P ublisher's Blog

My niece Sierra and I just returned from a two day road trip to visit some spots in Middle Tennessee where I had never been and thought it would be fun to check out some of the towns and farms in our Local Table farm guide.

It was a truly amazing experience. First of all what struck me the most was the reminder of the beautiful state we are so lucky to live and work. The second and maybe most important thing I learned was how friendly and giving our neighbors are in Tennessee. Our trip started in Cross Plains, headed south to Springfield, Charlotte, Dickson, Centerville, Hohenwald and then south again to Collinwood, Waynesboro and back up to Lewisburg, Ethridge, Columbia, Cottage Grove, Arrington and then a stop in Murfreesboro on our way home to Pleasant Shade. We went back roads most of the way stopping at cafes and diners, markets, co-ops and farm supply stores, health food stores, visitor centers and even a few farms and wineries!

Everywhere we went folks were so excited to find out there was a source to find fresh, local food in their own backyard and almost everyone knew of a friend or neighbor who should be in the next guide! There was a lot of talk of the tainted tomatoes, but most of the cafes and diners we ate in were using locally grown tomatoes. Farmers markets seem to be getting stronger everywhere. Tennessee's connection to the land and to each other was truly inspiring. It was also interesting to learn that many of the farmers are very involved with their local Chamber of Commerce. There are so many fun events going on in our neighboring counties and I want to get more involved in letting our readers know about local rural and agricultural events.

Our thanks to everyone whose path we crossed with special thanks to Katie and John at The Orchard, the women at Thomas Drugs, Steve at Three Creek Farms, Gail at Grinders Switch Winery, Tom at Buffalo River Coffee Co., Rene and Paula at the Collinwood Visitor Center, Gayle at Bonnie Blue Farm, Sue at Nature's Nuggets and Angie at Birdsong Hollow. We had a lot more farms on our list, but ran out of time and gas!

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The Summer issue of Local Table has hit the streets! Our beautiful summer issue with the chicken on the cover is now out and available in the Metro area – we'll work on getting it out to other areas in the next few weeks. If you know of any spots in your neighborhood which would be a good home for Local Table, please drop me an email at lisa@localtable.net and we'll get in touch to see about getting into your neighborhood.

We're especially trying to find locales in outlying counties so we can help spread the word about local food.

There was another food scare this week with tainted tomatoes. So make sure you know where your food comes from and Buy Local!

Some of the locations in town include The Produce Place, The Turnip Truck, Whole Foods, Fidos, Bongo Java, Marche, Portland Brew, Frothy Monkey, Copper Kettle, Berry Hill's Baja Burrito, Sam & Zoes, Tin Angel, Lazzaroli Pasta, Nashville Farmers Market, Flyte, Ombi, Martha's Plantation, Loveless Cafe, Yellow Porch, East Nashville Farmers Market and Wild Iris.

The website should be updated with some of the editorial, including some web exclusives by this weekend, so come back and visit us soon!

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A few weeks ago the East Nashville Farmers Market kicked off with it's grand opening. It was exciting for the both the farmers and the customers. There is something about a farmers market to inspire the soul. Other than raising your own food, I don't think there is any other greater food shopping thrill than buying straight from the farmer – whether it be lettuce, strawberries, milk, cheese or meat. In a way I've always felt like it's guerilla/underground shopping.

By bypassing the corporate world, your money goes directly into the farmer's pocket. There is no middleman or marketing system to support. A simple exchange. An exchange which has been going on for thousands of years between communities and maybe that is why it makes you feel like you are a part of something when you shop at a farmers market.

It's like enjoying independent music or film. You become part of a group of people who choose variety and quality over mass marketing and bigness. Anyway, summer has arrived. Each week now farmers markets across the region are filling up with greens, lettuces, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, strawberries and more.

The summer issue of Local Table is about to hit the street and will include a listing of all our area's farmers markets, plus tips for shopping to make your experience more enjoyable. I hope you'll visit your neighborhood market soon!

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It looks like we've got a new Farm Bill – I don't know all the particulars but I do know that it's not a reform bill. The giant agri-business farms are still getting way too much in subsidy payments that they don't need in these times of high food prices. However, it is my understanding that giant strides were made in funding toward conservation, organic certification, gains in farm and ranch land protection, and expanding access to healthy and local foods. Cassi Johnson from the Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee will discuss the bill in more detail in the upcoming summer issue of Local Table, as well on our website. Change doesn't happen in giant sweeps, but often in small, incremental steps.

