Family Farmed

Fans and Followers:

This past weekend I was able to attend (That’s right. You guessed it...) another conference!

I don’t know about all of you, but never before have I enjoyed conferences and workshops as much as I do now! I fully believe it has to do with the great staff members at the Chicago Semester who can hook-a-girl-up with the best of the best opportunities that relate to me as an individual and who I aspire to become. With that said, let me tell you a bit about this blue ribbon exhibition I attended Friday and Saturday. 

 The conference was titled, “The Family Farmed Expo.” If I could summarize all the many aspects of this conference I would say that ‘it was an opportunity for professionals who attack food related injustices on a daily basis to come together and share their stories, expertise, advice, challenges, successes, insight, and wisdom into the plethora of issues regarding food in the Chicago-land and the United States.’ There were people from the entire spectrum of food production to consumption, from farmers, government officials, NGOs, non-profits, school nutritionists, and restaurant owners. Everyone represented a field of food that wanted to make the city of Chicago, and the whole country, a safer and more accessible place for food consumption. Major issues were covered, but one workshop I really enjoyed attending gathered successful restaurant owners in Chicago who also create menus of completely organic and local produce and meats. They discussed the importance of quality no matter what the food costs. They also have preserved the affordable costs of their food by reducing portion sizes. (Which Americans need anyway, no?)

The conference also had a food “market.” It had more than 100 local businesses who manufacture tasty, healthy, wholesome, sustainable foods. It was great to see which restaurants, butcheries, bakeries, and brands to look out for.

At the end, I bought a deck of cards, but not just any deck. I bought the “ a la card,” a deck of 52 cards with 52 top local and sustainable restaurants in the city of Chicago. On each card is the name, description, and prices of the restaurant. Best part? Each card is a $10 gift card to that restaurant! Needless to say, I will be starting a food blog about the 52 places I am going to visit in the next year! Interested in getting a stack for you? Go to this website: alacardchicago.com

Overall, it was ‘the cream of the crop’ of conferences. These issues have become ‘the apple of my eye,’ but before I get ahead of myself and ‘count my chickens before they hatch’ I’m gonna quit these farm idioms and check out my first card: Karyn’s on Green-Vegan Cuisine with a French Twist.

Bon Appetite!