Local Restaurants, Local Food

Bravo to Tuscarora Mill Restaurant ("Tuskies" as it is known to locals) for an initiative to include more locally produced food in its dishes.

Tuscarora Mill Restaurant owner Kevin Malone and Corporate Chef Patrick Dinh had a simple message for about 14 local farmers during a luncheon yesterday at Tuskies: "We want what you've got, and we want to find the most effective way of finding out what you've got and when you've got it."
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The growers present lauded Malone and Dinh for their support of the local farm market movement, which they cited as a major component of their business, along with farm markets.

"They're very responsible for the success of 'grow local,'" said one producer. Most of the growers use organic methods of production, although not all undergo the expensive certification process. Among the group were vegetable growers, including growers of specialty lettuce, herbs and asparagus, as well as poultry, beef, lamb, goat, pork and free-range egg producers, as well as fruit growers.
- Leesburg Today

This kind of partnership is exactly what should be happening in our community. We are blessed with an abundance of locally produced food, and the number of restaurants in the area is also growing. Linking the food in the restaurants to the food produced here is an important step towards sustainable, symbiotic economic growth between the rural and enterprise economies of Loudoun.

Local, forward-thinking businesses are innovation engines for our community, as they help promote local agriculture through this initiative, or reduce vehicle miles by promoting teleworking, or serve as an example for other companies by insuring all their employees have health insurance and work a self-sufficient wage. We should all commend community-conscious businesses for their efforts.

(With a tip-o-the-hat to Linked Up in Loudoun.)