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With fall approaching, many are wondering if farm-based activities like apple picking and corn mazes are safe. Kat Johnson speaks to Caylin Sanders of EscapeMaker and Jamie Ager of Hickory Nut Gap about the impacts that Covid-19 has had on farms – particularly those who rely on agritourism to stay in business.Agritourism is broadly defined as any activity that brings visitors to a farm. If you've ever shopped from a farm stand, toured a winery, or picked your own berries, then you are an agri-tourist. Most farms use agritourism for supplemental income – but some farms located near urban areas increasingly rely on visitors for significant revenue. Another big question looming is can agritourism help farms survive Covid-19? Both Sanders and Ager share thoughts on what the future may hold.For further resources on how to stay safe while visiting farms this year, see guidelines released by Massachusetts and Maryland.Have a question you want answered? Email us at question@heritageradionetwork.orgThis project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.
This week is a celebration of the beginning of autumn – one of our favorite times of the year. We welcome Bob Lewis of Fulton Stall Market and Caylin Sanders of EscapeMaker to talk about the things that have us so excited for the season, including farmers markets, apple cider, fall foliage, and upstate getaways!HRN Happy Hour is powered by Simplecast.
This is a very special episode of HRN Happy Hour! We’re thrilled to be joined in-studio by Caylin Sanders and Kash Barkeley from EscapeMaker.com, and Mary Kay Vrba with Dutchess Tourism. This episode is all about getting out of dodge (or Brooklyn) and enjoying the wild world of the Hudson Valley Region of New York! As always, we start the show with headlines and events around the HRN world, and then we get down to business with a round table discussion with Caylin, Kash, and Mary Kay. We are also joined on the line by Lydia Higginson with Dutch’s Spirits in Pine Plain, on the eastern side of Dutchess County. Finally, because it’s tradition, we’ll end the show with Trivia! HRN Happy Hour is powered by Simplecast
In the final episode of On the Road with Beer Sessions Radio Season One, host Jimmy Carbone travels to the Finger Lakes. He visits The Farmhouse Brewery in Owego, the first malting house in New York State in over a decade and one of only a handful also brews in-house. You’ll hear from a top grains farmer about the challenges he faces to produce and distribute unique, artisanal grains to brewers. You’ll also meet the experts who support him in his work. Up in Ovid, Jimmy visits Blackduck Cidery and meets the whole family behind some of the best cider in the state. Plus, meet the community behind New York cider at Finger Lakes Cider House. The Farmhouse Brewery Marty and Natalie Mattrazzo are the visionaries behind The Farmhouse Brewery in Owego, NY. Their motto is “farm fresh from ground to glass." Their delicious brews are a combination of the freshest ingredients, and Marty’s refined palate creates art in every pint. Diligent small grains farmers from all over New York State grow their barley. Only the highest quality grain makes its way to their on-site malt house, where they malt each batch of barley using a time-tested artisanal process. Their hops are of the highest quality that they can source from seasoned hops growers with New York State. The New York hops industry is currently expanding to again become a major supplier of hops varieties to the entire Northeast United States. Oechsner Farms Located in Newfield, New York, just south of Ithaca, Oechsner Farms is a feast for the senses. Thor Oechsner, owner and multi-talented, is the grandson of a German baker. As a teenager he was able to convince his parents to allow him to turn their suburban yard into his first cornfield. Oechsner graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Cornell and by 1991 had started a three-acre vegetable farm while also running a Volkswagen and Audi repair business. Oechsner now farms approximately 600 acres of certified organic grains on rented land throughout the Finger Lakes region. In addition, as part owner of Wide Awake Bakery, Oechsner sees a similar benefit to the bakery business as he does the milling operation. He is more interested in the role that the bakery serves as a tool for marketing for the unique and heritage grain varieties that he produces. Blackduck Cidery We visited Blackduck Cidery in the town of Ovid, NY in the Finger Lakes region. It’s a family run orchard that produces cider, Perry, and vinegar in small batches, using ambient yeast fermentation. John Reynolds and Shannon O’Connor run the operation of the cidery along with their two beautiful redheaded daughters, Idunn and Pippin. They have been growing fruit in the Finger Lakes region of New York for well over a decade. They sell fresh fruit using organic standards through farmer’s markets, restaurants, natural groceries and their farm stand. John is expert in his knowledge about orchards, apples, fruits and anything cider-related. A former student of Cornell University and later employed as a field technician, John actively supports professors in their research of orchards, harvest and post-harvest work. Shannon is more focused on the smooth running and operations of the business, along with the grunt work in the field, while juggling being a mother of two. In her “free” time she also is the Director of the Edith B. Ford library in Ovid, NY. Idunn, the elder daughter, is the master fruit tester and critic. Pippin is the youngest and newest member of the clan; she is just very cute and very skilled at flower picking. Finger Lakes Cider House The Finger Lakes Cider House at Good Life Farm in Interlaken, NY is a certified organic farm and a full diet CSA. The Finger Lakes Cider house is a collaborative multi-cidery tasting room. Melissa Madden and Garrett Miller started the operation in 2008 after purchasing 69 acres of land, mostly growing corn, wheat and soy. Since them it has transformed into a diverse ecological farm, they have planted bushes and trees and bought turkeys, geese, beef cows, and draft horses. They produce their Good Life Cider, a distinctive American style and creatively blended with international influences. Their range is based on traditional bittersweet apples and sharp, acidic heirloom fruits. At the Cider House, they feature their own cider as well as amazing ciders from other cidery friends. Each of these dedicated grower-producers live and work in the Finger Lakes region, and their ciders are true Finger Lakes originals.
