Posts Tagged ‘buy local’

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A Fresh Turkey from Fresh Fork

Monday, November 7th, 2011

If you have been following my blog, then you might have noticed a long drop off this summer.  There have been many changes with GLDC and myself.  Not to worry, my wit and keen insight will return shortly.  In the meantime, let me tell you about Fresh Fork Market.  I did some freelance work for Trevor at Fresh Fork Market two years running.  I did it as a swap (will work for food!), and was so impressed with the high quality local food and the mission of Fresh Fork to be the biggest distributor of fresh local foods in NE Ohio, that I asked him for a job.

What a great job for me.  I came in as a seasonal employee, loading trucks and delivering CSA shares to local drop off points.  Little did I know the impact a CSA can have on the local food economy.  This CSA pumped $700,000 back into the local farm economy in a single season.  That does not include the winter CSA programs or the holiday packages.  This is built on single buyers, making food choices in single one bag purchases.  Over the next year, you will hear more from me about Fresh Fork, and you can read the Fresh Fork blog, too.

But what I really wanted to talk about was the Thanksgiving packages and turkeys.

I prepared local, fresh turkeys like the ones from Fresh Fork Market on a regular basis when we lived in Portland.  Since moving to Cleveland, we have dinner with family, and they always make the turkey.  This year, I want a nice fresh bird so I looked at the Thanksgiving packages from Fresh Fork.

These turkeys are still out in the field, running around and living their little turkey lives.  But at the end of next week, they will be harvested for the dinner table.  These guys get to live out a real life.  They run around in a pasture, eat grass and bugs, have organic feed to supplement their diet and are sold fresh.

One of the things that I have discussed with people is the quality of fresh turkeys on Thanksgiving.  As Americans, we eat turkey every year.  Yet, what we buy is usually full of hormones, antibiotics, additives to make them retain water, and worse.  They are often not humanely raised or humanely slaughtered.  I was talking with a food buyer that I know and they assured me that those thanksgiving turkeys in stores now are surely months (if not years) old.

Fresh turkeys require a little more attention to prepare.  They are not self basted, and do NOT come with a little pop up timer.  You may need to baste a fresh bird a little more.  You will need to watch it cooking, and test it to make sure it is done.  The results, however, are so much worth the efforts.  I have found every good fresh turkey that I have made to need little in the way of seasoning.  They have more natural flavor and less sodium.  Because the birds are fresh and fed properly, I know that my turkey will be full of nutrition and tasty goodness.  A typical turkey?  Who knows.

In short, I am so stoked to have my fresh local turkey this year.  If you have never had a fresh, locally raised, hormone free, pasture raised, organically fed turkey-order one now!  Yeah, they are a little more.  Quality birds can not be properly raised for pennies a pound.  But if you want a meal that you can be proud of and proud to give your family, then nothing is better than a high quality turkey.  Order one from Fresh Fork Market.  Hurry before they are all gone!

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So much to do this season…Is your event here?

Monday, December 6th, 2010

Shopping, arts fairs, concerts, and more. This time of year makes it hard to keep up on the blog, while we try to attend all the events and still do our work. There seems to be something to do every evening for the rest of the month. Here are just a few of the things on my radar for December. Let me know what I missed by adding it in the comments!

There are two great events this Wednesday, December 8.

There is a Social Media Club tweet up and toy drive at the Bodies exhibition downtown.  It runs from about 6 pm to 7:30 and then everyone will head over to Fat Fish Blue for apps and beverages.

Also  that evening is the Winter Concert from the CMSD All City Arts program.  It should prove to be a lively and fun event.  The concert is free and will be a great evening of holiday music presented by some of the top performers in Cleveland’s schools.  I have heard nothing but great things about how good these kids perform and this event comes highly recommended.  Besides, it is free and a great way to show your support for the arts in Cleveland schools.

