Celebrate local food in the Heights Oct. 1–6

This colorful produce was grown and purchased locally. [Photo by Jeff Coryell]

During the first week of October, the Heights will celebrate sustainability with Local Food Week. The event is coordinated by the Sustainable Heights Network and will feature events throughout the week, as well as a festival on Saturday, Oct. 6, at Grace Lutheran Church, 13001 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights.

Enjoy local food dishes at Nighttown, Brennan’s Colony and Barle Soup & Sandwich every day from Oct. 1–5, and experience a “fresh mob” hosted by The Wine Spot and Farmshare Ohio on Friday, Oct. 5, featuring Ohio wines and farm-fresh produce. Other activities, such as a movie screening about the local food movement and local farmer’s markets, are happening throughout the week.

The Local Food Festival on Oct. 6 will feature food preservation and composting workshops, and demonstrations from many organizations, including the Rid-All Green Partnership, The Ohio State University Extension, and Food Not Lawns, Cleveland. There will be food samples, and activities for kids.

Noelle Celeste, publisher of Edible Cleveland, will host a conversation between Douglas Katz, chef and owner of fire food and drink, and Jay Szabo of Dunham Tavern Market Garden, exploring the relationship between a chef dedicated to local food and the farmer who grows it.

Local businesses will also be participating in the festival, with ice cream from Sweetie Fry, and jams and jellies from the Charmed Kitchen, among them.

"Our food supplies are becoming less personal," said Keith Logan of Sweetie Fry, explaining one benefit of eating local. "The farmer doesn't know the community or the people who are eating his food. This is risky, as better decisions are made when we are close to the outcomes, especially about such things as chemical use, growth hormones and antibiotics."

In support for Local Food Week, Cark Skalak of Cleveland's Blue Pike Farm said, “Supporting local food is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Buying local gets you the freshest, highest quality produce.”

A complete list of Local Food Week events is listed on the Sustainable Heights Network website, www.sustainableheightsnetwork.net. Also on the website is a tab for Local Food Week recipes—a week's worth of recipes from the Charmed Kitchen, featuring food items that can be purchased from local producers, and tips for sourcing them locally.