To Contact Us

Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/athenslocallygrown

Recipes

Calabacitas

This recipe is one of my favorite traditional New Mexican dishes, another I adapted from a restaurant menu. On more than one occasion my friends and I biked a dozen miles across the desert to eat lunch at The Coyote Moon in Lemitar. We told ourselves it was for the great green chile cheeseburgers, but those burgers just wouldn’t have been the same without a side of calabacitas. It can be eaten as is for a side dish, but it also makes a great filling for vegetable tacos or burritos.

Serves 4

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound zucchini (or yellow squash), cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3/4 cup chopped heirloom tomato
1 diced hot pepper (optional)
1 cup corn kernels

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic and cook for three minutes, stirring. Add zucchini and cook three minutes, stirring. Add tomato, pepper, and corn and cook for four minutes, stirring. Serve.

To make a wonderful breakfast, crumble and brown 1 pound sausage. Add sausage and calabacitas to a casserole dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese. Pour two or three beaten eggs over the top of everything. Top with ½ cup bread crumbs and salt & pepper and bake at 325 until bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Market News

This heat has really been something. Every year I seem to get a little less tolerant of it (not a good trait for a veggie grower in the South, I admit), and it seems to have arrived far too early this year. I just took a moment to look back at my records, though, and maybe I’m wrong. Seems to be too much, too soon, either way. We even have okra listed on the website this week, and this has to be the earliest we’ve ever had okra for sale.

So, the Spring greens have just about had it until fall. The tougher cooking greens (made tender via low and slow braising) are plentiful, and the summer crops are all coming quickly. Eggplant has returned, winter squash have come in (so named because they can keep through the winter, but there’s no reason to wait until then to start eating them), and the beans are growing backs just about as fast as they can be picked. I can’t go out to my garden these days without tripping over a five foot long zucchini.

And you know what? I actually prefer them that size. Modern squash varieties, the kind you find in the grocery store, are bred for growing quickly and standing up to shipping stress. That results in a tasteless spongy flesh that has to be eaten when small to get any flavor at all. I’ve noticed just the opposite with many heirloom varieties, however. The Costata Romanesco zucchini I grow develop a fantastic nutty flavor that only gets better the larger they grow. The old Delaware Indian crookneck yellow squash, the kind with the sharp warts, also gets a wonderful complex flavor as it grows. Yes, the area right around the seeds gets spongy and I scoop that out, but the rest of it is fantastic. There is a reason that people have bred them into so many shapes and colors throughout the ages, and it’s not to eat them all when they’re tiny.

Anyway, there is well over a thousand items from our growers available for you to purchase this week. We’ve got some pretty big and fancy grocery stores in Athens, but I can’t think of a single one that can match our variety of fresh food. It really is a testament to all of the hard work our growers have done in the last ten years (many of them for less than that), transforming our landscape both literally and figuratively.

We’ve re-instated our regular “Meet the Grower” table during the Thursday pickups. This Thursday, you’ll get to meet Summer Cordell, owner of Goodness Gracious! Granola. Her profile has this to say: “I started our local granola company in Atlanta, the spring of 2008, and moved the kitchen to Suwanee in 2009. We use local honey, Georgia sorghum, as well as other natural and organic ingredients. This year we began using safflower and/or coconut oil instead of canola.The flavors are amazing. Our granolas are 60-80% organic, no preservatives, no refined sugars, no salt. We also flavorfully roast cinnamon almonds, rosemary pecans and lime-spice cashews, and on occasion, have made the best almond coffee toffee available! We are currently changing our packaging to a compostable package made from recycled material.” While you’re waiting for us to fill your order, step up to her table and say hi!

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: July 11, Sunday, at Veribest Farm (Oglethorpe County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are pleased and grateful to find ourselves with enough of a patch of soil to participate in Athens Locally Grown and believe in the philosophy of thinking globally and eating locally. We believe in and strive for a sustainable lifestyle that includes growing fine vegetables produced without chemicals while conserving resources. This farm is approximately 33 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 50 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 8am to noon and every Tuesday evening at Little Kings downtown. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

To Contact Us

Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/athenslocallygrown

Recipes

Chanterelles in the Oven

Easily prepared, this can be served as a side dish with baked chicken, a roast, or grilled fish. It can also be used as a sauce for pasta or rice. From the Mycological Society of San Francisco.
Serves 4

1 pound chanterelles, cut in halves or quarters
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup rich chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Arrange the chanterelles in a buttered casserole dish. Cover with the chopped onion. Cover the dish and bake in a preheated 350º oven for 20 minutes. Remove the cover, add the broth and cream, and continue to bake without the cover for another 15 minutes. Do not allow the cream to boil. Adjust the flavor by adding salt and pepper. Serve with the parsley sprinkled on top.

Market News

It’s the last week of spring, but both the weather and the availability list feels like the middle of summer. I see a lot of new and returning favorites on the list this week, including chanterelle mushrooms, sweet corn, beans of all sorts, many types of squash, and loads of tomatoes. And much,much more, of course: there are over 1000 items listed this week! The new products carousel is full of goodies, but also keep in mind that it only shows items added to the market for the first time. Some of our growers have been selling through ALG for nine years now, and they’ve got plenty of returning favorites that won’t appear in the carousel.

