Athens Locally Grown

How to contact us:
Our Website: athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/athenslocallygrown
On Thursdays: Here’s a map.

Market News

I’m so excited to see two of the most eagerly awaited items of spring in relative abundance tonight: asparagus and strawberries. I’m sure both will still sell out quickly (the heavy freeze last week took a hard toll on the asparagus in particular), but we’ll be seeing more of both in the coming weeks. One of the main benefits of eating locally and seasonally is you can experience both of these items at the absolute peak of their flavor, unlike buying them at the supermarket where they get picked before they are ripe so they stand up to the rigors of shipping. The difference is amazing.

I’m also happy to welcome back Nature’s Harmony to ALG. They used to have a wide array of offerings from their farm, but they’ve scaled down to focus on one product they especially loved: artisanal cheeses made from milk from their 100% grass-fed cows. The focus has paid off, as their cheeses are winning national and regional awards. Their Georgia Gold Clothbound Cheddar is available this week and has been in particular racking up the awards, having been named the grand champion in the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s “Taste of Georgia” competition and a winner of the national Good Food Awards in San Francisco (1000 Faces Coffee also won one of those awards with a coffee also available this week at ALG).

There’s a new food producer listing this week who is seeking to make a similar impact. Engelsman’s Finest Ferments is listing an excellent sauerkraut made from only organic green cabbage and salt sourced from a South Carolina saltworks. If you’re a kraut fan, you should certainly give it a try.

One last note this week. We are missing quite a few of the bins we use while packing your orders. I know a number of you take them back to your car to unload, and I’m wondering if some of them might have gone back home with you. If so, could you bring them back? We used to have about 30, and we’re down to only seven. It’s slowing us down now filling orders, and I’d rather not have the expense of buying a bunch more. Thanks!

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown, all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Other Area Farmers Markets

The Athens Farmers Market has opened their Saturday market, and their mid-week market will open later in the year. You can catch the news on their website. The Washington-Wilkes Farmer’s Market in Washington is open every Saturday 9-12 behind the Washington Courthouse. The other area markets I haven’t mentioned are also all closed for the season, so far as I know.

All of these other markets are separate from ALG (including the Athens Farmers Market) but many growers sell at multiple markets. Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!