FamilyFarmed EXPO, November 21-23

I recently received this press release for FamilyFarmed EXPO, which features an impressive line-up of contributors.


It’s All About Local Food
FamilyFarmed EXPO CONNECTS PEOPLE WITH
LOCAL FARMERS AND FOOD ARTISANS
NOVEMBER 21-23, 2008, AT THE CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER

Three days packed with celebrity chef cooking demos, interactive workshops with national and regional experts, local food tastings, plus activities for children and an indoor farmer’s market, just in time for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays

CHICAGO (October 23, 2008) — The FamilyFarmed EXPO is a three-day fall harvest festival and celebration of local food and goods. It brings some of the Midwest’s best local farmers and family-owned producers of food and farm products together with the public, trade buyers and leaders in the field to foster relationships that facilitate the growth of local food systems. A program of FamilyFarmed.org, the event is set Friday through Sunday, November 21-23, 2008, at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Friday’s activities will focus on business-to-business workshops targeted at farmers, producers and trade buyers, plus Localicious! — a locavore party featuring distinctive dishes made with locally produced foods. Saturday and Sunday will feature an indoor farmer’s market, celebrity chef cooking demos, interactive workshops with national and regional experts, local food tastings and engaging activities for children. The entire three-day event is open to the public. Tickets to the EXPO are $15 purchased in advance at http://www.familyfarmed.org and $20 at the door. Tickets to Localicious! are sold separately for $50 purchased in advance at http://www.familyfarmed.org and $60 at the door.

Farmers, artisan producers, trade buyers, leaders in the field and fans of locally grown and responsibly produced foods and goods gather annually at the FamilyFarmed EXPO to meet, learn from each other and build relationships. The FamilyFarmed EXPO is among the country’s largest events that focus on locally and responsibly produced food and goods. It is an initiative of FamilyFarmed.org, whose mission is to expand the production, marketing and distribution of locally grown and responsibly produced food and goods, in order to enhance the social, economic and environmental health of our communities.

FamilyFarmed.org founder Jim Slama is passionate about how easy it is for people to make a powerful difference not only for their own health, but also for the community, the environment and the economy. “There is so much we can do to ensure the quality of our food,” Jim said. “Local food brings people closer to farmers and food artisans which helps to build trust-based relationships from farm and producer to table. Local food systems are one way to create a more direct connection to what we eat, and the FamilyFarmed EXPO helps to encourage their expansion.”

The FamilyFarmed EXPO is one of FamilyFarmed.org’s many ongoing programs. The nonprofit organization also played a key role in the creation of the Illinois Food, Farms & Jobs Act which went into effect earlier this year and is hailed as model legislation to build a local food system. The law created the Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force which is charged with developing a plan and funding recommendations to be presented to the Governor and State Legislature. Many state-appointed task force members will speak at the EXPO and Food, Farms and Jobs Act lead sponsor, JULIE HAMOS, will lead a Saturday discussion about state initiatives to promote local food.

FamilyFarmed EXPO activities for the public will feature an indoor farmer’s market designed with Thanksgiving and holiday shopping in mind. More than 100 exhibitors are expected to sell Thanksgiving turkeys and other holiday meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, breads, pastries, cheeses, eggs, milk and specialty foods, along with locally made farm products and other goods. Information-packed workshops and lively panel discussions on Saturday and Sunday will cover a wide range of topics, many featuring some of Chicago’s leading chefs, local farmers, artisan producers and experts in the field including Tallgrass Beef Founder BILL KURTIS and Author DAVID BLUME (Alcohol Can Be a Gas), among many others. Engaging programs with practical tips will cover: How to eat local and organic on a dime; Growing your own food; Locally and artisanally produced beverages; Getting to know your farmer; Benefits of grass-fed meat and dairy; Building local food systems in Illinois and the truth about food production’s impact on global warming, to name just a few. The slated schedule of workshops and presenters follows. In addition, there will be local food tastings and activities designed just for kids.

Cooking demos will be presented by some of the region’s most distinctive food purveyors and renowned chefs including RICK BAYLESS (Frontera Grill / Topolobampo), GALE GAND (Tru), PAUL KAHAN (Blackbird / Publican), MICHAEL ALTENBERG (Crust / Bistro Campagne), GREG CHRISTIAN (Greg Christian Catering) and JASON HAMMEL (Lula Café), among others.

The list of FamilyFarmed EXPO sponsors to date follows. More information and tickets are available at http://www.familyfarmed.org.

