From the local farm to your plate is not as easy as it looks..
Article by Jimmy Arnold with photography by Joshua Fitzwater
The true mark of excellence in anything is that the purveyor possesses such skill and knowledge in their area of expertise that the result appears to be effortless. The very first thing you begin to understand while talking to Bobby (a farmer turned fisherman, turned farmer again) from Brothers Farm in Elizabeth City, NC is that this is so much more than food to them. From the diet of sweet potatoes, cucumber, or even the vegan bi-product from the local brewery’s last run as feed for the heirloom pigs that they raise to the pink eyed field peas (similar to their black eyed brethren) that he used Texas Pete on as a “green” pesticide for a season, this is serious business.
(above left, Bobby Brothers)
When a restaurateur like Nic Hagen at HomeGrown wants to prepare the freshest meals possible, he turns to people like Bobby to make that happen. The result is crazy good. For example, both of the men prepared Cole Slaw and Potato Salad from their own family recipes and each have their own style. You won’t talk to either of them for long before you understand the level of passion they both have for what they do. Bobby lamented how he’s gotten calls asking for produce that’s not nearly in season, highlighting how little understood the lost art of local family farming has become.. and a mindset that resulted from the globalization of food. The lifestyle, the discipline, the dedication might as well be on the ingredients list of the food they prepare, because it is in there, down to the asparagus, fresh picked that morning and insanely delicious.
(below right, Nic Hagen)
They made it look easy. At the first seating of this first annual event, Nic presented the spread to about a dozen lucky patrons.The pork was very flavorful, tender and juicy, without being greasy. With no hesitation when asked, Nic said his “secret” was Old Bay Seasoning, red pepper flakes and brown sugar, something he’d learned long ago. In true farming tradition, nothing was wasted. The whole animal was prepared; a sign of respect that was likely passed down from Native American cultures. The head cheese that typically tends toward saltiness was much less so, and was very savory and rich. Attending this event made me wax nostalgic for the simpler, more disciplined, way of life that used to be the norm. Homegrown and Brothers Farm open their doors to you like you’re family, and it really wasn’t that long ago that food used to taste this good all the time. I’m looking forward to next year.
– We will be following up on Bobby Brothers and Brothers Farm with an extended feature in the near future. Last year Brothers Farm due to bad weather lost a lot of its crop. That, along with increased farming expenses, created a lot of financial strain in a time when they were trying to revitalize the farm. Bobby in addition also cares for his mother who suffers with dementia so he has a full plate.
If you would like to help Bobby Brothers and the farm revitalize, please visit
http://www.gofundme.com/brothersfarmmarket
Here also is Brothers Farm’s website
http://www.brothersfarmmarket.com/
Their facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brothers-Farm-Market/166310556725555?fref=ts
HomeGrown’s facebook page https://www.facebook.com/homegrownva
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