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

The average last frost date for Athens falls this week, but you never know when a weird cold front will blow through, wreaking havoc on the little plants. It may be that last night was the last blast of cold for the year, but ten days from now we might have to crank up the heaters again. If you’ve put out summer plants like tomatoes, peppers, squash, and eggplants, keep an eye out on the forecast for the next week or two, just in case you need protect them. The average last frost date for some of our growers won’t come for another month, further up in the mountains, but that just means more variety for our market.

It’s really never too late to put something in the ground, and it’s prime planting season now. I was one of the founding farms of Athens Locally Grown, back in 2002, but these days I’m living back in the city of Athens and lucky enough to have a community garden right outside my font door. Springtime weather makes me want to throw seeds in every bit of dirt I can find, wherever I find it, so maybe this week I’ll also make some native wildflower seed bombs for use in bare patches I run across.

If you’ve been preparing your garden, or just thinking about starting one, be sure to check out all of the live plants offered by our growers through Athens Locally Grown and the other area farmers markets. Sure, you could run off to Home Depot and buy some mass-produced seedlings soaked in synthetic fertilizers and sprayed with fumigants, but you can also get hardy seedlings grown by the same people cultivating plants for their own vegetable beds, free of synthetic chemicals, for the same prices.

Why am I encouraging you to grow your own food when I’m in the business of helping growers sell you food they grow? For one, studies have shown (and my own experience confirms) that people who grow their own gardens tend to actually increase their yearly purchases at their local farmers markets. Once they take an interest their food so strong that they begin growing what they can, they find that they can rely even more on their local growers for things that they used to get at the grocery store. And besides, my goal is for every community to become less reliant on food grown elsewhere and shipped in from long distances. And you having your own little patch of garden in your yard is a big step in helping Athens do just that.

Thank you 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 opens this coming Saturday. You can find more information on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is open for the season on Saturday mornings from 9am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm for more information. The Oconee County Farms Market is open on Saturdays in Watkinsville. Their website is www.oconeefarmersmarket.org The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. 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!

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

The weather this weekend was absolutely beautiful. Just perfect for getting outside and enjoying a day at the park, or walking through the neighborhood, or working out in the garden. You might think, what with the daytime temps nearly hitting 80 degrees and the traditional farmers markets all opening up again that it’s the perfect time to put those tomato seedlings you picked up at market or the plant sale into the garden. It is prime gardening season, but hold off on those summer plants just a little bit longer! We’re going to have two nights down in the 30s this week, and the low on Saturday is currently forecast to hit freezing. That’s enough to outright kill those summer veggies, most of which are tropical plants that can’t handle even the slightest bit of cold. For tomatoes, I’d recommend hold off until the nights are reliably in the 50s for optimal growth. You can start them sooner and they’ll survive nights in the 40s, but it doesn’t do them any good at all and generally stunts them for the rest of the year.

I know when you see those gorgeous plants listed at ALG and elsewhere the urge is strong to go home and put them right into the ground when the weather is like it was today. I have to fight that urge off every year, too, and I’ve had a garden going most every year of my life. Go ahead and buy them and get to know them, but keep them in the pots and bring them inside at night for just a little while longer. They’ll thank you later.

Thank you 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 opens this coming Saturday. You can find more information on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is open for the season on Saturday mornings from 9am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm for more information. The Oconee County Farms Market is open on Saturdays in Watkinsville. Their website is www.oconeefarmersmarket.org The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. 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!

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

It’s the time of year where all the other area farmers markets are beginning to open up from their winter slumber. I’ve been told the Comer market is now open on Saturday mornings, and the Athens Farmers Market will be opening this coming Saturday at Bishop Park and then the following Wednesday at Creature Comforts downtown. The Oconee County Farmers Market also opens up on Saturday in downtown Watkinsville. 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!

Thank you 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 opens this coming Saturday. You can find more information on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is open for the season on Saturday mornings from 9am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm for more information. The Oconee County Farms Market is open on Saturdays in Watkinsville. Their website is www.oconeefarmersmarket.org The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. 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!

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

Spring is now officially here, and the pine trees are celebrating up a storm. The weather didn’t get the memo, though, and it’s going to be mighty cold the next few nights. For a while, the forecast had us falling down below freezing, but that’s been revised upwards just a bit. That would have been a disaster for all the fruit trees that flowered a month early. Still, it’s going to be hard on all that tender vegetation. If you’ve planed any summer veggies in your garden, you’ll want to protect them as best you can this week. Most of Athens might escape frost, but it’ll happen here and there. Be ready!