This morning about 30 of us went over to Sundance Farm for our June “Farmer for a Day” event. We harvested about 300 pounds of onions, weeded the rows they were in, moved irrigation lines around, and then planted that space (several hundred feet) with watermelons. We did all that in about 100 minutes, saving the Janosik family countless hours of work. We then had lunch on their lovely porch, with sandwiches from Daily Grocery, several salads the Janosiks made, and a selection of breads including a fantastic freshly made zucchini bread. After lunch, Ed led us on a walk of the entire farm, explaining what they were growing along with the hows and whys. It was a lovely day, even with the heat. If you’ve never been to one of our “Farmer for a Day” events, please consider coming. We have several more scheduled for the rest of the summer, starting with Veribest Farm on July 11th. Admission is free and includes lunch. Space is limited, though, so you do need to make reservations. Take a look in the “Event Reservations” category on the Market page of the website.

We’ve also re-instated our regular “Meet the Grower” table during the Thursday pickups. This Thursday, you’ll get to meet David Hoechst, owner of Dragonfly Farm. Their farm profile has this to say: “We have been growing organic produce for ourselves and family for 25 years. While a small operation, we have too much for just us. We’d like to share our bounty with more like minded people in the community.Everything we grow is something we enjoy and have found through the years to be good quality. We enjoy growing a variety of things including cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, corn, okra, berries, flowers, and now have over 400 different daylilies.” While you’re waiting for us to fill your order, step up to his table and say hi!

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: July 11, Sunday, at Veribest Farm (Oglethorpe County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are pleased and grateful to find ourselves with enough of a patch of soil to participate in Athens Locally Grown and believe in the philosophy of thinking globally and eating locally. We believe in and strive for a sustainable lifestyle that includes growing fine vegetables produced without chemicals while conserving resources. This farm is approximately 33 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 50 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 8am to noon and every Tuesday evening at Little Kings downtown. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

To Contact Us

Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/athenslocallygrown

Recipes

Crushed Heirloom Potatoes

As with tomatoes, the profusion of heirloom varieties of potatoes at farmers’ markets has helped us rediscover them as a seasonal ingredient in a rainbow of flavors, colors, and textures. This recipe is the perfect vehicle for trying any number of them. Nutty, creamy La Ratte fingerlings are a favorite of French chefs. German Butterballs, as their name suggests, are soft and buttery. For even cooking, choose potatoes that are about the same size. From Bon Appetit, January 2005.
Serves 6 to 8

2 pounds unpeeled whole heirloom potatoes
3 ounces crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/2 cup pecans, toasted, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups (packed) baby arugula

Place potatoes in large pot. Pour enough cold water over to cover; salt generously. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just tender, 20 to 40 minutes (depending on variety). Drain. Return potatoes to pot. Using large wooden spoon, coarsely crush potatoes in pot. Add cheese, nuts, and oil. Stir in arugula and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Market News

Those of you who ordered last week got to see a number of changes to our order checkout system. Everything seemed to go really smoothly, wait times were cut way down, and there were a marked reduction in items that got lost and needed to be refunded back to you. I thought we might need a few weeks to get used to it all ourselves, but things just worked right off. If you missed it, here’s a summary of what’s new:

• We built an awning, and now (in good weather) both order pickup and payments all take place outside under the awning
• We’ve taken advantage of the new space inside to spread out more and arrange the grower’s items more effectively
• We chipped in for internet access at the building, and can now access orders on the website from a variety of devices
• We have two payment stations, each with an iPad looking at the website, who can take payments and mark items as missing or needing a refund right on the spot

I built a whole order checkout (and grower check in) system that lets us save nearly 200 pages a week that we had previously been printing. If we can get a grant or other funding for another 6 to 8 iPads, then the volunteers packing your orders can also use the checkout system so that the pay station will know in real time what’s in your basket and know exactly how much is due. We’ll be able to stop printing out individual invoices, saving us another 350 pages a week. It’ll take us a while to get to that point, probably, but where we are now is much better than where we were at even a month ago. And even better, all of the work I’ve put in to improving order processing is instantly available to all of the other 200 or so Locally Grown markets around the country. That makes managing the markets that much easier, and will help our little model spread further. And that puts more locally grown food on more plates across the continent, and that is good for everyone involved.

We’ll also be re-instating our regular “Meet the Grower” table starting this week. This Thursday, you’ll get to meet Linda Johnson, owner of the Sylvan Falls Mill in Rabun Gap. Linda has sought out locally grown grains, especially the old-timey varieties, for use at her mill. That encourages those growers and shows others still that there is a market for small scale grain production, something that was once common here but has nearly been lost. You’ll get to learn about the mill, try some samples, and get a better idea of how important the secondary food producers like her are to our local food system. We’ll have other growers on hand for you to meet most weeks through the summer.

Many of you have asked about the status of the raw milk lawsuit. The wheels of justice turn slowly, and it’s all still in the courts, in the early stages. There has been some related news, though. LD Peeler, owner of Milky Way Dairy (one of the dairies who sold through us until last October), recently received a warning letter from the FDA accusing him of “causing to be delivered, selling, or otherwise distributing raw milk, in final package form for human consumption, in interstate commerce” all because some folks from Augusta were driving to his farm to buy milk. They seem to be telling him that he needs to verify that all of his customers are South Carolina residents, but LD says “I can’t determine where they’re from and I’m not going to.” I’ve got milk from LD’s cows in my refrigerator right now. The FDA thinks I’m committing a crime by driving to Milky Way farm (right up the highway and across a bridge from my house), buying milk in a manner that is legal for everyone in South Carolina, and then bringing it back to my home. The FDA has been to my house and seized my milk without a warrant before, but I guess they don’t want to put inspectors on all the bridges to stop everyone doing this, so they’re telling LD that he has to act as policeman. One of the aims of our lawsuit is to put an end to this madness. You can learn more about the letter, and LD’s reaction, at the excellent weblog on raw milk matters The Complete Patient.

