Taste Oklahoma News

The nation lost a great blues man today and Oklahoma lost a favorite son.

D.C. Minner, blues musician and co-founder of the annual Dusk Til Dawn Blues Festival, passed away Tuesday at the age of 73. Minner is an Oklahoma blues legend who started his career as a bassist working in the bands of Chuck Berry, Bo Didley, OV Wright and Freddie King.

Born in Rentiesville, Oklahoma in 1935, Minner would later say he knew he was going to play music for living when he was a preschooler. In 1988, D.C. Minner & his wife Selby converted their grandmother’s prohibition-era corn-whiskey hall in Rentiesville, OK into The Down Home Blues Club - a rural after-hours club. In 1991, they would start the annual Dusk Til Dawn Blues Festival.

The Minners would later create the Blues in the Schools program through the Oklahoma Arts Council. The couple won a W.C. Handy Award and the Blues Foundation’s Keeping the Blues Alive Award for their efforts. D.C. Minner was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2003.

Services for D.C. Minner

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2008

11am - Memorial at The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in Muskogee

3pm - Funeral at First Baptist Church & Honey Springs Cemetery in Rentiesville

Later - Celebration at The Down Home Blues Club in Rentiesville, Oklahoma.

http://www.dcminnerblues.com/

May 9-11, 2008 in Lawton, Oklahoma

The annual Arts for All Festival is both a celebration of the arts and a 'thank you' to the community for supporting the arts throughout the year.

In addition to the artist's booths, there will be children's activities under the Big Tent, a wine garden and international cuisine, all starting Friday evening at 5:30 PM

Enjoy entertainment on two stages, including: dance, youth programs & live music.

Labels: Lawton, Oklahoma Food, wine

Oklahoma Food Coop founder Bob Waldrop has created an option for Okies that want to eat local. The groceries the coop offers are better for you and they help keep Oklahoma dollars in Oklahoma. The food is fresher because it is harvested locally and it is more environmentally sustainable because it does not have to be shipped long distances.

Participating in the Oklahoma Food Cooperative is a great way to help our state to adapt to the challenges of global climate instability, peak oil and gas, social justice, and rural economic development challenges. It is a great way to celebrate Earth Day everyday! Also, check out local agri-tourism events in your area. Here are a few choices:

14th Annual HerbFest in Arcadia May 10

The 14th annual HerbFest will be held at Crestview Farms, 5521 NORTH DOUGLAS BLVD., ARCADIA, OK 73007, 405-823-2430, MAY 10TH, 2008 10-3 PM.

Crestview Farms is located at the NW corner of N Douglas and E Sorghum Mill Road. Take I-35 to Exit 143 (Edmond), east to Douglas, north to E. Sorghum Mill Road.

Diversified Sustainability Event at Earth Elements Farm
May 4th, 2008 Lexington, Oklahoma

Come celebrate 10 years of Diversified Sustainability with Earth Elements Farm on
Sunday May 4th, 2008 from 2pm - 5pm.

• Sample the wonders of Oklahoma Value-Added Food


• Enjoy Earth Elements Farm Tours


• Straw Bale Building Tours


• Tour new "Green" EEMB Production Facility


• Live music by 13 Seeds

TIP: You have got to try their
Pecan Flapjack Chocolate Chip Granola, it is FANTASTIC!

Technorati Tags: Earth Day Oklahoma

Labels: Oklahoma Food

April 19, 2008 will be the 3rd Annual Lake Overholser/Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge Clean-up to be held from 9:30am - 1:00pm.

In addition to observing Earth Week by protecting these wonderful Oklahoma City outdoor areas, here is what to expect at the clean-up:

* Water & Pepsi products to be provided by Pepsi Cola Bottling Group

* Lunch will consist of BBQ Brisket/Cole Slaw/Potato Salad from Earl's Rib Palace & Hamburgers from the Cimarron Steak House

* Gloves and trash bags provided by Keep Oklahoma City Beautiful and the Great American Clean-Up

* Overholser Pavilion provided courtesy of the City of Oklahoma City's Parks and Recreation Department

Prizes to be raffled off include:

• $50 gift certificate for Pearl's Restaurant Chain



• $5 gift certificate from Panera Bread



• Bag of whole bean coffee from Starbucks



• Shorty Smalls gift card & certificate for free onion loaf for everyone



• Mackie's Steakhouse $10 gift card



• Dinner for two at Bad Brad's in Yukon



• Interurban $10 gift certificate



• Pair of tickets to Silver Cinemas' Yukon 5 movie theatre



• Gopuram Taste of India $20 gift certificate



• Applebees $15 gift certificate



• $10 gift certificate to Johnny Carino's in Yukon



• $15 gift card to Alfredos Mexican Café in Yukon



• Dinner for two at the Rib Crib in Yukon



• Buffalo Wild Wings Gift Card



• Irma's Burger Shack $20 gift certificate



• Buy For Less $20 Gift Card



• Free coffee & pastry for up to 8 people at Java Dave's on 10th street



• $5 gift certificate for Java Dave's on Reno & MacArthur



• Free ice cream cone from Cold Stone Creamery



• Free oil change from Firestone Complete Care in Bethany



• Sierra Club Bag kit with goodies and water bottle from Oklahoma Sierra Club

Financial support for this clean-up is made possible by a Great American Clean-Up grant from Keep Oklahoma Beautiful!

