Online | Farm To Table https://harborharvest.com Harbor Harvest Tue, 21 May 2019 13:48:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://harborharvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/harbor-harvest-favicon-1a.png Online | Farm To Table https://harborharvest.com 32 32 Long Island Sound Blue Plan https://harborharvest.com/long-island-sound-blue-plan/ Tue, 21 May 2019 13:45:22 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=2354

Sustainable Ecosystems – Compatible Uses – Click here!

]]> Connecticut Port Authority – Ready to Move in 2019 https://harborharvest.com/connecticut-port-authority-ready-to-move-in-2019/ Wed, 07 Nov 2018 18:38:50 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=2103

With a focus on the state’s three deepwater ports, Connecticut also looks to foster commerce that leverages offshore wind, shortsea opportunities and local entrepreneurs.

By Tom Ewing
Maritime Logistics Magazine

The Connecticut Port Authority (CPA) has been in operation for almost three years, established by the governor and legislature to better coordinate efforts to improve upon Connecticut’s maritime economy, including a major focus on the State’s three deep water ports: New London, New Haven and Bridgeport.

The CPA, though, has a big picture vision and its focus includes small harbor improvements, ferry and cruise opportunities and system maintenance, particularly dredging. It wasn’t always like this. Prior to CPA’s establishment, port management decisions and development were housed in the state Department of Transportation. Importantly, however, the CPA is still linked to DOT; in fact, the DOT Commissioner – Jim Redeker – is on the Board of Directors…

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…One company ready to move into this new/old space is Harbor Harvest, based in Norwalk, CT. HH is a full-service food company: it has a restaurant, a catering service, a brick-and-mortar grocery, it grows and sells herbs and is ready to start up – likely in March – one very unique additional service: maritime transport among farms and farmers in CT and Long Island.

Harbor Harvest Underway
Bob Kunkel is one of HH’s principals and owners. His firm has contracted with Derecktor Shipyards to build a 65-foot all-aluminum catamaran vessel that will be used to pick up and deliver produce, meats and dairy products from local farms on both sides of Long Island Sound.

Kunkel explained that there are a number of logistical factors favoring his new venture. First, it’s difficult for small, local farms to reach customers farther than 15-20 miles away, despite market demand, which is increasing in his region, Kunkel said. These local shipments are almost always below full truckload scale. “There’s a big difference between local shipping and global shipping,” Kunkel pointed out. Additionally, he said that local officials don’t like 18-wheelers making deliveries in small city centers. The delays and unpredictability on major roadways are, for food, counter to notions of – fresh – at the heart of higher value.

Kunkel said many CT farms are near rivers and harbors. And, that’s important because his catamaran draws just 3 feet. As cargo, most farm goods are shipped on pallets and moved by forklift or a jack-lift. His boat will have RO/RO capability with refrigerated storage. Capacity is about 28 pallets. His plan: a grower meets him at the dock, say, in Norwalk, and Kunkel ships it east to Bridgeport, or south, across the Sound to Huntington, Long Island. The buyer either picks up the pallets at the dock or Kunkel can arrange for the “last mile” of ground transport. Quicker, predictable, fresher and competitive. Kunkel thinks customers will be drawn to the environmental pluses with his service – decreased ground-based transport impacts along with decreased CO2 emissions since his vessel will be a hybrid battery-diesel combination.

Kunkel was asked about the priorities he would emphasize considering CT’s new Strategy. He said an operation like his looks for support in two ways: development that rebuilds a working waterfront, one that meets commercial needs and harbor access, again for commercial operations, not just, say, for recreational boaters who might need a marina.

For Kunkel, Connecticut’s moves are timely. “Places are looking for this kind of service,” he said, adding that “growth is out there.” He is confident his market could eventually require 12 delivery boats providing service from New Jersey to Rhode Island.

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]]> WorkBoat: Marine highways called answer to interstate jams https://harborharvest.com/marine-highways-called-answer-to-interstate-jams/ Thu, 27 Sep 2018 20:15:23 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=1942

A tug moving containers on a barge. SUNY photo.
By Kirk Moore
A few miles east of a never-ending traffic jam on I-95 heading for the George Washington Bridge, port officials and barge operators said new marine highway routes can help deal with mounting congestion in the Northeast.
“The capacity lies back on the water. That’s where it all began. Before we had a rail and road system, that’s how we did it,†said Rear Adm. Mark Buzby, administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration, speaking at a marine highway conference hosted Thursday by the State University of New York Maritime College at Throgs Neck, N.Y.
“We have this great resource, we need to learn to use it again,†Buzby told an audience of 250 who gathered to hear about plans for new short sea shipping ventures. “It’s the only existing surface mode that has capacity.â€
“Short sea shipping makes the most improvement in the environmental costs compared to moving one container at a time,†said Ed Whitmore, president and CEO of Norfolk Tug Co., Norfolk, Va., which operates a daily 90-mile service up the James River to a terminal at Richmond, Va.
Measured as fuel consumption for moving a ton of cargo, barge transportation can achieve 647 miles per ton/gal., compared to 147 miles by truck, he said.
Then there are the issues of traffic congestion and wear and tear on highways and bridges.

