Friday, June 22, 2012

Vegetable Gumdrops

Bok choi, a lovely vegetable for stir fries and slaws and brothy soups.

Last weekend, Abe and I attended a showcase, of sorts, for local businesses in the greater Unity area. I packed up the brochures and photo album, and added a flashy yellow flowered tablecloth for that homey touch. I also brought some farm products in season at that moment (and ones I could easily get my hands on). Micro greens, a couple sweet bok choi (as seen above), a dozen eggs, a bouquet of flowers. Our little set up looked pretty.

We were sharing a long fold up table with another woman who at first glance was selling vitamins. On the other side was the Historical Society. So there we were, Abe on my back, chatting up the passers by.

Abe kept asking me for a "gummy" and that is when I tuned into the woman selling vitamins. She was selling vegetable gumdrops. Gumdrops packed with a whole serving (or four? or ten? ) of vegetables.

The irony of our pairing there was not lost on me.
I pretty quickly lost any ability to make a joke about this situation. If I were a 'good' salesperson or comic, I surely would have bounced off her sales pitch to call in folks to our offerings. "Want the real deal? Check out these nutrient rich micro greens!" or "How do you chop those things for a stir fry?"

I was selling the work of a farm, its workers, soils, microbes, bugs, animals and plants, I was not able to call in just the right tone to pull off anything clever. (I take this way too seriously.) So I just stood there and answered gardening questions and talked about what we grow and sell.
We sell vegetables.
And I can say now, we sell Real Vegetables. . . Not gumdrop vegetables.

(I did finally let Abe try two of the three colors/flavors. He would definitely have bought some if I had only forked over my wallet to him.)
 200 ft bed of kale, uncovered for a morning harvest. To the left is garlic.

Just yesterday, a friend of the farm sent along a link to a New York Times Op Ed by Jeff D. Leach that sings the praises of fresh, locally grown (and washed) vegetables. Unlike most "eat more vegetables" pieces, this one is about dirt and the dusting of natural microbes that coat the leaves and fruits that arrive in your CSA shares. Apparently these Village Farm vegetables carry millions of crucial microorganisms to our immune systems. More good news for the Real Deal Vegetables!!!
I loved this article. It marries my interests in digestion, evolutionary biology and agriculture in a most pleasing way. Click here for a link to it.

Thank you for enjoying our soil mineral mining, photosynthesizing, microbe carrying, and vitamin packed real live vegetables.
We like our business and our life a whole lot.
Best wishes from Village Farm,
Polly


Thursday, June 7, 2012

For Immediate Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 7, 2012

Village Farm of Freedom is seeking vegetable loving people who would like to receive weekly organic produce through its CSA program but could use a discount on price. Now in its fifth season, the Village Farm is committed to making its highest quality produce available to people of all economic circumstances. Village Farm is partnering with Maine Farmland Trust to offer SNAP recipients 50% off CSA shares in 2012. Yes, half-priced, fresh organic products!

Community Supported Agriculture is a way that farmers and consumers commit to each other for mutual benefit. The Village Farmers grow a full array of spring, summer and fall vegetables and herbs and distribute them to their 'members' each Tuesday evening, June 19 through October 9 at the farm in freedom or at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Belfast. Members support the farmers by paying all or some of their membership to the CSA early in the season, when most farm expenses are incurred. SNAP recipients will pay Village Farm for half of the CSA share value and Maine Farmland Trust will pay the other half.

Village Farm's website, www.villagefarmfreedom.com, describes CSA and its Summer Vegetable Shares, Egg Shares, Flower Shares and Fall Vegetable Shares. New in 2012 is a Cheese Share offering, weekly cow, goat and sheep cheeses from Appleton Creamery! All but the Flower Shares are eligible for the 50% discount to SNAP recipients.

If you or someone you know is interested in weekly organic vegetables and a connection to a local farm, please contact Village Farm about this amazing offer! Email: villagefarm@fairpoint.net or call 382-6300.