Participants will meet at the Lake Overholser pavilion near the Overholser dam at N.W. 14th and Overholser Drive. Volunteers are asked to wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and hats. Volunteers may also find it helpful to bring sturdy gloves and insect repellant.

If you can join this once-in-a-year event, please let Karen Miles know since she wants to make sure they have enough food for everyone!

Karen K. Miles, Ph.D.
Environmental Program Specialist
Water Quality Division
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 1677
Oklahoma City, OK 73101-1677
(405) 702-8192

This weekend Dianne and I visited Carrabba's Italian Grill on 71st Street in Tulsa for the first time. You may have noticed their restaurant’s distinctive tree-covered roof. It turned out to be a fantastic choice for dinner.

Dianne and I arrived around 6pm on Saturday night and there were only two open spots in the parking lot. We were seated immediately...no waiting. This appeared to be a result of a rather clever floor plan with plenty of cozy two person booths mixed with the larger tables and booths. They even offer an exhibition kitchen area where you can watch them prepare the food.

The first thing I noticed after we were seated was that this Carrabba's has abandoned the Salt & Pepper shakers in favor of grinders. Hooray! It may sound trivial, but we made the same change at home and now I have become a big believer. Freshly ground black pepper is vastly superior in flavor to the powdered version and getting it from a waiter is NOT the way to go for a number of reasons. I don't know how much of a cost difference it makes for the restaurant, but at home the reduced waste makes up for the added cost.


Cocktails and Antipasti

Dianne ordered her first Sangria. Don, our excellent waiter, suggested she try a sample of each of their sangria's. This turned out to be a great move because we both much preferred their red sangria to their slightly sweeter white wine version. The tasty blend of wine, brandy, fruit and spices was an instant hit with Dianne. Sadly, I didn't find any Oklahoma wines on the menu.

Although we rarely order restaurant appetizers, we simply could not resist trying the 'Cozze In Bianco' AKA: mussels in white wine sauce. We were foolish to try to resist. Resistance is futile, order the mussels!

Carrabba's Italian Grill serves rope-grown mussels flown in every 48 hours from the coast of Prince Edward Island. Since the rope-grown mussels never touch the ground, they are prevented from becoming gritty like most clams, oysters and other shellfish. Carrabba's mussels are steamed in white wine, basil, lemon butter and Pernod (licorice flavor liqueur). The flavors blend in complex and exciting ways. Finding great seafood in Tulsa can often be tricky; don't miss this one of a kind starter!


Steak and Seafood

After that brilliant appetizer, I ordered their Sirloin Marsala with garlic mashed potatoes and a salad. Their caesar salad is just about the best I have ever had, not too tart or too fishy. The steak was perfectly cooked, very tender and smothered with mushrooms sautéed in their Lombardo Marsala wine sauce.

Dianne ordered The Damain, a seafood combination platter including grilled salmon, Spiedino di Mare, lobster ravioli and the most wonderful shrimp grilled over a pecan-wood fire. The lobster ravioli was the only pasta in our meal, it was good, but that shrimp was to die for, IMHO! As you can see, there is far more to Carrabba's than Spaghetti. I must shamefully admit that I failed to pace myself and ended up far too stuffed to attempt a dessert. They sounded divine.


Service and Atmosphere at Carrabba's

We spoke at length to the owner of Carrabba's on 71st, Tim Johnson. He is a really nice guy that works hard to keep the family atmosphere going among the servers. He showed up at our table wearing an apron and helping out with clearing dishes. The whole service staff seems to work as a team. They never let our glasses get empty. Our extremely friendly waiter had an impressive knowledge of the food and its origins, cooking methods and history.

The atmosphere was a bit noisy, no surprise considering the location and hour, but high walls around our booth helped make it seem more private. The whole restaurant is decorated in a vineyard style with grape vines dangling from trellis-like structures overhead.

Due to my wife and boss both launching low-carb diets a few years ago, I haven't visited an Italian food restaurant in years. The consistent high quality service and wonderfully fresh and flavorful food at Carrabba's Italian Grill caught us totally by surprise! Another surprise was the wealth of food choices that go beyond pizza and pasta. Heck, they even offer a Gluten-Free menu...whatever that means!

After sending our oil industry to Houston, it is good to see Tulsa has gotten something valuable in return. I hope they do well here. Dianne and I will definitely be returning to Carrabba's!