“If you’re driving or commuting anywhere around the city, you know what I’m talking about,†said Mike Stamatis, president of the Red Hook Container Terminal, which operates a cross-harbor container-on-barge service between Port Newark, N.J., and Brooklyn, N.Y.

Marad, the Port Authority of NY/NJ and city officials promote the use of COB services as a way to eliminate some truck traffic and lessen air emissions in the region.

“I think there are a number of places in America that can benefit by saying, ‘Hey we’re going to take some of these trucks off the road,†said Derek Veenhof, executive vice president for asset management with Covanta, a waste-to-energy company that has a longstanding municipal waste contract with New York City.

City officials set reducing truck traffic a goal of their solid waste plan, not looking simply for the lowest-cost transport solution, said Veenhof. That commitment removed one barrier to the concept for moving containerized trash by barge for Covanto’s generation plants.

“Once you have that, the private sector will answer the call and say, ‘We can help you do that,’†he said.

Using short sea transport to redevelop small farming in Connecticut is the business plan for Harbor Harvest, based in Norwalk, Conn. Owner Robert Kunkel is having a 62’x21’ Incat Crowther designed, hybrid power aluminum catamaran built at Derecktor Shipyard/Robert E. Derecktor Inc., Mamaroneck, N.Y., to carry local produce across Long Island Sound.

“There’s $9 billion worth of produce between the mid-Hudson Valley and Connecticut,†but now coming from family farms “that can’t make more than $50,000 a year,†said Kunkel.

Using boats to serve the affluent Long Island market could mean an upstate farmer who gets $2 a dozen for his organic eggs locally might sell across the Sound for $6, carried on the 15-mile maritime route, he said.

That will eliminate the cost and delay of truck transport. Kunkel said he was under the impression a round trip from farm county to the city or Long Island was six hours – until truckers told him the time has now expanded to nine to 12 hours.

“They don’t want to do it,†he said. “They can’t make money.â€

About the author

Associate Editor Kirk Moore was a reporter for the Asbury Park Press for over 30 years before joining WorkBoat in 2015. He wrote several award-winning stories on marine, environmental, coastal and military issues that helped drive federal and state government policy changes. He has also been a field editor for WorkBoat’s sister publication, National Fisherman, for almost 25 years. Moore was awarded the Online News Association 2011 Knight Award for Public Service for the “Barnegat Bay Under Stress,†2010 series that led to the New Jersey state government’s restoration plan. He lives in West Creek, N.J.

 

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]]> Cision: Farm Aid 2018 Galvanizes Farmers, Farm Advocates And Eaters To Demand Urgent Changes In Our Farm And Food System https://harborharvest.com/cision-farm-aid-2018-galvanizes-farmers-farm-advocates-and-eaters-to-demand-urgent-changes-in-our-farm-and-food-system/ Sat, 22 Sep 2018 20:19:56 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=1947

Annual Festival Showcases Resilience in the Face of Mounting Crisis

News provided by Farm Aid

HARTFORD, Conn.  — Against the backdrop of a 53 percent plunge in net farm income over the past five years, Farm Aid 2018 emphasized the determination of farmers and ranchers in Connecticut and across the nation to survive mounting challenges that include sinking commodity prices and rising production expenses and interest rates, in addition to uncertainty around the Farm Bill and U.S. trade and immigration policies.

At the sold-out event that took place at XFINITY Theatre, Farm Aid president and founder Willie Nelson said family farmers are becoming endangered. They haven’t faced such grave economic circumstances since Farm Aid started, with thousands fewer working the land compared to 1985.

“No matter what’s thrown at them, family farmers persevere,” said Nelson, “They’ve hung in there for generations, growing good food for all of us. Now we’re the ones who’ve got to dig in and fight for their survival.”

