Become a Patron, Get it Delivered with Your Local Groceries!

We are pleased to announce that you may now place your order for your favorite Dandelion goods through Homegrown Local Food Co-op. We currently offer Hummus, Chili, Whirled Peas and are going to be adding our dressings and more dips and sauces in the near future. With Homegrown, you place an order online, we prepare it for you fresh in the morning and it is delivered to your home that afternoon along with other local grocery items or you can visit the Farm Store on Orange Avenue and pick some up there. We are proud to be patrons and producers for this awesome local food gem!

About Homegrown: Homegrown Local Food Cooperative exists to ensure convenient access and consistent supply of locally grown foods that are ethical, organic and sustainable in production to the communities of Central Florida. Our mission is to support the production, promotion, and distribution of these foods throughout our region. Educating the community about the products we sell, and don’t sell, is our contribution to a healthier, better informed community. Inspiring and empowering our members to grow their own organic food is our commitment to a sustainable future.

Pre-Order Today

For Thanksgiving, we’ve crafted a homemade feast for your enjoyment. We use delicious organic ingredients that are completely vegan and gluten free! Our gluten-free “Feast” is pre-cooked and packaged –  just reheat and enjoy when you get to your Thanksgiving destination.

Sorry, we are not able to accept any more orders at this time. Check back for a Christmas feast in December!

The Thanksgiving Feast To-Go is vegan, gluten-free, organic and homemade.  You will get a Marsala Mushroom Nut Loaf, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Roasted Root Vegetables, Cranberry Ginger Sauce and Corn. Single serving is $14.95 or $49.95 and feeds a family of four.

Listen up fans of probiotics and coconut water!!! KeVita has arrived – a probiotic beverage made with coconut water and apple cider vinegar. I about freaked out when I saw the marriage between kefir and coconut as I love cultured anything almost as much as I love coconut water. Then, I wondered if it would taste good. I find store bought kombucha a bit too much for my tastes, and hoped the addition of apple cider vinegar wouldn’t kill the flavor for me. As soon as I opened the bottle, I knew it wasn’t going to be overpoweringly vinegary and once I tasted it, well, I about melted right there in the produce section. It took about a month for us to get it in, but I am so ecstatic that Dandelion is now carrying this awesome, totally delicious, totally good for you drink.

[This article appears in the March/April 2011 edition of Velocity Magazine with the theme of “Velocity.” Read the article online in it's original format here. Or pick it up outside of Dandelion now.]

Authenticity Resonates!
by Julie Norris

We are just into the new year and it feels like someone hit the fast forward button…big shifts abound and it looks to be happening to everyone at once. Is it written in the stars? Perhaps, but I don’t need a star chart when I have the priviledge to to engage in conversations with a wide cross section of people as co-proprietor of Dandelion. Now, more than ever before, it seems that people are seeking authenticity in all it’s forms, discarding that which does not resonate anymore.
As we are able to share & readily find truthful information with a quick finger dance on our various communication devices, we are able to make informed choices by opt’ing in for more information at our own comfortable pace instead of having one side or another pressuring us in some way. Instead of backing away from additional info, as would be the natural reflex under pressure, we are able to embrace new topics, especially ones that improve our health & happiness.
I’ve never seen a more powerful motivator than one in which someone discovers (on their own, of course) that they have been duped, and it seems that more and more people are welcoming positive shifts towards a more conscious life by starting the journey towards real food and away from a national food system that is in a state of emergency. Real food is closer to nature’s design than a scientist who concocts fake blueberries for your frozen waffles in his laboratory. (True story, check the label on the Publix brand next time you are there).
All this is great news for all those in the burgeoning good food movement right here in Central Florida. Since Dandelion opened it’s doors five years ago, we’ve kept our commitment to serving whole food that is delicious, organic, vegetarian, and prepared in a healthful way. In a country where obesity is epidemic and depression is at an all time high, the vast majority of our customers are fit and have easy smiles and relaxed attitudes. From this unique environment and my own personal experience, it is obvious that food grown close to nature and prepared with health in mind, benefits each and every one of us not just physically, but mentally and spiritually on personal, societal and environmental levels.
This mass shift towards healthful food is perfectly timed – as our consciousness makes rapid new connections, our system will require a cleaner diet so that we can recognize and follow the voice of our intuition instead of the roller coaster ride that sugar, processed food, chemicals and unnatural growth hormones that bark orders at our confused bodies and minds.
Most folks who are new to healthy eating always ask: “How many calories does this have?” My response is always: “I don’t count calories, I count quality.” In my opinion, counting calories is one of the worst gimmicks introduced. I strongly believe that we must learn which questions to ask. When I think about the health of food I ponder these questions:

