If there is a higher power, that power clearly digs local. After several days of rain, Saturday was forecasted to be no different. It was supposed to shower, and it did…after the Boston Local Food Festival. In fact, the sad, gray morning had turned into brilliant sunshine by the early afternoon. So, take that, giant corporations! We’ve got weather on our side!
On this happy note, armed with a bundle of Local’s Guides, a camera (and my very amateur photography skills), and an empty stomach, I marched on in to the expanse that is the Boston Local Food Festival, unsure of where to start.
I was greeted by chickens.
My badass local ink
Expecting to begin my day with a smorgasbord of local, at the first booth I instead found myself face-to-face with a biiig red mama hen, and to my delight, baby chickens! Well, by the looks of them, probably toddler chickens, but the point is, The Trustees of Reservations booth had garnered my interest. “Why chickens?” I asked while receiving a sweet temporary tattoo. The Trustees rep chuckled and told me that the chickens were sort of their mascot for the day. I learned that The Trustees is a non-profit Massachusetts conservationist organization with an activist twist, active in issues such as sustainability, CSAs, and environmental education, and one of their regional offices is located right in my hometown at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. Their motto, Find your place, set the tone for my day at the festival.
As I made my way through the tables, I continued to fill my mind before filling my stomach.
I tested my veggie IQ with Mass Farmers Markets.
I learned about sustainable food systems with youth volunteers of The Food Project.
I picked up some urban farming tips from Green City Growers. (Shoutout to SLF board member Jessie Banhazl!)
And then, it was on the local farmers, hawking their fresh produce and organic meats and dairy.
Mobile produce fresh from the Enterprise Farm bus...possibly coming to a Somerville location near you soon!
Juicy raspberries and sweet peppers, oh my!
Mmm, pumpkin and squash may be my favorite part of fall in New England...
Then, it was on to the local eateries. Of course, I made sure to stop by and say hi to some of our Somerville and SLF favorites!
I got to sample a Chocolate Ginger Bomb from 3 Little Figs, opening this month on Highland Ave!
Get BBQ on the go with the Redbones food truck!
Pizza from Flatbread Co. in Davis
The delicious eggplant and arugula sandwich from Sherman Cafe that my friend had for lunch
I indulged myself in a little dessert, courtesy of Taza Chocolate. I got to speak with Kate Hollis, a Taza marketing assistant, about Taza’s role in the local movement.
The festival wouldn’t be a true local food festival without demonstrations galore, including one by SLF member and blogger Miss JJ Gonson of Cuisine en Locale!
Global Local Vegetable Cooking Demo with Nadine Nelson of Epicurean Salon
"Brokedown Chicken Demo" presented by Michael Ehlenfeldt of Stone Hearth Pizza Co.
I crossed Seaport Blvd. to chat up participants in the Seafood Showdown. John Sullivan of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance introduced me to the monkfish, a tragically ugly, mysteriously delicious fish.
Out of everything that day, I was most struck by how BIG the festival was. I was amazed to find that the layout extended the entire length of the boardwalk from Congress to Seaport, and then some. We Locavotees may be the scrappy underdogs, but if the recent Occupy and Take Back Boston protests have proven anything, when we band together, we are a force to reckon with. Together, WE are the majority. Plus, we clearly have more fun doing it. I have certainly found my place within the local movement, and I hope to continue to help others find that local absolutely still has a place in the community in this day and age.
