Ripe Recipe : Grilled Beets and Green Beans

Today's Ripe Recipe is fresh from the kitchen of Sally Bache!

We’ve got green beans & beets ready in our garden now, and I’ve been trying to use them up. Last night I did something that turned out pretty great, if I do say so myself.

Grilled Beets and Green Beans topped with Goat Cheese

1. I harvested a couple of med/large beets and cubed them at about ¾” and then tossed them with olive oil & kosher salt & put them into a grill basket.
2. When the beets were about half-way done, I added about ½ pound green beans, also tossed in olive oil & salt.
3. When the veggies were done—still a bit crisp, but also a bit of char for flavor—I pulled them off of the grill and dabbed on some herbed goat cheese.
4. Serve with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and you’ll find that this dish is way more than the sum of the parts!

BackPack Buddies breaks for summertime!

BackPack Buddies has winded down for summer break, but this past school year volunteers and staff stayed busy sending out 35,286 bags! The BackPack Buddies program provides nutritious food to children in need around the Triangle area.  Sending children home each weekend with six balanced meals, the BackPack Buddies program ensures that children in food-insecure homes have enough to eat during the school year on the weekends when access to the free or reduced school lunch program is not available.  Delivering to over 31 sites, this program begins in September and runs through the school year until May. Totaling about thirty-four weeks of delivery, BackPack Buddies has numerous dedicated volunteers but we are always looking for more help! Volunteers are the backbone of the program- they sort food, pack bags with the meal and deliver the bags to schools every week! This program “provides consistent help for our families in need,” and the participants are grateful for the support.

Tonya Post, Director of Programs, said, “The community really steps up to help make BackPack Buddies work and to help feed as many kids as we can.”   The Food Shuttle is always looking for volunteers during the school year! Starting in September, we will kick off another year of BackPack Buddies and could use your help! Send Tonya an email (tonya@foodshuttle.org) to become a BackPack volunteer.

Many thanks to Blue Water Spa-our inaugural BackPack Buddies Adopt A School sponsor and all of their donations!  We could not have done it without the 45, 000 pounds of food Blue Water Spa and its clients donated!

Nyssa's tips for transplanting peppers

By: Nyssa Collins, NC State correspondent

1. Punch a hole through the black plastic

2. Fertilize with granulated chicken manure

3. Remove the plant and loosen the root ball

4. Bury the plant at ground level, packing in dirt firmly at the base.

5. Water thoroughly, to restore turgor in the plant and ease recovery from the shock of transplanting.

Crew Call 6/9-6/12

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Farm and Garden

Crew-Call June 9, 2010

Thank you all so much for your emails, calls and appearance at the City Council meeting last week. Your support of the Food Shuttle’s programs in Raleigh have not gone unnoticed!

VOLUNTEER TIMES & EVENTS:

· Farm, Work day, Saturday between 9a-2p (4505 Tryon Road)

o We need 10 volunteers that can each commit 2-3 hours this Saturday!

o Sun and Steven, our resident Worm Doctor, need your help building vermicomposting bins!

o Reserve your spot with Sun (sun@foodshuttle.org) so he knows you’re coming out to help!

NEW DIRECTIONS! No, the farm hasn’t changed location, we’re just asking that all volunteers park at 4505 Tryon Road, where the IFFS Farm sign is now set. Once you park your car, walk across the field towards the greenhouse; Sun and Steven will be in that general area.

· Community Gardens Work times (please note different locations and days!):

Neighbor to Neighbor Tuesday 4-5:00pm

Mayview Wednesday 4-5:00pm

Alliance Medical Ministry Thursday 4-5:00pm

o We’re working with community members and youth to grow their gardens!

o We need 3 volunteers for each work day- email Amanda (Amanda@foodshuttle.org) if you can help.

o Garden Addresses/Directions: Neighbor to Neighbor is at 1200 S Blount Street; 1 story brick building on right with long chain link fence. The Mayview garden site is located down the grassy hill behind the duplex at 2136 Mayview Rd (backing up to the Jaycee field). Alliance Medical Ministry is located at the corner of New Bern Ave. and Donald Ross Dr. at 101 Donald Ross.

