6.11.2011

Finding Community In Kombucha

For the first time ever our little town has set up a farmers market every Saturday morning from June to September right on main street.  Um, I love it.  From where we live we can make the round trip walk in just under two miles.  For the past two Saturdays we have gotten the kids up early, had a quick breakfast, and made the short jaunt.  It's already so doggone hot in Georgia that 7:30 or 8:00 in the morning is just about the only time that isn't too scorching to walk, so it becomes a perfect time for some exercise, too.

My friends the PostmodernPescatarian and BigMama have both piqued my interest in the 100-Mile diet challenge for some time.  There is so much good stuff that can come out of eating local foods grown on local farms and harvested by local hands.  Even though it may have a trendy edge to it right now, I love this kind of thing because it feels like a throwback to another era; back before anything I ever dreamed of or wanted could come wrapped in cellophane.  Everything old is new again.

When I found out about the farmers market in our town I decided right then that for the time that the market runs - June through September - our family will buy all of our produce from there and not the grocery store.  If it's in season, we buy it.  If it's not, we won't.  Again, we are only two weeks in, but I already love it.  Here is last week's haul:
Going clockwise starting at "noon": zucchini squash in the background,
kombucha in the foreground, kale greens, fresh ground beef, cucumbers,
crookneck squash, lambsquarters greens, devil's food cupcakes,
boiled peanuts, and local raw honey.
 

The lambsquarters is what's in the bag.  It is very comparable to spinach.
I sauteed it with olive oil and mushrooms this week.  Heavenly.
These cupcakes were so unnecessary . . . and so divine!
 

This kombucha was definitely the most "granola" purchase we made,
but we have enjoyed drinking it this week.  It is a "living" food and full
of probiotics.  You can find out more general information about it here.
Today's market was even better than last week's because of the crops that have come in since last Saturday.  Here is what we found today:
Going clockwise starting at "noon": carrots, swiss chard, kombucha,
kale greens, sauerkraut, red and yellow onions, lambsquarters,
lavender bunches, and zucchini & crookneck squash
 

Little Big Man loved picking out his carrots.
Ruth at BackInTime Farm makes a different flavor kombucha each week.
Last week was blueberry ginger, this week it's grape.
All total between last week and this, we have invested into the farmers market about $70.00.  I knew I would love buying these beautiful, flavorful local products.  What I have been most pleasantly surprised by really is the further discovery of our community.  The faces become more familiar each week.  We live and work and raise our kids side by side with each other, but can move so fast that we never notice.  But when you're all meandering around the same local market, making selections, asking questions, learning about produce or products that may be completely new to you or old favorites, it's slow enough to notice.  I know more names today than I did a week ago.  And more people know mine. 

That is the greatest thing we've found at the farmers market.  And that crop is likely to produce all season long.

A few more pictures to close:
starting out on our walk

Brilliant Beauty samples a boiled peanut.  A Georgia gal, indeed.

She'll have one of everything, please.
And Little Big Man's visit last week even made the front page of the
Sunday Athens Banner-Herald.  Have your people call his people and
maybe you can do lunch.

8 comments:

  1. Awesome! We are working hard to buy local. I'll try Statm next weekend.

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  2. Beth Barton3:52:00 PM

    I live in Statham (Broad Street) & participate in the Farmer's Market as a vendor. Your description of what you find at the market is exactly why I, personally, decided to be a part of it. The PEOPLE & the true sense of community. That was a beautiful piece!

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  3. The veggies are beautiful! How fun!!! Thanks for sharing the photos :)

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  4. Great pictures! Last week was our first week to our local farmer's market, and I am a total addict. (It amazes me how often you and I are on the same wavelength. Craaazy.) Glad you're having such a great summer!

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  5. Cass, it really gets better and better each week. Come on and we'll toodle around together.

    Beth, we'll make sure to come by next week!

    Kaki, you would love this so much. I miss you being there with me.

    Branny, I LUH-HUV our shared wavelength! Like, so much. Amazing how we can share life even from so far away.

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  6. Thank you so much for sharing this blog! As a Statham Farmers Market committee member and vendor (Lazy B Farm), your words and pictures thrill my soul, make my heart smile and redeems all the hours spent putting this market together. Your blog has encapsulated the vision we all shared for our hometown of Statham. Thank you so much and if you don't mind - I'd like to post it on our farm page:http://www.facebook.com/thelazybfarm

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  7. I loved reading this! I have enjoyed visiting the Statham Farmers Market the past couple of weeks and look forward to visiting it throughout the summer. Locally grown food and the wonderful people who make it possible for me and my family to consume it are definite treasures!

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  8. Cyndi, I'm honored for you to link the post on your facebook. We love the farmers market and learning our community through it. And we love our "regulars" of honey, kale, and ground beef from Lazy B! Thanks for sharing the fruits of your labor with us.

    And thanks, gretchygirl32, for reading!

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