Yesterday while I was driving up to the farm stand in Highland, KY to see if their strawberries where in – I heard a piece on the radio about a couple who had fallen on hard times. They had moved from Maine to California with dreams of the big time. As they crossed the California border they’d sung along to Solomon Burke’s “Love More Precious Than Gold”. A year later they were making the trip back to Maine to live with her mother – their big plans hadn’t worked out. What they hadn’t expected was the joy in their return from their family and friends – they were overwhelmed with the warmth and gratitude from loved ones. Their first stop was a meal with family. As they drove from one family member to another, they once again sang “Love More Precious Than Gold”. It made me think about the importance of a shared meal in these troubled times.
One I arrived at the farm stand, it was wonderful to see the farmers I hadn’t seen since October and rejoice in their early spring bounty. Everyone stopping in was excited to see what was available. Besides strawberries, there was lettuce, spring onions, broccoli, cucumbers, asparagus, rhubarb, cilantro and greenhouse tomatoes. There is a strong connection of gratitude between those growing food and those eating it. It’s a very personal relationship and I hope you can visit your local farmers markets in the next week or so. Markets across the region are kicking off their season right now.
Every issue of Local Table we profile a farmer. In the current Spring issue, we feature young farmer Stacy Geny of Paradise Produce. He’s a perfect example of why our connections to local farming are so important to support. It may sound corny, but Stacy’s love of farming is evident in the taste of his produce. He’s chosen a path were love is more precious than gold. We’re excited to start a video series to go along with our print feature and give you another look at the farm.
It’s featured on the home page.