· Vote for the Food Shuttle!

o Help spread the word! Ask your friends and family to vote for the Food Shuttle and Triangle Land Conservancy to create teaching farms in each of the counties the Food Shuttle serves. You have only until June 15^th to cast your vote! http://www.justmeans.com/contestidea?ideaid=NDg4

· PAR (Plant a Row for the Hungry) – sign up to become a member or drop off site!

o The IFFS PAR program encourages people to grow extra and/or donate excess produce to people in need through IFFS. We will have weekly PAR produce drop-off sites at locations around our 7 county service area, including at Logan’s on Saturday mornings.

o If you are interested in becoming a member (donating produce from your own harvest) or know of a farmers market or store that might be interested in becoming a PAR drop-off site please contact Don at don@foodshuttle.org.

FARM & GARDENS BLOG

Keep up with what’s going on with our Farm & Gardens and PAR programs through the IFFS blog farmsandgardens.wordpress.com. Use the blog to check out weekly ripe recipes, find yourself in photos of weekly crew calls, hear from other volunteers, and stay up to date with activities at IFFS. Let us know if you’re interested in contributing to the blog!

GARDEN SUPPLIES:

We are still in need of hand-tool donations. We gladly accept new and/or lightly used equipment. Thanks to all who have responded.

New Volunteer?

If you have not filled out a volunteer form or have a friend who is interested in helping out please email Janet at (rgsjrs@aol.com)

Have a great week and hope to see you at the gardens & farm!

Sun, Amanda, Steven, Elizabeth & Katherine

Nyssa reports on the veggie growth and diversity at the Farm

By: Nyssa Collins, NC State Correspondent

A few days of rain followed by days full of hot, clear sunlight: the recipe for vegetables growing like weeds!  Come see bulbous green tomatoes with their first blush of pink, tiny baby squash peeking out from under giant leaves, and peppers, which all start out green, but will soon distinguish themselves in a rainbow of reds, oranges, yellows, browns, and purples.  The entire new field is teetering on the edge of abundance.

And because of the eclectic nature of donations, the IFFS farm is a model of diversity in varieties.  Planted in one row are twenty-seven varieties of peppers:

Organic farmers rely heavily on the merit of diversity.  Some varieties is more susceptible to a certain disease or pest, or if it is not suited to the particular environment.  When a farmer plants many varieties, the loss of a single variety is not so overwhelming.  Another variety, growing at the same time, is likely to be more successful.  Accepting some plants as a loss, or sacrificing some varieties to pests (to distract them from other varieties) is a way to ensure moderate agricultural success.  In contrast, a conventional farmer that plants only a single variety could lose his entire crop due to a selective misfortune. (For instance, a disease that affects only ‘Big Boy’ Tomatoes)  A conventional farmer also may depend more on inorganic pesticides and fertilizers to protect his fields, because he does not utilize the natural protection of diversity.

Stay tuned on the blog later this week when Nyssa gives step by step instructions (with pictures!) on how to transplant a pepper plant!

The Food Shuttle's Farm staff needs volunteers on the farm in Raleigh Monday-Saturday! Click here to sign up as a farm volunteer and join us in providing wholesome veggies to countless people in need here in the Triangle.

Elizabeth's Friday Full of Fun!

By: Elizabeth Stahl, IFFS Communication Intern

Continuing to expand my knowledge of Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, I learned food banks and food rescue organizations are quite similar. As you may remember from my previous blog post, I have a connection to MANNA Food Bank which works hand-in-hand with the Plant A Row program and community distribution programs.  So not only does food banking accumulate warehouse goods, but they also work with fresh produce for different agencies.  Food rescue organizations, like the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, deal with food rescue and garden-fresh produce as well as distribution around the community.  Both organizations are dedicated to fighting hunger!

Recently I ventured to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle farm and learned about the organic farming methods they employ.  Not only is Steven Horton, assistant farm manager, hard at work on the farm but chickens and worms put in their fair share as well! Known as the official “worm doctor,” Steven is dedicated to making the farm successful, “I’d like to educate more people on our growing methods a lot of people think that organic farming is like going back to the 18^th century, and it's not.” Employing worms to create nutritious, rich fertilizer, utilizing worm-castings ensures delicious vegetables!

After a morning of hard work, I put the “worm doctor” to the test and asked him a few questions.