The weekend of December 10 & 11 is the annual hand made craft fair, Bizarre Bazaar, is once again at the 78th Street Studios.  Billed as Cleveland’s fabulous original indie craft show, This is one of the best handmade craft events I have ever been to.  I love original and out of the ordinary gifts and this event features plenty.  Also, the chance to support local artists and artisans by buying local over the holidays is a great way to help support the local economy.  If you are looking for one of kind gifts, this is the spot!

The following weekend is the Screw Factory Artists Open Studio and Last Minute Market.  The Screw Factory is a great space.  An old underused factory building has been re purposed as artist studio space.  Once a month they are open to the general public for sales and the art can be nothing short of amazing.  This is an arts event that you should NOT miss.

A great band concert by the Burning River Freedom Band is coming up on December 15.  The Winter Wonderland concert is being held at the Franklin Circle Church in Ohio City at 8pm and comes highly recommended.

Franklin Circle Christian Church Presents:

The Light of Christmas
December 22, 2010
6:00 PM
A performance you won’t want to miss!
Franklin Circle Christian Church
1688 Fulton Rd. Cleveland, OH. 44113
216-781-8232 216-781-0013 fax
www.FranklinCircleChurch.org

Don’t see your event listed?  Write about it in the comments and let everyone know.

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Buying Local Week

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

On the heels of my buying local post comes this post from Michelle V at Cleveland Foodie.  This is a reprint of her blog post.  She is a great blogger about the local food scene and worth the time every day to read.  You will know more about Cleveland food and restaurants than anyone in town!

What buying local means and why you should: July 3-10

It means that $48 million would be kept right here in Ohio. Yes, $48 million. According to COSE, if everyone in NEO pledged to redirect $100 locally, that much would be kept right here. Additionally, for every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $45 stays in the local economy, creating jobs and expanding the region’s tax base. Alternatively, for every $100 spent at a national chain store, only $14 remains in the community.

Buying locally means supporting your neighbors. It means buying your groceries from the local farmers’ market, West Side Market, Heinen’s or neighborhood CSA. It means dining out at Greenhouse Tavern, Sun Luck Garden, Ohio City Burrito or Fire. It means grabbing your morning coffee from Phoenix or Loop (or even Blackbird coupled with the ridiculously good chocolate-cherry loaf). Seeing a movie at Cedar Lee. Picking up some fun treats and cool threads at Banyan Tree, Stash Style, Room Service or Wrath Arcane. Having a beer after work at your neighborhood bar. Taking dry cleaning to that mom and pop place up the street, or buying flowers for your wife at that little shop right next door. It means doing business with those that are as committed to our area as we are – that are giving back to the community, to our economy and are making a choice to do business right here and in return providing us the best quality product possible.

If you read this blog regularly, chances are I’m preaching to the choir. So let’s take this opportunity and spread the message to our friends and families. Let’s get them to commit to buying local for one week and see the difference it can make.

For the second year in a row, COSE and I Buy NEO are putting together “Buy Local” week from July 3rd – 10th to encourage Northeast Ohioans to support the area’s small businesses by pledging to spend $100 locally. You can learn more about the cause here and even get a discount card to use at over 40 area businesses now through August.

I remember this campaign from last year and it was going on not just here, but all around the country.  Local food is tastier & healthier and buying anything local helps to support the local economy.  Do your best to keep your money close to home, though as I noted earlier, it doesn’t always work out.

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Can you afford to buy local?

Monday, June 28th, 2010

I am a firm believer in supporting the local economy.  I also believe in supporting small business.  Being sustainable means taking a long term look at the decisions that we make and making choices that best benefit ourselves, our communities and our planet.  But can we always afford to make the best choices?

There have been plenty of studies that tell us that consumers prefer to buy green products.  They want locally made, locally sources environmentally friendly goods.  Unfortunately, when it comes down to it, they are less likely to pay much of a premium for these products.  I can relate.  The last year has not been kind to many people.  The downturn in the economy has been difficult at best and devastating at worst.  Many people I know still have not returned to work.  When times are tight, it is harder to remain steadfast in your resolve.  We are no exception.  When making our buying decisions, We still  buy most of our fresh foods at farmers markets, but a bigger part of my food budget is going to places like Deals and Wal Mart, as we struggle to stretch those dollars whenever we can.  I still insist on toilet tissue made from recycled paper.  But we have a small household with no children, and we need less in the way of clothes and other goods.

