What's Ripe in the Lowcountry?

So, here in the Lowcountry our climate is a bit different than other parts of our lovely state and we thought it appropriate to make sure those of you who are trying to keep it REALLY local might appreciate knowing what is actually in season here!  LLF has created several pieces to make this easier for you, first our Eat Local artist poster created by Karin Olah.  Karin has produced 4 seasonal posters for LLF that beautifully display the bounty of the Lowcountry and list fruits, veggies, seafood, meats and poultry by season.

The second piece is the long awaited Ripe Chart for the Lowcountry is out and looking very beautiful!  We are grateful to the talented Jay Fletcher for pulling this great and valuable resource together for us!  You can pick both up at the LLF farmer's market booth and any LLF event.

This fall we will be producing a "kid friendly" version of the poster for Charleston County Schools!

Remember to celebrate your Independence by supporting your Independents this coming week and all year through!

Sustainable Agriculture Updates

The Scoop on Sustainable Ag:

Farm Business Class will be held this Fall:
NxLevel for Alternative Agriculture - Charleston
Date: August 25 to November 3, 2011
Time: 6:00p - 9:00p, Thursdays
Location: Clemson Extension
259 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
Price: $195 ($145 if you register two weeks in advance)
Register HERE

BizBuilderSC is partnering with Clemson University's Institute for Economic and Community Development and Lowcountry Local First to conduct a NxLevel Alternative Agriculture course. The course is aimed at those entrepreneurs who have started or are thinking about starting an agricultural or food based venture.

The LLF Sustainable Agriculture program has created a Lowcountry Farmer's Group to provide a platform for the farming community to stay connected, receive updates, and post information. The Google Group is public but to participate you must complete the free registration process.

As part of LLF's efforts to educate the community on the importance of our local food economy, we have been involved in farm tours and school visits with a number of schools. Most recently, Nikki Seibert, the Director of Sustainable Agriculture at LLF, visited the Charleston School for Math and Sciences to talk to their 7th and 8th grade classes. During the visit the students learned about the status of farming in the U.S., the difference between corporate and family farmers, organic versus conventional, community supported agriculture, the location of farmers markets, and the importance of supporting the local economy.

The Growing New Farmers Incubator Program apprentices continue to work with the mentor farmers as well as visiting a number of local farms. Most recently, the full-time apprentices visited Jeremiah Goat Farm on John's Island. Pictures are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/SeibertN/JeremiahGoatFarmEtc

BALLE - Place Matters

Last week I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the 9th Annual BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) conference in beautiful (albeit cold) Bellingham, WA.  For those of you who don't know, LLF is one of over 80 networks around North America working to create a new paradigm, one that embraces an economic system that is good for our community, environment and the people who live in our great place.

With over 600 in attendance we heard from thought leaders like Naomi Klein, Author of the Shock Doctrine, Peter Buffet (NoVo Foundation), and David Berge of Vancity on topics ranging from Community Capital to Farm to School.  It's amazing to think of the scope of work and range of opportunities that are in front of us when building a strong local economy.  Local manufacturing and local investing are as key to our success in creating sustainable communities as investing in local agriculture and supporting local businesses.

My commitment to LLF and the mission of changing the existing model of economic development is stronger than ever!  I hope you will join me, our board, staff and amazing group of members in creating the change we want to see in the world!

Jamee

Eat Your Veggies!

This time of year we have an abundance of coooool cucumbers!  Check out these yummy recipes that our friends at Les Dames d'Escoffier International's local Green Tables group provided for us.  We will have recipes posted every month highlighting a different local veggie for kids and grown ups too!

Cucumber Sandwiches 

Loaf of your favorite bread......remove crust. Use a cookie cutter to cut bread

1 large cucumber peeled and thinly sliced

1 3oz package of cream cheese softened

1 Tbs fresh parsley(chopped)

1 Tbs fresh dill (chopped)

salt and pepper to taste

Mix the cream cheese, parsley and dill. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture over the bread and top with cucumber slice. Have an adult present to help with chopping the herbs; peeling and slicing the cucumbers.

Chilled Cucumber Buttermilk Soup

Serves 6

1 quart buttermilk

2 tsp ground cumin

Heaping Tbs prepared Dijon mustard

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch dice

1/2 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch dice

2 tsp fresh dill, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

Big pinch cayenne pepper

1 cup cooked small shrimp

Sprigs of fresh dill

Pour buttermilk into a large bowl. Add the cumin and mustard. Whisk until the ingredients are well combined. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, dill, salt, and cayenne pepper. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with shrimp and dill sprigs.

Chill up to one hour before serving. May be prepared up to three days ahead.

A Panel of Local Marketing Experts!

Many thanks to all those who attended and participated in our Member Meeting at Blue Ion. A great discussion was lead by a panel of Marketing Professionals.Don't worry, if you missed it, just click here for our notes. Read on for more info. on these LLF Member Marketing Experts:

Stacey Elicker Strategic Planning/Account Management, Discussion Moderator

Stacey is a partner at Little Highrise and oversees strategic planning and account management. She has been in the advertising and interactive industries for more than ten years and has worked on both the creative and business sides of the business. Her primary concentration has been in multimedia, website design, and online advertising campaigns.

Recently, Stacey was nominated for the Marketer of the Year award in 2010 by the American Marketing Association. She serves on many organizations in the Lowcountry including the Junior League of Charleston, Lowcountry Local First, Medal of Honor Convention 2010 web committee, and the Center for Women.

