July & August Workshops & Events in the Southern Alleghenies Region

The sun is shining, plants are growing & we’ve hit mid-season! Fresh fruit & vegetables abound as well as regional agricultural workshops & festivals!  Get the most out of this growing season by taking in a food preservation workshop or celebrating the harvest at a local festival!

July 17, 2013- Agronomic Field Diagnostic Clinic, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Huntingdon County

July 18, 2013- ServSafe Certification, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Centre County

July 18, 2013- Freezing For Winter: Vegetable Preservation, Oyler’s Organic Farm, Adams County

July 18, 2013- Extending the Garden Season, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Franklin County

July 19, 2013- Stroke Team: BP Screening & dietary advice, Altoona Regional Hospital Farmer’s Market, Blair County

July 20, 2013- Season Extension, Spring Creek Homesteading Workshop, Centre County

July 20, 2013- Butterflies and Pollinators, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Franklin County

July 20, 2013- Canning Under Pressure, Oyler’s Organic Farm, Adams County

July 20, 2013- Invasive Weeds, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Blair County

July 20, 2013- Starting a Permaculture Orchard, Spring Creek Homesteading Workshop, Centre County

July 24, 2013- Coping with Coops in the Neighborhood, Penn State Cooperative Extension Webinar

July 25, 2013- Covercrop Termination Guidelines, USDA/NRCS Webinar

July 25, 2013- Navigating Dairy Advisory Teams through DHA Records, Penn State Cooperative Extension Webinar

July 26, 2013- Perfect Pickles Friday, Oyler’s Organic Farm, Adams County

July 27, 2013- Totally Tomatoes Saturday, Oyler’s Organic Farm, Adams County

July 27, 2013- Food Preservation, Spring Creek Homesteading Workshop, Centre County

July 31- August 1, 2013- Invasive Plant Conference, Mid Atlantic Invasive Plant Council, Shepardstown, WV

August 1, 2013- Simple Salsa, Oyler’s Organic Farm, Adams County

August 2-3, 2013- PA Certified Organic Farm Fest, Centre County

August 3-10, 2013- Centre County Local Foods Week

August 3, 2013- Farm Fresh Pizza for Kids, Oyler’s Organic Farm, Adams County

August 4, 2013- Bike Fresh, Bike Local, PASA, Centre County

August 6, 2013- Crop Rotations on Diversified Farms, USDA/NRCS Webinar

August 7, 2013- PA “Clean & Green” Tax Program, Penn State Cooperative Extension Webinar

August 9, 2013- Nutrition Services: BMI health screening & heart healthy recipes, Altoona Regional Hospital Farmer’s Market, Blair County

August 10, 2013- Peaches Please!: Learning to Preserve Peaches, Oyler’s Organic Farm, Adams County

August 10, 2013- Centre County Farm Tour, PASA

August 12, 2013- ServSafe, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Blair County

August 13-15, 2013- Ag Progress Days, Penn State Extension Event, Centre County

August 13, 2013- PA Turf and Ornamental Field Day, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Centre County

August 13, 2013- Hazard of Flowing Grain and Safe Grain Bin Entry, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Centre County

August 14, 2013- Hazard of Flowing Grain and Rescue Simulation, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Centre County

August 15, 2013- Food Hub Benchmarking Study, National Good Food Network Webinar

August 16, 2013- Bioenergy Symposium, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Centre County

August 16, 2013- Nutrition Services: BMI health screening & heart healthy recipes, Altoona Regional Hospital Farmer’s Market, Blair County

August 17-18, 2013- Fourth Annual Laurel Highlands Garlic Festival, Faranda Farm, Somerset County

August 20- 22, 2013- Fundamentals of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), Penn State Cooperative Extension, Centre County

August 23, 2013- PA Community Forestry Conference, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Centre County

August 28, 2013- 13^th Annual Tomato Tasting Day, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Franklin County

August 30, 2013- Nutrition Services: BMI health screening & heart healthy recipes, Altoona Regional Hospital Farmer’s Market, Blair County

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Let’s Gazpacho!

I know it sounds like a new dance craze, but Gazpacho is actually a refreshing chilled summer soup!  Gazpacho is a wonderful side dish for summer cook outs, it would be a great addition to Sunday brunch, or even a quick and healthy lunch after a hot day in the sun. Since this soup is served chilled it is refreshing, hydrating, and full of vitamins and nutrients that have not been altered through the application of heat.  This is a great dish for this time of year in the Southern Alleghenies since tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic and basil are all in season.  Stop by your local farmers market and pick up the ingredients to try this refreshing soup today!

Late Summer Gazpacho

3 lbs. of tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
2 c. tomato juice
2 c. cucumbers, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 c. red, orange, or yellow pepper, chopped
1 c. red onion, chopped
2-3 small jalapenos, seeded and minced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Juice from 2 limes
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 c. basil leaves, chiffonade

Combine all ingredients except basil in a large pot and stir.  Remove a cup or two of the mixture and blend on high speed in a blender, then return to pot.  Cover and chill for 2-8 hours.  Serve with basil as garnish.

This recipe comes from Tammy Wolfe of Sun & Moon Creations. Tammy is one busy lady: she makes and sells all natural soaps, fragrances and home and body care products at the Hollidaysburg and Juniata Farmers Markets, is a wedding photographer for and part owner of London Wolfe Photography, a gardener, a mother, and she raises laying hens too! Thanks for the great recipe Tammy!

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