A friend of mine shared the following story with me:

I thought of you yesterday and the LED buying situation in Cleveland. I started painting my son’s room. When I went to get the paint, I first went to Sherwin Williams… A gallon of paint there is $32. I was told that I couldn’t get the dark blue color I wanted in the zero VOC or any other dark blue shade for that matter.  When I was in Lowe’s the zero VOC was $20 and I could get any shade I wanted. My budget for this room was tight, so even though I wanted to buy local, it just wasn’t workable!
Just a little anecdote I thought I’d share with you – it’s much more understandable to me now on this level! :)

I do not want to get into the debate of quality versus quantity.  The truth is, when times are tight, making the decision to buy local, buy more environmentally friendly, or even buying more nutritional becomes harder and harder to do.  Compound that with the fact that much of our local food is not sold in any local markets, and that a majority of the produce sold at the West Side Market comes from the same suppliers as Giant Eagle.  Top it off with the loss of manufacturing in the region and you are left with relatively few local goods to buy to support the local economy.  (sorry American Greetings and Bonnie Bell, but I stopped sending paper cards a few years ago, and I found that lip gloss doesn’t suit me!)When times are good, it is easy to decide to spend an extra 10% or more on better ingredients and goods from local producers.  When times are tough, however, the decisions get even tougher.  I would prefer to shop at Heinen’s, Acme, or another local food store, but If I were to drive the 5-10 miles or more to support local, the trade off is in emissions as I am blocks from Steelyard Commons.

So, how do you make YOUR buying decisions?  Do you have certain items that you insist must be local or eco-friendly?  What about the stores that you choose to support?

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TEDxCLE Get your Room Service

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

<I have to preface these post with a shout out:  the images are from Kyle Roth, a local photographer who does beautiful work and who is a big champion of Cleveland, be sure to read his blog at North Coast Lifestyle and Epstein Design Partners.

If you have ever thought about opening your own business then you know what Danielle DeBoe went through before she opened her fantastic shop in Gordon Square that is known as Room Service. I won’t go into here how much I like her shop.  I have already waxed poetic on a number of occasions about the great shops on Detroit near W. 65th and why I love them.  Instead I want to comment on Danielle’s talk, Living A Passionate Life.

Following what you are passionate and committed to what you really believe in, led her to this spot in her life.  She did everthing that she did to the best of her ability and made it happen, whether it was working in the film industry in LA, to set design, to interior design, to merchandising and buying for stores both large and small.  All this led her to buying and opening her own store.  Little did she know that when she started to look back on her life, she realized that all she did was follow the path laid in front of her, and she was daring enough to follow it.

She spoke about her trip to Paris and enjoying a dinner party of strangers at the home of Jim Haines. She talked about how she was on a buying trip to NYC and while the streets were so crowded, she could easily have been alone as no one seemed connected to one another. That is what she loves about her current spot in Gordon Square. This is a real neighborhood. She knows her clients and she knows the guys who make her coffee by name. She knows her neighbors and considers them friends. Knowing all these people around her makes the world a little bit smaller. A world that is just a little bit smaller is a great thing, s it makes us better and the world a brighter place.

The gist of her entire talk was to follow your passion. Do what you love and are good at, and do it to the best of your ability. Be passionate and enjoy life. next time you have an idea, don’t think “That’s a cool idea, somebody should totally do that.” Instead change just a couple of words and say, “That is a cool idea. I am totally going to do that!”

Danielle’s shop, Room Service can be found on Detroit Ave just west of W.65th. She is a strong supporter of local business and artists. She followed her passion to open her store and with a desire to promote local products, and stared the great event Made in 216. This is an event that features the best arts, artisans, and producers in Cleveland. The first event was such a huge success that she had to expand to a larger space and hold it across the street. Now venodrs and shoppers alike flock to Gordon Square for this event.

