Meet Asheville Cracker King & Queen
When you’ve operated a successful restaurant in Asbury Park, New Jersey patronized by the famous, including Bruce Springsteen, and then decide to sell it, what’s your next business move? Once Clark and Ana Mitchell sold the Twisted Root Cafe in New Jersey, their exit strategy was to move to Asheville, North Carolina with the idea of opening a restaurant. After relocating, Clark began tinkering in his kitchen and came up with what seemed to be a foolproof recipe for crackers. The experimentation bore fruit and looking for a way to sell their crackers, they set up in tailgate markets . Soon the crackers were selling faster than Clark could make them and taking up every available space in their home, “We had them on every flat surface”, he recalls. Clark recognized that they were on to something and the idea of opening a restaurant became less important. Three years ago the Mitchells moved their cracker making and baking operation to a former post office in the nearly deserted downtown of Swannanoa , North Carolina, about two miles from the corporate offices and distribution center for Ingles Markets. There are currently 7 employees (3 of them part-time) that work to produce the crackers that can be found in grocery stores (like Western NC Ingles Markets), cheese shops and gourmet food shops across the United States. Clark credits much of the success of Roots and Branches to his wife and partner Ana, “…she handles things in here (gesturing to the kitchen work space) with the employees so I can be on the phone or the computer selling and talking to businesses.”
On the day I visited the simple facility in Swannanoa, apron clad workers quickly and efficiently rolled out and cut dough, loaded trays into ovens and packaged crackers as jazz music played in the background. The air was sweet with the smell of the dough and the warm scent of just baked crackers. Clark pointed out a rounder machine that shapes the dough into balls. Each ball of dough produces three trays of crackers. Each tray of crackers takes about 20 minutes in the oven and each day they box approximately 400 brown boxes of Roots and Branches crackers. During the holidays that number will increase to about 600 boxes each day.
The ingredients for Roots and Branches crackers are simple: olive oil, unbleached wheat flour, semolina ,and salt. They currently produce five flavors, Olive Oil, Black Pepper, Sesame Seed and Olive Oil, Rosemary and Olive Oil, and Herb Garden. Clark uses King Arthur flour, “…because it’s the best” and drives to Charlotte monthly to get bulk amounts of olive oil which is the most expensive ingredient. Clark acknowledges that, “When you’re a cottage industry you solve problems on the fly…as you go..”. One of their challenges right now is increasing their power supply in an older building to keep pace with the orders for crackers.
We talked a bit about the vibrant entrepreneurial community in Western North Carolina that seems to grow so many successful small food businesses. There is definitely a spirit of camaraderie among these food entrepreneurs that share resources, information and ideas as well as frustrations. It can be a risky proposition to go into business for yourself, especially a food business, as Clark pointed out smiling somewhat ruefully, “You have to love it in a weird way…I’ve met many that have a good idea but implode.”
As I prepared to leave, Clark picked up one of Roots and Branches advertising post cards that he had illustrated with a zombie cartoon, “Because you definitely need Roots and Branches Crackers in the Zombie Apocalypse” he said with a grin… sounds like a good strategy to me. To hear my interview w/ Clark: https://www.ingles-markets.com/media/com_podcastmanager/rootsbranches.mp3 )
Posted 1 week ago by Ingles Dietitian
Labels: Ana Mitchell Asheville Blue Ridge Food Ventures Clark Mitchell crackers Entrepreneur local Roots and Branches Swannanoa Twisted Root zombies
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Sep
3
- Food Recollections: On Coconut Cake and a Grape Nehi4 View comments
- Posted 3rd September by Ingles Dietitian
- Labels: Depression food food waste grocery store. Madison County Michael Pollan Nehi ration cards soda sugar supermarket
- Many of us have probably read journalist and food activist, Michael Pollan's famous quote, "Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food." But how did (depending on your age) our parents, grandparents or great-grandparents really eat? I had this idea to interview some seniors to ask that question. You'll be happy to learn that if your parent or grandparent lives in a retirement facility you cannot just waltz in and ask them questions. Privacy and security guidelines made it necessary for approval from several layers before I could pay a visit to the Mars Hill Retirement Center in the little town of Mars Hill, North Carolina in Madison County about 20 minutes from Asheville and about 10 miles from the Tennessee state line.. A helpful activities director scheduled time for me to talk to some residents, a total of 7 people. The two men and five women ranged in age from 71 to 95 years old. Most needed the help of walkers, canes or motorized wheelchairs. Some had more difficulty speaking than others, but all were eager to talk and answer my questions. We met in a sunny lounge around a large oval table. I was not permitted to take photos of some of them , so my descriptions will have to suffice. Lewis B. - (82) - Polite, well-spoken and neatly dressed, Lewis has lived around Western NC for the majority of his life and when asked where he grew up he motioned with his hand saying, " ...about 10 miles away". Lewis' father grew hay, corn and tobacco on a 30 acre family farm, "plus 5 or 6 more acres that daddy leased". They also had 300 hens and a small dairy. James - (89) - Like Lewis, James also grew up in Madison County. His family's farm was 82 acres and they primarily grew tobacco and corn. A bit more taciturn, James spoke slowly and had strong opinions about food and business. As a young man he had worked as a meat supplier and remembered "...selling a lot of meat to Mr. Ingle's daddy when he had his store." (The father of Ingles Markets founder, was Elmer Ingle, he owned a small grocery store in Asheville until the mid 1950's. https://www.groceteria.com/place/north-carolina/asheville/chain-grocers-in-asheville-1925-1950/ )
Patricia - ("in my 80's") - Originally from Chino, California Patricia was reluctant to give her age and said, "Let's just say I'm in my 80's". Even seated in a wheel chair I could tell Patricia was tall and at one point she laughed as she mentioned that as a young woman she could never find clothes to fit and had to make her own. Patricia recalled her father working as a bread delivery man and then in her teens he bought a 25 acre farm ("...it was always his dream") and had a fruit orchard.
