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ALG Market Open for August 21


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

This Thursday at the ALG pickup, we’ll be hosting two of our farms, who have joined forces to tell us all about heritage meat and fiber animal breeds of the US Southeast. Here’s what Daniella Adams and Cathy Payne have to say: “Grove Creek Farm and Broad River Pastures are looking forward to highlighting American heritage meat and fiber breeds this Thursday at the Meet the Grower table. Grove Creek Farm raises Pineywoods Cattle for grass fed beef and breeding stock. Broad River Pastures raises Gulf Coast Sheep, American Guinea hogs, American rabbits and Silver Fox rabbits for meat, breeding stock and fiber. These rare and unique breeds have been historically important to American agriculture for centuries, but are critically at risk for being lost due to industrialization of agriculture. Gulf Coast sheep and Pineywoods cattle came to the shores of North America on the ships of Spanish and French Explorers over five-hundred years ago. Since then, they have been adapting to the often harsh environment of the Southeast and have developed excellent genetic resistance to the diseases and parasites found here. Preservation of these breeds’ genetic strength is of vital importance to the future of agriculture. We believe the best way to preserve these heritage breeds is to use them for their original purpose: food and fiber. This Thursday, Broad River Pastures will bring pelts, fiber, and yarn as well as their signature Lucky Dog liver treats for sale. Grove Creek Farm will bring their delicious Pineywoods grass-fed beef, so bring your coolers! We will also bring literature about heritage breeds and look forward to sharing our experiences with you!”

I’m excited to see what they bring along. Not that long ago, each community had a stock of vegetable and animal breeds that had been bred over the generations to do well in that community. As the business of farming was taken over by big companies and our food homogenized, we lost almost all of those varieties. Through the work of hard-working anthropologists and others, seed saving organizations collected and helped bring back some heirloom plant varieties from the brink of extinction. One such organization, the Southern Seed Legacy, was founded right here by Daniella’s father, Dr. Robert Rhoades. Reviving livestock breeds is much harder work, but just as important to the health of our food system.

One other note this week: Rancho Alegre Farm was able to get licensed to sell the tasty kombucha they make there on-farm. You’ll find it listed at ALG this week in the beverages category if you’d like to give it a try.

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 is open on Saturdays at Bishop Park and Wednesday afternoons downtown at Creature Comforts. You can catch the news on their website. The West Broad Farmers Market is open throughout the week here in Athens, and you can find more information about them here: www.athenslandtrust.org. The Washington-Wilkes Farmer’s Market in Washington is open every Saturday 9-12 behind the Washington Courthouse. The Oconee County farmers market is open Saturday mornings in front of the Oconee County Courthouse. The other area markets I haven’t mentioned have yet to open 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!