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Let them eat Cake!

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Cleveland is a wonderful town.  One of the joys of living here is the entrepreneurial spirit of its residents.  When life hands you a bad situation, sometimes you just have to make something new out of it.  That is what happened to Laura Williams, owner of LaBella Cupcakes.  In 2009, like many Clevelanders, she lost her job.  Rather than panic, she opened her own business:

I’ve always had the dream of opening my own bakery, so when the opportunity presented itself after I lost my job last year, I thought why not give it a try. I launched LaBella Cupcakes in September 2009, and we have been growing steadily ever since.

As a mother of two, my first full-time job is taking care of my family. My second full time job is business owner, baker and entrepreneur. Running the bakery currently from my home has definitely been exciting. As we continue to grow and eventually move into our own retail space, we know that other exciting opportunities and challenges will present themselves.  But I am always open to change, open to new ideas and always on the lookout for ways to expand my business.

It is not a surprise to see business treating her well.  The cupcakes that she makes look amazing!  With flavors like S’More for Ya, Wedding Whisper and Cherry Yum Twisted there is something for everyone.  Have dietary restrictions?  Not to worry, she still has options!  Now even if you cannot have gluten or are watching your sugar intake, you can have something special.  Some of my friends have kids who can’t eat gluten, so I am happy to see that they have a place to order cupcakes for the next birthday bash!  They keep an eye on the environment as well-using only wrappers that are made of recycled paper and printed with soy based inks.

Where this woman finds her energy, I will never know!  Not only is running a business a full time job in itself, but she is also a mother!  Creating a balance between family and work is hard, but Laura seems to keep herself centered:

In the end, everything I do is for my family. I am happy to carry both loads of full-time mom and business owner so that one day, I’ll have something to pass onto my daughters. My oldest who is 15 stands right beside me, learning the recipes, suggesting new flavors. And the little one, who is only 15 months stands on a chair and pretends to pour vanilla into the bowl as I mix up batches of cupcakes.

So for your next party or event, or just for munching on these chilly winter nights, pick up the phone and call LaBella: 216-501-1084

or check out all the great flavors that she has at the LaBella Cupcakes website. Support a local business that is sure to be a favorite!

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My new favorite T-shirt at C.L.E. Clothing Company

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

During the holidays, I wrote several posts highlighting local companies.  One of my favorites is the C.L.E. Clothing Company.  I love their fun and relaxed designs, and their insistence on highlighting the pride that all of us who live in Cleveland should feel about our beautiful city.  I wanted to interview them, but they were so busy this past holiday season that they even opened a shop at Strongsville Mall.  Now that the bunting is down and most people are through with shopping and decorations, I had the chance to interview the folks at C.L.E.  President Obama spoke last night about the small business people who take risks that are the backbone of our economy.  Here is one small business that is doing a great job.

What made you decide to start this business?

Well, people are always coming up with ideas, and people are always saying “hey that could be a t-shirt” well….we are also people and also have ideas for t-shirts, we just put our foot down and some cash down  and started a t-shirt company. It started out as a creative outlet from our day jobs that was also fun to do, then it kind of exploded into a success….which is also very fun!

Why Cleveland themed merchandise?

Clevelanders have great civic pride, and we see the glimmer of what Cleveland could be as a City. We see the restoration and updates of neighborhoods and downtown areas as well as the attention we’re getting nationally for that effort as well as the foodie movement here. We wanted to be a part of the positive movement going on, just using t-shirts as our vehicle. The T-Shirt is Pop-Culture’s greatest vehicle for marketing….as our slogan says…we’re “Spreading Cleveland Pride….One T-Shirt at a Time” and that’s what we’re trying to do.

Has the community been supportive?

The response from the community has been immensely supportive. We just celebrated our 1 Year anniversary over the Holidays, and it seems like every event or local boutique we go to we sell out. Our greatest enjoyment is having a connection with someone through our t-shirts, that and its fun to watch people come to our table at events and point to the shirts and say…” I have that one, and that one, and that one, and that one….Oooh! I want that one.” That just hits us right here (pointing to the heart) it’s so cool to have that kind of reaction to something as simple as a T-shirt.