The exciting thing about this Farm Bill is that this was a bill brought about by people. It was true change – it wasn't people waiting for government to address the issues – but people all across the country working hard to transform a bill which has been infamous for inappropriate spending. I believe the efforts of the Farm Bill are part of an overall movement of people around the world who are working to not just save our planet's eco-system, but to provide healthy food, clean air and water for everyone.

In my other world, I'm a music publicist and I just finished writing the letter to go out with an upcoming cd from a wonderful band, Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams. The name is a bit misleading, but their music is all about connecting to others – individually and globally – but not in any kind of sappy manner. It's rock and roll and is truly transformative. I believe Gandalf Murphy is part of the movement to transform our collective consciousness.

It's amazing how things tie in. I'm currently reading Paul Hawken's “Blessed Unrest” (highly recommended) and he uses a quote from naturalist John Muir, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” Gandalf Murphy's new cd is called “The Great Unravel” - we are all connected.

Change is already happening.

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Life is funny sometimes – life is often too busy to take the time to realize what's right under your nose. It can be your relationships, your neighborhood or the land you live on.

This weekend I took some of my 'economic stimulus' and hired medicinal herbalist Lisa Bedner to come and walk our woods with us to see what, if anything, we had in our own backyard. It was a joy to take the time and discover the plants and life hidden away on our hillsides. Little pockets of Ironweed, Wild Forget Me Nots, Trilliums, Jack in the Pulpits, Christmas Ferns, May Apples, and Lyre Leaf Safe scattered throughout little microclimates in the woods.

One little hidden spot looked like a fairy spot – an old tree stump circled in nearly a half dozen types of mushrooms and even more wildflowers.

Lisa said we are experiencing one of the most beautiful springs she's seen in at least 10 years on the Cumberland Plateau and wildflowers are blooming this spring which have been absent for years. We found in the woods a native trumpet vine which rarely makes itself known – but there it was covering a tree and blooming in the woods. She believes it is a sign we are over the drought. In one spot we had 'water' plants half way up a hillside and not even close to the creek.

At least a hundred years ago, our land began to be farmed and the timber harvested, so the original forest floor and trees are gone and have been replaced with second and third generation growth. It was a joy to see how the land has rejuvenated itself and is returning to it's native growth. It was also incredible to learn about all the different plants which can be used for healing and food.

Imagine – finding such wonderful discoveries in our own backyard – it was just taking the time to look and spend the time with someone who truly knows and loves the native plants.

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I love old things. I'm not sure why, but I just know that I've always been fascinated with history, community and a sense of rootedness. Down the street from where I lived for most of my childhood, the house on the corner was built around 1650. The stone walls running through the woods had been there for nearly three centuries and were built when the land was first cleared for farming. One of the things I love about old houses are the old plants that are usually part of the landscape and one of my favorite old plants is the lilac. My great aunt has a giant sprawling deep purple lilac by the side of the garage, formerly the pig shed, and she says it's 'as old as Jerusuleam'. I love the fact that this lilac has watched over our family through several generations and hopefully will continue to bloom even when our family no longer lives 'down home'.

Every place I've lived I've tried to grow a lilac – to put down some roots. But I've never been there long enough to see the young shrubs bloom – until this spring. I feel like I've finally put some roots into the community we live. My young lilacs are blooming and when I'm out working in the garden I can occasionally get a whiff of the first blossoms. It is truly magic.

I felt the roots of community at this past weekend's Earth Day celebration at Centennial Park. The weather was not very cooperative but still some hardy and intrepid souls made their way to the park. The movement to take care of our community and planet is strong and thriving. The nightly news can become oppressive, but speaking to folks excited about changing and bettering their lives through food and their lifestyles was truly inspirational. Also, seeing all the different ideas about living green was mind boggling. When I was in high school you were called a hippie if you joined the group “Friends of the Earth”. Living green now is part of the mainstream lexicon – some things have definitely gotten better.

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Yesterday I picked the first harvest from my garden – rhubarb. The rest of the garden is still dormant or the seedlings are only a few inches high, so it was exciting to eat out of the garden again. We're still eating tomatoes and peppers out of the freezer from last year's harvest, but there is nothing like eating it straight from the garden.

And almost on cue, the hummingbird scout returned this past week to check on the hollow's food supply for the upcoming arrival of the rest of the flock. A few weeks ago while walking through the woods, I found my first hummingbird's nest. It was from last year and a little worse for wear from the winter exposure, but it was an amazing feat of nature. Strung between two branches in a shrub it was a fairy-like nest built from moss, lichen and small sticks creating a tiny hammock-style nest. It was a true wonder and I'm glad to know the builders have returned for another season.

The bluebirds have also begun to build their nest for their first offspring of the season. I could see lots of activity at the bluebird house from the kitchen window this weekend.

Unfortunately we are once again faced with a late freeze tonight and I'll keep my fingers crossed that it will be a light one and not do as much damage as last year's hard frost. I've got my young strawberry patch covered, but the blueberries and fruit trees will have to fend for themselves. My blueberries were froze to the ground last year, but all survived. I'll just have to wait another few years for a harvest. However, many of our berry and fruit farmers didn't survive the freeze/drought last year and even those who did are probably facing a light harvest this year. A long, hard freeze could spell disaster. So, luckily it's only supposed to be for tonight and shouldn't be dipping into the 20's.

Paying attention to the rhythms of nature and eating with the seasons makes you aware of the challenges and vagaries our local farmers are faced with each and every day – it's a combination of craft, intuition and science to successfully grow food.

I hope everyone can come celebrate Earth Day this Saturday, April 19th at Centennial Park. Local Table will be part of the local food area helping spread awareness of local food and farms.

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Big thank you to everyone who stopped by Whole Foods this past Saturday to partake in Local Day. Between the farmers and local chefs using locally grown ingredients, it was an exciting and diverse mix of food and value added items. The locally grown food movement has definitely arrived in Middle Tennessee and we are so lucky to have such a talented, creative and nice bunch of individuals helping to spread the word!

Several area CSA farms (community supported agriculture) were present and still had openings for the coming season, including Eco-Organics, Avalon Acres, Delvin Farms and Long Hungry Creek Farm. If you weren't able to make the event but are still interested in signing up for fresh produce and more this year, please check out the above farms. You can find their information in the current issue of Local Table or find them on our website, www.localtable.net.

Other folks present included Hatcher Dairy, Mountain Jim, Nashville Toffee, Savory Secrets (yummy savory cheesecake), Journey To Bliss raw foods, Tennessee Gourmet (unusual cooking sauces), the Baby Bear Shop (line of all natural baby products) and Appalachian Harvest's Gary Van Cott. I apologize if I missed anyone, but you can get the picture it was a pretty diverse groups of people excited about food and locally produced products. We also were graced with the special presence of Farmer Jason and his unique brand of children's music – connecting children with the land, animals and life on the farm.

It was a great kick off for our beautiful spring weather and we'll see you next at Earth Day in Centennial Park as part of the local food section!

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Spring has finally arrived – some starts and stops with the weather, but Mother Nature has declared itself spring. For the first time this year, I spotted our resident water snake who lives in the rocks along our creek, the Bluebirds have begun to work on their nests and our 'pups' have been bringing home all kinds of critters from the surrounding woods and hillsides – dead and alive!

Flowering shrubs and fruit trees are blooming and we're all keeping our fingers crossed we don't have a repeat of last year's late freeze which damaged Tennessee and Kentucky's fruit crop and put a few farmers out of business.

I took the day off on Friday to make my annual pilgrimage to the Smithville/McMinnville area to buy plants for my garden and it was a wonderful trip. The hillsides are emerald green from our spring rains, baby lambs and calves fill the pastures and blessed water is everywhere. During some curves in the road it looked like I was in Ireland, but it's just the backroads of Middle Tennessee! We are so lucky to live in such a green and beautiful place.

To help celebrate Spring, our local farmers and the new issue of Local Table, Whole Foods kindly sponsoring a Local day at their Green Hills' store in the Hill Center this coming Sat., April 5, 1-3 PM. In addition to some local farmers and food artisans sampling their wares, some area community supported agriculture (CSA) farms will be available for sign up for the upcoming season and our own Farmer Jason will be performing for the whole family. If you haven't gotten your copy yet of the new Spring issue, I hope you can join us next week to meet myself, our editor Marne Duke, Farmer Jason and a few of our farmer friends.

This morning our hollow is covered in fog, but our local wren family is making a noise and I can hear the chickens down the lane calling to be let out of their coop – I think it may be a great planting day!

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It's been a week since the time change and hopefully everyone's adjusting to the earlier mornings and more day!

The past week was a hectic week for me balancing my two worlds of music and farm/food, but it once again was a reminder of the power of the individual. I've worked in the independent music world for a long time, but now due to the changes in the music business it's more the norm than the exception and like farming, it's the individual making the difference. A singular voice has the power to transform an individual, a movement or a culture. One person can make a difference and the same is true in farming.

Elliot Coleman was the keynote speaker at this past weekend's Tennessee Organic Farming Conference. He has worked the same piece of land for 40 years and has transformed the rocky, hard pan of his Maine farm into a very productive and intensively farmed acreage. The work he has done on his own farm, as well as his innovations in extending his growing season and tools has helped many others to transform their small farms as well. But it wasn't just one of our country's superstar farmers Elliot Coleman with a story to tell – every other farmer/grower I listened too had carved out their own unique market and growing method. They found ways to make it work and do what they love.

It's so important to support the independent voices in our midst. These are the voices that can literally transform us at the cellular level – whether it's via their music, food or the small local retail shop selling goods where the owner has passion and a connection the goods on their shelves.

The new Local Table website, www.localtable.net, is now up and running and I hope you can check it out. In addition to an online, search able database of farms, farmers markets, artisan foodmakers, the site also includes some features we don't have in the magazine, including an up to date calendar of events. Spring is nearly here and lots of activites are coming up, so please keep in touch.

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We did it - thanks to Marne, Bob and Dale - the spring issue of Local Table has arrived and you can start looking for it at selected grocers, independent retailers and restaurants this week.

Our special features include a farmer profile of Nancy Edwards and her family's Valley Home Farm, The Land Trust of Tennessee's role in helping to preserve Tennessee's farmland, a listing of the area's strawberry patches as well as a listing of area Community Supported Agriculture farms offering summer subscriptions for fruit and produce. There is also a spring guide to area farms offering their products directly to the customer and I hope you'll check them out.

Later this week, our newly revised website, www.localtable.net, will go live with additional features and a search-able database. The database includes Middle Tennessee farms, grocers, artisan food producers and area Farmers Markets. Unlike our magazine listings which are seasonal, the online feature will include all the farms and products and will get better and more detailed as we go along. But it's a wonderful tool to plan a day trip or simply see what's in your own backyard.

As gas prices go up and with it the price of everything else we buy, it's not only more economical to purchase your food locally, but it's healthier and better for our local economy. We hope you can begin to know some of our local farmers: ask them questions about their farms and how they grow their food. Eating seasonally will help you feel more connected to Mother Nature's cycles and less worried about the ever increasing food recalls.

And to really be sure of your food - you can grow it yourself! This coming weekend, The Tennessee Organic Grower's Association is holding a one day conference, Sat., March 15. It's an amazing amount of information squeezed into one day of workshops and there is something for the beginner grower to the more experienced market farmer. Topics include composting, growing in hoophouses, managing your garden in a drought, herbs, beekeeping and mushroom production. The keynote speaker is the author of the gardening classic 'The New Organic Grower', Eliot Coleman. He's been an inspiration for many in his work on extending the growing season - even in his native Maine. For more information, go to www.tnorganics.org

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Yesterday I saw this spring's first tadpoles in our creek. It was the year's first full fledged spring day and filled with all the promise of the season to come. I got my leeks in the ground but ran out of energy to do more, but it was wonderful to get my hands in the dirt and feel the sun on my skin. The neighbors cows were practically laying on their backs yesterday trying to soak up the warm sunshine and I swear they had smiles on their faces!

In addition to the weekend's exhilarating weather, I also attended another inspiring gathering of farmers and foodies at the Georgia Organics Conference. The keynote speaker was the CEO of the nation's largest food co-operative, Organic Valley, George Siemens. Siemens, a native of Florida, originally moved to Wisconsin during the back to the land movement of the early seventies where he was a dairy man for years. He now runs a co-op including dairy, meat, produce and grain farmers with national distribution. They have just signed on their first dairy in Tennessee with hopes to expand in the area within the coming years. It really is helpful to hear good news once in awhile and realize that one person can make a difference in our food system. Siemens remains passionate about farming, organics and helping save the family farm. One of his missions is to keep farming alive and attract more youths into the lifestyle. He believes organics are a return to common sense for both the environment and humankind. One of his greatest achievements has been to watch dispassionate farmers joining Organic Valley get excited about farming again and earn a fair price for their hard work.

Siemens also said he believes we have reached the tipping point for organics and local food. The movement is now reaching into the mainstream and gathering speed.

Exciting things are happening in Middle Tennessee too and one is the upcoming spring issue of Local Table. It will start appearing around town next week, so I hope you'll pick up a copy.

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Spring is coming. There are a few hints to me that spring is on the way: this week's Nashville Lawn and Garden show the first chance to take home some new plants for the year and see gardens in bloom; and ordering my seeds for the garden. I was a little late this year getting my seed orders sent out and a few of my selections were already out by the time I had placed my order. It turns out I wasn't the only one missing out on some items.

One of the places I order from is FEDCO they have a great source for organic and untreated seeds. Well, in my packet of seeds a few weeks ago, they enclosed a letter discussing their daunting amount of seed orders this year. C.R. Lawn from FEDCO writes \u201cIt feels like we are at the cutting edge of a sea change in peoples' daily lives. Maybe it is the impact of the record oil prices, the dawning of true acceptance of the possible consequences of global warming, the renewed interest in local foods inspired by Michael Pollan and Barbara Kingsolver and others, whatever the reason, we have not seen growth like this since Y2K...back then that the cause was ephemeral, I have a very different feeling about this surge of interest. Recent articles in the New York Times suggesting a renewed dedication to self-reliance and a sudden reluctance to continue going deeper into debt are resonating.\u201d

Change. The politicians can't get enough of the word but believe it or not it is happening now last week we had the announcement of the nation's largest meat recall ever and everyday folks are deciding it's time to take back control of their food supply. A strong local food supply is the only way to make sure the food on our table is safe and healthy. Support your local farmers and retailers that sell or use local ingredients by putting more money into our local food economy it keeps the farmer farming and encourages young people to make farming a viable livelihood.

Spring is a time of new growth and beginnings and it certainly feels like we are at a tipping point for spreading the word about local food.

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The area I live in was hit hard by a tornado this past week and the results have been devastating for the small, rural community. Between the stories I've heard and what I've witnessed myself, I just want to say that the ties of this area are an amazing thing to behold. It's the true spirit of a community.

From the aisles of Wal-Mart where neighbors hold each other tight, to a man making trips out to the elderly to deliver pet food, to folks offering their pastures and barns to livestock displaced by the storm, to total strangers arriving to help a family sort through debris.
The weather has held too - we've had beautiful, spring-like days and it's helped families have the time to gather their belongings before oncoming rain.

Many farms up this way have lost all of their barns, fencing and many of their livestock. I've seen pastures littered with overturned pick ups instead of cattle. However, the community has stepped up to help their neighbor and ease some troubles.

We are on the verge of spring and spring is a time for hope and an abiding faith that things will get better. Just want to send prayers to all of those trying to make a plan for a better day.

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Welcome to the New Year! I'm a week late in doing my ritual New Year's tasks - cleaning off the desk, preparing my taxes, and putting up the new calendars. The seed catalogs have piled up and I haven't even started making my seed lists yet. However, I have spent the weekend cleaning my space and now feel ready to tackle the new year.

I have been calling and emailing farmers to check in with them regarding their spring crops and most seem hopeful for the new year most believe and hope that it will be better than last year's agricultural challenge. Everyone is hoping there is no repeat of last year's late spring frost which killed off the blossoms of almost all of our fruit and the recent rains are hopefully putting us in good stead for the upcoming growing seasons. Unfortunately I have spoken to a few growers who lost their crops either from the frost or the drought and have decided to get out of the farming business. Farming is a tough job, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. So much is invested into the process of growing food working the ground, planting, harvesting that when you feel you are working against Mother Nature it can be an emotionally draining experience.

The amazing part of growing is that every year is a brand new year filled with new possibilities. This could be the year that is the perfect growing year and as the days get longer and we edge closer to February and March, the excitement is almost palatable. I get so excited to plan out the garden, deciding what to plant and dream of the harvest forgetting about all the hard work, the bugs, humidity, wind storms, fungus', lack of rain or too much rain, the sore back and hands that can hardly pick up my clippers one more time.

However, the miracle of growing food or watching a beautiful flower unfold is worth the price. For those growers that sell their food either at a farmer's market or via community supported agriculture there is another pleasure knowing that the food you grew and tended is enjoyed by others.

Another new pleasure for me this year is to move through the seasons with the readers of Local Table. The world seems to be changing all around us, but one thing that remains constant is our need and desire for fresh, nutritious and delicious food. Not much is certain in the new world around us, but we can be assured that buying from our local farmers will provide us with high, quality food.

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