Today is the First Pick Up for the Summer CSA!

This week Shareholders received:

Dwarf Blud Kale, Suyo Long Cucumbers, Celebrity Tomatoes, Opal and Genovese Mix Basil, Ya-Ya Carrots, Summer Squash/ Zucchini and Microgreens!

Announcing The 4th Annual:

Tasty Tomato Festival
Saturday July 20. 2013 at City Roots!!

A Celebration of Local Food in the Midlands

The festival celebrates locally grown food — the people who grow it, the restaurants who place it on their menus, the markets that sell it, and the people who it it.

Continuing in the tradition of old-time festival fun, programming for this year’s Tasty Tomato Festival includes a free heirloom tomato tasting, live music, local food and drink vendors, tomato bobbing, and the highly anticipated Tasty Tomato Contest.

**New this Year!! — The Tasty Tomato Feast! A twelve day collaboration with restaurants who will offer special Tasty Tomato selections on their menus. A also new and bigger stage will feature music from The Hackensaw Boys, The Packway Handle Band, Playing on the Planet, Stillhouse, and Jackaroe! Visit Tasty Tomato Fest! to hear some of the bands!!

To Enter the Tasty Tomato Contest from your own Garden visit:
www.tastytomatofestival.com

For more information visit the website above or contact:
Ryan Nevius
803.381.8747
ryan@sustainablemidlands.org

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Farm to Table Dinner Series

Next Dinner:  July 22,  7:30-10pm

Spend an evening on the farm, under the stars, enjoying a multi-course meal made by one of Columbia’s top chefs, Kristian Niemi, from Rosso Trattoria. Along with Executive Chef, Travis Rayle, and an ever-changing line-up of Guest Chefs from Columbia’s top restaurants, each evening is a unique experience featuring a menu full of items from local farms paired with wines from local boutique distributor.

For Dinner Tickets: Farm to Table Dinner

Check out other upcoming dinners from Getting to the Roots Events *Summer Dinners*

Spend an evening on the farm, under the stars, enjoying a multi-course meal made by one of Columbia’s top chefs, Kristian Niemi, from Rosso Trattoria. Along with Executive Chef, Travis Rayle, and an ever-changing line-up of Guest Chefs from Columbia’s top restaurants, each evening is a unique experience featuring a menu full of items from local farms paired with wines from local boutique distributor.

Guest Chef: Mike Davis of Terra

the menu:

American Harvest Reception Cocktail:

Blackberry-Mint Spritz – American Harvest Organic Spirit, Blackberries, Mint, Prosecco
and Soda

First Course:
Wil-Moore Farms Chicken Liver Mousse with Carrot Marmellata; Lone Palmetto Goat
Cheese Spread with Lemon and Oregano; Pickled Vegetables, Wood-Grilled Ciabatta
and House-Made Condiments

Alois Lageder Muller Thurgau, Dolmiti 2011

Soup Course:
Sweet Summer Pea and Buttermilk Bisque with Pea Tendrils, Mint and Crispy Pancetta

Alois Lageder Muller Thurgau, Dolmiti 2011

Salad Course:
City Roots Mixed Greens Salad with Pickled SC Shrimp, Grilled Peaches, Palmetto
Sweet Onions, Polenta Croutons and Simple Vinaigrette

Fattoria di Bosciano Rose, Toscano 2012

Main Course:
Duo of Red Fern Farm Lamb – Herb-Braised Shoulder and Wood-Grilled Leg of Lamb with Anson Mills Farro al Salsa Verde and Wood-Grilled Vegetables

Li Veli Passamante Negroamaro, Salice Salentino 2010

Dessert Course:
Summer Berry Crisp with Buttermilk Ice Cream

FOR TICKETS!!

On May 25, activists around the world will unite to March Against Monsanto.

Columbia Marchers will meet 1:45pm for an informal “Sidewalk March” down Main St. to the State House. Meet at the Columbia Museum of Art at 1:30!!

Why do we march?

• Research studies have shown that Monsanto’s genetically-modified foods can lead to serious health conditions such as the development of cancer tumors, infertility and birth defects.

• In the United States, the FDA, the agency tasked with ensuring food safety for the population, is steered by ex-Monsanto executives, and we feel that’s a questionable conflict of interests and explains the lack of government-led research on the long-term effects of GM products.

• Recently, the U.S. Congress and president collectively passed the nicknamed “Monsanto Protection Act” that, among other things, bans courts from halting the sale of Monsanto’s genetically-modified seeds.

• For too long, Monsanto has been the benefactor of corporate subsidies and political favoritism. Organic and small farmers suffer losses while Monsanto continues to forge its monopoly over the world’s food supply, including exclusive patenting rights over seeds and genetic makeup.

• Monsanto’s GM seeds are harmful to the environment; for example, scientists have indicated they have contributed to Colony Collapse Disorder among the world’s bee population.

What are solutions we advocate?

• Voting with your dollar by buying organic and boycotting Monsanto-owned companies that use GMOs in their products.

