Although food and our food system is where much of my personal passion lies, we’ve been pulled to an opportunity outside of food. As we refined what was valuable about Foodtree for businesses, our focus increasingly became product, store and brand locators. As of today, Foodtree will become Brandtree. Brandtree is how you show shoppers where to find your brand and products. Our software still works amazingly well for food businesses, like Untamed Feast. You can see their location app here-http://untamedfeast.com/vendors

Visit http://www.brandtr.ee to learn about our next generation, mobile first software for store, brand and product locator marketing. Grow sales, streamline marketing and get actionable insight from embeddable software applications that showcase your company’s products. From the mobile web and your website to iPhone/Android apps and Facebook applications, Brandtree makes it easy to show shoppers where to find you.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at anthony@brandtr.ee

Thanks, Anthony Nicalo | co-founder & CEO,  ̶F̶o̶o̶d̶t̶r̶e̶e̶  Brandtree

via @miss604:

Trout Lake Farmers Market (foodtree profile)

Location: North Parking Lot of John Hendry Park at Trout Lake
Dates: Saturdays, May 12, 2012 to October 20, 2012
Hours: 9:00am to 2:00pm each week

Kitsilano Farmers Market (foodtree profile)

Location: Parking Lot of Kitsilano Community Centre (2690 Larch at 10th)
Dates: Sundays, May 20, 2012 to October 21, 2012
Hours: 10:00am to 2:00pm each week

West End Farmers Market (foodtree profile)

Location: 1100 Block of Comox across from Nelson Park at Mole Hill
Dates: Saturdays, June 2, 2012 to October 20, 2012
Hours: 9:00am to 2:00pm each week

Main Street Market (foodtree profile)

Location: Main Street Station at Thornton Park (across from the train station)
Dates: Wednesdays, June 6, 2012 to October 3, 2012
Hours: 3:00pm to 7:00pm each week

Kerrisdale Village Farmers Market (foodtree profile)

Location: East Boulevard between 37th and 41st (near Kerrisdale Arena)
Dates: Saturdays, July 7, 2012 to October 6, 2012
Hours: 10:00am to 2:00pm each week

See you all at the markets!

Trivia: Trout Lake Farmers Market is the very first business record ever on Foodtree!

The cans are the old-timey variety that you probably haven’t seen since the 60s. They’re made of fully-recyclable steel, and require a churchkey opener to get into. You puncture one corner of the top, then make a deeper puncture on the other side to drink out of. Ever noticed a triangle-shaped piece of metal on the other end of some bottle openers? It’s for these types of cans.

The company is backed by a set of people in the technology world, so it caught our attention as a foodtech startup. We investigated a bit further and wondered where we might find and try this beer, because the churchkey thing is cool, but what does the beer actually taste like, right?

The company’s website lists the places, but it really isn’t all that helpful. There’s no map and no information for these places, like even a phone number to call and check if they’re carrying Churchkey.

So we took their retail list and crunched the data.

Click here to see their Where to Buy map, which gives you a good feel for where you can find Churchkey. Our mobile app now has this information in it as well for people on the go. And if you do find Churchkey somewhere you can verify these places by sharing a photo of the beer cans on Foodtree.

Have you had their beer yet? How was it?

Community supported agriculture is a great way to take a step closer to the food you are eating, allowing you to know exactly where your food is coming from, who’s growing it and how it’s being grown. CSAs have been around for a while, but in recent years local farms have taken a step closer to your table at home: they are filling in the spaces in our towns and cities.

Urban farmers like Emi Do are ring fencing agricultural areas as cities grow around them, as well as finding unconventional spots to produce food on a small local scale.

“By bringing farming to the city, we are in essence bringing food production closer to the people it feeds. I love that I get to engage in dialogue with my neighbors and that my profession is one that nourishes them.”

Urban farms are wide spread enough now that you can almost guarantee that every city will have one or two, and you might be surprised at the growing power these small corners of land have, we’re not talking the occasional lettuce here. When I stopped by Yummy Yards in Vancouver Emi explained to me that this season she is growing: kale, swiss chard, collards, spinach, salad greens, arugula, cabbages, carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, onion, kohlrabi, leeks, scallions, garlic, squash, pumpkin, zucchini, beans, peas, eggplant, peppers, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, basil, and more!

