There are rumbles in the countryside. Becky and Bruce are praying this means rain, but it's been a dry, 
dry summer thus far, and rumbles or not, the sun is hot and so are we.
Luckily, we know where the enormous old shade trees and cooling waters of Hickory Nut Creek (see photo)can be found. So, today we headed out for a picnic. In our basket was the usual lettuce and tomato to combine with home-baked bread(see the series on Asheville's tailgate markets) for sure-but something was missing!
As we rode south and east of Asheville (see map) to Hickory Nut Forest Eco Community, where over 800+ Acres of Conservation Land, adjacent to 25 or so acres where an Ecovillage soon will unfold along the boundary, we stopped at the nearby CSA to round out our fare.
John and Janet asked us just last week what a CSA is. According to Local Harvest, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)is a way for the those of us who do not spend our lives on the land farming to create a relationship with a farm , even if we so choose, to receive a weekly basket of produce. Great idea! CSA here we come.
On our way to Hickory Nut Forest, along Route 74A(just about 15 minutes from downtown Asheville)Annie & Isaiah Perkinson's Flying Cloud Farm greeted us. Annie and Isaiah are members of Slow Food USA an educational organization dedicated to promoting stewardship of the land and ecologically sound food production; (our Firm's mission!) reviving the kitchen and the table as the centers of pleasure, culture, and community; invigorating and proliferating regional, seasonal culinary traditions; creating a collaborative, ecologically-oriented, and virtuous globalization; and living a slower and more harmonious rhythm of life. The Perkinsons grow a large variety of vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs on their sustainable, family farm.
We love the idea of the "harmonious rhythm of life."
And that was the feeling today as we pulled up to Flying Cloud Farm's self-service roadside stand and 'you-pick' berries field. Blueberries are in seaason. This would round out the fare in our picnic basket.
After our stop at the CSA, we took to the trail for another five minutes and found the perfect picnic spot. (see photo)
How could one ever tire of Hiking trails that lead into 800(and more) acresof nature preserve lands with waterfalls, streams, cliffs and mountaintop vistas...and picnic spots such as this?
There's never-ending bird watching, fishing, picnicking and a sense of place that satisfies . . ..
Resources:
We are lucky to have a number of amazing farm stewards and CSA farms here in the Greater Asheville area. If you are not living in Asheville, visiting or relocating but find the concept intriguing, you can use this linkto find a CSA near you.
Slow Food Asheville's monthly newsletter which may be of interest to you
Finally, here is a link list of Asheville Area CSAs for those of you who live here, are visiting or relocating: Firefly Farm (Burnsville,NC); Cane Creek Asparagus & Company (Fairview,NC); Green Toe Ground Farm (Burnsville,NC) ; Jake's Farm (Candler,NC);Homegrown Heritage (Candler,NC) ;Gaining Ground Farm (Asheville,NC) ; Flying Cloud Farm (Fairview,NC) ; Mountain Harvest Organics (Hot Springs,NC)
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