Support Your Local Farmers (Including Yourself!)

I want to start out by dedicating this post to the two strong Clark women that inspired it: my mom Sally and my grammie Dottie. Grammie was an amazing and dedicated gardener. Even into her eighties, she would spend almost every day of the summer outside tending to her flowers. My mom is also an amazing gardener, and she has done a beautiful job taking care of and expanding the flower gardens that Grammie was so passionate about, but I think she finds more joy in growing vegetables.

As long as I can remember, my mom has had a vegetable garden. What started out as a few rows of tomatoes and rhubarb has evolved into a massive fenced in vegetable garden, several blueberry bushes, a grape vine, a raspberry bush, a blackberry bush, an apple tree (which never has any apples, thanks to the deer and squirrels), a compost pile complete with a potato crop, and a whole windowsill and shelf full of herbs that came inside "for the winter" one year and never left. I feel truly privileged and honored to have grown up with these two beautiful and botanically-gifted women who shared with me their love of things that grow.

A shot of Sally's vegetable garden, circa spring 2022, bean trellis prepped and ready for planting

So why, on a blog about small, positive changes that make the world a better place, are we talking about gardening? In today's post I am going to suggest two Small Changes that anyone can incorporate into their lives that both have to do with the love and passion that my mom and her mom share for growing things.

Change Number One: Plant a Garden

But WAIT?! I live in an apartment! I don't own any land!

While this might be true for me and for many of you, don't let our lack of space deter you from starting your own garden. We might not have the room or resources for a large subsistence garden like my mom's, but we can still enjoy the benefits of growing our own food in some capacity. And if you have the land space for your own garden, what is stopping you?

Why should you garden? Even if you're just growing herbs in a pot on the windowsill, having a relationship with plants and the earth can bring you a sense of connection to the world around you and purpose within yourself. If you're not into happiness from the earth and you're looking for more practical reasons, growing some of your own foods yourself will not only provide you with tasty herbs and vegetables, but will also help cut down costs at the grocery store.

For example, my mom has been maintaining a healthy basil plant on the kitchen window for a long time, and we haven't had to buy basil for things like spaghetti sauce, pad thai, or sandwiches for years. I'm not saying that cutting the cost of basil from your weekly grocery budget will be life changing, but this is about Small Change, and every little bit helps in this economy.

My beautiful mom Sally, seen here cutting up eggplants from Hancock Family Farm. Bonus points if you can find our dog Trixxi.

If you want to try your hand at some indoor gardening, I'm including a few links below on suggested plants for apartments, as well as regrowing lettuce from the grocery store.

Change Number Two: Buy from Local Farmers

If you, like me, did not inherit the generational green thumb, then you may be feeling intimidated about starting your own garden or growing your own food. Luckily, there is a whole group of experienced professionals out there that cater to people like us. I am talking, of course, about our local farmers.

Why should you buy from local farms? First and foremost, the food is delicious. From beef to corn to lettuce to tomatoes to everything in between, the food from local farms is fresher and therefore tastier since it did not have to be packaged and shipped halfway around the world. Buying from local farms helps cut down on the pollution from food transportation. Furthermore, you know exactly where your food is coming from. If you are concerned about factory farming of animals but you don't want to stop eating meat, try checking out your local farms. Not only can you see how the animals are treated, but you might also get to meet them! I know that may sound morbid to some, but if I'm going to eat a cow I prefer to know that it lived a happy life and is now going to nourish my body.

The most beautiful onion I've ever seen, circa summer 2021, thanks to Geof at Hancock Family Farm

When you buy from local farms or farmers markets, not only do you know exactly where your food came from, but you also know exactly where your money is going. Instead of going into a confusing corporate system or a CEO's pocket, your money helps your neighbor grow their business or pay for their kid's field trips or band lessons. Your money stays locally in your community when you buy from local farms, and who knows? You might find it being reinvested in your business.

I understand that buying local is not necessarily feasible for everyone - many people live in food deserts and are worried about increased costs - but even occasional visits to local farmers markets will help support local farmers and provide you with tasty and nutritious vegetables. Check out the options around you because you never know what you might find: some farms may have prices that rival the grocery stores in terms of affordability, and others may offer co-op programs that you can invest in as a group with other friends/family.

Three Businesses to Inspire You to Buy Local

The transition from shopping at grocery stores to buying from local farmers can feel intimidating if you don't know where to start, so I wanted to include some of my favorite local Maine businesses to inspire you to get started. Check the bottom of the post for links.

The first business I want to highlight is Hancock Family Farm in Casco, Maine. This is where my family gets veggies, fruits, and meat that we don't grow ourselves. Hancock participates in local farmers markets, and they also have a farm stand on their property as well as a Community Supported Agriculture program (we have been CSA members for a while now). Their food is always delicious, and Geof (the owner) runs a fantastic newsletter on their facebook page featuring recipes, anecdotes, and an unparalleled enthusiasm for kohlrabi. And as an added bonus, you can pick your own flowers as well!

The second business I want to highlight is the New Roots Cooperative Farm in Lewiston, Maine. New Roots Co-Op was founded by four Somali refugees in Maine who wanted to support themselves and also give back to the community. They have collectively been farming since 2006, and continue to incorporate traditional Somali farming practices. I first found out about them through Hancock Family Farm, when Geof included some of their traditional crops in the CSA to help promote their business. Although I live a little too far away to patronize them frequently, I was very excited to make a donation to them in order to help them purchase their farm land rather than lease it back in 2021. If you live in the Lewiston/Auburn area, this is an amazing place to not only buy delicious local vegetables but also support first generation immigrants making a difference in our Maine community.

The last business I want to highlight today is the Honey Exchange in Portland, Maine. -The Honey Exchange sells honey from local Maine and New England beekeepers, as well as locally made treats, beekeeping products, and bee-themed crafts. They also run educational beekeeping programs. Using local, seasonal honey rather than generic honey can help with allergies since the bees interact with local pollen. Plus local honey is DELICIOUS. Buying local honey can be expensive, but for me, as a singer, it is important for throat health so I consider it to be a worthwhile investment. The Honey Exchange carries many interesting and tasty local products that you can sample, and they also have their own beehive in store which they are excited to talk about so it is always worth the visit.

To Sum it All Up

If you take away anything from this post, I hope it is one of these three things:

Having your own garden is good for the soul and the wallet.
When you support local farms, you know exactly where your food is coming from and where your money is going to.
I love my family very much, and I'm so grateful to them for instilling in me a love of things that grow.

Thank you so much for reading, and I'm sending you love and light wherever you are.