It’s great for the community!

While urban farms can and do supply restaurants and markets, the real power of these projects is that they can provide the communities around them with food via Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

If you are in Vancouver you can find out more about Yummy Yards’ CSA here, or Yummy Yards’ Foodtree page here. Aternatively investigate your local CSA scene to find something similar near you!

Today we chat with Kia Robertson, author and creator of Today I Ate A Rainbow, which turns healthy eating into a game for parents to encourage their children to establish great eating habits!

Tell us about yourself:

I am a mom to an amazing 8yr old daughter, the wife of a fantastic husband who is also my business partner in our 3 companies and I’m a recovering picky eater!!!

I created an interactive game called Today I Ate A Rainbow for my daughter and it was so successful that I decided to turn it into a product that could help other families set healthy eating habits!

Tell us about your project/business:

We are so proud of our product Today I Ate A Rainbow, it’s a game that gets kids ASKING to eat a rainbow of colorful fruits and veggies every day! Using a rainbow as a guide, this product makes it easy to understand that kids need to be eating at least 5 different colored fruits and vegetables everyday…they need to Eat A Rainbow! Each color group is packed with a unique set of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients so growing bodies benefit the most from eating from each group.

The Rainbow Kit is an easy to understand concept for children aged 3 and up. It comes with 4 sets of tracking magnets, a laminated fridge chart, a color coded shopping list and a book called The Rainbow Bunch.

Our website is full of tips on how to get kids eating a rainbow, suggestions for picky eating, recipe ideas, insightful blog posts, our kids cooking video series called In The Rainbow Kitchen and our free downloads such as coloring sheets, certificates and our new and free Today I Tried chart that is a visual tool that it can take at least 10 exposures to a new food before it’s accepted!

Hearing from happy parents and educators is always the best part of this job…I know what it’s like to be a picky eater and I also know what it’s like to be a parent who just wants the best for their child so it means a lot to me that our product is making a difference and helping family live healthier lives!

Has your relationship with food evolved over time? How?

Well this is going to sound rather ironic considering the company I started… but I was an extremely picky eater for most of my life…I rarely ate any vegetables and only ate a few fruits! My mom says I’d go so far as to pick the grated carrots out of carrot cake.

Becoming a mother changed all that in a hurry! I wanted to ensure that she grew up with healthy eating habits and I wanted to be a good role model for her. So I started reading everything I could get my hands on that talked about healthy eating! It has been a long and sometimes uncomfortable journey for me.

Today I eat mainly fruits and vegetables, I juice daily and we make at least 90% of our meals from scratch! I have never felt healthier, happier or stronger than I do now!

What is your earliest memory about food?

My earliest food memory would probably be when I was two years old having a picnic with my mom in our backyard on a warm sunny day eating strawberries and feeling the juice drip down my face :)

What’s most important to you when it comes to buying food – local, organic, fair trade, GMO-free, etc?

All of the above :) If I had to choose I would say that supporting local farmers is the most important to me followed closely by organics and then GMO-free foods. It is all so important and makes a difference so we do our best to buy wisely!

What is the one thing you’d like to see change about the food system?

I would like to see small organic farms getting government subsidies and support from their local communities. I think it’s time we focus on our food choices and how what we choose impacts the earth, our health and our economy. Every family makes a difference when it comes to voting with our forks!

What is special about food where you live? What’s one thing you would change?

We live in an area that is full of vineyards, orchards and farms…we can walk 5 blocks to a local farm and get our eggs, organic honey and veggies. Just down the road from them is a wonderful berry farm. I especially love picking a crispy juice apple off the tree at my parents orchard!

One thing I would change…I’d love to see more organic farms in the area!

What are your favorite ingredients to use when preparing a meal?

My favorite ingredients to use would have to be garlic, olive oil, onions and lemons! One or all of those ingredients are in most of our meals!

What are your favorite foods?

My favorite foods: well I recently discovered the joys of juicing so I’m really enjoying all kinds of vegetables and fruits that way! Other than juicing I love my husband’s fresh homemade bread, pretty much all fruits and I love pasta!

Other than food, what are you particularly excited about right now?

I am really excited about a new movie out called Hungry For Change, a new book called French Kids Eat Everything from Karen Le Billon (read her Food Advocate interview), and the fact that Spring is finally here and we can start planning out our garden! Oh and I am really enthralled with Pinterest :)

Tell us about a food-related project that has inspired you:

I find Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution very inspiring! We watched his tv show as a family, I like to take part in their twitter parties and I am really excited about his upcoming Food Revolution Day on May 19th!

Where can people find you both online and offline?

I’m sharing our rainbow eating message on our

Website: http://www.todayiatearainbow.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TodayIAteARainbow
Twitter: @eatingarainbow
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/eatingarainbow

:)

Thanks for taking part in our Food Advocate series! 

Will you be in the Seattle area this weekend?

(Or do you need an excuse to be there?)

The first – and we hope annual! – Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival is being held at the Seattle Design Center on Saturday afternoon. Featuring 20 Washington cheesemakers, the event gives enthusiasts the opportunity to meet the artisans and learn more about what makes their cheeses unique.

And – *ahem* – taste one or two along the way.

Foodtree is delighted to help the festival by providing technical support – including providing QR Codes for the tasting booths to help the new fans find where to buy their favourites!

Here’s just a small sample of what’s on offer:

Mt Townsend Creamery

Mt Townsend Creamery, one of the larger Washington producers, has just recently opened up a tasting space in Pike Market. They are perhaps best known for the soft-ripened Seastack, which uses vegetable ash ahead of ripening.  It’s a popular offering and graces the cheese plates of many a fine restaurant around Washington and beyond.

Mt Townsend's Seastack is dusted in vegetable ash prior to ripening.

Golden Glen Creamery

Golden Glen Creamery, out of Bow, WA, sources milk from their own herd of Holstein, Guernsey and Jersey cows to make their range of artisan cheese. In addition to their farm store, you can find the cheese at Alder Wood Bistro, Madison Park Conservatory and many small grocers and food coops around Washington.

River Cheddar double cream cheddar from Golden Glen Creamery

Kurtwood Farms

Dinah’s Cheese from Kurtwood Farms has received consistent accolades over its lifetime. Kurt Timmermeister, a chef turned cheese maker, has recently released the book “Growing a Farmer” about his transition to living off the land that contributes to Dinah’s Cheese. His food philosophy? Eat “the very best foods in the very best ways.”

River Valley Cheese

River Valley cow and goat milk cheeses can be found across in specialty grocers, PCC and Whole Foods in Washington. One of their most popular is the Naughty Nellie raw milk tomme – a cheese that has been bathed in local Pike Brewery’s ale of the same name. Not only is their raw milk artisan cheeses winning several awards, they also offer cheesemaking classes to try your hand at it at home.

Raw milk artisan cheese from River Valley

And what is a cheese tasting without something to help wash it down? Local breweries, wineries and cideries will be on hand to advise in pairings, and artisans are providing bread, crackers, jams and sweets to accompany the cheeses.

If you’re heading to the Washington Artisan Cheese Festival – Why not grab our free iPhone app and snap a picture to keep track of your favourites? And look out for me – I’ll be there the afternoon, snapping pictures and learning a thing or two myself!

Event Details:

Washington Artisan Cheese Festival

Saturday 7th April 2012, 12pm-6pm.

Seattle Design Center

5701 6th Avenue South

Seattle, WA 98108

21+ only. Buy advance tickets here ($35) - limited tickets will be available at the door $40. Price of admission includes cheese tastings and 3 drinks for beer, cider or wine. 

Today we chat with Lacy Boggs, food writer and editor living in Boulder, Colorado, who’s lauching Laughing Lemon Pie today so make sure you drop by to check it out!

Tell us about yourself:

My main roles these days are wife and mom, writer, and foodie! I live with my husband and daughter in Westminster, Colorado—smack dab in between the wonderful foodie cities of Denver and Boulder.

I’m a freelance writer and the food editor at the quirky, hyper-local publication, Yellow Scene Magazine (http://yellowscene.com). It’s a dream job where I get paid to eat at all the best restaurants in Boulder County and hang out with the coolest people on the foodie scene.

I’m also the editor of Colorado Babies magazine, a staff writer for OrganicAuthority.com, and author of my own website, Laughing Lemon Pie, where I write about all things food.

