Athens Locally Grown:  Availability for December 27

Hello! I’m writing this from my in-laws house in Florida, and I hope that wherever you happen to be, whatever holiday you may happen to celebrate (or have celebrated), that only the best is in store for you and yours.

We are open this week. Many of our growers are away, and many of you are away, but… the cows don’t care what day it is. They’ll have milk for you. The veggies don’t take the week off, either, so there is a bit of a selection to be had.

Most of my volunteers are away for the week, so if you arrive right at 4:30, the line will be a bit slower than normal. Just a heads up about that.

Thanks for all your support, and we’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at Gosford Wine!

Athens Locally Grown:  Availability for December 20

This is our last pickup before Christmas, and besides lots of items available for your holiday feast, there are a good number of gift possibilities available too.

TaylOrganics gave us a fresh supply of their processed jams, juices, and other foods. Split Creek Dairy has cheeses, fudge, and dairy gift baskets. Five or six different people are offering soaps, candles, and other pleasantries, And of course we offer gift certificates if you want to give the gift of Locally Grown.

There are some new items this week. One is something several of you have been asking about: low-fat raw cow’s milk. Milky Way Dairy now has gallons of 1-2% milk available—the regular milk is about 4-5% fat.

I’ve been making steady improvements to the website over the last year, but many of them have been on the back end. Two new things that affect you this week are 1) you can now stay logged in by checking the “remember me” box on the log in page. This will keep you logged in on that computer for three years, unless you specifically log back out. 2) the growers now have an option to share their contact info with you. If a grower decides to do this, you’ll find an email address and phone number on the “View Details” page for that grower. Use this info wisely.

Several of you have reported not getting emails from the website the last few weeks. Over Thanksgiving, I moved the site to a set of much faster, better computers. After the move, some of your email providers marked the mail sent to you as “junk” and rejected it, before you even got a chance to see it. The Sunday email has some “spammy” qualities to begin with, but I’ve been doing everything I can to make my computers appear more trustworthy to yours.

Once last thing: we will be open next week, so you dairy customers do not have to buy two weeks of milk this week.

Thanks for all your support, and we’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at Gosford Wine!

Athens Locally Grown:  Availability for December 13

Well, Spring is here! Afternoons in the upper 70s, clear skies, shorts and T-shirts… seems like spring to me, anyway. I was out working in the gardens today, and had to resist the urge to start planting.

I don’t know what the weather will do to all the cold-weather greens growing right now. So long as we don’t get a quick freeze, they should be OK. The spring bugs are stating to hatch, though, and at least one grower had to de-list all their greens because the bugs got to them first. It’d be nice if we do get another freeze fairly soon, because maybe we’ll have fewer bugs when the real spring rolls around.

Anyway, we’ve got a good number of items listed this week. There are some new items, including turnips and a few dozen eggs from a farm near Farmington that’s listing with us for the first time.

Several of you have asked about Christmas week. We’re planning on being open both the week before and the week of Christmas, so you won’t need to stock up on eggs and dairy.

Finally, I want to remind everyone about our pickup policy. We are only open for pickups between 4:30 to 8pm on Thursday. We cannot deliver, and cannot hold your items beyond 8pm unless we’ve made prior arrangements with you. I pay all of the growers on your behalf for the items you ordered at 4pm on Thursdays, so you will be charged for your order even if you do not show up to get it. I had over $150 in unclaimed items left over last week, including several items other people went home without, and I hate to see that on many levels. My cell number is 706 248 1860. Program it into your phone if you need to, and make sure the phone number you have listed on your account is one where you can be reached at 7:30 on Thursdays if at all possible, so I can give you a reminder call if you haven’t yet arrived.

Thanks for all your support! We’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at Gosford Wine.

Athens Locally Grown:  Availability for December 6

It’s another big week for our market, with nearly 300 products available from our growers. At first glance I didn’t see any new veggies listed, but most everything we’ve had the past few weeks is available again now.

There are several holiday-themed items listed, including farm-made wreaths, mistletoe, note cards, soap sets, etc. And of course Locally Grown gift certificates make nice gifts, too :)

I mentioned Athens Locally Crafted last week. They’re using the same software system we’ve developed for Athens Locally Grown and are using it for a wide variety of local artisans to market their products. Several of you asked if that meant we were going to make the people who sold non-food items through this market leave, and no, we’re not. But while the crafts sold through here have some tie back to the farm (by using locally grown botanicals or made by the same people who grow your food), this new market has a much broader base of artisans. They’ll start taking their first orders today (Monday), and there are already 136 items listed.

