Group Sows Support For Agriculture

When soil is healthy, it’s said to have “good tilth.” But it takes a little help from the human race to keep it that way.

Spokane Tilth is a new organization working to promote sustainable agriculture, preservation of farmland and community farming and gardening. It’s open to growers and consumers alike — anyone who cares about their food and how it’s grown.

Tax-deductible dues are an annual $25 for individuals and organizations, $10 for students and seniors. A membership meeting is scheduled Monday at 6 p.m. at the Commercial Building, 1115 W. First.

For more information, write to Chrysalis Farm, Route 3, Box 74-F, Davenport, WA 99112, call (509) 725-0610 or e-mail to bright@famrc.org.

Some like it hot

Attention, palates of steel: The annual Fiery Foods Festival returns to the Pasco Farmers Market all day Saturday.

The highlight is the Sweet and Savory Salsa Extravaganza contest, with 40 entries expected (most tending to the savory, or spicy, side). Public tasting starts at 12:30 p.m., for 50 cents a sample.

Other attractions include food booths, music, a beer garden, children’s activities and farm-fresh produce from the market.

Birds and herds

Entry deadlines are approaching for a couple of the biggest cooking contests around: the National Chicken Cooking Contest and the National Beef Cook-Off, which are held only once every two years.

State finalists will win a trip to Dallas next May to compete for a $25,000 grand prize in the chicken contest. Recipes must be original, make four to eight servings and take less than three hours. Entries must include name, address and telephone number; send by Oct. 15 to NCCC, Box 28158, Washington, D.C. 20038-8158, or visit www.eatchicken.com.

Sixteen finalists will visit Omaha in September 1999 to vie for the $40,000 top prize in the beef cook-off. Entries are due Nov. 9; for complete rules, call (800) 848-9088, send a stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope to NBCO Rules, Dept. 99, 444 N. Michigan Ave., 18th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611 or visit www.beef.org.

Like it’s 1999

We knew summer was over when we received an announcement from Ocean Spray about its “Creepy Halloween Fun” recipe brochure (for a free copy, call 1-800-662-3263).

But we thought it was a bit much the next day when a press release arrived from the Wheat Foods Council with advice about New Year’s parties.