Channel surfing

TV goes online

By Ashley Griffin Gartland

May 7, 2007

Bored with all the run-of-the-food-mill culinary media out there? Check out Growing Goodness, an online portal that’s mixing up a whole new batch of food TV with its community-based, user-generated broadband TV network, The Farmers’ Market Channel.

The channel’s mission is to enhance public awareness of farmers’ markets and food purveyors. Some of shows aren’t exactly groundbreaking — such as the videos on the famous farmers’ markets in Seattle and San Francisco — but the site will draw you in just the same.

Growing Goodness isn’t the only company jumping on the marketwagon either. At The People Who Feed Us, Staci Strauss and Craig McCord create and present short videos about the benefits of supporting small farms. A sample? Peter Hoffman shopping at New York City’s Union Square farmers’ market for his restaurant Savoy.

Finally, don’t forget about the ubiquitous YouTube for food-focused distractions. Take a gander at the silly, strangely addictive spoof of a man trying to cook a gourmet meal in just under three minutes. Beat that, Rachael Ray.