Who says you can’t have basil in March? Not us!

We took this short video clip a few months back as we planted our organic basil in its permanent space for the year. If you follow us on Facebook, you may have seen this clip when we originally posted it, but we added it here because it goes perfectly with this topic.

Each year as the seasons change, we begin to plan and plant for the next one. This is important to note because we only grow what’s in season. You won’t find us with items like watermelons in April or peaches in March because they’re not in season.

Why is this an important topic? Well for one we want you to be an educated consumer. We see so many people going to Farmers Markets or road side stands without asking any questions. If we’re buying locally the number one question we always ask is:

Did YOU grow this?

Why?!? Well we are making a choice with our dollars to support LOCAL and want those dollars to count for our community.

I recently posted on Facebook that by buying local, you strengthen your farmers and your community. Let’s illustrate this:

• You go and purchase food items from your local farmer.
• Your farmer uses that money to buy seeds, feed, equipment, soil, etc., thereby putting money back into the community.
• The farmer uses those items to grow more food for you and others in the community to purchase.
• You are happy to have a trusted local food source.
• Your farmer is happy making a living doing what she loves.
• The process repeats itself.

This motto only works if the person you’re buying from has produce that was actually locally grown. We follow various charts for our zone. From these we’ve learned how to plant for the seasons as they come in.

This year in preparation for Kith & Kin CSA we purchased a small indoor setup that allowed us to get a jump on the season. This was necessary for the success of our CSA. So we’ve started early, but we’re still planting what’s in season.

The bottom line is this. If it matters to you how something was grown or if the person you’ve purchased from actually grew it, then please ask questions. After all, if you make a trip to a farm or a farmers market instead of the grocery store think about why you’re doing it….

We do it because we want to keep money in our community! We want to support those small farmers who take pride and care with their plants and animals. We want to eat fresh organic and chemical free vegetables. We want to eat eggs and meat from animals who lived outside and ate grass and bugs the way God intended them too. We want to support those who support us. We want to shop from people we trust who are hardworking and honest. Who take the time to grow the food and can tell you what challenges they faced in doing it and how they overcame those challenges. We want to sit around and “garden talk” or “farm talk.” These things are important to us! We hope they are to you as well. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. When you see us, ask us questions. We are always ready to share!