Why is purchasing local produce, honey and flowers this year the right one? Eating fresh, high-quality, sustainable and organic food should always be important to us, and for those who grow locally, buying your produce from a CSA (community supported agriculture) business this year checks all the boxes.
“With Utah summers, temps can be over 100, even covered up and wearing a hat, it’s hot, shoulders, back, knees get sore, and your hands and fingers look like crap.”
My passion for the urban AG community has never been in question, but I must confess, just a few years back I too worked and was highly invested in creating a local CSA. And it was tough. We literally hustled and scraped-by working side jobs to keep it going, saving up for new equipment and leasing land from those who would let us. And even still, we loved it. In an article for Devour Utah in 2017, I shared, “Through our CSA efforts, we hope to share that accessibility of fresh produce with our community, and our CSA family, garden tours and volunteer days all help keep us going.â
I am sharing this message because the individuals who are growing, the Urban Ag community in Utah is one worth supporting, and many of them are struggling. The struggle has always been very real, but with the growing financial worries coming from COVID-19, many are holding back. My response is, don’t. The price/value/quality of any LOCAL CSA, in comparison to what you would spend at a grocery store is unmatched. Do the math. Not only will you save money on produce, but you’ll also eat better and feel better.
There are many local CSA’s and local growers who (like restaurants) are getting super creative to distribute their produce. Jack Wilbur from 3 Squares Produce shares on the CSA Utah site the most inclusive directory: csautah.org/find-a-csa.
About our local Farmers Markets, we suggest you connect and keep tabs on how those vendors will be offering produce this season as well: Pick-Your-Own Farmer’s Market, We’ve got options. Instagram is another fun way to keep tabs on many local growers. I really love @slctopcrops!!
You say you want a revolution? Well, yeah, we all wanna change the world. When there is a cause, say to revolt against the BIG things, local CSA’s give us a way to stand up for something greatâkapow!
Support and eat local, enjoy life and be well SLC!!
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Lately, many of us have given up elaborate travel plans and embraced adventures a little closer to home. We kicked off our 2021 travel series with a guide to exploring the Cowboy State from corner to corner. Head to the link in our bio for Wyoming road trip itineraries, dining ideas and more! đ¤ â°...
Inspired by @oldsaltlake, we're celebrating #throwbackthursday with a favorite snapshot of early 20th century Salt Lake City. đď¸â
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Photos shared by @oldsaltlake are inspiring millennials and zoomers decades later with visions of a different city: one with easily accessible public transportation, walkable streets, local businesses (open late) and distinctive architecture.â
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See more photos at the link in our bio. â
Pictured: Women relax at what is believed to be Saltair Beach, date unknown...
It's like sunshine in a box âď¸â â
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Even after losing her job during the pandemic, Mandy Madsen didn't lose her good cheer. She put her energy into creating @maddoughslc, selling unique doughnuts inspired by the nostalgia of your favorite childhood treats.đŠâ â
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Read our Q&A with Mandy at the link in our bio!â â ...
@saltlakeclimbers are part of a long legacy of dirt baggers fascinated with the soaring granite walls of Little Cottonwood Canyon. They recently finished the Alpenbock Loop, creating an accessible, sustainable trail and preserving access to one of Utah's greatest recreational resources. â đ§ââď¸â
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Read more at the link in our bio! â¤ď¸...
The bad news: Utah's inconsistent winters are hurting local bee populations. The good news: You can be a part of saving the bees in the beehive state đâ â
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@deserethivesupply, a family-owned business in Ogden, is helping bees bounce back with educational classes that encourage people to pick up backyard beekeeping as a hobby. â â
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Read more on how to save Utah bees at the link in our bio!...
Why did Utah's only Titanic passenger not survive her journey?â
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The descendants of Irene Corbett believe that the 30-year-old teacher sacrificed her life to save others. It's one of the many ways this remarkable figure bucked tradition and forged her own trail.â
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Read more about Irene at the link in our bio!...
"We must have done something right, cause you guys kept coming back."â
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@bluepelatedinerslc, one of Salt Lake's signature spots for everyone from hungover college kids to vegan food lovers, will be closing its doors this May after more than two decades of service. It's the latest casualty in a brutal year for the restaurant industry. â
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Head to the link in our bio for a tribute to Blue Plate Diner. (And keep supporting your favorite local restaurants. â¤ď¸)...
A business is never more than the sum of its people: the ones who meet you, greet you, help you make the smartest purchase decisions. â â
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Meet the people who make Salt Lake City work:â â
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Lindsay Breinholt, CNM / WHNP @skinspiritslc
Amy Crawley, Founder @parkwayavenuedesign â â
Candice Itokazu, General Manager @luciennesalon.medspa.boutique
Tobi Roberts, CEO & Co-Founder @citycreekmortgage
Dave Turja, General Manager @kengarff
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Read all of these Utah Faces & Places at the link in our bio! â¤ď¸â â
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#sponsored...