Joining Nelson’s urgent call for change were Farm Aid board members John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews (performing with Tim Reynolds), as well as Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgraves, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Jamey Johnson, Margo Price, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Particle Kid, Ian Mellencamp, David Amram and Wisdom Indian Dancers. All of these artists donated their time, transportation and talents to support farm families.

The day-long festival kicked off with a conversation about the current farm crisis between Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Steven Reviczky, local farmers and Nelson, Mellencamp, Young and Matthews. Farm Aid highlighted area dairy and produce farmers who are determined to stay on the land, despite a historic confluence of challenges facing farms across the country, including crashing commodity prices, trade, labor shortages, health care costs and natural disasters. Since 1970, the number of American dairy farms has dropped by more than 93 percent, with bellwether dairy state Wisconsin losing over 500 farms in 2017 alone.

One program that currently benefits low-income individuals and families, as well as farmers, is SNAP/EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer), which is under attack by members of Congress. Connecticut doubles SNAP benefits through its SNAP Match program, enabling families to use their benefits to support local farmers. SNAP represents an important market for farm families—one that has the dual benefit of feeding hungry families and providing income to local farmers.

“Farmers are an incredible example to this country of how to face uncertainty and adversity. They grow our food in the face of tremendous odds, offering us hope,” said Farm Aid’s executive director, Carolyn Mugar. “Every day they do their part to ensure good food for all of us; now as community members, voters and eaters, we can do our part to strengthen them.”

On Friday, 11-time Grammy-nominated music artist Jamey Johnson was honored with the organization’s Spirit of Farm Aid award for his unwavering support of family farmers. Farm Aid 2018 marks Johnson’s 11th appearance at the festival.

Farm Aid 2018 offered menu items that adhered to Farm Aid’s annual HOMEGROWN Concessions® criteria: all ingredients are sustainably produced by family farmers; the food is produced with ecological practices; and farmers receive a fair price for their products. Food choices for concertgoers included local clam-stuffed baked potato skins, fish tacos, a beet sandwich, hand-dipped corndogs and shrimp and grits.

Sponsors of Farm Aid 2018 include Bonterra Organic Vineyards, Patagonia Workwear, Lundberg Family Farms, New Belgium Brewing Company, Horizon Organic, Pete and Gerry’s Organic, Shenandoah Valley Organic, Harbor Harvest, Frontier Co-op, Spindrift and Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Company.

“Farm Aid 2018” airs on AXS TV beginning at 7 p.m. EDT, as well as at www.farmaid.org from 3 to 11 p.m. EDT. Willie Nelson’s SiriusXM channel (59), Willie’s Roadhouse, also airs the show live from noon to 11 p.m. All broadcasts will include backstage interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage of the event.

Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. For more than 30 years, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $53 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

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]]> The Hour: Norwalk area groups, businesses seek alternatives to plastic https://harborharvest.com/the-hour-norwalk-area-groups-businesses-seek-alternatives-to-plastic/ Wed, 12 Sep 2018 20:24:46 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=1951

Harbor Harvest barista, Brittany Tarantino, serves up a Rise Nitro cold-brew coffee drink with their new pastraws, a pasta straw, and aLemon Ginger Ice Tea with the reusable Ultimate Straw Wednesday, September

Photo: Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media

By Justin Papp

NORWALK — Ripka’s Beach Cafe at Calf Pasture Beach has heeded the environmental call to make the switch away from plastic straws, but it took six months of hard work to make it happen.

“I don’t know how people are doing it, if they’re doing it at all. I looked for them at the beginning of the season. I was told I’d be able to get them and I never got them,†Clyde Ripka, owner of Ripka’s said on Tuesday, just a few days after he finally did receive his first order of paper straws.

Ripka said his usual distributor, W.B. Mason, told him there was a backlog on the paper straws, which have surged in popularity recently. Instead, he was forced to order through a smaller distributor, at a price nearly 12 times per straw as he paid for plastic.

Ultimately, Ripka announced the straws’ arrival — though they were not the correct size — in a Sept. 6 Facebook post, to which he said he received overwhelmingly positive feedback.

But the fact remains, the straws are an added cost.

“It’s a worthy cause,†Ripka said. “But I was amazed at the wall that was put up “

According to projections by the World Economic Forum, by 2050 plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish. Better Alternatives Now, a pollution research nonprofit, estimates that 7.5 percent of plastic in the environment comes from straws and stirrers. Numbers like those have groups like Skip the Plastic Norwalk — whose Facebook page states that 500 million plastic straws are used daily in the U.S. — up in arms.

