Mouth of the South

I did not plant this hollyhock, but have enjoyed its beauty none the less. My neighbor, Betty, has such a beautiful landscape in shades of burgundy and pink to match the mulberry hue that her shutters are painted. She meticulously discards plants that don’t fit her color palate. This is how she expresses her creativity; in a controlled environment. My little, lone garnet surprise showed up in my grandma garden this year. Grandma has basil, sunflowers, zinnias, tomatoes, coneflowers, squash, lavender, mint, lemongrass and even a few eggplant and horseradish growing in it. It all started when a North Carolina lady once gave Mamma a fist full of seeds. She said, “Aw honey, I have no idea what all is in this seed mix. Call it your grandma garden. Just like me, it’s all mixed up.” While my Black-Eyed Susan came from North Carolina, I feel pretty certain that my hollyhock showed up because of Betty’s masterpiece. I also feel pretty certain that the bee feasting on its nectar is thankful for ol’ grandma!

While Betty and the North Carolinian have never met, they are connected by this busy little bee. He’s somewhat of a Kevin Bacon type. I could go on and on about the importance of bees, but I shall save that discussion for another day. It is relationships that I have been pondering lately. More specific, the role relationships play in Corbin In The Dell’s existence. As a little girl, the only time I got into trouble at school was for talking. One of my teachers even nicknamed me “Mouth of the South.” I can’t help myself. I am about as a social as they come. That is why Corbin In The Dell came to be. My dream job has always been to make a living connecting people. By connecting farmers to other folks that give a damn about the origin of their food, Corbin In The Dell IS my dream turned reality. By connecting folks and saving time, I have found my way to contribute to the integrity of food! While it takes some digging, I scout local and sustainable farms to introduce to chefs and other culinary related entities. I help manage their orders and deliveries. Then the resources for great content to talk and write about are endless! But, the most important part is relationships!

One thing is for sure. That cheap bag of chicken is cheap for a reason. The taste is inferior and hardly a nickel you spend on the old bird stays in your community. Yet, eighty cents of every dollar you spend at a farmers market stays in the local economy and the burst of flavor is beyond comparison. While I have made a career out of scouring the countryside looking for small, locally owned farms with sustainable practices, the farmers market is a great place to find the best food for your household. You can click on the links listed below to learn more about some of my favorite Middle Tennessee Farmers Markets. And for goodness sake, can something!

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