BY KAREN SCHWALBE
On a chilly March morning, the smell of fresh-baked muffins and even fresher coffee wafted out the door of Reed’s farm stand – the home of Under the Sun Farm.  It was a welcoming first impression to a new business in North Dighton. Milton Teixeira, along with his wife, Caitlin, have recently opened in the location of the former Reed Brothers Produce and Garden Center, a fixture in the Dighton/Rehoboth area.  The farm stand is open and stocked with the basics, including the all-important coffee and on-site bakery, to accommodate longstanding regular customers.  Under the Sun Farm sells both its own produce as well as more traditional merchandise making it a destination market for the neighborhood.  This past weekend the greenhouses officially opened with flowers, seedlings, baskets and bedding plants. I was able to catch up with Milton and Caitlin as they were preparing for the upcoming season.

Milton has been farming since the age of eight and his passion for it hasn’t diminished.  A graduate of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, Milton is obviously very good at what he does. Read more →

BY KENDRA MURRAY
If there’s one thing  I’d love to see flourishing in my garden, I’d have to say coffee plants. However, with our coldest days sometimes dipping below zero, I think I’m out of luck. Despite the fact that I’ll never have a coffee plantation in my yard (as long as I’m living in Massachusetts, anyhow), I can still pick up some locally roasted beans from Jim’s Organic Coffee (and that’s just as good)!

Coffee Beans

I had the pleasure of visiting Jim’s Organic Coffee, talking with owner Jim Cannell and getting a great tour and company history from Sandy Davis, the Marketing Manager. Before we sat down, Sandy offered me a cup of coffee. I was given the choice between the Jo-Jo’s Java, a medium roast and a best-selling blend, or the Sumatra French Roast, a single-origin dark roast. Though I was curious to try the most popular flavor, I stuck to my usual: a dark roast, black. Sandy poured me a tall cup of the Sumatra. Deep and bold, it is the only single origin dark roast that Jim’s offers. One word: fantastic.

Jim Cannell started the first all organic coffee roasting company in the United States. After selling that business, Jim’s Organic Coffee was born. Twenty years later, Jim’s is still committed to roasting a quality bean and maintaining quality relationships with the farmers who grow those beans. Jim himself has visited nearly all of the growers who supply him through organic co-ops across the globe. Read more →

BY KENDRA MURRAY
If you’re looking for a nice dinner full of fresh, local ingredients, then I suggest you make your way down to Little Moss. Located in picturesque Padanaram, Little Moss is a cozy restaurant that truly embodies local. The decor is reminiscent of a seaside cottage, which suits the restaurant nicely given its location. Even the name Little Moss pays homage to the area’s whaling roots. The Moss is the name of the ship that takes Moby Dick’s main character, Ishmael, from New Bedford to Nantucket.

The Ryerson

Prior to going out to eat at Little Moss, I had spoken with Chris Cronin, Little Moss’s former head chef. Right now Cronin is focused on the marketplace project across the street, which will be filled with local, produce, meats, charcuterie and hopefully open by June. Despite being very busy with that project, Cronin was kind enough to give a bit of background on the restaurant, menu, and local sourcing. Read more →

BY KENDRA MURRAY
Although our winter started off pretty mildly, I’m currently staring out the window watching a heavy snowfall. I’ve accepted that fact that winter is finally here. What better way to warm up on a winter day than with a nice, hot bowl of soup? Destination Soups, situated in the heart of Downtown New Bedford is the perfect place for a winter warmer.

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Nestled in a sweet spot between routes 24, 495 and 44, Freedom Food Farm is the embodiment of farm riding a wave of excitement and enthusiasm. Since their move from Rhode Island two years ago, Freedom Food Farm’s growth has been intensive, building both infrastructure – coolers, greenhouses and a new farm stand – as well a customer base in their new location just north of Rte. 44 in Raynham. The integrated farm uses organic and biodynamic principles to manage vegetable production and animal husbandry practices.

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