Hawkeye apple, Slow Food Ark of Taste.
One of the best parts of my job is getting to talk to farmers. This afternoon I
called Ber-Gust Farm in western Ohio and talked with Rick Kabara while he
planted potatoes. (He had already put in 1208 hills when I called, and had
another 600 to go for the day.) Like many LocalHarvest farmers, Rick and his
wife Joanie grow a number of heirloom foods. In this issue of our newsletter
we're announcing our new effort to promote "endangered" foods, so I wanted to
ask him why they make a point of growing unusual varieties. Rick was quiet for
a minute and then he said, "The biggest reason we like to grow old-fashioned
varieties is that, well, I love food." It doesn’t get any more honest than
that. He went on to talk about how he sees that so many people have forgotten
what good food tastes like because they have gotten so used to "grocery store
food." Rick likes to tell people who join their CSA, "You're going to learn to
enjoy food again..."
We're making that our wish for all of you this Spring – may you find beautiful
heirloom foods locally this year, food as it was meant to be. And may you learn
to enjoy food again...
