After hearing the news about the Decatur Farmer’s Market’s new Saturday time-slot, I followed up with a couple of questions; including asking about major hurdle of getting farmers on a Saturday morning when the popular Morningside market is in full swing.

Here’s Nicole Coleson’s response…

There are a few motivations. For the most part, the local community has been asking for it for years and the City is taking a more active role. Also, there are more farmers now then there used to be. Morningside is very well established and has a waiting list for farmers. We are attempting to do two things; provide an opportunity for the new farmers, and get Morningside farmers to participate in both markets. This has proven to be a challenge to staff but we have had some interest in dual-participation. If you know of any farmers or people interested in staffing a booth let me know.

But for now, we have a critical mass to get up and running. The other good thing is that we have organic coffee, bread, and pastries which have great appeal.

The Decatur Farmer’s Market website now also has a map showing exactly where the market will take place at the Trinity/McDonough intersection.  View it after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

Very exciting news!  Check this out!  Nicole sends along this press release…

SATURDAY FARMERS MARKET LAUNCHING IN DOWNTOWN DECATUR

The City of Decatur, GA will soon have a Farmers Market on Saturday, in addition to the existing Wednesday Market. The Saturday Farmers Market will start on May 15, 2010 with a grand opening event featuring live music, a children’s area and breakfast goodies from 9-12noon in its second location at the corner of Trinity and McDonough, centrally located in downtown Decatur.

It will run every Saturday morning year-round, with plenty of free parking and a short walk from the Marta and Decatur Square.

Every Saturday – Summer 9a.m – - 12 p.m.

Location: 500 block at North McDonough Street and Trinity Street

I’m trying to determine whether by “Trinity and McDonough” they mean the Maloof parking lot or the grounds of the new DeKalb Courthouse. Streetview of the intersection after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s more concise, visual evidence of what I’ve been intermittently blathering about as of late.

With a chart like this, it’s little wonder why more forward-thinking cities like Decatur are feeling obligated to step in and provide a little more support for the local production of fruits and vegetables.

Chart courtesy of Good Medicine.

h/t: The Consumerist

From the Wheel report of Carlo Petrini’s talk at Emory last night…

“When my grandfather finished his meal, he would collect the bread crumbs from the table, and if one fell to the floor, he would pick it up and kiss it,” Petrini said.

But now, he said, young people are not aware of the cultural importance of food.

“If your great-grandmother knew about this, she would be very anxious,” Petrini said, as he pointed to a student in the front row. “If you could talk to her and tell her you live in a society where you spend more to lose weight than to eat, your great-grandmother would say you are crazy.”

America loves to specialize its movements.

Some people swear by local food.  Others argue for durable local economies.  Still others see worker’s rights as the most important call to action.

And there’s little wrong with this natural evolution of American thought…just as long as we recognize that at some point, in order to realize the full potential of ANY these individual movements, they really should be integrated.  Otherwise, many of these movements could easily be phased into the very global, industrialized system they each once shunned.

Food writer Corby Kummer’s latest article in The Atlantic, is just another example of this kind of specialized focus. The piece documents his discovery of quality organic selections at a nearby Wal-Mart Supercenter, and the resulting internal struggle to contemplate Wal-Mart as a competitor of Whole Foods.

Read the rest of this entry »

At it’s most recent meeting, the Decatur School Board unanimously approved the extensive Farm-to-School action plan.  In an email to the community, CSD explains what committing to this plan will mean when you get down to brass tacks.

Initial plans for the Decatur Farm to School Program include:

• Edible school gardens, planted and maintained by students, teachers, parents, school staff and community members
• An increase in the number and types of fresh, local foods served in schools
• Integrated curriculum resources to leverage learning around nutrition, science, biology, math, social sciences, and local community resources
• Farm field trips and farm education that explore local economics, biological systems, local environmental issues and the holistic connection that links food, health, and the environment
• Hands on food preparation and taste-tests featuring fresh, local foods and local chefs

Pulled this out of the most recent DBA newsletter.  I gotta admit that I’m a sucker for this sorta thing…

Cakes & Ale is now offering communal “Sunday Suppers” the first Sunday of every month starting in June.  From the DBA…

The menu will be set each week with a specific shared appetizer plate, entree, sides, and dessert, and dinner will be served family-style to encourage communal conviviality. A specially selected house wine, beer and cocktail will be suggested to pair with the menu. The price varies depending on the weekly menu, and children under 10 years of age are half price. This is an excellent way to enjoy fresh, local foods with friends and family!

Click here to see the menus for the next three months.  And at around $26-$28 a person, it seems like a pretty good deal.

Following up on my post yesterday, Michael forwards info about tonight’s “Farm to School” town hall meeting from 6p-8p at Westchester.

Click For a Closer View

Locavores and slow food proponents will really get a kick out of Watershed chef Scott Peacock’s write up about growing up with field peas in his native Alabama in this morning’s AJC.

Thanks to books like Pollen’s Omnivore’s Dilemma and Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, along with recent extensive coverage by the NY Times, the local/slow food movement has really taken off in the past year or so. It goes a step further than just simply eating “organic”, which some strict locavores will tell you has been co-oped by the “industrial food chain” (another basic principal of the movement), and encourages people to buy locally (to reduce the food’s carbon footprint and support the local economy) and eat “real food”…(as opposed to anything processed…80% of which is made mainly of corn and soybeans).

Pollen’s follow up to The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, sums up the diet of a locavore this way “Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.”

If it sounds like I’ve signed on to this latest “fad”, I have. It ain’t an easy way to eat, especially for those of us stretched to find the time to dedicate to finding and cooking food, but its the first book I’ve read about “food” in a long time that made any sense and didn’t come off like it had an ulterior motive.

Essentially, it boils down to…eat real food, not processed. That means eating a little meat that eats grass preferably (not force-fed corn), and lots of plants (fruits/veggies), preferably organic and local. Not easy…but it tastes so much better…and is so much healthier.

Locally, the Decatur Organic Farmer’s Market is a great resource to grab these products. Also the DeKalb Farmer’s Market has grass-fed beef and sells a lot of organic produce (and is very good about telling you where it came from).

But still, I gotta tell you, even for a Decatur resident with two great resources, it ain’t all that easy. Any locavores out there with any additional tips?