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Tasty Georgia blueberry picking at Washington Farms (about an hour outside of Atlanta)

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on July 16, 2010

Last weekend, my boyfriend, extended family, and I went Georgia blueberry picking at Washington Farms about an hour outside of Atlanta. I went in with high hopes of walking away with a cooler of full of berries like we did with strawberries before, but alas, blueberries are more time consuming to pick (nevermind that they’re about a tenth the size of a strawberry). So each of us ended up walking away with a little less than one gallon each. Not enough to last me the year as I’d hoped, but certainly enough to make one cobbler a day for a week and still have some to spare.

Georgia blueberry picking at Washington Farms near Atlanta

Picking blueberries at Washington Farms on a bright July day (maybe sunscreen would have been a good idea)

Washington Farms is extremely easy to find and they give clear directions on their website from just about any direction you could be coming from. They have two farms (one in Watkinsville and one in Loganville) and you should call ahead of time to make sure they still have blueberries left (the season will be winding down). They also have strawberry picking in the spring and pumpkins and fun activities for kids in the fall.

After we left Washington Farms in Watkinsville, we went back to my cousin’s farm house to cook up some of the blueberries as well as feed the chickens…

Feeding the chickens at my cousin's farm near Washington Farms

They didn't get blueberries, but they seemed alright with their diet of bugs and feed

And pick tomatoes (only if they exceeded 5 pounds in weight)…

Zack with a giant tomato, on his head for size comparison

Caprese salad anyone?

Overall, this summer’s berry picking was a success and I’m looking forward to more blueberries and strawberries next year!

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Farm Burger in Decatur serves up local Georgia beef patties (and a veggie option!)

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on June 24, 2010

Farm Burger in Decatur GA serves up local Georgia beef patties

Within minutes of Farm Burger opening in Decatur, Zack turned to me and simultaneously declared his hunger and desire to try this new place that served hamburgers made with local beef (sourced in part from one of our frequent farms, White Oak Pastures). It took a few weeks, but we finally dined in recently, later on a Sunday evening after the crowds had died down.

Farm Burger in Decatur GA offers up grassfed beef burgers at feel-good prices

My second time around at Farm Burger in Decatur, I just got the kid's meal for a pint-sized afternoon snack. That and my apple juice box hit the spot.

About a year and a half ago, I decided to cut down on (and then cut out) eating meat of unknown origins, and to stick to meat that came from sustainable farms in Georgia. I thought that it would essentially leave me a vegetarian, without claiming myself as such. However, places like Farm Burger make it easy to be a principled meat-eater – and with delicious burgers, too.

Burgers are made to order and you can choose a variety of your own toppings or pick from one of the house burgers with a savory combination of flavors. The decor is that of a southern home / barn with a picnic-table feel. I’m no food critic, but definitely wanted to share with you that these tasty burgers are worth a visit to Farm Burger – especially if you’re going for the more eco-friendly lifestyle. And for those that are true vegetarians, there is a veggie burger option, too!

For all the times I try to explain to people why grassfed beef is better, here is a great, quick synopsis from the Farm Burger website – “Why grassfed beef?”

Farm Burger also supports these other local and sustainable Georgia farms, including the following:

White Oak Pastures
Moore Family Farms (my CSA you’ve probably seen me write about)
Red Mule Grits
Riverview Farm
Sequatchie Cove
Woodland Gardens
Crystal Organics
Love is Love Farm
Enchanted Mountain Trout
Sparkman’s Dairy
Roots Farm
Backyard Harvest
Gum Creek Farm
Featherwise Farms

And check out these other sustainable burger joints around town (for the sustainable eater):

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Join Moore Farm and Friends CSA as they celebrate their Summer Farm Tour and Big Pig Roast!

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on June 23, 2010

I just wanted to share this quick video from Moore Farms and Friends, a CSA (community supported agriculture) that delivers local Georgia produce and food to dozens of drop-off points around Atlanta each week. I’m going on my second year with them and am excited to get my box this week from Sawicki’s in Decatur. In addition to fresh food (and they have a wide range of dairy, meat, eggs, herbs, preserves, and more), the owners Will and Laurie will include recipes in their weekly newsletter with tips on how to cook items in that week’s box.

Moore Farms and Friends from Moore Farms on Vimeo.

On Sunday, June 27th, Moore Farm and Friends members are invited to tour three farms as part of the Summer Farm Tour and Big Pig Roast. The tour is $25 per adult (kids 12 and under are free) and follows this schedule:

  • 10 a.m. (EST) Udderly Cool Dairy Tour – Roopville, GA
  • 11:45 a.m. (EST) Mt Gilead Farm Tour – Newell, AL
  • 1 p.m. (EST) Moore Farms Tour and Big Pig Roast – Woodland, AL

Each ticket includes a meal (with vegetarian or omnivore options). The Big Pig Roast will feature chefs Steven Herman of Haven and Matt Swickerath of Valenza. (My stomach is already rumbling thinking of the last time Will Moore served as master of ceremonies for a pig roast from some of Atlanta’s top chefs… you’ll want to be there!)

You can find out more about Moore Farm and Friends, buy tickets, and sign up for their CSA service (you pay each week, so no long-term commitments, and you can join any time) on their website, www.MooreFarmsandFriends.com.

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White Provision Welcomes Shaun Doty’s YEAH! BURGER, an eco-friendly restaurant featuring local meats

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on June 11, 2010

Atlanta welcomed to the scene our newest sustainable restaurant in White Provision on the west side last night! “YEAH! Burger” will focus on locally-sourced meat (from White Oak Pastures – a favorite of Zack’s and mine), eco-friendly materials and practices, and organic foods with the ultimate goal of creating a zero waste zone. The trend of sustainable dining seems to be one that sticking, and one that I hope will become the norm in the near future.

Read on for the press release here and let me know what you think once you’ve had a chance to try it!

Oh yeah, BONUS! You know the car wash at the corner of Virginia and North Highland in the heart of Virginia Highland? That’s already slated for the next YEAH! Burger, opening this fall (thanks to my inside connection at work, who’s brother is one of the investors making this happen).

Shaun Doty to Launch YEAH! BURGER at White Provision in June 2010
Established local chef will open a 2,400-square-foot eco-friendly, fast-casual burger eatery in Atlanta’s Westside community

ATLANTA (May 25, 2010) – Leading real estate investment firm Jamestown announced today that celebrated Chef Shaun Doty of Shaun’s in Inman Park and entrepreneur Erik Maier will open YEAH! BURGER at White Provision, a restored mixed-use project that delivers distinctive restaurant space, condo units, retail, showroom and office space in Westside Atlanta. Opening on Thursday, June 10, the restaurant will feature customizable burgers made with White Oak Pastures grass-fed beef from South Georgia, nitrate-free hot dogs, hand-cut French fries, organic salads and Straus Family Creamery organic ice cream, all served in a comfortable “California casual” setting. YEAH! BURGER re-imagines the classic American burger joint as a fast-casual eatery with a strong commitment to real, all-natural ingredients and sustainability.

“We are proud to welcome YEAH! BURGER to White Provision. Shaun Doty is an Atlanta industry veteran who will further establish our community as a premier dining and shopping destination on the Westside,” said Chris Faussemagne, principal of White Provision Development Company. “Doty has embraced the story of White Provision as he developed his restaurant, and we are confident it will be an excellent addition to our vibrant, sustainable mixed-use district.”

As the newest restaurant addition to White Provision, Doty’s burger venture will become part of a thriving culinary community that includes rustic and casual dining from acclaimed Chefs Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison at Abattoir, local favorite West Egg Café and the neighborhood tavern Ormsby’s from restaurateur Warren Bruno. Just steps away, Bacchanalia, Quinones at Bacchanalia, Star Provisions and JCT. Kitchen & Bar, as well as the casual eateries FIGO Pasta and Taqueria del Sol, add to the local flavor at Westside Provisions District, a joint community combining White Provision and Westside Urban Market.

Doty is a nationally acclaimed chef recognized for his ingredient-driven cuisine, simple preparations and responsible environmental practices. His namesake restaurant, Shaun’s, opened in Atlanta in 2006 to numerous local and national accolades, including a spot on Esquire’s Best New Restaurants list in 2007. Located at 1168 Howell Mill Road at 14th Street, YEAH! BURGER will serve organic burgers, salads, shakes and more Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, visit www.yeahburger.com.