We’ll go out on that note. While you’re remembering all of the fallen soldiers who have given everything to protect the freedoms we have, also remember that those rights are always under threat. It hasn’t yet come to government inspectors searching cars as they leave a farm, but the FDA has testified in court that they have the right to do so, and that we do not have the right to any particular food. Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: JUNE 13, Sunday, at Sundance Farm (Madison County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are a family farm growing a diverse variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits and berries. We also raise chickens, heritage turkeys and goats. Our three children are the heart of our farm. They enjoy the healthy food they help harvest and realize what it takes to get from a seed to the table. We are Certified Naturally Grown and have sold produce in the Athens area since 1998. Currently we sell at Athens Locally Grown, Athens Farmers Market, local restaurants and from the farm. We are also planning a C.S.A. in the near future. We appreciate all the Locally Grown customers that have supported us through the years, allowing us to do what we love, Growing good food. This farm is approximately 13 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 20 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 8am to noon and every Tuesday evening at Little Kings downtown. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

To Contact Us

Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/athenslocallygrown

Recipes

Coleslaw with Cilantro and Chives

There is almost nothing better to do with a young, fresh head of cabbage than to make it into a fluffy slaw. It’s refreshing on a hot summer’s day and pairs nicely with all kinds of fresh raw vegetables. Here we simply accent the cabbage with cilantro and chives, but you can add julienned carrots, bell peppers, celery, or whatever crunchy fresh vegetable you like. From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables.
Serves 8 to 10

4 to 6 cups shredded cabbage (green, red, or a combination) (2 to 3 small heads)
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1/4 cup chopped chives
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

1. Toss the cabbage, cilantro, and chives in a large bowl or container; refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. When ready to serve, mix the oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until well combined. Pour the dressing over the chilled cabbage mixture. Mix well just before serving.

Market News

It’s an exciting week on the availability list, for quite a few reasons. The first might seem a bit mundane, but for me it means I no longer have to buy three staples at the grocery store (just about the only produce I’ve had to buy outside of Athens Locally Grown for months). I’m talking about potatoes, onion bulbs, and garlic. I’ve run out of fresh garlic quite a ways back, and I just haven’t gotten the hang of storing potatoes and onions through the winter, and I go through a lot of all three of them in my kitchen. The friendly produce man at Ingles will miss seeing me, I’m sure. Another things people have been asking about for years has also arrived for the first time this week: chicken packaged by cuts. If getting a whole chicken wasn’t your thing, you can now get packs of legs, thighs, wings, and breasts from Greendale Farm. Buying a whole bird is always cheaper, of course, but I know there have been several times when I wished I could get a pack of thighs for a certain recipe I’m fond of. Now, I can!

There are a number of other notable items to look for: a Gruyere cheese from Nature’s Harmony, a summer granola mix from Mertie’s Oven, more types of tomatoes, summer squash, lots of leeks, loads of basil, and more. We’re over 1000 items all told this week, more than you’ll find at any of the traditional farmers markets in the area. You’ve got a great opportunity to experiment with things you’ve never tried before, and to try many different varieties of something you already like, to find your favorite. All this variety is a great way to turn mealtime into more than just a way to get energy into your body, to make it an adventure. And kids enjoy taste tests! “I don’t like turnips” they may say, but then you might tell them “You’ve only had purple tops. Here is a Hakurei turnip from Japan that tastes completely different, and here is a Gold Ball from Scotland that is different again.” And the exploration begins!

Filling and organizing orders with our new shelving system went really smoothly last week. The volunteers are able to spread things out and find what they need much faster than before. The growers are still getting used to it, but they seem to like the extra space too. So, this week we’ll change things even more by moving the pickup tables and the pay stations outside. Yesterday, Roseanne Hutchinson, Tom Reynolds, and I built a large awning attached to the wall of the building. It’s 40 feet by 18 feet, and gives us more room for you than you had inside. We plan on having two pay stations too, to make payment go faster for us all. So, you can hang round and socialize as long as you want to without feeling like you’re holding up the flow, and we can spread things out inside even more. Of course, if you want to come on in and take a look at things, feel free! If it storms on a Thursday, we can move us all back inside, but when it’s nice… plenty of room! This will also allow us to more easily plan social events during the Thursday pickups, like regular “Meet the Grower” tables, music, hosting the Farm 255 farm cart, and so on.

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: JUNE 13, Sunday, at Sundance Farm (Madison County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are a family farm growing a diverse variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits and berries. We also raise chickens, heritage turkeys and goats. Our three children are the heart of our farm. They enjoy the healthy food they help harvest and realize what it takes to get from a seed to the table. We are Certified Naturally Grown and have sold produce in the Athens area since 1998. Currently we sell at Athens Locally Grown, Athens Farmers Market, local restaurants and from the farm. We are also planning a C.S.A. in the near future. We appreciate all the Locally Grown customers that have supported us through the years, allowing us to do what we love, Growing good food. This farm is approximately 13 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 20 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 8am to noon and every Tuesday evening at Little Kings downtown. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

To Contact Us

Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/athenslocallygrown

Recipes

Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam

Rhubarb is really hard to come by down here, but my local grocer had some grown in North Carolina on the shelf today, so my Yankee cravings for homemade strawberry-rhubarb jam (using strawberries from Athens Locally GRown, of course) was satisfied today. From http://www.rhubarbinfo.com.

