Homegrown Happy Valley

Gary Landon, owner of Roly Poly (107 E. Beaver Ave.), has stopped making donations to non-profits. The small business owner simply can’t afford to be charitable in the midst of the economic crunch.  

 THON, however, is the exception. And the reason is very personal. 

One evening in December 1996, Landon’s wife rear-ended another car after skidding on ice. After Gary’s five-year-old stepson, Nate, began experiencing severe stomach pains, he was rushed to Mount Nittany Medical Center. Apparently, the seat belt had punctured Nate’s colon during the crash. The doctors repaired his colon, but discovered a small tumor during the surgery. Within a few days specialists diagnosed neuro-blastoma, a common childhood cancer. 

How much chocolate are you making?

Right now we are going through anywhere between 1,000 to 1,300 pounds of chocolate each day.

Do you enjoy this season, or is it overwhelming?

I love seeing everyone walk out of here with a smile on their face.

What’s your favorite item?

I love all of it. And I love seeing all of it go out the door.

You must get some interesting insights into relationships this time of year.

Hoo Do You Love cookies

Do the dark and dreary days of winter have you feeling down?  Order some sugar cookies from Flour Box Bakery and you’ll have something to smile about.

Anne Yorks, owner of Flour Box Bakery, prides herself on her fun, whimsical cookie designs.  She started the business in 2007 after becoming a stay-at-home mom. Her passion for baking flourished, and she soon realized she could have her “cookie” and eat it too.

Anne makes cookies for all occasions, including princess-themed birthdays (she made pink tiara cookies for my daughter when she turned 3). Speaking from experience, her cookies taste as delicious as they look.

This week, Pennsylvania foodies are hitting the classroom. The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture’s 19th Annual Farming for the Future Conference began Wednesday, with workshops on everything from composting to rebuilding our local food system. We spoke to Kristin Leitzel Hoy, Conference Program Coordinator, about the event’s significance.

Can you put the conference in the context of the local food movement?

Want to get creative this Valentine’s Day? Talk to Janet Robinson, creator of The Piper’s Peck. Her small business makes delicious alternatives to chocolate and candy hearts: jams, jellies, salsa and fudge with a kick from her homegrown hot peppers.

I don’t even like really spicy food, but I’m hooked on Robinson’s products. Her delectable peppery fudge reminds me of Juliette Binoche’s character in Chocolat serving hot chocolate spiked with chili pepper. Her Raspberry Chipotle jam turns my PB&J into a sophisticated sandwich. And her Hot Pepper Jelly is my new favorite snack food—I prefer it on crackers, with or without cream cheese.

A Local Holiday Feast

One of my favorite things about living local is the food. Treat someone special on your list to a local dinner or some homegrown treats. Here are a few ideas (feel free to leave your own suggestions below).

• Drinks: Otto’s or Elk Creek brew, local wine, Tait Farm Shrub with sparkling water
  

  Give the gift of local brew this holiday season

• Appetizer: Salmon spread from a local farmer’s market served with crackers; cream cheese with Tait Farm Chutney spread on crackers, served with local apples

Here in the United States pasta is treated more like filler than food. But fresh pasta, which belongs in an entirely different food group than the $.79 supermarket brand, is a delicacy that deserves as much attention and praise as the ingredients poured over it. So when Carolyne stumbled upon a new vendor at the farmer’s market selling artisan pasta and ravioli, she immediately pulled out her wallet. The pasta didn’t disappoint, and when she learned that the company was opening up a permanent location downtown, she went back for more.

Guest blogger Carolyne Meehan–a mom, former English teacher, and supporter of all things local–finishes her diary of working on a local farm in exchange for fresh, local produce with Part Three: “When Life Happens — Literally.” If you’re just joining in now, check out Part 1 here or Part 2 here.

While my Happy Valley friends watched the Nittany Lions handily defeat the Zips on Saturday, I took an alternative approach to the afternoon.  I canned.

I finally heard the call of the mountain of Roma tomatoes growing on my countertop.  So after driving to the Millheim Farmers’ Market to buy a bit more garlic and basil (stopping at Elk Creek Café for delicious brunch) I decided to go home and test my newly learned skill (I use the word “skill” loosely).

Guest blogger Reenie Kuhlman is co-founder of GoodPR, Inc., a communications consulting agency that helps businesses, organizations and people whose mission is to do something good for the world.  Reenie, a mother of two and a lover of all things local, details her experience planning an eco-friendly tailgate with food from Pittsburgh (her hometown) and State College (her favorite tailgating locale).

Time to trade the flip-flips and t-shirts for booties and sweatshirts—make those Nittany Lion sweatshirts. The best part about this weather is the electrified feeling in the air. In Happy Valley you can actually smell the leaves falling from the trees. And that means only one thing: Penn State football.