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I am a chef, a teacher, and a librarian, which makes me dive deep into learning and sourcing and researching. I have been at this for over three decades and there have been many influences that have made me who I am––from Julia Child to Alice Waters, to the Slow Food Movement, and to my many many friends who are chefs, writers, environmentalist, farmers, fishermen, and many who work to bring artisanal products to our lives. This past week in Florida, I interviewed a number of people at the Vero Beach Farmers’ market. Steve from Pepper Trail Farm has the most delicious greens, radishes, tomatoes, and strawberries, and he always tosses in a bag of flowers and micro greens because he is so generous. This week it was celery microgreens! And there is Birdie Hogan, a family-owned farm raising local grass-fed, grass-finished, USDA beef and naturally grown produce; this week I bought their beef bulk sausage, stuffed it in their poblano peppers, and baked it with some salsa. And there was something for my dog Lulu from Dog Days Barkery––her favorite are blueberries with coconut flour, but they have at least 20 varieties of dog treats, all made with clean and real ingredients. Grain- and gluten-free treats are available as well. Schacht Groves Farm has been my go-to farm stand here. I am always delighted to find them at the market. Their farm is 145 acres—very small by citrus grove standards—it is a family operation. Henry F. Schacht and his son, Louis, run the groves’ gift fruit shipping service, and they sell raw milk and everything else I need for my weekly shopping, including great coffee, shade grown, organic, and lightly roasted! Their shipping service fills thousands of orders each season. It’s a lively, welcoming, vibrant market that provides me with everything I need for a week of groceries. And I have met so many great folks who are making the world a better place.
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