How many times have you sat down at your computer to plan a Central New York foodie excursion? Using Google and GoogleMaps, you chart your course to farmstands, specialty food shops, wineries and restaurants in the region, push "print" and hop in the car with a pile of papers and maps.
Say good-bye to all that. A new application for iPhones and other smart phones, developed by Central New York resident Neil Brody Miller (a food and wine blogger at Stressing the Vine), puts seasonal and local food information at your fingertips. It's called FarmshedCNY, and this month, it's being updated to include wineries and apple orchards.
The free (make that FREE!) app is a comprehensive listing of more than 800 delicious destinations in Central New York, the Finger Lakes and beyond. Categories include organic/sustainable farms, farmers markets, natural food stores, CSA (community supported agriculture) farms/shares and locavore restaurants.
I met Neil for lunch at Circa in Cazenovia (appropriately enough!) to talk Farmshed and get a quick demonstration of its features. I don't have a smart phone (yet), but I was impressed to see the detailed information, map views and geo-located directions.
No more getting lost on the way to a farmstand or U-pick place in the CNY countryside, unless, of course, you want to.
But don't just take my word for it.
Erica Strong, a resident of Syracuse and newcomer to the area, has been using the Farmshed application to help her better discover the region's agricultural and culinary bounty.
"The app encompasses many Google searches I have done in the past to find the food I want,'' Strong says. "I'm really glad I downloaded it."
You will be, too. For more information on FarmshedCNY and to download the app, click here.
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