There are a few items not listed this week, most notably shelled pecans, that ought to be returning soon. The Georgia Department of Agriculture is currently taking a close look at everyone selling through our market (as GA law directs them to do). The current set of rules are often open to interpretation, and it’s not unheard of for one inspector to approve something only to be told later that someone else said no. It’s not just Georgia—you hear the same stories everywhere you go. Anyway, Athens Locally Grown has grown to become one of the largest farmers markets in the state, so its not surprising we’re receiving some extra scrutiny.

Thanks for all of your support! We’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at Gosford Wine.

Athens Locally Grown:  Availability for November 29

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. My family is spending one more night in Missouri with my relatives before heading back to Georgia tomorrow. It’s good to see everyone again, especially since it’s become only a once-a-year event.

The big news for Locally Grown this week is we bought a refrigerated box truck for the market. A network of growers in west Georgia and east Alabama had one they were selling, and we’ve been close to capacity on our personal pickup truck for some time now. As you may know, federal law requires us to drive each week to South Carolina and pick up your dairy orders—the dairies are not allowed to bring their items to us across state lines. We can normally carry about 75 to 100 gallons of milk, and last weeks order for 150 gallons sent us scrambling. Well, now that won’t be a problem any more. Part of the money you pay for each gallon of milk goes to us to cover our pickup expenses, and it’ll take quite a few gallons to cover the cost of the truck. So… drink up!

With the holidays fast approaching, our crafters are ramping up their production for you. You can see their items listed on our website, and if you are looking for even more, a new market dedicated to locally crafted items is opening any moment now. You can find it over at athens.locallycrafted.net if you want to create your account now.

And, of course, our vegetable producers are still producing wonderful food. I see new salad mixes, radishes, and more eggs listed this week in addition to most of the same items we’ve had in weeks past.

Thanks for all your support, and we’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at Gosford Wine!

Athens Locally Grown:  Reminder -- Locally Grown is closed next week

This is just a quick reminder that Locally Grown will be taking next week off for Thanksgiving. We will return the following week.

Also, those of you who came early in the day yesterday saw clear indication of our growth. We filled nearly twice as many orders (both in number of orders, and in total sales) yesterday as a normal week. That, combined with a few “backstage” glitches and a large number of early arrivals made the line longer and slower than normal. We’re continually making changes on our end to keep up with the growing demand.

We fill orders with limited availability items (such as eggs) based on when the orders are placed, not when you arrive to pick them up. So, if you don’t want to wait in line and it fits with your schedule, you can come later. We’re open from 4:30 to 8pm, and usually there is no line at all after 5:30.

Thanks, and happy Thanksgiving!

Athens Locally Grown:  Availability for November 15

Here it is the week before Thanksgiving, and despite the lack of rain, our growers have much to be thankful for. All in all, it’s been a good season. As bad as the Easter freeze was (and it was very bad, especially for our fruit growers), there was still time to replant the summer vegetable crops. Even with no rain, the sustainable methods our growers use made the most of the water the plants did get. Interest and demand for local sustainably grown foods has reached a crescendo, which both keeps our established growers in business and encourages new growers to begin. And you, our customers, keep coming back for more and telling your friends. Thank you!

We will be taking next week off from market, so plan ahead for your Thanksgiving meal when ordering this week. There are a number of new products, including about 100 pounds of young carrots from two growers. Pecan season has arrived, and we have nuts from three growers.

We don’t have any turkeys, however. I did manage to find one grower near Greenville, SC, who raises turkeys that meet our market’s standards, but—he sold out in May. May! Maybe next year we’ll be able to get in on that, so you can save your place in line.

We’ll resume our regular dairy schedule the week after Thanksgiving. That means it’ll be three weeks before we’re back at Split Creek. I know some of you order just enough fudge to get you through two weeks, so be sure to grab an extra week’s worth.

Thanks for all your support! We’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at Gosford Wine.

Athens Locally Grown:  Availability for November 9

I’m writing this on my cellphone at a campground on the beach at Hunters Island, SC (we finally got around to our summer vacation). As impressive as that is to a nerd like me, it doesn’t lend itself toward typing long prose, so I’ll be brief.

