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We're continuing our series where we interview current Maine Foodscapes BOD. If you're interested in learning more about this Board and how YOU can get involved, click here. Today we're introducing the dynamic, energetic, and thoughtful Alyssa Schoppee! Tell everyone a little about yourself. I grew up enjoying all of the natural beauty that Maine has to offer including many summer afternoons in my grandparents' berry farm fields. I left home to attend Northeastern University in Boston where I graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies and Food System Sustainability and began working at a nonprofit in the city. I made the move back to Maine in 2020 to run the development efforts of a food security nonprofit based in Brunswick. Since then, I've enjoyed rediscovering all of the things Maine has to offer alongside my city-raised rescue pup who is experiencing it all (sometimes begrudgingly, as the photo may have given away) for the first time. What are your hobbies and interests? I enjoy getting outdoors no matter the season! Downhill skiing in winter, kayaking, camping, and gardening in the spring and summer, and hiking with my dog throughout the fall. I also have a major sweet tooth and often spend weekend mornings on the hunt for tasty breakfast pastries! What makes you most excited for the upcoming grow season? This was a challenging growing season for my garden and for many gardeners and farmers throughout Maine. I'm excited for a fresh start in 2024 (hopefully with a bit less rain) so I can try my hand at some new crops. Despite a soggy 2023, the highlight of my grow-season was spending a day alongside friends building raised beds for two local families. We were wet, muddy, and happy as could be! How did you get first introduced to Maine Foodscapes? I shared my interest in volunteering some of my skills to a growing nonprofit via a survey through the Maine Association of Nonprofits, and Ali reached out to connect. It was the perfect match! I offer fundraising skills which help the organization fund its work and in return, Foodscapes has given me wonderful opportunities to get involved on a personal level with families and organizations passionate about their food system. What do you enjoy most about gardening? My gardening skills are still developing but my big win this year was finally being able to pick a delicious strawberry from my garden. This was the culmination of a two-year process but it was so worth the wait! I'm hoping next year I might harvest enough to share the deliciousness! What kind of impact are you hoping to make on the organization and/or your community this year? During 2023, I worked with Ali to help finalize Maine Foodscapes first official Strategic Plan. Now that it has been adopted by the Board of Directors, I am looking forward to supporting Foodscapes in making some of its goals come to life!  We are continuing our series where we introduce the new Maine Foodscapes Board of Directors. Our Board is highly involved in every aspect of Maine Foodscapes. Board members are critical for executing the various aspects of our organization. Our Board consists of enthusiastic gardeners dedicated to building community around growing food, and we'd love for you to get to know them. If you attend an event, participate in a Garden Project build, or volunteer, you're likely to meet one or many members of our Board, but we're going to dedicate some space to digging deeper with each of them here on our new blog! For Part 5 of this series, you'll be hearing from Board President Katie Yates! Katie! Tell everyone a little about yourself. I am originally from upstate New York and moved to Maine in 2018. My professional background fits primarily in the conservation/resource management fields; I previously worked for the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the National Park Service, and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and earned my Master of Science from Slippery Rock University in 2022. I am currently a Community Relations Manager for Central Maine Power. What are your hobbies and interests? I have two rescue dogs, eight egg-laying chickens, and 12 raised beds that keep me very busy. I love growing my own food, learning how to cook and preserve my garden's bounty, and sharing these skills (and the cornucopia) with others. I enjoy hiking, practicing plant and insect identification, learning about food systems and habitats, and painting with watercolors. Why did you want to join the Foodscapes Board of Directors? After attending the first Foodscapes Gala and meeting the team, I was immediately impressed by their palatable energy, their impressive mission, and their dedication to the details! I am a firm believer that being outdoors and close to your food source are not only critical for good mental health, but they are the cornerstones of sustainability. I had an inkling I wanted to be involved, but at the time, I didn't realize I would soon become their Board President. Our founder, Ali, is such a hardworking inspiration. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and her vivacity is admirable. Watching this team thrive and achieve great things has been an honor! What makes you most excited for the upcoming grow season? What remains of the growing season are the final chapters of my tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, the ripening of my butternut squash and the slow-to-start heirloom watermelon, my bolting herbs, and some kale. I'm ready now to start the process of canning, freezing, cooking, and drying all these cherished friends. How did you get first introduced to Maine Foodscapes? Maine Foodscapes contacted Central Maine Power's charitable giving committee last year, seeking a donation. What do you enjoy most about gardening? I love to cherish the slow moments spent in my garden--quietly observing the plants develop, learning more about the insects (the good, the bad, and the ugly who invade, pester, and assist), and listening to the birds that live on the periphery, learning their calls by heart. I love that not all my food comes wrapped in plastic. I love that the food I grow is close to my heart, from little seeds to seedlings to the produce I prepare. I love that the soil is nurtured by compost I make by feeding last year's garden scraps to worms I raise. I love that all of it has a job and that it keeps me busy, focused, patient, and persistent. I love to hear my chickens cluck while I toss them an offering from the garden. I love the pop of the mason jar when I unseal the lid of sauce made from last year's tomatoes. I love that gardening makes me feel closer to nature and the rhythms that sustain us. What kind of impact are you hoping to make on the organization and/or your community this year? I hope my infinitesimal support brings new gardeners the joys of gardening and the security of knowing the skills required to grow and preserve their own food and then share these gifts with their friends, neighbors, and families.  By Scott Mazer I wrote this recipe when I was doing the keto diet, for an entire month, and wanted to enjoy one of my favorite Japanese dishes. A lot of Keto recipes I found used cream cheese or mozzarella as a binder and I wanted to try something different. So I adapted this recipe to be both gluten free and low carb. It can easily be changed to be vegan as well.  While remaking this recipe in mid summer I wanted to incorporate some seasonal vegetable and had some garlic scapes and a whole napa cabbage in the fridge. So was born the garlic scape Okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki in Japanese roughly translates to "grilled as you like it" meaning this recipe can have many different ingredients and variations. There are some ingredients that will likely have to be purchased at your local Asian grocer or online. These can also be left out and it will still be delicious. If you don't like fish flavor you can substitute chicken or vegetable stock for the dashi and definitely leave out the katsuobushi. I realized after deciding to write this recipe out that it is the second savory pancake recipe I have published. Okonomiyaki is a different beast. With colorful toppings and lots of different sauce options this can be a meal all on it's own and a lovely one at that. Most of the recipes I've seen just call for plain old green cabbage. This can certainly be used, but for me it's not Okonomiyaki if it's not napa cabbage. I have no cultural or historical basis for this, I simply love napa cabbage and think it's texture works best for this dish. If you want to make this recipe truly Keto, use sugar free BBQ sauce (G Hughes is pretty darn good) instead of the Okonomiyaki sauce. I have included the Okonomiyaki sauce because most people are not doing a Ketogenic diet. You might also be able to find it pre-made while your picking up your other ingredients at the Asian grocery store. Pancake 1 cup blanched almond flour ¼ tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp baking powder ¾ cup flax meal ¾ cup dashi (I used a dashi packet from the Asian grocery store) 4 large eggs ¼ cup pickled ginger (preferably red) 1 head napa cabbage 1 bunch garlic scapes Cooking oil (avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, vegetable ect.) Okonomiyaki Sauce 2 Tbsp oyster sauce 1 ½ Tbsp sugar ¼ cup ketchup 3 ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce Toppings Kewpie mayo katsuobushi (fish flakes) aonori, Nori or any dried seaweed really scallions pickled red ginger sriracha sesame seeds Equipment mixing bowl whisk 2 silicone spatulas non-stick pan Technique
 13. Transfer to a plate, brush with okonomiyaki sauce. Add other toppings as desired, a zigzag of kewpie mayo and sriracha always looks nice. Some katsuobushi and nori adds that authentic Japanese flavor. A little scallion for some fresh greenies. Use whatever you like, the dish is called "as you like it" after al! You can think of this as a delicious little canvas for your culinary art.
