Reserve The Date For State Of The Plate!

Hello, my lovely local market customers and vendors!!

This afternoon I come to you not as your market manager but as your representative of the Local Foods Council. As your representative, I come to you with an exciting news story, and the ability to make reservations to attend the event that is making this a very news worthy story!

Last year, we introduced, State Of The Plate. A look at our local food system, your local growers and producers, and our goals and visions that we, as your local front, would like to see happen.

As your local market manager, you know that I support local, I believe in seasonal eating, I believe in always buying as much from my hard working, local growers and producers as I can, and in turn, giving them the huge shout outs and praises that they deserve!! I love this community, I want our local front to continue to grow and be strong, and I want to see our hard working local front succeed on so many levels!!

I think that I can speak for so many when I tell you that being a local provider is not an easy lifestyle. It is hard work. It is endless work. It is work that brings tears and then it is work that brings the highest of highs. It is passion, it is drive, it is compassion, and it is love.

I run two markets and a shop front. I allow only local producers. It is not enough to talk the talk of local. Local, to me, is not about just sort of, kind of, or occasionally. I demand that you walk the walk.

I am honored to surrounded by so many people who support this local way of life. All levels of support.

I now bring to you the news article, written by our own local hero of the local media and HUGE supporter in all of our local endeavors. The article is written by Gary Schenkel. You will notice familiar names as speakers, and then I am so proud to say that so many of our vendors, right here, your tireless vendors, will be offering their products as part of this event.

This announces our second State Of The Plate. I will be taking reservations, at each Thursday market order pick up!! I will be turning names and money into the Chamber, each Friday, up until the deadline of Oct.2!! Please plan to be a part of this amazing day…

*Local food dinner to be served in historic barn

Submitted Story

A professionally catered dinner of locally grown and produced food, served in a restored barn that is on the National Registry of Historic Places, and an opportunity to talk with the people who grew the meal’s ingredients.

That’s the unique experience in store for guests at the 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, State of the Plate local food dinner. A social time with snacks and cider will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Reservations are being taken for the limited-seating event, which will be held at the Pretty Prairie Farm of Todd and Jill Michael, 4440 Prairie Road, Urbana.

To make reservations, stop by or call the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, 107 N. Main St. (937-653-5764), by Oct. 3. Reservations may also be made during the Champaign Locally Grown online farmers’ market order pickup, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Oct. 2 at the Champaign Family YMCA, 191 Community Drive.

Cost of the dinner, catered by Amy Forrest and Lori Forrest Garrison of In Good Taste Catering, is $15. The event is being planned by the Champaign County Local Food Council, a cooperative effort of the Community Improvement Corporation and the Champaign County Chamber to help expand markets for local food producers.

During the dinner six local farmers and entrepreneurs will talk and answer questions about the beginnings, growth and success of their food production businesses. They include:

•Ethan Deselem of Springfield, who founded Deselem’s Royal Quality Gardens of Ohio in 2013, after studying environmental science at The College of Wooster. He specializes in chemical-free produce sold at area farmers’ markets.

•Pam Bowshier of Urbana, who founded Cosmic Charlie Bread five years ago, specializing in artisan vegan breads. She continues to sell at farmers’ markets, where she started out, and has expanded to supplying retail stores and restaurants, and opened her own shop. She also serves as manager of the Mechanicsburg Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market and the Champaign Locally Grown online farmers’ market.

•Mark Runyan of Urbana, who operates Oakview Farm with his father and son, raising grain for feed and pigs for meat and breeding stock. They sell pork, beef and chicken at their retail shop, Oakview Farm Fresh Meats, and at local markets and the online Champaign Locally Grown market. Runyan and Bowshier will also talk about their cooperative marketing efforts.

•Brett Tossey and Paden Green-Tossey of Marysville, who launched small-scale hops production in 2011, supplying local craft breweries.

•Dave Smith of Urbana, whose family in 1983 began transforming a former chicken farm into what has become Freshwater Farms of Ohio, the state’s largest indoor fish hatchery and only Ohio producer of fresh trout products. The farm, which has become a tourist destination and home of the annual Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival, features a year-round market. The farm also offers consulting, supplies and stocking fish for recreational ponds and water gardens.

•Todd Michael, the dinner host, long-time co-owner of Michael Farms and now owner of Michael Family Farms with his son, Kyle. Michael will talk about his current operations in food production and marketing as well as the history of Michael Farms, started more than 50 years ago by his father, Doug Michael, and which has grown to supply fresh vegetables to major grocery retailers and foodservice distributors throughout Ohio and neighboring states.

About the Pretty Prairie Barn

The rectangular, Pennsylvania Dutch section of the barn was built in 1840, and in 1896, a 12-sided, 42-foot diameter barn was added. The dodecagonal addition remains the largest of its kind on the National Register of Historic Places. The barn was used for steam threshers, storing hay and housing work horses. A third addition, built in the 1950s, housed beef cattle.

Todd and Jill Michael bought the farm in 1996, restoring the barn and house, which also was built in 1896. Most recently the barn hosted their daughter Kathy’s wedding reception. They now rent it for weddings and special events.

Submitted on behalf of event organizers.

Don’t forget…you can get your reservations to me, each Thursday, or you can call or stop in the Chamber office to place your reservations.

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam