Happy Holidays

We hope you are enjoying this delightful holiday weather as you make your final preparation for the holidays!

Just a quick reminder that we will be CLOSED on Christmas and CLOSING EARLY at 4pm on Christmas Eve.

Even though the cafe is closed, there will still be a moon circle on Christmas Eve in the garden if you would like to join in.

Our favorite picks for last-minute holiday idea:

• Gift certificates and Gift Baskets from Dandelion are still available at the cafe
• The Ourlando 2012 Event Calendar is also available in the cafe and features the urban sketches of Thomas Thorspecken of Analog Artist Digital World. A collectors item for the local lover in your life. One is on display in the front room of the cafe for you to check out!
• Membership to Homegrown Co-op for the new year!

And here are some cool things we’ve found to make the holidays just an itty bit more enjoyable…

• Local Listen. Hey, It’s Christmas – Put this awesome album of local orlando musicians in your iPod rotation. Totally Free Download. This is volume two featuring a majority of Florida musicians. Volume one is just as awesome, see link at bottom of page.
• Gather. Around the tree – local, u-pick Christmas trees complete with hayride, petting zoo, zip lines, kettle corn at this family farm just 35 minutes north of downtown for your last minute tree needs. Trim off the branches when you are done and cut the trunk into block sized pieces – instant present for the cool kid in your life!
• Mystical Santa. We love holiday myths and legends of all kinds and we recently discovered the Mushroom-Santa Link. Should make for delightful conversation around the yule log!
• Simplify.Too often, the holidays seem to exhaust rather than uplift us. Take the 2011 Simplify the Holidays Challenge and get a free e-book full of ideas!

With love from the entire Dandelion Tribe!

Click for larger view of menu

We are happy to announce a delicious dinner menu available after 6pm during Eat Local Week. Dandelion is also hosting a film about the young farming movement. Click here for trailer & information.

Local Seasonal Vegetable Medley Soup featuring Jonathan’s Farms local produce including: Squash, Zucchini, and Green Beans.
Stuffed Portobella Caps featuring Zellwood Farms Portobella Mushroom Caps stuffed and served on a bed of organic spring greens drizzled with red wine demi-glace.
served with Quinoa Pilaf featuring Organic Tempeh from Gainesville’s Tempeh Shop

Local Beverage Options
Autumn Tea Blended by Local Herbalist Dawn Gates featuring 100% organic and feature biodynamically harvested Spanish Needles from Dawn’s Enchanted Garden and
Orlando Brewing Organic Beers

Click Image to go to Facebook Event

Sparkle is back! For More Information, click here.

This is our chance to change the world.

Hello sweet breezy weather that makes you want to get cozy with a fresh brewed cup of hot tea and a big bowl of homemade chili!!!! As we prepare for VegFest this weekend and with an eye on the upcoming Eat Local Week and Winter Park Harvest Festival, we cannot help but notice the sweet sound of transformation all around us. Dandelion is a place for everyone in our community to find common ground and our patrons make up a deliciously diverse cross section of ages, ethnicities, preferences, faiths, professions and income levels. We are a place where the 100% enjoy good food, including at least one of the 1%, the late Steve Jobs, may he rest in peace.

Chris and I opened the cafe because we became aware of injustices occurring across the globe that adversely affect the quality of life for everything and everyone on this planet of ours. We experienced moments of deep sadness and anger and even helplessness. We wanted to make a positive difference  but weren’t sure how. After many attempts and deep thought we realized our particular talents might best be put to use with our training in business and penchant for dinner parties.  Looking back at our beginnings, we understood so little compared with what we have learned from all of you in the past five years, but we knew in our heart of hearts that we had to be the change we wanted to see in the world. One of the most heartening and hopeful things we are witnessing is regular folks standing up for their rights, finding their voice, telling their stories and finding ways to create the more beautiful world our hearts tell us is possible.

We may disagree on who or what broke the system, but we all agree that is is broken. Here are my picks for some of the most inspiring, informative, interesting and intelligent concepts to help restore vitality, personal freedom and equality.

Further Resources

• Yes! Magazine —- the BEST publication in the world!!!!
• Center for a New American Dream
• Living Economies Forum with David Korten
• Sacred Economics by Charles Eisenstein
• The Soul of Money by Lynn Twist
• Business Alliance for Local Living Economies — of particular interest to small business owners
• Slow Money with Woody Tasch
• Economic Podcasts from Front Porch Radio hosted locally by Julie Norris

Do you have a resources you want the world to know about? Please leave a comment below!

