Food Festivals Are Coming Back, but a Little Different This Year New BayHaven Food & Wine Festival joins Chow Chow and euphoria in the world of Southern food fests Tweet Share
Before big public events went into hibernation early last year, food festivals in general were coming under some sharp scrutiny for the way they treated the participating chefs and the gulf between the expectations of celebrity chefs versus up-and-comers. Plus, a deserved spotlight was being shined on whether BIPOC chefs were getting their share of attention.
As the window slowly opens on starting food events again, three Southern festivals are making some changes, including a brand new event in Charlotte, N.C., aimed at introducing notable Black chefs to the dining public. Some festival organizers have already been presenting online opportunities to stay front-of-mind with their fans and are still figuring out how to ease into in-person events.
Plant buckwheat by broadcasting the seed over a worked seedbed.
Buckwheat kernels ready for harvest by Mari Stuart
Harvesting Buckwheat
When harvesting buckwheat, keep in mind that the plant is indeterminate, meaning that the kernels ripen at different times. Some may still be green when others are ready. In some ways, that makes the crop particularly well suited for small-scale growing.
If you have the patience, you could simply walk through the field and strip the dark brown grains off the stalk with your fingers.
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Rich, dark brown buckwheat by Mari Stuart
The more effective methods is to cut the buckwheat down with a scythe or sickle mower, tie the plants into bundles, and let them dry protected from rain. When the stalks are completely dry, thresh them inside sacks or old pillowcases, or on old sheets beating them with brooms.
The enemy no more, fire helps regenerate forests
Virginia Mercury Photos/Sarah Vogelsong
Members of a fire team carry out a prescribed burn last month on Summers Mountain in Highland County.
Sam Lindblom of the Nature Conservancy prepares a drone to drop ignitable âDragon Eggsâ over Summers Mountain during the prescribed burn. We do know that Indigenous people were burning. The Shenandoah Valley was open. We had bison, we had elk. So they were burning historically to keep these places open for grazing lands. Justin Barnes, state forester
HIGHLAND COUNTY â On the warmest day of 2021 yet, the fire swept over Summers Mountain in a remote corner of Highland, a Virginia county so lightly populated that cattle outnumber humans by almost seven times.
Contributed Photo
Meghan Bonner receives here DAISY Award pin from Fauquier Health Chief Nursing Officer Christine Hart Kress.
Fauquier Health has selected registered nurse Meghan Bonner as its DAISY Team award recipient for the first quarter of 2021.
Ms. Bonnerâs award nomination recounted âa special moment that she shared with a patient,â the hospital said in a press release.
âThe patient, who struggled with dementia and difficulty of hearing, experienced an episode of confusion and frustration,â the release explains. âThe patient became increasingly scared and Meghan knew she had to act quickly to help calm them.
âMeghan comforted the patient, put on an old classic movie and took a seat. As fellow staff members walked by, they witnessed Meghan next to the patient watching the moving, holding their hand. The patientâs whole demeanor changed to a much calmer and happier state.â