Mar 11: Local Food Showcase: grower/buyer event

Penn State Extension, Allegheny County, and co-sponsor Chatham University are proud to announce the first annual "Local Food Showcase: a Grower / Buyer Event". This event brings together Western Pennsylvania farmers, value-added producers, food industry purchasers, and consumers. If you grow food, cook food or eat food, this event is for you!

This is a great opportunity to find local sources of fresh and processed foods for retail, restaurant, CSA (community supported agriculture), wholesale, farm markets, and home use. This event features a tradeshow format to foster networking. These local food producers will be displaying their products and seasonal availability to potential customers. In addition, there will be demonstrations, tastings and educational information on local farms, biofuels, composting and gardening. Many area organizations will be on hand contributing to this event.

Pennsylvania agriculture yields an amazing variety of food. The full spectrum of locally produced foods will be represented including fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, cheese, baked goods, sauces and salsas.

The goal of the "Local Food Showcase: a Grower / Buyer Event" is to foster economic development through business relationships between farmers and chefs, retailers, wholesalers, institutions, for the upcoming 2010 growing season and beyond. It is part of a larger effort to strengthen the local food infrastructure in Western Pennsylvania.

The event will be hosted by co-sponsor Chatham University, in the Mellon Board Room, Pittsburgh PA 15232, on March 11, 2010 from 1-4pm. Farmers and vendors can register for this event through Penn State Extension, Allegheny County by contacting Heather Mikulas at 412-473-2540 or hem12@... Registration deadline is February 26, 2010. The public is invited to attend; the entrance fee to the event is $5.