Thank you, Improper Bostonian, for delivering us your current issue which includes three lovely pieces on the local foods movement and precisely none of the smug cynicism we are accustomed to when too-cool- for-school publications tackle this topic.
For one more week, you can a find copy of the issue in your neighborhood stack of free glossies and see for yourself: a story about the in-house mozzarella they make at Scampo on Charles Street; a loving tribute to Will Gilson and his herb garden, featured at Garden at the Cellar; and a bit about two chefs with very healthy direct farm sales relationships: Tony Maws from Craigie St Bistro and Tim Weichmann from T.W. Foods.
You will also find this nugget:
Massachusetts is a leader in providing consumers with fresh produce without the help of a middleman. The state ranks first nationwide in direct sales per farm, with the average farm selling $24,900 worth of goods at markets and stands, according to the New England Agricultural Statistics and the U.S. Census of Agriculture 2002. (There’s more about this sort of thing here.)
Two things stand out here: Massachusetts is No. 1. And that the average farm sells $24,900 worth of goods. That’s pretty great, because it seems to indicate those loyal to the Commonwealth do lots of shopping at farmers’ markets and farm stands. But $24,900? I’m not sure the last time any business tried to stay afloat on $24,900 (or less), but I can report from personal experience, it is sometimes a little scary, particularly when the student loan bills start arriving in triplicate batches. Which is to say, we should shop at farmers’ markets and farm stands even more.
ALSO, for all of the joy it brought us that such a fine and shiny magazine as Improper Bostonian would write about a subject so near and dear, it is a bit frustrating to see, one more time, local food fun is interpreted exclusively as a phenomenon reserved and served directly to, well, you know, the very rich. Craigie St, T.W. Foods, Scampo are fine establishments, but we can’t frequent them. The Garden, admittedly, is a bit closer to our price range and when we can swing it, we iron our Nice Outfits and go. But still.
IMPORTANT POINT that we cannot emphasize enough — It is actually quite affordable to source foodstuffs locally: you don’t need to go to a fancypants restaurant to observe how it is done. You can simply find a shoppe on our website nearest you, or a co-op, or a farmers’ market and buy the raw materials at a much more reasonable rate and make the magic yourself.
Even if you are dressed in your most ill-fitted cut-off shorts, after a long day of working in someone’s yard, with manure and other assorted earthy things under your fingernails, vendors at the Central Sq farmers’ market (where we’ll be today, Monday) will sell you a pound of beef, a baguette and some mesclun mix. You can go home to eat a very respectable and delicious meal for under $10.
Tags: in the news, Rants
it is a bit frustrating to see, one more time, local food fun is interpreted exclusively as a phenomenon reserved and served directly to, well, you know, the very rich.
True. Though the truth is that the Improper usually comes off as a *magazine* reserved and served directly to the very rich. Take a look at their fashion and shopping articles — I could make a few months’ worth of delicious farmer’s market meals for one of those skirts!
Just found your website, I am Chef and Owner of Infusions Bistro in Chelmsford, MA wanted to let all the localvores out there that we are a farm to table restaurant, using all local & sustainable produce, meats, seafood & dairy. Check out our website at http://www.infusionsbistro.com and come eat local foods in the suburbs.