Technorati Tags: Tulsa Oklahoma Restaurant Review

Labels: Oklahoma Food, Tulsa

March 3, Oklahoma City -
Senate Joint Resolutions (SJR) 29 and Senate Bill (SB) 995 passed by the Rules Committee at the Oklahoma State Capitol.

Although there are still many steps on their way to being made into law, these initiatives will address the ability of Oklahoma winemakers to better serve their customers away from the licensed winery premises.

The Oklahoma wine industry needs any additional 'nudge' that Oklahoma wine and grape industry supporters can provide. Rep. Danny Morgan has, as usual, been leading the charge to reform Oklahoma's obsolete wine laws to make them more fair and reduce needless barriers to local trade.

Labels: Politics, wine

Tidal School's Annual Girls' Night Out!
March 29th, 2008

'Elvis' is coming to the building on Ladies Night and The folks at tidal School Winery in Drumright, Oklahoma are 'All Shook Up!'

Back by popular request -- Chef Lanney -- the Lake Charles, Louisiana native who will be demonstrating his fruit and vegetable carving skills and promises to take time for anyone who needs some individual help. He is cooking up Creole Style Smothered Beef Tips; Blackened Chicken Strips; Cajun Cabbage (we ran out last time on this popular item but he PROMISES to have plenty this time); Dirty Rice, French bread, Tropical Fruit table and Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce.

There will also be two jewelry vendors and Jeff, the Pampered Chef guy, coming that evening. There will be giveaways live entertainment and massages for $10 each.

Reserve your table of 8 or just line up the baby sitter and grab your best girl friend for a night just for you. Reserve Your Tickets Today at 1-866-258-1903!
http://www.tidalschool.com/.

Labels: wine

Children throughout Oklahoma are invited to participate in the Oklahoma Historical Society nature photography contest. The subject is 'Field, Forest and Stream' the same as the title of the new special exhibit that will open in April.

Photo subject can include camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, scenic landscapes, plants and animals. Those are suggested topics, but other possibilities are endless.

The contest will be divided into three age groups: grades 1 to 5, grades 6 to 8, and grades 9 to 12. The competition begins Feb. 1.

All entries must be postmarked by March 21. Entries should be submitted as 8-by-10 prints, no emails will be accepted and there is a limit of two entries per person.

The photos will be judged on creativity, photographic technique, and originality.

First, second and third place prizes will be awarded in each category. Winning entries will be exhibited at the Oklahoma History Center.

The display will be in conjunction with the special exhibit 'Field, Forest and Stream' that celebrates our state's rich outdoor heritage. The exhibit will relate the history of hunting, fishing, outdoor recreation and conservation in Oklahoma utilizing artifacts, dynamic graphics, audio-visual elements and hands-on interactives. It will open April 3 in the Gaylord Special Exhibits Gallery.

Winners will be announced on April 3, 2008 on the Oklahoma Historical Society web page, www.okhistory.org/kids. Additional information about the contest is posted on that web page.

For more information call Jennifer Towry at 522-1951 or email her at jtowry@okhistory.org.


Kayak Photography Supplies


Technorati Tags: Photography  Oklahoma

Auditions begin Jan. 19 for the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain (OSAI). Oklahoma high school students are urged to schedule auditions as soon as possible for the program, held June 14-29.

OSAI offers professional training with nationally known artists in the literary, visual and performing arts. Every accepted student automatically receives a full scholarship to the program, worth more than $2,400. As a former OSAI Creative Writing student, I can tell you this is an absolutely life-altering program for Oklahoma students interested in the arts. I cannot recomend OSAI highly enough.

OSAI offers instruction in nine artistic disciplines: orchestra, chorus, creative writing, acting, photography, film/video, drawing/painting, ballet and modern dance.

Students should call 405-321-9000 to schedule an audition as soon as possible, as audition spaces fill quickly. Applicants must be enrolled in an Oklahoma public school, private school or home-school program and must be at least 14 by June 14. Graduating seniors are eligible.

For more information about OSAI, including audition dates and a downloadable application form, visit www.oaiquartz.org.

OKC Metro-area Auditions for the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute:

Creative Writing -- Saturday, Jan. 19, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklahoma City

Orchestra and Chorus -- Sunday, Jan. 20, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City

Drawing/Painting -- Saturday, Jan. 26, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond

Photography and Film/Video -- Saturday, Jan. 26, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond AND Sunday, Feb. 3, University of Oklahoma, Norman

Ballet and Modern Dance -- Sunday, Feb. 3, University of Oklahoma, Norman

Acting -- Sunday, Feb. 3, University of Oklahoma, Norman

Tom over at K-River Campground notes on his website that the National Weather Service is starting a flood prediction service for The Kiamichi River. They are working with Tom to help them determine when the river will flood in his area and what effect is will have on those living or camping near the Kiamichi.

