Written by Christine Laymon of farmfolkways.com, Yellowbird Member

Well, here we are almost a week into my local foods challenge and let’s just say it has been d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! If the above snapshot of our lunch Tuesday is any indication the meals have been appealing to both the eyes and the palate.

Here we have meats, beef and chicken provided from our own farm, and the beans were grown by an Amish friend and then hulled and canned by me, and the salsa came from our own tomato and pepper harvest this summer. The greens, potatoes, onions, garlic, and dairy products were all compliments of Yellowbird Foodshed and their growers. The corn chips were from Shagbark (also purchased through the Yellowbird Foodshed store) and the corn used to make them was grown in Ohio as well. The only thing not produced by ourselves or another Ohio grower was the zucchini a left over from shopping before the local foods challenge - oh and the herbs. . . although I did use some of my own sage.

Written by Christine Laymon of farmfolkways.com, Yellowbird Member

Week 3 for our family brought lots of leafy green vegetables which is a very welcome sight in February! We really try to eat by the seasons, but let’s be honest - after being conditioned for so many years (or even decades) to having produce and fruits accessible year round, it is hard to not expect to eat strawberries in February.

Written by Christine Laymon of farmfolkways.com, Yellowbird Member

My second Winter CSA box was full of surprises, including blueberries! That’s right a package of Ohio blueberries that were picked in season and then packaged and frozen by Wholesome Valley Farm. And then there were mushrooms, and carrots and these really sweet red onions that caramelized beautifully, apples, 3 types of greens, a sampling of butter and a package of oats! It was a wonderful blend of winter greens, storage fruits and vegetables and value added farm items. For all my farmer friends out there please take note of the all the ways we can increase our revenue streams by thinking outside of the box on how we market and sell the whole food products we produce.

Written by Christine Laymon of farmfolkways.com, Yellowbird Member

But the care of the earth is our most ancient and most worthy and, after all, our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it, and to foster its renewal, is our only legitimate hope. - Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America - 1977

Wendell Berry penned these words in 1977, in reaction to the edicts of the then Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Earl Butz. Mr Butz “had issued the most optimistic, the most widely obeyed, and the worst advice ever give to farmers: that they should plow “fencerow to fencerow.” Butz is also known for his quote, “get big or get out”.

Written by Christine Laymon of farmfolkways.com, Yellowbird Member

First, let me begin with a disclaimer:

1. I was born during my parents “Back to the Land” years and grew up on a small family farm where a freezer containing a half of beef, a large garden and organic food co-ops were the norm. When my husband and I purchased the adjacent thirty acres to our home we knew our end goal was to provide as much of our own food as possible. Fast forward exactly 8 months and what started as a family vegetable garden quickly grew into an on farm market and CSA. During those years the problems with our food system became very clear to us as we became eager participants in the counter-cultural movement to make a change on a local level. Almost a decade has past since we started down this road, its been a winding, bumpy, sometimes washboard ride, but we are still trucking along. We now live on a new farm, where we are trying once again to grow as much of our food as possible. We are huge advocates for soil health, organics, and local foods - so it’s pretty clear what side of the food debate I’m on.