Notes:
 May 12, 2023
It’s week one of my internship with Maine Foodscapes and though I’ve been doing some planning with key stakeholders for a few months now, it feels good to be done with school for the summer and really be able to dive in. I’ve been working in food production since 2007 when I graduated from culinary school so this is the first time in 16 years that I haven’t been mentally prepping for a busy production season in a hot kitchen, expecting the usual business of the tourist season in Maine to dictate my hours and amount of work. I’ve always had a passion for food, cooking and baking and that fulfilled my creative desires for a long time. But during covid the struggle for so many Mainers to access any food, let alone whole and nutritious foods was so prevalent. I would see Facebook posts on my town’s community page asking if anyone could bake or drop off food for a neighbor they knew was struggling. I knew parents were in a panic trying to figure out where their kid’s lunches would come from with school shut down. As much as I had come to love the customers I served at my job baking sweets and breads, it felt like there was more important work to be done in securing food supply chains and equal access to groceries and basic needs. Homelessness has risen to crisis levels in Maine and this population needs food everyday, too. I made the decision to slowly transition out of my job and return to school focusing on food security work through the University of Maine’s Food Studies program. As I started my spring semester, an internship appeared on the weekly job board with Maine Foodscapes. It detailed work helping Mainers access better food and be self sufficient through receiving their own garden beds to raise vegetables at home. I immediately knew this was the right place to start in taking a different path with food. It feels a little funny to be interning at the age of 39, I know before people meet me they expect to see a 19 year old greeting them. But in returning to school to explore a different career, this was the kind of opportunity I was hoping to find; building resilient food systems in our state through meaningful action. I’m so glad to be on my way and to be partnering with Maine Foodscapes. Here’s to a productive and purposeful 2023 build season! We may not be getting as much sunshine as we would like, but summer is here! A classic summer treat that never disappoints is homemade ice cream--but the equipment and the custard-making process can make it challenging for some to tackle. Fear not, if you've foraged or farmed strawberries (like Board President Katie Yates) or raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or the alike--this quick, silky no-churn ice cream is the perfect summertime hack.  Even if you're strong enough to avoid eating all your harvest right off the vine, in many cases, backyard gardens may not have a high enough yield of berries to make jams or other recipes that require a high volume of the star ingredient. This no-churn recipe addresses that, requires NO fancy skills or equipment, and can be adapted to any taste. From Katie, "I was surprised by how creamy and smooth this ice cream turned out. I'm used to making it the the traditional way, but wanted something fast, easy, and effective--this definitely was a winner--especially with only a handful of strawberries to use up!" Ingredients: 1 Cup Heavy cream or coconut cream 1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk (or dulce de leche, lemon curd, Nutella...) 1 tsp Vanilla extract As many of your berries as you want (chopped into even small pieces)! Recipe:
 We are continuing our series where we introduce the new Maine Foodscapes Board of Directors. Our Board is highly involved in every aspect of Maine Foodscapes. Board members are critical for executing the various aspects of our organization. Our Board consists of enthusiastic gardeners dedicated to building community around growing food, and we'd love for you to get to know them. If you attend an event, participate in a Garden Project build, or volunteer, you're likely to meet one or many members of our Board, but we're going to dedicate some space to digging deeper with each of them here on our new blog! For Part 4 of this series, you'll be hearing from Board member Christian Breau! Christian! What are your hobbies and interests? I work in tech and have always loved technology...so...I'll admit it, I'm a gamer. I also love fishing in the summer with my wife and boys. I love cooking - Thai Fried Rice, various soups, and I'm loving my new charcoal grill. I even have a wireless thermometer to ensure everything comes out perfectly! It has paid for itself in spades. Why did you want to join the Board of Directors? I've been working with nonprofit organizations for over a decade, helping with their IT support and strategy. Being consistently inspired by the life-changing work that nonprofits do, I wanted to try to give back in some way. While IT/Technology don't necessarily sync up with gardening, as the organization grows, I believe my IT & Cybersecurity skills will be valuable in helping Maine Foodscapes achieve its mission safely and securely. What makes you most excited for the grow season? Helping families who struggle with food insecurity. (See above - nonprofit organizations change lives!) How did you get first introduced to Maine Foodscapes? I listed myself on the Maine Association of Nonprofits Board Finder and the organization reached out to me. This is the first time I've been on a board, so I have a bit to learn! What do you enjoy most about gardening? While I'm one of the most novice gardeners out there, I love the smell of the soil (geosmin). We have done some work with hosta around the house (it's a great plant for protecting the perimeter near lakes) and...most importantly...they are very hardy. Even in my hands, they flourish! What kind of impact are you hoping to make on the organization and/or your community this year? Through my regular technology work with nonprofits and working with Maine Foodscapes in a board member capacity, the impact I make will likely never be "visible". By providing recommendations on effective use of limited funds for technology and best practices for Cybersecurity, the absence of an "event" is actually the goal.   Spring across Maine has been mix of stretches of cool drenching rain and blasts of hot sun. While many gardeners are debating when to put their seedlings in the soil, one thing is certain: the chives are popping! Usually one of the first plants to emerge in the spring, oniony chives have a subtle flavor and a soft, straw-like texture. Usually found minced into confetti as the finishing touch on dishes, chives can have a surprisingly versatile place in your kitchen and garden. They're easy to grow (reoccurring each year and resisting most weather changes) and easy to incorporate into most meals. Whether you're going to make these chive pancakes with the stems or an intriguing vinegar with the bright purple (and edible!) flowers, or even just use as an enticing garnish, chives are sure to brighten up any plate with their colors and flavors.
These simple, savory pancakes from local chef Foodscapes Board Member Scott Mazer can be adapted to your preferences and the ingredients you have on hand. Let's cook! Ingredients: Pancake
Over the next several weeks, we will be introducing the new Maine Foodscapes Board of Directors. Our Board is highly involved in every aspect of Maine Foodscapes. Board members are critical for executing the various aspects of our organization. Our Board consists of enthusiastic gardeners dedicated to building community around growing food, and we'd love for you to get to know them. If you attend an event, participate in a Garden Project build, or volunteer, you're likely to meet one or many members of our Board, but we're going to dedicate some space to digging deeper with each of them here on our new blog! For Part 3 of this series, you'll be hearing from Foodscapes Educator, Abby Snell! Abby! What are your hobbies and interests? Cooking, baking, gardening, hiking/mountain biking, horseback riding, knitting. Why did you want to join the Board of Directors? I wanted firsthand experience with an organization whose focus is tackling food insecurity in a direct and meaningful way. What makes you most excited for the upcoming grow season? I'm most excited to meet and work with our gardeners and watch their gardens grow. They're a group of hardworking people who are so excited to plant and grow food for themselves and their families; it's been a pleasure getting to know them. How did you get first introduced to Maine Foodscapes? As a student in the Food Studies program at USM, I often get emails about opportunities for volunteer and career opportunities. I found out about the first annual gala last fall and went to volunteer that night as a server. While I was there Ali encouraged me to put my name on the list for new board members, so I did! What do you enjoy most about gardening? I find it incredibly relaxing and gratifying to work on making the space around my house more beautiful with plants. Watching everything grow and produce is so satisfying and knowing you fostered and cared for those plants is its own reward. What kind of impact are you hoping to make on the organization and/or your community this year? I'm hoping to help both children and adults achieve their own goals toward food security through learning how to garden and raise their own food. Teaching children, especially, about where their food comes from and how they can use it to create healthy and delicious meals for themselves is something I strongly believe in. These skills and passions carry on into adulthood and my hope is they will someday pass those skills on to the next generation!  Be sure to follow along on our social media and Eventbrite to stay current with upcoming opportunities, events, and resources!
Over the next several weeks, we will be introducing the new Maine Foodscapes Board of Directors. Our Board is highly involved in every aspect of Maine Foodscapes. Board members are critical for executing the various aspects of our organization. Our Board consists of enthusiastic gardeners dedicated to building community around growing food, and we'd love for you to get to know them. If you attend an event, participate in a Garden Project build, or volunteer, you're likely to meet one or many members of our Board, but we're going to dedicate some space to digging deeper with each of them here on our new blog! For Part 2 of this series, you'll be hearing from Board Treasurer Sarah Warren! Sarah! Introduce yourself! I was raised in Southern Maine with a passion for the outdoors and an affinity for natural spaces. I graduated from Lesley University with a degree in Global Studies and a received a minor in Spanish via a year at La Universitat de Barcelona. Through my time in Boston and abroad, I came to appreciate the importance of local solutions to global problems. This principle, along with my aptitude for technology, systems thinking, and nonprofit data management led me to my role as Director of Technology & Data for United Way of Southern Maine. Like many at the onset of the pandemic, I started my first garden & made a home for my first batch of chickens, furthering my interest in being in close relationship with food sources. I currently sits on the Freeport Shellfish Conservation Commission and believe that we must ensure responsible stewardship of natural resources to benefit all living beings. What are your hobbies and interests? Raising chickens, making candles, making soap, making things out of concrete and mica, gardening, indoor plant rescue, hiking, travel, and generally learning new things! I have been taking skills classes with a close friend and have learned how to make fire cider, tisanes, soap and more. Why did you want to join the board of directors? I wanted to join a smaller non-profit and be a hands on board member, and Foodscapes' mission spoke to me. What makes you most excited for the upcoming grow season? Getting my hands dirty! Meeting the garden recipients and engaging in community. How did you get first introduced to Maine Foodscapes? Margaret reached out when I posted on the MANP Board Explorer site What do you enjoy most about gardening? How much it increases joy and mental wellbeing; I first started gardening (like many people) at the onset of COVID. I am hooked :) What kind of impact are you hoping to make on the organization and/or your community this year? I hope to lend my skills here to help increase capacity and together with the rest of the board launch Foodscapes into its next chapter. I also hope to be a good steward of all natural spaces I come into contact with and increase access for marginalized communities. If you're inspired by Sarah and looking to get more involved because you also have a passion for being a good steward of all natural spaces, enjoy getting your hands dirty, and have an interest in local food systems, you've come to the right place! We have so many opportunities for volunteering, engagement and partnership. Even a simple donation goes a long way to supporting our mission.  |
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