In the final episode of On the Road with Beer Sessions Radio Season One, host Jimmy Carbone travels to the Finger Lakes. He visits The Farmhouse Brewery in Owego, the first malting house in New York State in over a decade and one of only a handful also brews in-house. You’ll hear from a top grains farmer about the challenges he faces to produce and distribute unique, artisanal grains to brewers. You’ll also meet the experts who support him in his work. Up in Ovid, Jimmy visits Blackduck Cidery and meets the whole family behind some of the best cider in the state. Plus, meet the community behind New York cider at Finger Lakes Cider House. The Farmhouse Brewery Marty and Natalie Mattrazzo are the visionaries behind The Farmhouse Brewery in Owego, NY. Their motto is “farm fresh from ground to glass." Their delicious brews are a combination of the freshest ingredients, and Marty’s refined palate creates art in every pint. Diligent small grains farmers from all over New York State grow their barley. Only the highest quality grain makes its way to their on-site malt house, where they malt each batch of barley using a time-tested artisanal process. Their hops are of the highest quality that they can source from seasoned hops growers with New York State. The New York hops industry is currently expanding to again become a major supplier of hops varieties to the entire Northeast United States. Oechsner Farms Located in Newfield, New York, just south of Ithaca, Oechsner Farms is a feast for the senses. Thor Oechsner, owner and multi-talented, is the grandson of a German baker. As a teenager he was able to convince his parents to allow him to turn their suburban yard into his first cornfield. Oechsner graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Cornell and by 1991 had started a three-acre vegetable farm while also running a Volkswagen and Audi repair business. Oechsner now farms approximately 600 acres of certified organic grains on rented land throughout the Finger Lakes region. In addition, as part owner of Wide Awake Bakery, Oechsner sees a similar benefit to the bakery business as he does the milling operation. He is more interested in the role that the bakery serves as a tool for marketing for the unique and heritage grain varieties that he produces. Blackduck Cidery We visited Blackduck Cidery in the town of Ovid, NY in the Finger Lakes region. It’s a family run orchard that produces cider, Perry, and vinegar in small batches, using ambient yeast fermentation. John Reynolds and Shannon O’Connor run the operation of the cidery along with their two beautiful redheaded daughters, Idunn and Pippin. They have been growing fruit in the Finger Lakes region of New York for well over a decade. They sell fresh fruit using organic standards through farmer’s markets, restaurants, natural groceries and their farm stand. John is expert in his knowledge about orchards, apples, fruits and anything cider-related. A former student of Cornell University and later employed as a field technician, John actively supports professors in their research of orchards, harvest and post-harvest work. Shannon is more focused on the smooth running and operations of the business, along with the grunt work in the field, while juggling being a mother of two. In her “free” time she also is the Director of the Edith B. Ford library in Ovid, NY. Idunn, the elder daughter, is the master fruit tester and critic. Pippin is the youngest and newest member of the clan; she is just very cute and very skilled at flower picking. Finger Lakes Cider House The Finger Lakes Cider House at Good Life Farm in Interlaken, NY is a certified organic farm and a full diet CSA. The Finger Lakes Cider house is a collaborative multi-cidery tasting room. Melissa Madden and Garrett Miller started the operation in 2008 after purchasing 69 acres of land, mostly growing corn, wheat and soy. Since them it has transformed into a diverse ecological farm, they have planted bushes and trees and bought turkeys, geese, beef cows, and draft horses. They produce their Good Life Cider, a distinctive American style and creatively blended with international influences. Their range is based on traditional bittersweet apples and sharp, acidic heirloom fruits. At the Cider House, they feature their own cider as well as amazing ciders from other cidery friends. Each of these dedicated grower-producers live and work in the Finger Lakes region, and their ciders are true Finger Lakes originals.
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is joined by Ronny and Beth Drennan of Broadbent Country Hams. The Broadbent family started curing hams and bacon commercially in Cadiz, Kentucky, in 1920. In 1999 the Broadbent family sold the business to Ronny and Beth Drennan. The Drennans, who were in the furniture business, had always heard of Broadbent Hams and saw an opportunity. It took some time to learn the ins and outs of the curing business, but Smith Broadbent has been there to help. Today, Ronny and Beth carry on the Broadbent tradition of quality, and they have won enough awards to live up to the founder’s name. After the break, this week’s EscapeMaker segment features Matt Bowers of Four Fights Distilling in Corning, NY. On a scale of 1 to 4, how many fights were you going to get into after drinking a pint of moonshine? Bottom of the barrel rated 1, while the cleanest and strongest shines were rated at 4. So in keeping with tradition, while representing dedication to quality, the name Four Fights Distilling was chosen. If you’d like to visit any of the craft brewers or cider makers interviewed in The Farm Report, checkout EscapeMaker.com to book a 1 or 2-night all-inclusive craft beverage package with tours tastings and lodging.
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is joined by Charles Rosen of Ironbound Farm and Sabine Hrechdakian of Wassail to talk cider! Tune in to hear them touch on restoration agriculture, stewardship, apple varieties, and more! After the break, this week’s EscapeMaker segment features Brian Facquet of Prohibition Distillery in historic Roscoe, NY, where you can fish like you’re in Montana and drink like you’re in Kentucky, all just a two hour drive from Manhattan. If you’d like to visit any of the craft brewers or cider makers interviewed in The Farm Report, checkout EscapeMaker.com to book a 1 or 2-night all-inclusive craft beverage package with tours tastings and lodging.
