forage

This week I want to acknowledge the plants and animals that are grown by our farmers in Alberta. Often we talk about the importance of eating locally without stating how good our local products taste. The Berkshire pork from Broek Pork Acres, Lund’s Organic baby carrots, Grizzly Gouda from Sylvan Star, elk tenderloin from Wapiti Ways, saskatoon butter tarts from the Saskatoon Farm, Highwood Crossing Cold Pressed Canola Oil, Black Currant Mead from Chinook Arch Meadery, strawberries from Broxburn Farm, asparagus from Edgar Farms… the list goes on and on. We are blessed with an abundance of plants and animals that are grown and raised with love and care and this makes them taste great! We are thankful we have such variety to enjoy.

The Grassroots Farmers Market at Northlands has their last market day for the season this Tuesday between 3PM and 7PM. It sounds like there will be a few less vendors, but there are some things at this market that aren’t available at CFM. Cantaloupes from Brooks, pies from Three Sisters, strawberries from Noblelford, perogies, field tomatoes, and stone oven breads.

This week we have beautiful sugar pumpkin risotto cakes, the smoked ham sausage from Broek Pork Acres, Chicken Paprikash, and a split pea soup that we made with some wood oven roasted pork hocks.

Here’s the menu for this week:

Monday - Beef Stir Fry

Hoven Farms organic beef ribs, Sudo Farm suey and bok choy, carrots, and broccoli served with steamed rice $14

Tuesday - Chicken Tamale Pie

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, Taber corn, black beans, tomatoes, and peppers with a cornmeal biscuit crust $14

Wednesday - Sugar Pumpkin Risotto Cake

Roasted sugar pumpkins from Brooks mixed into a risotto cake and served with wilted greens from Lund’s Organic $12

Thursday - Smoked Ham Sausage

Broek Pork Acres smoked ham sausage with cabbage, sauerkraut, and Upper Green Farms potatoes $13

Friday - Chicken Paprikash

Sunworks Farm organic chicken and Gull Valley Greenhouses peppers with our paprika sour cream sauce served on egg noodles $14

This Week’s Soup – Split Pea Soup $7

This Week’s Stew – Chicken Chorizo Stew $9

Something Sweet – Carrot Cake $4

Forage Hours – Monday to Friday 2PM to 7PM – 3508 19^th Street SW – Phone (403)269-6551

Forage will be closed Friday, October 10^th to Monday, October 13^th for Thanksgiving weekend and Tuesday, October 21^st to Wednesday, October 29^th for Terra Madre 2008 and the Salon del Gusto in Torino.

What a success! We were blown away with the response to our first birthday party on Friday night. In spite of the apocalyptic weather you came out in droves and we were able to raise $1000 for our Future of Farming Fund. In our wildest dreams we did not expect the crowd so thank-you for your patience and support. We’ll be looking at which youth farmers we are going to support for Terra Madre and let you know as we get closer.

That same storm shredded my parent’s garden south of Priddis so we have 60 lbs. of slightly damaged rhubarb and we are going to offer as Rhubarb Crisp as our special sweet. The rest of their garden did not fare so well.

Also, a frenzy of response has been created by the announcement that the Calgary Farmers’ Market may close at the end of October 2009 when their lease ends. The Calgary Herald broke the story and the story has also reached CBC radio. The CFM submitted a proposal in the spring of 2007 to Canada Lands to be the anchor food store for the soon to be redeveloped west Currie Barracks. The market is hoping that public outcry will assist Canada Lands in their decision making, but realistically, they would rather see a Whole Foods or Soby’s service the 20,000 plus new residents. Check out the Calgary Farmers Market website for more information. Forage and Infuse Catering are the biggest purchasers at the CFM so we are concerned with how this is all going to play out. Regardless, we will continue to seek out fine Alberta ingredients wherever we have to.

And lastly this week… we are closed this Friday to celebrate with Jaclyn and Andy on their wedding day!

