I need some info on food sharing camps!

[lonestoner916]

My name is Robert Day (Lonestoner), I'm a freelance writer, and I am putting together a piece on what it takes to run a food sharing camp at Burning Man for the Black Rock Beacon's website. This has proven to be no easy task, considering I had absolutely no clue what it took to run a "Playa Cafe" when I eagerly volunteered to write the article. I've sinced learned quite a bit about temporary vending permits, and Nevada health statutes, but I still know next to nothing about "feeding the playa people." I need to get in touch with someone who's actually been there and done that. Allow me to quote the Beacon's editor, Mitch;

"I've heard elsewhere that it's not allowed to store food in an RV refrigerator/freezer because it's considered inside a home. So we ought to tell people how they CAN store food to be in compliance -- are coolers okay (are there temperature regulations) are there propane refrigerators available and can you rent them? Stuff like that. I also think there's a problem with handwashing stations, again, they can't be in an RV but a five-gallon jug and some soap qualify, though at Burning Man that means graywater.

It would be good to talk to somebody who runs a kitchen and find out what they consider the hardest elements of qualifying."


What the chief is saying there is that I need to get in touch with someone who's actually been there and done that!

If you or someone you know is guilty of serving food to an eclectic group of freaks in the desert , please, do the right thing! Email me at [email protected] and tell me all about it! Remember, you can remain anonymous!

[bigbluedoggy]

Well, we didn't serve food, but we did serve drinks and have a health permit, etc. Regarding the handwash station, I bit the bullet and just rented one from the United Site Services aka Johnny on the Spot guys. What you get is a jumbo, two faucet sink with soap and towels and one free pumping. I paid $50.00 for an extra pumping mid week and when we left camp Monday the handwash station was the only thing still in our camp (they had told me that would be the case). We left it quite full, as the holding tank made a lovely way of getting rid of our last batch of dishwater (strained... we are not savages!!) after our evap system was completely dismantled. While not the cheapest thing to do ($450.00 with the extra pumping), it greatly enhanced our kitchen experience and helped eliminate all that waste water that happens when people wash their hands under the freshwater tank spigot. It made the health department folks very happy too. Its luck of the draw whether you get one with water in it... we were told it would be empty but the first one arrived full. They had to swap it out because it leaked and was making a mudpie. The replacement came empty. They hold approx 7 gallons of freshwater and about 35 or so of wastewater. I'll probably do it again next year.

[theCryptofishist]

Have you talked to the Health Department in Washoe or Pershing county?

(I know, you probably have, but if not, it's worth talking to them too.)

[lonestoner916]

Thanks for the quick response guys! I have indeed contacted the Health Dept. and they directed me to the pertaining statutes and corresponding regulations, which were, to quote my esteemed colleague and fellow journalist Deb Prothero, "a long, hard read." They covered the do's and don'ts, but shed little light on the actual day-to-day running of a food sharing camp on the Playa. Blue Doggies post provided some valuable info, but I still need to know about food. Anyone know how I can get in touch with someone from the Pancake Playhouse, or another food camp?

[Toolmaker]

Anyone know how I can get in touch with someone from the Pancake Playhouse, or another food camp?

You could always try the themecamp listings on burningman.com Some have email addresses and location away from home.

[lonestoner916]

"You could always try the themecamp listings on burningman.com Some have email addresses and location away from home."




*slaps forehead*
I can't believe I didn't remember that, I saw a few camps had contact emails when I was browsing the site last summer, getting ready to head out to the Playa. Thanks!

[porterico]

Hey Robert,

Its brad from camp asshole... im in portugal now and have been eating everyday at this place that roasts a shitload of chickens over wood fire. I really would love to set up a chicken piri piri camp... basically piri piri chicken can be made easily by dipping a whole chicken in a mixture of garlic, olive oil, and piri piri (spicy pepper).... mmmmm yummy... What the hell would I have to do to "legally" set up such a yummy smorgesboard of spicy chicken? I'll bring a carload of chicken... your bring everything else... and we can always break out the belly button bar again... but this time with megaphones... haha... cant wait for 08

[lonestoner916]

Hey Robert,

Its brad from camp asshole... im in portugal now and have been eating everyday at this place that roasts a shitload of chickens over wood fire. I really would love to set up a chicken piri piri camp... basically piri piri chicken can be made easily by dipping a whole chicken in a mixture of garlic, olive oil, and piri piri (spicy pepper).... mmmmm yummy... What the hell would I have to do to "legally" set up such a yummy smorgesboard of spicy chicken? I'll bring a carload of chicken... your bring everything else... and we can always break out the belly button bar again... but this time with megaphones... haha... cant wait for 08

