Outside the Box
You don’t have to look to far for fresh organic and artisan foods
by Karol L. Armbuster

     Ken Brodin has the reputation of being one of the most accomplished home builders at Smith Mountain Lake. But what many don’t know is that he and his family also own a 120-acre working farm in Moneta where they raise sheep following established organic guidelines.
     Ken’s love affair with farming began years ago out of the simple necessity to feed a growing family. More recently, the Brodins have chosen to go “all natural” to achieve better health through good nutrition. Ken’s wife Renee has made it her personal mission to find the very best locally grown, organic and artisan foods for her family. Artisan foods are those that are handmade on family-owned farms or by family-owned companies.
     “When we moved here over 20 years ago, there were not many choices, so we had to become more resourceful,” Renee said. “Then I realized I only had to look in my own backyard. We had a big vegetable garden and were raising sheep and some chickens for eggs. … It made sense to grow the flock, to make good use of the acreage, to become a real farm.”
     Today, there are more choices in the Smith Mountain Lake area for healthful, whole foods grown locally with care. According to localharvest.org, a non-profit web site where farmers can market and sell their products directly
to consumers, of the almost 2 million farms in the United States, 80 percent are small, family-owned farms. With the
increasing demand for higher quality food, more and more farmers are choosing to sell directly to the public.
     By buying locally as much as possible, consumers can support the small farmer, develop a solid connection to the community, and help build a stronger local economy.
     “I buy where I live,” said Paulette Chitwood, a horticulturist at Lakescapes Nursery in Union Hall. “I won’t go to a ‘big box store’ just to save fifty cents. I’d rather pay a little more and support [a farmer] in my own community.”
     Following are just a few of the local choices in the Smith Mountain Lake community:
     For the widest selection of locally raised meats, EcoFriendly Foods is the place to shop. EcoFriendly Foods offers “pasture pure” beef, lamb, pork, and chicken, as well as eggs, specialty meat items and other gourmet and artisan product lines, which owner Beverley Eggleston said go “beyond organic’ standards.” They also ensure the humane handling and processing of their products. The store is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and is located just a few miles north of the Hales Ford Bridge on Stony Fork Road in Moneta (540.297.9582). It occupies a space at the Westlake Farmers’ Market throughout the summer as well.
     Beginning again in May, the Westlake Farmers’ Market, located next to Smith Mountain Building Supply, is the gathering place for many local farmers to sell their vegetables, fruits, eggs, meats, baked goods, fresh herbs and artisan crafts. John and Janice Walke established the market last year and expect many more farmers and artisans to participate this year. The market will be open each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 5-Oct. 13.
     Great-tasting dairy products like Creamline milk, buttermilk, butter and fresh eggs from pastured chickens can be found at the Homestead Creamery, a local favorite in Burnt Chimney. The Creamery strives to maintain all-naturalstandards. Their farmers do not use harmful, milk-production hormones and they grow their own feed and raise their own cows on local, family owned farms. Because it is supplied locally, the milk is extremely fresh. Purchase the milk directly from the farm store and it’s likely to have been bottled that same morning (540.721.2045).
     A little bit farther down the road from the Creamery is Beckner’s Farm Fresh Produce. The large farm stand is open every Monday through Saturday, rain or shine, from May through October. For in-season produce grown naturally, harvested daily, and sold at peak freshness, Beckner’s is an excellent choice. In addition to a large variety of vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, green beans and sweet corn to-die-for, they offer the sweetest blueberries, peaches, apples, and melons throughout the summer and pumpkins in the fall. They also sell fresh-baked zucchini bread and sweet rolls daily (540.721.2446).
     The shopping may require a little extra time (so throw the cooler in the car), but the good eating and good feelings from
supporting our local farmers will be worth the effort! For a complete list of resources, visit smithmountainlaker.com.