{"id":246,"date":"2010-07-10T18:38:01","date_gmt":"2010-07-10T18:38:01","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2021-01-29T15:18:55","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T20:18:55","slug":"agrarian-road-trip-part-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centernet.pcusa.org\/food-faith\/2010\/07\/10\/agrarian-road-trip-part-two\/","title":{"rendered":"Agrarian Road Trip &#8211; Part Two."},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_881\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 520px\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/hotugc.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/06\/blue-ridge-mountains.jpg\" title=\"\" rel=\"lightbox-0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-881 \" title=\"blue ridge mountains\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"510\" height=\"286\" \/><\/a>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">View of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Brevard, North Carolina.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Rural Revival:<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\">the Agrarian Tour through North Carolina, with a nod to rural Virginia<\/h2>\n<p>On our venture into the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, we \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/presbyterian.typepad.com\/foodandfaith\/\"><em><strong>Agrarian Road Trippers<\/strong><\/em><\/a><br \/>\n\u2013 encountered the ugly effects of war, tobacco, and child labor<br \/>\njuxtaposed with and transformed into community-supporting small-scale<br \/>\nagriculture<\/p>\n<p><strong>Day Four:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_882\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px\">\n<p><strong><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/hotugc.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/06\/bahnson-porch.jpg\" title=\"\" rel=\"lightbox-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-882 \" title=\"bahnson porch\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lunchtime at the Bahnson Homestead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Naked children running through a front yard sprinkler. The time is<br \/>\nmid-day, lunchtime. We share a garden fresh meal of salad with o-so<br \/>\nripe tomatoes and water melon, as well as some hard boiled eggs from<br \/>\nsome hard-working chickens. Blue Ridge Mountains surrounding us in the<br \/>\nvalley. One of the biggest inhibitors for young folks \u2013 all folks \u2013 to<br \/>\nstart farming is land. Farming is one of the most capital-intensive<br \/>\ncareers \u2013 inhibitory during a time of economic crisis and in a society<br \/>\nwhere agricultural life is dwindling in the shadow of Big Ag. However,<br \/>\nwe are in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the midst of wilderness<br \/>\nhappening. Here we meet Fred and Elizabeth Bahnson \u2013 and their two<br \/>\nlittle boys running through the sprinkler. Here outside Brevard, North<br \/>\nCarolina, we are in the midst of this New Agrarian Movement. A revival<br \/>\nof the rural. The Bahnsons may as well be the poster children for what<br \/>\nthe small family farm can be. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.oaklandinstitute.org\/?q=node\/view\/513\"> Fred is a writer<\/a> and student of the ways of <em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.permaculture.org\/nm\/index.php\/site\/index\/\">permaculture<\/a>. <\/strong><\/em> Elizabeth is a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.folkpsalm.com\/\"><em><strong>bluegrass fiddler<\/strong><\/em><\/a> with an interest in livestock. And they have been blessed with family land in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_885\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/hotugc.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/06\/bahnson-house-in-brevard.jpg\" title=\"\" rel=\"lightbox-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-885 \" title=\"bahnson house in brevard\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" \/><\/a>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">the Bahnson Homestead in the Blue Ridge Mountains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[Here is just a snippet of articles written by Fred: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.christiancentury.org\/article_print.lasso?id=2313\">Compost for the Kingdom<\/a>; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.orionmagazine.org\/index.php\/articles\/article\/312\/\">A Garden Becomes a Protest<\/a>; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.faithandleadership.com\/content\/monks-mushrooms-and-the-sacramental-nature-everyday-eating\">Monks, Mushrooms, and the Sacramental Nature of Everyday Eating<\/a>; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.faithandleadership.com\/content\/good-soil\">Good Soil<\/a>.]<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_884\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/hotugc.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/06\/beans-at-the-bahnsons.jpg\" title=\"\" rel=\"lightbox-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-884 \" title=\"beans at the bahnsons\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/a>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trellised beans at the Bahson&#8217;s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Where the Bahnsons live is actually a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gardening.cornell.edu\/weather\/microcli.html\">microclimate<\/a><br \/>\nin the midst of the mountains \u2013 a tropical rainforest, receiving nearly<br \/>\n80 inches of rain each year \u2013 as much as Seattle. As they build their<br \/>\nnew house, the Bahnsons have planned to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.harvesth2o.com\/\"><em><strong>harvest the rainwater<\/strong><\/em>,<\/a> situating their catchment system on top of a hill \u2013 to gravity-feed to their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.growbiointensive.org\/\"><em><strong>biointesive<\/strong><\/em><\/a> growing beds. In addition to rainwater catchment, Fred has designed <a href=\"http:\/\/www.small-farm-permaculture-and-sustainable-living.com\/small_farm_earthworks.html\"><em><strong>swales<\/strong><\/em><\/a><br \/>\non the contour of the land to irrigate native fruit trees and prevent<br \/>\nerosion on the steep slope on which their farm is southerly-facing.<br \/>\nOther highlights of their farm-to-be are <a href=\"http:\/\/ncsu.edu\/sustainable\/cover\/l_mulch.html\"><em><strong>living mulches<\/strong><\/em><\/a> that fix nitrogen (<a href=\"http:\/\/lupins-bk.blogspot.com\/2006\/07\/nitrogen-fixation.html\"><em><strong>lupine<\/strong><\/em><\/a>) and accumulate other deep nutrients (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hort.purdue.edu\/newcrop\/afcm\/comfrey.html\"><em><strong>comfrey<\/strong><\/em><\/a>), as well as growing their own grains (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mnsu.edu\/emuseum\/prehistory\/ancienttech\/grinding_corn.html\"><strong>Hopi blue corn<\/strong><\/a> for grinding). Elizabeth is currently dreaming of a goat dairy.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_887\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 235px\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/hotugc.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/06\/vet-garden.jpg\" title=\"\" rel=\"lightbox-4\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-887 \" title=\"vet garden\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Veterans Victory Garden.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>After leaving the Bahson\u2019s, we head towards Asheville to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.abccm.org\/vets-place.html\"><em><strong>Asheville Veterans Restoration Quarters<\/strong><\/em><\/a><br \/>\n\u2013 a converted Super 8 that now houses around 225 homeless veterans<br \/>\nevery night. Men who have served in all wars from Vietnam to Iraq are<br \/>\nhoused here \u2013 with an average of 51. By request of the men \u2013 and with<br \/>\nincredible support of a visionary directory, one acre of land was<br \/>\nconverted into an organic garden to provide therapeutic activity as<br \/>\nwell as fresh food to the residents of the shelter. The <em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.abccm.org\/Video\/The_Victory_%20Garden.flv.WMV\">Veterans Victory Garden<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>was<br \/>\nstarted in 2008 and now operates its own Tailgate Farmers Market two<br \/>\ndays a week. The men have also been able to take courses in gardening<br \/>\nand greenhouse production to hone their expertise \u2013 as well as working<br \/>\nwith Master Gardeners to earn the art of canning and preserving. Money<br \/>\nearned through sales to the community is supplemented with funding from<br \/>\nTobacco Settlements in North Carolina to sustain the financial success<br \/>\nof the garden. Currently the two men maintaining the garden are seeking<br \/>\nto become Certified Organic through the USDA. The social worker in me<br \/>\nis encouraged to see projects that integrate the rebuilding of soil<br \/>\nwith the rebuilding of lives.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_888\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/hotugc.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/06\/edible-flower-salad-at-wwc.jpg\" title=\"\" rel=\"lightbox-5\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-888 \" title=\"edible flower salad at wwc\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" \/><\/a>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Edible flower salad with monarda and day lilies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Our next stop takes us back into the mountains outside Asheville, to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.warren-wilson.edu\/external_index.php\"><em><strong>Warren Wilson College<\/strong><\/em> <\/a>in Swannanoa, North Carolina. We begin our stay with a lesson