Locally Grown - Availability for August 21, 2013

Hey Local Food Lovers,

I just want to congratulate everyone for making our August sales amongst the best we’ve had here at Locally Grown. We’ve consistently sold over $1,000 of local food each week so far in August, and this month (especially after school starts back) is usually more a slumping time of year. I think that’s a really encouraging sign that more and more of you are eating local consistently each week of the year. As everyone knows there’s probably been a little less availability at each farm this year due to the crazy rain, but with the number of farms and other food producers increasing slightly this year we’ve been able to hold steady on supply. Even this week with our two of our biggest producers taking a week off (Leah Lake and Ohana Farms) sales are excellent. So thank-you to everyone who is making that happen.

Each week there are more things to talk about than I have time to plug. One very important one is to buy goat cheeses from SPLIT CREEK FARMS in SC this week. Those of you who have tried these cheeses, yogurt, fudge and other products know that we’re lucky to have such a great goat dairy just an hour drive away. Thanks to Teri Parker and her willingness to go pick up these orders a few times a year we all get to enjoy this as a special treat now and then. Since the next order won’t be until November this is your chance until late Fall. Don’t miss it. And if you don’t know what to try I highly recommend the Feta in oil. Of all the feta cheeses I’ve had in my life that one is the best. And I don’t let a drop of the oil it’s packed in go to waste. The spices and bits of cheese make it the perfect oil to add to a casserole or even on top of some roasted potatoes. Every last bit is fantastic.

I also want to remind folks to visit Lake Rabun Hotel and Restaurant’s Featured Farmer Thursdays. Chef Jamie Alred is one of the best things to ever happen to local food in North Georgia and if you don’t believe me go judge for yourself. I always say that when he features each farm, that’s the best their food will taste all year long. To further demonstrate his commitment to local farms he just released a cookbook that features recipes from nine farms all located in the North Georgia Mountains. I haven’t seen it yet, but it’ll definitely be on my shelf soon, or more likely on the counter slowly getting covered with flour, olive oil and sauce spatters the way all my really good cook books do.

The remaining schedule for Featured Farmer Thursdays is as follows:

August
22: Chattooga Belle Farm, Long Creek, SC, apples, Ed and Kitty Land
29: Local Goods and Gardens, Clayton, GA, figs and produce, Ryan Allred and Christine Smith
September
5: Taylor Family Farm, Lakemont, GA, David Taylor
12: Old School Community Garden, Sustainable Mountain Living Communities (S.M.L.C), Clayton, GA, a donation will be
given to the S.M.L.C. for use of produce from the Old School Community Garden; and
Turning Creek Artisans, Clayton, GA, honey, Bob Grant,
19: C-Z Farm, Tiger, GA, Pat Crunkleton
26: Trillium Gardens, Clarkesville, GA, micro greens, Steve Whiteman
October
3: Gibson Farms, Westminster, SC, certified organic grass fed beef, Leland Gibson
10: Ladybug Farms, Persimmon Valley, Rabun County, GA, Teri Jagger Blincoe
17: Burton Mountain Farms, Rabun County, GA, Sid Blalock
24: Chattooga Belle Farm, Long Creek, SC, apples and persimmons, Ed and Kitty Land, and
Turning Creek Artisans, Clayton, GA, honey, Bob Grant
31: Stack Farm, Tiger, GA, persimmons and Asian pears, Bill and Leckie Stack
November
7: Leah Lake Farms, Smithbridge Township, NC, Brooks Franklin
14: Mill Gap Farm, Tiger, GA, Chuck and Amy Mashburn
21: Tiger Mountain Vineyards, Tiger, GA, recipes using 100% Georgia grown wine, John and Martha Ezzard

Last but definitely not least the Habersham County School system officially kicked off their 2013 Farm To School program this month. Liberty Farms (who is selling tons of okra this week) is the first featured farm and they’ll be feeding every kid at Wilbanks Middle School their fresh potatoes sometime this week I think. Not only that, each of the ten farms that will be featured this year were put into a school calendar so that students, teachers and parents will come to know the farms and foods their kids are eating each month of the year. How’s that for cool!

Here’s a quick list of the farms (and their products) that are participating in this amazing program.

1.) Chattooga Belle Farm, Kitty & Ed Land: Apples
2.) Leah Lake Farm, Brooks Franklin: Beets, Carrots, Spring Onions, Swiss Chard, and Lettuce
3.) Liberty Farm, Jerry, Sherry & Wesley Gerrin: Tomatoes and Irish Potatoes
4.) Melon Head Farm, Joni & Harold Kennedy: Cantaloupe, Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes, and Watermelon
5.) Mill Gap Farm, Chuck & Amy Mashburn: Sweet Hakurei Turnips
6.) Mountain Earth Farm, Ronnie Mathis: Zucchini Squash, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Kale, Cabbage, and Snap Beans
7.) Shook’s Farm, Angel & Steve Rushing, Thelma & Michael Shook: Eggplant, Peppers, Summer & Butternut Squash
8.) Sylvan Falls Mill, Linda Johnson: Cornmeal and Whole Wheat Flour
9.) Trillium Farm, Steve Whiteman: MicroGreens
10.) Widebottom Farm, James & Phillip Franklin: Watermelon, Peppers, and Peaches

I still plan to tell you all about the Thai cooking school as promised at some point but as usual, I’m behind schedule. When I do finally get around to it I want to include some photos and some recipes so I need to set aside some time to make all that happen at once.

Until then Thanks for supporting our local farms and….
EAT WELL,
Justin in Habersham
and
Chuck in Rabun