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is joined by Luke Holden, founder and CEO of Luke's Lobster, and Eric Knight, a fisherman who Luke's Lobster has purchased from in the past. Luke Holden grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine—a third-generation lobsterman who started learning the trade at age 13. When he moved to New York to pursue a career in investment banking, he was remiss to find that every lobster roll available was overpriced, drowning in mayo, and diluted with celery. He craved a real Maine-style roll and simply couldn’t find one. In 2009, Luke turned to his roots and longstanding relationship with the Maine lobstering community to cut out the middleman and bring Maine lobster to the heart of NYC. Today, Luke spends the majority of the year in Maine, where he maintains relationships with fishermen and oversees production at Cape Seafood. He also sits on the boards of the Maine Lobster Institute, the Maine Lobstermen Community Alliance, and the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative. After the break, this week’s EscapeMaker segment features John Ingle of Heron Hill Winery. Heron Hill is among the leaders in recognizing Riesling as the flagship varietal of the Finger Lakes region, and was chosen as one of the ten most spectacular tasting rooms in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine.
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is joined in the studio by Alon Shepon, a sustainability expert in the Weizmann Institute of Science. Shepon was part of a research team that spent five years studying and measuring five main sources of protein (dairy, beef, poultry, pork and eggs) to calculate the environmental costs per calorie and per gram. The findings, which were recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that, among other things, beef is measurably the most environmentally draining livestock on the market. After the break, this week's EscapeMaker segment features John McCarthy, executive chef and owner of The Crimson Sparrow in Hudson, NY. The Crimson Sparrow builds on all of John’s reverence and experience in cooking with Asian flavors, and utilizing French technique. Their tasting menu is a foray into all of these complex, rich and unexpected flavors, and changes approximately every two to three weeks to reflect seasonality. If you’d like to visit any of the craft brewers or cider makers interviewed in The Farm Report, checkout EscapeMaker.com to book a 1 or 2-night all-inclusive craft beverage package with tours tastings and lodging.
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is joined by the team from the Zia Green Chile Company. Green Chile is extremely deep rooted in the state, economy, and culture of the state of New Mexico. It brings over $400 Million annually to the state's local economy, according to the governor's office. At Zia Green Chile Company, all of the chiles are sourced directly from Hatch Valley, New Mexico, making them New Mexico Certified and supporting New Mexico Agriculture. And in this week's Escapemaker segment, Erin chats with Lucille Munz, the Farm Director at Hilltop Hanover Farm. If you’d like to visit any of the craft brewers or cider makers interviewed in the Farm Report, check out EscapeMaker.com to book a 1 or 2-night all-inclusive craft beverage package with tours tastings and lodging.
On the season premiere of The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is joined by Nate Hodge, co-founder of Raaka Chocolate, and filmmaker Tim Shephard. The two are working on a documentary film project called Setting the Bar, which examines rare varieties of cacao in Peru. The film follows these passionate people who have dedicated their life to a better tasting and more sustainable chocolate bar. Their stories are fascinating, their dedication contagious and their final product, delicious. Plus, the first in our new series of EscapeMaker segments, profiling craft producers in New York state, with brewmaster Josh Hughes of Roscoe Beer Company. If you’d like to visit any of the craft brewers or cider makers interviewed in the Farm Report, check out EscapeMaker.com to book a 1 or 2-night all-inclusive craft beverage package with tours tastings and lodging.
Continuing a close look at Christmas trees, Erin Fairbanks welcomes Lars Crooks to _ The Farm Report _ from Tuckamony Farm, one of the oldest family operated Christmas tree farms in the country. His great grandfather planted the first crop of Scots Pine and Norway Spruce in 1929 and first opened for season in 1934 and operated the farm for twenty five years before he passed the business to Lars’ grandfather. Offering insight on the varieties of trees that make the best holiday staples, Lars also discusses the environmental nuances surrounding this type of agriculture and how the climate has affected the trees. Erin then introduces a segment taped at Brooklyn’s Fort Greene market, featuring GreenMarket Program Director Michael Hurwitz and Hudson Valley-based farmer Charles Hurd talking more about Christmas trees. Rounding out the show, Erin welcomes Giovanni Borghese for the EscapeMaker.com portion of the show, hailing from Castello di Borghese, recently chosen as the best winery on Long Island by Long Island Press. Tune in for a festive show!
