THIS PAST Sunday afternoon, the Forsyth’s Farmer’s Market and Farm Truck 912 hosted the 2nd Annual Farm Picnic, put together on a small portion of the beautiful former Roberds Dairy Farm at the end of Tennessee Avenue.
Clear skies and moderate heat set the stage for a beautiful community event, where locals were able to support each other through music, conversation, beer, and some mouthwatering local food. The City of Savannah needs to continue standing up and supporting the efforts of local community based organizations like this, whose goal is to design a more sustainable future for years to come.
This year, all of the proceeds of this fundraiser went directly towards the Farm Truck 912 Mobile Food Initiative. If you aren’t familiar with the Farm Truck 912, it is a “farm truck” created by the Forsyth Farmers Market, along with some major sponsors, who mission is to bring local fruits and vegetables to neighborhoods in Savannah who have the least access to healthy food.
With the Farmers Market held every Saturday, this farm truck can be found in at least seven different locations throughout the week, including the Department of Family and Child Services and Memorial Health.
Created in 2015, this Farm Truck was built to develop solutions towards providing those who are at a disadvantage access to needed resources, in order to make the best decisions about what they are putting in their bodies. They accomplish this by offering low cost alternatives for those grocery shopping on a budget, as well as providing nutritional education in order to help decision making become easier.
So on this beautiful Sunday afternoon, our community collected and shared space in order to help support a common goal. There was live music from COEDS, Tokalos, and the Kristen King Trio, which assisted in scoring the event while creating a warm atmosphere for us to cultivate fellowship.
What would a farm family event be without a petting zoo and a few games for the children to enjoy while their parents enjoyed some adult beverages from Service Brewing and Savannah Distributing Company?
With picnic blankets and hula hoops scattered around, everyone young and old, used this event as a chance to give back to not only an organization doing good in our community, but to also give back to themselves. We as humans sometimes are so wrapped up in our own personal day to day, that we forget how important it is to sit down and connect with others through delicious intentional food.
Speaking of food, I want to give a round of applause for all the local restaurants who participated in this weekend’s fundraiser. For us to be able to create a deeply rooted food culture to build on, we have to be willing to step outside of ourselves and give selflessly.
The food for this fundraiser was put together and sponsored by Savannah River Farms, Cha Bella, The Florence, and 22 Square. Incredible picnic style plates created by some local heavyweights, was the perfect combination to tie together the event. And for all those weary about animal farming, this pig was a happy hog who enjoyed her last moments eating her favorites a few days prior. Thoughtfully and intentionally raised farm animals are something our society has drifted far away from, simply because of the design of our consumer-based society.
I love the moments when we return to the basics of food, when things were simple and less complicated. The underground BBQ master “Mac” smoked that pig to for hours until it was the definition of tender, and with minimal effort, broke it down and fed the party. It was a thing of beauty.
Big props to the Dairy Farm for allowing this to happen. Their land is magical and full of so much opportunity, I can’t wait to see what it becomes over the next few years.
Talking to Kerry of Victory Gardens and my buddy Andy from Grow, Eat, Repeat, it seems as if the wheels are turning, and we might start to see things come together before we know it.
Whenever things happen, I’m always excited to see progress happening. I notice so much potential in our city, and we have the local foundation to create some really incredible things.
Food is culture, and our diversity can be shared with people through our plates and conversations. It’s important for us to get behind the concept of “building it, so they come” instead of running towards a big pond, only to be a small fish.
Let’s get behind our community and build the future we see for generations to come. We do that by giving our time and resources to those who need it the most, and create a support system for ourselves, thus allowing our collective to have a common voice.
Visit farmtruck912.org for their weekly schedule, and follow their social media to find out ways to help. Let’s keep stirring that pot, people.
