Radio Naturopath Episode 311: The Benefits of Farmer's Markets and CSAs, and Fiber!

This week, I showcased our wonderful farmer's markets an CSAs. I talked about the benefits of them, the quality of the organic produce, the reduced effect on the environment, and the benefits to the community. I also talked about health reasons why their produce is so good for us, and an aside on the great benefits of fiber.

Radio Naturopath Episode 203: Interview with Diane Dorfer, Jiff Martin and Sydney Clements: CSAs and Get to Know Your Local Farmers!

Today I interviewed Diane Dorfer of Cobblestone Farm CSA in Mansfield, CT; Jiff Martin, Sustainable Food System Associate Educator for UConn Extension; and Sydney Clements of the Windham Community Food Network. There are great events coming up: the alliterative Friends and Farmers Family Fun Night, Friday, February 22, 5:30-8:30 PM at the Mansfield Community Center; and the Know Your Farmer Fair at Windham Town Hall, 979 Main Street in Willimantic, Saturday, February 23 10:00 am-1:00 PM. We talked about these great opportunities to get to know your local and regional farmers. We also talked about CSAs and why they're great; the Taste of Mansfield, pulling farms and farm events together with the community; and also the great work of the Windham Community Food Network. They are working on a double your dollars the Willimantic Farmers Market for your SNAP/EBT benefits; working with the Spring Valley Student Farm, Willow Valley Farm, and Cobblestone Farm to allow gleaning; and also the UConn Food Recovery Network, which gets food from local establishments to distribute to food pantries. Lots of great stuff going on with local, natural food!

Radio Naturopath Episode 157: Interview with Diane Dorfer of Cobblestone Farm, Know Your Farm Fair; and Celeste Kurz of Spring Valley Student Farm, A UConn Learning Experience!

Today, Diane Dorfer was one of our guests. She lives down the road from Ron and me with her lovely husband Bryan Connolly and their two awesome kids, William and Cordelia! Diane and Bryan have this great farm, Cobblestone Farm, on Bassetts Bridge Road in Mansfield. They run a CSA out of it, and also sell at the Storrs Farmers Market. I have eaten their food, and it's awesome, especially Bryan's special PSYCHEDELIC HYBRIDIZED TOMATOES! Bryan is a Seed Saver, and preserves great varieties of seeds for posterity. He is a professor of botany at Connecticut College in New London. Diane came on to talk about farming, and also to promote the Know Your Farm Fair in Willimantic on February 24, 2018, at Windham Town Hall! There will be many farmers there, workshops and talks, and good farm stuff. We also had Celeste Kurz, who is an agriculture student with a Spanish minor and the treasurer of the Spring Valley Student Farm, and she was promoting the Farm Day here at UConn where students can get to know the farm, on March 23 from 4-6 PM! Spring Valley Student Farm is about five miles from the main Storrs campus, and students can go there and work and learn all about farming!