Slow Food and Princeton Winter Farmers Market

This last week I attended a couple more films that were part of the Princeton Environmental Film Festival.

One was Food Fight which was super inspiring even to those of us that might not consider ourselves "foodies." Chefs Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, Wolfgang Puck and Suzanne Goin were interviewed and reminded us how important it is to know your food sources.  Alice Waters started out as a chef that has turned local food sourcing into a political action by supporting local agriculture in California. Back in the seventies era under the Nixon administration agriculture became agri- corporate farming. Did you know that some of the chemicals that were used in the Vietnam War are the same chemicals that Monsantos uses to "fertilize" our crops?

This led to a panel discussion by local chef Chris Albrecht of Eno Terra,  Gabby Cabone co-owner of the Bent Spoon serving locally made artisanal ice cream,  J. David Waldman of Rojo's Roastery in Lambertville who has the expertise and palate to improve our coffee IQ, Jonathan White farmer and cheesemaker of Bobolink Farm, Jeanne Denoyer of Princeton University and Fran McManus of Whole Earth Center. This panel was kind enough to spend some time exploring flavor and farming with us.  Small scale farming is really delivering some splendid flavor in cheeses, ice cream, eggs, and meats. The fact that more chefs and local citizens are in direct contact with farmers is giving all of us a more dynamic experience in our cooking  and our restaurant experience.

Why not visit the Slow Food Winter Farmers Market on January 23 at 10:00am - 2:00pm?  It will be at the D&R Greenway Land Trust in Princeton. Nice way to learn what the slow food movement is about with your own tastebuds.  Simple, local and in season...

Watching "Earth", Princeton Environmental Film Festival

I am really inspired to share my experience watching the documentary film "Earth" with my daughter, which was originally released on Earth Day 2009. It harkens to an earlier time in my own childhood. I remember watching "Omaha's Wild Kingdom" on Sunday nights as a young person, usually at my grandparents' house. Instead of the sensationalism typical of today's tv experience, we get to feel like we are one with our planet. We can quietly reflect on the beauty of our world through the insightful lense of filmmakers Alistair Fothergill and Mark Linfield. Experiencing the daily life of polar bears, elephants, humpback whales and many other diverse species are reminders of our connectivity to all living things.

I highly recommend sharing this stunning visual and sound experience with your children, the stewards of this earth. "Earth" will be shown at the Princeton Public Library this Saturday January 2nd at 1:00pm.

Gardens are Green

I am really excited about the Princeton Environmental Film Festival. I will be attending one of the first films out on January 4th titled "Fresh." It is exciting to be apart of a movement that is sweeping our culture. As many of us in the Princeton area walk to our local farmers market, we are inspired to keep farmers farming and encouraging the market to become a more local and sustainable model.

Whether we eat more simply and more locally or garden our properties with natives that thrive without such an intensity for chemicals, it all leads to a more vibrant system that will succeed.

I am proud to have my child attend The Waldorf School of Princeton where gardening is taught as a subject matter once a week. Our young people are taught to tend the garden and to farm produce in season in which they share a weekly meal.