Green Drinks

This month’s Green Drinks will be especially informative for those of you interested in creating a local food business or those who would like to meet other business representatives in the local food industry. Based on a recent suggestion, we will be discussing the new Cottage Industry law, as well as shared commercial kitchens, and the process it takes to get products into farmers markets and restaurants.

Green Drinks is held the third Thursday of every month starting at 7pm.

In order for us to fully understand the new Cottage Industry Law, which allows some small-scale food production for farmers markets to take place at the home, LuAnn Duncan will be joining us.  She is the Orange County Nutrition Agent and her focus is on nutrition, health, and food safety. http://orange.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty.html#LuAnn_Duncan

While the new Cottage Industry Law is a huge break-through, shared kitchens can bring almost any small food business to reality.  Talking with us this month we will also have Joshua Weinberg from the Kissimmee Kitchen Share, where their mission is “to provide culinary entrepreneurs with the tools and resources to build their dream business and succeed in today’s marketplace.” http://www.kissimmeekitchenshare.com/

Once the food is made, the next step is getting it to market.Gabriela Othon Lothrop the director of the Audubon Park Community Market will be sharing the ins and outs of getting into local farmer/community markets.   The Audubon Park Community Market is truly local market, supporting local artisans, farmers, ranchers, chefs, musicians, and so many more.  These authentic markets are springing up all over town, so come find out what it takes to get a space. http://audubonparkmarket.com/

The Green Drinks session is hosted by Emily Rankin, Founder of Audubon Park Community Market, Co-Founder of Ourlando and Proprietor of Local Roots Farm to Restaurant Distribution.

Click for photos of the nursery!

Looking for a good variety of vegetables and herbs from heirloom and organic seeds for your garden? Well, look no further! My Yard Farm has a fully stocked edible nursery on our patio with lots to choose from, and several varieties of your favorites like tomatoes & beans. Sweet Potato, Collard Greens, Tomatillo, Cucumber, Okra, Kale, Chives, Basil, Mint and SO MUCH MORE! While you are picking up some veggies, check out our own garden, in phase one of development. You can’t get more local than this!!!

Click for more info on the big hug event!

We were just casting our ballot for theOW Best of Orlando and realized that Orlando is SO coming into it’s own…. there are SO many quality options to choose from this year that it is hard to decide. Of course, we hope you will consider us for the Best Vegetarianand Best Teahouse categories again this year.

When we first started the cafe, we were avid promoters of some cool stuff going on in town because there were not that many outlets to discover what was happening when. Today’ there are lots of resources to choose from and we leave it up to those folks to keep you informed about what is going down in O-town. Here is our favorite list of go to resources for the latest and greatest in this town of ours (besides the Weekly, of course). If we’ve missed something, please let us know!

• Publications: Edible Orlando * Velocity Magazine * Playground Magazine
• Blogs: The Daily City * Central Florida Green Guide * Thor’s Sketch Blog *
• Radio/Podcasts: Front Porch Radio * Out and About
• Guides: Ourlando Local Business Guide * Slow Food Orlando * Simple Living Institute’s Sustainable Food Guide

Speaking of things going down, we do have just one itty bitty thing to whisper in your ear. It’s actually big. REALLY big. So big, it’s got three big’s in the title. And it’s going to be bigger than big if you participate and invite your friends. It’s a Big Big Big Hug happening Saturday, May 28th at 6pm on the lawn at the Fringe Festival. That’s right, a gathering of folks who just get together to give each other hugs. Big Bear Hugs. One Armed Patting Hugs. Quick Squeezes. Maybe even a few high fives for those needing their space. RSVP on Facebook or stay tuned to the blog for more info as it becomes available. Collaborators and co-conspirators are encouraged to get involved.

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’.

Read More (includes a quote from Julie Norris of the Ourlando movement): How the World’s Biggest Corporations, From Starbucks to Wal-Mart to Barnes & Noble, Claim to Be ‘Local’.

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.

Thomas Thorspecken

Thor sketched his own Art Opening at Dandelion – check out the photos below & then read Thor’s take about the evening and see the sketch here. This is the public’s first opportunity to buy what are the most famous Orlando sketches to date. Also view him in Winter Park Magazine sketching a Front Porch Radio show (he’s interviewed towards the end of that show).

Featuring the the documentary “Food Fight”
by Chris Taylor and food by Chef Josh Oakley.

Tickets: $18, includes hors d’oeuvre, beer, coffee and tea.