1 qt Fresh strawberries
6 1/2 c Sugar
1 lb Rhubarb
1 Pouch liquid pectin
1/4 c Water

1. Remove caps from strawberries. Crush berries, one layer at a time. Trim (do not peel) rhubarb. Thinly slice or chop stalks. Add water. Cover and simmer 2 minutes or until soft. Add to the prepared strawberries.
2. Measure 3 1/2 cup of prepared fruit. If it measures slightly less, add water. Place measured fruit in a 6 or 8- quart saucepan.
3. Measure sugar exactly and set aside. Open liquid pectin and set the pouch upright in a cup.
4. Stir sugar into prepared fruit. The saucepan must be no more than one-third full to allow for a full rolling boil.
5. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
6. Stir in pectin at once. Quickly skim off foam with a large metal spoon. Immediately ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4- inch space at top. With a damp cloth, wipe jar rims and threads clean.
7. Immediately cover jars with hot canning lids. Screw bands on firmly.
8. Place jars in a boiling water bath, carefully setting jars on rack in canner of boiling water. Cover canner and return water to a boil; boil 5 minutes.
9. Remove jars from canner and let cool. Check seals and store in a cool, dry place.

Market News

As you probably noticed when you picked up your order last Thursday, we’re revamping our process organizing the produce and fulfilling orders. I emptied the bank account and got many, many shelving units that set up quickly and dear down and stack neatly. When arranged in aisles, the four levels give us about double the capacity we had with the stacked cot system we had been using. We can write right on the edge of the shelves with wet erase markers, so that should make it easier to more quickly find what we’re looking for when we’re gathering your ordered items. We did a limited experiment with the system two weeks ago, and dove right in last week. We right away found a few improvements (my apologies to those who arrived right at 4:30 and had to wait a bit longer than usual), and this coming week things out to run smoothly. We already packed a heck of a lot of food into that little room, and now we can fit in about twice as much.

There will be some more changes to come in the next few weeks. The first parts of the awning arrived this week, and the rest should get here in a few days. We’ll be putting it up on Saturday (assuming everything does indeed arrive). It should be a pretty easy task, but more hands is always nice. If you’d like to help, let me know and I’ll be contacting you with the details. Once that is up, we plan on having everything for you outside under the awning when the weather’s nice. It’s 18 feet by 40 feet, so there will be plenty of room, and you should be more comfortable than cramming into the little space we currently have. The tables to pick up your order and the pay station will all be moved outside.

We’ll also be opening up a second pay station, and that will clear that bottleneck. When there are eight of us filling orders, the payment line can get a bit backed up. I’ve gotten my hands on two iPads, and have been building a system so that the two people taking payments can use them to look up your order, mark it as paid, and even adjust your order right in the system for things that didn’t arrive. We’ll also be able to then start accepting payment via credit or debit cards, something many of you have been asking for. Many great improvements, I think, are coming very soon!

We had our first “Farmer for a Day” event on Saturday, hosted by Darby Farm. We helped them clear scrub and brush from overgrown pasture that will soon be forage area for turkeys and chickens. After a nice lunch, we then got to hear and see Daniel Dover’s approach to providing clean, humane poultry to us with very little operating capital and overhead. A conventional poultry person will tell you you need a quarter million dollar loan just to build a single chicken house, and then you’re beholden to a poultry company like Pilgrim’s Pride to provide you with feed, birds, and everything else on their terms. Darby Farms started with none of that, and disproves the notion that it’s just too expensive to get into farming. Our next Farmer for a Day event is Sunday June 13th at Sundance Farm. Spots are still open, so make your reservations soon!

We’ll be having some other neat demonstrations at the Locally GRown pickup point this Thursday. Evan McGown, founder and director of the Institute for Wild Intelligence here in Athens will be on hand to demonstrate some primitive skills, such as fire by friction, that children especially will enjoy. Evan also runs several nature-based summer camps, and will have information on hand about those. You can learn more about Evan and Wild Intelligence at his website: http://www.wildintelligence.org/.

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: JUNE 13, Sunday, at Sundance Farm (Madison County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are a family farm growing a diverse variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits and berries. We also raise chickens, heritage turkeys and goats. Our three children are the heart of our farm. They enjoy the healthy food they help harvest and realize what it takes to get from a seed to the table. We are Certified Naturally Grown and have sold produce in the Athens area since 1998. Currently we sell at Athens Locally Grown, Athens Farmers Market, local restaurants and from the farm. We are also planning a C.S.A. in the near future. We appreciate all the Locally Grown customers that have supported us through the years, allowing us to do what we love, Growing good food. This farm is approximately 13 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 20 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 8am to noon and every Tuesday evening at Little Kings downtown. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

To Contact Us

Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/athenslocallygrown

Recipes

Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas with Carrots and Honey Glaze

The fresh, summery flavor of sugar snap peas is set off by the sweetness of lightly cooked carrots and a honey glaze. Sweet simplicity. From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables.

Serves 4

1/2–1 pound sugar snap peas
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
freshly ground black pepper

1. Remove the strings from both edges of the pea pods.
2. Cut each carrot into thirds. Slice each third, lengthwise, into quarters so that the slices are about the size and shape of the sugar snap peas.
3. Place the carrots in a steamer basket set over 1 1/2 inches boiling water, cover, and steam until they are just crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the carrots in a colander.
4. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar snap peas; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the carrots. Continue to cook and stir until the peas are bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the honey and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly, until the peas and carrots are thoroughly glazed with the honey.
5. Remove the skillet from heat. Season generously with pepper.

