Kickstarter

The Project: 

Connecting Food, Farm, and You: Farmers Markets Across Northwestern US

I'm about to embark on an exciting new project - creating the third book in the Connecting Food, Farm & You Series about Farmers Markets.

This series of books consist of farmers' market details and photos, recipes I create from my farmers market finds, market tips, and interviews about unique products and people I meet along the way. 

I'm asking you to join me in helping this vision blossom. With your generous support and pre-orders for the books & items, I will be traveling throughout the Northwestern United States.

Book 1 = Puget Sound, WA

Book 2 = Bay Area, CA 

Writing and photography have always been a huge part of my life. In my mind, heart, and part of my soul. I have been blessed with a strong desire to communicate and express myself first by a decade of teaching and now through my books. I have children on the autism spectrum and at 40-yrs-old I was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (high functioning autism.) Growing up with a lack of self-confidence and major anxiety/nervous tics has made me feel very comfortable behind a camera.  

Farmers' Markets have a way of bringing community together–I consider them among the best grocery stores. My family has always enjoyed buying locally, eating locally and supporting area small businesses. When I owned my restaurant I supported other small business owners and purchased fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms and produce stands. When you buy at a farmers market, you’re usually getting something that’s just been harvested and, therefore, has much better flavor. You get to participate in the action of supporting local small businesses–supporting the world that we live in. It’s great to have that one-degree of separation to know where your food came from. Buying from Farmers Markets is as close as from the earth to the table that you are going to get.

Tentative Route for Market Visits June - July 2012

• Tuesday, June 19: Redmond, Oregon
• Wednesday, June 20: Klamath Falls, Oregon
• Thursday, June 21: Reno, Nevada
• Friday, June 22: Midway, Utah
• Saturday, June 23: Jackson, Wyoming - Yellowstone National Park
• Sunday, June 24: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
• Monday, June 25: South Dakota - Mt. Rushmore
• Tues./Weds., June 26-27: Estes Park, Colorado

• To create/test recipes from the amazing produce grown and sold by farmers across the country then photograph the recipe finished products for the book
• To cover the cost of printing and shipping the books out to all our fun-ders!
• To cover the cost of printing and shipping limited edition photographs to funders!
• To cover some of the costs of travel, food, lodging, gas & tolls

If you would like me to stop at your farm or farmers market and would like to be included in the book there is a reward designed for you (from one of the cities/surrounding city from the tentative route.) For the $120.00 reward I will add your farm or market to my schedule and interview you/photograph you for inclusion in the book. You may email if you have questions.   

A unique aspect of Kickstarter is that after you make your pledge, your credit card will only be charged after we reach our target goal of $1000.00. This guarantees you'll only be contributing toward a project that is actually going to happen. It also means that if we fall short of the goal I won’t receive any contributions, and this project will not go forward.  So it's all …or nothing! Let's do this! Let's make this HAPPEN!