Florence C. - (95) - A slim woman with s sweet smile, Florence grew up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts and lived in cities. I could occasionally hear a bit of that New England accent in some of her words. She moved to North Carolina in the 1970's with her husband who taught at an academy in the Asheville area.
Judith L. -73 - Judith grew up in Kingsport, TN and talked with pride about her father's important position with a Tennessee company.
Harriet P. - 90 - Lived in Morristown, TN on a 450-acre family farm and laughed often as she recollected her childhood.
Wanda. B. - 71 - From rural Asheville, NC and though the youngest of the group. Wanda had a great deal of difficulty talking and was only able to share some information.
Here were some of the questions I asked them: "When you were growing up was there a grocery store nearby? Where did you shop for groceries?" James - "We raised everything we used. If we needed coffee, salt or sugar there was a small store called Frank Runyon's where we'd go." Lewis - (nodding his head in agreement with James) "I remember Runyon's ...we never wanted to run out of salt...or black pepper. If we needed more groceries we'd go to town in Marshall where there were four grocery stores.We even grew our own wheat and corn and would take it to a mill to grind."Harriet - "There was a grocery store right next to my school so if my momma needed something she would send money with me to school and I would get it on the way home." She started chuckling as she remembered a time when she'd been asked to get peanut butter and ended up scooping half of it out with her finger before she made it home. "Peanut butter was my favorite!". None could remember freezers until they were in their teens or older and a couple mentioned weekly visits from the ice man who would deliver blocks of ice to keep food cold. When I asked how the nearby 70,000 square foot Ingles Market would compare to the grocery stores of their childhood they all laughed. Florence said, "You could have fit about 7 or 8 of the grocery store we shopped into that Ingles!". Harriet flung her hands wide and said, "Let's just talk about the cereal aisle...you can't even see to the end of it! All we had was Post Toasties!"
Question: Was there a restaurant in your town? Did you drink soda when you were a child? All agreed that there were few if any restaurants when they were growing up. Judith said there was a Woolworth's in the town of Kingsport that served food.
Harriet remembered, "The first time I went to a restaurant I didn't know what to make of the paper napkins. The only napkins we had were cloth and only for special occasions.". Patricia recalled that the only time she ate at a restaurant was if they drove from California to Kansas to visit family. "We'd pull up at a restaurant and my father would go in. If the place served alcohol he'd come back out and say we weren't eating there and we'd keep going." Sodas were something not regularly consumed. Milk and water were usually served at meals, some also had sweet tea. Patricia said that orange or grape Nehi soda, "10 cents per bottle!",was a special treat and something they only had on a car trip. Question: "What was a special meal like when you were growing up?" This question elicited slow smiles and almost dreamy, faraway looks. Harriet answered, "Well, first we always had family meals sitting around a table." Several of the others nodded emphatically. Walter talked about a trip to one of the Marshall grocery stores to buy fresh oysters so his mother could make oyster stew but also said, "Meat was not a priority...there were always bowls of fresh greens like turnip, mustard and spinach." The type of meat served for a special meal seemed to depend on where people lived. For those that had grown up in the country or on a farm it was usually ham. Those that lived in towns mentioned eating beef or fried chicken for a special dinner. When I asked about turkey Harriet puzzled for a moment and then said, "No one raised turkey so I don't recall having turkey for a holiday meal until I was much older." Lewis recounted that his father would butcher about one or 2 hogs a year and then in their small community families would take turns butchering a beef cow which would be shared with neighbors.
Desserts seemed to merit the most fond memories and two that were mentioned specifically were a fresh coconut cake at Christmas and a "5 layer Apple Pie" that I have searched for unsuccessfully on-line.
