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Browsing All Posts filed under »Buy Local«

Buy Local, Eat Local

December 11, 2011

Why not support your locally-owned businesses and merchants this holiday season? Buy American, whenever possible, and from locally-owned businesses if you have a choice. Whether you’re buying Christmas gifts for family and friends or food items for a holiday party, there’s almost always a local option. Support your community. “Cheap” comes with a price. […]

Squam Bridge – New Hampshire

October 9, 2011

This week’s Sunday Sign is rather small—it marks the covered bridge across the Squam River in Ashland, New Hampshire. Built in 1990, the Squam Bridge isn’t an historic covered bridge. But it is significant because it represents the idea and values of the residents of Ashland, New Hamphsire. Rather than replace an existing condemned bridge […]

Grapevine Grill at Chaumette Vineyards

September 1, 2011

While wandering around the Soulard Market on August 13, during my last hour in St. Louis, I stopped by the Baetje Farms stall to sample (and purchase) a bit of their divinely-inspired, award-winning goat cheese. I bought the last package of their Bavarian Lemon Creme. As we chatted, I mentioned that I was driving south […]

Finer Grind Coffee Roasters

August 27, 2011

When it comes to specialty coffees, Birmingham, Alabama has one of the finest micro-roasters in the nation: Woody Wiginton’s Finer Grind. Yesterday, I ran across this review of seven top independent coffee roasters on Cool Hunting. Actually, @cutigerash tweeted the link, so I took a look. And I remembered that I’d planned to do a […]

Epiphany: Tuscaloosa Farm-to-Table

August 19, 2011

I don't recall precisely when Chef Tres Jackson launched Epiphany but it instantly became my favorite after my first meal there. From the outset, Epiphany and Chef Tres Jackson focused on local foods and suppliers that used sustainable-production methods.

East Lake Farmers Market

August 5, 2011

I’d only been in the East Lake community of Birmingham once before this summer. That was in the Fall of 2009 when I attended a couple of session of a sustainable foods conference held at East Lake United Methodist Church. Last year, I moved to the east side of town. The East Lake community is […]

Peaches from Witt Farms

July 23, 2011

I bought the most delicious peaches from Mr. and Mrs. Hays who were representing Witt Farms at the East Lake Farmers Market last Saturday, July 16. These peaches have been scrumptious. I’ve eaten them as a snack, as dessert and mixed them into my smoothies this past week. I’m not sure where else you can […]

Oak Hill Angus: Grass-fed Black Angus Beef

July 17, 2011

I met Richard Harvell, owner of Oak Hill Angus at the Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market in Tuscaloosa a few days ago. Mr. Harvell raises grassfed, antibiotic- and hormone-free Black Angus cattle at his family-owned farm in Eutaw, Alabama. We create the society and culture we want to live in by the choices we make every day, in the products we choose to purchase and the foods we choose to eat.

Cheeky Maiden Soap Co: Naturally Handcrafted in Calera, Alabama

July 16, 2011

One Saturday morning in early June, I was wandering around Pepper Place Market. The scent of lavender, peppermint, rosemary and cedarwood wafting across the muggy air drew me to the Cheeky Maiden Soap Co. booth, where I found an array of handcrafted soaps and related bath and body care products.