Hot off the Presses

In case you missed it... yesterday Arcadia was featured in the Washington Post Food Section! We loved how the piece came out. Read it and let us know what you think!

We had such a fantastic time with Post writer Kristen Hinman showing her around Woodlawn and giving her the grand vision for Arcadia. Giving interviews can sometime be nerve wracking, because you can never be sure what they'll say about you, but we felt Kristen captured the spirit of Arcadia and truly understands our mission.

Thanks to everyone who sent congratulations and offers to volunteer our way! Even as I watch the snow come down outside our office window, I am looking forward to March when we will need everyone's hands in the dirt to get the soil tilled and seeds planted!

In the meantime, look out for our upcoming Kickstarter campaign in January to get the wheels rolling on our Mobile Fresh Market... literally! We have BIG plans for helping local farms thrive while eliminating food deserts in DC. Ambitious? Absolutely. But with the community behind us, we know a change is gonna come.

~Erin

Discovery Creates Change for Arcadia

How lucky we are to be chosen as one of the non-profits for Discovery's Creating Change: Discovery Impact!

Erin and I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Discovery Communications 'Creating Change' workshops, their first pro-bono creative initiative, utilizing the power of our employee workforce to fulfill design, marketing and communications work on behalf of local nonprofit organizations. Our team had innovative and thoughtful ideas and it was incredibly encouraging to hear their enthusiasm about Arcadia. And, to boot, they convinced one VERY reluctant farmer to join Twitter (@ArcadiaFarmer). I guess it's time I get with the times.

Watch our amazing team hard at work below! For the full article, click HERE

Meeting the Chefs

What an exciting week for farm plans! I had the privilege of meeting with all the amazingly talented NRG chefs to discuss the types of things they would like to see on the farm. From elderflower to arugula, the chefs were full of insight and great ideas. I have to say, as an amateur chef in my own kitchen, it was intimidating to be with people who can turn basic farm produce in to stunning and complex culinary delights. I can't wait to be their farmer and I am sincerely excited to work with all the NRG chefs.

I look forward to the spring and meeting more of the NRG restaurant staff (I, myself, was a server for almost a decade!). I hope they will enjoy the farm as their space and see how different a meal can be when the plants are grown in a healthy, positive, love-filled place. Now, to finish my planting plan and volunteer schedule....

-Mo

Worms!

After a week of dumpster diving for cardboard and "stealing" leaves off of the roads of Alexandria...We have started work on the gardens at Arcadia!

I never knew how excited I could be to see worms! We have broken ground on the gardens and I was ecstatic (and surprised!) to see the dirt teeming with life. While the soil is clay, it's a good sign to see dozens of worms squirming their way through and aerating the soil.

The grass sod in the area that will become the gardens in the spring has proved a challenge-- even my gas-powered tiller didn't stand a chance against the grass and clay soil (note: grass is evil. grass lawns are over-rated). After battling with my digging fork for two afternoons, my sore shoulders were telling me it was time to bring in some bigger machines. Thanks to some farm friends with a heavy-duty tractor, the ground will be tilled next week and we'll leave it to the winter snow to permanently get rid of that grass!

Not all the plots will be tilled, however, and I chose to "lasagna" mulch one of the plots to stifle the grass. With the help of badass volunteers from Neighborhood Restaurant Group (a special thanks to the kitchen from Birch and Barley!) we got a huge piece of land under cardboard, shredded leaves and woodchips (hence the dumpster diving and leaf-stealing). While this area will be wet come spring, it will be the perfect spot to plant late summer crops!

Thanks to an amazing donation of compost from Vale Inc. in Alexandria, VA, we also have rich black compost to add to the soil and start building up the plant-friendly nutrients for the spring!

Late fall is a beautiful time at Woodlawn and while I know the winter cold and snow is on its way, I am already excited for all the possibilities of spring! I can't wait to see the first seedlings in the ground...

Vices That Made Arcadia!

Whew... what a party! Vices That Made Virginia was by all accounts a wild success and helluva good time. The bourbon was flowing, the band was rocking, and the food was delicious. The Neighborhood Restaurant Group chefs really outdid themselves and put out a feast of local food fit for kings. And with over 500 people in attendance, a feast it certainly was!

The live auction was a hit and raised over $13,000 for Arcadia, which will go a long way to getting our farm up and sprouting by springtime. The lucky auction winners bagged a farm supper at Arcadia, a 4-star dinner with Post food critic Tom Seitsema, dinner for 12 by Chef Tony Chittum in Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House, cooking classes with Chef Will Artley... and even a live heritage breed pig!

Here are some of our favorite pictures from the night (courtesy of the marvelous Sarah Bernardi). To see all the rest, check out our Flickr page.

Check out Ibti's report from Vices!

http://abikeablefeast.blogspot.com/

THE VICES THAT MADE VIRGINIA

Saturday, November 6, 4:00 - 7:00 PM
Woodlawn, 9000 Richmond Highway, Alexandria

Celebrating a groundbreaking new partnership between Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

FOR TICKETS: http://vicesofvirginia.ticketleap.com/vicesofvirginia/

Join us for a sumptuous, rollicking afternoon of Oysters, Cigars, Bourbon and Bluegrass at Woodlawn, a National Historic Trust Site. Once renowned as the home of Virginia's finest federal era soirees, Woodlawn will recapture its glorious past with the help of the very vices that first made the state great. Come enjoy bluegrass music and feast on a sublime repast created by the chefs of Neighborhood Restaurant Group.