Durng last year’s Florida Film Festival, I watched the film Food Fight with a couple of other sassy ladies in the local food movement & we immediately began planning this “Farm To Table” event, knowing the time was right to introduce farmers, restauranteurs, chefs, and people who care about food to one another through Ourlando’s Local Food Alliance. We’ve got a young and ambitious local food movement in Central Florida, and this event is going to be a defining one in the history of Orlando. The film is one that chronicles the history of the local food movement, started by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in the sixties. Let your tastebuds guide you to this event which includes local beer, tea, coffee & hors d’oevres by Executive Chef Josh Oakley. You don’t want to miss it! Buy tickets & watch the trailer here: http://www.enzian.org/film/farm_to_table_ft._food_fight/

Orlando Weekly Cover Story

By Michelle Gienow

For the past three years, following the typical Michael Pollan–fueled, now-I’ve-seen-the-locavore-light conversion experience, I’ve been trying hard to feed my family good food. It’s more difficult than it sounds; the supermarkets are full of tempting, affordable, food-like products that ultimately owe more to industry than agriculture, once you start reading the labels. It took me an embarrassingly long while to figure out that buying foods so basic that they don’t have a label is the key.

I found myself shopping less and less at the grocery store and instead buying directly from the farmers who actually produce the food, sometimes at the farmers market, sometimes at the farms themselves. Thus it is always local and usually also organic – in practice, if not formal certification – and, helpfully, affordable. I tracked down these farmers and know about the food I’m buying because I’m interested and I ask. In doing this I am, as Pollan urges, voting for systemic change with my food dollars, though in my case that’s sort of a side bonus. This kind of conscious buying has come to be known as SOLE food, for Sustainable, Organic, Local and Ethical.

(Sounds a lot like our Flexitarian philosophy. — Julie)

Read the Full Article at the Orlando Weekly

Thanks to alert friend & customer Nanette, we’ve just been turned onto a brilliant concept called Slow Money.

Think about it: A million Americans contributing to a grassroots, non-profit seed fund supporting small food enterprises and building the nurture capital industry. . . Is it typical philanthropy? No. Is it investing as we’ve come to know it? No. Is it achievable? Yes.

Slow Money is a new nonprofit organizing an international movement to bring money back down to earth. Founded by Woody Tasch, a pioneer in merging investing and philanthropy, Slow Money’s mission is to build local and national networks, and develop new financial products and services, dedicated to:

• investing in small food enterprises and local food systems;
• connecting investors to their local economies; and,
• building the nurture capital industry.

Update: Interview with Woody on NPR

LOVE it! Sign me up! We just donate $25 bucks & you can chip-in too! (Deja vous?)

When Sarah Slack feels like having a salad, she doesn’t head for the refrigerator. Instead she goes out to the garden behind her home near the Orlando International Airport and picks salad greens and peppers to quench her craving.”It’s a great feeling to know where my food comes from and to have everything so fresh,” she said.More East Orlando residents are jumping on the local food movement that has been brewing in the area for nearly a year.

Last month Ourlando’s Local Food Alliance — a Progressive Local Alliance for Community Enrichment program — had its first public meeting where more than 50 local restaurant owners, farmers, grocers, policy makers and community members brainstormed ways to get more locally grown food on Orlando’s menu.The benefits of local food include a more healthful, fresh product, a stronger connection between the consumer and their plate, reduced carbon emissions by cutting transportation, and lower food costs.

Read entire article here: From farm to fork | The Voice | Serving Greater Oviedo and Winter Springs for more than 16 years..

After I opened Dandelion, I quickly began to understand that one community-focused cafe wouldn’t (and couldn’t) make it all by itself. Judy Wicks transformed her entire community through her own cafe in Philly & in this interview she explains my own observation about sustainable business so well:

“You cannot have one sustainable business. That’s not what sustainablility is about, sustainability is being part of a whole sustainable system. I couldn’t promote the family farms in my area by just my business,  if they are going to survive, you had to have a whole lot of restaurants buying from them. You had to have a whole local economy based on the same values….We need to work in collaborate & cooperation with each other, that’s the only way. If we continue to compete, we are all going to be losers.”

This insight is why I’ve worked so hard in the background on efforts to rebuild our local food connection & synergize our independent business community through the Ourlando, Think Local First movement and support groups like Slow Food Orlando & the Simple Living Institute.

From Yes! Magazine: “Social activist and local living economies advocate Judy Wicks says change comes when we are inspired to protect what we love. Consumerism has desensitized us to the suffering that underlies our economy. Judy Wicks calls us to choose life over lifestyles.”

This amazing woman is truly my mentor, she rebuilt the local food economy in Philadelphia out of the ethos of her cafe & eventually founded BALLE, a National organization dedicated to helping groups like Ourlando, Think Local First develop sustainable local living economies. It’s such a treat to have this amazing interview with such a “local” legend!