Bundoran Farm is more than just a vegetable patch.  It’s a 2,300-acre site in North Garden, Virginia that is planned to contain homes, community centers, protected landscapes, and—you guessed it—a working farm.  In opposition to the type of sustainable development that applauds compact, vertical cities that are surrounded by untouched natural space, Bundoran Farm looks to precise land-use planning as its guiding principle.  By first taking into account where the existing roads, best views, forests and waterways, and productive farmland is, the project’s leaders are able to determine where new homes and other structures can most responsibly be placed.  One of the great things about the development is that all of the houses will be built in a way that is almost completely undetectable from public roads, leaving scenic Virginia virtually alone.  Each homeowner will also have partial rights to hundreds of preserved acres as well as a say in how the farm is operated without even having to lift a finger.  Sound like a place that you’d like to live in?  Check out Bundoran Farm’s website today— there are still lots available for the eco-conscious country lovers out there.

-Serena

I just came across a New York Times article entitled “House Passes Spending Bill, and Critics Are Quick to Point out the Pork” that I can’t help but comment on.  When the details were being released last month on how, exactly, the stimulus package was going to be divvied, there was of course plenty of controversy to go around.  What I’m still concerned with now, over a month later, is the pure ignorance of the author of this critical piece.  
In trying to make the point that Obama basically financed loads of lawmakers’ pet projects with the bill, he attacks what could potentially be some of its small but finest points.  As prime examples of Obama’s political-based wastefulness, he cites “$1.7 million for a honey bee laboratory in Weslaco, Tex.; $346,000 for research on apple fire blight in Michigan and New York; and $15.6 million for work on grapes and grape products.”  How uninformed could this author be?!  First of all, if he had done any research whatsoever, he’d know that bees in this country are dropping off like flies and that without some sort of drastic turnaround, we’re in danger of losing hundreds of thousands of acres of productive farmland and yes, our food, because of it.  And what’s so wrong with spending what equates to chump change on learning more about specific fruit afflictions across our nation?  I’ll bet you anything that even Mr. Critical enjoys a slice of Red Delicious or a glass of wine every so often.

-Serena

I finally just tried out Zinc Bistro for dinner.  Although the relatively new restaurant has by now become settled in—okay, it’s been over a year—I had been avoiding it altogether.  For those of you who are familiar with West Main Street in Charlottesville, Virginia, the space that Zinc now occupies is infamous for having hosted a slew of failed eateries.  Before this bistro was White Orchid, and before it was Station.  Three restaurants in about as many years.  I had never eaten at Station (named after the gas station that I believe the building was used for originally) while it was open and White Orchid, when it brought its delicate Asian demeanor to the zone, was nothing to rave home about.  But in all fairness, Zinc is not as bad as I had set it out to be.  In fact, I rather enjoyed what I ate there.
A friend of mine and I started out by splitting the Mac & cheese with gruyere, béchamel, and garlic/parsley bread crumb topping.  (As it looked like Zinc wasn’t the bread-serving type of restaurant and anything with gruyere usually catches our eye, it was an easy decision).  For my main course, I ordered the Pan seared (Pacific) salmon with haricot vert and sage cream sauce.  The salmon itself, though literally a half-portion (for $11, I should have expected as much) was cooked perfectly and delivered sitting atop just the right amount of the sauce.  The green beans were also about half of a serving and cooked simply, but when eaten with the accompanying sauce—as I’m sure they were meant to be—they were just right.   Given the typically French portions of these two plates, we happily received the dessert list after having finished them.  The waitress suggested the profiteroles, made in-house and filled with Downtown Charlottesville’s Chaps Ice-Cream.  We were sold.
Much to your surprise, I’m sure, the point of this review is more for me to get the word out on the local items that Zinc offers than for you to know what I ate for dinner last night.  At first glance, the bistro’s dedication to serving local ingredients seemed to be somewhat of a joke.  At the bottom of the menu, there was a little “thumbs up” symbol and the explanation that wherever on the menu it appears, that particular plate contains such ingredients.  This, to me, was a good sign.  And then I looked at the menu and ONLY ONE dish had a thumbs up next to it!  Completely ridiculous.  As the dish was a simple salad, I didn’t even bother to ask more about it.  I did, however, ask our waitress whether or not any of the seafood or meat were caught or procured locally; I was happy to hear that at least most of the chicken and duck from the menu come from The Organic Butcher next door.  Two of the featured wines of the evening came from Sugarleaf Vineyards in the neighboring North Garden, Virginia.
So. Don’t be afraid to try Zinc Bistro; the restaurant is better than its predecessors.  Ask about its local and organic options; they aren’t as publicized as they should be.

-Serena

I believe I’ve mentioned the Homestead Creamery before.  They’re a company, based out of Wirtz, Virginia, that specializes in making milk.  The milk can be found in several of the area’s grocery stores, ranging from Kroger to Harris Teeter to Whole Foods, and is probably best known for being “that glass bottle brand.”  What’s even better than the fact that the Homestead Creamery sells its milk in bottles that are meant to be returned to the store and then refilled again is that the product itself is noticeably superior in taste.  And, being both antibiotic- and hormone-free, you can be sure that the richness of the flavors you’re experiencing are pure and positively good for you.
If you’re out of the area, you’re not out of luck.  The number of small companies who are providing milk to their local masses is on the rise.  Remember to take into consideration which type of cow (or goat, or sheep) the milk is coming from, what these animals were fed during their lifetime, how much fat has been left in the milk, and whether or not the product is raw or has been pasteurized or homogenized.  (For more info on the debate surrounding raw milk, check out this article by U.S. News)

Other than that, be adventurous.  With the number of dairy farms that this country is fortunate enough to have, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t all be enjoying healthy, delicious, local milk at the homestead seven days a week.

-Serena