Lots of interesting information here especially if you are planning a heading down to K-River Campground and taking some trips down this wild and scenic Oklahoma river. Check out the National Weather Service's New Kiamichi River page.

http://ahps.srh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=tsa&gage=anto2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1

Generators Available, Order Online for fast delivery!

Labels: Extreme Oklahoma

Come Join the Oklahoma Young Professional Democrats as we put our values to work in our Community.

The Young Professionals will be volunteering with Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, December 15 and we need your help. We are meeting at ODP (4100 N Lincoln Ave, OKC) at 8:00 this Saturday and will be done by 3:00 PM. For further details please contact Todd Goodman at 405.427.3366

We enjoyed some great Oklahoma flavors at our Thanksgiving meal this year.

Through our new Oklahoma Food Coop membership we got some uniquely wonderful Cranberry Salsa from Cocina San Pasqual (formerly Bloomin' Botanicals) in Perkins, Oklahoma. It had this amazing sweet and spicy flavor that was accented with pinon nuts. Ingredients: fresh cranberries, chiles, pecans &/or pinon nuts, orange juice, cranberry sauce, coconut syrup, lemon/lime juice.

The big hit of the meal was the Sausage Dressing Dianne made to go with the turkey. If you have never had sausage dressing, try it soon. Don't wait for Thankgiving to try this simple but excellent dish.

Hope you had Happy Thanksgiving!

Got a formal affair to attend this holiday season? You can buy a tuxedo for the price of renting a tux at Moore's Clothing in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Shop local!

Roller Derby in Stillwater

The Central Oklahoma Roller Derby Association is in the process of starting a Roller Derby League with four teams in the Payne County area and they want Oklahoma women that are 18 and older to join up.

Roller derby is an extreme contact sport consisting of two teams skating around a fast track while one team member tries to pass opponents for points. There is already a prominent league in Oklahoma City as well as Tulsa.

http://tornadoalleyrollergirls.org/ - OKC Area Roller Derby League

The girls on the four Tornado Alley Roller Girls Teams - Cell Block 9, the Victory Dolls, Homewrecking Harlots and Valkyrie Vixens - range in age from 21 to 48. Each team can field 14 girls at a time.

http://www.greencountryrollergirls.com/ - Tulsa Area Roller Derby League

Wanna Play? - The Tulsa area Roller Derby League has Team Tryouts Scheduled for Thursday November 15, 2007 from 8pm to 10pm at B.A. Roller Sports, 551 West Oakland Place in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma or any Sunday morning 10am to 1pm.

Like to watch? - The Green Country Roller Girls will be sending a few players down south to Dallas, Texas on November 17th, 2007 to compete against the Death Row Rumblers during the Dallas Derby Devils' Give Thanks For Derby event. Visit the DDD website for ticket information.

Labels: Extreme Oklahoma

The Tulsa Townies bicycle project was launched in August 2007 by Saint Francis Health System to promote an active and healthy lifestyle in the community. This project is the first bicycle program of its kind in northeastern Oklahoma. Three of the four bicycle rental stations are located at the Tulsa River Parks trail along Riverside Drive at 19th and 41st streets and at Riverside Parkway and 96th Street. The fourth is located at the Sand Springs River City Park at 2500 South River City Park Road.

Patrons have the option of checking out a bike from four kiosks called, Cyclestations™ located in Tulsa at 19th Street and Riverside, 41st Street and Riverside, 96th and Riverside and in Sand Springs at 2500 S. Sand Springs River City Park Road. Although there is no cost to check out a Tulsa Townies bicycle, a credit card is needed for identification purposes and to help prevent theft. Patrons may return their Tulsa Townies bicycle at any one of the locations regardless of where the bicycle was originally checked out. Patrons must be at least 18 years of age to ride a Tulsa Townies bike.

http://www.tulsa-townies.com

Labels: Tulsa

Dianne and I have really been enjoying our new membership in the Oklahoma Food Coop (http://www.oklahomafood.coop). It turns out that this is a great time to explore more local, less corporate food alternatives.

Agricultural giant Cargill Inc. said on Saturday it is recalling over 1 million pounds of ground beef distributed in the United States because of possible E. Coli contamination.

The recalled products have use/freeze-by dates of Oct 19 through Nov 3. Most will have the USDA establishment number of EST 9400 inside the USDA mark of inspection.

We've participated in a couple cycles of orders and deliveries now. Picking up in Jenks is a bit of a drive from Okmulgee. However, we usually find we can schedule our pickups concurrently with trips we already need to make to nearby Tulsa.

Favorite Items from the Oklahoma Food Coop

My favorite Oklahoma Food Cooperative items are often the baked goods. Supermarket cookies simply cannot compare to Gypsy C.O.W. (Chocolate, Oatmeal Walnut) Cookies from The Prairie Gypsies. I simply love the Chocolate Chip Pecan Flapjack Granola from Earth Elements Farm. Despite my sweet tooth, I wish there were more salad green available like the excellent Romaine Lettuce we bought Sunrise Acres.