1. If you could be any vegetable which one would you be and why?

-I would be a bean because they are the most pervasive they will climb up anything and take over anything.

2. What is one type of food you simply could not live without?

-Any kind of berry- strawberries, blackberries, and mulberries- they grow in the wild and are easy to pick.

3. Is there anything other than working on the farm that you do to fight hunger?

­-I work with Crop Mob, an organization of young farmers that wanted to help each other.  They meet and work during the day and then share a meal together, all on sustainable farms.  I also read about farming and new farming methods.

4. Which is more important: the chickens or the worms?

-The worms because they provide really high quality, organic fertilizer they helps make the soil healthy for years to come.  They can feed the chickens and the hungry!  They make growing plants a lot easier!

5. What is something you are most proud of?

-I am proud of where I am at now in my life.  I am proud that I have an open mind and respect my own beliefs but at the same time being open to others beliefs.

8. What is the most important meal of the day and why?

-Breakfast because it keeps you going until lunch!

9. What is something you wish more people did?

-Stop complaining and start doing! 

Special thanks to Steven and his hard work on the farm!  Without his dedication, the farm would not be able to provide seeding transplants for other IFFS farms or grow nutritious produce for the IFFS agencies!  Look for more Friday Full of Fun next week!

Support Inter-Faith Food Shuttle at the Raleigh City Council Meeting tonight!

The Raleigh City Council has faithfully supported Inter-Faith Food Shuttle for years. Because of the turbulent economic times, the Council decided to lower its support of IFFS from $100,000 to approximately $22,500. We desperately need this funding to support Raleigh agencies who work day in and day out to feed our hungry neighbors. Without the funding, our services to the City of Raleigh will significantly decrease.

Come out to the meeting tonight at 7pm.

Stand to support Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

Email the Council members to restore our funding to $100,000.

Because hunger is unacceptable.

Watch the video below for a special appeal from IFFS Co-Founder and Executive Director, Jill Staton Bullard and Outreach Coordinator, Elizabeth Rodgers.

Meet a mother, volunteer, and hunger fighter: Jo Sharples

The following is a blog post from Operation Frontline volunteer and Y Combs Elementary class assistant, Jo Sharples. Her experiences with Operation Frontline and Plant A Row for the Hungry are valued.  Jo’s dedication to these programs is inspiring the OFL students to continue learning the value of nutrition while helping the community.

A Parent's Perspective

I recently volunteered as class assistant for a 6 week Kids Up Front class. I feel motivated to share my experience because I was so impressed with the quality of the program and believe it had a positive impact on my own life, as well as the lives of the participants.

I decided to volunteer for Operation Frontline, as I strongly believe that kids should be educated about nutrition and the benefits of healthy food choices. I wanted to help this worthy cause and in the process hoped to learn practical ways to go about changing my own kids eating behavior. I am a mother of 2 fussy eaters, aged 9 and 5. Although I eat healthily and buy a variety of fruits and vegetables, my 5-year-old son especially refuses to eat them.

I was impressed by the high standard of the course material and the professionalism of the volunteer Chef (Maria) and Nutritionist (Tonya). I loved the hands on approach, teaching kids to cook. It was encouraging to see 9-11 year old kids using sharp chef's knives and cooking at the stove. I had never thought of letting my daughter do more than stir with a wooden spoon. So as the weeks progressed I began letting her chop a variety of vegetables and get involved in cooking at home. She really loved it and I realized that I need to be more organized about involving her regularly.

The highlight of the class for me was observing how the kids tried everything and had 2^nd, sometimes 3^rd, helpings of healthy food. I think it was proof that if you get kids involved in the cooking process they will be more willing to try to eat new foods. Particularly memorable was the smoothie made from frozen berries, almond milk and LOTS of spinach leaves. Chef Maria named it Zombie Blood, which went down well with this age group. Despite protesting about the spinach, the kids all tried it and many came back for more!

As part of the course, the kids get to plant snow pea seeds to take home and nurture. I enjoyed sharing my own gardening experience... Just recently my kids and myself have started volunteering at a community garden in Apex, and growing our own vegetables and fruit at home (tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, onions, zucchini, mixed greens, strawberries, melon, and a variety of culinary herbs.).