As we moved on to talk about the difference between food and meals now compared to their childhoods, the differences grew even more apparent. Most said that they ate foods in season. During winter months fresh fruits and vegetables were seldom available and fruits or vegetables at meals were from those canned or preserved in the home or in some cases purchased from a grocery store. Harriet remember that getting an orange in her Christmas stocking was like "pure gold".
All had "kitchen gardens" except Florence who had grown up in the city. The kitchen gardens supplied their families with the vegetables that were served at meals like beans, tomatoes, and greens. Patricia explained that during World War II these were known as "Victory Gardens". There were two issues that these seniors were most concerned about. The first was the prevalence of eating out and the second, food waste in the home. Several mentioned that "people could save a lot of money if they didn't eat out so much" and Harriet remarked quickly, "It's because they don't know how to cook!". Food waste was also top of mind and I could tell many of them were particularly bothered by this problem. Florence, the oldest of the group, felt most strongly about this, "You didn't waste food. You cooked what you would eat and didn't save anything because you'd eat it all." Harriet agreed saying, "So much food is wasted now. If we had scraps they went to the chickens". My last question, "What would you say to people who think that food when you were growing up was better?" There was no real consensus on this. Some seemed to think food tasted better but there were far fewer options. Most agreed that life was harder, particularly during war time when sugar and even shoes were rationed.
Some were impressed by and appreciative of all of the choices and variety available today and others felt this was not necessarily a good thing. Patricia observed, "I hate to see people buying peaches in the middle of the winter and then eating them like an apple because they are so hard ...peaches shouldn't be crunchy!".James in particular seemed dismissive of the idea that the old days were better. "If we wanted chicken for dinner we had to raise it and then kill it and pluck it and cook it. Life was harder... you had to be tougher."
I don't know if I would necessarily want to eat the way my great-grandmother ate. There are foods that I have access to now that she would never have seen in her lifetime. King crab legs, mango, papaya, kiwi, quinoa.... I celebrate all of the choices we have today. At the same time, talking to these seniors made me reflect on what we may have sacrificed in our race towards material success and technological advancement. Fewer people have the ability or inclination to cook, and technology-free family meal times have to be fiercely guarded. It would be optimal to take the best of the past and combine it with present day so we don't lose sight of valuing time with family and simple food pleasures....like that one orange in the midst of winter....like "pure gold".
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Jul
28
- Words of Wisdom: Advice to New Dietitians0 Add a comment
- Posted 28th July by Ingles Dietitian
- Labels: Annette Maggi dietetic intern dietitian first job Kerry Neville Leah McGrath Lona Sandon Melissa Joy Dobbins
- We all had that first job, the start of our professional career as dietitians. Like our first love, the first job often leaves the biggest impression and can sometimes even result in making a crucial decision about our career path. My first job as a registered dietitian was as the Chief of Clinical Dietetics at Moncrief Army Hospital at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. I still remember that cold feeling of panic when I was told my title. Even though I became a dietitian in my 30's, going from being a dietetic intern with a group of 4 other interns, to the "Chief" of anything seemed overwhelming. There were just two of us at the hospital, I reported to the Chief of Nutrition Care. She supervised me and a number of non-commissioned officers and civilians that operated the food service (meal delivery and cafeteria). That position taught me a lot about working with teams, managing employees, and prioritizing responsibilities. It's where I began to hone my writing skills by writing for the newspaper on base. It's also where I realized how much I enjoyed public speaking when I had to teach weekly classes to large groups of soldiers and officers. Some other dietitians also shared their first job and lessons learned experiences:
Melissa Joy Dobbins - "The Guilt Free RD" - Owner and Founder of Sound Bites, Inc. "I moved to Chicago and worked as a clinical dietitian for 2 ? years. The hospital was located in a poor neighborhood in South Chicago, serving an indigent population. Although that was not my “dream job” (I preferred outpatient counseling) I learned important lessons that I still draw on today. I learned about real life, real people, and the realities of end stage diseases. I learned to be culturally sensitive, respectful of differences and empathic to the needs of patients and their families. Of course I learned to calculate tube feedings and TPN, but what I really learned was how to listen, support and empower people on their health journey."
Kerry Neville, MS, RD - Food and Nutrition Communications Consultant"My first job as an RD was at Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, VA. I worked there for 9 months.Lona Sandon - Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at DallasAnnette Maggi - Owner and Founder of Annette Maggi & Associates, Inc."My first job was as a dietitian working for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, a federal program that provided funding to day care providers who provided meals that met nutrition guidelines.Most important lessons: How to partner successfully with coworkers in a real-life work situation, a main element of getting a job done. How to take all the nutrition knowledge I had and communicate it effectively to my key audiences." So as you look for or start that first job, think of it as a clean slate, it's an opportunity to learn and grow both personally and professionally ....and remember there are lots of experienced dietitians who you can ask for advice because they've been in your shoes! - "My first job was as a part-time Clinical Instructor and Admissions Advisor for the coordinated program at UT Southwestern. I have now been here for 18 years but the job title and responsibilities have changed significantly and I moved to an office down the hall after 16 years. The most important lesson learned over the years is to say yes to opportunities even if your plate is already full."
