Farm Stand Update - Getting Local

We've had a great week at Burns Best with the launch of our farm stand and our first sales trip as a selling vendor at the Greenlife Grocery Farmers Market in Chattanooga (Wednesday 4-7).  Our farm stand customers consisted of good friends, neighbors and supporters the first day.  The second day was more of the same, plus some drive by customers who had seen our signs the day before.  Our signs read "Locally Grown", "Fresh Produce" and "Open".  In a few weeks we'll display the "Blueberries" sign.  The signs are large and easy to read and let the drivers on the well traveled road know what we are doing.   

Who's your farmer?

You hear people say, "I went to my butcher"... "My barber"...."My mechanic"... etc.  How often do you hear people say, "I went to visit my farmer today?"  Our new slogan around here is going to be "Who's your farmer?"  Our goal is not just to "sell" produce but to also build relationships with people - people who will frequent our business and spread the word about locally grown, fresh produce.  It makes us feel good when customers come back and ask us for more blueberries, french filet beans, or cherry tomatoes. 

Yes, you can talk with the people who grow your food.  Ask us how we grow it (chemical and pesticide free).  Ask about the variety.  Ask for ideas on how to cook and slice the product or share a favorite recipe with us.  There are a lot of people that have never seen a pattypan squash - they are round and scalloped.  You can cook a pattypan the same way you cook a yellow crookneck squash.  Pattypan are sweet and Denise makes a great squash casserole with them (see previous post).  If you are in the area on Mondays and Tuesdays, 4-6 pm, stop by our stand at 6141 Three Notch Road, Ringgold, GA 30736.  Pick up some produce for dinner on your way home.  

We have three varieties of squash for sale this week along with two types of lettuce.  I think we'll start to have a few peppers next week as well.  Blueberries and heirloom tomatoes are still a couple of weeks away, but with this 90* heat and the occasional rain shower (thank you Lord!), they might here sooner rather than later! 

See you at the stand!