Who is the grower?
Where was it grown & processed (and what were the processing techniques)?
When was this grown and picked? Is this in season? What degree of ripeness am we consuming? How fresh is it?
What interference has this had from man in the form of chemicals, genetic manipulation, flavor “enhancers” like sugar and additives, or preparation methods that decrease the life force of the food?
Which life forms (people, animals, eco-system) were involved in the production, manufacture and distribution and were they treated fairly, respectfully and compassionately?
How was it prepared? Is it vibrant, crisp and delicious? Are oils, sugars and condiments of the highest quality and used in moderation? Does it look appealing? Does it smell amazing? Was it made with love?

I believe if we look at the answers to these questions, and eat according to our new understanding of the energetic nature of nourishment, we will be able to shift our palette’s away from fake food.
If you have already made a shift towards healthy eating, introduce your curious friends to the change you know has worked for you. Instead of a passionate speech about how bad this or that is for them, serve them a delicious homecooked meal, hand them a cherry tomato right off the vine in your garden or treat them to a meal at your favorite healthy restaurant.
As time seems to speed up, let’s slow down with our loved ones around a table filled with homecooked, healthy food.

WHAT’S “ORGANIC” ABOUT ORGANIC? is an entertaining and educational documentary feature that dives into the challenges that arise when a grassroots agricultural movement evolves into a booming international market. Through the stories of farmers who steward land from upstate New York to Central Florida, the film offers audiences a deeper understanding of the difficulties involved in creating a more sustainable food system and creating a healthier environment. As we experience the devotion and passion that the farmers demonstrate in their adherence to the ecological and social principles of the organic movement, our questions begin to be answered. The audience is compelled to understand the marketplace challenges these farmers face and gain respect for their efforts to produce food that is not only healthier for the public, but is also a positive solution for our environmental crises. This movement is taking place in our own back yard—Co-Producer Marty Mesh, Executive Director of Florida Organic Growers and Consumers (FOG), head-quartered in Gainesville, is featured in the film for his involvement in the Florida Organic movement. Director and Co-Producer Shelley Rogers will be in attendance to answer your questions and discuss issues raised by this important film.

The answer is: It depends.

Our Food Philosophy outlines our thought process in depth when it comes to making these choices  in our region, but deserves some elaboration in light of a recent surge in local food.  In this article, organic is dismissed as a tree-hugging environmentalist cause in favor of local & seasonal like the Europeans do it. The fact of the matter is, the Europeans do it local, seasonal AND organic, all three go together almost without exception. Most of em go one step further and do it biodynamic, but I digress. I’d love to see how customers would respond to a menu that states: we use local tomatoes, plucked fresh from the pesticide-laden vine – enjoy!

The article, dismisses organic entirely as if it’s some green fad, yet most of the local suppliers mentioned are organic in practice, if not in certification. In fact, Deep Creek Ranch gives a really awesome explanation of why here, Rest Haven Farms talks about their methods here, Long & Scott tells it to us here. A distinction needs to be made about the challenges in certifying products and not decrying the practice of sustainably managing our crops, flocks and herds.

Let’s ask this question again, but in a different way. Would you rather feed your kids:

(A) a locally grown strawberry from a medium size farm you’ve never been to that has been grown with pesticides that are known carcinogens (see list of chemicals commonly used)

(B) a batch of certified organic strawberries from a big farm trucked in from California

(C) strawberries which were locally grown using organic principles, but were not “certified” organic since the small-scale farmer who grew them can’t afford the certification process and/or has a steady stream of customers who know him personally & take him on his word that he’s not poisoning your family or the rivers & streams.

(D) strawberries you grew yourself in your backyard, without pesticides.

