PRESS RELEASE - Farming 3.0

From the June 2009 Hot Sheet:

From the White House to your neighbor’s house, people are building plots, planting seeds and growing green with enthusiasm. We’ve noticed a surge of interest in all things green and we expect this trend to gain momentum for years to come.

Not surprisingly, with people spending more time at home and tending their gardens, sales are up at home & garden centers and seed distributors. According to the National Gardening Association, many garden centers were unsure about how busy they’d be this year, but business is up about 10-20% from last year. They also report that 11% of households already active in food gardening plan to increase both the amount and variety of vegetables they’re growing this season. Those who are itching to explore gardening beyond merely hobby status can work toward Master Gardener certification, a intensive training program offered in 48 states.

Urban farming
The growing local food movement in combination with green awareness and the flagging economy has increased interested in urban farming. In cities across the country, young adults are reclaiming abandoned lots and fixing up their backyards, creating idyllic plots for growing their own fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Community gardens are also springing up across the country, providing places for entire communities to gather and learn about organic & sustainable farming, as well as teaching children about healthy eating habits. Often associated with libraries, schools or community centers, these gardens provide a great outdoor activity for many city-dwelling tweens and teens.

CSAs (community supported agriculture) are also gaining popularity among our young adult panelists. By paying upfront for a season’s worth of produce from a local farm, CSA members both ensure that the farmer can continue operating while receiving a weekly share of the bounty (generally at well-below store price).

Culinary/Mixology
Restaurants are also getting in on urban farming – local fave Roberta’s in Brooklyn took over the parking lot next to their restaurant as well as a neighbor’s backyard to grow all of the produce they will serve in the restaurant this summer. They are also home The Heritage Radio Network, which, as reported in the NY Times, “programs shows about urban foragers and first-time farmers, presents Webcasts out of a studio to the side of the dining room.”

Farm-to-table has become a buzzword and staple concept in the restaurant world. One of our fave go-to culinary websites, Epicurious.com recently put together a list of the top 10 best farm-to-table restaurants in the US, which highlight the absolute freshest locally produced produce in their ever-changing menus, which include offerings such as Grass-fed Rib Eye à la Plancha, Crisp Artisanal Polenta Sticks and Glazed Radishes at Northpond in Chicago, IL, Wood-Oven-Roasted Bramlett Farm Trout with Steel-Pan Greens, and Fresh Herb Butter at Woodfire Grill in Atlanta, GA and Fresh Rigatoni and Rendezvous Farm Lamb Sausage at Montagna at the Little Nell in Aspen, CO.

In the world of mixology – fresh herbs, seasonal fruits & vegetables, and housemade ingredients (e.g. bitters) are becoming de rigueur. Check out these recipes for inspiration (admittedly - these are our favorite spots & cocktails!): "Green Gimlet" (Bourbon, lime juice, sugar, muddled basil) at Church & State in LA; “Juliet and Romeo” (Beefeater, Mint, Cucumber, Rose Water) at The Violet Hour in Chicago; "Queens Park Swizzle" (NY Rum, lime, fresh mint, sugar, bitters) at Dutch Kills in Queens.

Artful Preparation
Consumers are gravitating to artisanal foods: hand-crafted, small batch, made from quality ingredients. From chocolate (e.g. Mast Brothers and Bespoke) to cheeses to ice cream (Van Leeuwen). Taking to heart that DIY, can-do spirit, young adults are even learning to make their own artisanal foods – using things they’ve grown in their own back yards and turning them into home-made pickles, preserves or flavorings for a nice, cool homebrew.

ABOUT THE ZANDL GROUP
We are a New York-based market research boutique agency specializing in non-traditional, ethnographic approaches that thoroughly immerse our clients in their consumer’s world.

ABOUT THE HOT SHEET
The Hot Sheet is our subscription trending report. Throughout the year, over 5000 panelists age 8-29 complete open-ended questionnaires exploring their values and aspirations, lifestyle and interests, entertainment and media, and purchase behavior in a broad range of categories. Open-ended questions keep it real and alert us to new developments at their inception. Our annualized sample is representative of this population segment by gender, age, ethnic background and region according to Census data.

Zandl Group
109 Ingraham St.
Suite 404
Brooklyn, NY 11237
www.zandlgroup.com