This week on _ The Farm Report _, Erin Fairbanks is in studio with Edie Mukiibi, Vice President of Slow Food International, and Richard McCarthy, Executive Director of Slow Food USA.Edie Mukiibi was born and raised in the rural parts of Mukono District in Central Uganda. He attended a nearby rural school for his primary and secondary education. Agriculture was used as a form of punishment in both schools: experiencing firsthand the practice of shaping a young person’s attitude towards agriculture. Mukiibi graduated from Makerere University with honors in Agricultural Land Use Management in 2009, where he has also worked as a teaching assistant in the Soil Science Department. In 2006, Mukiibi founded Developing Innovations in School and Community Gardens (DISC), a project aimed at promoting community engagement and agricultural sustainability among the youth. Mukiibi’s involvement with Slow Food began in 2008. It was stimulated by a drought in Uganda whose destabilizing impacts were made far worse by the widespread mono-crop planting of a maize hybrid. By contrast, he argues, traditional agricultural practices provide stability: “If one takes a classic African farm, one finds there are fruit trees, vegetables…it’s thanks to this model that, over the years, Uganda has never known famine.” In 2014, at the age of 28, he was named Vice President of Slow Food International. With this recent appointment, Mukiibi helps to steer the work of the global network and to grow Slow Food’s 10,000 Gardens in Africa project. Edie goes on to share with Erin misconceptions about Africa and how he strives to change these for the better. Richard McCarthy also joins the show and embodies the phrase “think globally; act locally.” He joined Slow Food USA as Executive Director in January 2013, having previously served as Executive Director of Market Umbrella, an internationally recognized non-profit mentor organization for farmers markets, community building and sustainable economic development. After Hurricane Katrina, Richard played a key role in restarting the local agricultural economy in the New Orleans area, aiming to help provide returning residents with a sense of normalcy and resilience through the revival of farmers markets. Stay tuned to the end of the show to hear the EscapeMaker segment featuring Chris Harp from Honey Bee Lives! “
This week on _ The Farm Report _, Erin Fairbanks kicks off another jam-packed show with guest Eric Gustafson, CEO of Coast Packing Company, the number one supplier of animal fat shortenings in the Western United States. Explaining how animal fat shortenings are all about making food taste better, Eric goes on to point out that animal fats need to be part of the diet of health-conscious. Proud to say that none of their products contain potentially toxic artificial trans fats, he shares that his family’s business is looking to keep the industry vibrant for the future of not only their company but also their consumers. After the break, Erin is on the line with Steve Rosenberg of The Scenic Hudson Land Trust, of which they discuss the protection of Hudson Valley lands for public enjoyment. Since joining the organization he has led the group in safeguarding thousands of acres of land and has helped create or improve many of Scenic Hudson’s numerous parks and preserves along nearly 200 miles of the Hudson River. In addition, the program converts neglected urban waterfront sites into more publicly beneficial uses, preserves productive farmland and protects views from historic sites. Stay tuned for the EscapeMaker segment featuring Ron Samascott from Samascott Orchard. “The fat we render on the edible side can be used for food, cosmetics, soaps, oleochemical manufacture, biodiesels… there are a wide variety of uses.” [7:30] –Eric Gustafson on The Farm Report
This week on _ The Farm Report _, Erin Fairbanks is joined on the line by David Haight of the American Farmland Trust, making another guest appearance talking all things agriculture in New York State. Since joining American Farmland Trust in 2001, David Haight has worked with more than 20 local governments to establish agricultural economic development and farmland protection plans. He aids state and federal legislators as they work on agricultural and land conservation legislation and has helped coordinate projects that have permanently protected more than 4,000 acres of New York farmland. Haight helped to author AFT’s Guide to Local Planning for Agriculture in New York and New York Agricultural Landowner Guide to Tax, Conservation, and Management Programs. His previous work experience includes evaluating the fiscal impact of land conservation for the Vermont Land Trust and work as an outdoor educator in New York’s Catskill Mountains. He holds a B.A. in environmental studies and political science from Binghamton University, an M.S. in natural resources planning from the University of Vermont, graduated from New York’s LEAD program and serves on the Land Trust Alliance New York Advisory Committee. For the EscapeMaker.com segment, Erin speaks with Becky Wilklow of Wilklow Orchards all about fall apple picking, hard cider, and what their apple season has been like thus far!
It’s Goatober and Erin Fairbanks is celebrating with an in-depth chat with Mark Baustian of West Hill Farm who raises Boer goats for meat. Mark shares his passion for bringing goat to the domestic meat market and divulges how he and his wife became goat farmers. He also points out that while most people think milk and cheese when they think of goat farms, goat is actually the most widely consumed meat in the world. Conversation evolves from supplying NYC halal carts to the globalization of food production and what Mark sees in the foreseeable future for goat. Stay tuned for the tail end of the show for the EscapeMaker.com segment featuring Beth Linskey of Beth’s Farm KitchenJams and Preserves. “More and more, we’re finding that if we can put goat meat in front of people they like it.” [33:00] “I’m not predicting that goat will ever replace pork or beef, but there is a lot of scope for it to grow.” [35:00] –Mark Baustian on The Farm Report
Tune in to this week’s episode of The Farm Report as host Erin Fairbanks has a quail of a time with Brittney Miller of Manchester Farms in Columbia, South Carolina. Owner of her family quail farm, Brittney talks about this old school bird and her passion for bringing farrow quail to more dinner tables as an easy and healthy protein that many chefs have long embraced. Spread out over 380 acres, Manchester Farms produces 80,000 quail per week that are growth promotant and hormone free, following the same husbandry practices that Brittney’s father practiced in the 1970s. What’s the day to day like as a quail farmer? How does the quail industry differ from the chicken industry? What is Brittney’s take on the recent bird flu epidemic in the Midwest? Tune in for answers plus to hear from Steve Clark from Prospect Hill Orchards in the EscapeMaker.com segment! “You can’t just say you’re a farmer, you have to be a business person as well.” [7:00] “One quail egg equals the nutritional value of five chicken eggs.” [22:00] –Brittney Miller on The Farm Report