Market News

For the last six months, Athens Locally Grown has pretty much been the only game in town for buying locally grown foods. That changed in a hurry this week, as the traditional farmers markets have opened in Athens (Saturday mornings at Bishop Park and starting this Tuesday afternoon downtown at Little Kings Shuffle Club), Watkinsville (Saturday mornings downtown), and Comer (Saturday mornings downtown). And likely other neighboring towns I don’t know about. Many of the Athens Locally Grown growers sell only through here, but the others sell at one or several of these other markets. It’s hard to predict what effect that will have on availability, but I expect at least for these first few weeks some of the larger growers will hold back from here to be sure they have enough produce to make their presence worthwhile at the other markets. As the season progresses and the gardens are all producing more (and the growers themselves find their balance), things will even out again. I think Athens Locally Grown will continue to have the most variety, and is the most convenient way to shop for them, but please also frequent the other markets when you can. They do offer an atmosphere that I just can’t reproduce with our system, and especially do a great job of putting the sense of community front and center.

It’s sometimes hard to remember how deep the Athens local food community is when you’re just looking at a website and running in and out to pick up your order for the week. We try to show that more through our “meet the grower” tables (which will be starting up again soon) and our monthly farm tours and “farmer for a day” events. We’re very lucky to be at Ben’s Bikes, which seems to be an emerging center for the local food community. There is a new permaculture group that has starting meeting every Monday evening at 6pm right there where we have our weekly pickup. The meetings are potluck, so bring a dish, meet likeminded folks, and enjoy the evening. They’ve begun building a community garden right behind the shop, along the creek that was, until recently, completely overrun with kudzu. They’re calling it “The People’s Perennial Peace Garden at Tanyard Creek”, and they’re off to fantastic start. Just up the hillside, on the other side of the church there, is a neighborhood garden that even Sam Gamgee would be proud of. Two years ago, that area was also just a kudzu pile, and now it’s one of the most beautiful vegetable gardens I’ve seen. If you’ve got a few minutes when you come pick up your order, walk or drive right up the hill and take a look. It’s quite an inspiration for what could be done at neighborhoods all across town: neighbors banding together to create a thing of beauty that also gives them a fair measure of food independence.

Also there at Ben’s Bikes, in the part of the building opposite where we meet, folks are busy building a community kitchen. I’m not clear on the details, but the vision is to offer a communal space where people can come in and cook for a group, bring in produce from their gardens to cook and share, and so forth. It’s not a commercial space, so you couldn’t come in and, say, cook up a batch of jam to sell. I’m looking forward to learning more and seeing it all come together.

People have been asking me about the milk lawsuit. To recap the story so far, in October the state of Georgia, acting under orders from the FDA, seized a truckload of milk ALG customers had purchased from a dairy in South Carolina. They ordered the milk to remain on my truck, and then on Monday came out to my house and ordered it all dumped on the ground. Through the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, we have filed suit against the FDA, arguing on several grounds that they did not have the legal authority to seize and destroy an individual’s legally purchased milk simply because it had crossed state lines after it was purchased. The suit was filed a couple months ago, and the FDA had 60 days to respond. They have done so, and you may be surprised to learn that they claim you have “no absolute right to any particular food”, nor do you have a right to “bodily and physical health”. Their words. You can find a great analysis of their response here at The Complete Patient weblog. We have a further 60 days to respond, and the lawyers are already drawing that up. One thing the FDA claims in their response is “the government has neither brought nor threatened to bring a single enforcement action against consumers who purchase unpasteurized milk for personal consumption.” If they’re saying that, I can’t imagine what they think called it when an FDA agent came to my house, and in front of cameras ordered under the authority of her badge that 110 gallons of privately owned milk, purchased by ALG customers (including myself) for personal consumption, be destroyed. I’d call that an enforcement action, but what do I know? Anyway, I’ll let you know as things develop. It’s a slow process, but I’m hopeful we will prevail.

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: MAY 15, Saturday, at Darby Farms (Walton County)

Certified Naturally Grown. Darby Farms is a family owned pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Walton County. We produce: pastured poultry (eggs, chicken, turkeys, ducks and guinea fowl) and will soon be offering pastured pork. We are in the redemption business: healing the land, healing the food, healing the economy, and healing the culture. Experience the satisfaction of knowing your food and your farmer and building community. We are your clean meat connection. This farm is approximately 27 miles from Athens and it’ll take about 40 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

Farmer for a Day: JUNE 13, Sunday, at Sundance Farm (Madison County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are a family farm growing a diverse variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits and berries. We also raise chickens, heritage turkeys and goats. Our three children are the heart of our farm. They enjoy the healthy food they help harvest and realize what it takes to get from a seed to the table. We are Certified Naturally Grown and have sold produce in the Athens area since 1998. Currently we sell at Athens Locally Grown, Athens Farmers Market, local restaurants and from the farm. We are also planning a C.S.A. in the near future. We appreciate all the Locally Grown customers that have supported us through the years, allowing us to do what we love, Growing good food. This farm is approximately 13 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 20 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 8am to noon and every Tuesday evening at Little Kings downtown. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

To Contact Us

Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/athenslocallygrown

Recipes

Roasted Radicchio with Gorgonzola and Balsamic Vinegar

Roasting brings out a concentrated, natural sweetness in radicchio. This dish is unusual, elegant, simple—and delicious. Served on a bed of risotto, it makes an attractive meal. If you’re not a Gorgonzola fan, this is equally delicious with Brie, Swiss, aged Cheddar, or smoked Gouda. You can substitute lemon juice for the balsamic vinegar. From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables.