Tell us about your project/business:

My website, Laughing Lemon Pie is for the family foodie who wants to buy, cook, and dine on beautiful, healthy, delicious food—while living the reality of tight budgets, picky eaters, and weeknight soccer practices. I’ll be exploring the fabulous foodie world of Colorado’s Front Range, with recipes, tips, and resources for a everyone, no matter where you live.

I’m also cooking my way through my grandmother’s recipe collection from her 1950′s TV cooking show, “Today’s Kitchen.” It’s a blast updating these retro recipes and bringing them back to the dinner table.

Has your relationship with food evolved over time? How?

My mother taught me to cook at a young age. My sister and I were always encouraged to help in the kitchen, and taught a little bit about the whys and the hows of cooking as we went along. Both of my grandmothers were amazing cooks, and food has always been a big part of my life.

But as I moved into my job as a food writer, I started to look at food a little more critically. I also started to learn about some of the political and ethical implications surrounding our food systems. It’s made me much more conscious of what I put in my mouth, and a little more choosey when it comes to what I want to spend my money on—both at the grocery store and when choosing a restaurant.

What is your earliest memory about food?

Holidays are a big deal, food-wise, in my family—tons of food, huge spreads, enough to feed the fourth army. My grandmother would cook the turkey, the gravy, and her famous Georgia-style cornbread dressing, and my mom, my sister and I would make all the side dishes and desserts.

Every year my mother would bake dozens (and dozens!) of Christmas cookies and my sister and I would sit at the kitchen table decorate them while she rolled and cut and baked. Some years we even hung them on the tree instead of ornaments, with popcorn and cranberry garlands—and would almost inevitably come home one day to find them all eaten off by the dog! I can’t wait to start that tradition with my little girl.

What’s most important to you when it comes to buying food – local, organic, fair trade, GMO-free, etc?

I read a great quote from Mark Bittman recently, in which he said, “the biggest difference is not between a conventionally grown head of broccoli and organically locally grown head of broccoli, the biggest difference is between a head of broccoli and a cheeseburger.” That’s pretty much where I’m at right now, trying to make good choices for my body, my family, and the planet. We’re flexitarians at my house, eating “meat-lite.” Which isn’t to say I don’t enjoy a great cheeseburger once in a while—’cause I absolutely do!

What is the one thing you’d like to see change about the food system?

I would love to see congress actually rewrite the Farm Bill and do away with the huge subsidies for corn. I would instead allocate those funds to support family farmers growing fruits and vegetables and increase the funding for healthy food education.

What is special about food where you live? What’s one thing you would change?

Boulder has recently been named one of the “best foodie town in America” and Denver has gotten similar accolades.  We have some of the best restaurants in the country, not to mention an incredible food community of local producers and artisans. Couple all that with the beautiful scenery and amazing weather and I’m pretty much in heaven!

What are your favorite ingredients to use when preparing a meal?

I always use good olive oil and butter, lots of garlic, good sea salt and fresh pepper. My pantry is full of grains, dry beans, nuts, whole wheat pasta and chocolate! And my fridge is always full of fresh produce. I always keep some New Mexico green chile in my freezer and a big block of Tillamook extra-sharp cheddar in the fridge for when nacho cravings hit.  My baby girl would eat avocados every day if I let her, so we have to keep those on hand as well!

What are your favorite foods?

When I was pregnant, I craved cheese nachos with guacamole almost constantly, and that hasn’t seemed to abate, even almost a year later! I love all kinds of cheese, fresh bread, peaches, lemons, New Mexico green chile and pinyon coffee, sweet potatoes and French fries. And being a Texas girl at heart, I pine for good Tex-Mex.

Other than food, what are you particularly excited about right now?

I’m loving being a mom, to be honest. My daughter is the center of my world in the best possible way. She’s a complete joy to be around, and I adore watching her learn and grow and getting to experience things for the first time again through her. I’m currently deep in the “crazy mom” moments planning her first birthday party! It’s going to be a blast.

Tell us about a food-related project that has inspired you:

My 5-year-old nephew was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma leukemia in January, so we’ve all been plunged into the world of childhood cancer like a dunk in a bucked of ice water. I’m really excited by the group Cookies for Kids’ Cancer (http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org) and I want to host a bake sale in the near future.

