Alabama has more than 48,500 farms covering 9 million acres. Yet, only 5% of produce found in our grocery stores is grown in the state. That is an estimated loss of up to 50 million dollars annually. All of the beautiful produce in the picture above was grown in Alabama, so why can't you find it at your local supermarket? In the 1950's a farm bill was passed that decided state funds would only go to poultry, cotton, soybean, and beef farms. Produce farms would no longer recieve state funding. Therefore, the only way to get your hands on fresh, local fruits and vegetables is to go to the Farmer's market or find a roadside stand.
I cook a lot of vegetables for my family. We also eat tons of fruit. I am usually dissapointed in the produce at the grocery store and I hate that I never know where it's coming from, or how long it's been since it was harvested. Did you know fresh produce starts to lose nutrients as soon as it's picked? Buying locally not only stimulates our economy, but it is also better for you, and possibly even cheaper.
The farmer's market is a great place to buy local produce and it can be a fun family outing, too. But for me, and I'm sure many others, it isn't always the most convenient trip to make. Our local farmer's market is only open on Saturdays, in the spring and summer, for a few hours in the morning. Unfortunately, I work most Saturdays and rarely make it there. That's why I was so excited to hear about a friend's new business venture. Purple Pumpkin Produce provides fresh, local produce straight from the farm to your door. I was intrigued immediately and emailed the owner, Jake, for more information.
I could tell right off that Jake is very passionate about about his new business venture. It was obvious to me that his primary goal is to help the Alabama agriculture business as a whole, not just to make money for himself. That was very refreshing to me and encouraged me to do the same. The sign up was quick and painless and Jake was not only professional, but also very knowledgable. There are 3 different levels to choose from depending on the size of your family and how often you cook/eat at home. I chose level one, which includes a variety of six fruits and vegetables with 2-3 serving of each. I signed up on a Thursday and received my first box the next Tuesday! They even let me know the menu a few days in advance so I could make my weekly meal plan. I have gotten two boxes so far. I have been very impressed with not only the variety of the boxes, but also the quantity. So far, I am definitely saving money, as I havent had to buy hardly any produce from the grocery store. Here is a little sneak peak of my second box from Purple Pumpkin Produce.
On Tuesday afternoon, this box was hand delivered to my front door by Jake and Tiffany. They were both very friendly and told me a little about some of the farms they have been visiting. They both beamed with pride as they explained the contents of the box to me. I didn't think I could be more excited about diving into my box of goodies, but they definitely amplified my giddiness. After they left, I took the box into the kitchen to examine it more closely.
The vegetables looked so beautiful I just had to make something with them...immediately. Enter: Tomato Cucumber Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette.
For the salad:
1 large tomato, cut into large chunks
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 bell pepper, cut into chunks
3 green onions (green and white parts), chopped
small bunch of basil, chiffonade
small bunch of parsley, chopped
For the vinaigrette:
white wine vinegar
olive oil
dijon mustard
honey
salt&pepper
Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine vinaigrette ingredients to taste. Pour over vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Refridgerate. Enjoy!
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