Locally Grown

Each week during the spring and summer we try to visit The Athens Farmers Market on Tuesdays or Saturdays. We've developed a relationship with Greendale Farms located on this side of Madison, Georgia and even bought a half piggie from them a few months ago.  The amount of meat that we received for payment was outstanding. The quality and service wasn't within comparison to our "local" grocery meat service. This pig was allowed to graze naturally. The ground pig in our freezer is from one pig, not hundreds. It was fed a healthy diet, a diet that affects our bodies due to consumption.

Years ago our family decided to cut back on other expenses, and to never sign up for certain luxuries in order to continuously put food on the table that is the freshest, healthiest, and best tasting that we can find. We decided we wouldn't say that type of food is too expensive like we have heard others say so often. Is it more expensive? Perhaps, I have been buying an almost all organic diet since late 2004, so I haven't really comparison shopped in a while. I do buy less, eat less, and try to sustain on less in order to be healthy. I shop the perimeter of Trader Joes. I'm willing to drive an older car in order to spend more on what we put in our bodies- because what's the real cost when you buy cheap, processed, genetically engineered ingredients?

The theory of good food and spending money on it goes much deeper than just doing so. I want to note that many families don't have any luxuries at all and aren't able to pound for pound provide their family with enough calories of healthy food on their budget. I'm not sure how to solve that dilemma but also don't want it to go unmentioned.

Add the hundreds of pounds of piggie to the venison that we put feelers out for each fall and we are set for the winter. We've had numerous dinner parties and have fed so many friends off of our little piggie- but we still have a freezer that is busting at the seams. Eating ethically and sharing around our dinner table has come back to us tenfold and we acknowledge that.

With fall fading fast, the Tuesday Market at Little Kings has closed for the cold months and it is becoming less and less pleasant to walk around the market on Saturdays with an infant. This coming Saturday is the last Bishop Park Farmers Market gathering until spring, so I've turned back to the internet to order our local veggies and goods by the fire. Luckily my friend Mallory hooked me up with her brother and sister in law who own Native Sun Farm. Each week The Lopps send out an email with their list of goodies, I respond with our family's order and I usually get a thoughtful message in return from the people who grew our food! Isn't that amazing? Knowing your farmer by first name. Making that sort of connection with your table. Having them ask how your child is doing during pick up, and attentively listening to your reply! Driving only 7 minutes to a farm and coming home with a bag of fresh veggies picked right from the ground.

Today I rejoined Athens Locally Grown. This is my haul. Pick up is at Ben's Bikes.

1 x Broccoli Crowns = $3.50

1 x Coffee --El Injerto --Guatemala = $13.00

1 x Garlic--Purple Glazer--Purple Striped Variety = $3.00

2 x Onions -- Spring Purple on root = $3.50

1 x Peppers -- Jalapeno -- Small Bag = $2.00

1 x Peppers- Green Bell Boy Peppers = $1.75

1 x Potatoes -- Purple Majesty = $2.25

1 x Potatoes -- Yukon Gold = $2.75

1 x Radishes--French Breakfast = $2.25

1 x Soap--Butter Bar Shampoo & Conditioner = $4.50

1 x Tomatoes -- Cherokee Purple = $4.25

Total: 42.75

We will be able to use these ingredients to make quiches, quick sandwiches, potato chips, a soup, BLTs and sides to accompany the fish, pork and venison already on hand. Note that the bulk cost of the order is due to a nice bag of coffee and some chemical free shampoo and conditioner.

I pick up a few other staples throughout the week at Native Sun on Wednesdays and Trader Joe's as needed. TJ's has dairy free breads (more later on hidden dairy and soy) and goat cheese that I use sparingly. Tomorrow I will be serving it as an appetizer to go along with local honey that my sweet Mother in Law "grew" herself! Topped with her honey, toasted walnuts, and cranberries it's a favorite starter at Mama's Boy, and is sure to be here at our table tomorrow night when we gather once again with three dear friends. The rest of the menu consists of Greendale sausage, peppers, onions and penne, with a side of white wine to cut the spice. 

The "grocery list" example above, along with the food that we grow here at the Brinson homestead leaves us with more than enough to feed ourselves, and that special revolving door of dear friends. We currently have a winter garden that is being moved across the yard to a sunnier spot. Relocating it will allow for better yields as well as a nicer spot where it once stood for Singer and friends to run and play.

Next summer we will rely on our local farmers less than we usually do and I will miss that connection. The sharing of recipes, smiles, and handshakes. However, to get my farmer on more than ever will be a cross off my bucket list. I am so thankful to have a husband that is on board with this project, one that will help me lift the heavy stuff, gather our own crop, build a fence.. My love and I will prepare a meal that we grew, share a glass of wine, and talk about our day. It is that type of connection, a connection over sustenance that I cherish so much.

The scale of our garden is about to change significantly and I couldn't do it without him. Tomorrow I'll share a post about our progress and where we're headed as a family here in Athens.