• Labeling of GMOs so that consumers can make those informed decisions easier.

• Repealing relevant provisions of the US’s “Monsanto Protection Act.”

• Calling for further scientific research on the health effects of GMOs.

• Holding Monsanto executives and Monsanto-supporting politicians accountable through direct communication, grassroots journalism, social media, etc.

• Continuing to inform the public about Monsanto’s secrets.

• Taking to the streets to show the world and Monsanto that we won’t take these injustices quietly.

We will not stand for cronyism. We will not stand for poison. That’s why we March Against Monsanto.

This week at City Roots we have Spinach, Radish, Kale, Chard, Carrots, Head Lettuce, Spring Mix Lettuce and Microgreens!

We offer to all SNAP participants a special program in which they will receive “two for one” on all food purchases at City Roots.  Please help us get the word out to anyone that may qualify that we have this new program.

This week City Roots will be attending:

Rosewood Market Thursday May 9, 4-7pm
Soda City Market  Saturdays 9am- 1pm
Whole Foods Market  Sundays 11am- 4pm

Heirloom Tomato Plants for Sale at City Roots:

1 for $3 or 2 for $5

Getting to the Root Events Presents:

    Farm to Table
Dinner Series

Next Dinner: May 16, 7-9pm

Spend an evening on the farm, under the stars, enjoying a multi-course meal made by one of Columbia’s top chefs, Kristian Niemi, from Rosso Trattoria. Along with Executive Chef, Travis Rayle, and an ever-changing line-up of Guest Chefs from Columbia’s top restaurants, each evening is a unique experience featuring a menu full of items from local farms paired with wines from local boutique distributor.

Tickets!!

Summer CSA is now Open

Planned crops for the season are Eggplant, Okra, Peppers, Beans, Basil, Arugula, Squash, Zucchini, Cucumbers and always Microgreens!

Interested??
Download the CSA flyer for information and sign up:Summer 2013

Payments may be made through a few options:
1. Send a check to 1005 Airport Blvd, Columbia SC 29205.
2. Pay on site using credit card, check and cash.
3. Pay Online using PayPal by visiting the CSA tab in the upper right corner of this screen.

Music on the Farm! ~~~~~ May 24th 5:30- 9:30pm
$5 Donation at the Door.
Support your local Farm!!

Update: April 19th got washed out, so Music on the Farm will be moving to the 26th.

Join us on the Farm  for Music, Food Vendors, Beer and Wine. $5.00 will help Support your Local Farm!

Online Tickets available Here… or at the door.

Thanks to all who joined the Spring CSA. Sign up is now closed.

The first pick up date will be April 17th at 12:00pm- 7pm. Produce bags will be available the following day from 9am- 5pm if you can not make the Wednesday pick up.

Summer CSA is still in the works but keep an eye out for updates to sign up for the Summer months. This year we have started Tomatoes, Cucumber, Squash, Eggplant,  Zucchini, and Okra so far.

If you didn’t make the sign up for Spring CSA, come visit us on site for available produce every weekday from 9am- 5pm.

At City Roots we are committed to providing fresh, locally grown, Organically Certified food to our families, friends and ALL of our community – especially those that may be able to afford it the least. Many of you may be familiar with the term “Food Justice” which basically promotes access to fresh healthy food to people of all economic levels – not just the affluent. We are firm believers in this cause and are implementing a program to help achieve this goal. City Roots has since its earliest days participated in the Food Stamp program now called SNAP. We are now offering to all SNAP participants a special program in which they will receive “two for one” on all food purchases at City Roots. Please help us get the word out to anyone that may qualify that we have this new program.

Spring CSA start date is April 17th from Noon- 7pm. Pick-up for bags will continue every Wednesday from 12- 7pm for 8 weeks.

There are still openings available. If you are interested please visit the CSA tab near the upper right corner of this screen or come visit City Roots Monday- Friday from 9am- 5pm to sign up!

Featuring Chef Kristian Niemi and Travis Rayle of Rosso’s.

Dinner includes:

American Harvest Cocktail Reception – The Rosso Cosmopolitano Fizz

First Course: City Roots Red Romaine “Wedge” Salad with Herb-Grilled n’ Chilled SC Shrimp, Spinning Spider  Creamery “Black Mountain Blue” Cheese, Pickled Red Onion and House-Smoked Bacon. Served with Creamy Herb Vinaigrette.

Second Course: Ricotta Gnocchi with Rustic Arugula Pesto, Fire-Blistered Heirloom Tomatoes, Freshly Grated Parmigiana-Reggiano, Garlic Ciabatta

Main Course: Caw Caw Creek Italian Sausage-stuffed Manchester Farms Quail, Amarena Cherry Agrodolce, Roasted Italian Grain Risotto, Watsonia Farms Cabbage Gratinati

Dessert: Dark Chocolate Tiramisu

Interested in purchasing Tickets? Visit Farm to Table Dinner for more information.