Meet Local Farmers, Ranchers and Fishers; Cooking Demos from Nostrana, Grand Central Bread, Meals4Heels and Sebastiano’s.
Portland, Ore., Jan. 27, 2022 – The Pacific Northwest Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (PNWCSA), a Portland-based nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a sustainable local food system via community supported agriculture (CSA), today announced its 7th Annual CSA Share Fair Event, to be held on February 27th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Ecotrust’s The Redd on SE Salmon. At the Share Fair, attendees will meet local farmers, ranchers and fishers and learn about CSA and the wide variety of CSA memberships available. A diverse array of cooking demonstrations from celebrated local chefs and cooks will showcase local, seasonal ingredients.
“We’ve seen growth in every aspect of CSA sales. For the past couple of years, most of our farms have sold out of CSA shares more quickly than ever before,” said Holly Hutchason, executive director, PNWCSA. “Share Fair is the best way for people to connect with farms early in the season, when they can choose from the greatest variety and options available and get help from friendly staff in finding the ideal CSA share for their households.”
Cooking Demonstrations Feature Seasonal Eating
This year’s event includes a dynamic series of local chefs and cooks who will surely inspire attendees by sharing their unique ideas and recipes on how to cook using seasonal ingredients.
Laura Ohm, product director of Grand Central Bakery. Laura brings responsible sourcing and local flavor to all of Grand Central’s amazing food. As an avid home cook and long-time CSA member, Laura will share some of her recipe tips and provisioning insights.
Nikeisah Newton, chef and founder of Meals4Heels, the world’s only late-night meal delivery service that caters to sex workers and sex-positive clientele. Newton will share one of her nourishing vegetarian grain bowls, with vegan and gluten-free options.
Cathy Whims, chef and owner of Nostrana. Whims is a storied, local chef of the popular Italian restaurant, Nostrana. Whims will create a dish made from locally-grown winter produce.
Dan and Elise Gold, owners of Sebastiano’s Sicilian Deli. Located in the Montavilla neighborhood, this deli offers unique Sicilian-inspired flavors made with local ingredients. They will share their process and ideas for marrying traditional Sicilian dishes to ingredients available in the Pacific Northwest.
Fun Activities Engage People With Their Local Food System
Besides meeting local farmers, the Share Fair also features lots of activities that engage people with their local food system. Children’s activities, raffles of specialty food and spirits, fine art curated by Culinary Breeding Network, and information on how to purchase CSA shares with SNAP make this an exciting and informative festival for everyone interested in healthy, local food.
People who sign up for a CSA share will receive thank-you bags filled with curated items from local producers including Baker Creek Rare Seeds, The Bitter Housewife, Bob’s Red Mill, Dave’s Killer Bread, Elephant’s Deli, Grand Central Bakery, Jacobsen Sea Salt, The Meadow, Portland Nursery, Portland Farmers Market, Willamette Valley Vineyards and more.
The 2022 CSA Share Fair is made possible by grants from East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, Ecotrust and the USDA.
Due to COVID, vaccination cards and masks are required for entry.
What is CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) connects individuals and local farms in a mutually supportive relationship. In a CSA, people become members of a farm in exchange for recurrent shares of the seasonal harvest. This relationship transcends the usual commercial transaction by having farmers and members share the risks and benefits inherent to agriculture. CSA provides consumers with a deep connection to their food and the people who grow it.
About PNWCSA
Founded in the early 1990s, the Pacific Northwest CSA Coalition is committed to providing education about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), supporting farmers who provide quality local food to local communities and increasing access to healthy food for underserved communities. PNWCSA has played a key role in advancing CSA in the region, which currently includes more than 35,000 households and more than 75 CSA member farms. PNWCSA is a 501(c3) nonprofit organization. For more information, please follow on Instagram, Facebook and visit http://www.pnwcsa.org.