The gulf oil spill has shut down the oldest oyster shucking operation in the country. You might think that would translate into more business for Northwest oyster growers. But it’s not that simple. Correspondent Austin Jenkins explains. The P&J Oyster Company has been in operation in New Orleans for 134 years. Not any longer. The company has halted operations because oil from the BP spill has made it into its...
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EUGENE, OR – For children from low income homes, school lunch can be the only consistent source of nourishment in their lives. The Federal Nutrition Guidelines for the school lunch program is up for renewal in Congress this year. Correspondent Rachael McDonald takes a look at school lunch, its nutrition, its value and its future. It’s lunchtime at Shasta Middle School Sound: Cafeteria Students crowd into the cafeteria and head for the...
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Thanks to a rainy spring, morel mushroom are popping up all over the Northwest.  That means an abundance at local farmers markets.  Today on the Market & Garden Report, correspondent Guy Hand is going to follow morels from the market right into the kitchen — and get advice on cooking these highly prized mushrooms. (Hand) At the Capital City Public Market, Chris Florence of Sweet Valley Organics has...
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is starting an in-depth survey of honey bees in 13 states including Washington. Federal researchers are teaming up with universities to see what’s ailing the bees. The insects are integral to bringing fresh fruits and veggies to your dinner table. But lately mites, diseases and a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder have taken a toll on bees. Robyn Rose is with the USDA. She...
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Underground markets and restaurants have popped up all over the country.  They open their doors only briefly, for an afternoon or an evening, in ever changing, often secret locations. Like 21st Century speakeasies for the foodie set, they sidestep the high overhead and complex regulations that traditional food establishments face. In this installment of Edible Idaho, correspondent Guy Hand slips into the Northwest world of underground food. (Sounds at...
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Blame a cool, wet Spring for our slow start to the garden season.  But it’s also a perfect time to focus on fundamentals, like good soil.  In this Market & Garden Report, correspondent Guy Hand talks to Clay and Josie Erskine of Peaceful Belly Farms about that most basic of garden skills: composting. (Clay) Home composting is a great way to utilize a lot of the things that...
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A glass of wine, an appetizer, a little live jazz and I’m thinking life in springtime Boise is pretty good. A windowless basement may not sound like the perfect place for such sunny contentments, but this cubbyhole on the lower level of the Garro Building on Bannock Street (between 8th and 9th) has delivered before. The MilkyWay’s much-loved first incarnation was housed here. Then Andrae’s settled in to become one...
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Researchers are downgrading their predictions of a severe grasshopper invasion this summer. They credit the recent cool, wet weather. That may be frustrating for Northwest residents who are anxious for summer. But it’s good news for farmers. Inland Northwest Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports. In mid-May, Washington State University entomologist Richard Zack warned that the conditions were ripe for a devastating outbreak of grasshoppers. He predicted the worst infestation in a...
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RICHLAND, WA – In Washington and parts of Oregon heavy rains are making a soggy mess of valuable hay fields. And some farmers in Idaho say their crop is a month behind schedule because of the cool weather. Each rain costs farmers thousands of dollars. Correspondent Anna King reports. Much of the Northwest’s first alfalfa cutting is sent to places like Japan and Korea – but those Asian dairy farmers...
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 Farmers’ Markets often offer produce you won’t find in supermarkets — things that are unusual, fragile or that the average person simple doesn’t know how to cook.  Green garlic, for instance.  In this installment of the Market & Garden Report, correspondent Guy Hand asks an expert about those tender, young shoots called green garlic. (Hand) I’m at the Capital City Public Market with Charlene Stelling of Riverview Gardens in...
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