Many of you remember “genius farmer” Will Allen's visit to Chattanooga in February, and I'm sure you remember leaving the lecture feeling inspired by all that Growing Power  has accomplished. Will said many times that healthy communities start with good food, start with good soil, and those things should be available to everyone. Most of us were inspired by Will Allen’s vision and work, and wondered how to  help. Luckily, there’s a project in Chattanooga that fully embraces Growing Power's philosophy, that good food can transform communities.

Have you collected your strawberry recipe cards yet? Check out where participating farms sell, and while you’re shopping for local food, grab your very own recipe card. These strawberry inspired recipes are available during strawberry season – May – so get to collecting and be looking for cucumber recipe cards in June!

Brown Dirt Farm's strawberries // Brown Dirt Farm's strawberry inspired recipe cards

May is finally here, bringing with it that kind of weather and growing season that makes you feel all is right with the world. Soon farmers' booths will be full of tasty produce that far exceeds produce found anywhere else - there's something special about spicy arugula grown locally, picked that day, or delicate asparagus that only lasts a few minutes after farmers market managers officially open the market.  

Did you know that each year we waste 33 million tons of food in the United States? That’s a lot, and something that will get worse if we aren’t proactive. Jonathan Bloom of foodwasted.com says, “When you’re looking for it, you see food waste everywhere–at restaurants, in large portions and even in your own refrigerator.” So, the good news is we can be a part of the solution to decrease food waste. Here are a few tips for decreasing waste:

If you didn’t know, this week is National Farmworker Awareness Week. And, if you don’t think it has anything to do with you, think again – if you eat, take a moment to watch this TEDx talk:

Photo courtesy of food52.com

Did you know that horseradish is an herb, and belongs to the Brassicaceae family? This puts it in the same circle as mustard greens, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and radishes. Horseradish contains oils that have antibacterial properties and when fresh, the plant has some Vitamin C as well!