We didn't save any cents per pound through buying our ground beef from Kastl Farms, but we found their Oklahoma hamburger to be leaner and richer in flavor than what we were used to and we were quite pleased to NOT be participating in the Cargill meat recall described above. The Made-in-Oklahoma Beef Italian Sausages we got from Natural Farms is one of the most exciting products to hit our diet in quite sometime. We are using them in loads of entrees, they are a nice change of pace from pork sausages. Soon we plan to try the Buffalo Burger Patties from the Wichita Buffalo Company. How's that for Oklahoma eating?


Think globally, eat locally. Here's where to start: http://www.oklahomafood.coop/!

Need a memory card for your digital camera? Check out this 2gb Flash card that adds instant Wi-Fi capability to your camera...the easy way! The new Eye-Fi Card.

Labels: Oklahoma Food

Press Release from the Edwards campaign:

EDWARDS CALLS ON FCC TO MAKE INTERNET MORE AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE

Mountain View, California - Today, Senator John Edwards sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission urging it to use the upcoming auction of the 700 megahertz slice of the broadband spectrum to make the Internet more affordable and more accessible to all Americans, regardless of where they live or how much money they have. Edwards is visiting California today to attend a town hall meeting with Google employees where he will discuss this issue among others.

"In recent years, the Internet has grown to touch everything and transform much of what it touches," wrote Edwards. "It's not the answer to everything, but it can powerfully accelerate the best of America. It improves our democracy by making quiet voices loud, improves our economy by making small markets big, and improves opportunity by making unlikely dreams possible."

Edwards called on the FCC to set bidding and service rules for the upcoming auction to ensure that the public airwaves benefit everyone, not just big companies. Edwards asked the FCC to:

· Set aside as much as half of the spectrum for wholesalers who can lease access to smaller start-ups, which would improve service in rural and underserved areas.

· Require anyone who wins rights to this valuable public resource not to discriminate among data and services and to allow any device to be attached to their service.

· Make bidding anonymous to avoid collusion and retaliatory bids.

The full text of the letter is below.

Dear Chairman Martin:
The upcoming 700 megahertz spectrum auction presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape the next generation of American technology.

In recent years, the Internet has grown to touch everything and transform much of what it touches. It's not the answer to everything, but it can powerfully accelerate the best of America.

It improves our democracy by making quiet voices loud, improves our economy by making small markets big, and improves opportunity by making unlikely dreams possible.

As you know, the Federal Communications Commission is now preparing to auction the 700 megahertz slice of the spectrum. This 'beachfront' band is particularly well suited to wireless broadband because it has wide coverage and can easily pass through walls.

By setting bid and service rules that unleash the potential of smaller new entrants, you can transform information opportunity for people across America — rural and urban, wealthy and not. As much as half of the spectrum should be set aside for wholesalers who can lease access to smaller start-ups, which has the potential to improve service to rural and underserved areas.

Additionally, anyone winning rights to this valuable public resource should be required not to discriminate among data and services and to allow any device to be attached to their service.

Finally, bidding should be anonymous to avoid collusion and retaliatory bids.

I urge you to seize this chance to transform the Internet and the future.


Sincerely,

John Edwards
http://www.johnedwards.com

Labels: Politics

Last night Dianne and I traveled to Jenks, Oklahoma to pick up our first order from the Oklahoma Food Coop. The Oklahoma Food Cooperative offers members a cross between a farmers' market, a grocery store and Amazon.com.

The Oklahoma producers that supply the Coop's products put their actual names on their Made-in-Oklahoma products and make them in accordance with Coop rules. The consumer members that purchase the grass-fed beef, free range chickens, fresh eggs, produce and ready-made entries get to enjoy farm-friendly food on their own terms. Both parties pay a one-time fee for membership fee that makes them lifetime shareholders in this bold project.

Coop founder Bob Waldrop wanted to create an option for Okies that want to eat local. The groceries the coop offers aren't always a bargain, but they're better for you and they help keep Oklahoma dollars in Oklahoma. The food is fresher because it is harvested locally and it is more environmentally sustainable because it does not have to be shipped long distances.

The Oklahoma Food Cooperative sells over 2,000 products from local producers. From a small beginning, the cooperative now sells over $40,000 a month of locally produced organic foods and other products.

How Does the Food Coop Work?

The success of the Coop depends on meeting the needs of both consumers and producers. Consumers are drawn to a system that offers greater tranparency and selection. Producers are drawn to a more sustainable business model that protects them from market fluctuations and prohitbitive transportation costs. While the farmers' share of the food dollar averages 19 cents nationwide, every dollar spent with the co-op sends 95 cents straight into the pocket of an Oklahoma farmer.


