I've been enjoying Keswick Creamery's products during my time at Fair Food Farmstand and I'd like to continue enjoying their products. And that is why I'm reposting a plea from one of my co-workers, Paul Lawler, who worked out at Keswick last year. Keswick is currently in crisis mode. From Paul…

I'm writing you with a really special request: one of our suppliers (and my former employers) Keswick Creamery from Cumberland Co. is in crisis mode trying to raise money pronto to keep their cows and most of their farm from being sold off—like as in $200,000 by mid month. Crazy right? I hope not, because after mid-month, their cows and machinery will be sold followed by the farm being put for auction. Once it goes for auction it will most likely not be bought right away but the family that has been running it for nearly 40 years may or may not be able to buy it.

If this farmstead goes off the map not only does the Farmstand (and Weaver's Way & Kimberton Whole Foods) lose delicious pudding, ricotta, quark and numerous raw milk cheeses but PA will lose invaluable members of the sustainable community in the Deitrich Cochran family. What Keswick is proposing is that patrons purchase Cheddar Notes, essentially shares that are like savings accounts or a CD, only with a better every 6th month interest return of 3.5%.

What the family is too shy to mention is that they are also awesome members of the sustainable community and buy supporting them we are helping support PA’s deliciousness and sustainability quotient manifold. Last year they founded a now thriving co-operative called Natural Newburg to help bring the goods of not just Keswick but all their immediate six sustainable neighboring family farms as well to the greater Philly area. Over the years Mark and Mel have pushed the development of raw artisinal grass-based dairy in PA and the region by teaching others farmers (and interns) how to get started. They have been very active organizers and donors for PASA (Pennslyvania Assocation for Sustainable Agriculture), who for many years have put on the largest conference on sustainability on the east coast. We feel the benefit of PASA as Philly area consumers every time we purchase from some new farmer who learned "x" new growing method or taste a new cheese from a dairy farm who took a cheese cave building class at PASA.

* * * * * * * * * *

From the farmers:
Dear Friends,
Would you like to make a profitable investment in a worthwhile (and credit-worthy) small-scale, local enterprise? Buying a "Cheddar Note" from Keswick Creamery is a great way to accomplish this. Since 1974, my parents have been dairy farming and milking registered Jersey cows.

In 1996, my husband, Mark and I graduated from Virginia Tech, his degree is in English and mine is Dairy Science. In 1997 we returned to the family farm to start Keswick Creamery. We made our first cheese in February 2001 and started selling at the Dupont Circle Freshfarm Market in late fall of 2001.

My parents are divorcing and my father wants to "cash out" his half of the farm, quickly. Mark and I would like to buy his share of the farm to continue farming and making cheese here, and are seeking investors to help through the sale of interest-bearing Cheddar Notes. Rather than paying all that interest to the bank, we would much prefer to pay it to you, our friends and customers. The relationship is mutually beneficial: we provide you a return on your investment at a rate higher than your bank pays you, while we receive financing for a lower rate than our bank would charge us.

A Solid and Growing Business:
We think we are a safe bet for investors. My mom has been dairy farming for thirty-six years and we have been operating Keswick Creamery and farming alongside her for ten years. We are family farmers in South Central Pennsylvania, milking dairy cows and producing a variety of cheeses, fresh and aged in our own licensed cheese plant right here on the farm. We are farming organically and humanely. We are in this business full-time and support ourselves (and our daughter) on it alone. In 2009 we sold over $250,000 of cheese. We currently employ (in addition to family) one full time and three part time people from our local community. We have deep roots here and intend to stay. The farm, equipment and processing plant and equipment have a value of over $800,000. We continue to become more productive each season and continue to diversify. Cheddar Notes will allow us to continue our vision here.

The Wax on Cheddar Notes:
A Cheddar Note comes in the form of a "demand note". This means that the money lent is payable at any time you request, in one lump sum. (The actual language on the face of the note is "On demand we jointly promise to pay…") Buying a note is easy to do: simply send us a check and we will mail you a signed note. To keep our bookkeeping manageable, we offer Cheddar Notes only in $500 increments. On December 1, 2010 and every six months thereafter we will pay interest—currently 3.5% annually—on the amount you have invested. The rate of interest we pay is tied directly to current money market rates, and will be adjusted every six months beginning December 1. Along with each interest payment, you will receive a new note bearing the adjusted rate. It's as straightforward and uncomplicated as we can make it.

