Executive Director Hired!
Our new executive director was featured in the Salisbury Post! Here are some excerpts. For the whole article please view here.
By Deirdre Parker-Smith for the Salisbury Post
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Eric Bowen has been hired as the first executive director for Bread Riot and will also manage the Salisbury Farmers Market.
The search attracted a lot of qualified candidates, said Capri Brixey, outgoing president of Bread Riot. “We were very appreciative so many people were interested.”
While they were expecting a lot of local applicants, Bread Riot received queries from all over the state.
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Bowen said he heard about Bread Riot on a listserv for local food advocates. Amy Hoffner Poirer, the incoming Bread Riot president, was advertising the Winter Harvest, “which is very similar to what I did at goMarketNC. … I then read about Bread Riot’s programs and jumped at the opportunity to work with an organization a few years ahead of me.
“Bread Riot has a solid base of volunteers and financial support that just isn’t possible in the for-profit world.
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to build on that foundation and help many more farmers and eaters share local, sustainable food.”
He also likes Salisbury for its history, and its proximity to his hometown of Hickory, “and perhaps that I grew up drinking absurd quantities of Cheerwine.”
Salisbury Farmers Market’s last day was Saturday, Dec. 20. Harry Agner is retiring as its manager after 13 years with the market. Bowen will take over management in the spring when the market reopens, in addition to his duties with Bread Riot.
See more at: http://m.salisburypost.com/2014/12/20/farmers-market-manager-executive-director-for-bread-riot-hired/
To stay up to date, like our Facebook page and the Salisbury Farmers' Market page.
Eric Bowen has been hired as the first executive director for Bread Riot and will also manage the Salisbury Farmers Market.
The search attracted a lot of qualified candidates, said Capri Brixey, outgoing president of Bread Riot. “We were very appreciative so many people were interested.”
While they were expecting a lot of local applicants, Bread Riot received queries from all over the state.
Bowen, of Durham, a 2007 graduate of N.C. State University, has a degree in natural resources with a minor in agroecology. He received his master’s in ecology from Colorado State University in 2013 and founded goMarketNC, an online farmers’ market.
After graduating, Bowen went on to farm, teach and do research as an apprentice at the Center of Environmental Farming Systems. He also worked on farms and taught while in Colorado. He took a break from school in 2011 and worked at a nonprofit educational farm in Athens, Ga.
Danelle Cutting, horticulture and local foods agent with Rowan County Cooperative Extension, was in on the interviews.
“He comes with creative ideas. … He already has Extension background with Center for Environmental Farming systems, it’s a combination of Extension and the Department of Agriculture.”
Cutting said Bowen has a background in local foods. “I think he’ll be a strong advocate for the Farmers Market. He seems like a go-getter. He’s the one we kept going back to.”
Cutting said Bowen’s experience with web sites and social media is a plus. She plans to take him to visit the farmers who take part in the market.
“He did his research. He seems knowledgeable about our area.”
Brixey said Bowen will move here sometime after the holidays.
Bread Riot is a group which works with local farmers and producers to provide local food to local consumers. There are no membership fees, but many programs, such as Riot in the Pasture, and bulk meat purchases. They participate in what is known as Community-Supported Agriculture, working with farmers and consumers to match demand and supply. Farmers know they have a certain number of customers and what those customers want.
Bowen said he heard about Bread Riot on a listserv for local food advocates. Amy Hoffner Poirer, the incoming Bread Riot president, was advertising the Winter Harvest, “which is very similar to what I did at goMarketNC. … I then read about Bread Riot’s programs and jumped at the opportunity to work with an organization a few years ahead of me.
“Bread Riot has a solid base of volunteers and financial support that just isn’t possible in the for-profit world.
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to build on that foundation and help many more farmers and eaters share local, sustainable food.”
He also likes Salisbury for its history, and its proximity to his hometown of Hickory, “and perhaps that I grew up drinking absurd quantities of Cheerwine.”
Salisbury Farmers Market’s last day was Saturday, Dec. 20. Harry Agner is retiring as its manager after 13 years with the market. Bowen will take over management in the spring when the market reopens, in addition to his duties with Bread Riot.
- See more at: http://m.salisburypost.com/2014/12/20/farmers-market-manager-executive-director-for-bread-riot-hired/#sthash.H6bFcgEf.dpufFarmers Market manager, executive director for Bread Riot hired
Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 20, 2014
By Deirdre Parker Smith
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Eric Bowen has been hired as the first executive director for Bread Riot and will also manage the Salisbury Farmers Market.