Serves 4

1 medium head radicchio, cut into 2-inch wedges
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
balsamic vinegar
4–6 ounces Gorgonzola (or other cheese), sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly oil a 2-quart baking dish.
2. Using a pastry brush, brush the radicchio generously with olive oil and place in a single layer in the baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake the radicchio for 20 minutes, turning wedges over once midway through cooking. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and top with cheese. Return to the oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Market News

Wow, it’s gotten late in a hurry tonight, so I’ll make this short.

When you arrive at Ben’s Bikes this week, be sure to take a look at our brand new mural painted on the outside of the building. The bike folks have a giant mural over on the half of the wall where their store’s entrance is, and a couple weeks ago they offered to let us paint a mural on the other half. We’re planning on putting up a large awning soon, so we had to move fast. I came up with a design that tried to match the style of the existing mural. Thanks to Rachel Parnell for helping me with the design. On Saturday, several of us gathered at BEn’s Bikes and spent the day up on ladders painting. Many thanks to Kim Morris, Kacy Welsh, Edwyna Arey, and Tom Reynolds for help! I think it came out just great. When we put the awning up, hopefully in this next week, it will go at “ground level” across the mural, so that the root veggies will stick down below. What do you think?

There are several events coming up you ought to be aware of. First, the Athens Farmers Market opens their season this Saturday, May 8th, at Bishop Park. Many of the same growers who sell through Athens Locally Grown also sell there, so you’ll see some familiar names. For more information (and for details on their Tuesday market opening up on the 11th downtown) visit their website, http://athensfarmersmarket.net/.

Fancy Feather Farms in Bowman is having an open house on Saturday. Visitors can see the emus and ostriches, along with many other activities. Details are on their website, http://www.fancyfeatherfarms.com.

Also Saturday, Split Creek Farm in Anderson, SC, is having their spring festival on Saturday. It’s the height of kidding season, and there is plenty to see at their farm. I attended this event by chance a few years ago, and was so impressed with what I saw I asked if they could begin selling through Athens Locally Grown so that you all could also benefit from their labors of love. You can find more detials about this event at their website, http://splitcreek.com.

I’d better stop there, as it’s nearly midnight.

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: MAY 15, Saturday, at Darby Farms (Walton County)

Certified Naturally Grown. Darby Farms is a family owned pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Walton County. We produce: pastured poultry (eggs, chicken, turkeys, ducks and guinea fowl) and will soon be offering pastured pork. We are in the redemption business: healing the land, healing the food, healing the economy, and healing the culture. Experience the satisfaction of knowing your food and your farmer and building community. We are your clean meat connection. This farm is approximately 27 miles from Athens and it’ll take about 40 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

Farmer for a Day: JUNE 13, Sunday, at Sundance Farm (Madison County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are a family farm growing a diverse variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits and berries. We also raise chickens, heritage turkeys and goats. Our three children are the heart of our farm. They enjoy the healthy food they help harvest and realize what it takes to get from a seed to the table. We are Certified Naturally Grown and have sold produce in the Athens area since 1998. Currently we sell at Athens Locally Grown, Athens Farmers Market, local restaurants and from the farm. We are also planning a C.S.A. in the near future. We appreciate all the Locally Grown customers that have supported us through the years, allowing us to do what we love, Growing good food. This farm is approximately 13 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 20 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is closed for the winter. They’ll be opening back up for the season on May 8th. You can watch for news during the offseason on their website. The other area markets are also getting ready to open again. When I hear about their opening dates, I’ll let you know.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

To Contact Us

Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/athenslocallygrown

Recipes

Broccoli and Tofu with Peanut Sauce

Served over brown rice, this dazzling, nutty dish makes for a wonderfully tasteful, healthful, and complete meal. To drain tofu, place it on a towel, place a baking sheet on top of it, and weight the bak- ing sheet down with a heavy pot or pan. From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables.

Serves 4

1/4 cup unsalted cashews
3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1–2 cloves garlic, minced (1/2–1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 pound herbed firm tofu, well drained, cubed
3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce, divided, plus more to taste
1/2 cup peanut butter (preferably chunky)
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock or water
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
4 cups chopped broccoli, including peeled stalks

1. Toast the cashews in a dry, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until they start to brown in spots and become fragrant. (Be careful not to overtoast them, as they burn very quickly once toasted.) Let cool and then roughly chop.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic to taste, and pepper flakes; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
3. In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and 1 tablespoon of the tamari; sauté until the tofu starts to brown in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the tofu to the bowl with the onion and bell pepper mixture.
4. In the same pan, mix the peanut butter, stock, rice vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons tamari. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture reaches a gravy-like texture and comes to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and stir in the tofu mixture and sesame oil. Season to taste with more tamari.
5. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket set over 1 1/2 inches boil- ing water and cover. Steam for 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to the pan with the peanut butter mixture and mix well. If necessary, heat through before serving. Garnish with toasted cashews.

Market News

So you might have noticed that things looked a bit crowded over at Ben’s Bikes last week. They were, no doubt, but we managed pretty well, I think. The line seemed pretty intimidating, especially between 4:30 and 5ish, but no one had to wait an especially long time. We had ten people filling orders simultaneously, and the line moved through pretty quickly. Why was it so crowded? Well, we smashed through our sales record last week, that’s all. And I don’t mean our record for this time of year… I mean our growers sold more products to more customers than at any other week in Athens Locally Grown’s history! And considering this isn’t even the peak growing season (many of the state’s farmers markets aren’t even open yet), it’s really got me thinking about how to handle continued growth as the year goes on.