- Most important lesson: Take advantage of opportunities, even if they scare you. A local TV station wanted to do an interview about Halloween and healthy options. I had no TV experience and no idea what I was doing, but I was the only dietitian who was willing to be interviewed. And that’s when and where I learned that I really liked doing media!"
May
19
- Desperately Seeking DUKE ( A Visit to Bush's Beans)1 View comments
- Posted 19th May by Ingles Dietitian
- Labels: beans Bush's canned Duke navy beans protein recipe
- Several years ago on a family trip to Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s theme park nestled in the mountains of East Tennessee, we passed the Bush’s beans plant. I marveled at the large complex but we were on a mission, to take a 10 year old to an amusement park, so we had no time to stop. Each time I’d see the commercials with DUKE, the famous Bush’s beans canine mascot or shop at Ingles Markets and see the rows of Bush’s beans, I’d be reminded that the Bush’s Bean plant was fairly close by.
Doggone it: Signs notified me that the Bush’s Bean plant was ahead and son the large plant spread out to my left. The simple white farmhouse of founder, A.J Bush’s, is located directly in front of it.
As I made my way past the house I saw a bevy of cameras, a handful of people and……what was that…could it be… DUKE the famous Bush’s Beans dog! DUKE’s silky coat glistened in the mid-morning sun and for one brief second I swore that he saw me and I caught a quick glimpse of those pearly white canines. I quickly phoned Sara and asked if it would be alright if I turned around and tried to get a photo, “ Sure, “ she replied, “we’ll see you at the Visitor’s Center in a few minutes. The CEO of Bush’s wants to meet you. ”. Desperately Seeking DUKE: I raced back to the parking lot in front of the Bush’s Restaurant and General store, hopped out of my car clutching my smart phone(aka camera) , and prepared to cross the road to the Bush historic family homestead. Two security guards gently stopped me saying, “Sorry ma’am, you’re not allowed over there, they’re filming a commercial”. From across the road I futilely scanned the lawn area in front of the historic house but DUKE was nowhere to be seen.
Disappointed, I returned to my car and sped off to the Visitors Center where I sat down with Bush’s President and CEO Tom Ferriter. I told him about my the near miss of getting to see DUKE and he reassured me , “Duke will be around all day, they’re filming spots for the Country Music Awards so I’m sure you’ll get a chance to see him.” I didn’t want to appear too canine star-struck and decided to focus on the task at hand. I spent some time talking with the gracious and engaging Mr. Ferriter who told me about the history and mission of Bush’s. Some of the things that I especially found interesting were:-You might think that Bush’s is a huge company but they only have 750 employees and most (about 350) work in the Chestnut Hill, Tennessee plant. - School teacher A.J Bush started a tomato canning company in 1904. Over the years Bush’s diversified into different vegetable products including sauerkraut and in 1952 found their niche as they introduced Bush’s canned beans. - In 1969 Condon Bush (A.J’s grandson) and other employees introduced Bush’s Baked Beans based on a family recipe. Bush’s is currently the #1 seller of Baked Beans.-100% of their beans are grown in North America and most are grown in the United States. The number one bean that they buy is navy beans used to make their baked beans. Mr. Ferriter stated proudly that they “know their growers and our farmers are glad to say they grow beans for Bush’s”. (Source: www.BushsBeans.com) Canine Concern: Sara and I suited up in a lab coats, hair nets, safety goggles, and ear plugs for my tour through the Bush’s plant. I made a point of telling Sara about wanting to take a photo of DUKE and said she felt confident she could make it happen.
Our guide for the tour was Area Manager Frankie McGill. Frankie supplied a wealth of information about the plant and the process of canning the beans. As we toured the facility what immediately impressed me was the cleanliness of the plant. We first walked through production lines where beans were rinsed and sorted to make sure no rocks or foreign material would contaminate final products. We carefully made our way past huge vats where beans were being soaked. From there we visited spice storage rooms and mixing areas, the air fragrant with the smell of different seasoning blends used on the beans. Sides of bacons, huge tubs of whole fresh onions…. all attest to the commitment Bush’s has to using good quality ingredients in their canned products. Separate areas had rows of shiny silver cans speedily being filled with various beans before being sealed. One thing I didn’t realize was that the beans are actually cooked in the cans in large units known as hydrostatic sterilizer. By large I mean multiple stories high, in fact I learned that Bush’s owns the largest hydrostatic sterilizer in North America (“….and maybe the world!” said Sara Rose) at their facility in Wisconsin.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size, mechanization and efficiency of the plant, Sara reminded me “…think about it...what we do here is really about the same as what your grandmother might have done if she was going to can beans. She’d rinse and sort them, add bacon or onions or seasonings…she’d probably cook them before putting them in the can but we cook them in the can to make sure we reduce risk of food safety issues.”