Where can people see and buy your designs?

visit http://cleclothingco.com/ and make sure to follow our blog http://cleclothingco.blogspot.com/ and twitter @cleclothingco

What makes your products different?

We think we’re doing fun, hip, cute (can I say that?) and positive designs. We always try to stay creative in our approach to our designs, whether it’s the full design or the tiniest detail.

Where do you see your company going in the future?

We’re always evolving. We’re always coming up with new ideas and ways to stay creative and 10 steps ahead of the next guy….only time will tell you’ll just have to wait and see.

Do you have new designs coming in 2010?

Plenty…..you’ll just have to wait and see….but the “recyC.L.E.” design will most likely come out this year.

Do you plan on staying in Cleveland?

We’re not prophets….just a Graphic Designer and a Sales Engineer, living life and having fun doing it….time will tell….I might move to Bath when I’m 40…it’s nice out there in the woods, plus it’s really close to Swenson’s which has the best Cheeseburgers ever, and we’ll fight anyone who says different, but anyway C.L.E. Clothing Co. will always have it’s base in Cleveland, where it grew up.

Do you have plans for a brick and mortar location?

the thought has crossed our mind….but again, you’ll just have to wait and see…

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Buy more local for the holidays…

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

In my ongoing series of pointing consumers toward local companies for the holidays, I wanted to mention C.L.E. Clothing Company….

Image of Webster Slaughter (MensWomens)
Not to be confused with the Cleveland Clothing Company, which I have done, the  C.L.E. Clothing Company creates Cleveland themed t-shirts that show off your civic pride.  Hand silk screened on American made t-shirts, they feature unique designs that reflect some of Cleveland’s greatest assets.  They have the sports themed shirts that are unique enough to be a true must have for your sports fan on the list.  There is a nod to Cleveland’s great past as well, with tees that mention the Jake, Elliot Ness and the Coliseum.  I love the vintage styles as well as the trendy styles. For the true Christmas holiday Cleveland gift, get yourself a leg lamp tee. You can have that leg lamp without having to put your family through the trauma of having the leg in the window. Visit their site to see all the designs, but if you are anywhere near the Southpark Mall, they have a holiday store.  You can pick out just what you want and have it in your hot little hands right away….  why wander the rest of the mall at all? Hopefully after the holidays, I can get an interview with them. But in the meantime, know that any of these shirts makes a great Cleveland statement!

If you are not a mall person, try checking out the Last Minute Market this weekend. Hosted this Saturday, December 19, 2009 10:00am – 6:00pm at {The Screw Factory} The Lake Erie Building at Templar Industrial Park at 13000 Athens in Lakewood, OH

Together with our friends, I Made It! Markets and The Screw Factory Artists, Cleveland Handmade is once again enabling and encouraging holiday shopping procrastination. We’re giving Cleveland another great chance to shop locally and buy handmade from a delightful variety of local and regional artists and craftspeople. The Last Minute Market will feature more than 60 sellers of handmade goods. In addition, artists whose studios are located in the building will open their doors for a peek inside their workspaces.

This is a great way to finish off all your holiday shopping by supporting local companies.

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Cleveland Foodie tells you where to shop!

Monday, December 14th, 2009

In my efforts to highlight local companies for the holidays, I ran across this post from local Cleveland food critic, Michelle V.  Her blog is called Cleveland Foodie, and she gets to visit local restaurants and review them for a living.  I completely hate her for having my dream job, but love her for her words.  She writes in a clear and friendly manner about all things in the Cleveland restaurant scene, and anything food related could become the topic of a post.  I was pleasantly surprised to read about all her favorite local places to shop. I  have followed her blog for about a year, taking in her tips about the best spots for a quick lunch, or a nice dinner.  She has written about some of the same favorites (like Jeni’s Ice Cream) and since we seem to appreciate the same things, I trust her judgement when it comes to food.  so I was surprised to read her take on local shopping.  she mentions some of my favorites, like Duo Home and Stove Monkeys, but also some places that I didn’t know about, like Mr Brisket (who is sending food to the troops) and Next.  She is even giving away a gift card and discounts on her blog!  So get your eyes over to her site for great shopping ideas, and subscribe to get the best updates on Cleveland eating there is!

