Download the Spring 2008 Greene County Clarion (7.1 MB pdf)

At Planet Earth Diversified near Stanardsville, a pinch of glossy green broccoli sprouts produces a flavor far larger than one might expect from the tiny leaves. Other greens-and flowers-featured in a springtime tour of the farm's fields and greenhouses also taste surprisingly good. Delicate arugula can taste either sharply or mildly spicy depending on how young it's picked. Tender baby spinach wields a flavor that the farm's owner, Mike Clark, describes as "meaty" and "intense." And a brilliant orange nasturtium simultaneously delivers the sweetness of nectar and the kick of pepper.

Chefs throughout the area rely on fresh produce grown with extraordinary care at this Greene County farm, including tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, sweet corn, raspberries, melons, eggs, herbs, and an extensive menu of greens and sprouts. Tomas Rahal of Mas restaurant in Charlottesville says, "People recognize the superior flavor of local food immediately." Customers can also find these local delicacies at venues including the Charlottesville Farmers Market and Foods of All Nations. Soon, they may also be able to buy them near the farm at a local produce market and international craft shop planned to open near the Amicus Church.

In contrast to the average grocery item that travels 1,600 miles from farm to table, this food often reaches customers on the same day it was harvested. It's also grown using methods that some customers find more wholesome, without genetic modification or intensive chemical treatments. "We try to use the best possible practices that are the most sustainable for long-term environment of the farm," Clark says.

John Whiteside has a similar outlook on Wolfcreek Farm in Wolftown, which sells grass-fed, all natural beef. His cattle graze in fields of tall fescue, alfalfa, timothy and orchard grass, moving to fresh pasture every few days. To keep his herd robust, Whiteside cultivates nutritious grass with deep, strong roots in healthy soil. His animals' carefully selected genetics, pastured diet and mobile lifestyle mean that Whiteside doesn't depend on antibiotics to keep them alive. "This is local, sustainable farming," he says. "It's good for the soil. It's good for the water. It's good for the grasses. It's good for the animals. And, of course, it's good for the people who are eating the beef."

A local food chain connecting people with their own home landscape may also be good for local farms. With only $0.22 of the average dollar that Americans spend on food goes back to the people who grow it, many farmers wind up providing for their families by selling house lots rather than crops. And when too many farms are converted into subdivisions, the whole community stands to lose. Farms are an essential component of Greene's distinctively beautiful landscapes; they produce the necessities of life and they contribute to the local economy. Unlike residential properties, farms also produce more local tax revenue than they require in services.

"We are a lot more profitable tax base," Clark points out. "We're an employee with several people working here." But that tax-positive land use is losing ground in Greene. For example, when Clark tried to buy land to expand his farm a few years ago, the deal fell through at the last minute because someone else bought the tract for a house lot. "That doesn't bring in enough tax revenue to support it," Clark says, "and when their kids start going to school, it's going to be a loss for the county."

As Michael Pollen wrote in the bestseller, The Omnivore's Dillemma, "Farms produce a lot more than food; they also produce a kind of landscape and a kind of community." A stronger local food market could revitalize economic prospects for family farms-and consumer interest is growing, even as high fuel costs make local food markets more competitive. But, strangely, it's often easier to find groceries from China or Argentina than food grown down the road! To help connect local farmers and customers, the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) is publishing our third Charlottesville area Buy Fresh, Buy Local food guide, which lists farms, orchards, vineyards, markets, grocers, restaurants and other businesses that sell locally grown food. We'll be sending the guide to all households in Greene County this May, so look for it in your mailbox.