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When Foodies Get Together

February 8, 2019 By stemsandforks Leave a Comment

Carrots, parsnips, onions and potatoes generously supplied by Gwillimdale Farms

What makes me happy? My kids. But a close runner up is teaching what I love. Photography, styling and editing. Last fall I had the immense pleasure to share my knowledge of photography, styling and Adobe Lightroom editing with the following 10 incredible ladies last year October/November 2018. Some were bloggers, professional photographers, bakers and we even had a published author! 

The Creatives:

Gorgeous Cake made by Libby from Sift Baking

Libby, (supplied cake above) Cake Baker/Artist and owner of Sift Baking Co. 

@libbyluewho

Rockie @lipstickaddictanonymous

Rockie, (above) photographer and make up guru and reviewer  

@lipstickaddictanonymous

@the.wunderkammer

Marie Lou @marielouphotography

Marie Lou, (above) photographer, food blogger and artist marielou.photography.com

@marielouphotography

Ira @ira_yakobson

Ira, (pictured above) Photographer, writer and social media influencer anhonestblog.com

@ira_yakobson

Irene,(photo unavailable)  photographer, writer, artist

@reenobeano

Nicole, @nicoleburnsfood

Nicole, (pictured above) food nerd and blogger nicoleburnsfood.com

@nicoleburnsfood

Nat, @natcaronphoto

Nat, (Pictured above) photographer and owner of her photography studio NatCaronPhotography.com

@natcaronphoto

Chloe, @misschloegolightly

Chloe, (pictured above) photographer, scientific illustrator, food enthusiast 

@misschloegolightly

Jennifer, @thelemonapron

Jennifer, (pictured above) photographer and food blogger of thelemonapron.com

@thelemonapron

Amela, @theatrumvitae

Amela,(pictured above) published author, photographer, food enthusiast

@theatrumvitae

A wonderful, talented group of ladies. Please do visit their digital channels.

Hippie Snacks and SweeTango apples for lunch

Salad garnishing with Hippie Snacks

We were all present at the workshops for the same reason. Our love for beauty and our appreciation and respect for food. I realize this blog is 2 months overdue, but life and work got in the way. Better late than never!

A special BIG thank you to all our sponsors who made our workshops extra special with props, ingredients and gifts.

Mushrooms generously donated to us from Produce Made Simple

Sponsors:

Hippie Snacks

“Delicious non-GMO, vegan, GF snacks made from whole food ingredients.”

www.hippiesnacks.com

@hippiesnacksorganic

Hello Flavour 

“Introducing HelloFlavour.ca from McCormick Canada. Follow HelloFlavour.ca for flavour inspiration, recipes and meal ideas”

www.helloflavour.ca

@helloflavour

SweeTango Apples

“SweeTango apples are unmistakably crunch and sweet with a lively touch of citrus, honey and spice”

www.sweeTango.com

@SweeTango_apple

Produce Made Simple

“The Ontario Produce Marketing Association is a non-profit association responsible for facilitating trade and promoting the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. The OPMA is funded by its members, comprised of companies working within the produce industry such as growers, wholesalers, shippers, and retailers.”

Www.producemadesimple.ca

@producemadesimple

Gwillimdale Farms 

“Gwillimdale Farms is family owned and operated by The Hambly’s. Our President, John and his children are 4th and 5th generation farmers. Today, we are one of Ontario’s largest growers, packers & shippers of fresh root vegetables.”

www.gwillimdalefarms.com

@gwillimdalefarms

Sift Baking 

“Signature and custom cakes for life’s celebrations – birthdays, fancy dinners, anniversaries, weddings, or a simple get-together with friends. Let me help you be the hero of your next party. Bring on the cake!”

www.siftbaking.com

@libbyluewho

A a special thank you for documenting the event goes to Alexa of @ajfernando. XOXO

Couldn’t have done it without these incredible products and partners. Merci Beaucoup!

When foodies get together,  we eat, we laugh and we create friendships and bonds that last forever. Thank you ladies. xo

Chocolate Swiss Meringue cookies supplied by Libby of Sift Baking.

Still Life Styled by Ira Yakobson

Beets and Onions provided as props and gifts to the participants by Gwillimdale Farms

Mini cakes made with Hello Flavour’s Club House spices and extracts and topped with Hippie Snacks

Fresh SweeTango apples. Participants had a blast crunching away at the Guinness World Record for “Loudest Crunch of an Apple” (March 2016) “

Chocolate/orange and coffee cake with macaron tower made with Hello Flavour spices and garnished with Hippie Snacks

Beautiful 12 grain soda bread brought by one of the participants Amela @theatrumvitae

 Jennifer of @thelemonapron brought this beautiful pie!