Where can people find you both online and offline?

Website: http://laughinglemonpie.com
Email: lacy@laughinglemonpie.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaughingLemonPie
Twitter: @lacylu42
Pinterest: lacylu42
Yellow Scene Magazine: http://yellowscene.com/author/lacyblu

Thanks for taking part in our Food Advocate series! 

Everything you need to get involved in pushing Open Food Data forward can be found at the Open Food website.

#openfood Trends Worldwide

During the panel on Sunday many attendants were using the #openfood hashtag to share ideas and updates with the people who couldn’t make it to the panel in person. What you may not have realized was that about 15 minutes into the panel that hashtag began trending worldwide on Twitter; an uncommon and unique feat that many hope to experience and very few accomplish (aside from Justin Bieber, that is).

Congrats to the #openfood #sxsw panelists! The #opendfood hashtag is trending worldwide on the Twitter right now! cc @foodtechconnect

—
Foodtree (@foodtree) March 11, 2012

That alone is an amazing show of support for the open food data movement, and as movement’s go we can officially call this one launched!

Where to Eat in Austin

We got together with Food+Tech Connect, Eat Well Guide, and the Animal Welfare Approved to cultivate a list of stand-out food spots in town, and you might be surprised to hear it’s not all barbecue! Head to www.foodtree.com/sxsw to install the app on any mobile phone and to consult the list while you’re looking for your next meal.

The collaboration on the mobile app culminates tomorrow night during a special dinner event called Networked Food System. The gathering will welcome innovators, entrepreneurs, government officials and food systems experts to a delicious dinner and conversation about the direction our food system is headed. Our team tracked down the origin of all the food served during their meal and included that in the app well.

Below are some screenshots from the SXSW Where to Eat app and the menu being served tomorrow night at the NFS dinner.

If you’re in Austin this weekend make sure you drop by the Better Food Through Open Data Standards panel tomorrow at 12:30pm to hear Anthony and a panel of experts discuss how recipe sites, restaurant menu wranglers, open government developers, urban agronomists, provenance geeks and food policy activists are collaborating on an interoperable standard.

Today we chat with Grace Boyle, blogger Grace(full) Plate and all around food lover who resides in Boulder, CO.

Tell us about yourself:

Georgraphically: I grew up in the Midwest, jumped off to college in Vermont, family all from the East Coast, has lived in Italy and Costa Rica, currently residing at the foot of the Rockies in Boulder, Colorado.

Loves: food, travel, my big/outrageous family, laughter, surprises, six degrees of separation, books, glossy magazines, giving hugs, eye contact and smiles with strangers and leaving my mind open like a parachute.

Basics: Italian/Irish with my Italian dual-citizenship. Big dreamer. Spontaneous. Jokester. Driven with two entrepreneurial parents. Grew up meditating and doing yoga in school since age 5 to high school graduation. Startup girl as the Director of Marketing and Sales at Kapost. Believes giving is living and lives by Hunter S. Thompson’s “”Buy the ticket, take the ride.”"

Tell us about your project/business:

Grace(full) Plate was launched in October 2010 because my life absolutely revolves around food. I have been blogging and working in the blogging/social media world since 2007 and felt I could marry my two interests.

I believe food is our common thread, it ties us together no matter our beliefs, life path, visions or location.

Grace(full) Plate covers “”culinary indulgence”" talking about recipes, local food news, restaurants and ideas in food. I happen to reside in Boulder, Colorado so I also started Facebook.com/BoulderFoodNews devoted to unbiased food news in Boulder County.

Has your relationship with food evolved over time? How?

Ironcially, I didn’t grow up cooking a lot. My mom used to lament that I was going to grow up without the “”skills”" every Italian woman should know. Yet I loved food. I grew up with my mom and dad, and my mom’s parents (my Nunnie and Popo) cooking most meals from scratch, with most of the produce coming straight from their organic gardens.

I’ve never had a microwave and my mom educated about GMO, genetic engineering and the importance of local/organic far before it was common. I called myself a consumer of food, not a creator of it (in those times growing up).