in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.botanyeveryday.com\/\"><em><strong>ethno-botany<\/strong><\/em><\/a> with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.botanyeveryday.com\/biography.tpl\"><em><strong>Chef Marc Williams<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<br \/>\nChef Marc guides us through the culinary uses of commonly found wild \u2013<br \/>\nand not so wild \u2013 edibles. Together we craft our dinner: herbal tea of <a href=\"http:\/\/plants.usda.gov\/java\/profile?symbol=MOFI\"><em><strong>monarda<\/strong><\/em> <\/a>(bee balm), spearmint, <a href=\"http:\/\/plants.usda.gov\/java\/profile?symbol=SAAL5\"><em><strong>sassafras<\/strong><\/em><\/a> leaves; pesto of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fcps.edu\/islandcreekes\/ecology\/lambs_quarters.htm\">lamb\u2019s quarter<\/a> and basil; garden salad with more lamb\u2019s quarter and lettuce, garnished with <a href=\"http:\/\/plants.usda.gov\/java\/profile?symbol=HEMER\"><em><strong>day lilies<\/strong><\/em><\/a> and monarda; and for dessert, <em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wildmanstevebrill.com\/Plants.Folder\/Juneberries.html\">juneberry<\/a>&#8211;<\/strong><\/em>blackberry cobbler.<\/p>\n<p>The remainder of the evening is spend in conversation with folks<br \/>\nfrom the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and Association of<br \/>\nFarmworker Opportunity Program. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.asapconnections.org\/\"><em><strong>Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project <\/strong><\/em><\/a>(ASAP)<br \/>\nstarted in the mid-1990s with Tobacco Settlement money to help<br \/>\ntransition farmers in the tobacco fields to organic vegetable<br \/>\nproduction \u2013 as well as to build demand for local food. Currently, ASAP<br \/>\nworks on organizing and supporting farmers markets in the northwest<br \/>\nregion of North Carolina and working on <em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/sustainableaged.org\/Topics\/FarmtoInstitution\/tabid\/78\/Default.aspx\">farm-to-institution<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>projects \u2013 such as connecting local farmers to the food services of schools, hospitals and colleges.<\/p>\n<p>The <em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.afoprograms.org\/\">Association of Farmworker Opportunity Program<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>(AFOP)<br \/>\nis focused on two main agricultural issues: pesticide outreach to<br \/>\nfarmworker and children in the fields. Our conversation focused on<br \/>\nchild labor in the fields. In North Carolina alone, over 150,000<br \/>\nmigrants come to work the agricultural season \u2013 helping make<br \/>\nagriculture the number one industry in North Carolina. However, an<br \/>\noften overlooked issue of migrant labor is child labor out in the<br \/>\nfields. The <em><strong>Child Labor Law in 1938<\/strong><\/em> does not<br \/>\ninclude limitations on child labor in agricultural fields. Many<br \/>\nchildren are found in the fields helping their parents meet harvest<br \/>\nquotas in order to earn enough to live on. As is the case, many<br \/>\nstudents start the school year late and are pulled out before the<br \/>\nschool year ends \u2013 and often drop out before graduating. Beyond<br \/>\neducational structure, children out in the field are exposed to<br \/>\npesticides, dangerous machinery and at-risk for muscular-skeletal<br \/>\ninjuries. Penalties for corporations and large farms caught with<br \/>\nchildren in the field are little more than a slap on the wrist. Just<br \/>\none of many of the ugly truth behind our large-scale agriculture.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Day Five:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 458px\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"the Farms of Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina.\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"336\" \/>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">the Farms of Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.warren-wilson.edu\/external_index.php\">Warren Wilson College<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>(WWC)<br \/>\nis another crazy liberal arts colleges with a high emphasis on<br \/>\nsustainablity. With just over 900 students \u2013 and growing, WWC receives<br \/>\nincreased interest each year in its <em><strong>Sustainable Agriculture<\/strong><\/em> and <em><strong>Sustainable Forestry<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\nPrograms. WWC started in 1894 as a farm school for farm boys \u2013 but has<br \/>\nexpanded much beyond farming, and boys. When asked about the College\u2019s<br \/>\nrapport with the Swannanoa community, Sustainable Ag Professor Laura<br \/>\nLingenck tells us she finds locals frequently cruising through the<br \/>\ncampus, admiring the sight of young buff women not afraid to run a<br \/>\ntiller or back hoe.