The Brix Project is a 3 year USDA-funded program to support the growth of the regional food system that Brix Cider is fostering through media and outreach that draws people closer to the food they eat, the land it came from, and the people who grew it. When we set out on the Brix Project, the mission was to expand upon what is working in our regional food system and demonstrate how a business like Brix Cider can serve as a consistent hub for local food flowthrough.  In the first two years of the Brix Project we shared our academic findings and farmer-focused storytelling with our immed ..read more

This blog post is a culmination of a semester-long capstone project for four senior college students at UW-Madison. Katie is studying International Studies, Environmental Studies, and French. Grace is studying Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, and Environmental Studies. Tien is studying Geography and Environmental Studies. Allie is an International Studies, Environmental Studies, and German major. Our capstone class as a whole focused on the Brix Project and worked with Brix Cider to help highlight their work within local food systems in Wisconsin. Our project in particular aimed ..read more

Large flakes fall forming a blanket of snow covering the town of Mount Horeb. Welcome to winter at Brix!  It may seem that there is little to no produce to be sourced in the winter months in Wisconsin. Contrary to this belief, farms produce a variety of vegetables utilizing high tunnels, greenhouses, and aquaponic systems.  Looking again to Squashington Farm, we see examples of such systems. On their new land purchased just over a year ago, Squashington has constructed a high tunnel system allowing them to trap enough heat in the winter months to grow a variety of produce. Between t ..read more

The leaves begin changing colors and the breeze feels slightly cooler, welcome to fall at Brix!   Hundreds of butternut squash are harvested at Squashington each fall, some to be used in tasty dishes at Brix! Credit: Squashington Farms As the summer months start winding down, there’s still an abundance of fruit and vegetables available throughout autumn. During these transitional months, the menu at Brix features summer crops such as mixed greens along with fall staples such as Brussels sprouts, squash, leeks, radishes, swiss chard, and root vegetables including carrots and pot ..read more

The sun is shining and a new season of fresh produce has arrived. Welcome to summer at Brix! Fresh summer produce from Squashington!  Credit: Squashington Farm Wisconsin’s climate supports a huge variety of different fruits and vegetables throughout the summer months. Greens, peppers, melons, squash, and berries are just some of the fresh produce you’ll find at Brix all summer long. The abundance of veggies means that you’ll see a whole new range of dishes on the menu.  This past summer, the kitchen used snow peas, summer squash, and cabbage in their Thai peanut dish. On the sw ..read more

Seeds are ready to find their new home in the soil: welcome to spring at Brix! A great photo of a newly budding plant! Credit: Squashington Farm website After a cold Wisconsin winter, Brix’s restaurant will start to gain a new batch of veggies in spring. This is exciting for both Brix and customers alike! Brix sources their spring veggies from many farms, and for this particular season, we will highlight Squashington Farms. At Squashington, myriads of veggies will be planted and harvested. Spring is very greens-heavy, with lots of brassicas including: kale (full size and baby), arugula, brocc ..read more

  “A model of seasonality as unique as Brix’s financially supports the Mount Horeb community, reduces food emissions, and creates more flavorful and nutritious food!”   Introduction to Us & Our Project:  Hello! The following blog posts were written by five UW- Madison students as part of our UW-Madison environmental studies capstone project. The main motivation behind this project was the strong desire to share what we’ve learned about local food systems and our passion for creating a more sustainable world. Through a series of interviews and discussions with people involve ..read more

The BRIX PROJECT interview series is a collection of conversations with the leaders of this three-year USDA-funded grant project. The BRIX PROJECT project shines a light on the power that partnerships between farms and restaurants have to shape the local economy. Brix is working with UW Madison for food sourcing analysis and outreach that can be implemented in other microregions striving for shorter supply chains. Learn more about the brix project Jonnah: Brix Project Media Producer Matt, Brix is centered around cider. Can you tell me about the history of how you became interested in cider mak ..read more

The BRIX PROJECT interview series is a collection of conversations with the leaders of this three-year USDA-funded grant project. The BRIX PROJECT project shines a light on the power that partnerships between farms and restaurants have to shape the local economy. Brix is working with UW Madison for food sourcing analysis and outreach that can be implemented in other microregions striving for shorter supply chains. Learn more ABOUT THE bRIX PROJECT Jonnah: Brix Project Media ProducerI know that you have a really unique, pre-existing relationship with Brix Cider prior to this project. Can you s ..read more

Having lived in Wisconsin for a while now, I’ve become familiar with the infamous Wisconsin “false spring” - that period in late February or early March when the sun comes out and we get a hint of warm weather before, inevitably, the snow and cold return. This year, we had a few weeks in early March when temperatures climbed into the 50s and 60s. For many of us, myself included, it was a welcome break after a long winter. For apple growers, though, this early warm weather can bring devastating impacts for their orchards later in the season. In fact, we’ve seen those devastating impacts as rece ..read more