Filed Under: Articles, My Journey

Kimchi Walnut and Arugula Crostini with Campania Tomato Sauce

December 7, 2018 By stemsandforks 4 Comments

This post is a not for profit collaboration with Mealshare. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I could sit here and lecture you all about sharing, giving and ending youth hunger but lets be frank. The reality is most of us want to enjoy our first world lives…dinner out with friends and family. But I know We ALL Want to make a DIFFERENCE. Which is why the concept behind Mealshare is brilliant. 

…

Read More »

Filed Under: Appetizers/starters, Articles, Crostini, This Korean Bakes

Food Styling and Photography Workshop Paris France-Saturday February 2nd 2019

December 5, 2018 By stemsandforks Leave a Comment

SOLD OUT

POUR LE FRANÇAIS 🇫🇷, VOIR CI-DESSOUS

Elise Dumas from @thepineapplechef and I are thrilled to announce that we’ll be joining forces again to offer an intense full day workshop from the city of love, Paris France.

Join us for a full day of intensive learning – whether you’re a hobby photographer or an established influencer, you’ll get tons of styling and photography advice and inspiration to thrust you to the next level.  We’ll have step-by-step demos, hands-on practice breakouts with Elise and I guiding each participant individually. All our tips and tricks will be shared so come armed with questions. We’ll also have a  practical session on how to navigate social media and treat your blog/social media like a business. We’ll have available food props, boards, fresh botanicals and of course food to style and shoot. 

Spaces are limited so book soon.

Food Styling and Photography Master Class:

When:

Saturday, February 2nd 2019

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Where: 

Gorgeous classic Parisian Studio in the trendy 7th Arrondissement, Paris, France

…

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Filed Under: Articles, Workshops

PARIS FOOD AND FLORAL WORKSHOP

May 6, 2018 By stemsandforks Leave a Comment

Elise Dumas, The Pineapple Chef

Paris Food and Floral Styling Workshop 

SOLD OUT 

POUR LE FRANÇAIS 🇫🇷, VOIR CI-DESSOUS

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be co-hosting an epic workshop on food and floral photography from the world’s epicentre of style, Paris, France with the talented food stylist and photographer, Elise Dumas from The Pineapple Chef.

Join us for a full day of intensive learning – whether you’re a hobby photographer or an established influencer, you’ll get tons of photography hacks and best practices to elevate you to the next level. We’ll have step-by-step demos, hands-on practice breakouts, and a practical session on how to navigate the social media sphere to put your best foot forward.

Spaces are limited so book soon.

Food & Floral Photography Master Class:

When:

Saturday, July 7th 2018

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Where: 

Gorgeous classic Parisian Studio in the trendy 7th Arrondissement, Paris, France

Instructors:

Elise Dumas, The Pineapple Chef, @thepineapplechef http://thepineapplechef.com/en

Betty Binon, Stems & Forks, @stemsandforks http://stemsandforks.com/

…

Read More »

Filed Under: Articles

Trison Farms: The Three Rising Sons

August 18, 2017 By stemsandforks 4 Comments

Freshly harvested pepper vines at Trison Farms, Kingsville, Ontario

There was no shortage of abandoned wood crates after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) banned wood crates for produce to be stored and shipped.

Although Canada is renowned for its sprawling farmlands and agricultural abundance, as a Canadian, I’ve seldom visited a farm nor given much thought to where my produce comes from. This all changed one sunny afternoon as I jumped in my car and drove for almost four hours from Toronto to Kingsville, Ontario. I was headed to Trison Farms to meet the owners, the Mastronardi family and to learn more about what happens behind the scenes before Ontario produce debuts at a grocery store.

Freshly picked pepper vines.

Cherry tomatoes

The drive was long and dull. I literally had to pinch my face repeatedly so I wouldn’t fall asleep at the wheel. Some might describe the landscape as picturesque – I only saw an endless monotony of flat cornfields that stretched beyond the horizon. Mile after mile, no stores, no people… just a homogenous sea of green. The only sign of life was the occasional herd of cows, grazing at a glacial pace.

Initially, the mammoth 200-meter tall wind turbines in Chatham-Kent were quite impressive, but they quickly lost their novelty as they too became a repetitious part of the monotonous landscape. There were 124 of them to be exact. In retrospect, I don’t think counting wind turbines helped the cause of trying to stay awake. I may as well have been counting sheep.

Left only with my thoughts (I had given up on trying to find a radio station that wasn’t playing country), my mind wandered. I kept thinking, “I could never live here.” 

