January 13th, 2010 by Margie

I know I know – it has been AGES since I have added to our VH field notes.  I am hoping that 2010 will give me more clarity and strength to spend more time doing the things that mean the most to me.  Sharing the goings on at the farms each month here is definitely on that list!

First of all, I want to say that we have made it into the new year, but it has been no picnic.  I have been struggling everyday, trying to find food for us in 2010.  Many of the farmers cannot provide for us because they do not produce enough in the winter months.  They might have a handful of things to sell at a market here and there but nothing for all of us each week.  After losing sleep over where the food was going to come from and what would happen to our community if I had to close for the winter months, wondering where would you get your food and where would you place your dollars….I had to make a decision.  That’s when most of you got a note that went something like this….

VH Foraging for food

Hi everyone,

I’ve been hard at work trying to put together this week’s basket.  As I’m sure you’ve noticed, it is bitterly cold and there is no immediate end in sight.  As you might guess, this has consequences for our food and has forced me to make some hard decisions.  The local farms we usually get food from are at a standstill.  This has been a severe year starting with the fall floods and now with brutal temperatures in this winter season.  Much of the crops have been wiped out.  I am forced to stretch from local to regional searches to keep fresh, healthy food on our tables each week.   In order to continue to provide fresh, organic food for the next 8-10 weeks with such severe seasonal weather, we will be opening the doors to farms in southern Georgia and neighboring states.  We have gotten food from some of these farms in the past such as Walker Farms’ beautiful sugar snap peas or the avocados and grapefruit from friends in Florida.

We wanted to let you know about this because we realize that bringing in food from farther may not meet everyone’s expectations.  As always, I will tell you all about the farms and give you any links available to their websites because I think you should know where your food comes from.

As each local farm sees new harvesting opportunities, we will bring our money closer to home.  Remember that my two goals with vegetable husband are to support our local organic growing economy and to nourish our bellies with wonderful healthy food.

I agonized over how to tell you that I could not get food quite as close for the next several weeks, as if it should come as any great surprise!  Most of you are probably surprised that there IS food coming each week even in the winter.  After hours of writing and rewriting, the note went out and I went and laid down. It was the hours that followed that made a difference in my life.  Some of you responded right away.  I assumed the worst and hoped for the best, but I never dreamed that I would receive such a response!  Some of your notes, made everything I do worthwhile regardless of money!  I FELT LIKE JIMMY STEWART!!  It really IS a wonderful life!  (grins)  You may think I am joking but you gave me such warm feedback and solid encouragement that all I could think about was that moment when George is in the living room and the whole town is spilling in to give him money to save the business.

My currency was your emails, and they did spill in.  I want you to know that you have not only made me realize that while I cant always deliver the best vegetable I have ever seen or tasted.  I can always deliver the best veggies that I can access from the closest organic farms available at the time.  Thats all I can ask of myself.  I really do like the idea of being super human, though…maybe in my next life!

This week over half of our basket is still from local farms around us, but we are reaching out to our neighbors in Florida and South Carolina for a little help, too.  After all, that is what community is all about!  Thank you for being mine!