Local Food Hub's Spring Workshops

Yesterday's snow aside (or perhaps due to it), are you starting to get spring fever?  You're in luck, as the Local Food Hub has announced its spring workshops! Take a look and register if you're interested (you can now register and pay online). The Food Hub does expect these to sell out.

Sustainable Soil Management
Date: March 15, 2012
Time: 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Location: Maple Hill Farm
Cost: $25
RSVP: email info@localfoodhub.org or call (434) 286-2176
http://localfoodhub.org/events/workshop-sustainable-soil-management/

Beginning Beekeeping
Date: April 1, 2012
Time: 9:00am – 3:30pm
Location: Ivy Creek Natural Area
Cost: $35
RSVP: email info@localfoodhub.org or call (434) 286-2176
http://localfoodhub.org/events/workshop-beginning-beekeeping/

Edible Landscaping
Date: May 17, 2012
Time: 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Location: Maple Hill Farm
Cost: $35
RSVP: email info@localfoodhub.org or call (434) 286-2176
http://localfoodhub.org/events/workshop-diversified-fruit-production/

Local Food Hub Educational Farm at Maple Hill

Film Screening on 2/22: The End of the Line

Please join the UVa Food Collaborative next Wednesday, February 22, at 7pm, for their first film screening of the semester. The film is End of the Line, about our declining fisheries.  After the film, participate in a discussion with Environmental Sciences Professor Steve Macko and creators of the Charlottesville Community Supported Fishery, Jack Cochran and Doug Dickerson.

The event is at the UVa Architecture School, in Campbell Hall, Room 153. Free parking is available in the Culbreth Parking Garage.

Watch the trailer for the film here or below.
 

Meet Sydney Gunn: U.Va. Dining Sustainability Intern

Meet this year's U.Va. Dining Sustainability Intern, first year Sydney Gunn.

In her own words:

Hi! My name is Sydney Gunn and I am the first year UVa Dining Sustainability Intern.  I grew up in the Hampton Roads area and graduated from Norfolk Academy after 10 years of attendance.  I have always been very interested in the different things that I could do personally to help make our society greener.  I was really excited to get the opportunity to avidly work on initiatives to help UVa become a more sustainable environment.  I was so happy and surprised to see how much UVa Dining already did to work towards this goal and I am eager to be a part of continuing to make our Grounds more sustainable and green!

Sydney, Sustainability Intern

Happy Fair Trade Valentine's Day

Who doesn't like a little chocolate on Valentine's Day?! 

UVa Dining celebrated a sustainable holiday with free samples of Green & Black's Fair Trade certified chocolate.  Green & Black's chocolate is available for sale every day at Crossroads!

Dining Educators handing out chocolate samples and educating other students about Fair Trade products.

Look for these chocolate bars in Crossroads.

Samples and handouts.

Our Dining Educators (from L to R), Kierra, Ashley, and Sydney.

Here's some information about Fair Trade certification from the Fair Trade USA website:

Fair Trade goods are just that. Fair. From far-away farms to your shopping cart, products that bear our logo come from farmers and workers who are justly compensated. We help farmers in developing countries build sustainable businesses that positively influence their communities. We're a nonprofit, but we don't do charity. Instead, we teach disadvantaged communities how to use the free market to their advantage. With Fair Trade USA, the money you spend on day-to-day goods can improve an entire community’s day-to-day lives.

An informative video that sums up the benefits of Fair Trade is also available on their site.

We hope that the rest of your Valentine's is as sustainable (and delicious) as this portion was!

Free Chocolate Sampling Tomorrow (Valentine's Day)

You don't want to miss the chance to celebrate Valentine's Day in style tomorrow!  From 11-1, our friendly Dining Educators will be giving out free samples of Green & Black's organic and Fair Trade certified chocolate right outside of Crossroads (where Green & Black's is sold daily).  The dark chocolate (70% cocoa content) and almond flavors will be featured.  Come learn about Fair Trade certification and why it's an important part of UVa Dining's sustainability platform.

Twin Oaks Tofu Event: Recap

Wow - last night's tofu event was a blast!  I'm glad so many students stopped by the tables at Runk, Newcomb, and O'Hill to learn more about Twin Oaks and sample their delicious tofu (and perhaps even try it for the first time?!).

Take a look at the photos below and keep an eye out for the next time Twin Oaks tofu is served in our dining rooms.  (Hint: it's every day!)

The Twin Oaks Tofu logo and slogan sums it up.

O'Hill's tofu dish: Sesame Tofu and Cucumber Salad in a Mango Dressing.  One student claimed that it was the best dish she had ever eaten at O'Hill!

Richard hamming it up for the camera.

The tofu spread

Richard and Louise serving up the good stuff

Tofu cube samples

The station at Runk

Runk's dish: tofu teryaki slider with a sweet potato crisp and organic salad greens

Some of our Dining Educators holding down the fort

Chef Brett knows how to set up a beautiful plate presentation!

Tofu samples

Our Dining chefs at work

Tofu for the taking

Newcomb's dish was a tofu lo mein stir fry in a pineapple glaze

Sampling the herbed tofu - locally processed and organically certified

Serving up

The sampling tray

Tofu Tasting Tomorrow

What: Healthy Bites Tofu Sampling and Station

When: Wednesday, February 8, 5-8pm

Where: Newcomb, Runk, O'Hill

Did you know that UVa Dining gets virtually all of its tofu from a local processor (and intentional living community), Twin Oaks, in nearby Louisa, Virginia?  That's right: the tofu you see daily at the salad bar or in any number of dishes in the dining halls - even the tofu available at Burrito Theory in the Pav - is all locally manufactured.  It's also certified organic!

All three residential dining rooms will be sampling Twin Oaks herbed tofu and serving a tofu-based entree at their Vegetarian station tomorrow evening.  O'Hill promises to be a special treat as representatives from Twin Oaks will be on hand to help with the sampling and answer any questions you might have about tofu.

To whet your appetite, here's a list of what each chef plans to serve:

Newcomb -- Pineapple Soy Glazed Tofu with Lo Mein Noodles at the Vegetarian Station

Runk -- Teryaki Tofu Slider with Sweet Potato Chips at the Veggie Fair Station

O'Hill -- Sesame Tofu Salad with Cucumber in a Mango Sauce at the Vegan and Vegetarian Station

See you tomorrow!