Skip the Plastic Norwalk started a local campaign earlier this year to eliminate single-use plastics, starting with straws, and educate local businesses about the damage done to the environment by plastics. Nearly 20 restaurants have signed on as of earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the movement nationwide has been so swift and successful, the largest producer of paper straws in the U.S., Indiana-based manufacturer Aardvark, was bought out in early August by the Indiana-based Hoffmaster Group, in part to increase production to meet demand.

Andy Romjue, president of the Hoffmaster Group, said he started hearing about the push away from plastic five or six years ago, but didn’t see it start to pick up momentum until November or December 2017. The movement was largely spurred by legislative bans on plastics, especially on the coasts, and ecological concerns spread quickly over social media.

“Our demand is way outstripping our capacity. It was that way when we came in and it continues to be that way as more and more demand is built up,†Romjue said.

In response, Hoffmaster is expanding its facility and adding machines and personnel to keep up with demand. Though Romjue warned it could take some time, depending on the rate of market shift.

Local efforts to ditch plastic also come in the midst of a changing global recycling market, in part because of tariffs placed on China by President Donald J. Trump, which drew retaliation.

On Wednesday, the City of Norwalk announced that it would update its single-stream recycling collection list as a result of the ban on plastic imports from the U.S. into China. Beginning Oct. 1, plastic bags and thin plastic film (including bubble wrap), polystyrene, paper and single-use coffee cups and straws are no longer recyclable.

Mayor Harry Rilling said he hopes the city might also take a hard look at drafting ordinance banning some of those materials.

“For the environmental issues that are facing us, we should seriously consider an ordinance that would ban plastic bags, plastic straws, Styrofoam cups, Styrofoam containers. Those kinds of things that never break down,†Rilling said. “A lot of communities are doing that and I think we should start looking at it as well.â€

Others groups have acted as well.

In May, the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk announced it would significantly reduce its use of single-use plastics, in accordance with the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, a group of 19 aquariums nationwide hoping to reduce the about of plastic in the ocean.

“We’re trying to practice what we preach. Our mission is educate about long island sound and create stewards for conservation. Plastic in the environment is a huge problem. So it just seemed wrong for us to be contributing to the issue,†David Sigworth, associate director of communications for the Maritime Aquarium said. “We’ve had no real negative feedback about it. People are very understanding.â€

The aquarium replaced bottles of water with boxes of water, eliminated all straws and plastic lids, and purchasing coffee cups and soup cups made out of paper coated with polylactic acid (PLA), produced from renewable resources such as corn and sugarcane.

“A lot of the burden on this fell the to company that runs our cafeteria and operates our gift shop. They went through a lot of hoops to find the best way to do that,†Sigworth said.

About six months ago, Harbor Harvest in East Norwalk responded to customer requests that they remove plastic, in keeping with their sustainable mission statement. They’ve begun the process of removing all plastic items from the store, beginning with straws and coffee stirrers. In place of plastic, owner Bob Kunkel discovered two options: a straw made out of pasta, or the “Ultimate Straw,†a stainless steel reusable option that costs $29.

Kunkel is selling the UltimateStraw out of Harbor Harvest at no profit, and the manufacturer donates $1 per sale to ocean research. He said the pasta straws are only slightly more expensive than plastic. Plus they can be used in cooking and are not backlogged. He didn’t have the same trouble with backlog that Ripka experienced ordering paper.

“On the pasta straw there was no price gouging at all, and they were readily available. But I have seen on other biodegradable options there’s been a delay in receiving the equipment and it is pricier,†Kunkel said.

But even with the store’s newly instated environmental accommodations, Kunkel said he still receives customer concerns.

“One concern was gluten free people who would come in and use the straw but have a reaction,†Kunkel said. “The gluten issue has become very important in the food industry, whether someone actually has celiac or just wants to remove it from their diet, any aspect. We have to tell people, understand this is pasta and gluten is involved.â€

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]]> CT Post: Chowdafest on the table at Big E https://harborharvest.com/chowdafest-on-the-table-at-big-e/ Mon, 10 Sep 2018 20:12:06 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=1938

Bob Kunkel from Harbor Harvest at the Chowdafest Kickoff in Westport, Conn. on Aug. 14, 2017.

