Remember me? Hopefully so! Keith looks really enthralled in this picture, but he'd been up since 5:00 am - brainstorming. He's getting really good at it!
Keith & I have had a pretty eventful Fall & Winter. We are adding several acres to our farming operation, and Keith's been a welding maniac creating new small scale equipment for the farm.We've both been selecting, storing, and researching seeds. Composting-can't get enough of it, and thanks to our Winter Intern, Ted Lusby, our shiitake farm is ever expanding. (The logs we are using for shiitake production were rescued from being bull-dozed & burned). At least now they have a function & new life living within them. We now have a nice place for our apprentices to dwell in over the growing season, and Keith is so proud of his plans for a new, washing station. It's gonna be large and in charge! Greenhouse work is my favorite job on the farm, except for cutting flowers and picking tomatoes. It's relaxing to be in the toasty greenhouse listening to the radio, sowing seeds, and transplanting seedlings.
Well, another major project we've decided to undertake, (after much thought, research, & debate), is to open our own farm-based business in Memphis.
I am proud to say that we have started a new business called the Trolley Stop Market!
Trolley Stop Market is a small "all local" grocery & deli located at 704 Madison, in Downtown Memphis, on the trolley line, no less. (Go green travel!). TSM is located next door to the UT Medical College, & right in the midst of the medical community over there. Our primary goal is to give the residents & consumers in the region an opportunity to have access to a wide variety of locally/sustainablly grown, & produced goods from the Mid-South.
The Trolley Stop Market will serve breakfast & lunch, and our menu will feature farmers and food artisans from across the MidSouth. Our shelves, crates, and bins will house local & certified organic produce, grains, nuts, mushrooms, fruit and more. Locally & humanely raised beef, poultry, pork, freshwater fish, and seafood will be in abundance too! A wonderful assortment of freshly baked goods, and desserts will be readily available as well. I can already smell the REAL strawberry muffins coming out of the oven!!! Come on April!!!
Don't you want to learn what's in season, and how to eat it -deliciously!?!
In addition to the food, TSM will also have a hip, floral & gift shop stocked with the finest, locally & organically grown cut flowers around. You're going to have to see it to believe it!
We will be open Monday - Friday, year round!!! Smoothie & juice bar coming soon, in addition to private meeting/party room, and a stage ready for local musicians to perform on! Plenty of wall space to display local art, and dinner club parties to begin this summer! If you've got a suggestion or interest in becoming a vendor you can contact us at trolleystopmarket@live.com. Website coming soon!
One other important note about Trolley Stop Market is that it will be home to CSA- Memphis, a multi-farm partnership/local food subscription service. Participating farmers will be advertised each week, with recipes, and cooking classes available for participating CSA members! More information to come! TSM will serve as the pick up point & subscribers can simply choose the day of the week (Monday - Friday) they wish to collect their veggie or floral share!
TSM customers are encouraged to bring their own shopping bags - just trying to stay away from plastic ya'll. Periodically throughout the year we will accept recycled donations like: glass jars & newspapers. Composting & other green living methods will be showcased at the Trolley Stop Market!
If you are excited to see something like this come to Downtown Memphis, please help us spread the word!!!
We are all taking one more step toward revolutionizing the food culture of this region! Support local farmers, farmers markets, green living & locally owned businesses, especially ones like Trolley Stop Market! ;) Not only are we growing food, we are growing our own agri-related businesses right here in the Mid-South! Check us out on facebook ya'll!!!
Opening mid April, so come in... hungry for more than just food for your belly! How about some food for thought on that plate too!
Cheers,
Jill