You'll feast on a Virginia pig roast compliments of Chef Nathan Anda of Red Apron Butchery, an array of locally procured oysters prepared numerous ways, traditional takes on classic Virginia recipes along with sublime autumnal dishes prepared by Tony Chittum of Vermilion, Will Artley of Evening Star Cafe, Steve Mannino of Rustico, Barry Koslow of Tallula, Kyle Bailey of Birch & Barley, Andrew Buzolich of Star Catering and Tiffany MacIsaac of Buzz Bakery.

The day will also feature tastings from A. Smith Bowman Collection of small-batch bourbons featuring Master Distiller Joe Dangler, cigars and a cigar rolling exhibition courtesy of Roberto Hand-Rolled Cigars of Yorktown along with a wide range of Virginia grown wines and regional craft beers.

A live auction, tours of the mansion and gardens and live Bluegrass music will also be featured.

All proceeds benefit Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Woodlawn, a National Trust Historic Site.

Happy Hour at Churchkey this Thursday, Oct 14 at 6pm

Been wondering what this "Arcadia" place is really all about? Or how you can get involved? Or do you just like delicious beer and food?

If you said yes to any of the above, have we got the event for you! We are holding an informational happy hour for Arcadia at Churchkey in DC on Thursday, Oct 14th at 6pm (that's tomorrow!)

We will have complimentary beer tastings and little bites, and you can learn more about Arcadia, our goals and mission, how to get involved, and meet the badass team putting together this amazing project (*ahem...*).

Here are the details, in short:

Arcadia Happy Hour

Churchkey bar (1337 14th St NW, DC)

6-8pm

Complimentary beer tastings and small bites

We'll see you there!

x Team Arcadia

Oktobeerfest @ Rustico- this Saturday!

October is one of my favorite months of the year. The weather starts to turn chilly, the late harvests are coming in and, perhaps the most exciting of all, it is the unofficial beer celebration month. Pumpkin and seasonal autumn beers rank among my top 10 joys in life, so this Saturday should prove to be rollicking good time.

Neighborhood Restaurant Group is hosting their annual Oktobeerfest this Saturday, October 9th from 12pm-6pm outside Rustico restaurant in Alexandria. It's a fantastic celebration of food, beer and fall weather, and best of all... NRG is raffling off a Vespa scooter, and all the proceeds go to Arcadia!

So come see us on Saturday! Buy some raffle tickets, drink beer, eat delicious food, enjoy the beautiful fall weather and help Arcadia all at the same time.

And just think how swanky you'll look riding that new Vespa out to volunteer at Arcadia in the spring...

Get all the details here. We'll see you there!

-Team Arcadia

Our First Fundraiser -The Vices That Made Virginia

The Vices That Made Virginia
A Day Of Oysters, Cigars, Bourbon, Bluegrass & More
Saturday, November 6 at Woodlawn Plantation
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM / $125 Per Person
Tickets On Sale Through www.arcadiafood.org beginning Tuesday, October 5

Join us for a sumptuous, rollicking afternoon of Oysters, Cigars, Bourbon and Bluegrass at Woodlawn, a National Historic Trust Site. Once renown as the home of Virgina's finest federal era soirees, Woodlawn will again recapture its glorious past with the help of the very vices that made the state great along with a cadre of chefs from the Neighborhood Restaurant Group.

Guests will feast on a Virginia pig roast compliments of Chef Nathan Anda of Red Apron Butchery, an array of locally procured oysters prepared numerous ways, traditional takes on classic Virginia recipes along with sublime autumnal dishes prepared by Tony Chittum of Vermilion, Will Artley of the Evening Star Cafe, Steve Mannino of Rustico, Barry Koslow of Tullula, Kyle Bailey of Birch & Barley and Tiffany MacIsaac of Buzz Bakery.

The day will also feature tastings from A. Smith Bowman Collection of small-batch bourbon featuring Master Distiller Joe Dangler, cigars and a cigar rolling exhibition courtesy of Roberto Hand-Rolled Cigars of Yorktown along with a wide range of Virginia grown wines and regional craft beers.

A live auction, tours of the mansion and gardens and live Bluegrass music will also be featured.

All proceeds benefit Woodlawn, a National Historic Landmark and Historic Site of the non-profit National Trust for Historic Preservation and http://www.arcadiafood.org/, a non-profit Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture.

About Woodlawn

George Washington's ward, Eleanor "Nelly" Custis, and her husband Lawrence Lewis received the 2,000 acre Woodlawn plantation from Washington as a wedding gift in 1799. Here they entertained friends, visitors and dignitaries such as the Marquis de Lafayette with freshly harvested food prepared according to Custis and Washington Family recipes and traditional spirits distilled on the farm.

Today Woodlawn is owned and operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America’s communities.

The Goal of Arcadia

Local Food. For the People, By the People.

To GROW good food and good farmers by demonstrating an environmentally and economically sustainable model of agricultural production at the on-site Farms at Arcadia;

To EDUCATE the public about preserving our food traditions and sovereignty, supporting the local farming economy, and the pleasure of healthy eating with fresh, local food at the Arcadia Education Center and Garden;

To NOURISH the community by delivering fresh foods grown and produced on local farms (including the Farms at Arcadia) to schools, nonprofits and families through the Arcadia Food Hub, with a focus on the fair and just distribution of fresh foods to all people, regardless of income or neighborhood.

With a conviction that a fair and sustainable local food system lies in the hands of farmers and eaters, Arcadia will GROW, EDUCATE, and NOURISH a healthier, safer, and more just food culture in the national capitol region. Arcadia will act as the bridge over the widening gap between the rural farmer and the urban eater- a way to assure farmers a fair market, and urban dwellers a traceable, delicious, and affordable source of fresh food. Taking on these large tasks will require ingenuity and dedication, and the community has shown they are ready to stand up for their food and get their hands in the dirt.

For more information, contact Erin Teal Littlestar at erin@arcadiafood.org.