If you would like more information about Cheddar Notes or about our business, feel free to call. We'd be glad to talk with you about all of this. We hope you see this as a great opportunity to invest in your local farmers, get a better rate than your savings account, and put your money to work for the cheese and pudding you love to eat. We hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely yours,
Mark and Melanie Dietrich Cochran
717-440-4650, keswick@pa.net
keswickcreamery.com

e's posted a rundown of bloggers who have already signed up to bake for the event and there are more on the list and more to come. Picky's going to bake some cookies for the event. They might be e's famous coconut, toffee, almond, crunch cookies a.k.a. the most delicious cookies in the entire world or some chocolate chip, dried cherries, sea salt cookies. While e's given her blessing to bake her cookies and hawk them in front of her own workplace, we'll see how comfortable we are to go ahead and do so .

See you there!

National Food Bloggers Bake Sale: Philadelphia
A Full Plate Cafe
1009 N. Bodine St Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 627.4068
Saturday April 17, 10a – 3p

I can't stand wine snobs and while Dave loves his wine, he's no snob. He's the first guy I can actually listen to talk about wine. He's excited about it, generally enthusiastic. I still vividly remember meeting him for the first time at a food blogger potluck when he brought a few bottles of vino for the gang to taste test. He didn't tell us how much each bottle cost or it's Wine Spectator ratings. He simply poured glasses, asked us what we tasted and refined our words with hints of this and notes of that inviting us into the conversation through each wine's bouquet and terroir.

We love telling friends about David's enthusiasm for wine and direct them to his reviews which almost always include PLCB numbers for easy access to what he's describing. Dave knows the limitations of PA's arcane liquor laws, but he makes the best of it.

He's busy with some stuff concerning his day job right now, but be on the lookout for a Snyder review. And if you're seeing this post form somewhere out in Yinzerville, Dave's hometown magazine is running a story with the same photo as above. Dave came over to our place, bottle of deliciously mushroomy vino in tote, for a photoshoot. We had a good time setting up shots shielding his mug with a CP. I thought it would be funny to stick a big old honeycrisp apple in the middle of a table setting, complete with bottle, in the shot.

Marisa's got two classes coming up and you can take part. She's got a post up on her blog about the classes at Philly Kitchen Share on Sunday

Cranberry Jelly
Sunday, November 15th
3 – 4: 30 p.m.
Philly Kitchen Share
$45 (price includes all supplies and one pint of cranberry jelly to take home)

And the newly relocated Fosters next Saturday

Cranberry Chutney
Saturday, November 21st
11 – 12:30
Foster's Homewares (their new location at 33 N. 3rd Street)
$39 (price includes all supplies and one half pint of cranberry chutney to take home)

Supplies are included, but afterward, you can stop by Fair Food Farmstand and pick up some local, heirloom cranberries as mentioned in Thursday's Inky column by Rick Nichols.

Here is the problem: we have no idea where. We are hoping to have a very small ceremony and restaurant lunch or dinner for our immediate families (about 25 people) sometime next spring. Later on, we'll have a big old party for all our fine friends. Since we are low-key and unconventional, you'd think this would be easy enough. But, it's not, because:

a) we want the food to be delicious, and
b) we don't have much money.

We're not looking for a reception hall or anything — just a good restaurant with private dining and a nice ambiance that won't bury us under a pile of debt. We are not particularly geographically limited: Philadelphia is our beloved home city but Messy is from Connecticut and Picky is from New York so we're open to those places as well.

We would love it if we could rent a place on a Friday or Saturday (so far all we've found is Sundays). It would be great if the food was local and/or organic and of course, we need something vegetarian friendly. This affair is likely to be blogged to bits so what we don't have in cold, hard cash, we can surely make up for in free p.r.!

Anybody got any suggestions? We appreciate the input!

Fellow lover of food and blogger Bob estimated the crowd to be about 200 people and given that he's a former reporter, I'll take him on his word. There were tons of people packed into the mid-12th St side entryway extending up a few stalls and stretching into the aisle by Carmen's and Olympic Gyro (whose stool I climbed up on to take this shot).