In her past, she has won numerous awards for work such as Addy’s, MarCom Awards, Best in Show, and Spark Awards. Her client roster includes McDonald’s, Cooper Tire, Netscape, NAPA, and 5-Hour Energy Drink.

Robert Prioleau Partner, Strategy Director

Although there's no "official" record, it's reported that I entered this world with one pressing question: Why? This early inquisitiveness has led to a lifetime of list making, brow furrowing and venn diagrams. I spent my formative years in Houston before moving on to Vanderbilt and later to the University of Texas to pick up a MBA and serious Horns habit. I cut my teeth at GSD&M; Fitzgerald & Company and BellSouth Internet Services. After tunneling out of Atlanta, I happily stuck myself in the belly of Charleston where I met my two Blue Ion co-founders. My role here, equal parts sheepherder, strategist and therapist, is to bring out the best in clients, brands and their customers. If I had a collection of "I'd rather be" bumper stickers, I'd "rather be:" outside, on a bike or skateboard, running with my dogs, playing harmonica or sipping tequila. All at once is a life goal. For the record, I have a problem with brunch. No one has ever adequately explained the appeal of sitting inside eating while the best part of the day ticks by.

Elizabeth McGough
An Alabama native, Elizabeth came to Charleston in 2003 to attend the College of Charleston and just won’t leave. She got her first taste of hands-on public relations and event planning as an intern for the inaugural BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and then gained additional media and community relations experience interning in the PR and Marketing Department at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Elizabeth also honed her skills working for local PR firm, ByrdHouse Public Relations, helping to prepare and distribute media releases, company press kits and other creative collateral.

After college, Elizabeth settled in at a Charleston-based public affairs and consulting firm, representing a global consumer products goods (CPG) company. There she managed a volunteer initiative in National Parks, organizing, promoting and planning more than 25 events a year in cities across the United States, equating to more than $250,000 of in-kind donations to the National Park Foundation.

Elizabeth will be the first to admit, she can’t get enough of the Lowcountry. She loves being warm all year long and smelling pluff mud on the way home from work. In her spare time, you may find her at a local farmer’s market, cooking or blogging about her latest foodie adventures.

Pam Hartley is a 20-year marketing veteran and agency principal of Momentum Marketing, a Charleston, South Carolina based company (www.momentumresults.com). Founded in 2005, the company currently represents a diverse range of clients in South Carolina, Georgia, Illinois and Texas. She leads the company with expertise in database marketing, public relations, multi-media creative production, direct mail, promotions, media negotiations, branding, social media, Hispanic media and more. Ms. Hartley has devoted over two decades of her professional life to growing locally owned, independent businesses. She specializes in business to consumer retail and has more than twenty-five industry creative awards to her credit. Her company provides pro-bono work to many worthwhile charities and civic organizations including The Charleston Basket Brigade, Lowcountry Local First, Wayne Co. Chamber of Commerce, Claxton-Evans County Chamber of Commerce, The Evans Co. Wildlife Club, The Friends of the Library and many more. Her firm assisted with the Lowcountry Local First 2010 Buy Local Month collateral, promotional and marketing push and her non-profit, The Charleston Basket Brigade, has fed more than 12,000 people in need on Thanksgiving throughout the Charleston area over the past three years.

Jenny Ferrara is a Marketing Strategist at Obviouslee Marketing. Recently relocated to Charleston from New York City, Jenny’s background in advertising and strategy has enabled her to quickly immerse herself in Charleston’s creative and business community. Jenny is a part of Charleston’s Creative Parliament, served on the Marketing committee for the 2011 Wine + Food Festival and freelanced on TheDigitel’s editorial staff during Charleston Fashion Week. At Obviouslee Marketing, Jenny works with a range of businesses from those in the hospitality industry to local destinations to products. In working at a local business and with local businesses, the importance and impact of 'buying local' is apparent and is easy to do! Jenny has worked with her clients to get involved with Lowcountry Local First and to share resources in order to achieve the end goal of buying local and in-turn contributing to the betterment of the local community.

Jon Yarian founded SeaChange in 2008 to helo clients make an impact through the media. He has counseled Fortune 500 companies, bestselling authors, national non-profit organizations and numerous start-ups and small businesses in Charleston. Jon's clients have been featured in print and broadcast outlets including The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times; Fox News, CNN and the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In 2010, Jon ghost-wrote a New York Times best-selling book. Prior to launching Seachange, Jon was a communications director for a six-term member of Congress. His career began in Charleston, SC as a writer and editor. He never eats imported shrimp, only visits locally owned coffee shops and faintly smells like pluff mud.

Jessica Turner As The Modern Connection’s social media specialist, Jessica does get to play around on Facebook and Twitter all day (we knew you were going to ask). But that’s just the tip of the iceberg – listening, monitoring, management, engagement – all play a vital role in an effective social media presence and Jessica has a keen understanding of how these elements tie in to an overall marketing strategy.

Her work experience has included national consumer and B2B PR campaigns for food, fashion, travel and lifestyle clients, including the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, the National Honey Board, Tommy Bahama Home, Montgomery Ward, Paul Frank and more.

Additionally, Jessica served as one of the founding board members of the Madison chapter of the Social Media Club and has reprised that role as a member of the leadership board for the Charleston chapter.