Fed Official at Boyd Street Urban Farm

According to a report from the Munjoy Hill News,

Yesterday afternoon Under Secretary Kevin W. Concannon cut a ribbon at the Boyd Street Urban Farm at Kennedy Park.  His appearance here in Portland which began with a press conference at the city hall in the morning, was part of a visit to farmers’ markets all over Maine.  “We are encouraging farmers’ markets all over to use a Double Voucher,” he said holding up a blue plastic card – like a credit card.

The Price of Coffee

The Forecaster investigated the factors that influence the price of your morning cup of coffee.

…the cost of a cup of coffee is anything but consistent across Portland’s many cafes. On Munjoy Hill, customers at Hilltop Coffee pay $1.46 for a 12-ounce cup. At Starbucks in the Old Port, patrons can expect to shell out $1.61 for the same size, and the Udder Place near Woodford’s Corner charges $1.75.

What accounts for the difference in price? A lot. Between the straws, the cups, the employees, the milk and sugar, the rent and more, there’s a lot more than coffee in the price of a cup of Joe.

Demolition of Red's Dairy Freeze with Video

Articles on yesterday’s demolition of the old Red’s Dairy Freeze building in South Portland appeared on the front page of the Press Herald,

Chris Bolling stood in the crowd outside Red’s Dairy Freeze in South Portland early Monday and watched the demolition of his popular ice cream stand.

“It was tough,” he said. “It’s a lot of memories, but it’s a new beginning and we will have a new building.”

and on The Forecaster website. Both newspapers also published video of the demolition.

It took 50 years for Red’s Dairy Freeze to build a fanatical following for its frozen soft-serve treats.

But it only took a matter of minutes on Monday for demolition crews to reduce the building at the corner of Cottage Road and Highland Avenue to a pile of rubble.

“It’s sad,” said Mercedes Vance, who lives a few houses up the street. “It has such a long history and tradition. I just look at all these kids out here sobbing and it makes me sad.”

Demolition of Red’s Dairy Freeze with Video

Articles on yesterday’s demolition of the old Red’s Dairy Freeze building in South Portland appeared on the front page of the Press Herald,

Chris Bolling stood in the crowd outside Red’s Dairy Freeze in South Portland early Monday and watched the demolition of his popular ice cream stand.

“It was tough,” he said. “It’s a lot of memories, but it’s a new beginning and we will have a new building.”

and on The Forecaster website. Both newspapers also published video of the demolition.

It took 50 years for Red’s Dairy Freeze to build a fanatical following for its frozen soft-serve treats.

But it only took a matter of minutes on Monday for demolition crews to reduce the building at the corner of Cottage Road and Highland Avenue to a pile of rubble.

“It’s sad,” said Mercedes Vance, who lives a few houses up the street. “It has such a long history and tradition. I just look at all these kids out here sobbing and it makes me sad.”

Backyard Locavore Tour and More Smiling Hill Tomatoes

Today’s Press Herald includes an article on the Backyard Locavore Tour taking place this weekend,

After more than 300 people bought tickets to last year’s inaugural Backyard Locavore Tour, the organizers are getting ready for another oversized crowd when the edible garden excursion returns this Saturday. Unlike more typical garden tours, this event highlights plots growing vegetables, fruits and herbs, with a few offering a glimpse of small livestock husbandry and beekeeping.

and additional reporting on Smiling Hill Farm’s plans to get into the greenhouse tomato business.

Knight, whose farm now produces a variety of dairy products, said the greenhouse could create about 100 jobs. It’s also projected to yield 12 million to 14 million pounds of tomatoes each year, said Larry Gianatti Sr., president of Quality Sales Inc., a produce distributor in Hartford, Conn.

Baja Dogs and Grace made cameo appearances in an article about hot dog vendors in Maine.

Cockeyed Gull & Outdoor Dining

The Portland Daily Sun has published a profile of Cockeyed Gull on Peaks Island and an article about the risks and rewards of outdoor dining in Portland.

I recently read a blog comment that “you don’t go to Peaks Island for the food.” I would agree with the addition of one word: you don’t go to Peaks Island only for the food. But once you are there, the Cockeyed Gull is among the lovely places for a meal. The back deck offers a view across the harbor at Portland’s skyline unobscured by streetlights, dock detritus or people. Herbs grow in planters atop the railing and while the rest of the food has to be brought in by ferry, it’s no more than the twenty-minute ferry ride older than anything you’d buy on the mainland.

Cockeyed Gull & Outdoor Dining

The Portland Daily Sun has published a profile of Cockeyed Gull on Peaks Island and an article about the risks and rewards of outdoor dining in Portland.

I recently read a blog comment that “you don’t go to Peaks Island for the food.” I would agree with the addition of one word: you don’t go to Peaks Island only for the food. But once you are there, the Cockeyed Gull is among the lovely places for a meal. The back deck offers a view across the harbor at Portland’s skyline unobscured by streetlights, dock detritus or people. Herbs grow in planters atop the railing and while the rest of the food has to be brought in by ferry, it’s no more than the twenty-minute ferry ride older than anything you’d buy on the mainland.