The Farm to Fork Initiative
2009-07-15
The Farm to Fork Initiative is part of a growing movement in Stellenbosch to support local, organic and in season produce grown by local small farmers. The Sustainability Institute's initiative sources vegetables and other produce as far as possible from within their own foodshed, supporting local farmers and providing nutritious meals at the same time.
Kate Schrire of Slow Food Cape Town is working with onsite staff, headed by cook Coleen Leith, to make the Sustainability Institute’s lunch-time meal as natural, healthy, accessible, affordable and delicious as possible. After all, getting back to basics, shouldn’t sustainable living also include what we put into our mouths? Yet, the Sustainability Institute took this one step further by deciding to cut out meats altogether from the meal plan. And, no, the intention is not to turn everyone into vegetarians. Rather, as Kate explains, “ethically grown meat is difficult and expensive to source, and besides, few of us eat enough vegetables in our daily diet. Further, our programme wants to celebrate local producers and the food they grow…and around Stellenbosch most emerging, small-scale farmers grow vegetables.” However, the switch from outsourced catering to in-house sustainable catering has been no walk in the park.
For those inspired to follow in the Sustainable Institute’s lead, Kate lists a number of areas in which change must take place:
Unless you already have a fully stocked kitchen, you may need to invest in cooking equipment
Skills training needs to take place in order to teach catering staff new recipes as well as the rationale and ethos behind sustainable catering. At the end of the day, it’s all about how well the catering staff adapt to the programme.
The ongoing search for recipes commences…a good idea would be to keep a recipe file.
If not already in place, stock-keeping systems and other checks and balances will have to be implemented
You’ll need to create a supplier network. Often this occurs through word-of-mouth and the ‘snowball effect’.
Loads of commitment is essential!
Currently the Sustainability Institute sources its food from three different farmers, although Kate admits that it’s been a struggle to find local butter, eggs and cheese. As Kate explains, “what we have going is not a perfect system, but already we are making a very positive change…and we’ve received loads of compliments from the hungry hordes who eat here on a daily basis!”
Anyone interested in revolutionising their kitchen and getting Kate on board for advice, please do so at the following contact details. Also, if you know of a local cheese, butter or egg farmer who produces all natural food, please also contact Kate at the following contact details - Kate Schrire: Cell: 083 645 4582 / E-mail: kateschrire@gmail.com
Ooh, and check out Coleen’s yummy dhal curry recipe with the full story by following the link below. For more recipes keep your eyes pealed for our up-coming newsletters.
Dhal Curry (Goes super well as a topping for baked potatoes!)
Serves 10
Ingredients Approximate cost
Red lentils - 500g R22. 72
Tomatoes - 500g R4.00
White onions - 3 R1.50
Green peppers - 1 R2.40
Curry leaves - 6 R0.10
Garum masala - 6TBS R0.10
Garlic - 4 cloves R0.80
Ginger powered - 2 TBS R0.10
Salt - 1 pinch
Pepper - 1 pinch
Total R31.72
METHOD
• Finely chop onions, tomatoes and green peppers. Cook lentils in boiling
water for 15 minutes or until soft.
• Saute onions, green pepper and tomatoes until starting to soften.
• Add curry leaves, garlic, ginger and the masalas.
• Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
• Add the lentils and cook for another 3 minutes.
• Season to taste, serve.