The Farm Report is back for the new fall season! Host Erin Fairbanks is in studio with long time confidant and Heritage Radio Network Board Member, JoAnn “Flash” Fleming. This season on The Farm Report expect to hear more on the topic of numbers, which happens to by JoAnn’s specialty as a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Valuation Analyst, and Certified Fraud Examiner. Tune in for a thorough preview of the upcoming season and a conversation revolving around dairy, agriculture, The Farm Bill, and more numbers! This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “Every company suffers from some kind of theft or some kind of fraud.” [14:30] –JoAnn “Flash” Fleming on The Farm Report
This week on All in the Industry, host Shari Bayer welcomes John Winterman of Batard in Tribeca. Born and raised in Indiana, John shares it was in college when he learned that cuisine is more than three vegetables and overcooked meat. For the past 17 years, John worked in front-of-the-house positions for such notables as Charlie Trotter, Gary Danko and Daniel Boulud, most recently as maître d’hôtel of restaurant Daniel. Along the way, he became a certified sommelier and an expert in artisanal cheeses and has now joined forces with restaurateur Drew Nieporent at Bâtard, where he is Managing Partner. Tune in to hear more from John as well as some industry news and Shari’s solo dining experience. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “I think sometimes people are afraid to identify with something that might be higher end because there are so many casual restaurants.” [34:00] —John Winterman on All in the Industry
This week on All in the Industry, host Shari Bayer welcomes Chef King Phojanakong and Jimmy Carbone to the studio who have been collaborating on a new menu at Jimmy’s No. 43 under the moniker Tito King’s Kitchen. Getting the scoop on Jimmy and King’s diverse backgrounds and paths through the culinary industry, the guys share how they met at a charity event but ultimately bonded over their love of food and drink. The guests go on to elaborate how they elevated traditional bar fare with Filipino flair including adobo chicken wings, adobo pork belly, and, of course, a vast selection of beer. Tune in for Jimmy and King’s responses to the infamous speed round, industry news, and Shari’s solo dining experience! This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “When I was 18 years old all I thought about was where’s much my lunch and somehow that’s led me to this career.” —Jimmy Carbone on All in the Industry “We love what we do and I think it reflects in the food and drink and whole package we put together.” —King Phojanakong on All in the Industry
This week on All in the Industry, host Shari Bayer welcomes Editor-in-Chief of Saveur, Adam Sachs. Getting the scoop on his path to food writing, Adam goes on to share his favorite places visited, written about, and more importantly, eaten through! Having traveled around the world, Adam relays that Saveur seeks to bring its reader to the source of unique and delicious food. Shari gets his thoughts on the Instagram plus how magazine pieces come together before Adam answers the speed round questions. Tune in to hear what’s on the horizon for Saveur as well as industry news and the solo dining experience! This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “For me, it is a dream job because Saveur is a magazine about following food to its source.” [18:20] “I think one of the pleasures of print is to bring it with you!” [22:40] “Our reader is someone who likes to travel, cook, likes to eat and drink and know where their food comes from and likes a story.” [24:40] —Adam Sachs on All in the Industry
Pull up a chair and join in as Shari Bayer gets an inside glimpse at OpenTable on this episode of All in the Industry with guests Leela Srinivasan and Olivia Terenzio on the line from California. OpenTable is a website and mobile app allowing patrons to make reservations, read restaurant reviews, and earn points towards free meals that has been in operation since 1998. Committed to empowering the restaurant experience and helping restaurants grow, OpenTable is growing globally and as Leela and Olivia explain, their platform particularly highlights verified diner reviews and subsidiary apps to further aid the customer as well as the restaurant. Tune in to hear more from this evolving business as well as the infamous speed round, industry news, plus Shari’s solo dining experience. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “We like to say our audience is restauranteurs and aspiring restauranteurs, so that could be a chef that wants to open his own restaurant, a GM, anyone passionate about having a restaurant someday.” [8:30] —Olivia Terenzio on All in the Industry “We are laser focused on making our restaurants successful by keeping them full!” [17:30] —Leela Srinivasan on All in the Industry
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is kicking off the show with Meghan Filbert, on the line from the Practical Farmers of Iowa who has been doing a lot of work in the response to avian influenza in Iowa. Talking about what is called the largest outbreak of avian influenza or bird flu, Meghan shares protocol for handling and containing the deadly strain of the virus, mentioning that humans are at low risk to contracting it. Further detailing the bird flu conversation, Erin talks with John Wesselius, a poultry farmer of The Cornucopia, a small family farm in rural Northwest Iowa raising better-than-free-range broiler chickens as well as marketing Certified Naturally Grown vegetables. John takes listeners through his typical day checking on his chickens, relays the importance of farm scale size to healthy birds, what the situation was like once the avian influenza was found in his general area, and what the media is getting right and wrong about the outbreak. In the last segment, Elizabeth Ryan from Breezy Hill and Stone Ridge Orchard is on the line with Erin talking about her intriguing background with a degree in Pomology from Cornell University as well as many of the great things going on at the orchard! This great adventure and more is all thanks to our friends at EscapeMaker.com. “To date, we know that in Iowa 6 backyard flocks have been affected with bird flu, about 4700 birds, versus 77 commercial operations have been affected with 33.7 million birds – two completely different scales we’re dealing with.” [13:00] —Meghan Filbert on The Farm Report “Smaller might be better sometimes.” [30:50] —John Wesselius on The Farm Report
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks welcomes Courtney Epton, Director of Education at City Growers to the program. City Growers connects urban communities with agriculture, food and environment through farm education and advocacy in order to foster a culture of health and sustainability. The organization highlights its programs for children and teens at Brooklyn Grange, the world’s largest soil rooftop farms. With a background as a veteran NYC public school teacher, Courtney shares that she cannot imagine a better place for kids to learn than up on the Brooklyn Grange’s two rooftop farms and loves to see students teaching themselves through observation, and teaching each other through investigation and inquiry. Passionate about advancing City Growers’ mission of fostering a sense of ecological understanding and stewardship among NYC’s students, she sits down with Erin discussing City Grower’s reaches and wishes for the year including students’ farm knowledge being used at home, inspiring kids to think about the intersection between the farm and what they eat, plus how details on their Honeybee Workshop where students to use their five senses to explore the intricate world of a bee colony. At the tail of the episode, tune in as Erin speaks with Abby Paloma, founder of Farm to Yoga via our friends at EscapeMaker.com. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “The food doesn’t come from the grocery store, it comes from a place similar to this but different in lots of ways. We also want to promote healthy eating habits and pro-environmental experiences for the kids.” [15:20] “Kids don’t always make the jump to can urban farming feed the world but they are thinking about: Why is this here? Why is this important? Are they organic here? Are they using pesticides? Why do large farms use pesticides? Why is a that a decision people make?” [28:20] —Courtney Epton on The Farm Report