If you’re still looking for seeds, or you’ve got extra you don’t need (especially seed you’ve collected yourself from open pollinating varieties), the 19th annual Old Timey Seed Swap hosted by Grove Creek Farm out in Crawford is just around the corner! Here’s more information:

“19th Annual Old-Timey Seed Swap: Join us for a casual potluck gathering and seed swap April 2nd 2016 from 1pm-6pm. With spring around the corner, we’re excited to share our plans for the 19th Annual Old Timey Seed Swap! Originally organized by the UGA Anthropology Department and Professor Dr. Bob Rhoades in 1998, this is a celebration of heirloom seeds, local food sources, traditional agriculture, and good conversation as folks share stories and swap seeds, plants, and bulbs. Why swap seeds? There are hundreds of varieties of heirloom seeds throughout the South with fascinating histories linked to families through generations of seed saving. Since the 1900’s however, thousands of varieties of heirloom vegetables, flowers and fruit have disappeared. Once lost, these varieties can never be recovered — their important genes and a piece of American history are lost forever. Swapping seeds helps preserve the varieties that remain so they can be used for agriculture for years to come – help save them!”

“So join us! Bring your heirloom seeds to swap, your questions or your gardening stories and knowledge, picnic blanket or chairs, musical instruments, or even a potluck dish to: Grove Creek Farm 10 Legacy Rd. Crawford, GA 30630. Potluck will be at 2pm this year. You don’t have to have seeds to swap – just come to learn how you can help. For updates please visit us on Facebook or www.grovecreekfarm.org. See you in April! NO DOGS PLEASE. Contact us for more information at dani@grovecreekfarm.org”

Thank you 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 opens in two weeks. You can find more information on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is open for the season on Saturday mornings from 9am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm for more information. The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. 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!

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

If you got a spring break, I hope it was a good one! I had to work all week, but managed to get away just for a little while, and spent the day walking the grounds f the Atlanta Botanical Garden. I couldn’t have asked for a better day. Judging from the solid like of cars on 316 from Atlanta back to Athens, it looked like the whole city was coming back at once.

I don’t have any market news for you this week, so I’ll just open the market and let you get right to it. Have a good week!

Thank you 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 closed for the winter. You can watch for news during the offseason on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is continuing, weather permitting, on Saturday mornings from 10am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm on Friday evening for their plans. The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. If you know of any winter markets operating, please let me know. And they might all be closed, but we’ll be here all year round!

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!

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 week our town takes a collective pause, what with pretty much all of the schools in town at all levels taking spring break. I know many of you are leaving town for the week, and judging by the items listed on the website, a few of our growers have done the same. So, it’ll be a pretty light week.

It also looks like it’ll be a gorgeous week, weather-wise. I spent some time in the garden this weekend, and I’m hoping to do some more this week, pulling out the winter weeds and putting seeds and seedlings down in their place. I’ve had gardens large and small pretty much every year of my adult life, and this time of year I want to spend every moment out in them. I’m tending a small community garden these days, and it feels just as good as when I had a full acre under cultivation.

Thank you 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 closed for the winter. You can watch for news during the offseason on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is continuing, weather permitting, on Saturday mornings from 10am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm on Friday evening for their plans. The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. If you know of any winter markets operating, please let me know. And they might all be closed, but we’ll be here all year round!

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!

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

The annual Georgia Organics conference was held this past weekend, over in Columbus, GA. Its generally one of my favorite events of the year, and the Saturday night “Farmers’ Feast” is always the best meal I have all year, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it over there this time. It’s been nice seeing all the updates and photos posted to social media, though, and I’m hopeful next year I’ll be able to attend again.

Two weeks ago at pickups, we had some representatives from the campus organization “Real Food UGA” who are working hard to get more locally-sourced food available in the university’s many kitchens. I’ve asked them to write a few words about their important project to share with you, and here they are:

In 2009, a couple of UGA students learned about a campaign taking place on college campuses across the country called the Real Food Challenge. By harnessing the multi-million dollars of purchasing power that colleges and universities hold, the food industry could finally see positive change. The RFC classifies ‘real food’ as meeting at least one of the following criteria: fair, local, sustainable, ecologically sound, or humane. Since then, students at UGA have been working to get the President to sign a commitment stating that 20% of our food will meet a higher standard by the year 2020. And, as we have entered the 6th year of this campaign, we know that now is the time that real change can actually be made.

