While Visions of Vegetables Danced In Her Head

Three weeks from today, I will pick-up my first bounty of fresh picked, organic vegetables from a local family-run farm that practices sustainable agriculture. This makes me (almost) a farmer. I have prepaid for a weekly 1/2 bushel (See? I even know the lingo...) during the 23 week growing season and expect an abundance of tomatoes, okra, kale, cabbage, peppers, potatoes, carrots, corn, onions, garlic, tender, baby lettuces and an assortment of berries from sun-kissed May to chill-infused October. I can taste them now.

I'm imagining my drive to the pick-up location: Putamayo's "Music From The Wine Lands" playing while the sunroof sucks my hair out the top of the car; I get out, French straw market basket in-hand (see above), wearing a lovely botanical print dress (see right), smiling ear to ear (while remaining completely calm and cool) and skipping to the produce tent (or truck... or whatever they transport my delicious renderings from God's miracle concoction of seeds, water and sunshine in).

Why don't I feel this euphoria when I go to the supermarket? Well, maybe because Publix doesn't allow me the opportunity to get to know the people who are growing my food - I don't get to feel personally involved with the growing process and have a "partnership" with a family that benefits greatly from my interest in knowing where my food came from, how it was grown and who grew it. Plus Publix has never invited me to a picnic with hayrides, bonfires and garden tours.

Eating "with the seasons" is something I have never really done in my adult life because of the availability and growing practices of commercial producers. I'm not opposed to having "sun-ripened" tomatoes year-round, but something feels slightly contrived about it, not to mention it's not sustainable to my local area and I don't feel a personal connection to the source of something I take such pleasure in consuming.

After watching "Food, Inc." last week on PBS (which I highly recommend everyone I know to watch), I went to www.localharvest.org/csa and printed off a list of local growers. After settling on one that I felt excited about partnering with (you buy a "share" in their growing season), I'm also considering other ways to get involved with my food source locally - a "cow-share" program for raw milk (find out about the benefits of raw milk here) is my next mission. Stayed tuned... that could be a great adventure - with a totally different soundtrack, outfit and accessories.