Farm Fresh Rhode Island blog

Not counting the summery days we’ve already had this year, the one true sign of the end of winter is the rise of the asparagus stalks across otherwise empty fields. Whether you’re an all-time fan or not, asparagus means rhubarb, radishes, lettuces, spinach, chives, parsley and peas can’t be far behind. And you’ve got to be a fan of that! (See who’s growing asparagus)

But back to asparagus. Besides the crowns and stalks, all of an asparagus plant is underground. At some point you’ve encountered white asparagus and perhaps wondered, so where’s the phchlorophyll on these albino asparagus? Well, you may have noticed that the bottom of many green asparagus stalks are light in color. It’s because stalks and crowns are white until they rise from the ground and sense sunlight. Some clever farmers pile up extra layers of dirt on their asparagus so they grow to full size before ever touching sunlight. That’s the story behind white asparagus, though we don’t know any growers in Rhode Island.

The green/purple asparagus from Four Town Farm in Seekonk sold out in 40 minutes at the Wintertime Farmers’ Market. We’ll bring much more next week, May 3, which is sadly the last week of the indoor market. After that, May 10-31, some farmers and artisans will be at Hope High School on the intervening Saturdays 9:30-12:30pm until the official market kick-off on June 7.

There’s not actually much “new” about the commitment of this crop of grocers and food retailers to Rhode Island’s farmers. Most have been sourcing local foods since they opened their doors. A zesty welcome to the Buy Local RI campaign!

• Alternative Food Coop in Wakefield. Rhode Island’s only cooperatively-run natural foods grocery has established ties with many nearby farms and even hosts a weekly CSA pick up during the summer months.
• The Market at Cutler Mills in Warren. A treasure of local and organic foods in a reenvisioned mill. You’ll find the produce section stocked with freshly cut greens and favorites like Rhody Fresh in the dairy aisle.
• The Green Grocer in Portsmouth. Not even a year old and already an institution on the island, filled with fresh foods from Aquidneck and Sakonnet farms and other nutritious eats.
• Munroe Dairy in East Providence. A retailer on the moo-ve. In addition to their own milk, Munroe offers a grocery’s selection of food made at local area businesses, and this year they’re expanding their selection to include local produce. Order online and a spotted cow truck delivers to your doorstep.
• Urban Greens Food Coop in Providence. RI’s second coop is scheduled to open this fall, and will occupy the first floor of a brand new green building on Westminster Street in the West End. They’re now taking members.
• Farmstead Downcity in Providence. Good things come in tiny spaces. Just like at the Wayland Square sibling shop, their love of cheese flows floor-to-ceiling and into the delicious prepared foods awaiting the downtown lunch crowd.

Between 1972 and 2003, the number of dairies in Rhode Island dropped from 90 to 22. (It was a couple hundred in the early twentieth century.)

Fast forward to 2005, when five dairy farmers pooled their milk into the first batches of Rhody Fresh. Their milk quickly found a place on the shelves of groceries big and small. That was no small feat given major grocers’ slotting fees, and due in large part to Rhode Islanders’ phone calls and letters. Now Rhoda the Rhody Fresh cow is a familiar face found gracing cartons of half & half, coffee milk and chocolate milk across the state. And a Rhody Fresh ice cream may not be so far away!

Here are a couple of small producers that are big in the world of Rhode Island dairy. We’re happy to say that all of these Rhode Island dairies’ milk are certified free of artificial growth hormones (rBST) and happily graze in the sunshine.

• Rhody Fresh. A cooperative of 5 RI dairy farms that shares processing and sales. Beyond the grocery aisle, RI colleges have been very receptive: Brown, Roger Williams and soon RISD.
• Arruda Dairy. Family-run farm since 1917 in Tiverton.
• Wright’s Dairy. Family-run farm since 1900 in North Smithfield.
• Munroe Dairy. You’ve probably seen their cow trucks delivering fresh milk. Family-run for four generations, Munroe buys its milk from local dairies. If you’ve enjoyed Bliss Ice Cream, you’ve tasted Munroe’s cream. We’re also thrilled to announce that Munroe is joining the Buy Local RI campaign. In the coming season, you’ll be able to buy local fruits and vegetables through their online ordering system and have it delivered by cow truck.

But wait, there’s more exciting news! Following on the heels of a renewal in artisan cheesemaking, 2008 will see 3 new RI dairies. There will be cows a’milking in Cranston, Foster and West Greenwich. Now that’s something to celebrate this Earth Day!

The 2008 season will be the first time ever that low-income Rhode Islanders can pay for a CSA (Community Support Agriculture) subscription with Food Stamps. The initiative builds upon the 2007 introduction of Fresh Bucks for Food Stamps at farmers’ markets, and so continues Farm Fresh’s efforts to make locally grown foods accessible to all Rhode Island eaters.

There are 3 CSA drop-off points around Providence where low-income lovers of farm fresh veggies and fruits can use their benefits:

• Mondays – Upper South Providence
• Thursdays – West End
• Fridays – Kennedy Plaza

Thanks to generous funders, we’ll also be able to partially subsidize some of these CSA shares. If you are interested in a subsidized share or in being a donor, contact Sundeep.