Oklahoma Food Cooperative Membership

The Cooperative only sells food and non-food products that are made in Oklahoma, via an order delivery system based on the website and a network of members and volunteers across the state. The co-op treats farmers and customers as equals, and each pays a one-time fee of $50 to join. The co-op plays the role of an agent. It facilitates the ordering, delivery of and payment for Oklahoma foods between the two.

Ordering Your Food

Each month, producer members post at the website what they have available. Members have 2 weeks to order.

On the third Thursday of each month, the farmers come to Oklahoma City and the coop's volunteer crew sort everything into customer orders, which then later in the day go out to our 17 pickup sites across the state. They generally have about 1500 different items available each month.

The web site features a list of Oklahoma producers and processors, with links to their sites. Producers range from certified organic farms to natural meats to processed goods like cheeses and salsas. You can buy fruits, herbs and vegetables, cheeses, milk and eggs, peanuts and pecans, baked goodies, grains, flours and more.

Dianne and I had fun making out our order. We decided to try some foods we had never tasted before like ground lamb as well as going with some 'can't miss items' like Chocolate-Oatmeal-Walnut cookies!

Picking Up Your Food

Coop Customers can then pick up their products at a dozen locations statewide and in OKC you can even get delivery! Currently, the closest pickup location to our Okmulgee home is in a residential neighborhood in Jenks, Oklahoma.

The pickup point was at the home of one of the members. We pulled up to find the host's driveway lined with a colorful array of ice chests. We parked about five feet from the food we were taking home, so we didn't need shopping carts! Our son Dylan got to enjoy some time playing in the yard with the children of our host.

I kept thinking about what a friendly way of shopping this was. Compared to the hustle and bustle of Wal-Mart shopping, picking up food from the Coop is like visiting family friends.

http://www.oklahomafood.coop


Holy Cows And Hog Heaven: The Food Buyer's Guide To Farm Friendly Food

Lavender Hill Farm Winery & Tasting Room

Grand Opening, September 22nd, 11am-6pm

Located South of Tulsa off Hwy 64 and East 191st South.
Haskell, Ok. 74436
Phone 918-482-2336

website - lavenderhillfarmwinery.com
e-mail - lavenderhillfarmwinery@lavenderhillfarmwinery.com

Labels: wine

Tulsa's Cherry Street Farmers' Market Association is having wine
tastings at all of their September market dates--both Saturdays
(15th & Peoria) and Wednesdays (Brookside at 41st & Peoria).

The wine tastings will feature a different Oklahoma winery each week, giving customers the opportunity to taste several local wines.

Visiting Farmers' Market is a great way to be more of a 'locovore' Locovores believe that eating locally produced food offers a diet that is more environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially just. Check out the book: The 100-Mile Diet to learn more about this movement.

"The remarkable, amusing and inspiring adventures of a Canadian couple who make a year-long attempt to eat foods grown and produced within a 100-mile radius of their apartment.

When Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon learned that the average ingredient in a North American meal travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate, they decided to launch a simple experiment to reconnect with the people and places that produced what they ate. For one year, they would only consume food that came from within a 100-mile radius of their Vancouver apartment. The 100-Mile Diet was born." -- The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating  

Another great way to think globally and act locally is joining the Oklahoma Food Coop or stopping by Conrad Farms in Bixby.

Senator Hillary Clinton, candidate for the Democratic nomination for president will be appearing in Tulsa on Saturday, August 11, 2007, at The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, 111 East First Street, Tulsa, OK.

The Pre-Reception is from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and the General Reception is 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Please purchase tickets online at
http://contribute.hillaryclinton.com/events/tulsa0811.html
(You must bring PRINTED confirmation if purchased online.)
For more information or to RSVP contact: Yael Ouzillou at:
(512) 440-8791

July 31, 2007 -- Governor Brad Henry today announced that Walt Disney World Resort has invited the State of Oklahoma to be the first state-dedicated marketplace experience at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival this fall.

Epcot will mark the 12th year of the festival, which is hailed as one of the longest and largest food and wine festivals in the world. This year's festival will be held from September 28 to November 11 at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, and features cuisine from across the globe, a spectacular live music concert series, and exciting demonstrations and seminars from Disney and celebrity chefs.

"In the year of our state centennial celebration -- a year in which we honor our state's storied past and look ahead to a limitless future - it is truly exciting that Oklahoma has embarked on this unique opportunity with one of the great hallmarks of American entertainment and recreation, the Walt Disney World Resort," said Governor Henry. "This year's festival provides an unparalleled spotlight for Oklahoma, and will bring our state closer to festival visitors from throughout the world."