DUKE’s Busy Day: After finishing our tour Sara and I drove to Bush’s Family Café for some lunch. There I learned that DUKE was still on the property shooting more commercial spots but would be headed back before long. The clean and comfortable country style restaurant was full of guests ordering hearty plates of food. I had a vegetable plate with an order of their “Grillin’ beans” of the day, collard greens, mashed potatoes and onion rings and Sara insisted that I try a slice of pinto bean pie for dessert. It was fairly sweet but very delicious; I stopped short of finishing the whole slice.
Canine Confusion: We left the restaurant and walked next door to the quaint general store and museum of Bush’s beans history. There, a museum employee exclaimed, “You just missed DUKE! He left about 5 minutes ago!” My expression must have shown my disappointment since Sara quickly said, “I’m going to see where DUKE is now so you can get a photo.” Doggie Downtime: I half-heartedly wandered around the museum and purchased some souvenirs in the general store and then was told, “We’re so sorry, but the handlers took DUKE back to the house and now he is napping so you won’t be able to see him.”
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie: Everyone was very apologetic about the fact that I didn’t get to see DUKE. In the museum they have a special photo booth and you can pick one of DUKE in a staged background. This is my canine consolation prize.
In talking with both Sara Rose and Tom Ferriter it’s apparent that Bush’s continues to innovate to make this family owned company viable and appealing in the 21st century to a different type of consumer. Sara talked about new flavors like their Grillin’ Beans line and beans geared towards culinary innovations. They’ve also introduced reduced sodium products to address health concerns and smaller sized cans to appeal to consumers with smaller households. Like Sara, I do think that Bush’s beams are in the “sweet spot” of providing a safe, affordable, nutritious plant-based protein. One of the things I asked CEO and President Tom Ferriter was what he’d like to see happen in the next 10 years. Tom paused, and replied laughing, “First I’d like to get beans recognized as a vegetable!
Ultimately Bush’s goal is to get their beans into the hands of a broader audience. If Tom Ferriter had his way they would figure out a way consumers would be able to eat Bush’s beans with their hands and maybe in their cars but most of all he would like Bush’s customers to know that Bush’s is a “…company that cares….we’ll change what we do, but not who we are.” When I returned from East Tennessee I was motivated to experiment with beans. So I came up with a recipe for Black Bean Truffles. These are high protein & fiber treats with minimal added sugar. You’ll be surprised at how tasty they are!
1 cup Bush’s black beans, rinsed and drained2 TBSP creamy peanut or almond butter (natural –no added sugar)* 2 TBSP cocoa powder 2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/3 c.(-1/2 c) mini chocolate chips. (Add more for additional sweetness) 1/3 c. unsweetened shredded coconut Food process all ingredients except coconut until it makes a dough-like mass. Remove from food processor and shape into small truffle balls and roll in coconut. Refrigerate. *if you would like them to be sweeter use Nutella or a similar product - ? cup PB2 (peanut flour)
- -Bush’s Beans is still 100% family owned and four members of the Bush family currently work for the company.
- I finally made arrangements to visit with my friend Sara Rose, VP and Director of Government and Industry Affairs for Bush Brothers and Company and after about an hour was almost there. The winding two-lane road has sharp curves and on the morning I went it was full of RV’s carrying tourists to Pigeon Forge and Dollywood.
May
15
- Guest Post: The Celiac Challenge0 Add a comment
- Posted 15th May by Ingles Dietitian
- Labels: celiac dietetic intern dietitian gluten gluten free Leah McGrath Lenoir Rhyne meal planning
- Stephanie Fairweather, dietetic intern at Lenoir-Rhyne University contributed this post.