I’m turning the site on a little early, and I know some of the growers are still updating their listings. I need to get on them again about that, but those of you coming in for the stampede for eggs may want to look at the site again tomorrow to see what was added late.

Also, a heads up about Thanksgiving. We will be taking that week off, so if you want locally grown ingredients for your meal, you’ll need to get them the week before.

That’s all for now. Thanks so much for all your support, and we’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at Gosfied Wine!

Athens Locally Grown:  Availability for November 1

The forecast is calling for nights in the low 30s this week, which means a few of the growers will likely get a freeze. On the list this week you’ll see quite a few green tomatoes (for frying or pickling), a handful of ripe ones, peppers, basil, eggplant, and beans. This may very well be the last week for all of these, unless someone is growing them indoors.

Nok Knead Bakery got some sandwich loaf pans suitable for his no-knead style of baking, so you’ll see those listed this week. Peter Rabbit Bakery has been adding new items as well. I’ve been talking with Wolf Creek Bakery (the new name for the bakery side of what used to be Big City Bread—there’s a long story there) to get their world-class artisanal loaves listed as well. They haven’t this week, but soon you should be able to find most every style of baked good represented here.

The first pecans of the season are listed, and we’ll soon be seeing more of those as well.

Our Hunter’s Moon Feast was yesterday, and many of you came out to our little farm to enjoy what turned out to be a perfect day. Some of you even stayed well into this afternoon – sitting on the riverbank watching the water go by tends to draw you in. Thanks to everyone who came, and those of you who were no able to: circle the 2008 October full moon on your calendar, as we’ll try to do it again. Special thanks to The Would Be Farmers who made beautiful music for us, and to all of the growers who had foods represented there, and to everyone who cooked some to share. One of the highlights of the annual Georgia Organics conference is the main meal, supplied by Georgia organic growers and cooked by some of Georgia’s finest chefs, and I have to tell you—what we had here Saturday had that beat.

Thanks again for all your support. We’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at Gosford Wine!

Athens Locally Grown:  Availability for October 25th

I spent the weekend making our place look presentable for the big Hunter’s Moon Feast next Saturday. It’d been quite a while since I’d mowed some of areas, so it turned out to be quite a lot of work. But, it all looks nice, the weather is supposed to be about like it was the past few days (perfect!), and the blackberry mead just stopped bubbling. In short, we’re all set.

You’ll find the event listed in the “Event Reservations” category. Add the right number of reservations to your order this week if you plan on coming. I’ll send directions to the farm out to everyone who has placed reservations (including those who did so in previous weeks) on Wednesday.

Members of The Would Be Farmers will be on hand to make music for us. The BBQ (made from local pastured pork, naturally) will be ready at 2pm, and I’ll have the grills fired up. You can come any time from 11 or noon on and stay as long as you’d like. The sun sets a bit after 7, and it’s getting chilly fast after that. Bring a tent if you want to camp over (I’ve got five gallons of mead, and it’s a long drive back to town). I’ll provide a wide selection of meat dishes from local sources, and you can bring a dish to share to go alongside them. (I just happen to like meat more than most organic vegetable farmers, but vegetarians are most welcome too, of course). Bring the kids and some shoes to wear while splashing in the river—this being the 21st century, there’s far too much glass mixed in with the sharp river rocks. We’ll have some chairs and tables, but you might want to bring some chairs of your own.

Enough about that… here’s something really interesting. Many of you eat organically grown local foods because, above all else, they just taste better. You’re not the only ones. A team of Swiss and Austrian scientists recently completed a 21-year study of organic wheat. After lab tests showed little chemical difference between organic and non-organic wheat, they put them to the taste test. Using rats. When presented with two biscuits, one made with organic wheat and the other with conventional wheat, the rats overwhelmingly chose the organic biscuit. Other studies and your own experience has shown that organically grown foods have more flavor, and the leading theory is that plants grown organically are under more stress (from bugs and other conditions), and that stress makes the plants produce more chemicals as a defense that just happen to taste great to us. You can read all about these studies (and another just over the state line at Clemson) here in the New York Times.

Thanks for all your support of local organically grown foods! We’ll see you on Thursday at Gosford Wine from 4:30 to 8pm.