White Provision
White Provision is a distinctive, modern destination forming Midtown Atlanta’s gateway to the Westside neighborhood at the corner of 14th Street and Howell Mill Road. Under the direction of developers Chris Faussemagne, Mike Millett, and Michael Phillips, and leading asset acquisition and management firm Jamestown, this sophisticated mixed-use project delivers an artistic, upscale synergy among office space, 94 innovative and elegant condominium units, and highly desirable boutique retail, showroom and restaurant space. In transforming the Westside Atlanta community, White Provision cultivates a complementary mix of commercial tenants and residential buyers to create a natural extension of the neighborhood identity. With a dedication to aesthetics and authenticity, the team’s vision for White Provision centers on lasting quality, long-term value and a sense of community.

The sales center at White Provision, located at 1100 Howell Mill Road, is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be reached at 404.815.0460. Visit White Provision at 1170 Howell Mill Road or online at www.whiteprovision.com.

###

MEDIA CONTACT:
White Provision and Jamestown:
Kelly Spikes / Taylor Trepte
v. 404.888.9348
f. 404.888.9349
kspikes@thereynoldsgroupinc.com
taylor@thereynoldsgroupinc.com

YEAH! Burger and Chef Shaun Doty:
Melissa Libby & Associates
McCall Mastroianni
v. 404.816.3068
mccall@melissalibbypr.com

Posted in Environment, Food | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Kirkwood Community Garden gains ground in its fledgling year!

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on June 2, 2010

Atlanta and Decatur, I would like to introduce you to the Kirkwood Community Garden and Urban Forest, a five-acre section of land that’s leaving behind its former life as an unofficial dumping ground. The garden itself is already carved out with raised flower beds and space for ample sunshine thanks to the Kirkwood Community Garden volunteers.

Kirkwood Community Garden and Urban Forest in Atlanta is breathing new life to an old dumping ground

Kirkwood Community Garden and Urban Forest in Atlanta is breathing new life to an old dumping ground

Beyond the community garden, paths ramble into the Kirkwood Urban Forest, where dogs and owners enjoy evening walks. While the garden is gaining ground, the Kirkwood volunteers could use helping taming the wildness of these five acres. If you’re interested in clearing, gardening, building, meeting your neighbors, spending some time in the sun, please stop by the garden and ask how you can lend a hand! You can also contact the garden at kirkwood-community-garden+owner@googlegroups.com.

The Kirkwood Community Garden is located at 1807 Dixie Street, Atlanta, 30317 (map it!).

Kirkwood Community Garden and Urban Forest in Atlanta is breathing new life to an old dumping ground

Kirkwood Community Garden volunteers of all ages are transforming this space and would love your help!

Posted in Food, Gardening | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Welcome to the season for Georgia strawberry picking!

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on May 23, 2010

Strawberry picking Georgia at LCCL Strawberry farm near Atlanta

After Zack's and my trip to LCCL Strawberry Farm in Rome, GA, we had so many buckets of strawberries, we almost filled up and entire (big) cooler

Wow – based on the overwhelming popularity of my Georgia strawberry picking post last year, I decided to do a quick update for 2010. Turns out, a LOT of people love strawberries and are out looking for berry picking in Atlanta and the surrounding areas. I just got a postcard from LCCL Strawberry Farm where we went last year and they are open for business! Here are a few Georgia strawberry picking spots (and please let me know which others you know of!):

  1. LCCL Strawberry Farm  | 3743 Old Dalton Road, Rome, GA, 30165  |  Mon-Sat 8:30 a.m – 6 p.m. & Sun 1 – 5 p.m.  |  You might want to call ahead to make sure they still have fresh berries that day: 706.295.2587  |  visit the website for prices, directions, tips, etc.: www.LCCLStrawberryFarm.com |  Did I mention they also have homemade strawberry ice cream and homemade strawberry jam? Mmmm…
  2. Washington Farms |  With two locations, you can’t miss out!  |  Mon – Sat 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. (closed Sundays)  |  You might want to call ahead just in case to make sure there are ripe berries to pick  |  Check the website for more info: www.washingtonfarms.net |  Oh yeah, they have blackberries and blueberries, too! And fun family activities throughout the warmer seasons.
  • 5691 Hog Mountain Road (Hwy.53), Watkinsville, GA 30677  |  Phone: (706) 769-0627
  • 270 Willowwind Drive, Loganville, GA 30052  |  Phone: (770) 554-8119

3. Calhoun Produce |  Call ahead for availability and hours!  They also have two locations:

  • 5075 Hawpond Road, Ashburn, GA  |  229-273-1887
  • 3649 U.S. Hwy 82, West Sylvester, Georgia  (Turner County)  |  229-777-0824

These are just three out of many in Georgia – enough to get you started hopefully. Don’t forget that strawberry season is typically from April until mid-June, so don’t wait! You can also find more places to pick-your-own of all fruit varieties online at www.pickyourown.org/GA.htm.