After college, I found Boulder’s local farm-to-table restaurant scene enticing. I dove into learning about the farmers, the production, the small food entrepreneurs, the restaurants, the chefs and the people who poured into the restaurants and farmers market everyday.

Now, I cook far more. I like trying new cuisines and have expanded my palette as I originally was raised vegetarian (still have never had a hamburger)! I believe that food can be indulgent, but it’s also important as it’s our fuel and sustains our health (e.g. don’t eat fried food everyday even though it’s SO good).

What is your earliest memory about food?

Every Christmas we drive 12 hours East, to West Virginia where my mom’s Italian family lives. We have big celebrations and Christmas Eve involves the Feast of the Seven Fishes with usually 40+ relatives (not even all of us.

It’s a long drive and at the end of it, we walk into my Nunnie and Popo’s kitchen and smell fresh garlic simmering in olive oil, homemade marinara sauce, spaghetti boiling in water, green beans and peppers from their garden sizzling in onions and the sound of their laughter and touch of their hugs.

That is one of my first food memories that sticks out to me. We always have the same meal when we arrive in their warm house they’ve lived in their whole life. Warms my heart just thinking about it. Food directly ties to family and love to me.

What’s most important to you when it comes to buying food – local, organic, fair trade, GMO-free, etc?

Knowing where the food came from. If you can directly connect with your farmer and know they only drove 1 mile from their farm to their Farmers Market stand or your CSA, it makes me feel good.

I would say I eat close to 100% organic and since I still like fruit in the winter and Colorado isn’t always producing a lot of it, it’s not always local but I like knowing my farmers, supporting their farm and organic food.

My mom has had the same farmer deliver food from his organic farm down the road from us for over 20 years. He’ll pick fresh asparagus, call my mom up and ask how much she wants. He brings it right to our door. I want to continue that tradition.

What is the one thing you’d like to see change about the food system?

I think there needs to be more customer education and awareness. I know that’s rather broad, but admittedly, there are things I wish I knew more about but I don’t know where to access it. There’s a big gap of people who don’t understand the food system, don’t see the issues and if they did or were educated around it, I could see them changing their buying habits, diet, etc.

What is special about food where you live? What’s one thing you would change?

Sometimes I wish we were in California weather where oranges could grow in my backyard year-round. Alas, we have four seasons and are lucky with all the sunshine we get daily. I love that there’s a passion for local here in Colorado and this isn’t just the likes of Hazel Dell Mushrooms farm but also the brands like Justin’s Nut Butter. I appreciate the heightened level of awareness here.

What are your favorite ingredients to use when preparing a meal?

Garlic, baby. It’s simple and can add that extra kick to almost any savory dish without over seasoning with something like salt.

I also rarely use butter and really love a quality olive oil or coconut oil.

What are your favorite foods?

Avocado, BBQ, asparagus, sushi, fresh corn on the cob, popcorn, (grew up in Iowa!), strawberries, gnocchi, green curry, peanut butter, and ALL kinds of cheese (specifically Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove Chevre).

Not necessarily eaten all together :)

Other than food, what are you particularly excited about right now?

Good question – first thing that comes to mind is:

I love to read every night before I go to bed. I prefer my eyes to not be looking at a computer screen, particularly in bed. I’ve been gobbling up books and it excites me because I feel I’m perpetually learning and consuming this way.

I’m also excited about the work I do at my full-time job and on Grace(full) Plate. I love sharing knowledge around food, learning about new trends and understanding our local food economy.

Tell us about a food-related project that has inspired you:

There are A LOT.

I really like Kickstarter though and think it’s a great way to uncover ideas and people that are looking to expand and grow, particularly in food.

I recently learned of http://www.takethemameal.com/. It simplifies meal coordination for people in times of need (e.g. just had a baby, surgery, etc.). You can create a meal schedule, organize who is sending what, share easily, etc. I like the idea and am touched because it ties into giving back.

Where can people find you both online and offline?

I’m probably on every social site possible, but you can find me most active on:

My two blogs: http://gracefullplate.com + http://smallhandsbigideas.com
Twitter: @gracekboyle + food-specific @gracefullplate
Facebook: Facebook.com/Gracefullplate + Facebook.com/SmallHandsBigIdeas
FourSquare: https://foursquare.com/gracekboyle

Thanks for taking part in our Food Advocate series!