Native Sun Farm

There is a force that is always seeking to bring something of value and expansiveness into our lives. The skill is firstly being able to hear when it is calling you, and secondly, listen to what it is telling you.
It was seemingly by chance that we met Brent and Amy Lopp of Native Sun Farm attending the Wine Fest at Habersham Vineyard a few weeks back. Rain was falling (as it seems to each weekend) and we happened into a conversation with a young couple at one of the stands.
Quite by coincidence it transpired that they were busy establishing an Organic Farm just outside Athens, growing a selection of crops including heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, beans, tomatillos, and peas to name a few.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this business is when we go as a family to visit growers and producers and were delighted when Brent and Amy invited us to visit Native Sun Farm. Located in the gentle landscape outside Athens, Native Sun broke ground at the end of last year and is currently growing small crops of a wide variety of produce.
Brent is an intuitively great grower, one of those people for whom all things green thrive. He planted his rows following the gentle sinuous contours of the land. This ensures natural drainage and provides a constantly shifting pattern of light and shade which helps plants cope with the hot Georgia sun.
He also explained that even small fields have distinct micro-climatic differences that suit certain plants better than others and is currently experimenting with plants in different areas.
The farm is 100% Organic and as we walked and talked, we got to pick and taste what ever we wanted. Try doing this on a conventional farm and you may find yourself hooked to the stomach pump at the local ER!
Chance again played a hand as Brent explained. Having let a row of radishes bolt, he noticed that it produced an abundance of small seed pods. It turns out that these pods have a delicious mild radish quality and now his ‘Radish Peas’ are a permanent feature.
Native Sun supplies the farmers market in Athens, local restaurants and has a stand at the farm itself. Organics2u is delighted that Brent and Amy have agreed to supply us with Heirloom Tomatoes when they come to harvest as well as crops of lettuce. We hope that as the year progresses we will be able to prevail upon Native Sun to provide more and more produce for the Organic Produce Boxes.
After a really enjoyable visit, we decided to tour the Terrapin Brewery in the city. While waiting in line we happened to meet Fred and Mary Beth Tanner of Cedar House Inn and Yurts, Dahlonega; quite by chance of course.
Oranics2u provides 100% Organic Fruits and Vegetables in a convenient weekly box. We also source top quality Grass-Fed Beef, Heirloom Free-Range Pork and soon, Natural Lamb. Find us at Organics2u.net or on Facebook at Organics2u.

As the seasons change

Spring is fully underway in N Georgia, despite this weekends storms and torrential downpours. As favorable conditions move northward in the next few weeks, we should see more Georgia producers come on line. It is always good to be eating Organic produce, but it always feels a little more special when sourced from close to home.
At present, South Florida is winding down production, and north Florida and South Georgia are ramping up. California is due to start delivering in earnest to markets now also, but recent rains have slightly delayed that region. This shift in seasons produces a slight gap in the market at this time but we do our best to ensure there is a seamless transition for our customers.
When we first started the produce box service, a number of people were concerned that the produce be seasonal and local. I was happy to disappoint them, for if any of you have eaten based upon local, seasonal produce in temperate zones such as this (I have), you will know what a dismal prospect the early months of the year are.
It is not my intention to belittle those concerns. I am an advocate of local producers and the furtherance of a deep and rich food culture in every region of the globe. Here in the USA as in most of the “Westernized” nations we are conditioned to expect to eat what ever we choose all year round. As with all things, I believe there are advantages and disadvantages to this.
For those who consider these things, the disadvantages are often the easiest to point out. There are many aspects of this global market which are undesirable and distasteful. Perhaps the most obvious is transportation of refrigerated produce over vast distances and the commensurate atmospheric pollutants produced. The vast amount of energy expended in transporting goods of all varieties around the planet should be a serious consideration for all of us. Fair trade practices and worker exploitation are also major ethical concerns. In terms of nutritional value, the longer fresh produce is stored, the more it is in danger of losing it’s potency.
How about the positive side of this enlarged, multi-regional market place? I think the biggest advantage is to be found in the impact that variety and abundance have on health. Eating a varied diet is more likely to satisfy the spectrum of nutritional requirements as long as the produce is not degraded during transportation. A little considered advantage is that local soils may be deficient in certain key mineral components and by eating foods grown in diverse environs will likely provide a more complete mineral complement.
Is local and seasonal better- yes it is. It is better for us, for our local community and economy, and better due to the reduced environmental impact. Does it work for a produce box scheme- no.
The primary goal of the Organic2u produce boxes is to get good, clean food into people’s diets. We have to positively address the expectations of our community and providing variety will ensure an attractive product that will fulfill the primary goal mentioned above.
The reality of the world is that seasons will bring all things in their proper time. Growing seasons and harvests move with the passage of the sun back and forth. I for one think at this stage in the resurgence of Organic farming it is better to support Organic growers and producers no matter where they are, and to celebrate the shifting natural abundance as the season of plenty passes through our area.

Natural Beef from Georgia

We had the privilege this week of visiting Whippoorwill Farm in NE Georgia (see picture above). The owners, Bruce and Jeanne O’Connor keep a small herd of beef cattle on this beautiful property.

The care and devotion to the well being of these animals is plain to see; they are amongst the most relaxed and content cattle we have ever encountered. The O’Connors also keep a small flock of egg producing hens that are also in perfect conditions.

I will leave it up to Bruce to elaborate further. “We produce all natural, nutritious beef from cattle that graze only on pasture and hay at our small family farm in northeast Georgia. Our cattle are mostly Angus cross-breeds. Unlike many commercial operations, we do not use growth hormones and do not feed animal by-products, sub-therapeutic antibiotics, GMOs, steroids or grains of any kind. This produces a meat which higher in “good” fatty acids - Omega 3 and cancer-fighting CLA – compared to most commercial beef which is fattened on corn.

We also offer brown eggs from our free-ranging hens. All of our animals are part of a sustainable farm management system. No chemical fertilizers are used on our pastures.

We utilize management intensive rotational grazing techniques to insure healthy, biologically diverse forage, woods and streams as well as healthy animals. Low-stress and humane handling of all our animals is a high priority with us.

Our beef is processed at a USDA inspected facility and dry-aged a minimum of 14 days. It is available in quarter (from split half) or smaller portions. (Shipping is not available.) Because our herd is small we only have a limited supply of beef to offer at any give time.”

There are many reasons why meat raised in this manner is beneficial to us and to the environment and we wholeheartedly support the efforts of the O’Connors and other producers like them.

For those who are interested in ordering beef, please contact us at organics2u@gmail.com or call us on 706 363 7703. We will be able to go through the various options and fill you in on any details.

Bruce anticipates that the next meat will be available in July and demand usually outstrips supply so please consider ordering soon.