Bradley!
Hey bro, good to hear from ya! That chicken sounds fucking delicous, I'm down for a piri piri camp for sure! Basically, we would need a temporary food vendors permit, and we'd need to be up to par as far as food storage and handwashing stations and the other rules and regulations so we pass inspection. Honestly, it would be easier to just do it "outlaw style" and say screw the Health Dept. As long as were not giving away food on a massive scale to the entire Playa we should be fine. I can supply all the wood we'd need, but we'd need something to place under the fire, since open fires on the Playa floor are a no-no. 55 gallon drums cut in half lengthwise would probably work nicely... I think I have a couple in the back of my shop I could put the cutting torch to... I've acquired an old fifth-wheel trailer and I'm gonna fix it up all shagadelic, it would make a great bully button bar/hookah lounge! Also, I bought an old Schwinn trike to pimp out and give away, and I'm fixing up another chopper for my mom, who's going with me next year. Keep in touch and we'll definitely plan something, but I still think we should do another spontaneous type of participatory event, last year was fucking awesome!

[porterico]

ya robert, we will have to talk about it more when it gets a bit closer to time, but my intention is to come with some large ammounts of chicken for roasting over an open fire.... some people get tired of chicken... so I'm thinking trading for other shit would be cool too, but just for pure simplicity sake, i think it would be pretty cool to bring nothing but chicken water and beer. Im in barcelona now, and have found that if you go to all of the good organic markets at closing time they throw out enough good food in one day to feed a family for a week... yesterday we scored probably 20 loaves of different varieties of bread... haha

[thisisthatwhichis]

You should try to contact the Random Pizza Experience guys..... They were running pizza's all week, and always had a line in front....

[lonestoner916]

"...just for pure simplicity sake, i think it would be pretty cool to bring nothing but chicken water and beer."


As long as you brought enough, I'm sure you could barter for anything else you needed. I've decided to go the opposite route and bring everything but the kitchen sink, so no worries! Barcelona eh? If you get a chance while you're in Spain, visit the island of Ibiza, some say it's the party capital of the world! I was going to tell you to try and save some dried piri piri peppers, but I don't know that customs would allow you to bring them into the states, we could probably find them in one of the upscale grocers though right? Too bad you had to miss La Tomatina, that giant tomato fight in Bunol they have every August, I always wanted to go to that... I know it's kinda touristy, but hey, it's a tomato fight with 30,000 people! Well anyway, keep in touch, and keep living life to the fullest!

[lonestoner916]

You should try to contact the Random Pizza Experience guys..... They were running pizza's all week, and always had a line in front....

As luck would have it, Gigi from Random Pizza emailed me just yesterday!

[dedqgirl]

you know what would be super nifty? (maybe not practical or possible, but still nifty...)

if all the food camps and drink camps got together one evening in the middle of BRC and made one huge feast for everyone! just have, like, a giant buffet and a roped off 'eating area' with tons of little carpet squares...

of course, i've never been to BM, so maybe similar things happen every day, but it just sounded like a really cool mental image.

[MikeVDS]

if all the food camps and drink camps got together one evening in the middle of BRC and made one huge feast for everyone! just have, like, a giant buffet and a roped off 'eating area' with tons of little carpet squares...

The great thing about BM is that if you want something, many people are usually willing to help out. Impractical for you to plan your gathering your first year or even your second if you don't have experience with this sort of thing already, but it's a good idea. You'd probably have to start doing it as a smaller project and as you learn how to do it well and know others who coordinate these things you can invite your friends and other random camps to join in your feast to create something spectacular.

If you want to do this project this year, it's not a bad idea to start right now. You'll need people to prep food, to set up structures and lights, food preparation equipment, and chilled storage if needed. You may want to try to make some friends who can get you discounts on large quantities of whatever you'd like to serve. Also start figuring out what kind of resources you'll be able to procure by the time of the event. If you run some fund raisers/test events and start sharing your experiences and what your exact plans are, you might draw in some help for your feast from other camps who are already doing a similar project. It's a TON of work, as most camps are. I'm picturing this more of an "Art project" with lots of participation. Unless you're really jazzed about the idea you probably want to kick back and enjoy your first year. Save the work for your second.

[stormy9091]

Check listings for Black Rock Diner. We gave away grilled cheese sandwiches late at night. Not sure who might be listed as the contact.

[Rat Bastard]

Nothing happens at BM. No food is ever served. Unless you go there. It's all pack it in, pack it out. Dry the muck. Burn it. take the ashes. Eat a pancake. WITH SYRUP!!! Bring a plate. Bring a cup too. Don't be "that guy".

My wife did a little blog on her foodie site about the food. It was easy to do. She walked up to a BRC diner and talked to the people doing it. Simple. Other then that, you'll never get a complete story through eplayans like us! We're just here to fuck with people.

[lonestoner916]

I've noticed!
Hell that's why I come here now!

Luckily I was able to contact Pancake Playhouse and Random Pizza to get what I need for the article.