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

We’ve reached that busy part of the year, when the slowness of summer turns over to the hustle and bustle of another school year and the gardens go into overdrive producing more than most people can handle. Often, late in August, it gets so hot here that everything pauses (flowers can’t set fruit when it’s really hot for too long), but for now all the squash, all the tomatoes, all the corn, the okra, and so forth of going gangbusters. If you’ve never tried preserving the summer harvest, now is a great time to learn. Former ALG member Liana Krissoff (like so many in this college town, she moved off to another city a few years ago) has an easy to find wonderful book, “Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry”, that is both a great introduction and a valuable resource of more seasoned folks. Equipment is easy to come by, and there’s little impediment to getting started.

One thing that can be hard to find when all the produce is coming in at once is kitchen space. Athens has an answer for that problem, too. Jennie Phillips-De la Vega, owner of Mama Bird’s Shared Kitchen (where she makes her popular granola), located downtown, always welcomes new kitchen clients. I’ve rented a commercial kitchen for a few hours at a time in years past when I had lots of harvest to put away at once, and it’s amazing how much difference all that space can make. The fees I’ve paid have always been totally worth it. She has a website with all the information you need about her kitchen, including her contact info, here: www.mamabirdssharedkitchen.com.

Myself, I’ve got ten pounds of green beans sitting here ready to go into jars. I was hoping to get to it tonight, but it’s late and they can wait one more day.

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 from the Athens Land Trust is open Saturday mornings and their farm stand is open Tuesday afternoons. They have a website too. A new Athens Sunday market has opened up at the Classic Center, every Sunday from 11 to 4 now through October. They have a website here: http://www.sundaycentermarket.com. The Comer Farmers Market is open in downtown Comer on Saturday mornings. The Oconee County farmers market is open Saturday mornings in front of the Oconee County Courthouse in Watkinsville. The Shields Ethridge Cultivator Market is held monthly in Jefferson. If you know of any markets operating, please let me 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!