June is National Dairy Month and The Farm Report is celebrating as host Erin Fairbanks chats with Beth Chittenden of Dutch Hollow Farm. Dutch Hollow Farm is owned by the Chittenden family and is a Registered Jersey Dairy Farm that milks about 600 cows and has about 1,000 cows total. Beth shares the details surrounding the breed of cows used on the farm as well as how their milk is used once it leaves the farm. Beth goes on to explain how Dutch Hollow Farm holds animal husbandry in high regard and how they try to breed for polled cows (naturally born without horns). Also, Beth recently took a group of teen and pre-teen dairy farmers into NYC where they explored Beecher’s Handmade Cheese to watch cheese being made and how NYC people see dairy in the dairy case, plus checked out the dairy case competition in “milk” (soy, almond milk, etc). NYC, as Beth elaborates on, is the most important and largest market for fluid milk for NY dairy farmers so it is necessary to educate the city on the benefits of dairy milk. After the break, Erin welcomes Mark Doyle of Fishkill Farms to the program as a highlighted adventure from our friends at EscapeMaker.com. Mark gives listeners a brief history of the farm and how Fishkill Farms has grown from a conventionally farmed apple orchard in need of new trees and new tractors, into a diversified, ecological farm with new orchards and infrastructures. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “We are the largest or second largest herd in Jersey State. Our milk is primarily used for making dairy products like cheese… rather than being consumed as whole milk.” “If we don’t have a market then why do we need a farm?” “When you ask somebody between milk they don’t really know the differences between dairy milk and milk alternatives and where it all comes from… we need to convey that to [customers].” —Beth Chittenden on The Farm Report
This week’s episode of The Farm Report comes to you on the road as host Erin Fairbanks is in Denver, Colorado attending the Slow Meat 2015 symposium and fair taking place through June 6. Giving listeners insider tidbits from the gathering, Erin lays out the dense schedule of throughout the weekend and what she’s looking to gain from being in attendance. Look out for recordings of the discussions and panels coming soon to Heritage Radio Network’s homepage! In the second half of the show, Erin speaks with Vera Chang of Shelburne Farms in Vermont about summer happenings on their campus and how easy it is to get in touch with your food while on the farm for a visit. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “What are the next steps? Really identifying where critical control points and what we can do to affect change in creating a space for meat that is more environmentally sound and is more delicious, and of course more humane.” [7:20] “When we think about meat, what I keep coming back to is: what are we willing to give up… and what do we get when we take a step in the right direction of a more just meat system.” [10:30] —Erin Fairbanks on The Farm Report
Keeping strong with the exploration of the meat industry in collaboration with Slow Food USA, on The Farm Report this week Erin Fairbanks is on the line with Gabriel Krenza of both the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Green Sports Alliance. Talking about his role in expanding and enhancing the NRDC’s food network and relationships as well as developing strategy for the sports industry on the issue of healthy food options for fans, Gabriel updates listeners on the current issues that the NRDC is working on in the food space plus weighs in on Walmart and Sam’s Club recent stance to encourage meat and egg suppliers to curb antibiotic use along with adopting more humane treatment of animals. Leah Garces of Compassion in World Farming joins the show sharing a detailed look at the Walmart news, stating that this headline comes in a year when retailers and restaurants across the United States are moving away from closed confinement systems such as gestation crates, battery cages, and veal crates and are adopting overarching farm animal welfare policies for the first time. Recently, food service giants such as Nestlé, Starbucks, and Aramark actually released similar policies. Rounding out the show, Erin speaks with Steve Pennings of Pennings Farm via our friends at EscapeMaker.com. Steve tells all the great things to do at his family’s farm this summer into the fall seasons from the garden center, cafe, petting zoo, to tasting some craft brews or their own cider! This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “What’s fascinating about the livestock industry is that it really does transcend so many different issues; whether it be land use, water quality, climate, also government subsidization and where different government resources go to support it.” [9:25] —Gabriel Krenza on The Farm Report “What we’re talking about doing in the US is a legislative minimum in the EU but that doesn’t mean that it’s not hard and that companies don’t need help and don’t need support getting to that minimum, and that’s what we’re here to do.” [39:53] —Leah Garces on The Farm Report
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is on the line with Corey Blant and Nelly Burgos of Added Value located in Red Hook, Brooklyn. A non-profit organization promoting the sustainable development of Red Hook by nurturing a new generation of young leaders, Added Value works toward this goal by creating opportunities for the youth of South Brooklyn to expand their knowledge base, develop new skills and positively engage with their community through the operation of a socially responsible urban farming enterprise. Sponsor EscapeMaker.com makes visiting this unique operation possible! After the break, Erin introduces listeners to a fellow HRN show, Inside School Food, and its latest episode “Locavore Mayor Takes on Lunch.” Tune in for this hybrid version of The Farm Report! This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “We made a great opportunity for the students to understand the food and then enjoy the food.” —Ron Adams highlighted on The Farm Report