By Michael P. Mayko

Photo: Erin Kayata / Hearst Connecticut Media

WESTPORT-The town’s annual Chowdafest gets a preview at the Big E starting Friday. Jim Keenan, the Chowdafest’s executive director, said the state invited them to take up residence in the Connecticut Building on the Avenue of States during the entire Big E’s Sept. 14-30 stay in Springfield, Mass. It’ll be located near the Lenny and Joe’s lobster roll booth. “Chowdafest, presented by Stop &Shop, will be opening a cafe offering eight ounce cups of chowder, soup and bisque,†Keenan said. He added that this will be just a sampling of what the Chowdafest will provide during their annual Sept. 30 festival at Sherwood Island from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For each of the Big E’s 17 days the cafe will present five different choices—New England white and Manhattan red clam chowder, blended clam chowder, creative clam chowder, soup or bisque and vegetarian. The Big E draws about 1.5 million people annually, making it the fifth largest fair in the U.S. Its biggest draws are usually the concerts. This year’s lineup includes Ice-T Sept. 22 and the Beach Boys Sept. 30 at the X-Finity arena. Tony Orlando on Sept. 14, the Drifters and the Platters on Sept. 24 and 24 and WAR on Sept. 28 and Jefferson Starship will appear Sept. 28-30 at the Court of Honor Stage. For a complete lineup of all the musical acts performing go to the Big E website—www.thebige.com

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]]> The Hour: Taste of East Norwalk Festival returns Sunday https://harborharvest.com/taste-of-east-norwalk-festival-returns-sunday/ Thu, 16 Aug 2018 19:48:35 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=1917

By Thane Grauel

 

(Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media)

NORWALK — The second annual Taste of East Norwalk festival is set for 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at Longshore Pavilion at Norwalk Cove, 66 Calf Pasture Beach Road.

The $30 admission fee includes all food, drink and entertainment. Tickets are $35 at the door. Ages 12 and under are free.

“It’s to show off what East Norwalk has to offer — we have the water, we have the beach, restaurants, businesses,†said Rick Tavella of Rick’s Main Roofing.

Numerous restaurants and vendors will be on hand, and there will be activities including a volleyball tournament with a $500 prize for the first-place team. Tony Masi’s band “SummerTime†will perform.

Vendors include Copps Island Oysters, Mr. Frosty’s, Knot Norm’s, Station House Bar & Grille, Jimmy’s Mediterranean Deli, Rick’s Main Roofing, Condor Press, Italian Society of the Norwalk Police, Signsmarts, Accurate Auto, Norwalk Pizza and Pasta, Van Zant Sports Bar and Restaurant, Don Carmelo’s, Eder Bros., Harbor Harvest, Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, Greyskye, Partners Café, Kosta’s Norwalk Shoe Repair, Raspados Flamingo, Sunset Grille, Valentino’s Cucina Italiana, DonJulio, the Inn at Longshore, Giant Laundry, Ripka’s on the Beach, Web Realty Co., Cappello Realty, First County Bank, Step’N’Out, Cove Deli & Café, East Norwalk Business Association, Pamelonne, Milton’s Dumpster Service, Bounce Family CT, East Norwalk Neighborhood Association and REO Appliance.

Accurate Auto is sponsoring the $500 prize for first place in the volleyball tournament. Tickets and tournament signup are available online at tasteofeastnorwalk.org.

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]]> Marine Log: Keel laid for first hybrid cargo vessel in U.S. https://harborharvest.com/marine-log-keel-laid-for-first-hybrid-cargo-vessel-in-u-s/ Sun, 11 Mar 2018 19:20:26 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=1903

MARCH 11, 2018 —The farm-to-table food market has been trending upwards in gentrified cities such as New York for more than a decade. And while consumers’ appetites for farm-to-table products almost seems insatiable, transporting those goods from their sources in and around Long Island Sound, Upstate New York or New Jersey to the shelves and tables of local restaurants, groceries, delis and specialty stores hasn’t been so easy. Getting corn or potatoes by truck from North Shore farms near Glen Cove or wine from vineyards on the North Folk of Long Island to city restaurants and grocery stores can be a traffic nightmare, fighting hours of congestion along snarled regional highways, bridges, tunnels, and local roads.

But a Norwalk, CT, specialty grocery store, deli, and farmers market is blazing a new trail to change all that. Harbor Harvest, which sells locally sourced fresh veggies, artisan products, in-house butchered meats, and dairy foods to local restaurants, plans to move the transport of those goods from the road to the water. To do this, it will build and operate a fleet of battery-powered cargo vessels to connect to ports in Connecticut and New York. Harbor Harvest held a keel laying ceremony on February 23 for the first of what could be as many as three 65 ft x 21 ft hybrid all-aluminum cargo vessels at Derecktor Shipyards in Mamaroneck, NY. The boat will be fitted with a BAE Systems’ HybriDrive Marine Propulsion System from BAE Systems, along with an energy storage system and Cummins diesel generators. The first of its kind to be built in the U.S., the hybrid cargo vessel will be part of a new sustainable marine cargo transport network on Long Island Sound and the Hudson River.

