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Author Archives: didaniel
Peregrine Farm founders spread the wealth
Alex and Betsy Hitt of Peregrine Farm get the star treatment they deserve in yesterday’s News & Observer. Writer Andrea Weigl wrote a great profile about the farmers in Graham. Part of the story is how they’ve mentored so many … Continue reading
Dig deeper with Taste Carolina food-farm events
I got to hang out with some of my favorite food purveyors last night — Farmhand Foods, which distributes local, pasture-raised meats, and April McGreger of Farmer’s Daughter Brand, sweet-and-savory queen of all that is preserved or fermented. And I … Continue reading
If it’s April, it must be time for beer
Craft beer followers already pour into North Carolina because of its reputation as the South’s premiere beer destination, with more breweries than any state south of Pennsylvania (73 and counting). More and more of those breweries are now locally sourcing … Continue reading
Posted in Buncombe County, Chatham County, Durham County, Guilford County
Tagged craft beer
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Farm Fresh Orange County — in print!
I had a great time (but it was work, too!) organizing and writing content for a special 8-page guide to finding farm-fresh food and fun in Orange County. The booklet is first appearing in the March/April issue of Chapel Hill … Continue reading
Cheese and goats and beer!
So many cool Triangle events coming up! Prodigal Farm, one of just two Animal Welfare Approved goat cheese dairies in North Carolina, is hosting some cool events. On Jan. 27, they’ll have a Beginning Cheesemaking Workshop, from 11 a.m. until … Continue reading
Posted in Chatham County, Durham County
Tagged Cackalacky, Celebrity Dairy, Fullsteam Brewery, Prodigal Farm
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How sweet it was …
I got this sad news today from John Swann at Maple Creek Farm, famed for its southernmost maple syrup. I’ve written about them here before, and check out the photos too! To our Followers, Customers, and Friends: We regret to … Continue reading
Posted in Yancey County
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Tribute to a gentle giant in farming
Bill Dow, one of the state’s sustainable-farming pioneers, passed away this week at the age of 67. Bill was a kind and gentle man whose humility served him well, first as a doctor and then as a farmer advocating a … Continue reading
Posted in Chatham County, Farmers, Farmers' markets, Organics
Tagged Aryshire Farm, Bill Dow, certified organic
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Food fest recap: all yummy all the time
I was treated to some glorious dining and noshing events at TerraVITA in Chapel Hill last weekend. and now it‘s back to watching the waistline. I’ve witnessed this fine food and beverage festival, founded and run by the gracious and … Continue reading
Fermenting food in a few easy steps
I’m bubbling over with excitement after my workshop on fermenting! OK, maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement, but it was very interesting to get a primer on the process that I’ve been reading so much about over the past … Continue reading
Posted in Cooking, Durham County, Food
Tagged April McGreger, lactofermintation, The Farmers Daughter, wild fermentation, wild fermenting
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Let ‘Chefs of the Mountains’ be your guide
First, there was the “Food Lovers’ Guide to the Triangle.” Now there’s “Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants & Recipes from Western North Carolina” (John F. Blair, $19.95), by food critic John E. Batchelor. John doesn’t know it, but he helped … Continue reading
Sign up soon for NC organic cotton tour
Y’all know how much I love Eric Henry and TS Designs and Cotton of the Carolinas. Read some great articles about the venture here and here, along with Eric’s op-ed piece in the News & Observer. Sign up by Wed., Oct. … Continue reading
Posted in Alamance County
Tagged Eric Henry, local cotton, organic cotton, TS Designs, US cotton
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A hot, sweet time at Pittsboro Pepper Festival
It’s time again for one of the hottest events in the Triangle – the Pittsboro Pepper Festival, on Sunday, Oct. 14, in Chapel Hill. Who’s invited: Everyone interested in local food and sustainable agriculture and having fun and eating in Central … Continue reading
Posted in Chatham County, Orange County
Tagged Abundance Foundation, Doug Jones, Piedmont Biofarm, seed saving
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Vollmer Farm returns with even more fall festivities
Happy fall, y’all! … One of my favorite photos taken for my “Farm Fresh North Carolina” guidebook is this one, of a boy we spotted at Vollmer Farm carrying a load of pumpkins. It might look staged, but it’s not. And … Continue reading
Posted in Family travel, Food, Johnston County, Road travel, U-pick farms
Tagged agritourism, pumpkins
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Southern cooking: it’s a sides show
Lina found me crying over an ugly green plastic box the other week. I was reading through my mom’s recipes (she died in 2009), on yellowed index cards in her hand-writing. Her famous salmon cakes, always served with cole slaw … Continue reading
Do not miss this year’s TerraVITA food festival
Food and farm-fresh friends, I don’t mean to harp on this, but if you haven’t gotten your tickets to TerraVITA, one of the state’s leading food and beverage festivals, you’d better do it soon. The three-day spectacular is in Chapel … Continue reading
‘Food Lovers’ Guide’ to the Triangle is out
My pal and busy “Durham Foodie” blogger Johanna Kramer just birthed her first book, and it’s a great one for food-minded locals and visitors to the Triangle. (And, really, who isn’t food minded?) “Food Lovers’ Guide to Raleigh, Durham & … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Dining, Durham County, Family travel, Orange County, Recipes, Wake County
Tagged Durham Foodie, NC cookbook, Poole's Diner
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Farm tours held across NC this month
Wow, it’s farm tour central here in North Carolina, with two tours this weekend, in Charlotte and the eastern Triangle, and next weekend in Asheville and environs. (Many of the farms are in my book, which offers do-it-yourself tours!) The … Continue reading
Posted in Farmers
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TerraVITA triples the fun (get your tix now)
Wow, in only its third year, TerraVITA has become a leading Southern food and wine event, with a focus on farm-sourcing, artisanal producers. This year’s event has expanded over several days, with activities running Nov. 1 to Nov. 3 in … Continue reading
Posted in Beer, Dining, Farmers' markets, Films, Food, Orange County, Wine
Tagged Food and wine festival, Food festival
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Celebrate Farmer’s Market Week with more markets
It doesn’t surprise me a bit that the US Department of Agriculture announced a 9.6 percent increase in National Farmers Market Directory listings. Oh, and happy National Farmer’s Market Week! I’m also sure that plenty of markets are not even … Continue reading
Posted in Farmers' markets, Wake County
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Weathervane chef is star of the show
Chef Ryan Payne from Weathervane at A Southern Season took home $2,000, Dansko clogs, red chef jackets for his team and major bragging rights after winning the Fire in the Triangle series, a new chef competition organized by Got to … Continue reading
Posted in Orange County
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