Ben’s Bikes seems to be working out well. It looks like we’ve got it filled to the gills, but there is room yet to grow. For one, we’ll be putting up a large awning on the outside of the building that will allow us to greet you outdoors during good weather. With the pickup tables and the pay station outside, we’ll have almost half again as much space inside to spread out the orders. I’m also working on ways to further streamline how we fill the orders. Right now, we print out all of your invoices, a report that shows everything the growers are supposed to bring, and another condensed copy of all the orders for the pay station. All told, we go through almost a ream of paper each and every week. When the growers don’t bring everything they’re supposed to, or we just can’t find it while we’re filling your order, or we overlook something for you and find it later in the evening, we have to cross-reference those items in order to adjust your amount due, or to refund your accounts, and to charge shortages back to the growers. And then I have to take all that back home and enter everything back into the website. It’s so much simpler than it sounds, but it’s still much more complicated and time consuming than I think it has to be. It particularly slows down whoever is working the cash box, as all this absolutely has to be written down.

Over the last few years, I’ve sort of fantasized about recording all of this live on the website right then and there using iPhones, but they were just too small to make the process as easy as I wanted it to be. That’s all changed though, now that the iPad has arrived. To make the entire market paperless, I’d need about a dozen of them and of course I don’t have anywhere near the resources to acquire that many. The record sales we’ve had have filled the coffers enough to get two, and we’ll start with that. Last week we checked in several of the growers using a special page on the website, and I didn’t print the growers report, an eighty page document, at all. Soon, we’ll have them at the pay station, and orders can be marked and adjusted in real time. This will let us have two people accept payments, so you’ll be able to get out twice as quickly. We should also soon after that be able to start accepting credit and debit cards too, something many of you have been asking for.

Eventually, through a grant or marvelous benefactor maybe, we’ll be able to have one for each market volunteer so they can pull up the orders and fill the bins and mark things off electronically. Once there, we’ll be saving about 400 pages of paper a week. Conceivably, they’d even be able to take your payment then and there, eliminating the need for a separate pay table altogether. It’d only take about $6000 to get us there. It’s a lot of money, but in the grand scheme of things, it sounds pretty reasonable to me. I’ll try to make it happen.

In the meantime, we’re working on the space at Ben’s Bikes. I mentioned the awning earlier. All the parts are on order and should be delivered in the next week or two. If everything arrives on schedule, I’d love to build it on the weekend of May 8th. I’ll let you know for sure before then. With just a few people helping, it should be pretty easy to put up. Before that, though, the folks at Ben’s Bikes have offered to let us paint an Athens Locally Grown mural on the outside wall there. You might remember they have a folk-art style mural over on their side (see it here), and it would be great to have a stylistically similar mural over on “our” side. I’ve sketched out a rough idea that includes corn, tomato, and eggplant plants and a radish, turnip, and carrot with their tops appearing above the awning and their roots sticking down below. (You can see a bigger picture here, very poorly drawn.) We have to move fast to get this painted, because once we put up the awning it’ll be too late! I’d like to do it this coming weekend if at all possible. If you’d like to help paint, please let me know, and I’ll send you all the details. Also, if you’d like to take my crude drawing and re-draw it to match the style of their existing mural, we can project that on the wall and use that. If that’s something you can do, please draw it up and send it to me ASAP. I’m certainly no artist…

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: MAY 15, Saturday, at Darby Farms (Walton County)

Certified Naturally Grown. Darby Farms is a family owned pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Walton County. We produce: pastured poultry (eggs, chicken, turkeys, ducks and guinea fowl) and will soon be offering pastured pork. We are in the redemption business: healing the land, healing the food, healing the economy, and healing the culture. Experience the satisfaction of knowing your food and your farmer and building community. We are your clean meat connection. This farm is approximately 27 miles from Athens and it’ll take about 40 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

Farmer for a Day: JUNE 13, Sunday, at Sundance Farm (Madison County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are a family farm growing a diverse variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits and berries. We also raise chickens, heritage turkeys and goats. Our three children are the heart of our farm. They enjoy the healthy food they help harvest and realize what it takes to get from a seed to the table. We are Certified Naturally Grown and have sold produce in the Athens area since 1998. Currently we sell at Athens Locally Grown, Athens Farmers Market, local restaurants and from the farm. We are also planning a C.S.A. in the near future. We appreciate all the Locally Grown customers that have supported us through the years, allowing us to do what we love, Growing good food. This farm is approximately 13 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 20 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is closed for the winter. They’ll be opening back up for the season on May 8th. You can watch for news during the offseason on their website. The other area markets are also getting ready to open again. When I hear about their opening dates, I’ll let you know.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

To Contact Us

Athens Locally Grown
athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown

Recipes

Asparagus and White Bean Salad with Feta and Lemon Dressing

Served with crusty bread, this salad makes a terrific meal. White beans provide a delectable hearty tenderness, without overwhelming the delicate asparagus. Tangy feta, zesty lemon, and a touch of mint give this salad a bright and refreshing flavor. From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables.