What exactly does this “work” look like? Examining, researching, and tracking all the food purchases UGA makes, educating students about the global impact of the food economy, meeting with faculty and administration, and uniting with other campus organizations and Real Food campaigns across the country. But, now we are asking for the help of our community. If issues such as workers’ rights, farmers’ livelihoods, community health, or animal treatment matter to you, we ask you to do one thing: sign our petition. The more names we have, the more our administration will know that this is something we need, and something we need now. When you’ve signed it, pass it along. If you wish to raise your voice alongside us, please check out our website or get in touch with us at realfooduga@gmail.com and we would be happy to give you more information.

Member farm Brad River Pastures is hosting their annual spring educational tour on their Elberton Farm on April 16th. Participants will learn about the role of heritage livestock on small sustainable farms, including managed rotational grazing of rare Gulf Coast Native Sheep and rare American Guinea Hogs. Participants must pre-register and pre-pay to attend and provide contact information. The cost is $10 for adults and children over 13 ($5 for Broad Rivers CSA Members!). $3 supervised children, and ages 3-12 Children under 3 years are free. To sign up, or for more info, contact Cathy Payne at broadriverpastures@gmail.com.

Finally, this week Shalley Carrell from Carrell Farms will be at our “Meet the Grower” table at order pickups. They were popular last time they took the table, teaching us about their 100% pastured water buffalo, lamb, and alpaca farm.

Thank you 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 closed for the winter. You can watch for news during the offseason on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is continuing, weather permitting, on Saturday mornings from 10am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm on Friday evening for their plans. The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. If you know of any winter markets operating, please let me know. And they might all be closed, but we’ll be here all year round!

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!

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 don’t have a lot of new information for the newsletter tonight. It’s been a really beautiful last few days though, and that’s had me itching to get into the garden and get to work. I’m lucky that there is a community garden in the apartment complex where I live, practically right outside my door, so I have take my basket of hand tools and get right to it. Even though I don’t have my own vegetable market farm any more, I still grow the same things I did then — unusual heirloom varieties from around the world. My favorite source for seeds is Sow True Seed, just of the road from us in Asheville, NC. But my favorite source for live plants is right here at Athens Locally Grown. Right now there are 40 listings for live plants on the market, and you can expect that to climb into the hundreds as gardening season get into full swing. I can’t wait to be taking flats home with me on Thursday nights and getting them into the garden on the weekends.

Thank you 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 closed for the winter. You can watch for news during the offseason on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is continuing, weather permitting, on Saturday mornings from 10am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm on Friday evening for their plans. The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. If you know of any winter markets operating, please let me know. And they might all be closed, but we’ll be here all year round!

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!

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 week, I’d like to remind you about a feature of the website that you may have missed. When we started filling orders paperlessly a few years ago, I revamped the “Order History” that you can view by looking at the Your Account page. Back when we had a sheet of paper with your order on it, you could see right then if a grower couldn’t fill an item you had ordered. Now, we try to tell you (we can see that on our little screens), but I do sometimes get asked days or weeks later about missing items (often when someone else picked up the order, and word didn’t get passed back). The system records every time a grower takes something off your order by adding a note to the comment section of the order. Sometimes they’ll also email you in person, but not always. Additionally, the system records when we put an item in your basket or bag, and how you paid. If something turns up missing because the grower didn’t bring it, or if we later discover a bag with your name on it (usually because we accidentally gave you someone else’s), it’ll record that too. We automatically issue refunds for items you paid for but didn’t receive (and you’ll get an automated email each time), and that gets recorded also. You can see all these notes and details about your order by pulling it up in your order history and clicking the link for the PDF Invoice.

If you want to double-check our packing as we hand you your order, you can print out that invoice and bring it with you or load it up on your smart phone. There’s nothing wrong with that, and we welcome your diligence. By 2pm on Thursday, it should accurately reflect what you’re going to be getting that day. I will say that the paperless system has improved our order filling accuracy tremendously. We still have to refund a couple things each week, but well over 99.9% of the items are getting to where they’re supposed to go.

If you have entered your credit card into our system, we do not run those cards until after pickups close on Thursday night, and the total charged to your card reflects any adjustments that had to get made along the way. If there is any question, the PDF has an item by item accounting of everything you received and was charged for, so we can go back over that at any time.