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is adding to the series exploring the meat industry in collaboration with with Slow Food USA as they prepare for Slow Meat 2015, a symposium and fair taking place June 4-6 in Denver, Colorado. On the line with Jose Oliva of the Food Chain Workers Alliance, it is a coalition of worker-based organizations whose members plant, harvest, process, pack, transport, prepare, serve, and sell food, organizing to improve wages and working conditions for all workers along the food chain. The Alliance works together to build a more sustainable food system that respects workers’ rights, based on the principles of social, environmental and racial justice, in which everyone has access to healthy and affordable food. Jose discusses the Alliance’s progress as well as the work that still remains to bridge the gap between restaurant workers and a livable wage, plus why they support the Slow Meat message. After the break, Kris De la Torre of EscapeMaker.com joins Erin in the studio talking about upcoming events involving interactions with farms and agro-tourism. Do you have plans this weekend? Tune in for some great ideas occurring throughout the summer! This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “When we talk about the food system from an economic system perspective we are talking about the largest private sector employer in the United States with well over 20 million workers… it’s about 50 percent of American that have worked or will work in a restaurant.” [11:25] “The way that pricing is structured right now it incentivizes large, corporate-owned factory farms and it penalizes smaller, medium sized farms.” [16:28] —Jose Oliva on The Farm Report
On this special reprise episode of The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks has Sydney Phelps on the line from our friends at Bonnie Plants chatting about their free app, Homegrown with Bonnie Plants. Ideal for new gardeners, the app provides in-depth information on topics like container gardening, fertilizing, and what to do in a drought (like what California customers are experiencing) that can steer you to having a fruitful and tasty garden. With 65 locations across the country, Sydney explains that when you’re dealing with Bonnie Plants, their products are grown suited for the conditions in which the consumer lives and are heartier with attention to what customers want from region to region across the country. Touching upon many topics to inspire green thumbs everywhere, this is a conversation not to be missed as summer approaches! This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “We wanted something to make something that would be easy for novice consumers to find something and catch on and try it, as well as kids. So, we thought, let’s do a pizza garden so we gave all the ingredients of things you need to make a pizza that you can grow in a raised bed garden.” [11:30] “I thought something was really going on with my parsley when I got into herb gardening, it was just getting eaten and I didn’t have a clue as to what was going on but I realized when I saw a caterpillar going through its transformation!” [16:09] —Sydney Phelps on The Farm Report
This week on All in the Industry, Shari Bayer talks mixology and cocktails with Tony Abou-Ganim. Tony is widely regarded as one of the pioneering and leading bar professionals in the world. He has made dozens of national TV appearances on shows including TODAY, Iron Chef America, Good Morning America, CNBC, Fox News and more. Abou-Ganim is the author of The Modern Mixologist: Contemporary Classic Cocktails (Agate, 2010) which offers readers an in-depth look into spirits and ingredients available to today’s mixologist, both professional and amateur alike. His signature branded line of Modern Mixologist bar tools and his second book, Vodka Distilled (Agate, 2013), are available now at www.modernmixologist.com. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “I’ve come to falling in love with Las Vegas – I can’t imagine living anywhere else.” [09:00] “You can’t be a mixologist without being a bartender. First and foremost – we’re all bartenders.” [33:00] –Tony Abou-Ganim on All in the Industry
Courtney Contos & Todd Kelly. This week’s episode of Sharp & Hot is full of cheese, bourbon and honey! Tune in as Chef Emily Peterson is joined by Chef Courtney Contos and Chef Todd Kelly in-studio. Raised by restaurateurs in Chicago, now currently based in Vermont. Chef Contos is on a mission to bring back the joy of home cooking. But beyond cooking classes she is also a big proponent of kitchen fundamentals and vegetable gardening. Todd Kelly, Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, is responsible for creating the distinct menu for Orchids at Palm Court, The Grill at Palm Court and The Bar at Palm Court. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “With cooking classes – not only are you a chef, but you’re an entertainer.” [14:00] –Courtney Contos on Sharp & Hot
Yuji Haraguchi, the chef behind OKONOMI // YUJI Ramen, joins Akiko Katayama for an information-filled episode of Japan Eats. Yuji explains how he embraces mottainai, a Japanese phrase that loosely translates to “no waste”, in his cooking. Learn about ramen techniques, under utilized seafood and his forward thinking philosophy in the kitchen. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “The fish we serve is wild …it’s important to have a good relationship with your fish purveyor.” [23:00] “We have more than 10 different fish on the menu.” [33:00] “All the ceramics we serve at the restuarant are made by hand.” [38:00] –Yuji Haraguichi on Japan Eats
This week’s guest on All in the Industry is Anne McBride. Anne regularly writes on topics related to professional and experimental cooking, including contributions to Food Arts, Gastronomica, the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets, and Food Cultures of the World. She co-authored three cookbooks with famed pastry chef François Payard: Payard Cookies (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, November 3, 2015), Chocolate Epiphany: Exceptional Cookies, Cakes and Confections for Everyone (Clarkson Potter, 2008), and Bite Size: Elegant Recipes for Entertaining (William Morrow, 2006). With Kathryn Gordon, she co-authored Les Petits Macarons: Colorful French Confections to Make at Home (Running Press, October 2011, which to date has sold more than 64,000 copies) and a cookbook slated for fall 2016 publication, and with Rick Smilow, Culinary Careers: How to Get Your Dream Job in Food (Clarkson Potter, May 2010). She is the culinary program and editorial director for the Strategic Initiatives Group at The Culinary Institute of America, working on program development for industry leadership conferences that include Worlds of Flavor, widely acknowledged as our country’s most influential professional forum on world cuisines, food cultures, and flavor trends, and reThink Food, a collaboration with the MIT Media Lab that focuses on innovation at the intersection of technology, behavior, design, and food. McBride was the editor and writer of the Institute of Culinary Education’s tri-annual publication, The Main Course, for seven years, and the director of the school’s Center for Food Media between 2008 and 2011. McBride is the director of the Experimental Cuisine Collective, an interdisciplinary group of more than 2500 scientists, chefs, media, scholars, and food enthusiasts that examines the connections between food and science. A native of Switzerland, McBride sits on the Association for the Study of Food and Societyand The Culinary Trust boards and on the James Beard Foundation Awards Committee, and was a two-term board member of the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance. She serves as a James Beard Awards judge and is a frequent presenter and moderator at scholarly and trade conferences. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com.