Vine tomatoes ripening on the vines

Migrant worker hand picking bell peppers

In fact, one of the questions I had prepared for the three sons who had just taken over the family farm business, was, “If you had a choice to be doing anything else, what would it be?” I anticipated I would get an earful of woeful tales of being stuck on the farm and yearning to escape to the bright lights and fast pace of the city. Armed with my city-centric questionnaire, I finally reached my destination. 

Brothers Jordan, Joshua and Joel Mastronardi are fourth generation farmers dating back to1962. Their grandfather Gino had started the now massive produce empire, with only a half-acre glass greenhouse. Today the greenhouse spreads over 25 acres and at peak season employs almost 80 full-time, temporary, and migrant workers.

There were no shortage of hats and sweat bands amongst the workers with the warm stuffy temperatures in the greenhouses                    

As we conversed, I learned more about their family and the illustrious story behind their operations, it became evident that there were no fantasies of escaping to the big city. Here was a family so passionate and so deeply knowledgeable about what they did, that I began to feel remorseful for my narrow-minded views. The three boys like their parents Rick and Mary, continue the hard work with dedication but with a more innovative approach.

“The boys have definitely evolved the farm into a modern, efficient and forward-thinking facility. I was just growing and selling produce. These boys are taking it to the next level,” previous owner and father, Rick, proudly quipped.

Although he claims to have passed the baton onto his sons, they are quick to inform me that he is still just as immersed in the day-to-day operations and refuses to take a vacation.

Rick Mastronardi, Second generation owner of Trison Farms inspecting his black berries.

Fallen leaves are collected after each harvest.

Using lights to trick strawberry plants into thinking it’s spring, these strawberry vines will bear fruit in the winter.

Mary, the matriarch of the family is no different from her husband Rick – There’s no sitting on the porch sipping lemonade and eating bonbons for her. She continues to manage the retail marketplace which is a cozy, roadside open-concept shop. She runs this business with produce from the family’s greenhouses as well as other local grower’s products.

Trison Farms roadside market where they sell both their own produce and local farmers produce

The brothers are continually looking to grow not only their produce but innovative machines, and software to increase their efficiency and develop new varieties of berries. Josh who is in charge of sales and marketing tells me at times they can’t keep up with demand. Not only do they grow their produce, but they pack and distribute almost 200’000 pounds of quality berries, peppers and tomatoes per week. And they’re not planning on slowing down this uphill growth. 

Worker packing Sheppard peppers in the packing facility

Freshly plucked peppers

Large water tanks

Joel, the eldest of the sons, helms the development of the produce itself, growing crops. So many factors to consider here from irrigation, to pest management, crop pollenating, planting, fertilization…the list is endless and so is Joel’s work load. Jordan the youngest is in charge of warehousing. Sorting, packing and filling orders all with the utmost attention paid to quality and efficiency. 

Josh Mastronardi, 4th generation farmer

Three sons, three very busy departments mean some days the brothers may not even run into each other on any given day. Which Joshua says “…helps create a great working relationship as no one hovers over the other”. 

As for my initial question? Josh simply answers: “I never really thought about anything else. My brothers and I always worked on the farm growing up and knew we’d continue to be a part of it.”

Getting produce ready for delivery

Processing/Packing Warehouse

The Mastronardi Family. From left, Jordan, Rick, Mary Ann,Joel and Josh.

I left with an incredible and informative education about greenhouse farming. Which yields higher attractive crops, uses minimal and natural pesticides when compared to field farming, makes the most efficient use of water and has longer growing seasons due to a controlled environment. But greenhouses are more expensive both to operate, install and maintain. What shocked me was how everything was hand-picked. Be it peppers or grape tomatoes…Someone was hand selecting and packing every single fruit and vegetable.  

Sheppard Pepper

I was totally wrong. Farm life is not slow, dull or isolated. In fact it was quite the opposite. It involved so many facets of business and life. Agriculture, sales, innovation, technology, marketing but ultimately a passion to grow and perfect a necessity to every human’s life – food. As I made my four hour trip back to Toronto, somehow the endless fields and wind turbines looked different this time. I no longer saw a monotonous sea of nothingness…I saw endless hours of labour, love and rich history.

As I ran the events of the day through my head – the wonderful earthy fragrance of the greenhouses, the moving stories of a family-built empire, and the symbiotic balance of raw nature with new technology…I found myself thinking…”I could live here.”

Tomatoes grown by Trisons. From Top Left going right to left; Beefsteak, Grape, Vine, Heirloom, Cocktail

Assorted peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Sheppard and bell peppers from Trison Farms

Blackberries and Strawberries grown by Trison Farms

 

 

Filed Under: Articles

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