A new West Side busines has been garnering national attention ... a WEST SIDE BUSINESS ... yet Jay has been MUM about it. Not a word ... not a cherp ... Nada. But here and now, I a South East Sider am going to break the silence and call everyone's attention to this business.
http://bigcricketfarms.com/ (http://bigcricketfarms.com/)
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/big-cricket-2 (http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/big-cricket-2)
https://ericbescak.wordpress.com/tag/big-cricket-farms/ (https://ericbescak.wordpress.com/tag/big-cricket-farms/)
http://www.cityfarmer.info/2014/09/19/big-cricket-farms-the-only-farm-in-america-to-raise-crickets-exclusively-for-human-consumption/ (http://www.cityfarmer.info/2014/09/19/big-cricket-farms-the-only-farm-in-america-to-raise-crickets-exclusively-for-human-consumption/)
VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLffKa1vYZA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLffKa1vYZA)
http://wkbn.com/2014/11/21/crickets-on-the-menu-at-downtown-eatery/ (http://wkbn.com/2014/11/21/crickets-on-the-menu-at-downtown-eatery/)
LOL....I can tell you're a media person, Town talk...
:D
I really can not understand it, so I can't. Here is a new venture getting all sorts of positive reviews ... a real asset for the West Side and Youngstown ... the cricket capitol of the world ... it's all happening here on Youngstown's West Side ... yet there has not been any comments from our friends on that side of our universe ... nary a peep or in keeping on topic, a chirp. How sad, how really and truly sad. It makes on dispare for our future. Even our beloved Mayor gave a thumbs up to crickets, and that is profound beyond all else.
Considering the price of beef, we can look forward to the day when we can all sit down to a large platter of pasta and cricket meatballs, and swoon over every morsel as the sauce dribbles down our chins. Cricket Butter might even replace Peanut Butter as a staple in every pantry, and we owe it all to a group of West Siders, so be up standing and raise your glasses in a heart felt toast to the cricket.
Big Cricket Farms is big news for Youngstown - yet The Business Journal is the only local media that has done an exclusive story on it. WKBN story was more about Suzie's Dogs serving the crickets.
Big Cricket Farms is the first in the country to raise crickets exclusively for human consumption. If you Google Big Cricket Farms all of the stories are from other parts of the country or national media.
I can't get it to connect here, but on Big Cricket Farms Facebook page there is a great video from Sam Champion's AMHQ on the Weather Channel.
Currently BCF is only a wholesale business, you can't just walk in and buy a bag of crickets. There is a new start up business www.sixfoods.com selling pre-orders of Chirps-chips made with crickets from Youngstown. Expected to ship in Feb 2015.
Ain't it grand? Ain't it glorious? A healthy alternative to beef.
http://www.ideastream.org/news/feature/urban-farmer-sets-his-sights-on-a-new-venture-crickets (http://www.ideastream.org/news/feature/urban-farmer-sets-his-sights-on-a-new-venture-crickets)
While I believe the business is located in the Mahoning Commons area of the west side, the owners are north side residents. (If I'm right, and the business is located in the Mahoning Commons area, maybe Jay hasn't mentioned them because the Mahoning Commons are often lumped in with downtown?)
I've talked with Kevin, and he thinks (if I understand him correctly) the crickets will be most popular, initially, after being dried and processed into flour. It may be some time before whole crickets in meals are common, in the US.
Maybe Crickets on Midlothian could feature crickets on one of their burgers! Or maybe Subway would
want to create a new sandwich special with some lunchmeat smothered in crispy crickets! Think of the
possibilities!!
While I applaud the ingenuity and initiative of this venture.... you will not find me eating a cricket, flour or not.
NO way, no sirree. :-X
I know that insects are loaded with protein, etc....but I'll join Peggy and respectfully decline this
particular delicacy....
:::::crunch::::
:::::crunch::::
:::::crunch:::::
;D
Hey dude, when you reach the point where you have to gum your meals, absent a single tooth in your head, you'll be grateful for all the nutritional value those little critters afford you ...
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrition-values-edible-bugs-insects-9602.html (http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrition-values-edible-bugs-insects-9602.html)
http://www.ent.iastate.edu/misc/insectnutrition.html (http://www.ent.iastate.edu/misc/insectnutrition.html)
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34172/title/Why-Insects-Should-Be-in-Your-Diet/ (http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34172/title/Why-Insects-Should-Be-in-Your-Diet/)
http://healthland.time.com/2013/08/21/why-eating-bugs-is-good-for-you-its-about-the-nutrients/ (http://healthland.time.com/2013/08/21/why-eating-bugs-is-good-for-you-its-about-the-nutrients/)