The visionary force behind the new short sea shipping project is Bob Kunkel, who along with Ernie Marsan, are owners of Harbor Harvest. When he’s not selecting produce at local farms or butchering meat at Harbor Harvest, Kunkel is President of Alternative Marine Technologies (AMTECH), a firm that supports shipowners in alternative energy and propulsion projects. A Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduate, Kunkel also served for five years as the Federal Chairman of the Short Sea Shipping Cooperative Program under the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). He also has decades of ship construction experience, including stints at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego, CA, and South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), and is a senior member of the Special Committee on Ship Operation with ABS and an elected member of the NCB.

“This is going to be the first hybrid cargo vessel ever built in the United States,†said Kunkel at the keel laying ceremony. “It is going to be done with the assistance of the Maritime Administration and the Department of Transportation, who is now putting us as a designated project in the Marine Highway program.â€

welder

The aim of the Marine Highway program is to reduce landside congestion, lower transportation-related emissions, and increase the use of domestic marine transportation by supporting the development of transportation options for shippers. MARAD currently has an “Open Season†period for Marine Highway project submission until December 31, 2018.

Eligible projects may be designated as Marine Highway Projects by the Secretary of Transportation. Being designated a Marine Highway Project allows the DOT resources to be used to assist public project sponsors, ports and other local transportation or economic development agencies in the development of Marine Highway projects.

Economic benefits to region
But Kunkel also pointed out that the economic benefits of the project to the regional Connecticut-New York economy go well beyond its shipbuilding and ship operations components. And that was readily apparent from the broad spectrum of guests that were on hand at the ceremony, which included local restaurateurs, chefs, bakers and artisans, investors Pace Ralli and Magnus Tangen of Clean Marine Energy, and Per Heidenreich, Managing Partner of private equity firm Heidenreich Enterprises L.P., hybrid propulsion supplier Dave Adamiak, Senior Manager, Business Development, Power & Propulsion Solutions, BAE Systems, Evan Matthews, Executive Director, Connecticut Port Authority, and Tim Pickering, Operations Development Manager, Office of Marine Highways, MARAD, and Capt. Jeff Flumignan, Director, North Atlantic Gateway, MARAD. Many of those on hand were recognized by Kunkel with special wooden planks showing the outboard profile of the hybrid vessel.

Transforming shipping
The ship’s sponsor was Bob’s wife, Marilyn. Her initials were welded into the vessel’s keel as part of the ceremony.

Speaking to those in attendance, Micah Tucker, Vice President of New Construction & Engineering, Derecktor Shipyards, said the project would transform the shipping industry in a number of ways. “First way, it puts shipping back in the hands of small business and reinforces that entrepreneurial spirit. Second way, it ensures that local farms and artisan businesses have a bright future and are able to expand beyond their local municipalities and current means of doing business. And lastly, it transforms the shipping industry to a more responsible, economically sustainable, and environmentally friendly method of doing business.â€

The Harbor Harvest vessel is the third in a series of hybrid propulsion catamarans built by Derecktor Shipyards. The Harbor Harvest vessel is similar to the first two Incat Crowther-designed research vessels in the series, except that it has been modified to enable it to transport 12,000 pounds of cargo, including 9,000 pounds of refrigerated cargo in storage and 3,000 pounds on deck.

Prior to the construction of the Harbor Harvest boat, Derecktor Shipyards delivered the CUNY I, a research vessel (shown at left; image courtesy of BAE Systems) for the City University of New York’s Brooklyn College. The 65 ft CUNY I is powered by a BAE Systems’ HybriDrive diesel-electric hybrid system, and has a state-of-the-art lab. The boat is built to comply with U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter T regulations for small passenger vessels.

Electric power is supplied by a set of Corvus lithium ion batteries, and propulsion is via articulating drives powered by two electric motors.

The City University of New York (CUNY), in collaboration with the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, will use the vessel for research of the Jamaica Bay area, as well as Long Island Sound.

The first hybrid vessel built by Derecktor Shipyards was the M/V Spirit of the Sound for the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

The Harbor Harvest boat is expected to be faster than its predecessors, reaching speeds of up to 15 knots. It will also have the capability to be recharged at the dock during loading and offloading operations.