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The 2010 East Lake Farmers’ Market is now open in Atlanta – come support your local Georgia farmers!

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on May 16, 2010

I love a good Atlanta farmers’ market and love even more that we have so many great ones to choose from. At the beginning of May, the East Lake Farmers’ Market opened up for it’s May through October season, giving Atlanta’s east-siders another local food option. Here’s what the folks over at the East Lake Farmers’ Market (“ELF”) had to say:

Over 100 of you came to shop each week in 2009, helping us to redefine “Second & Hosea.” We plan to continue to bring positive activity and healthy things to this former high-crime corner.

And here are the details:

  • What: East Lake Farmers Market
  • When: Every Saturday from May through October from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Where: the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Hosea L Williams Dr, Atlanta, 30317 (map it!)

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Additional Saturday times in May for the Decatur Organic Farmers’ Market!

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on April 11, 2010

We all know and love the Decatur Organic Farmers’ Market that we can rely on every Wednesday afternoon in the Bank of America parking lot (just off of the Decatur Square). In fact, apparently we love it so much that on May 15th, 2010, the Decatur market is adding Saturdays into the crop rotation! You’ll be able to find the City of Decatur’s only farmers’ market at a second location at the corner of Trinity and McDonough every Saturday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

On May 15th, the market will kick off with a grand opening with live music, a kids’ area, and breakfast goodies during market hours.

The Decatur Organic Farmers’ Market isn’t the only food show in town on Saturday mornings and will join the ranks of existing markets such as the Morningside Farmers’ Market, the Peachtree Road Farmers’ Market, the East Lake Farmers’ Market (coming May 1st), the Piedmont Green Market, and many more, which means good news for all of us. And that is that you can be pretty much anywhere intown on Saturday morning and be close enough to support our local food and Georgia farmers!

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Knowing where our food comes from: Georgia ranks ninth in the U.S. in food-borne illnesses

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on March 3, 2010

Buried in one of the inside pages of the AJC’s Metro section today, I found this article placing Georgia firmly in the list of top ten states with the worst financial burden from food-borne illnesses. This is a distressing situation, that in a state predominated by agriculture, we still can’t keep track of our food and where’s it’s been, instead importing our groceries from across the globe – E. coli, salmonella, and all. How hard is it to buy from a local Georgia farmer? Three times a day, we put food in our mouths from who-knows-where instead of from our own back yards.

If we all made a conscious decision with our food purchases and elected to go to a local farmers’ market once or twice a week (and that’s not hard to do – see my page here for info (and this is just the beginning!)) and cut back on the imported food, I’m confident we could bring down the $4.7 billion it costs our state each year to deal with food-borne illnesses.

Ironically, California, who is a huge source of produce, ranked highest with food-borne illness costs soaring to $18.6 billion, which indicates the necessity to take that step beyond industrial farms, no matter where they’re located.

Your wallet talks and you can make it resonate in the food industry by making smarter, healthier choices. Who wants E. coli anyway? I’m sure the people who got it went to the grocery store thinking, “oh, that won’t happen to me…”

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The Chamblee Farmers’ Market is looking for leaders for their new locally grown market coming this spring!

Posted by Our Green Atlanta on February 23, 2010

That’s right – Atlanta is getting a new source for locally food with the Chamblee Farmers’ Market debuting on the scene this spring! And they’re looking for those special leaders to spearhead this new effort through organizational, planning, administrative roles, and more. If you’re interested, you are encouraged to attend the organizational meeting on March 10th, 2010. This meeting will be specifically geared towards those who would like to participate in the Chamblee Farmers’ Market in a leadership capacity. More to come soon for helpers and patrons of the market!

  • What: Organizational meeting for The Chamblee Organic/Locally Grown Market
  • When: March 10th, 2010 at 7 p.m.
  • Where: the Community Room of the Chamblee Library (map it!)
  • Please RSVP to thechambleemarket@gmail.com
  • Bring your ideas, experience, skills, relationships and resources with you!

Keep up with the market on facebook with the Chamblee Farmers’ Market fan page.

And get updates on the Chamblee Farmers’ Market organizational meeting on facebook.

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