Meat Market in Huntingdon County and shared the following report:

Every community has recognizable houses, families, buildings, and businesses that provide unique charm. In Huntingdon, Brenneman’s Meat Market is one such institution.

Brenneman’s is nestled in the heart of Smithfield – a quiet, tidy, picturesque part of Huntingdon separated from downtown by the Juniata River.

1.) Eat a fresh-from-the-brick-oven Gemelli pizza. We’ve seen Gemelli’s divine pies at the farmer’s markets in Boalsburg and Millheim. Now you can also pick up a pie at the restaurant that just opened next door to the State College shop. Bringing home? Better buy two. Trust us, you won’t get your garlic scape pesto pie past the parking lot.

2.) Connect with farmers in Central PA at the 5^th Annual Central PA Farm Tour. Pack a cooler for local goodies and a camera to show your city friends what they’re missing.

Hundreds of children wandering around Allen Street in the 90-degree heat? That’s the Children & Youth Day Sidewalk Sale at Arts Fest. Take a look at our genius locals and their creations for this year.

Will work for dog. Tasha Burman, a participant for the third year, works with wire and glass beads, eschewing plastic. Her passion for making all kinds of jewelry began about five years ago; now she can create a pair of earrings in the time it takes to finish a bowl of cereal. Tasha, 13, is even working on a business plan. For now her skills are earning her money toward a pet dog. 

Soon you won’t have to leave home to take your child to a museum. Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania is moving into 112 West Foster Avenue, where it’s leasing 4,200 square feet for a hands-on children’s museum—complete with a garden! More details about the museum will be announced at a benefit this Saturday at the Gingerbread Man.

With a focus on learning through play, the museum aims to leave children with a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. Carla Zembal-Saul, a Discovery Space board member and PSU professor in science education, gives us the scoop on the museum’s new home.

The long wait for Tana Asian Café is finally over. A big red ribbon on the door welcomed customers a few weeks ago for the grand opening on 454 E. College Ave.

The layout and appearance is similar to what used to be Cozy Thai Bistro, which is owned by the same people and moved to its new location at 232 S. Allen. Wooden tables and chairs are surrounded by elephant statues and illuminated by round orange and white lights. Soft music plays in the background keeping the atmosphere peaceful but popping.

As a senior, graduation sprung up on me. In the midst of studying for exams and figuring out what I’m going to do with my life I had completely neglected that post-graduation dinner reservation for my family. But after paying for four years of college, my parents aren’t about to let me leave here without a proper celebration. Unable to ignore my mother’s nudging, I decided to research my options and blog about them for my Homegrown Happy Valley internship. I was bummed to discover that Zola, Alto and Duffy’s Tavern were already booked. But there are still some good places left. Below, my last assignment for Dear Old State: a reservation cheat sheet for my fellow procrastinating graduates.

If you haven’t noticed, we’re kind of excited about Sugar on Top, the new cupcake cafe opening soon around the corner from Rita’s at 121 1/2 Beaver Avenue. (Read our recent post about the shop here.) So we’ve come up with a fun contest that will help promote the shop. Here’s how it works:

We challenge our readers to create the “Homegrown Happy Valley Cupcake,” a sweet or savory creation that showcases one or more local ingredients. Don’t worry about an actual recipe–just come up with the flavor combinations.