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Jack Schmidt was a livestock producer and cattle buyer based at the Kansas City Stockyards; he managed a 50,000 head feedlot (CAFO) in Oklahoma and was a radio broadcaster specializing in agricultural stories for a large Midwestern audience. Since moving to Riverton – and turning “green” – Jack has actively promoted and marketed grassfed beef. His wife Coralina Daly is a librarian at Central Wyoming College, and a former writer for both the Lander Journal and Riverton Ranger newspapers.
Winter Farmers Market
Farm To Fork Wyoming Series Premiere
Don't miss the premiere episode of Wyoming PBS's Farm to Fork at 7pm on Tuesday May 14th! This half hour feature explores some of the surprising bounty harvested from Wyoming's "Zone 4" landscape. Join producer Stefani Smith on a trip to Hadderlie Farms of Star Valley to meet owner/producer Curtis Hadderlie. You'll learn a little about the valley's agricultural past and what makes a farmer rethink the conventional approach to food production in Wyoming. From Star Valley, we'll follow the harvest of Curtis' farm into the kitchen of the Teton Village Four Seasons Resort Hotel. We'll meet Executive Chef Michael Goralski and Sous-Chef Erik Sakai to learn about their inspired farmer/food connection as we see the bounty delivered to plate!
This episode of Farm to Fork is the first in a series that will cross Wyoming to learn about this burgeoning "direct to market" economy. We'll meet eclectic thinkers and ingenious ranchers, growers and herders, learn from experts around the state about food and agricultural trends, and meet local chefs and market places where this bounty is shared.
View more information and a preview of Farm To Fork Wyoming here.
Don't miss the premiere episode of Wyoming PBS's Farm to Fork at 7pm on Tuesday May 14th! This half hour feature explores some of the surprising bounty harvested from Wyoming's "Zone 4" landscape. Join producer Stefani Smith on a trip to Hadderlie Farms of Star Valley to meet owner/producer Curtis Hadderlie. You'll learn a little about the valley's agricultural past and what makes a farmer rethink the conventional approach to food production in Wyoming. From Star Valley, we'll follow the harvest of Curtis' farm into the kitchen of the Teton Village Four Seasons Resort Hotel. We'll meet Executive Chef Michael Goralski and Sous-Chef Erik Sakai to learn about their inspired farmer/food connection as we see the bounty delivered to plate!
This episode of Farm to Fork is the first in a series that will cross Wyoming to learn about this burgeoning "direct to market" economy. We'll meet eclectic thinkers and ingenious ranchers, growers and herders, learn from experts around the state about food and agricultural trends, and meet local chefs and market places where this bounty is shared.
View more information and a preview of Farm To Fork Wyoming here.
FOOD FILM AND DISCUSSION SERIES new
Join us at the Riverton Library for a fascinating look at our modern food supply. Each film will be followed by a group discussion, led by Tanya King.
(continue reading here)
Join us at the Riverton Library for a fascinating look at our modern food supply. Each film will be followed by a group discussion, led by Tanya King.
(continue reading here)
A must see for all people, especially Urban gardeners!! See this TED talk on youtube.
Local Food Seminar
This event is designed to provide informative mini-classes on a variety of gardening and local food topics. Each hour, two different classes will be offered; pick your favorite topic to sit in on. The classes are FREE! A locally sourced lunch will be available at minimal cost. Eating LOCAL makes sense. It supports our local economy; food is fresh, packed with flavor and health; it saves energy (minimal transportation); it builds friendships within our community. YOU can be a part of the change towards a healthier planet and a healthier you! Partnered with Fremont Local Foods, a non-profit supporting local families and farmers. The following schedule may change before March…call 855-2125 for current information. (continue reading here)
Learning how to start Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) ventures will be discussed during a free University of Wyoming (UW) Extension workshop in Thermopolis.
The workshop is noon Tuesday, Feb. 12, to noon Wednesday, Feb. 13, at the Best Western Plus Plaza Hotel in Thermopolis at 116 E. Park St. Refreshments will be provided.
“Community Supported Agriculture has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer,” said Cole Ehmke, UW Extension agriculture entrepreneurship specialist. “The concept is that a consumer purchases a share of the farm production, then, through the production season, gets a box of vegetables (and maybe other farm products) every week.”
The workshop will introduce the concept of CSA and present ways to make CSA ventures work in Wyoming.
“Insights from the 19 CSAs in Wyoming help form the basis for a new manual on CSA production that will be released at the workshop,” said Ehmke.
UW Extension and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture organized the workshop.
To reserve a spot or get updates on the workshop, contact Ehmke at cehmke@uwyo.edu or 307-766-3782. (See agenda here)
Farmers Market - Wednesday January 16 at Eagles 4:30-6:00
The next Winter Farmers Market will be held Wednesday January 16 at the Eagles in Riverton. Before Christmas, meat sales and baked goods were in big demand and we expect that to continue. This is the last market prior to Valentine's Day, so plan accordingly. We need anyone with an excess of eggs, even a few dozen. We're expecting homemade Lasagna to eat on site, or to take home. Please let Sherry know if you will be selling. Everyone is invited to attend!!