Tidal School Winery Weekend Events
Free Live Music, Free Tours, and Free Wine Tastings: 2 PM - 4 PM Saturday Aug. 4th & Saturday Aug 18th, 2007

Old Time Rock and Roll dinner concert 6 PM to 9 PM Saturday, August 11th, 2007

Old Time Rock and Roll at the Winery
Saturday Aug. 11th, 2007 / 6pm - 9pm

Enjoy rock from the 50's, 60's and 70's preformed by the talented musicians from Sundog. Enjoy casual cuisine like: Hamburgers, Curley fries, tabouli and Oklahoma Sweet Milkshakes!

Tickets are only: $12.95 (+ tax)
Buy tickets online today at: http://www.tidalschool.com .

Actor Matt Damon will premiere the 3rd installment of the popular Bourne series at the Harkins Bricktown Theater in Oklahoma City on July 31st.

The 7:30pm showing of The Bourne Ultimatum will take place on three screens at the theater. Tickets are $150, and proceeds go to benefit The Children's Center in Bethany.

The Children's Center

The Children's Center in Bethany, Oklahoma, is a private, non-profit hospital caring for children with medical and physical disabilities. Patients in age from birth to 18 receive state-of-the-art medical and respiratory care, rehabilitative/ habilitative therapies and special education. These are good folks, doing good work in Oklahoma since 1898! Stop by their website to see a number of fun ways that you can help.

Producer Frank Marshall became interested in The Children's Center through Mark Harmon's annual celebrity baseball game and also premiered The Bourne Supremacy and Eight Below in OKC.

This time, he's bringing a Hollywood A-lister along with him, and according to reports, Damon is expected to greet Oklahoma City guests.

For ticket information, call (405) 440-6733.

Midsummer Night’s Fair
Friday & Saturday, July 13-14, 2007
6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Lion’s Park at the Firehouse Art Center, Norman, Ok.

Come on out for an evening of great food & fun. The people really start coming out once the sun gets behind the trees by about 7:00. It’s an old ball field, but the lights are still up, so there’s plenty of night-light. Enjoy fabulous food, art booths, kids art area, great music, and a wonderful Dalmatian, and German Sheppard contest. All breeds welcome. 29th year. Free admission http://www.normanfirehouse.com/about.asp

Joe Gibson & Judy Walkingstick will officially open Territory Cellars in Stroud, Oklahoma on July 11, 2007 with a grand opening celebrating Joe’s birthday.

The new building is home to Century 21 Premier Realty, Gibson Appraisals, Glorieta Grapes, Corks and Territory Cellars.

Joe and Judy invite everyone to visit them and enjoy the patio. Territory Cellars is located just north of the Turner Turnpike on Highway 99 and will be open all day every day.

The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture is pleased to present the Downtown Living Tour, a self-guided tour of selected residences in the downtown area this weekend.


Featuring historical living spaces, repurposed buildings, renovated homes and new construction, the tour is a chance to get a look at some of the hottest living places in Tulsa. There will be five homes on the tour ranging from a three-story walk up in Brady Village to high-rise lofts.


Tour participants can start at either the Tribune Lofts, 20 East Archer, or at the Philtower, 427 S. Boston. There you will receive a program featuring a map of all of the homes on the tour and information about the spaces.


Tickets are $15 per person or $25 for two and may be purchased at either of the starting locations or in advance from the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture.


When: June 23rd, 9-5pm and June 24th 1-5pm
Contact: Lee Anne Zeigler at 918.583.5550 or via e-mail at laz@tulsaarchitecture.com

U.S. Bass Pros Take On Grand Lake

The Sooner Run Bass Tournament , slated for June 21-24 at Grand Lake, will be the seventh stop in the Bassmaster Elite 100 Series, the high profile fishing league known to draw the world's top anglers to tournament destinations all across the country.

The fact that a Bassmaster Elite Series tournament is taking place on Grand Lake is not just a coincidence.

"Grand Lake ranks among the highest in the state in bass population and angling success," said Jim Burroughs, northeast regions fisheries supervisor for the Wildlife Department.

The Bassmaster Elite Series includes 11 events across the country, and an $11 million prize purse. According to bassmaster.com, the series is bass fishing's "most competitive and lucrative league."

Thousands of people are expected to attend the family-friendly event. Both the daily launches and weigh-ins are free and open to the public at North Beach Development Area (61201 East 270 Road).

Each day the launch begins at 5:50 a.m., and weigh-ins take place at 3 p.m. Spectators will also have a chance to get angler autographs, participate in a kids casting contest and shop for Bassmaster merchandise. The newly-designed North Beach Development Area is located east of Wolf Creek just north of Grove.

Additionally, fans can catch all the action on television at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 7 on ESPN2.

The Ada Lions Club is hosting a Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned cook-off June 15-16 in Ada, the first State Championship “Pigs Can Fly” BBQ Cook-Off.

This event will be held in conjunction with the fourth annual Ada Air Expo, which has been approved as a centennial event for the state of Oklahoma.