Presentation Party Night: Andy and Ashley : Tune in to a brand new episode of Sharp & Hot as Anne and Emily are joined by Andy and Ashley, the team behind Presentation Party Night — a monthly lecture series based in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and founded on the idea that everyone has something to teach. Their goal was to create a forum for learning and progressive discussion in our community, but to make it free and fun. PPN combines a party atmosphere with informational programming to make a raucous celebration of peer education, food, and beer. Their events happen on the 3rd Sunday of every month. Everything is totally free and open to the public – they provide beer and food (potluck style – bring something to share) and they survive on donations from the audience. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “I’m a designer by profession and I go to a lot of events that are so specifically geared towards certain people. We have been about being as inclusive as possible and making it about everyone.” [17:00] –Ashley Quinn on Sharp & Hot
This week’s guest on All in the Industry is Marissa Ain. For over a decade, Marissa has planned and managed some of the nation’s most exclusive private and public events. From visiting chef dinners to wine tastings, lectures to concerts, museum tours to food and wine festivals, her experience and attention to detail have left thousands of guests with unique and unforgettable experiences. Marissa’s experience includes collaborating closely with the food and wine industry’s top talent. As a result, Plate + Decanter was selected to produce the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE Magazine in historic Newport, RI the past three years. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com.
How many cocktail recipes have been born at the famed New York City bar PDT since it’s opening in 2007? Yea – there’s an app for that. The new app, PDT Cocktails, a database of 400 cocktail recipes, house-made syrups, and infusions with over 1000 photos of all the drinks and ingredients. In-studio guests Jim Meehan of PDT & Martin Doudoroff talk about handcrafted apps and why the bar named “Please Don’t Tell” is telling all the secrets. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com “In the course of the last 4 years a bunch of excellent products have come out that have changed the way we make drinks.” [13:00] –Jim Meehan on Tech Bites
Barry Estabrook joins Katy Keiffer for this week’s episode of What Doesn’t Kill You to discuss his latest book, Pig Tales: An Omnivore’s Quest for Sustainable Meat — an eye-opening investigation of the commercial pork industry and an inspiring alternative to the way pigs are raised and consumed in America. Barry Estabrook, author of the New York Times bestseller Tomatoland and a writer of “great skill and compassion” (Eric Schlosser), now explores the dark side of the American pork industry. Drawing on his personal experiences raising pigs as well as his keen investigative reporting, Estabrook shows how these immensely intelligent creatures are too often subjected to lives of suffering, sustained on a drug-laced diet just long enough to reach slaughter weight, then killed on mechanized disassembly lines. It doesn’t have to be this way, and Pig Tales presents a lively portrait of those farmers who are taking an alternative approach, proving that it is possible to raise pigs responsibly and respectfully in a way that is good for producers, consumers, and some of the top chefs in America. Provocative and richly informed, Pig Tales is bound to generate conversation at dinner tables across America. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “97 percent of pigs raised in this country live in these horrific crammed confinement buildings where their feet never touch the ground and they never breathe fresh air or see sunshine.” [15:00] “Gestation crates will be relics of past — they will be goners.” [44:00] –Barry Estabrook on What Doesn’t Kill You
Barry Estabrook joins Katy Keiffer for this week’s episode of What Doesn’t Kill You to discuss his latest book, Pig Tales: An Omnivore’s Quest for Sustainable Meat — an eye-opening investigation of the commercial pork industry and an inspiring alternative to the way pigs are raised and consumed in America. Barry Estabrook, author of the New York Times bestseller Tomatoland and a writer of “great skill and compassion” (Eric Schlosser), now explores the dark side of the American pork industry. Drawing on his personal experiences raising pigs as well as his keen investigative reporting, Estabrook shows how these immensely intelligent creatures are too often subjected to lives of suffering, sustained on a drug-laced diet just long enough to reach slaughter weight, then killed on mechanized disassembly lines. It doesn’t have to be this way, and Pig Tales presents a lively portrait of those farmers who are taking an alternative approach, proving that it is possible to raise pigs responsibly and respectfully in a way that is good for producers, consumers, and some of the top chefs in America. Provocative and richly informed, Pig Tales is bound to generate conversation at dinner tables across America. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “97 percent of pigs raised in this country live in these horrific crammed confinement buildings where their feet never touch the ground and they never breathe fresh air or see sunshine.” [15:00] “Gestation crates will be relics of past — they will be goners.” [44:00] –Barry Estabrook on What Doesn’t Kill You
Justin Warner, known to some as a food TV star, to others as a “wine-rapper” and most as the incredible chef behind Do or Dine, now has his own book. He and the photographer behind the book, the omnipresent and omnipotent Daniel Krieger, are this week’s guests on All in the Industry. The Laws of Cooking . . . and How to Break Them encourages improvisation and play, while explaining Justin Warner’s unique ideas about “flavor theory”-like color theory, but for your tongue. By introducing eleven laws based on familiar foods (e.g., “The Law of Peanut Butter and Jelly”; “The Law of Coffee, Cream, and Sugar”), the book will teach you why certain flavors combine brilliantly, and then show how these combinations work in 110 more complex and inventive recipes (Tomato Soup with “Grilled Cheese” Ravioli; Scallops with Black Sesame and Cherry). At the end of every recipe, Justin “breaks the law” by adding a seemingly discordant flavor that takes the combination to a new level. This program was brought to you by EscapeMaker.com. “Cookbooks are a natural progression for food photography. It seems like the top of the pyramid. There’s larger budgets and more press/publicity attached to it than small shoots for a publication.” [09:00] –Daniel Krieger on All in the Industry “People want to know the why and how of food – not just instructions and recipes – they want to get something and learn something.” [19:00] “I don’t like to be hugged with tweezers.” [26:00] –Justin Warner on All in the Industry