<\/p>\n<p>Students in the Ag Department operate both the <em><strong>Market Garden Farm <\/strong><\/em>and <em><strong>Grain and Livestock Production \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>a total of 150 acres in production. In the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.warren-wilson.edu\/%7EELC\/New_ELC_Website_\/garden.php\">Market Garden Farm,<\/a> garden beds are double-dug according to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.motherearthnews.com\/Organic-Gardening\/1980-01-01\/Biodynamic-Gardening.aspx\"><em><strong>French intensive methods<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<br \/>\nProduce is grown for local markets (2\/week) as well as a CSA in the<br \/>\nsummer months for faculty and staff of WWC. Much of the produce is also<br \/>\nsold to WWC Dining Services, contracted with Sodexho. (WWC purchases<br \/>\n18% of its fruit and vegetables from its Market Garden and 50% of its<br \/>\nred meat from the Livestock Program). Both <a href=\"http:\/\/attra.ncat.org\/attra-pub\/PDF\/covercrop.pdf#xml=http:\/\/search.ncat.org\/texis\/search\/pdfhi.txt?query=cover+crop&amp;pr=ATTRA2010&amp;prox=page&amp;rorder=500&amp;rprox=500&amp;rdfreq=500&amp;rwfreq=500&amp;rlead=500&amp;rdepth=0&amp;sufs=0&amp;order=r&amp;cq=&amp;id=4c29c450103\"><em><strong>cover crop<\/strong><\/em>s<\/a> and<em><strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/attra.ncat.org\/intern_handbook\/pdf\/crop_rotation.pdf#xml=http:\/\/search.ncat.org\/texis\/search\/pdfhi.txt?query=rotational+planting&amp;pr=ATTRA2010&amp;prox=page&amp;rorder=500&amp;rprox=500&amp;rdfreq=500&amp;rwfreq=500&amp;rlead=500&amp;rdepth=0&amp;sufs=0&amp;order=r&amp;cq=&amp;id=4c29c5b71af\">rotational planting<\/a><\/strong><\/em> are incorporated into the planting schedules, as well as hoop houses for <a href=\"http:\/\/attra.ncat.org\/attra-pub\/PDF\/seasonext.pdf#xml=http:\/\/search.ncat.org\/texis\/search\/pdfhi.txt?query=season+extension&amp;pr=ATTRA2010&amp;prox=page&amp;rorder=500&amp;rprox=500&amp;rdfreq=500&amp;rwfreq=500&amp;rlead=500&amp;rdepth=0&amp;sufs=0&amp;order=r&amp;cq=&amp;id=4c29c4a97\"><em><strong>season extension<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<br \/>\nThroughout the season, chickens in movable tractors are run through the<br \/>\ngarden beds, to fertilizer and control pests. The Sustainable Ag<br \/>\nProgram chooses not to certify its vegetables organic.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_892\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 374px\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/hotugc.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/06\/little-piggy1.jpg\" title=\"\" rel=\"lightbox-6\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-892 \" title=\"little piggy\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"364\" height=\"648\" \/><\/a>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Little piggy: cute when little, food when big.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>As for livestock management, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.warren-wilson.edu\/academics\/catalog\/catalog2.php?name=environmental_program\">Sustainable Ag Program <\/a>grows the majority of its own <a href=\"http:\/\/www.motherearthnews.com\/Modern-Homesteading\/1980-11-01\/A-Self-Sufficient-Energy-Livestock-System.aspx\"><em><strong>grains for animal feed<\/strong><\/em><\/a> \u2013 typically a profit-eating cost in livestock production. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.farmanddairy.com\/columns\/stockpiling-forage-is-easy-to-do\/6347.html\"><em><strong>Stock-piling<\/strong><\/em><\/a><br \/>\nis another way the College conserves money, by allowing its cattle to<br \/>\ngraze grain still standing in the field even after the first frost.<br \/>\nApproximately 175 cattle graze on a 25-<em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/attra.ncat.org\/attra-pub\/rotategr.html\">paddock rotation<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>\u2013 on <a href=\"http:\/\/attra.ncat.org\/attra-pub\/grassland.html\"><em><strong>perennial pastures<\/strong><\/em><\/a><br \/>\nof corn, alfalfa, oats, barley, and wheat. In addition to cattle, WWC<br \/>\nalso raises pigs, chickens (which follow the cattle in rotational<br \/>\npasturing) and horses for <a href=\"http:\/\/attra.ncat.org\/attra-pub\/draft_animal.html\"><em><strong>draft farming<\/strong><\/em><\/a>,<br \/>\nmainly in the Agroforestry Department. Other department tractors (as<br \/>\nwell as maintenance vehicles on campus) run on locally brewed <em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/attra.ncat.org\/attra-pub\/biodiesel.html\">biodiesel<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.blueridgebiofuels.com\/\">Blue Ridge Biodiesel.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 458px\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Student building a cob structure for compost storage.