Here is the menu for this week:

Monday - Chicken and Rigatoni

Sunworks Farm organic chicken tossed with rigatoni, fresh tomatoes, peppers, basil, and spinach $13

Tuesday - Korean BBQ Ribs

Hoven Farms organic beef short ribs marinated with soy, ginger, and honey and grilled, served with potato salad $14

Wednesday - New Vegetable Pot Pie

new potatoes, Edgar Farm peas, carrots, and beans in a dill cream sauce with a green salad $12

Thursday - Beef Taco Salad

Hoven Farms Organic beef, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, black beans, cheddar, Tres Marias tortillas and chipotle buttermilk dressing $13

Friday - Closed For Jaclyn’s Wedding

we are celebrating with jaclyn and andy on their wedding day

sorry for any inconvenience

This Week’s Salad – German Potato Salad $4

This Week’s Stew – Turkey And White Bean Chili $9

Something Sweet – Rhubarb Crisp $4

Forage Hours This Week Monday to Thursday 2PM to 7PM

Forage will be closed August 1^st to August 10^th for our summer break

3508 – 19^th Street SW ph. (403)269-6551

So the bee colonies at Chinook Honey are starting to come to life after a winter of clustering in their hives. The bees don’t hibernate through the cold season, they continue to eat summer reserves, clean the hive, and generate enough heat to keep alive. As the temperature warms so does the activity of the queen as she starts to lay eggs once again.

This isn’t the only thing exciting happening at Chinook Honey. This month Cherie and Art are becoming Alberta’s first meadery with the launch of their King Arthur’s Dry Mead. We just received a sample bottle and it is quite good. It has floral honey overtones with a finish much like a Viognier. They tell me that most of this first batch is already sold but it can be purchased, starting later this month, at their newly expanded shop just of the highway between Okotoks and Black Diamond. Congratulations to Art and Cherie for bringing us a great new Alberta product.

I, Wade have just launched a new blog at www.attheroot.ca. I’ll be digging deeper into the local food and agriculture scene with regular posts, insights, and news. Check it out, if you want to learn more about what’s going on.

Here’s the menu for this week:

Monday - Pork Sausage

Broek Pork Acres smoked pork sausage served with sauerkraut, cabbage and potatoes $13

Tuesday - Chicken Normandy

Sunworks Farm chicken, mushrooms, leeks, and apple cider all simmered with thyme and served on egg noodles $14

Wednesday - Stuffed Peppers

Gull Valley Green House pepper stuffed with tomato rice and beans topped with cheddar and served with a green salad $13

Thursday - Bison Shepherd’s Pie

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison, peas, carrots, green beans, and corn topped with herb mashed potatoes $12

Friday - Roast Chicken

Sunworks Farm organic chicken served with smashed buttermilk potatoes and gravy $38 whole $25 half $14 quarter

This Week’s Soup – Mexican Chicken $8

This Week’s Stew – Bison Stew $9

Something Sweet – Mom’s Chocolate Cake $4

Forage Hours Monday to Friday 2PM to 7PM – (403)269-6551 – 3508 – 19^th Street SW

Hello All!

One of my goals this year is to expand the range of farms that supply Infuse and Forage. In particular, to find new ingredients from the farms that supply the Edmonton area farmers’ markets. This week we are beginning to carry products from Greens, Eggs, and Ham. Andreas and Mary Ellen Grueneberg have a picturesque farm about 15 minutes East of Leduc. They raise and grow a variety of things, but their specialty is duck and duck products. I have been blown away by the taste and quality of their products and their eagerness and passion for what they do. They tell us that Forage will be the first place in Calgary to sell their products and we are proud to offer them. Today we’ll begin with their outstanding duck prosciutto and over the next few months we’ll add more.

Gull Valley Green Houses are also back this week and we have limited supply of their lettuce and cucumbers.