I have also taken on the task of introducing an edible garden at my kid’s elementary school, supported by the PTA. We now have 6 raised beds, built by local scout groups, and my intention is that the teachers will be able to use this as a hands on resource - to connect with nature and learn about healthier eating. We plan to donate any food grown to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Plant a Row program, to raise awareness of child hunger in Wake county. This edible garden can therefore link to curriculum goals in social studies, science and healthful living. During the class, we talked about the availability of fresh produce grown at local farms and the environmental impact of buying food transported across county or imported from abroad.

I hope that the kids in this class share their knowledge with their parents and use the recipes in the take home booklets.  My experience supporting the Kids Up Front class reinforced that the keys to changing kids eating behavior are: educating kids (and their parents) about nutrition and healthy food choices; exposing kids (and parents) to new healthy foods or foods that they are familiar with prepared in a novel or healthier way; getting kids (and parents) interested in growing fruit and vegetables at home, school or at a community garden; teaching basic cooking skills to develop confidence in the kitchen; and sitting to eat a (home) cooked meal together. I would love to see this program offered in all schools and look forward to volunteering again soon.

Graduation Potluck!

The following is a blog from NC State student Holly Starks. It is the 5th in a series of 6 posts she will be writing chronicling her experience as a Nutrition Instructor for a OFL Class she is teaching. If you haven’t already, read the 1st Wee1st Weekk, 2nd Week, 3rd Week, 4th Week and 5th Week. Holly is teaching OFL as part of a Service Learning Class that has teamed up North Carolina State Students with the Inter Faith Food Shuttle’sOFL/Nutrition Program. Through this partnership, the Food Shuttle and NC State hope to engage students in service learning and community nutrition while expanding the reach of its OFL program.

Graduation Potluck!

This past Tuesday, April 27th, was the final class of our Side by Side six week course. At the beginning of class while the parents filled out a few surveys, Sara led the kids in a MyPyramid game. She showed pictures of different foods and asked for them to name the foods and then choose which food groups they belong in. After the surveys were completed, the families were challenged by a review game. The parents were asked questions from cooking, nutrition, and gardening lessons. If they answered a question correctly their child was allowed to move to the next space on our “life-size” game board. At the end of the game the families were tied and we had a lighting round to determine the winner. Felicia answered the question correctly, and she and her daughter Ali were announced the winners.

Following the game was the graduation celebration. The families were awarded their certificates for completing the course and were given graduation gifts that included a reusable grocery bag, a cutting board, a water bottle, and an adjustable measuring spoon. We also celebrated the completion of the class with a potluck. The families brought in a food item of their choice that reflected the knowledge they had gained from the class. Felicia and Ali brought in a black bean dip which contained Velveta cheese and orange bell peppers. Geneva and Dorian brought in chicken salad sandwiches on whole grain flat bread. The chicken salad had light mayonnaise and was topped with cherry tomatoes and romaine lettuce. Tamika and Tristina brought in turkey meatballs that also had mixed vegetables on the inside. Sara, our chef, brought in pumpkin muffins for the class to try. Everyone agreed that all of the recipes were delicious. The families were especially surprised about how tasty the muffins were when Sara explained that they did not contain any butter and were made using low-fat yogurt. “Wow! These are really good for not having any butter,” Tamika added. Following her comment Geneva asked, “You can use sweet potato instead of pumpkin, right?” Avram, our gardener, confirmed:

Yes, you can. It can help to save money when pumpkins aren’t in season.”

Sweet potatoes are in season all year long in North Carolina, which means that they are very affordable, especially when compared to foods that are not in season.

If you are interested in trying the pumpkin muffins with your family too, see the recipe below. We hope that you enjoyed hearing about our class. Keep a look out for new upcoming OFL classes!

Cut the Bag Habit! Episode 3: We know where you've been

Have you been to Earth Fare in Raleigh since they stopped using plastic bags? Since April,  Earth Fare cut the bag habit and has started asking shoppers to bring reusable bags to the grocery store instead. Earth Fare even took it a step further to raise the bar:  $.05 is donated to the Food Shuttle each time a shoppers uses a reusable bag!

We recently published our 3rd video in a series of "Cut the Bag Habit" videos! Check it out below:

Cut YOUR Bag Habit with Earth Fare and support the Food Shuttle! The other videos may be found here: Episode 1: American Beauty and Episode 2: Just Say No!