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About FamilyFarmed.org
FamilyFarmed.org’s mission is to expand the production, marketing and distribution of locally grown and responsibly produced food and goods, in order to enhance the social, economic and environmental health of our communities. For more information, visit http://www.familyfarmed.org.

FamilyFarmed EXPO
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, November 21 – Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Chicago Cultural Center

PRESENTERS confirmed, with more to be announced (subject to change):
Will and Erica Allen, Growing Power, (Will Allen, MacArthur Fellow)
Michael Altenberg, Bistro Campagne / Crust
Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill / Topolobampo
Nina Interlandi Bell, Chicago Locavores
Dana Benigno, Chicago Cooks
David Blume, author of Alcohol Can Be a Gas
Laura Bruzas, Healthy Dining Chicago
Irv Cernauskas, Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks
Greg Christian, Organic School Project / Greg Christian Catering
Ron Cropper, Sustainable Foods
Ken Dunn, City Farm
Brian Ellison, Death’s Door Spirits
Greg Fischer, Wild Blossom Meadery & Illinois Grape Growers
Erin Ford, Organic Valley
Gale Gand, Tru
Jason Hammel, Lula Café
Julie Hamos, State Representative / 18th District
Oran Hesterman, Fair Food Foundation
Wes Jarrell, chair of the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force / professor of agriculture at University of Illinois-Urbana / co-owner of Prairie Fruits Farm
Sadhu Johnston, Chief Environmental Officer, City of Chicago
Michelle Jost, Shedd Aquarium
Paul Kahan, Blackbird / Publican
Sam Kass, Hull House
Jo Kaucher, Chicago Diner
Fred Kirschenmann, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Lisa Kivirist, Inn Serendipity
Bill Kurtis, Tallgrass Beef
Tim Lasalle, Rodale Institute
Karen Lehman, Fresh Taste Initiative
Megan Lewis, The Land Connection
Angela Mason, Green Youth Farm
Gary Mattson, Farm Credit Services
Vicki Nowicki, Let’s Grow Vegetables
Greg O’Neill, Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine
Harry Rhodes, Growing Home
Michael Sands, Prairie Crossing Incubator
Bob Scaman, Goodness Greeness
Maria Simmons, Swedish Covenant Hospital
Jim Slama, FamilyFarmed.org president / member of the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force
Tom Spaulding, CSA Leaning Center
Debra Tropp, USDA
Craig Watson, SYSCO
Bill Wilson, Midwest Permaculture
Margaret Wittenberg, Whole Foods Market

WORKSHOPS, SYMPOSIA and OTHER EVENTS confirmed to date (subject to change):
Friday, November 21, 2008
Targeted at farmers, producers and the trade
Opening Symposium: Advancing the Good Goods Movement
Greening Your Restaurant
Selling Local Food to Institutions
Retail Success with Local and Organic Food
Meet the Trade Buyers

Targeted at farmers, producers, the trade AND the public
King Corn movie viewing
Localicious! locavore party

Saturday – Sunday, November 22-23, 2008
Targeted at the public
Benefits of Grass-fed Meat and Dairy
Know Your Food
Fresh, Local Food for All
Building Local Food Systems in Illinois
Low Carbon Diet – Reducing Your Impact on Global Warming
Mixing Up Local Flavors
Local and Organic Eating on a Dime
Urban Agriculture
Locavore Holiday Planning
Growing New Farmers
Grow Your Own Veggies

Special workshops with David Blume:
Powerful Permaculture Principles
Alcohol Can Be a Gas

Indoor farmer’s market, chef cooking demos, interactive workshops with national and regional experts, local food tastings and activities for children.

I want to give a bump-up to this forthcoming local extravaganza. It will be quite the expo.

The latest, and perhaps complete schedule is here. It's a great and full round of topics on local food and related issues. I'm on a panel on Sunday on finding local food for Thanksgiving. Time Out Chicago's Locavore of the Year and the hardest working woman in retail, Cassie Green is on a couple of panels. MAG and Purple Asparagus will run a kidz corner (and Melissa is soliciting volunteers). The line-up of Chefs giving demos is totally impressive and practically worth the admission alone! Last, there will be a winter market showing firstly what can still be had locally, even in late November, and secondly, introducing people to a lot of great products from around here.

I am glad to be part of this, reporting on the event for the Local Beet as well as participating in the event. I hope many others choose to attend some or all of this gala.

I have two extra passes for 2 for 1 admission to the Family Farmed Expo. If anyone is interested, please PM me, and I'll be glad to pop it in the mail.