General Manager of RTM, Paul Steinke, got up and said a few words about the market and the ever-growing relationship with Fair Food. Everyone's come a long way in the last 6 years or so. A representative from the Department of Agriculture made the trip from DC to say a few words. They've been integral in promoting local food throughout the US recently. I'll save my political commentary on the Cabinet appointee for another time. Karen Randal, Director of Business Attraction, from the Mayor's Office also spoke about the local food scene.

Keynote speaker for the day was Marion Nestle, author and professor on all things food. She was in town for a conference and came by to commend the Market and Fair Food for their accomplishments. She lauded the crowd for coming out to celebrate the grand opening of a local food institution in such grand numbers and saw before her eyes the future of food in the United States. Above is the always dapper Steinke speaking with Nestle after the ceremony.

It was cool to see tons of media at the event. Here's a KYW reporter talking to my co-worker Genevieve about identifying good corn while Ann is being interviewed by Fox29 or ABC6 right behind her.

And here's a lady who was integral in the founding of Fair Foods: Judy Wicks. Steinke and Randal recognized her from the podium earlier and thanked her for her work at White Dog and beyond. Her impact on sustainable business is nationwide and it's pretty cool to have her in Philly.

Staffers new and old were at the opening to see how far the project has come. Speaking to Naestle to the right is former manager of the Farmstand Emily Teel and to the left is current manager Sarah Cain. I was thinking about getting a big old group shot, but there was so much going on with people actually working on top of networking, I thought it would hurt the vibe.

And here's new Farmstand GM Seth Kalkstein, formerly of DiBruno Brothers, catching up with Steinke during the opening madness. Seth will be bringing a little more big business savvy to the Farmstand in the coming months and years.

Here's KYW's reporter speaking with Sue Miller of Birchrun Hills Farm who makes an amazing blue cheese and a Highland Alpine which she has in her hand. And there's the representative from the USDA peeking into the frame behind her.

It was awesome to see a ton of regular customers come out for the grand opening. The Farmstand wouldn't exist without people committed to buying quality, local products. If you haven't stopped by yet, come on down. We'll be open 7 days a week starting this Monday. Bigger photos in this flickr set.

Also there was uwishunu. Bob's put up his post on the event as well.

Fair Food Farmstand
M – Sat: 8a – 6p
Su: 9a – 5p
215.627.2029
Reading Terminal Market
12th & Arch Sts

Genevieve and I closed up one last time and hit the lights on the end of an era. There were lots of regulars coming in sad to hear we'd be closed for a few days, but eagerly awaiting the new space along the 12th St windows offering up over twice the square footage.

Sunday rolled around and I got to sleep in since we were closed. Off to the market I went at 10.30a when we started taking the place apart. Baskets had to be culled, the produce ark was taken apart for reuse (Joe the Contractor is reusing a ton of stuff from the old farmstand and elsewhere in the new build). In the shot above is Farmstand Manager Sarah Cain cleaning the ark and you can see the piles and piles of baskets we went through.

We had to put up some apple crate barriers as people kept on coming over to ask for eggs or milk or ask where the food was. Does this scene look like there's a place open for business in it? Oh silly customers

Here's our Product Manager Emily Gunther looking tiny and forlorn in the produce ark-less space.

The awesome RTM crew made short work of the stuff we couldn't reuse for the new farmstand. Cue forklift! They used their brains before using their muscle, John Michael said.

So that was then and this is what is to come. Here's a shot of the new space taken on Friday.

Another shot from Saturday. The new space has twice the refrigerator space, twice the freezer space and tons more room for a larger variety of produce, meats and dairy.

Here's a shot from Sunday of the in-progress new space. Longtime staffer Colleen cleaned more wicker baskets than she cares to eve see again in her life. See that paint job on the wood? That's homemade milk paint made with week old raw milk which would've been poured down the drain.

We'll be re-opening Wednesday at 8am so come on by to the 12th St location. Please excuse all the kinks we'll undoubtedly be working out; it'll all be new to us. We're in the old Rick's Steaks spot one stall down from The Rib Stand. Here's a diagram to help you out.

And here's a link to a flickr set with more Fair Food Farmstand move photos.

