Local Farmer Open House -- March 17

Before the St. Patrick's Day festivities start next Saturday, March 17, I'll be spending some time at Milwaukee's Urban Ecology Center for the 10th Annual Local Farmer Open House.

I'm one of three local bloggers who will be attending the event and writing about our experiences in choosing a community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm. Over the course of the summer, in addition to my usual blogging, I'll be posting about the farm we went with, the foods we've received and the dishes we've made from the fresh produce.

You might remember that Nate and I had a CSA share two years ago. We took a year off last year, so I'm excited to be part of one again this year!

But back to the Local Farmer Open House. If you're interested in learning about participating in a CSA, how you can buy more directly from farmers and connecting with other folks who are also interested in buying locally grown food, I highly encourage you to attend. This will be my first Local Farm Open House, but from what I hear, it will be a great -- and informative -- time.

The event will run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Urban Ecology Center, 1500 E. Park Place,  in Milwaukee (the center is located in Riverside Park on the east side of Milwaukee).

Here's is a bit more about what the event will include:

• Attendees will have the chance to speak with different farmers about what each CSA offers -- shares may differ in size, length of season, variety of produce offered and drop-off locations. 
• A resource table will offer information on cooking and food preservation classes and how to find farmers and local food in the area. Additionally, experienced “locavores” will be on hand to help attendees make decisions about joining a CSA. 
• Other local farmers who sell directly to the public through at farmers markets, on their farms and through home delivery will be available to chat with to learn how to be directly from them. Additionally, some of their food will be for sale during the Open House.
• If you've been missing food-truck food this winter, the Open House provides a chance to have lunch from two trucks: Tigerbite Truck and the Vegan Truck.
• The event will include three workshops attendees can go to (no sign-up is necessary):
• Intro to CSAs – 11:30 a.m. or 2:45 p.m.
• Cooking from your CSA box – 12:15 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. (I think I might hit up this one!)
• How Pesticides & Food Choice Affect Our Health & Water Quality – 1 p.m.

I hope to see you at the Open House, and please check back to On My Table for more posts about my CSA experience and the food I've made from it!