Tony Caputo, a food evangelist and founding father of todayâs SLC food community, passed away last night.â
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Tony started @caputosmarket in 1997, bringing his passion for the cuisine of his heritage to Utah tables. Most days during the lunch rush youâd find Tony behind the counter slicing meat and cheeses and then, after it wound down, holding court out front. Heâd often rush back behind the counter and holler over his shoulder, âyou have to try this!" only to return with a sample bite of veiny cheese, a paper-thin leaf of prosciutto or a perfectly crisp amaretti cookie that heâd recently added to his menagerie of taste. For his many contributions to Salt Lake City, we awarded Tony with a Lifetime Achievement Dining Award in 2007.â
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Today, we're sending love to @caputosmarket and the many people whose lives were touched by Tony. A full tribute is on our website now. â¤ď¸...
Why is the Pleasant Grove theme park Evermore suing one of the most powerful women in music? Long story short: a playground for those who would choose lore over folklore is taking on Taylor Swift over the name of her most recent album. Both parties have their reputation on the line in a battle of undercover Swifties and novelty mug disputes. Will Evermore hit the gold rush? Or did they cross the wrong mad woman? The full story is at the link in our bio....
Even in the exploration boom of the 1800s, nobody dared to explore the terrain flowing through the Green and the Colorado Rivers.â
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That is, nobody until Major John W. Powell said the 19th Century equivalent of âHey man, hold my beer while I try this.ââ
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Read more about his dangerous expedition at the link in our bio!â
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Photo of Powellâs expedition courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Divisionâ ...
Whose mouth is watering? â đââď¸đâ
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@granarybakehouse_slc is a small, immaculate and intimate 9th and 9th bakery with some of the best laminated pastry in town. (That means golden flakes that get all over your car because you canât wait until you get home to take a bite.)â đĽđĽđ§â
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Read more about Granary Bakehouse at the link in our bio! â¤ď¸â â ...
A brand new issue of Salt Lake magazine is coming your way! â
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We can't wait to share these stories with you. This issue includes our annual Blue Plate Awards celebrating those surviving and thriving in the restaurant biz. Plus, we take a road trip to Wyoming and ask why the only Utah passenger on the Titanic didnât survive her journey.â
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A note from our editor Jeremy Pugh, including beautiful tributes to Mary Brown Malouf from our friends in the community, is online now. Read more at the link in our bio â¤ď¸â
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Subscribers: Look for this issue in your mailbox soon. The magazine will be on newsstands March 1! đŹ...
Today, we are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2021 Blue Plate Awards! â đâ
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These prizes honor the growers, food evangelists, grocers, servers, bakers, chefs, bartenders and restaurateurs who do more than put good food on the tableâthey make our community a better place to live. This year, just surviving as a local business deserves an award, but each of our Blue Plate winners did more than that. They made us grateful for every person involved in the essential act of feeding us.â đ˝â
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At the link in our bio, we have the full list of winners, a celebration of feats of COVID creativity and a tribute to restaurants we lost this year. If youâre hungry for more, pick up a copy on newsstands March 1! Plus, check out our Instagram for spotlights on some of the Blue Plate winners. â
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This yearâs Blue Plate Awards are the first without our beloved Executive Editor Mary Brown Malouf. We dedicate them to her, our townâs biggest food fan, critic and champion. xoxommâ đ...
2021 Blue Plate Award winner: @ricobrandut for Staying in Beansnessâ
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Last summer, it seemed that Rico would be another victim of rapid gentrification in Salt Lake. Luckily, Rico was able to find a new home in Poplar Grove and now plans to add even more employees. Itâs a last-minute happy ending for a community leader who literally wears his mission on his sleeve, courtesy a tattoo in bright red block letters: âpay it forward.â đâ ...
2021 Blue Plate Award Winner: @spicekitchenincubator for Keeping the Spice Flowingâ
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This year Spice Kitchen Incubator, already an essential resource for refugees, became, well, even more essential. đâ ...
2021 Blue Plate Award winner: @thestore_utah for Special Deliveries â
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As grocery delivery becomes the new norm, The Store offers a personal touch that only an independent grocer can provide. Last March, high-risk and elderly customers began calling in their grocery lists over the phone, and The Storeâs general managers personally delivered food to their homes. đâ ...
2021 Blue Plate Award winner: @cucinaslc for Preserving Neighborhood Connectionâ
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Cucinaâs outdoor spaces became a place where the neighborhood could gather safely. Owner Dean Pierose offered free coffee in the mornings and encouraged his regulars to linger and commiserate together, preserving a semblance of society during a socially distanced time. đâ ...