In the past three months, those tuning into the Fruition Local Foods Livestream have gotten a significant taste of the north county’s food scene. This series gives viewers a chance to really get to know the people behind the businesses. Interviewees shared how and why they grow, cook, and sell the food and products that they do. Viewers have the chance to win prizes that are generously donated by the farmers and chefs on the program. Past viewers have walked away with a Thanksgiving Turkey, gift certificates, and fresh local honey, just to name a few. Celebrate the growers and makers in our community and tune in for the next showcase this Wednesday, August 18th from 7 to 8 pm.
Each month features three unique farmers or food entrepreneurs. Here are some of the tidbits we’ve enjoyed so far from each month.
May Showcase
During the first-ever local foods showcase the Livestream provided some insight into the culinary magic that is happening at Big Spoon Kitchen in Potsdam. Owner and chef Will Trithart shared how meals rotate weekly based on seasonally available items.
Eight O’Clock Ranch has continued to provide their customers near and far, with a range of delicious and healthy meats. We heard from owner Kassandra about how their business model started off nearly 20 years ago with sales mainly by mail but has since shifted in the past few years to predominantly local sales.
The May program was rounded out with a peek into greenhouse growing. Megan at Never Tire Farm, a wholesale plant, seedling, and flower greenhouse, informed viewers of how they’ve streamlined their business over the years, selling to 13+ retail outlets in the North Country, from hardware stores to nurseries.
June Showcase
Each month provides a new opportunity to learn more about our North Country food system. In June we got to know more about M & M Eggs from Matt Martin, a Massena-based egg producer and hatchery. What was most surprising about M & M Eggs was learning how diverse and rare some of their bird breeds are. While their focus is on egg layers, Matt also raises ducks like his Silver Appleyard which is on the endangered list and is working on expanding his flock.
Moving across the county we then met up with Josh and Alicia of The Blue House, the new restaurant open in Madrid. They infuse local foods into their ever-shifting weekly menu with options like purple potato pierogies and unique wood-fired pizzas.
With the range of farmers in the area, it was nice to speak with Daniel Martin of Martin’s Farmstand, who not only grows, runs, and manages a well-stocked farmstand but also purchases local produce to sell. There is a lot that goes into his purchase decisions and he’s fine-tuned his business model over the years to accommodate the produce he grows and the products he buys in from nearby growers.
July Showcase
July seems to be the time of year when the harvest is in full swing and the days don’t ever seem long enough. We caught up with Morgan Lesson of O and E Farm and hear how her growing season was going. Viewers learned about this certified organic produce farm and her fun videos on Facebook.
Kelly, owner of Flying Lotus Yoga Center, joined us from her juice bar, The Root Cellar. A relatively new business in downtown Canton, the Root Cellar offers smoothies and other delicious goods. Kelly told us how they’ve developed sustainable offerings for their customers by providing reusable mugs, purchasing foods from area growers, and collecting food scraps for compost.
Mark Berninghausen at Squeak Creek Apiaries gave us a glimpse into the life of a busy beekeeper. With beehives all over the county, Mark spends his time checking in on hives to ensure they’re doing well and to make sure he has honey to offer to his retail outlets.
The fun isn’t over yet! The Fruition Livestream Series will be going on all year. Be sure to tune in on the third Wednesday of each month from 7-8 pm.
Images courtesy of the Farm-to-Table Initiative led by Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County.
Lauren grew up in neighboring Vermont exploring and loving the green mountains and vast landscapes. Her undergraduate degree made her appreciate the communities that surround local foods and a Master’s Certificate in Food Studies from the University of Southern Maine made her want to pursue a career in the food system. In 2021 and 2022, she was the Local Foods Marketing and Development Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County.