If you’ve ordered something one week and want to order it again, but can’t quite remember what it was called or who sold it, there’s a simpler version of your order history right on the market page. If you never use it, you can hide it, but what makes it really useful is the items you ordered previously will have an “add to cart” link right next to them if they are currently being offered for sale again. If you like to buy the same things each week, it can really speed up your shopping time.

Also, just a reminder that we don’t actually open and begin filling orders until 4:30pm on Thursdays. Sometimes we get a line of people forming at 4pm, when growers are still trying to load and unload. I get a little worried about having all that truck traffic going through a crowd of people for one, and it’s also just human nature to get a little frustrated when you’ve been waiting in line for a while. If the growers have all come early and we have things under control, we will start filling orders early, as soon as we’re able. But keep in mind that we don’t officially open until 4:30pm, so if you’re in a hurry at 4 and want your items right away, there’s a good chance we won’t be able to help you. We’re usually in a mad rush ourselves just trying to get everything organized in the back. The growers fill items in the order that they were bought, not in the order that you arrive, so getting there super early won’t help you get items in short supply.

Finally, this week Chuck and Amy from Mill Gap Farm will be at our “Meet the Grower” table, featuring their sunchokes and burmese peanuts. It’s always a treat to have them there, and if you haven’t met them yet, I think you’ll enjoy getting to know them.

Thank you 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 closed for the winter. You can watch for news during the offseason on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is continuing, weather permitting, on Saturday mornings from 10am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm on Friday evening for their plans. The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. If you know of any winter markets operating, please let me know. And they might all be closed, but we’ll be here all year round!

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!

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

Here at the beginning of the year, growers everywhere are putting together their plan for the gardens, deciding what to grow where, how much they hope to harvest, what tools they need to do the job, and making sure they have a market for everything so they don’t, at minimum, lose money. It’s a pretty expensive time of year, too, since they need to buy everything they need now but they won’t be seeing income until later on. If they’re doing exactly the same thing as last year, and they saved wisely, then maybe they have enough from last seasons sales to get them through the beginnings of this years. But if something went wrong, or some expensive equipment needs repaired or replaced, or they want to expand the operation, what they’ve got stashed away just won’t cut it. Every farm in the world goes through this at the beginning of the year, and it’s why, in this country, theres a multi-billion dollar industry of “Farm Credit” banking. Years ago, every farmer could go down to their bank and sign a note to get them gong for the year. But as farming has become consolidated and industrialized over the years, the banks have changed their scale too, and now they just have no idea what to do with small farms like those that sell through ALG.

Community Supported Agriculture, also known as subscription farming, is one recent innovation that allows some small farms to get the capital they need early in the year. They get their customers to pay up front for the food they’ll be getting throughout the year, often at a substantial discount over retail, and so the farmer has their money right when they need it and the customers (hopefully) get their share of the harvest when they need that. There are several CSA farms in the Athens area, and it can be a very good model for those farmers and customers who can work within that structure.

Crowd Funding is another new way farmers have raised money in recent years. We’ve had several ALG growers use crowdfunding campaigns to successfully fund a milking parlor and cheese production facility, fencing and vegetable bed renovations, and other expensive one-time projects. Burnell Farm out in Royston is currently in the middle of a similar campaign, to replace a borrowed 1951 tractor that has broken beyond repair. The Burnells have an interesting story. They moved here a few years ago after losing everything they had in the Iowa floods, and through a Herculean amount of work have built one of the area’s most productive vegetable farms from the ground up. You can read more about them and participate in their campaign (and get a number of items in return for your contribution) here: https://www.barnraiser.us/projects/burnell-farms-much-needed-tractor

Rockin’ H Farm in Statham have another large expense coming up: doubling the size of their pastures and gardens. They’ve obtained the land and now just need to pay for the labor of clearing brush and such. Instead of starting a crowdfunding campaign, they’ve turned to a much older method of fundraising — a good old fashioned raffle. They’re selling 1500 raffle tickets for a chance to win a tractor, a utility garden vehicle, a mower, and a nice ice chest. You can read more about their farm, the plans they have, and the raffle on their website here: http://rockinhfarm.com/Raffle/.

However you choose to support your local farmers, even if it’s just reading this email and seeing what they have to offer this week, we all thank you 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 closed for the winter. You can watch for news during the offseason on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is continuing, weather permitting, on Saturday mornings from 10am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm on Friday evening for their plans. The other area markets are also all closed for the season, I believe. If you know of any winter markets operating, please let me know. And they might all be closed, but we’ll be here all year round!

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!