Here is the menu for this week:

Monday – Chicken Burrito

Sunworks Farm chicken, rice, and beans wrapped in a Tres Marias tortilla with Sylvan Star cheddar and fresh salsa $13

Tuesday – Chicken Fried Steak

Hoven Farms organic beef steak fried with southern coating and served with mac and cheese and pan gravy $13

Wednesday – Vegetable Tagine

Lund’s Organic carrots, Gull Valley Green Houses eggplant, cauliflower, and chick peas simmered wit Moroccan spices and served with pistachio cous cous $12

Thursday – BBQ Chicken Casserole

Sunworks Farm chicken, Gull Valley Green Houses green peppers, potatoes, and onions smothered in BBQ sauce with a cornmeal crust served with creamy slaw $13

Friday – Italian Meatballs

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork meatballs simmered in tomato sauce with penne $12 add a green salad $4

This Week’s Stew – Hunter’s Stew $9

This Week’s Soup – Mexican Chicken $8

This Week’s Sweet – Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing $4

We use a lot of product from Sunworks Farm located Northwest of Camrose and it is because of them that we are so committed to local and sustainable agriculture. Ron and Sheila Hamilton are leaders in the field of certified organic livestock and poultry and we started to use their product after we were paired with them for a Slow Food Feast of Fields. About a decade ago, in response to some health issues, the Hamiltons attended a holistic farm management course and that changed the way they look at farming. They now produce organic chicken, duck, turkey, pork, beef, bison, and lamb using pasture management and humane and organic practices. A trip to their farm really shows how simple it is to raise great tasting animals. Give them grass, sunshine and water and let nature look after the rest.

Here is the menu for this week:

Monday - Chicken Lasagna

sunworks farm chicken, roasted mushrooms, fresh pasta made in house, tomato sauce, cheese $13

Tuesday - Pepper Steak Casserole

thin slices of roast hoven farms organic beef, potatoes, onions, and peppers topped with gouda $13

Wednesday - Roasted Squash Risotto Cake

roasted winter squash risotto cake served with braised cabbage and chard $12

Thursday - Valentine’s Day - Chicken Pot Pie

sunworks farm chicken, potatoes, carrots, and peas in herb white sauce with biscuit top and spinach salad $14

Friday - Grilled Chicken Sausage

sunworks farm chicken rosemary sausage slathered in tomato sauce served with rice $12

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Noodle $8

This Week’s Stew – Bison Stew $9

Something Sweet – Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Icing $4

It’s the International Year of the Potato!  Shelley Boettcher wrote an article in yesterday’s Herald that we were featured in.  Here’s the link:

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/reallife/taste/story.html?id=5822ef68-55b4-4f7f-b3ba-0b972e8a5fcc

There was also some recipes published at this link:

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/reallife/taste/story.html?id=97966b4d-ee82-4364-b8a0-daa2506e871f

So if you haven’t noticed, we love the Berkshire pork we have been getting from Broek Pork Acres. Berkshire is a heritage breed of black pig that has been around for hundreds of years. In North America, the American Berkshire Association was founded in 1875 and they have since protected the breed by keeping records of genetic origin. This breed has always been prized for flavor and tenderness. When it comes to heritage breeds, you have to eat them for them to survive. As stocks are crossbred and genetically modified for industrial purposes, we have lost the diversity and unique characteristics of the original animals. Anyone who has had the Berkshire can attest that this isn’t just the other white meat!

Here is the menu for this week:

Monday - Wild Sockeye Salmon Cake

wild sockeye salmon cake served with braised cabbage $11

Tuesday - Bison Short Ribs

buffalo horn ranch bison braised in wine and root vegetables served with crispy potato cake $16

Wednesday - Root Vegetable Tart

roasted root vegetables in a whole wheat crust topped with caramelized onions with spinach salad $12

Thursday - Chicken Tamale Pie

sunworks farm organic chicken with beans, corn, and tomato with a cornmeal crust on top $13

Friday - Roast Berkshire Pork

broek pork acres berkshire pork roasted with herbs served with mashed potatoes and pan gravy $14

This Week’s Soup – Mulligatawny Soup $7

This Week’s Stew – Beef Stew $9

Something Sweet – Apple Bundt Cake With Maple Icing $5

Recently it was brought to our attention that Lunds Organic farm was going to be annexed by the Town of Innisfail.  dee Hobsbawn-Smith visited the farm last week and interviewed members of the town council on the issue.  Her article can be found in today’s Calgary Herald or at the following link:

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/reallife/story.html?id=382eadaf-58eb-4a32-aca3-a664b883f50f

I think the most important point was the land use committee member wondered why a reporter from Calgary was interested in the story.  I think that means there is an opportunity for us in the city to make our rural towns and municipalities aware of our concerns for the future of our farmland.