*Originally published in the March 2018 issue of Marine Log as “The Birth of Sustainable Shipping, Keel laid for first hybrid cargo vessel in U.S., which would be key component of new sustainable marine cargo transport network.”

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]]> CT Post: Harbor Harvest in Norwalk: Unique 1-stop spot for food shopping, coffee bar, deli and crumb cake https://harborharvest.com/ct-post-harbor-harvest-in-norwalk-unique-1-stop-spot-for-food-shopping-coffee-bar-deli-and-crumb-cake/ Wed, 20 Dec 2017 19:04:12 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=1893

Being skeptical by nature I hate hype. Ego-crazed celebrity chefs, farm-to-table this, sustainable that, are words that raise red flags of suspicion in me. Yes, it is important the food we eat is farmed responsibly and raised humanely, but these buzz words often impress without a guarantee of a meal that tastes good.

food package
Photo: Jane Stern / For Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Harbor Harvest offers carefully selected groceries.

A happy surprise for me is Harbor Harvest, a quaint-looking rustic space situated in a residential urban neighborhood in Norwalk. I liked the look of the place immediately. It looked both homey and welcoming. I appreciated that it did not make a huge fuss over the fact everything served inside has an impeccable pedigree. Harbor Harvest is not a restaurant, but rather a multifunctional grocery store, espresso bar, catering center, bakery, deli, cosmetic counter, wine shop, craft-beer supplier, farm stand and butcher shop all under one roof. You can have a cup of coffee or order a standing rib roast with all the trimmings for the holidays.

Because Harbor Harvest does not trumpet the provenance of its foods, it was not until I read the website that I learned the scope of their commitment to bringing healthy delicious food to our area. Harbor Harvest’s owners run a fleet of hybrid refrigerated boats that allow them to locally source from the farms of Long Island, N.Y., as well as our home state. It was the first place to commercially grow herbs and micro greens indoors. The owners regularly go from farm to farm to select the best pork beef and chickens, and the finest seasonal produce. The meat is then butchered in-house, the vegetables are used in the meals produced and sold in bushels outdoors.

Because I arrived by car at Harbor Harvest I did not qualify for the 5-percent discount customers get if they walk there or ride a bike. Guiltily, I parked my gas-hog car right in front and ducked inside. No one yelled at me.

I started at the front of the shop near the front door. There is a serious espresso machine and a barista who knows how to use it. I ordered a well-made latte and added a large piece of still-warm homemade crumb cake on the side. It isn’t often one gets served real crumb cake in our area (unlike Philadelphia where it is ubiquitous). After one bite of the lush, vanilla-tinged pastry, which, as expected, dropped a torrential wave of crumbs down my shirt front, I considered relocating to Pennsylvania to insure a regular supply.

The stroll toward the back of the store took a while. En route I slathered on organic hand cream, looked at bottles of wine from Connecticut vineyards, was distracted by unusual groceries, like a German cake mix that promised a sensational marble cake, and stopped to admire a display of Connecticut-made Italian pastas and sauces.

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Harbor Harvest
7 Cove Ave., Norwalk
203-939-9289

My final destination was the deli and butcher shop. Once I arrived I admired the large clean glass cases filled with beautifully displayed, well-marbled steaks, lamb chops and a myriad of different sausage meats. In the next case was an array of fresh seafood sourced from Alaska to Gloucester, Mass. In both cases the produce looked of the highest quality. Unlike a regular supermarket, Harbor Harvest does not attempt to keep every single type of meat or seafood on hand every day. The more limited selection translates to the fact that these foods are fresh, hand-picked and not delivered to the store frozen or en masse.

At the deli you can order the daily specials, as well as amazing sandwiches and ready-to-eat meals. The specials are written each day on a chalkboard placed outside the front door. They are often unusual or exotic. One day Wild Buffalo Chili was the stew du jour; the next day a pink-hued Hungarian chicken paprikash was featured. There is an enormous selection of sandwiches, everything from the plainest ham and Swiss, to pistachio mortadella slathered with red onion and fig spread.

I ordered a Harbor Harvest sandwich, thinking logically if it bore the name of the store it had to be great. It was. The Harbor Harvest is a homemade thin chicken cutlet, layered with broccoli rabe, tomatoes, crushed red peppers, fresh mozzarella and garlic aioli. I asked for it to be put on a grinder roll. On the side I ordered beef goulash, so hearty you could stand a spoon in it. To take home with me, I grabbed some slow-roasted Cuban pork shoulder with rice and beans covered with a homemade cilantro sauce. So stuffed from the big sandwich and the goulash, I did not get around to eating it until the next day. After hibernating overnight in the fridge it was still delicious.

