Events / vegetarian recipe

September is our busiest month of the year and this year was no exception.  We spent 8 days at the Big E in Springfield MA and during that time we gave out over 25 gallons in samples alone, holy wow, that's a new record! Twenty five gallons translates to about 17,500 Fire Cider samples - in home compostable sample cups of course!  We are so thankful to everyone who came out and gave our strange tonic a try. [caption id="attachment_742" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Sheri and Dan taking their daily shots of Fire Cider at the Big E.[/caption] While the Big E was going on, four of us went to Baltimore Maryland for Natural Products Expo East, second only to Expo West which we will be attending in March.   We were lucky to have Daniel Esko, formerly of the Berkshire Coop Market join Team Fire Cider on September 2nd.   Daniel, Brain, Dana and I drove 6 hours to Baltimore, in two cars packed to the gills with Fire Cider for the Expo. [caption id="attachment_746" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Arriving at Expo East in the Baltimore Convention Center.[/caption] We had an awesome time at the Expo- we met a whole bunch of our retail partners, whom we have known for years via email and phone.  It was so nice to finally meet them in person!  We also connected with a lot of people who were excited to try Fire Cider for the first time as well as some super fans who went home with free bottles, t-shirts and shot glasses. [caption id="attachment_747" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Having fun at the Expo! Daniel, Brian and Dana with the backdrop I made.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_749" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Fire Cider was nominated for the NEXT award given out by New Hope Media who runs Expo East and Expo West, what an honor![/caption] It was certainly not all work for the three days we were at the Expo in Baltimore.  Mom's Organic Market, one of our retail partner's held a party at Alewife, a local bar with 40 beers on tap, at the end of the first day of the Expo.  We had a blast, thanks guys! [caption id="attachment_743" align="aligncenter" width="538"] The Mom's Organic Market party was the place to unwind after the first day![/caption] And we got a recommendation to try out a Butcher Shop and Restaurant called Parts and Labor that sources local and humanely raised, free range animals which they butcher and cook on site, using the whole animal.  This place was so similar to Fore Street in Portland Maine it's almost as if the idea of nose to tail local butchers working closely with near by farms is catching on! [caption id="attachment_754" align="aligncenter" width="538"] This Wendell Berry quote on the menu really captures the whole knowing your food and your farmer idea.[/caption] And on that note we ate about half the menu, our dinner ended with a recommendation from our server Issac who we will all remember forever for his insights: [caption id="attachment_752" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Best ham ever, it was truly a divine experience.[/caption] Thanks Baltimore, it was fun, it was exciting and we are already planning for Expo West in L.A. this coming March 2015! [caption id="attachment_750" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Sheri had more than a TON of shipping to do after the Expo, 4 pallets plus the cart, all in one day![/caption]

Our little pallet garden has been growing strong, we've picked a bunch of cilantro and made a few salads with all the greens.  The radishes never make it into the house, got to have something to eat while I'm picking food for a meal! [caption id="attachment_718" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Baby lettuces are delicious![/caption] Meanwhile, our garden in Richmond has turned into a Comfrey field.  And while Comfery is an amazing medicinal plant, it can not be eaten and it choked out all the rest of our plants! [caption id="attachment_719" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Dana whacking back the Comfrey, perhaps next year we'll grow vegetables?![/caption] We covered the whole garden up and will see if we can get a fresh start next spring.  What our garden at Green Means Farm lacked in vegetables this year, it made up for in hops, four different varieties, although the Cascades are doing the best by far! [caption id="attachment_720" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Picking hops really makes me want to drink a beer, they smell so good![/caption] Dana dried them out and has already brewed a 5 gallon batch with some of what we picked.   The brew should be ready by Friday, and we'll certainly enjoy it after our first day at the Big E!  Dana, Sean, Brian and I hope to see you there, we'll be on the Rhode Island side of the Massachusetts building all weekend!