Blackbird Farm 4th Annual Farm-to-Chef Open House

On Monday, May 21, 2012 the Bouthillette Family held their 4th annual Farm-to-Chef Open House at Blackbird Farm located in Smithfield, Rhode Island.

The Farm-to Chef Open House for the past three years has been an event for culinary professionals, chefs and farmers, but this year the event was opened to the general public and I would estimate there were approximately 60 attendees to this years event.

The program started with welcome from Ann Marie Bouthillette and an introduction of her husband, sons and David Dadekian of Eat Drink RI.  We were then entertained and educated by Levi Geyer who did a USDA grading demonstration.  Levi is a USDA-Market News Supervisory Market Reporter for Pennsylvania and the Northeast.

Levi  both spoke about and demonstrated how Feeder Cattle are evaluated based on their age, frame, muscle thickness, flesh to determine their U.S. Quality Grades (prime, choice, select, standard and utility).  For a detailed description of how the Feeder Cattle are evaluated click here.  Blackbird Farm produces and sales only 100% high quality Black Angus Beef from high quality animals from superior stock.

We then moved onto the American Heritage Berkshire Pigs where Levi and Brandon Bouthillette spoke about the breed and how it is graded.  Brandon also spoke about why the family raises only this high quality heritage breed.  For more about American Heritage Berkshire Pigs, click here.

We then enjoyed a great lunch by Chef Derek Wagner of Nicks on Broadway.  Lunch consisted of:

SLOW-BRAISED BARBECUED BLACKBIRD FARM BEEF

GEER FARM CORN +BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

SCHATNER FARM ASPARAGUS, RADISHES + POTATOES

As well as

COWBOY BEANS

SOUTHERN MAC & CHEESE

from Chef Kaitlyn Roberts

After lunch Mr. Tom Burke, President of the American Angus Hall of Fame in Smithville, Missouri reinvigorated us with a tent revival presentation on the history of Black Angus Beef and why he, and the farm feel that it is a superior breed of beef,

Mr Ed Maltby, Manager of Adams Farm a USDA, USDA Natural and USDA Organic Certified, Halal, Kosher and Animal Welfare Certified harvesting plant spoke about how the Blackbird Farm cattle are only harvested at the Adams Farm plant and how the animals end their life cycle with the most human and ethical treatment possible,

The tour also included a walk in the fields to see the free range pigs and cattle as well as a tour of the Rhode Island Red chickens used for both meat and egg production.

This Farm-to-Chef Open House is just another example of how America is reaching back in time and embracing the small local farmer.  I hope this trend continues to both help the American economy and diet. 

Until I blog again:  Eat Well, Live Life, and Be Safe

2011- A Locavore Year in Review by the Nomadic Chef

As 2012 begins, I would like to review some of the highlights of the Nomadic Chef  Locavore posts of 2011 the Year of the Rabbit

The year started off slow, but by mid February I was in Singapore teaching a Western Cuisine class At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy.  Because of that adventure this blog began.  While visiting China Town and all the Food Hockers I became re-energized with the passion of eating fresh, local foods,thus the idea of the Nomadic Chef Locavore blog began. 

During 2011 I made my own cheese from local Rhode Island farm milk.

I built two raised garden beds to supply some of my own fruits & vegetables over the summer.  I then went to the  19th Annual Rare and Unusual Plant Sale to buy heirloom vegetable plants to fill the beds.

I had the great pleasure of touring two local farms, first I went to Blackbird Farm in Smithfield, RI where they raise Black Angus Beef as well as Rhode Island Red Chickens.  The second farm I toured and have bough chickens, a half of a lamb, a quarter side of beef and my Thanksgiving Turkey from is Locust Leaf Farm in Foster, RI.  Both farms are small family run farms that serve different consumers but both are a model of sustainable local farming.  I also frequented many of the great Farmers Markets the Rhode Island has to offer.

Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI hosted its first Food Day Celebration at the Harborside Campus where I made sure to take snap many pictures posterity. 

There were three very inspiring locavore focused books I read in 2011,

A Year of Food Life

Barbara Kingsolver, with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver

All three of these books are very though provoking and show a side of our food industry that most Americans have no idea about, or even care about.  But they should!!!  I would recommend everyone to read these books, I will even let you borrow them if you are local to Rhode Island.

I had the pleasure of participating in three conferences this year, the 2011 CAFE Conference, Research Chef Association Conference and the National Produce Show and Conference. 

Finally I ended up the year celebrating Christmas in Montreal, and enjoying the local markets full of charcuterie and French cuisine.

That is a quick review of my Locavore 2011, looking forward to a local, fresh, sustainable, prosperous 2012.  Happy New Year !!!!!  Feel free to read the older posts to get a more in depth idea of what this blog is all about.

Until I blog again  Eat Well, Live Life and Be Safe



Blackbird Farm Tour

Today I was invited by David Dadekian culinary writer & photographer on http://www.eatdrinkri.com/ to attend the Blackbird Farm-to-Chef Open House.

Blackbird Farm, is located in Smithfield, Rhode Island and humanely raise all-natural, hormone-free, pasture-fed, 100% Angus cattle.  Founded in 1998, Blackbird Farm currently has 80 head cattle on 106 acres and is run by Ann Marie & Kevin Bouthillette. Their beef beef is in restaurants such as Castle Hill Inn, Chez Pascal, Gracie’s, The Liberty Elm Diner, Nick’s on Broadway, Persimmon Provisions and Tini.

This was a great Chef networking event and was attended by some of the premier chefs in Rhode Island.  The program started off with a welcome to the farm by Ann Marie.  Ann Marie then introduced  Mr. Tom Burke, President of American Angus Hall of Fame.  This gentleman discussed the history of the breed and is a walking encyclopedia in regards to the heritage and lineage of Black Angus Cattle.

We then went to one of the barns where Ann Marie's son Brandon and her husband Kevin discuss breeding, care and feeding of the herd. John Pollack, DVM did an ultrasound on two cattle, very interesting indeed, we will just keep it at that for now........

At around 12:30 we went on a Pasture walk to get up close and personal with the cattle in several locations on the farm. 

Once the walk was complete, it was time for lunch; lunch was prepared by Chef Salko of Tini and included the following:

Rotisserie Leg of Beef

Wood Grilled Local Asparagus with Lemon

Farmer's Crock of Baked Beans

Portuguese Sweet Rolls

Make-Me-a-Kid-Again Brownies

The farm is currently developing a poultry program, raising 200 broiler chickens and 150 laying hens for meat and eggs and to has plans to open up their farm stand this summer, I hope all of my readers will stop by the stand an purchase some of the best beef around.

Ann Marie gave a speech on May 18th as part of RI Agriculture Day 2011, her speech will give you additional details on the farms history and future, to read more, click here

Until I blog again,, Eat Well, Live Life and Be Safe.....