I’m not the one to tell you what the correct choice is for your family, but it is important that you understand your food options at a deeper level so you can make the most informed decision given your circumstances, which may also be influenced by convenience, cost and how you prioritize your time. At Dandelion, we choose a blend of B, C & D.

Now, let’s elaborate on our answer. It depends… first on what your definitions of “local” & “organic” include. These words used to imply small scale, independent, sustainable, fair, artisan crafted, heirloom varieties. Nowadays, these words have been stripped of their soul. For example, Lay’s markets their potatoes as “local” in Florida because of their proximity, regardless of the fact that they operate as a huge industrialized agricultural operation. Additionally, the crops are not organic in the least, the potatoes are grown in fields where farmworkers are treated poorly, and the end product is actually under massive recall (not being reported in American press) at the moment. (Interesting piece about Lay’s Local marketing effort by a potato industry insider and a fabulous NYT piece here. More on the Localwashing movement in general here.)

On the organic front, a distinction can be made between “certified organic” and what I call “relationship organic” which happens when small scale growers & producers follow or often exceed organic standards but are not officially certified due to any number of factors including: cost of certification, use of hydroponics (not able to be certified), or simply because the consumer has a relationship with the grower and can discuss what pest-control, fertilization, etc methods that are used.

For more elaboration on Dandelion’s approach & practice, read Our Food Philosophy and our sections dedicated to Local & Organic.

I will leave you with one final thought – this one about flavor. On the one hand, choosing local, organic, seasonal & artisan food almost always ensures the best flavor, and I’m a big fan of delicious tasting food (as ya’ll know since you eat at Dandelion). However, let’s keep it in our consciousness that our palette cannot distinguish whether or not the health of a farmworker, animal or ecosystem was sacrificed for our momentary pleasure. We must first see & hear for ourselves what has brought some morsel onto our plate so that all of our senses might be delighted in knowing that people, animals and earth were all respected and honored in order to satisfy our hunger.

Julie Norris, co-proprietor of Dandelion Communitea Cafe near downtown Orlando, said that the local farmers were not only chosen for their proximity. Their independence from the mass markets allows them the freedom to emphasize quality. “It’s so important to know your grower,” Norris said. She said with the overuse of pesticides, environmental impact of big agriculture and the poor treatment of farmworkers, the best way to know that the food is good, clean and fair is to build a relationship.

“I’m all about organic food,” Norris said, “but when it comes to a small grower, they can’t get that certification because it’s expensive. But if I know the person and I know what their growing philosophy is, I call that relationship organic. The reason we have a USDA label is because we’ve lost our connection to who’s growing our food.”

Read the entire article here: Central Florida Future – Restaurants showcase ‘slow food’.

The next couple of weeks are going to be delicious, educational and entertaining, we promise. Here are some highlights:

For more on the local food movement, watch the above video (taped in 2007) and check out our answer to Why Local?

Eat Local Week by Slow Food Orlando is January 25-31st

As you know, Dandelion is dedicated to helping grow the local food movement. We’ll be participating in this special effort to source within 200 miles of Orlando with a Southern inspired plate of Collard Wraps from My Yard Farm edible installations, Rock Bottom Farms Mushroom Pilaf, Deviled Eggs from happy chickens over at Lake Meadow and more. Be sure to tune into Front Porch Radio on Wed, Jan 20th for a discussion with Chef Josh Oakley of the Enzian about the state of Slow Food in Orlando.

…but be sure you know your grower!

Florida is filled with big corporate ag. When we talk about eating local, we don’t just mean proximity, we mean supporting independent growers who take social & environmental responsibility into account. You are invited to join the National Farmer Workers Ministry on Thursday, January 28th at 7pm to discuss the plight of modern day farm worker’s and how you can help stand up for what is right. Listen to this podcast about modern day slavery, child labor and the human rights crisis taking place in the fields of Florida.

Tuesday, November 17th // 6:30 to 8:30pm

Includes dinner & wine or beer. Julie answers your questions about sustainable, organic, local and ethical eating while exploring the concepts of Flexitarianism with open discussion amongst participants who want to share their own knowledge with each other.

Limited space available. Reserve your seat at the table today.

$35 + Tax