When I left Harbor Harvest I took a short walk. Lured by the salty smell of nearby Calf Pasture Beach it proved a perfect digestive. Listening to the cry of seagulls overhead in the cobalt blue sky I decided not to relocate to Pennsylvania for the crumb cake. I love where I live.

Jane Stern, a Ridgefield resident, coauthored the popular “Roadfood†guidebook series with Michael Stern. Join her each week as she travels Fairfield County finding a great meal in unexpected places for $20 or less.

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]]> CT Bites: Harbor Harvest in Norwalk: Locally Sourced Retail Food Market w/ Innovative Technology https://harborharvest.com/harbor-harvest-in-norwalk-locally-sourced-retail-food-market-w-innovative-technology/ Fri, 30 Jun 2017 18:32:56 +0000 http://host2064.temp.domains/~greyskye/harborharvest/?p=1875

Peter Dunay

For Bob Kunkel, the Co-owner of Harbor Harvest in Norwalk, CT, he is a true mariner whose blood is part saltwater and whose first love is the sea. With forty years in the restaurant business and a background in ship builders, Harbor Harvest is a market with a vision like no other. Mr. Kunkel does not settle for anything but fabulous which means all his products are locally sourced and of the highest quality. He makes a point that sustainability and being environmentally conscious is paramount to a healthy community and the world which has to lead to some epic initiatives.

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Harbor Harvest is committed to supporting local, artisanal ingredients. In-house, they carry everything from CT produce and meat to beautiful Fritz Knipschildt chocolate creations. All of their items are appropriately priced because artisan does not always need to mean budget breaking. Even I, a broke college student, was able to afford some nice chocolates for my mother which adds to the happy household spirit. However, what I loved the most about Harbor Harvest is their plan to build a hybrid catamaran which has the capability to carry six tons of fresh food across the Long Island Sound in only twenty minutes! It will have two pontoons giving it stability and will run entirely off of very powerful lithium batteries. By running off batteries, the vessel will reduce both noise and fossil fuel pollution in the Long Island Sound. It has the capacity to make two to three trips across the Sound per charge and can do it much faster than any domestic automobile making it both environmentally friendly and more efficient than current conventional transportation methods. Mr. Kunkel’s intent is to open up a market between CT and Long Island through a fleet of catamarans so fresh Connecticut and Long Island ingredients can be shipped to local restaurants without compromising freshness. By setting up these routes, we can have a mutually beneficial relationship with our neighbors across the bay by sharing fresh, sustainable ingredients.

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Walking up to Harbor Harvest, I felt like I was entering a cute, preppy Nantucket market, with the bikes stationed in the front and coffee shop vibes. However, one of Harbor Harvest’s hidden gems is there backyard. This charming secluded nook is the perfect place for weddings, rehearsal dinners, and parties. The beautiful bar and outdoor grill are unique additions to their space that make this party area one you much check out for yourself.

food trays

While on the phone with Bob Kunkel he mentioned his plan to teach healthy beginnings to the younger generation which I believe is a beautiful goal. He desires to educate kids in urban gardening, so they know where their food comes. Also, through this initiative, he will be able to explore the idea of climate change with these local kids and give them ways to reduce their carbon footprint! This plan to teach and give back to the community along with his hybrid catamaran are a power play in the pursuit of lower carbon emissions and is a great step towards a greener, cleaner Earth.

chalk board

However, Harbor Harvest has more than just innovative technology. They also have a wonderful catering operation and signature sandwich menu which will not disappoint. Packed high and wide with sliced meats and toppings Harbor Harvest’s wraps and grinders will make your jaw drop in amazement. Named after local and family influences each monster sandwich is packing a fresh set of flavors for everyone to enjoy like the Cove Partner with House made chicken cutlet, avocado, lettuce, tomato, red onion, mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar. Maybe you’re into meat and the Tugboat calls to you with its: Prosciutto, capocollo, salami, sopressata, and pepperoni, with lettuce, tomato, sharp provolone, extra virgin olive oil, and vinegar.

Harbor Harvest makes a valiant effort to make all its food offerings accessible to everyone by making Gluten Free options available. Beautiful Pad Thai served steaming hot from the stove or Beef Brisket smoked ranch style don’t have to concern you because as long as you ask look for the (GF) tag or ask they can accommodate for your dietary needs. Check out their catering/ sandwich menus and more on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/harborharvest/

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