Fair Food Farmstand
Tu – Sat: 8a – 6p
Su: 9a – 5p
Mon: Closed, but starting October 5, 8a – 6p
215.627.2029
Reading Terminal Market
12th & Arch Sts

Starting Tuesday September 22nd (or Wednesday the 23rd), the Farmstand will be at a spot with over twice the square footage of the old digs. More produce, more meats and dairy, more baked goods. More of the same stuff, added new stuff. The new space should be more customer friendly with more walking space, 2 checkout counters for when it gets busy and staff will be more out there for increased customer interaction instead of stuck behind the register in what we call the prep area. It's pretty exciting.

It'll be a soft opening and a lot of big and little things will be ironed out during the first week or two of operation; it'll be a soft opening. There will be a grand opening in early October. If you're in the market stop on by at the old spot to say goodbye to a location which has served us well and take a stroll over to the new spot and see what's to come.

If you'd like, you can still make the trek up to 710 W. Girard Ave and buy the same spices from the source, but as of March 2009, Foster's is the exclusive retailer for Tiffin's goods outside of their orange walls. We love Foster's — Messy won a wafflemaker from them in a random drawing and we love that they feature our buddies at Fork You so frequently. However, we highly recommend getting some full meals from Tiffin itself — the malai kofta, in particular, is a must-try. Messy has never had any as good anywhere else in the world!

Tiffin
710 W Girard Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 922-1297
(215) 922-1567
Hours: Mon – Fri: 11:30am – 10pm, Sat – Sun: Noon – 10 pm

Foster's Urban Homeware
399 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 925-0950
(800) 734-8511
Hours: Mon -Sat: 10am – 8pm, Sun: Noon – 6pm

Philly's got such an incredible food scene in all corners of the city. From the physical eateries to the paid reviewers to us: the lovers of food who pay someimtes ungodly sums of money for the food we love; scour the city to find the best deals on Heath toffee bits (if we can find them at all!); try dishes from every lunch cart in the line to keep things new; spend hours in the kitchen trying to get that recipe you saw online just right; sweat in the summer baking goods in the oven for friends you care about; gorge yourself with just one more bite because you must. I'm glad the dead tree people of old media are getting interested in what the rest of us are doing for little to no pay – certainly without an expense account.

But it should be noted that some of the Philly gang are getting monetarily rewarded for their passion, expertise and excellent prose: Marisa, one half of the on-screen duo that makes up Fork You! is the lead blogger over at Slashfood; David of Philafoodie is an instructor at The Wine School on Fairmount and a restaurant critic for The City Paper and Dynise of The Urban Vegan has an urban cookbook coming out in late 2009 to name a few of the success stories.

Philly's food scene is tops. And we've got 60+ foodie blogs to prove it with new ones popping up quicker than we can keep track of and subscribe to. Take a look at this [growing] list!

• 1 Wine Dude
• A Food Coma
• An Equal Opportunity Eater
• Beer Lass
• blogalicious
• Burning Pasta
• BYOB Map
• Challaman's Bread Blog
• Chicken-Fried Caviar
• City Joints
• Classic Wines
• CP: Meal Ticket
• Dish + Bitch
• Eatin' Good in the Hood
• Farm to Philly
• Farofa and French Fries
• Finding Philly
• Five Spice Duck
• Foobooz
• Food Country Restaurant Reviews
• food enthusiast
• Food Nerd
• Foodaphila
• foodzings
• Fork You
• fries with that shake
• Gastronomy Philly
• Gruel Omlet
• Holly Eats
• I'll Eat You
• Illadates
• John & Lisa are Eating in South Jersey
• Lavender Sky
• Le Petit Cochon
• Living on the Vedge
• Lyle's Guide
• Mac & Cheese Review
• McDuff's Food & Wine Trail
• Menupages Philadelphia
• Menutopia: Philly
• Minor Gourmandry
• Mutual Menu
• no counterspace
• Oh Kitchen What Won't You Do?
• Philadining
• Philadining – Quickies
• PhilaFoodie
• Philly Food and Drink
• Philly Food Guys
• PhillyCooksLocal
• PhillyEats
• Refined Sugar
• Robert's Market Report
• Spilt Wine and Sticky Rice
• StellaLand
• Straight from the Farm
• The Great Cheese Quest
• The Onion-Bean
• The Plastic Bowl
• The Real Potato
• The Student Stomach
• The Urban Vegan
• Trav's Gone Gluten-Free
• TV Food Fan
• Veggicurious
• when words fail
• Wild Thyme Kitchen