Many people associate Celiac disease with consuming the grain protein formed by processing wheat – gluten (It’s also found in barley and rye grains). In fact, Celiac disease is an autoimmune response. Exposure to gluten causes a reaction that damages the intestinal lining, making it difficult to absorb nutrients in the GI tract. The condition can also cause pain, bloating, diarrhea, anemia, depression, and can contribute to long-term chronic disease. Celiac disease affects just under 1% of the U.S. population, approximately 3 million Americans (1). To delve into the question of changes with Celiac, I put together two days of meals and a shopping list for a family of four. When I started going through the grocery aisles, two things became apparent: 1) It takes a lot more time in the store and costs more money to go gluten free, and 2) Grocery employees are well-versed in the gluten-free products their stores carry, and are helpful in directing customers to them. I found that Ingles also makes locating gluten free foods very easy for consumers, placing “gluten free” tags below items, which are located among similar items such as baked goods and pastas. Day 1 Lunch: Turkey sandwiches with lettuce, grapes Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, waffles with syrup and sliced bananas, yogurtDinner: Asian chicken stir fry with veggies and riceI estimated that the grocery store visit took an extra 17 minutes to read the nutrition labels on all of the foods. Over a year of shopping, the need to scrutinize labels could easily add an extra 50 hours to the task. I could see how this would create brand loyalty and a repertoire of go-to foods for busy households. I also appreciate that adventurous cooks need to make a major time commitment to find Celiac-safe foods.I decided that for our family scenario, I would trade out gluten-free ingredients for those containing wheat, to find the cost difference. The two day grocery bill was $23.67 more expensive for non-gluten foods! Some items, including freezer waffles and cereal, were fairly closely priced. Here’s a glance at similar breakfast cereal types:
The major cost differences in gluten free foods I found are in baked goods, notably breads and desserts. This is one area where food marketers are seeing almost unbounded business growth: Euromonitor estimated the U.S. gluten-free market was $486 million in 2013 - just for products that were specifically formulated to replace wheat flour. Think bread, cookies, pasta and ready-prepared meals. Their sales projections are for gluten-free market growth by 38% between now and 2018 (4). The sandwich bread loaves I compared were $2.50 more expensive for a gluten-free loaf than for a wheat loaf. That adds up quickly for a household staple!
Suddenly, fruits, frozen yogurt and ice cream started sounding like great dessert options for a family of four. Dining out with Celiac presents another challenge, and it’s one that many Americans must navigate carefully. On an evening visit to a small cafe, I found 19 entree selections. Paring out the wheat-containing choices, that left five dinner options. I asked the cook how she handled menu requests from customers with Celiac. She was forthright in mentioning that the baking/prep area of the kitchen was too small to avoid cross-contamination of baked goods, so she accommodates customers with soups and salad offerings, and the cafe has a work-around in burgers served on lettuce “buns” instead of bread. Those with Celiac routinely must ask about kitchen prep areas and the establishment’s gluten-food policy; it’s also common to avoid ordering entrees with sauces or gravies and deep fried foods. A bright spot in being a gluten-free consumer these days is that Celiac awareness is much broader now than in the past few years. Grocery chains train staff and restaurants train servers to be knowledgeable about the products and menu items offered. Great information and support can also be found online. Here are a few resources: Ingles Markets - www.ingles-markets.com/inside/gluten-free carries a list of foods on their website which are listed “gluten free” by their manufacturers, and they also list stores in the Ingles chain which have gluten free sections. Gluten Free Girl and the Chef - www.glutenfreegirl.com is an enticing website for seasonal, sweet and savory baked goods recipes, and offers a simple guide to gluten-free baking. References 2. U.S. National Library of Medicine Celiac disease. Retrieved from https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/celiac-disease. Accessed May 11, 2015. - 3. Thompson T. How much gluten is 20 parts per million (2008). Retrieved from https://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/how-much-gluten-is-20-parts-per-million/. Accessed May 11, 2005.
- 1. Rubio-Tapia A, Ludvigsson JF, Brantner TL, Murray JA, Everhart JE. The prevalence of celiac disease in the United States. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2012 Oct;107(10):1538–44
- As professional dietitians (and dietitians-to-be), it’s key to remember that we need to do more than simply educate our clients on healthy food choices. We also need to understand individual challenges to making changes, and be able to collaborate, find solutions and share resources with those we serve. It was thought-provoking to step into the shoes of a person with Celiac, and also heartening to know that there are delicious and accessible workarounds, both at the grocery store and in restaurants, for those who suffer the disease.
- Gluten Free in NC - www.glutenfreeinnc.com shares information about restaurants and bakeries that cater to gluten-free customers throughout the state of North Carolina.
- Gluten Intolerance Group – www.gluten.org provides info on symptoms of Celiac, proper testing, potential nutrient deficiencies associated with the condition, food choice alternatives and cooking characteristics of non-gluten foods such as flours, thickeners and starches.
- For a home baking fan, finding gluten-free recipes and mixes is doubly challenging: it’s expensive, and texture results can be disappointing. That’s because it’s the gluten protein that makes doughs stretchy and traps gases in the dough in a nice hot oven, providing lightness and structure to baked goods (5). The yellow cake mix for my two day grocery scenario cost $2.40 more for the non-gluten version. Fresh brownies had a cost difference of $3.69 each gluten-free vs. $1.24 each wheat flour-containing for a 3 inch brownie from the grocery store bakery. Here’s a comparison of more bakery items:
- Specialty pastas are a burgeoning industry. The least expensive gluten free pasta option still cost $2.10 more per pound than wheat pasta. I had to laugh at some of the packaging, which read, “Good Consistent Texture, Not Mushy” (!) Clearly, a good toothy gluten free pasta is difficult to formulate, and manufacturers are aware of consumer response to early versions. Good tasting alternatives are now springing up including pastas made from rice, corn, quinoa and even soybeans and black beans (that’s some high fiber pasta!). I boiled up a new bean pasta and found it kept its angel-hair shape and bite quite nicely. Sauteed with a few shrimp, asparagus and crushed red pepper flakes, it tasted very much like lightly salted thin spaghetti. These new pastas are also uniformly $2 to $4 more per pound to buy.
