The Philly Farm & Food Fest returned to the Philadelphia Convention Center this past Sunday. Over 4,000 attendees chatted with local farmers,  artisans & businesses.

The second shot at Philly Farm & Food Fest had a great mix of tastes, education & variety. The cheeses were mouthwatering, the sauerkraut was freshly fermented, and there was even crisp local apple cider.

Philly Farm & Food Fest 2013

I kicked off my locavore dream tour with a Greening your Cafe discussion with Nicole Marquis of HipCityVeg, chef Tia McDonald of Vetri Foundation, Angelo Anastasio from Greenable Green Building Design, and Justin Rosenberg of Honeygrow (and presented by Clean Currents). Anastasio discussed how various restaurants throughout Philly have been designed with reclaimed wood and sustainable materials. Rosenberg emphasized how even the noodles at Honeygrow are local (from New Jersey) and his staff memorizes which farms provide the brussel sprouts and fresh veggies. (Up to 80% of the Honeygrow food is local in the summer.) McDonald shared heartwarming stories about how children in the Vetri Foundation’s lunch programs have jump started healthy eating with their families at home.

One of my favorite lines came from Marquis discussing her critics of HipCityVeg. She mentioned the challenges of owning a vegan fast food with great values like compostable packaging, composting and a sustainably designed space. When people ask Marquis if the public wants such an establishment in this economy, she mentioned, “The line around Sansom Street is showing that people really want to eat this way.”

After I left the discussion, I immediately got sucked in by Spotted Hill Farm‘s delicious smells. The couple who owned the local goat milk soap business had smiles on their faces and were happy to chat.

The Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op returned with a beautiful display of sample CSA shares. There’s a wide variety of CSAs around Philly, and if you’re still debating, I have 8 reasons why you should try a CSA this year.

There were baked goods & treats to try as well. Gilda’s Biscotti sampling left me no choice but to bring home a few of their meringues for my next family event. I’m usually a dark chocolate gal, but the lighter flavor is perfect to share for dessert.

One of the best parts of Philly Farm & Food Fest is to talk with the people who actually grow your food. They’re magical enough even to grow veggies as big as your head!

Whole Paycheck can wait another week. No matter what’s on your grocery list, you can purchase many condiments and odds & ends locally. The Jersey ketchup came in a regular or chipotle flavor if you prefer a kick.

Local food isn’t just plant-based. Cape May Oyster farmers had a display to shuck a sample while you waited. Add a little cocktail sauce & enjoy!

Watching the other guests interact with vendors was just as amusing. The Upper Merion Farmer’s Market is prepping for their upcoming season, Saturdays from 9-1. Farmer’s Markets are perfect if you can’t swing a CSA share OR just to supplement some other essentials. 

So many vendors including the Vera Pasta displayed beautiful, local food. It made me question the ease of our box spaghetti and ziti’s I’ve used for so many years prior. I’ll def be trying these next time I crave a carb fest (or prep for the Broad Street run!)

Everyone was able to enjoy an array of fresh food, cheeses, meats, soap and many other products. Overall, I left the festival with a packed backpack of goodies and a satisfied palate.

Readers, did you attend Philly Farm & Food Fest? What was your favorite vendor or display?

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher