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’ve totally run out of things to say about the rain. I can’t complain about it, because we’ve been so hot and dry so much of the last decade. And I’ve found that each year I handle the heat and humidity a little bit worse than the year before. And, I’ve always wanted to visit Portland. So, given those, it’s been a perfect summer. But I also haven’t been able to do hardly any of my outdoor projects around the house, and I didn’t appreciate the river rising so much last week that it flooded and shorted out my well. It’s not that we’ve had more rain than other wet years in recent memory (we haven’t), but those other years had a few discreet rain events, like hurricanes, that dumped a lot of water at once. This year, it’s been cloudy and wet pretty much every single day since, what, February?

Oh well. My garden is producing. I’m glad I didn’t plant many root crops like potatoes and sunchokes. I wish I’d planted that packet of golden rice seeds I’ve been holding on to. I always think about our market growers who are working outside in the rain day after day, trying to make do with what the weather’s given them. It’s so easy to be removed from our food, and the conditions under which it was grown and harvested, but when it was grown just down the road from your house, you know exactly what kind of weather the farmers have to put up with. I have a feeling this year will be one that is remembered for a long time.

It’s almost time again for “Tomatoes at Terrapin”! July 25th, from 5:30 to 7:30 (yeah, right during ALG pickups, so I won’t be there unfortunately) is a fundraiser for the Athens Nurses Clinic where attendees get to help us continue our cause of providing free medical services by eating deliciously fresh, locally grown tomato sandwiches and drinking refreshing, locally brewed Terrapin Beer! It’s the perfect way to celebrate the amazing tomatoes that local farmers donate to the event and help those who need our services. And did we mention that there is live music? This year we will listen to the musical stylings of MrJordan MrTonks while eating those sandwiches and enjoying a beer. Bring your chairs, blankets, and kids! Tickets are $20 in advance and $24 at the door. (Under 21 $10; Kids under 10 $5) http://athensnursesclinic.org/wp/tomatoes-terrapin/get-tt-tickets/ This year we asked some Athens celebrities their thoughts about the summer tomatoes. This week find out out what Sunny Ortiz of Wide Spread Panic, Mayor Denson, Patterson Hood of The Drive by Truckers, and Peter Dale of the National think is so special about the summer tomatoes in Georgia. Check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P580TuwVrds

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 Saturday mornings at Bishop Park and Wednesday evenings downtown (see their website for info). The West Broad Farmers Market is open Tuesday afternoons as well as the first Saturday of the month (see their website for info). The Oconee Farmers Market is now open on Tuesdays 4-7pm on Main Street next to the First Christian Church along with their Saturday hours of 8am-1pm in front of the Court House in Watkinsville. The Washington-Wilkes Farmer’s Market in Washington is open every Saturday 9-12 behind the Washington Courthouse. The Royston Farmers market is Thursday mornings downtown.

All of these other markets are separate from ALG (even 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!