- One big surprise was that wheat was an ingredient in foods that I would never associate with gluten. In frozen French fries, wheat was added as a coating to keep them from sticking together. Almost all brands of soy sauce on the shelves also contained wheat (a gluten-free option that is available is tamari sauce). Glancing at other common condiments, I noticed that most gravy mixes had wheat in them, and a pale ale mustard that would need to be avoided (beer is brewed with barley and is off the list as an alcohol option for those with Celiac).
- Lunch: Birthday burger BBQ, oven fries, ketchup and a homemade yellow birthday cake
- Day 2
- Dinner: Spaghetti and meatballs with tomato sauce, green beans, brownie
- Breakfast: Raisin bran, lowfat milk, orange slices
- The two day meal menu reflected what we might eat on a typical weekday and a special birthday weekend day:
- Even a tiny amount of gluten consumed can cause the GI antibody reaction; the FDA requires that any food product with a “gluten free” label to contain no more than 20 parts per million of gluten. That translates into roughly 20 milligrams of gluten in two pounds of grain-based food that’s considered gluten free (2). In real terms, adult nutrition requirements for most people range from 6 to 10 ounces of grains per day, so gluten thresholds in gluten-free grain servings would be between 3.42 and 5.7 milligrams (3). This means a few crumbs of gluten-containing bread can spark a debilitating response.
- What kind of grocery shopping and eating changes would a person recently diagnosed with Celiac disease need to make in life? May is Celiac Awareness Month, and Ingles Markets Dietitian Leah McGrath posed this question, challenging me to observe and experience how food buying and dining habits would be affected with this condition.
Apr
29
- Got to be Gluten-Free0 Add a comment
- Posted 29th April by Ingles Dietitian
- Labels: Ardenne Farm celiac gluten free gluten intolerance Ingles Mills River samples
- For over ten years I've worked with celiac disease and gluten intolerance support groups, long before "going gluten-free" was a fad endorsed by celebrities. Though I don't have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity; I've planned and attended at least twenty gluten-free events, attended multiple educational sessions about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet and sampled countless gluten-free cookies, cakes, donuts, crackers and breads at shows and expos. Initially I found most of the baked items or items made from gluten-free mixes to be inferior to gluten containing products. The texture was often gritty or gummy and frequently the dessert items were oversweet. As time went on gluten-free items improved and it became more common that I would find myself thinking, "...this doesn't taste too bad.". In recent years gluten-free products have hit the mainstream and the taste, price, and in many cases, the nutrition profile of the ingredients,has improved.
When I first encountered the gluten-free dessert items made from Ardenne Farms mixes I approached them warily. As I sampled them I found myself thinking, "..this doesn't taste gluten-free - they taste really good!". It's a tribute to the hard work of Ardenne Farm owners, (and wife and husband)) Kathy Milner and Joe McKay, that they have managed to create mixes that produce such good tasting gluten-free products. Currently Ardenne Farm gluten-free mixes can be found at about 100 Ingles stores throughout the Southeast. Ardenne Farm was born out of Kathy and Joe's originally business, American Quality Foods, that started in Vermont in the 1990's. Eventually they ended up in a 17,000 square foot facility in Mills River, North Carolina. American Quality Foods provides sugar-free mixes to schools, institutions and food service. The day I visited the plant I received an e-mail from Kathy, "We have some construction going on so please park on the side of the building." Sure enough, several men were hard at work on the foundation of what Kathy told me later will be their new 17,000 square foot dedicated gluten-free production facility. This addition is slated to be operational in the fall of 2015. Kathy and Victoria Lamberth, the Marketing Communications Coordinator, and Kathy's son, Jason McKay, the Operations Manager, showed me around the current facility that employees 43 full-time workers. They anticipate hiring about 10 more full-time employees for the gluten-free facility. The warehouse has high neatly stacked racks of ingredients. Jason explained that gluten-free items are stored above gluten-containing ingredients to minimize risk of contamination. For those with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, the only treatment currently available is a gluten-free diet. One of the biggest concerns for someone with celiac disease is the risk of cross-contact and making sure the gluten-free products they consume are safe. Jason explained the various points during production at which they check to make sure their products are free of contamination from gluten-containing ingredients and meet a 10ppm (parts per million) gluten standard ( less than the FDA's minimum of 20ppm). 1. Mixing room - Before any of the Ardenne Farm mixes are made all machinery is disassembled and thoroughly cleaned. This is usually done on a Friday so it dries over the weekend. Surfaces are then swabbed and checked for the presence of gluten. If they test to more than 10ppm the machinery is disassembled and cleaned again. 2. Mixing room - After each batch is made a sample is pulled and tested using an ELISA test to make sure it is 10ppm or less. 3. Packaging line - As each batch is packaged, a sample package is pulled and baked to make sure it tests to less than 10ppm.