I also want to add that Tuesday is your last chance this year to shop at the Tremont Farmers Market. From their email:

Available this Tueday:
Winter squash (acorn and butternut), onions, potatoes (red-skinned and white), collards and mustard greens, lettuce, arugula, carrots, and sprouts; (maybe even brussel sprouts and parsnips!). Pasture raised beef and chickens, and eggs from happy hens. Fresh roasted coffee and beans; tea and tea related gift baskets; whole grain breads, waffles, granolas, pies and yummy vegan food to eat on the spot. Cheese made from content grass-fed cows; vegan and hemp based baked goods; honey and maple syrup; awesome Irish soda breads and scrumptious Gaelic food; salsas and hot sauces with related gift baskets, and a vast array of spices. AND, knitted goods, jewelry made from silverware, artwork crafted out of found materials and stoneware pottery. Remember to bring your knives or other dull objects to be sharpened!

There will be local artists and vendors for gift giving, live music, and they even take the Ohio Direction Card. See you there, but leave me some of the sprouts…

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Local AND Handcrafted

Saturday, December 12th, 2009

IMG_7459I am a firm believer in buying local, buying handmade and hand crafted, and supporting local arts and artisans. As you are thinking about picking up something for that special someone on your list, check out my friend Prasti Purdum. She sells a selection of handmade goods-including the almost lost art of embroidery. What I like about the things she creates, is that they are often one of a kind designs that you will not see anywhere else. Sometimes she works with her husband Aaron to create a completely unique design, which then ends up being the new design for a onsie or other small garment.

We met Aaron and Prasti through a mutual friend.  Both having ties to the west coast, and a love of all things coffee, we instantly hit it off.  I started following Prasti’s blog, Here to There.  I had no idea how creative she was until I started seeing her work pop up in her blog.  She teaches her kids through arts and crafts, and maintains an etsy store to sell her wares.  She creates such cute things, it reminds me of my mom every time I see them.  My mother could sew up a storm and her embroidery was always top notch!  In this technology age, I am glad to see that there are still people who are keeping this craft alive!  In addition, she creates unique greeting cards that are mostly origami based.  You can find these great cards on her etsy site, or at Lilly’s Handmade Chocolates in Tremont-where chocolates become art in their own right (and you can buy a great imported beer or dessert wine, too!)

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I asked her how she got started in this endevour, and here is what she had to say:

let’s see…i originally started embroidering (a/b 3 years ago) because i was just not into a lot of the baby/toddler clothes the stores had to offer.  and i also wanted emma to be in clothes that stood out from the bunch.   funny thing is, she was 2 years old before i embroidered her something…lol!  i was so busy embroidering gifts for other people that i kind of forgot to make her something.  anyway, i discovered that i was not really bound to the classic (grandma-esque) embroidery patterns, and that in fact i could make up my own designs (with the help of aaron) and put them on pretty much anything.  with origami, it was always something i enjoyed doing.  there’s a serene quality about the whole paper-folding process.  we’ve made our own cards for birthdays, weddings, etc. for a long time and i thought the origami cards would be a fun way to send our special messages to friends and family.  i also like keeping my hands busy (i’m one of those people who has to be doing something else while sitting and “relaxing” during a movie night) so embroidery and paper folding were a perfect match :) .

Check out her designs and buy something one of a kind for the little one on your list.  For more hand made and hand crafted items for your holiday gift giving, be sure to check out Bizarre Bazaar.  This weekend only at the 78th St Studios, you are sure to come home with the perfect holiday gift for that someone on your lift that is impossible to buy for!

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