Thrive: Three-day local foods sampling — Metcalfe Sentry, Hilldale

Contact: Jennifer Smith, Dir.-Communications, Thrive jsmith@thrivehere.org 608-443-1961

Madison Region, WI — Metcalfe’s Sentry (Madison) invites you to taste “something special from Wisconsin” during a special three-day local foods sampling festival, March 19-21.

Metcalfe’s Sentry is one of four stores regionally promoting local products as a pilot partner in Thrive’s Grocers Buy Local project, increasing the local sales of locally-produced foods under the Something Special from WisconsinTM banner. Other regional grocery project partners in 2010: Daniel’s Sentry (Janesville), Mountin’s Piggly Wiggly (Mayville) and Miller & Sons Market (Verona).

“Twenty-five years ago Metcalfe’s Sentry was one of Renaissance Farm’s first retail accounts. The Metcalfe’s and their customers’ support of local products have been a foundation for many regional businesses,” stated Mark Olson, Farmer-in-Charge (CEO) of Renaissance Farms. Beth Crave, of Crave Bros. Cheese, agrees: “The customers at Metcalfe’s are always friendly and upbeat. They are very interested in the cheeses, and the story behind the cheeses. Sampling our award winning cheeses at Metcalf’s isn’t work, it’s a time to get to know the customers who enjoy our cheese,” said Beth Crave, of Crave Bros. Cheese (Waterloo).

WHAT: Local food sampling festival: Something Special from WisconsinTM members

WHERE: Metcalfe’s Sentry, Hilldale Mall, 726 N Midvale Blvd, Madison, WI 53705-3207

WHEN: Friday March 19 (2-6pm); Saturday March 20 (10am-4pm); Saturday March 21 (10am-3pm)

WHO: Black Earth Meats

Blue Farm Corn Chips

Cedar Grove Cheese

Clasen’s European Bakery

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese

Emil’s Pizza

Hawkwind Relishes

Howling Wolf Gourmet Foods

Johnny Velvet’s Spice

Lange Farm Meats

New Century Farm

Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats

Old Man Charley’s

Penny Lane Farm

Pasquals

Porchlight Products

Potter’s Crackers

Renaissance Farm

RP’s Pasta Company

Sassy Cow Creamery

Steep and Brew

Sugar River Yogurt

Tomato Mountain Farm

Westby Co-op Creamery

White Jasmine

For more information on Thrive’s work to increase the local sales of local foods: http://www.thrivehere.org/grocersbuylocal

For more information on Something Special from Wisconsin: http://somethingspecialfromwisconsin.com/