The search attracted a lot of qualified candidates, said Capri Brixey, outgoing president of Bread Riot. “We were very appreciative so many people were interested.”
While they were expecting a lot of local applicants, Bread Riot received queries from all over the state.
Bowen, of Durham, a 2007 graduate of N.C. State University, has a degree in natural resources with a minor in agroecology. He received his master’s in ecology from Colorado State University in 2013 and founded goMarketNC, an online farmers’ market.
Farmers Market manager, executive director for Bread Riot hired
Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 20, 2014
By Deirdre Parker Smith
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Eric Bowen has been hired as the first executive director for Bread Riot and will also manage the Salisbury Farmers Market.
The search attracted a lot of qualified candidates, said Capri Brixey, outgoing president of Bread Riot. “We were very appreciative so many people were interested.”
While they were expecting a lot of local applicants, Bread Riot received queries from all over the state.
Bowen, of Durham, a 2007 graduate of N.C. State University, has a degree in natural resources with a minor in agroecology. He received his master’s in ecology from Colorado State University in 2013 and founded goMarketNC, an online farmers’ market.
Bulk Beef Program - Late 2014
Every year Bread Riot is proud to partner with local farmers to offer bulk meat purchases. We strive to conduct at least 2 bulk beef purchases per year - one in the early spring and one in the fall.
We are currently working to identify our supplier for the next beef purchase which we hope will take place in December.
Further details will be forthcoming but if you are interested in participating, please contact Bread Riot board president, Amy Poirier This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Riot in the kitchen leads up to Riot in the Pasture
By Deirdre Parker-Smith for the Salisbury Post
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Entering the kitchen just a couple hours before Riot in the Pasture can be a dangerous undertaking. Knives are furiously chopping, sweet potatoes fly through the air, cries of "Hot behind you!" break out.
For the second year, chef Jason Nain and Morgan Ridge Vineyards played host for the Sunday afternoon event of music, games, beverages and, most importantly, local food.
Amid the chaos of last minute prep, Nain says "Come here, let me show you something." He leaves the kitchen and walks into the constantly-cool barrel room where the wines age. "We got so much produce, so many lettuces and stuff, I didn't have anywhere to put it." So there with the wines are boxes of fresh greens of every sort, from leaf lettuce to collards to kohlrabi. And there's three enormous bowls of prepared salad, multiple lettuces topped with strawberries, radishes and goat cheese, waiting to be set up.
"The produce we got this year is just amazing. It was clean and beautiful. Last year, I was scrubbing dirt off some stuff," Nain said.
David Correll of Correll Farms is out in the pasture, relaxing at his vendor booth, filled with the same fresh vegetables. "I like coming out here and seeing people I usually only see at the Farmers Market. We're happy they're using our stuff."
Back in the kitchen, Scott Graden is wrist-deep in the chicken filling for the crepes with wild mushroom sauce. Nain offers a taste of the sauce, full of plump shiitake mushrooms grown by the woman who happens to stick her head in the door, Brenda Garner of Cedar Creek Farm in Davidson County.
Read more: Riot in the kitchen leads up to Riot in the Pasture
2014 Annual Riot in the Pasture
Riot in the Pasture, a local farm-to-fork dinner, is held annually the Sunday before Memorial Day. Our next Riot will be Sunday, May 18, 2014. Riot in the Pasture is a celebration of local food with a farm-to-fork meal, music, entertainment, kids' activities, and a full afternoon of fun! This year, Riot will again be hosted by Morgan Ridge Vineyards, the NC Wine Grower of the year, in their gorgeous, sun-kissed location in southern Rowan county. To learn more about our venue, read this profile article.
We are gearing up for this year's event! The menu looks amazing and we will feature multiple stations of food items. We've lined up several breweries to participate and are excited that Morgan Ridge has added a brewpub to their offerings so there will be plenty of local wine and beer to enjoy.
We have a wonderful line-up of music that will perform on the newly built stage overlooking the Morgan Ridge pond. Families can spread out on the front lawn and enjoy their afternoon. Tickets go on sale soon - so follow event plans on Facebook and our e-newsletters. But most importantly, reserve the afternoon of Sunday, May 18 on your calendar to enjoy the 4th Annual Riot in the Pasture!
