In the last few months, farm dinners have been popping up everywhere. And, let's be honest, they are often quite expensive. Readers often ask us what exactly goes on at a farm dinner. Do you just, like, go to a farm and eat? We asked Slagel Family Farm, host of last month's Publican farm dinner, to share some moments from a typical farm dinner. Hopefully, these will start to answer your questions.
What is a Farm Dinner Really Like?
How the Current Economic Climate Might Affect Your Grocery Bill
Watching the Dow rise and fall in recent weeks has been like riding a roller coaster with a bad case of stomach flu. It sank like a stone last week after Congress approved a $850 billion bailout and the credit markets remained frozen. This week, upon news that the Federal government will be partially nationalizing the nation's major banks, the Dow saw its biggest one-day increase ever. In a year in which we've seen skyrocketing grocery prices in relation to increased oil costs, the thought of paying even more for provisions crossed us more than once.
Say Cheese!!
This has been making the rounds at other blogs, but we still wanted to share it with you. Mike Gebert at Sky Full of Bacon followed around localvore hero Rob Gardner as Gardner acquired a pig's head from the Oak Park Farmer's Market, then took it to Mado, where chef/co-owner Rob Levitt promptly made testa (aka "head cheese") out of it. This video is not for vegans or the queasy, nor should it be.

