iEat Green - Dave Chapman Executive Director of The Real Organic Project

Dave Chapman has been an organic farmer for 39 years and owner of Long Wind Farm in Vermont. The farm started as a mixed vegetable operation, but transitioned to growing tomatoes in soil on 2-1/2 acres of glass greenhouses. Today, Long Wind Farm sells most of its crop through the wholesale market to stores around New England.

For the past six years, Dave has been actively working to reform the National Organic Program (NOP). He is a co-founder of Keep The Soil In Organic, a grassroots effort to change the NOP. After the National Organic Standard Board failed to protect the integrity of the NOP in Jacksonville in 2017, Dave became a co-founder of the Real Organic Project, where he is the current Executive Director. The Real Organic Project is a coalition of organic farmers and advocates who have come together to protect the integrity of organic farming. Organic farmers believe this effort is needed since the current USDA National Organic Program is now permitting hydroponics and CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) to be certified as organic. An integral part of organic farming includes improving soil fertility and that animals have adequate outdoor access and pasture, and our current system is falling short of that.  

Dave is also a proud member of the Organic Farmers Association and serves on its Policy Committee, in a continuing effort to reform the NOP and represent organic farmers in Washington

 

Mushroom Bolognese with Cashew Mascarpone

1 Ib. Organic Rigatoni (whole wheat, brown rice, semolina)

1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1-1/2 cups hot water

3 stalks celery, diced fine

3 carrots

1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced

1 onion, chopped

10 oz. assorted mushrooms, chopped

3 Tbs. tomato paste

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours

½ cup red wine

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 t. dried basil

½ t. dried thyme

2 Tbs. minced garlic

¼ t. red pepper flakes (optional)

3 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Coat bottom of cast iron pan with olive oil. Sauté onions, carrots, celery for a few minutes, then add garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the porcini mushrooms (reserve the mushroom water) and dice. Add the porcini mushrooms, along with the assorted chopped mushrooms, the dried herbs, and the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes.  De-glaze the pan with the red wine and the reserved mushroom water, and let the mixture cook down for about 10 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half.

In a food processor, mix the drained cashews with ½ cup of fresh water. Pulse until completely smooth, scraping down sides of food processor to incorporate all of the cashews. Add cashew mixture to the sauce. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and add the parsley.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions in salted water, (al dente). Time it, so that the pasta just comes out of the water, when you are ready to mix it with the sauce. Reserve some of the pasta water to add to the Bolognese sauce if it needs to be thinned out. Garnish with parsley.