Serves 4

1 pound asparagus, cut on an angle in 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cooked or canned white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

1. Place the asparagus in a steamer basket set over 1 1/2 inches boiling water, and cover. Steam until the spears are tender-firm, 4 to 7 minutes depending on thickness. Drain and place in an ice water bath (or under cold, running water) for a moment to stop the cooking.
2. Put the olive oil, lemon juice, fresh mint, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Drain asparagus.
3. Combine the beans, feta, radishes, and scallions in a large bowl. Add the asparagus pieces. Pour on the dressing and gently toss. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Market News

When I was a kid, salad was my most hated food. Well, besides eggplant. I’ve since come to add both back to my favorites list. I’ll save the story of my love of eggplant for warmer weather, but this is salad season. My thoughts on salad began to turn when I realized that it didn’t have to mean a wedge of iceberg lettuce with grainy orange dressing. Without even getting into all of the other ingredients that can go into salad, there is enough variety in lettuce alone to make me forget about that old iceberg. There are looseleaf lettuces, romaines, buttercrunches, and more. And even within those general types, there is a tremendous variety in flavor, color, and textures. Heirloom tomatoes might get all the press, but heirloom lettuces are also something special. One of the unexpected side benefits of the Athens Locally Grown system we’ve built is the growers have the freedom to experiment with heirloom varieties because its easier and less risky to sell them to order on the website than it is to bring them to the traditional markets. And so, this week there are thirty five items listed in the “Lettuce” category. I don’t think any grocer in town can match that! And take a look at some of the names: “Deer Tongue”, “Sweet Valentine”, “Red Sail”, “Drunken Woman”. These aren’t commodity lettuce, bred for easy shipping. These are lettuces with a history, varieties that were passed down from one season’s garden to the next because they were special and worth saving. And because you have made the effort to spend some of your food dollars on things that were grown close to where you live, grown with care by people you know, these varieties are returning to the dinner table, replacing those terrible wedges of iceberg.

And it’s not just lettuce. Pick a vegetable, herb, flower, anything that can be grown and you’ll find varieties that have been passed down for one reason or another, varieties that return true to type each year. These stand apart from those varieties that are hybrids of two or more types, often bred more for their shipping properties than their flavor, and whose seed grows something entirely unlike the parent. I have yet to find a hybrid of anything that tastes better than an heirloom variety of the same species, so heirloom are all that I grow in my garden. There are many places and catalogs where you can find heirloom seed, but my favorite place (and one of my favorite events of the entire year) is the Southern Seed Legacy’s Old Timey Seed Swap. This event will be held this coming Saturday from 3 to 8pm at the Agrarian Connection Heritage Farm, just a short drive from Athens just inside Oglethorpe County. Not only will there be great bluegrass music and a traditional slow-cooked southern barbecue, but there will be more varieties of seeds than you’ve perhaps ever seen in one place. Don’t worry if you don’t have any of your own to bring and trade. You’ll be able to get little envelopes of different types, for free, to begin growing in your own garden. And if you save some seeds from what you grow, well, maybe you can bring some of that next year. It’s a beautiful location with wonderful people, and I encourage you to come on out. The dinner is a $5 donation (unless you bring a side dish to share). More info and directions can be found on their website: http://www.uga.edu/ebl/ssl/activities/seedswap/.

I hope to keep Athens Locally Grown the best place to find and buy locally grown foods in town, but I know sometimes you just want to go to the traditional farmers market and shop there. That’s ok, I do it too, and Athens Locally Grown is even a sponsor of the Athens Farmers Market. Many of the growers sell at both places, and it’s common to find things at one place but not the other. Well, it’s coming up on market season, here in Athens and elsewhere. The Athens Farmers Market at Bishop Park market will be opening May 8th through November 20th from 8-noon each Saturday morning. You can find locally grown produce, handmade crafts, hand brewed coffee, fresh breads and baked goods, and enjoy live music, gardening workshops, and cooking demonstrations by local chefs using seasonal fruits and vegetables from the market. Also this year is the Athens Farmers Market Downtown on Tuesday afternoons from 4-7pm, held in the courtyard and parking lot of the Little Kings Club, at the corner of Hull and Hancock Streets, in downtown Athens, GA. The new market 2010 season will run from May 11 to November 16, 2010, with all the great local produce, good food, artisan breads, fresh brewed coffee and live music you have enjoyed at the Saturday market.

When I get word about the other traditional markets opening up in nearby communities, I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, we’re continuing to improve the facilities at Ben’s Bikes. I’ve got an order in for an awning that will give up lots of room outdoors under shade, and that will help out and let us spread out a little bit. We’re already putting more things inside the room we’re using than we ever had at the old state market. This last week we had 300 orders for a total over $11,100. Both of those are records for us. Thank you for that! This week, there are nearly 100 more items listed on the website than last week, and it’ll only keep growing from here. Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown, all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: MAY 15, Saturday, at Darby Farms (Walton County)

Certified Naturally Grown. Darby Farms is a family owned pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Walton County. We produce: pastured poultry (eggs, chicken, turkeys, ducks and guinea fowl) and will soon be offering pastured pork. We are in the redemption business: healing the land, healing the food, healing the economy, and healing the culture. Experience the satisfaction of knowing your food and your farmer and building community. We are your clean meat connection. This farm is approximately 27 miles from Athens and it’ll take about 40 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

Farmer for a Day: JUNE 13, Sunday, at Sundance Farm (Madison County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are a family farm growing a diverse variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits and berries. We also raise chickens, heritage turkeys and goats. Our three children are the heart of our farm. They enjoy the healthy food they help harvest and realize what it takes to get from a seed to the table. We are Certified Naturally Grown and have sold produce in the Athens area since 1998. Currently we sell at Athens Locally Grown, Athens Farmers Market, local restaurants and from the farm. We are also planning a C.S.A. in the near future. We appreciate all the Locally Grown customers that have supported us through the years, allowing us to do what we love, Growing good food. This farm is approximately 13 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 20 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is closed for the winter. They’ll be opening back up for the season on May 8th. You can watch for news during the offseason on their website. The other area markets are also getting ready to open again. When I hear about their opening dates, I’ll let you know.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!