Do you like videos? Who doesn't? Check these out from Food.Farmer.Earth
The Wyoming Entrepreneur has a Webinar Series coming up on Food Safety.
Food Safety
(Keep Your Customers Safe and Your Business in Compliance)
Presented by Wyoming Entrepreneur SBDC and the U.S. Small Business Administration
Do you want to sell your produce to restaurants and/or grocery stores? Do you want to start selling your home-made jellies or baked goods at farmers' markets or in local stores? Are you starting a restaurant and want to be sure you are in compliance with Wyoming laws and regulations? If so, this webinar is for you! Join us online Thursday, December 6th from 2:00 - 3:00 PM to learn more about food safety.
Kevin Krouch, CP-FS, Inspection Specialist with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, Consumer Health Services will provide insight, resources and information about common mistakes that can easily be avoided by your food centric business.
This webinar is offered at no cost; however, pre-registration is required: Click here to find out more information.
Eating Local gets some TV airtime
Steve Doyle surveys his new straw house
Locavore on Wyoming PBS: Click this link, to find a video about eating locally. When the website comes up, look for the Farmers Market video.
Eating Local - After more than ten years of growth,
farmers markets and local market producers face the
challenge of satisfying the demand of their
customers. Marketing direct to the consumer is the
primary means of capturing profits and is also the
essence of this marketplace that touts the virtues
of knowing where our food comes from. But this
virtuous logic is met with contention in the area
of consumer safety. Join us for a panel discussion
with House Representative Sue Wallis, Director of
Consumer Safety Dean Finkenbinder, and Direct to
Consumer Producer Mike Ridenour for a look at
issues affecting profitable growth in this area of
Agriculture.
Eating Local - After more than ten years of growth,
farmers markets and local market producers face the
challenge of satisfying the demand of their
customers. Marketing direct to the consumer is the
primary means of capturing profits and is also the
essence of this marketplace that touts the virtues
of knowing where our food comes from. But this
virtuous logic is met with contention in the area
of consumer safety. Join us for a panel discussion
with House Representative Sue Wallis, Director of
Consumer Safety Dean Finkenbinder, and Direct to
Consumer Producer Mike Ridenour for a look at
issues affecting profitable growth in this area of
Agriculture.
It was cold and windy last evening during the Riverton Farmers Market but a few hardy souls were there. The LAST weekly Farmers market will be Wednesday October 24(notice the date change). But don't despair, a monthly Winter market will begin soon. Check back here for times and location.
Wyoming isn't the easiest place to eat locally, but it can be done. By local, I mean foods that have been grown or raised within a days drive of Riverton. So the wheat my cousin grows near Albin, WY, or the peaches from Utah both count as local. Eating locally does not mean you drive to McDonalds! Please support those businesses that buy and serve local food. This website is here to help you do just that. Check out Kim's new blog and look for more information from Steve and Jack soon.
Government that works-- no, really
In the six decades that I have participated in livestock production and marketing I have done my share and more of complaining about the Government sticking its nose into my business. Recently I have become involved in FREMONT LOCAL FOODS, a group formed to help re-establish a market for locally produced foods of all kinds. They say the average item in your grocery cart travels 1,500 miles, even if it is a piece of beef that was born 5 miles away. Almost all foods leave, are processed somewhere else and are trucked back--dumb, huh?
Well, in trying to rebuild this local farm economy one of our first steps was to start a downtown farmers market here in Riverton that is held every Wednesday afternoon. That has been a success and we are looking for a venue to continue it all year.
But in the process of trying to market local foods we ran smack into THE GOVERNMENT, namely the Consumer Health Division of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture. We got wind that these wily bureaucrats where trying to change the rules and by golly we weren't going to stand for it! The Consumer Health Dept. scheduled a series of public meetings to discuss these changes and FREMONT LOCAL FOODS got to work. We mobilized all the hardcore naysayers we could get a hold of and when they came to Riverton we were locked and loaded. They even brought the Director of Agriculture with them, but that didn't slow us down. Thirty-five strong, we descended on the meeting room complete with newspaper reporters and a TV crew, one state representative and one state senator.
And the darnedest thing happened, they listened, we had a conversation and a exchange of ideas. And the system worked, like it should. Give and take, compromise, what ever you call it, it worked. We found out we were off-base on some things; they listened to our suggestions on other points and followed them. Hey, this is how things should be!
So on behalf of Fremont Local Foods I would like to say thank you to Dean Finkenbinder, Linda Stratton, Shane Thompson, Dawn Helms and Stephanie Styvar of Consumer Health Services, and Jason Fearneyhough, the Director of Agriculture of the great state of Wyoming. We will probably get crosswise on other issues but for these -- well,
Government Works!
Jack Schmidt
Fremont Local Foods
Riverton
Photos from Pinedale Local Food fair
Fremont Local Foods members Jack Schmidt, Steve Doyle, and Kim Briddle share a chuckle with best selling author Joel Salatin.