Area cooks are invited to participate as contestants in the barbecue cook-off. If they enter all four categories, they can qualify to compete for the grand championship and $1,000. If they enter only one category, they can compete for $200 and a trophy.

Anyone interested in entering the competition should go to the Ada Air Expo Website at www.adaairexpo.com and follow the link for rules, regulations and official entry forms. Entry forms are also available at Vision Bank in Ada.

: A celebration of Oklahoma's Oil and Gas industry in Drumright!

Time and Date: Saturday, June 23, 2007, 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM
Place: Tidal School Winery

Art: Renowned Oklahoma Artists will display their works

Music: Two bands will play live in the vineyard

One Act Play: A short one act play will dramatize the discovery of oil in Drumright.

Program: A 30 minute program will honor Oklahoma's oil and gas industry.

Wine: Formal introduction of the new sweet white wine: Oklahoma Gold! plus free tastings of Tidal 18+ wine varieties.

Tours: Free tours of the historic Tidal School Winery
Admission: $5.00

For Tickets Call 1-866-258-1903 or Buy Online at:
http://www.tidalschool.com

June 15th, at noon Tulsa's 50yr old time capsule will be opened and the 1957 Plymouth Belvedere will be unveiled.

Visitors are coming from all over the world to see history unearthed. A whole weekend of events are planned. New events and guests are still being added. Check out buriedcar.com for complete details.

The Nuyaka Creek Winery Spring Wine Festival is May 19, 2007. Check out their website: http://www.nuyakacreek.com/winefest.htm for full details on this annual Oklahoma wine tasting opportunity. Also, look for the article featuring Nuyaka Creek in the May issue of Southern Living Magazine.

In Other Tulsa Area Spring News

Folks looking for fresh, local produce now have a new option. Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor announced the opening of a new Downtown Farmer’s Market. You can expect to find up to 15 varieties of tomatoes, peppers of every color, squash, okra, and for the first time, they will be bringing food from natural farms.

The Downtown Farmer's Market will be on 3rd street, between Main and Boston. It's open every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning May 1st.

Old Bank Gallery’s National Competition exhibit remains open to the public through April 28 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The gallery is located at the corner of Main and Townsend.

Ada is the location for the exhibit for the third year. Each year the Gallery places ads in national magazines announcing a call for entries. Artists from all over the country respond with entries in the competition.

Each year there are entrants from as far away as New York, Illinois, Utah, North Carolina, Connecticut, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Texas as well as prominent Oklahoma artists.

Artists compete for a $1,000 Best of Show award, $500 first place, $200 second place, $100 third place and several honorable mention awards. Also presented are special recognition awards from Citizens Bank, First Untied Bank, Vision Bank, Karen’s Art and Framing, Bob and Sally Bennett, Ada Sales and Rental, Tommy and Carol Redman, Oklahoma Heritage Bank, Kennedy Library of Konawa, DK Nutrition Center and Barking Frog.

Judge for the competition will be Bert Seabourn, an internationally recognized artist who lives in Oklahoma.

Winner of the 2006 National Exhibit at Old Bank Gallery was Diana de Santis from New York who specializes in pastel portraits and was recently featured in The Artist Magazine.

For more information, phone (580) 332-2781.

Got a taste for the old time drive-in theaters? Well, Oklahoma is still home to a few drive-ins. The largest operating drive-in theater in the state is, of course, The Admiral Twin in Tulsa.

There are a total of eight drive in theaters still in business in Oklahoma. Here's a site that tracks them:
http://www.driveinmovie.com/OK.htm.

The survivors are in: Chickasha, Guthrie, McAlester, Oklahoma City, Ponca City, Poteau, Sapulpa, Tahlequah, Tulsa or Weatherford.

Better catch a feature at one of them before they all disappear!

On Saturday, April 21, from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM over twenty elite area artists will display their original artwork at the Art & Wine festival at Tidal School Vineyards.

10% of all sales will go to the Little Rascals Animal Aide Foundation. This wonderful all-volunteer animal rescue organization is helping control animal over-population and rescue abandoned pets that might otherwise have to be destroyed. The artists and their art will be found throughout the winery and grounds.

Free wine tastings will be available and there will be no charge to attend! Order online at www.tidalschool.com You can also reserve by calling toll free 866 258 1903.

Right on Main Street, in Waurika, Oklahoma. Come for the thrill of Waurika's Rattlesnake Hunt on April 13-15, 2007!

Also featuring carnival rides, games, arts & crafts vendors, photo booth, and the Thrill-Safety Show Guided Hunts! For more information call (580) 228-2553.

Arbuckle Simpson Nature Festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tishomingo, OK

Exploring Pontotoc Ridge Preserve; Blue River
Ecology; Nocturnal Creatures; For the Birds and Fish
Production are events being offered during the
Arbuckle Simpson Nature Festival, May 4, 5 and 6 in
Johnston, Pontotoc and