Spring has Spring

Here in TN May means you should be gorging yourself on berries right now.  Spring is strawberry season, and it is a short season, at best.  Thankfully this year I don't have to buy quite as many as I did last year, because we didn't use all of our frozen berries yet, and we have a lot of jam & freezer jam left.  That's a good thing, because the berries came in early this year, and most people's are almost gone.  This is also when you should have salad, cabbage, green onions, radishes, and asparagus.  Asparagus season may be even shorter than strawberry season. Once you start eating foods in season this way, you'll never go back, those pasty (often gassed) berries in the grocery store just can't compare with the ripe, juicy redness of berries picked that day.  We enjoy them while we can, and then generally wait in anticipation of strawberry season again next year rather than settling for those grainy store berries from who knows where the rest of the year.

This doesn't mean we only eat strawberries one month of the year.  It just means we only BUY berries in the spring.  By freezing them we have berries for smoothies, cobblers, and shortcake all year long, and it only takes a little time each week.

Here's some places where you can get strawberries in the area:
Valley Home Farm
Dennison's Family Farm
Ferrell Farms

Lynchburg Farmers Market

I have to admit, I’m biased.  This is my favorite market. This is where we sell our eggs, and this year we have grown more veggies specifically for the market.

Dianna Milner Keeps it fun, and brings different recipes for us to try.

Even when I don't have much t sell, I love to hang out there.  (I’m the one homeschooling 3 kids while drinking LOTS of coffee from Southern Perks.)  You'll never find a better bunch of people to spend your Friday mornings with.

My 3 girls like to tell stories about our chickens while they help sell our eggs. (It helps them avoid their schoolwork.)

In the past, we've averaged 4 regular vendors at this market.  We have others almost every week, just not always the same people.  It is completely worth your time to come visit.  The only thing I ever saw someone ask for, and someone not have it, was Okra.  It just wasn’t ready yet.  Everything else, it’s probably there. 

Wilma Kane has the most selection available, and also accepts WIC market vouchers. She can also probably answer any gardening question you can dream up!

This year the market will be on Fridays, from 7-10am; May- October.

It’s located at the 1st pavilion in Wiseman Park in Lynchburg. (behind Mary Bobo’s Boarding House)

Julie Cotton has the best San Marzano tomatoes for sale, and we took home her fiesty rooster from this photo.

This Friday, May 18th is opening day.  See you there!

Falls Mill

(This is an edited repost from my earlier site)

In most of the local challenges I’ve seen, (specifically the show that was on PLGN) finding local grain is one of the biggest challenges people face.  However, here in Southern Middle Tennessee, we are very lucky in this regard.  We have Falls Mill. Not only can we get local wheat and corn, but it’s ground at a water-powered mill.  How COOL is that!

Photos Courtesy of Meghan Dodd

One of the last times the girls and I visited the Mill, we were able to get Wheat Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Cracked Wheat, and Pancake Mix.  The day we were there, they were also grinding corn, which they use to make grits & cornmeal, but we still had some of both of these.

Falls Mill is also home to the Museum of Power and Industry.  The owners, John & Jane Lovett, are always so nice to our girls, answering any questions they have, and giving great explanations of how things work.  One time, Jane demonstrated the printing press & movable type they have to print their bags with, which went along nicely with the girls’ homeschool study of Gutenberg.  She also showed them how the corn becomes cornmeal and grits, and how the dog-powered butter churn works.

The Mill is open Monday-Saturday 9:00 – 4:00 (CLOSED WEDNESDAY)
Sunday 12:30-4:00
Also closed on Thanksgiving, and December 24-2nd week in January.

If you’ve never been, you should go.  If you have been, you should go again, soon. Take a picnic, feed the fish, stay awhile. It's one of my favorite places around.