Skip, Joel, and Peter sample a regional organic apple.
Joel Salatin, farmer, author, and activist, was in town to lead a workshop on local food systems as part of the Carbon Farming Course being held at the Pfeiffer Center. The next morning he gave an inspiring talk to the high school students at Green Meadow Waldorf School. On his way home to Polyface Farm in Virginia he stopped by to check out the co-op was surprised to see the amount of local, organic, and biodynamic foods we pack into such a small space. He found the variety of organic prepared food offerings from our tiny kitchen particularly impressive. And he was pleased to learn about our ecological landscaping, incorporating native plants, wildlife habitat, and a rain garden to capture runoff from our parking lot. “You guys really did it right,” he said. Then it was time for him to head off to the airport. As he slipped out the door the thought crossed my mind that his brief visit to our community might well prove to be a life changing event for some of the folks, both younger and older, who attended his workshop and talk. Thanks, Joel. -PW