The skies were cloudy but Zach Chissell beamed as he looked out at the crowd milling around the produce stands and food sellers arrayed  Saturday at Clifton Park for Real Food Farm’s third annual “Urban Farm & Food Fair.”

Chissell, the farm manager, was happy to reflect on the progress of the fair, a pet projects of his at the city’s four-year-old showcase site for urban agriculture in Baltimore.

“I see many faces from last year, so I suppose we’re becoming known,” he said, noting that the event may be ready now to grow a bit.

“I’d like to have this become a mini-Farm Aid,” Chissell said, envisioning a bandstand, live music and fundraising to support urban farming and healthy eating in Baltimore.

In the meantime, the fair (co-sponsored with the Farm Alliance of Baltimore) served up its familiar smorgasbord of produce, prepared food and information.

The Makings of Gumbo

With the farm’s hoop houses in the background, I worked my way past the energetic youngsters participating in the Farm Olympics (supervised by Baltimore HealthCorps coordinator Alica Diehl) and the informative table offering resources that connect landowners and farmers (staffed by Cathy Tripper of Future Harvest.)

Then I found the vegetables, at Real Food Farm’s “Green Truck.”

Christy Ottinger and Connor Horne were doing the show-and-tell, plying me with an assortment of tomatoes of all sizes, as well as peppers, squash, pumpkins and flowers. I bought some of the smallest okra to make gumbo.

Then I picked up some good news from Laura Genello, farm manager of the Aquaponics Project: they sold their first 35 pounds of Nile Tilapia to Bon Appetite, a food management service for Hopkins campus dining.

The project, sponsored by Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, is looking forward to harvesting another batch of tilapia this winter.

Genello had leafy greens and herbs for sale Saturday as well – products they also sell at the Waverly Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon. (Their project, based at Cylburn Arboretum, also focuses on hydroponics, or soil-less gardening.)

Pulled Pork, Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Lunchtime. At the iconic, red “Souper Freak” truck, operated by Scott Smith and his wife Irene, I couldn’t decide with all the tempting choices. They were kind enough to sell a dish with half brisket, half pulled-pork.

As for which was best, I’d have to say it’s a tie. They use local food and their clamshell-style containers are compostable. (Check their website to find out how to track them down.)

Dominion Ice Cream called out to me as well, and how could I not sample the sweet potato and the spinach flavors? I was dubious but, I must say, the flavors were outstanding.

At the Whitelock Community Farm stand, I heard from vendor Alishea Galvin about the farm (whose produce is available at the nearby Linden Market, 2435 Linden Ave.) and about opportunities to volunteer at the farm, which is in Reservoir Hill.

They were selling those wonderful end-of-the-season small potatoes. Steam, smash, stir in a bit of olive oil, add a touch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper and they go with everything.

Another great resource I can pass along from my visit – Friends & Farms, an innovative concierge food service. I listened in as Regina McCarthy explained the system to Rachel Carson.

They assemble baskets of regionally sourced foods (organic, when available) and plan the quantities to provide for two people for two days. (They’ve got vegetarian and non-vegetarian baskets and two pick-up locations in the city.)

Buzzing Bees, Slowed-Down Food

I know about the Slow Food movement and was happy to see it was represented at the fair. You know the concept: they promote food that is tasty, seasonal, local, fresh and wholesome (to which I add, affordable.)

You may not know the history. It had to do with a McDonald’s scheduled to open in Rome near the Spanish Steps. The cry went up (in Italian, of course) “We don’t want fast food, we want slow food!”

Locally, Slow Food Baltimore carries on the tradition, with events like an October Sustainable Seafood Cookout & Potluck. You’ve got to love their snail logo.

Finally, though I have seen it many times, I am a sucker for the glass-enclosed beehive from Bee Friendly Apiary.

Owner and beekeeper William Castro is always entertaining. He’s not only a good advocate for the bees – conveying their crucial role in our food production cycle – but he makes good honey, too.