\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"336\" \/>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Student building a cob structure for compost storage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>As if the Sustainable Ag Program at WWC weren\u2019t great enough, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.warren-wilson.edu\/%7Erecycle\/index.php\"><em><strong>Recycling Department <\/strong><\/em><\/a>at WWC also features student-constructed<em><strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.warren-wilson.edu\/%7Erecycle\/compost.php\">industrial compost<\/a><\/strong><\/em> tumblers, a soon-to-be-built <a href=\"http:\/\/www.greenhomebuilding.com\/cob.htm\"><em><strong>cob house<\/strong><\/em><\/a> structure, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.warren-wilson.edu\/%7Erecycle\/freestore.php\">Free Store<\/a><br \/>\nto recycle unwanted clothing, furniture, and all other sorts of odds<br \/>\nand ends with just a wee bit more life in them \u2013 or that can be<br \/>\nrefurbished at WWC\u2019s woodworking and bike shops. We rough agrarians<br \/>\nrummaged for a spare notebook, extra shampoo and souvenir t-shirt.<\/p>\n<p>Before leaving North Carolina, we continued our rebelliously delicious and ridiculously fresh forays into food at <a href=\"http:\/\/rosettaskitchen.com\/\"><em><strong>Rosetta\u2019s Kitchen<\/strong><\/em><\/a><br \/>\nin downtown Asheville. Rosetta\u2019s features a number of vegetables and<br \/>\ningredients sourced from the Swannanoa Valley. I ordered the special of<br \/>\nthe day \u2013 pickled maroon and golden beets atop a bed of fresh greens<br \/>\natop fry bread, dressed with a cilantro-cashew sauce. Yum.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 394px\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"blain\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"384\" height=\"512\" \/>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Blain enjoys his dinner at the Harvest Table Restaurant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>We hit the road for one more stop before our final destination in West Virginia. The <a href=\"http:\/\/01f559b.netsolhost.com\/HarvestTable.html\"><em><strong>Harvest Table Restaurant<\/strong><\/em> <\/a>in Meadowview, VA, renowned for its connection to the author and sometimes agrarian essayist <a href=\"http:\/\/www.animalvegetablemiracle.com\/\"><em><strong>Barbara Kingsolver<\/strong><\/em>.<\/a><br \/>\nKingsolver\u2019s husband, Steven Hopp, owns the Harvest Table Restaurant \u2013<br \/>\nand has crafted its menu to include food mainly sourced within 100<br \/>\nmiles of the restaurant. Vegetables are a given, but the Harvest Table<br \/>\nalso sources meat, cheese, eggs and rice (grown in South Carolina) from<br \/>\nthe region. I ordered a caramelized red onion and beet green frittata<br \/>\nand was greeted by the happiest,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.motherearthnews.com\/eggs.aspx\"> <em><strong>orangiest of eggs<\/strong><\/em><\/a><br \/>\non my plate \u2013 a rarity in the dining-out world. Once again our minds \u2013<br \/>\nand taste buds \u2013 have been blown by the exhausting epicurean delights<br \/>\non which we dine. Oh the glories of local food!<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 445px\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"we road trippers.\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/DSCN9070.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"435\" height=\"290\" \/>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">the Agrarian Road Trippers at the Harvest Table Restaurant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>We are passively witnessing the reawakening of rural life. Her<br \/>\npastoral hillsides. Her setting sun to the lowing of cows. Her stars in<br \/>\nthe pure black night. We now have the responsibility to share the<br \/>\nromance we see. To bring sexy back. Not only to rural living and<br \/>\nlifestyles \u2013 but to <em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thegreenhorns.net\/\">agricultural vocation<\/a>. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/cricketbread.com\/blog\/2009\/02\/05\/new-blood-in-the-old-body\/\"><em><strong>We are agrarians<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>End Day Five. End Part Two.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; bethel<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>View of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Brevard, North Carolina. Rural Revival: the Agrarian Tour through North Carolina, with a nod to rural Virginia On our venture into the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, we \u2013 Agrarian Road Trippers&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[182,321],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-faith","category-young-adults"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.5 (Yoast SEO v23.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Agrarian Road Trip - Part Two. - Food and Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/centernet.pcusa.org\/food-faith\/2010\/07\/10\/agrarian-road-trip-part-two\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Agrarian Road Trip - Part Two.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"View of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Brevard, North Carolina. 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