Homegrown Happy Valley

The ladies of Homegrown Happy Valley would like to thank the wonderful locals, businesses, artisans and friends who helped make the Food Inc. panel discussion and reception a great success. We’re extremely grateful that the State Theatre brought this important movie to town, then embraced the idea of having a panel. Also, a big thank-you goes to  Webster’s Cafe for hosting our post-panel reception on short notice. We appreciate everyone’s help and support and hope we can keep working together to promote the goodness and community that evolves from buying local.  Let’s continue to celebrate the wonderful bounty and work toward change.

Panelists:

Warning: Unlike just about everything else you read in this blog, the following information will not make you hungry.

Food Inc., a new movie that investigates the food industry and may leave you feeling a tad uncomfortable about what you’re serving your families, is coming to the State Theatre August 21st, with showings until the 27th.

~Homegrown Happy Valley will be featuring guest bloggers during our Eat Local Challenge to allow others to share their experiences. This week Kristin Leitzel shares her passion for local food and why this week is the perfect time to get out and eat local.  Kristin is the Conference Program Coordinator for PASA, Centre County Buy Fresh Buy Local guru, and supporter of all things local.

There are two things I love more than (almost) anything. I love a fresh basil and tomato sandwich on Gemelli’s french country bread. I also love peaches. Well, blueberries, too. And fresh green beans are hard to beat. A good head of broccoli is a fine spectacle, come to think of it.

Check out our Flickr slide show of the Central PA Festival of the Arts and People’s Choice Festival for 2009. If you have more photos of either festival (especially the musicians), upload them to our Flickr group.

WREATHS AND FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS

What do you get when a keen interest in gardening and flowers goes wild? Greensleeves Dried Flowers.

Mary Stanley, owner of Greensleeves, a small, family-run operation located just outside of Bloomsburg, Pa.,  always romanticized the work of florists. “All those flowers!” she says, “And the fragrance, so delightful.” But Stanley managed to top her dream of working in a flower shop by owning it, too.

Stanley, who is at the People’s Choice Festival this weekend, starts her wreaths and flower arrangements with seedlings in her greenhouse, which she then transplants into her gardens. The flowers are harvested when they reach the right stage of development and then hung to dry in her 150-year old barn. The flowers dry quickly in the heat and dark, thereby retaining their color and form.

It’s that time of year again in Central Pennsylvania for reuniting with family and friends, hiding from the stifling heat, and renewing our love and commitment to art and the people who produce it.

This year 45 locals will display their creations at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.  And that doesn’t include the musical and theatrical performances by Happy Valley denizens. Meanwhile, in Boalsburg, The People’s Choice Festival will celebrate its 17th year showcasing arts and crafts from artisans around Pennsylvania, including more than a dozen local artists in our own backyards.

If your summer camp memories include putting up with snoring bunkmates, running endless laps in the sweltering heat, or singing kumbaiyah for the hundredth time, do your kid a favor and give her something different. Even though my daughter is a few years away from attending summer camp, I’m researching options now so I won’t have to read about it on her blog later.

Paying attention to fun alternatives to the more traditional summer camps, I discovered some local options that incorporate fun and education, not to mention an artistic flair and a pinch of something unique.  These are all offered at area venues and started by locals looking to spread their love of art, music or cooking to a younger set. Last time we checked, there were still slots available. 

Make room in your produce bag for next week’s Boalsburg Farmers’ Market. Tuesday, June 23rd marks the second annual Art at the Market, which means you’ll be ogling more than food.

What could be better than browsing for fresh food, while admiring–and maybe even buying–paintings, jewelry, photography and fine crafts by fellow locals? The artists will be there to discuss and demonstrate their work and some will even be painting scenes from the market.

Local is the new black. It used to be brown, then pink, but now it’s definitely local, especially when it’s green. If you want to buy local, yet another organization has popped up to help keep the dollars we spend here in our own backyard.

Local Bounty is a user-generated directory that allows consumers to find local goods—everything from salad greens to the bowls that hold them—then rate and review the products, services and businesses. The site is scheduled to launch right before Arts Fest in July.

As a child, I was a big fan of the Strawberry Shortcake doll. I would dream up different ways to serve strawberries to my Barbies and G.I. Joes with my Berry Bake Shoppe. Now that the first berry of the summer has arrived, I’m once again dreaming of strawberry concoctions. Fortunately my recipes have matured a bit.

Week Two marks the beginning of strawberry season. How will you use strawberries, and how are you doing on your personal Eat Local Challenge? Leave a reply and let us know (you can now opt to be e-mailed with follow up comments!)