Category Archives: Orange County

Learn to can it in Carrboro

Posted on July 31, 2014 by didaniel

Curious about canning? Learn all about it on Aug. 16 at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market. Market-goers will learn how easy it is to preserve the best, fresh produce at International Can-It-Forward Day celebration, presented by Jarden Home Brands, makers of … Continue reading →

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Cycle to Farm offers the best of both worlds

Posted on April 4, 2014 by didaniel

Velo Girl Rides, organizer of the Cycle to Farm tour of local farms by bicycle, added two more locations to bring cyclists to beautiful local farms to enjoy stunning scenery, eat locally-grown and raised food, and buy products at local … Continue reading →

Posted in Buncombe County, Orange County | 2 Comments

Help RAFI help farmers with book project

Posted on February 21, 2014 by didaniel

RAFI (Rural Advancement Foundation International), based in Pittsboro, has an impressive project in the works. Growing Innovation will document 17 years of farmer innovation in North Carolina with an online library and printed book. These will be tools for farmers … Continue reading →

Posted in Chatham County, Farmers, Food, Orange County | Leave a comment

Everyone is clucking about local turkeys

Posted on November 16, 2013 by didaniel

I’ve seen plenty of wild turkeys in my day, but I’d never been around farm turkeys much until I wrote “Farm Fresh North Carolina.” When I was researching the book, in 2008, regular folks getting farm-raised turkeys for their Thanksgiving … Continue reading →

Posted in Brunswick, Chatham County, Cooking, Durham County, Livestock, Meat, Orange County, South Carolina, Wake County | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pepper Festival returns with more pep than ever

Posted on October 3, 2013 by didaniel

Somehow, regretfully, I end up being out of town every year for one of my favorite events — the Pepper Festival in Chatham County, so please go for me! This year’s fest, on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 3 to 7 … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Chatham County, Environmental, Family travel, Farmers, Food, Orange County | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Dig deeper with Taste Carolina food-farm events

Posted on April 25, 2013 by didaniel

I got to hang out with some of my favorite food purveyors last night — Farmhand Foods, which distributes local, pasture-raised meats, and April McGreger of Farmer’s Daughter Brand, sweet-and-savory queen of all that is preserved or fermented. And I … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking, Durham County, Environmental, Farmers, Food, Livestock, Orange County, Recipes, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Farm Fresh Orange County — in print!

Posted on March 13, 2013 by didaniel

I had a great time (but it was work, too!) organizing and writing content for a special 8-page guide to finding farm-fresh food and fun in Orange County. The booklet is first appearing in the March/April issue of Chapel Hill … Continue reading →

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Food fest recap: all yummy all the time

Posted on November 9, 2012 by didaniel

I was treated to some glorious dining and noshing events at TerraVITA in Chapel Hill last weekend. and now it‘s back to watching the waistline. I’ve witnessed this fine food and beverage festival, founded and run by the gracious and … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Dining, Orange County, Wine | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A hot, sweet time at Pittsboro Pepper Festival

Posted on October 7, 2012 by didaniel

It’s time again for one of the hottest events in the Triangle – the Pittsboro Pepper Festival, on Sunday, Oct. 14, in Chapel Hill. Who’s invited: Everyone interested in local food and sustainable agriculture and having fun and eating in Central … Continue reading →

Posted in Chatham County, Orange County | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Southern cooking: it’s a sides show

Posted on September 27, 2012 by didaniel

Lina found me crying over an ugly green plastic box the other week. I was reading through my mom’s recipes (she died in 2009), on yellowed index cards in her hand-writing. Her famous salmon cakes, always served with cole slaw … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Cooking, Food, Orange County, Wake County | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Do not miss this year’s TerraVITA food festival

Posted on September 26, 2012 by didaniel

Food and farm-fresh friends, I don’t mean to harp on this, but if you haven’t gotten your tickets to TerraVITA,  one of the state’s leading food and beverage festivals, you’d better do it soon. The three-day spectacular is in Chapel … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Orange County | Tagged | Comments Off on Do not miss this year’s TerraVITA food festival

‘Food Lovers’ Guide’ to the Triangle is out

Posted on September 17, 2012 by didaniel

My pal and busy “Durham Foodie” blogger Johanna Kramer just birthed her first book, and it’s a great one for food-minded locals and visitors to the Triangle. (And, really, who isn’t food minded?) “Food Lovers’ Guide to Raleigh, Durham & … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Dining, Durham County, Family travel, Orange County, Recipes, Wake County | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

TerraVITA triples the fun (get your tix now)

Posted on August 13, 2012 by didaniel

Wow, in only its third year, TerraVITA has become a leading Southern food and wine event, with a focus on farm-sourcing, artisanal producers. This year’s event has expanded over several days, with activities running Nov. 1 to Nov. 3 in … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Dining, Farmers' markets, Films, Food, Orange County, Wine | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Weathervane chef is star of the show

Posted on August 5, 2012 by didaniel

Chef Ryan Payne from Weathervane at A Southern Season took home $2,000, Dansko clogs, red chef jackets for his team and major bragging rights after winning the Fire in the Triangle series, a new chef competition organized by Got to … Continue reading →

Posted in Orange County | Leave a comment

Weathervane chef knows how to say Cheese!

Posted on July 24, 2012 by didaniel

Congrats to Chef Ryan Payne of the Weathervane at A Southern Season for rising to the top of the semifinals at Fire in the Triangle, which I helped judge last night. The secret ingredient was: Cheese! Sources for our nation’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Orange County | Leave a comment

It’s settled! Il Palio vs. Weathervane on July 23

Posted on July 19, 2012 by didaniel

I was already feeling lucky to be asked to judge one of the Fire in the Triangle chef competition sponsored by Got to Be NC. Then I learned I’d be judging the semifinals, on July 23, meaning I’ll get to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking, Dining, Orange County, Wake County | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Come toast NC beer and brewery guidebook

Posted on April 17, 2012 by didaniel

If you’re a fan of quality beer, belly up to tonight’s soiree at Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, where craft brewer Erik Lars Myers will discuss and sign copies of his just-released guidebook “North Carolina Craft Beer & Breweries” (John F. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Durham County, Orange County | Tagged , | 1 Comment

How can that even be?

Posted on March 22, 2012 by didaniel

As my partner, Lina, likes to say: How can that even be? How can NO North Carolina person or place be among the final nominees for James Beard awards? That’s just kooky. I guess we did so well in last … Continue reading →

Posted in Buncombe County, Durham County, Mecklenburg County, Orange County, Wake County | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

School teaches women small-scale farming

Posted on January 25, 2012 by didaniel

Private farm schools are cropping up like cucumbers in August, it seems. Now we have one in North Carolina, one for women only. It sounds pretty cool. Here’s the press release, issued this month out of Chapel Hill: NC Women … Continue reading →

Posted in Orange County | Leave a comment

It’s a Farm Fresh weekend! (holiday gifts, anyone?)

Posted on December 2, 2011 by didaniel

I don’t usually post my own events here (which are always listed under Author Appearances, above), but it’s such a big FFNC weekend that I thought I would. On Saturday, Dec. 3, I’ll start the day bright and early at … Continue reading →

Posted in Durham County, Farm Fresh book events, Farmers' markets, Orange County | Leave a comment