Availability for January 10

Well, the deep freezes last week really put the hurt down for most of the fresh veggies. One grower reported a low of nine below zero, and it’s hard for any leafy green, no matter how protected, to make it through a night like that.

Still, there are a few items listed in the “Vegetables” category, and a lot more other items besides. There’s plenty of milk, meats, and more eggs than ever before. Mac McGee, of Mac’s Eggs, has listed 50 dozen this week, and that plus all the other dozens listed by the other growers, might just be enough to go around for everyone who wants some, for the first week ever.

One question I get asked a lot, especially by people new to Athens Locally Grown, is why most of our food is not USDA Certified Organic. I tell them that everyone who sells here grows “organically”, but they have found that gaining the trust of their customers (you) by being open, honest, and available has been much more important than getting some government stamp. Also, I say the official government “Organic” program has pretty much lost its meaning, what with the loopholes for large growers, the hurdles for the small, and so forth. That last bit often opens up a long conversation about the pros and cons of the organic program, but now I have a single example I can readily point to: Batter Blaster. If a spray can full of pressurized pancake batter can get the USDA Organic label, what’s the point really?

Thanks for all of your support of your local food producers. We’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30pm to 8pm at Gosford Wine!