"At any point if it's higher than 10ppm we have to start over again and not use that product." explained Jason. Back in the warehouse we discussed some of the ingredients for their gluten-free mixes. Although demand for some ingredients has increased Jason emphasized that they try and buy as much as possible regionally from North Carolina suppliers.
Kathy feels that their ingredients is one of the keys to the superior quality of their products, "What we're really trying to do is make the best tasting products using excellent ingredients. She continued, "So you don't get that grainy texture we use a finely ground rice flour." .
Jason added, "We're trying to get rid of that (negative) stereotype of the gluten-free taste." To that end Ardenne Farms has worked hard to introduce their products to customers. Often you will find Victoria or other Ardenne Farms employees providing samples of their products at an Ingles store, during one of our Taste of Local events, at a gluten intolerance support group meeting or a food expo. In the next year Kathy hopes to offer Ardenne Farm ready-to-eat gluten-free dessert items. I asked her if she was sure she wanted me to include that and she said brightly, "Sure, it will hold us to it!"
Apr
26
- A Dietetic Intern gets a taste of "Taste of Local" at Ingles1 View comments
- Posted 26th April by Ingles Dietitian
- Labels: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project Ardenne Farm ASAP Firewalker Hot Sauce GMO Ingles Ingles Markets local organic Roots Hummus Sweetwater Growers
- “Taste of Local”- Guest post by Ana Hoffman - University of TN Dietetic Intern. Grown in your town. Picked by your neighbor. Sold down the street. The local food craze is sweeping the nation- town by town. If you’re anything like me, you’ve seen the popular slogan, “Eat Local,” on bumper stickers of every passing car. As a future dietitian, I often get questions on the benefits of eating local and how to get local foods. However, to many consumers surprise, local foods can be found in your local supermarket in many cases. In early April, I had the opportunity to attend “Taste of Local,” an event hosted in Asheville, NC by Ingles Supermarkets and organized by Leah McGrath, Ingles Corporate Dietitian. The event brought nineteen local food vendors and countless customers. Each food vendor set up a small booth beside their product in the store and offered generous samples to entice new customers. I had the privilege of talking with these vendors to learn a little more about what they do and how they do it.
Without customers, the food vendor would not exist (at least successfully). Now, customers have a lot of questions and knowledge when it comes to the foods they eat. A representative from Sunny Creek Farm stated, “consumers want to know where their food comes from and we want to tell them!’ So educating consumers is a big part of being a local food vendor. And in addition to telling customers what their product is and where it comes from, vendors have noticed an increase in the number of customers asking how they grow their food (ie. No-GMO’s, processed foods, Organic, free range, etc…). Many vendors mentioned the most popular inquiries they get are if their food is “organic.” Organic agriculture refers to those products that are produced using methods that preserve the environment and avoid many synthetic materials, like pesticides and antibiotics. There is a long list of standards that farmers, ranchers, and food processors must follow (you can read all about it here). And while many customers have heard organic is better, that is not necessarily true for all products. It takes a farmer 36-months, at minimum, to transition to a USDA Organic Certification operation and can cost upwards of several thousand dollars.
Like most things, organic foods have pros and cons. Organic foods have not been found to be safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food. However, for many shoppers that are allergic to foods, chemicals, or preservatives, organic farming practices allow them to continue enjoying their favorite foods (1). Additionally, not all local foods are organic, and not all organic foods are local. For many food vendors, becoming organic certified is not viable with the cost, even though they may be using organic practices. One vendor put it best when she remarked, “Organic food is dependent,” on the type of food, the customer, and their desires. In many cases, healthy food outweighs whether or not it is also organic.
Local food vendors face many challenges- from bringing their concept to life, to dealing with growing pains as their companies expand. Many vendors cited that starting their business (which was hard) was not the most difficult part of their journey. What was/is the most difficult is learning how to expand to meet growing demand- finding commercial processors, retail space, increasing ingredient supply, and adapting with seasonality. Luckily- food vendors tend to be quite creative and love to share.
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), a non-profit serving Asheville, NC, helps many small farmers market their products - power in numbers. This tale was told by several of the vendors. In order to keep up with consumer demand, many small farmers join together to supply
ingredients and products.
To account for seasonality, Sweetwater Growers has adapted using a hydroponic greenhouse to grow their herbs. Allowing them to harvest fresh, living herbs year round. “It’s a learning journey,” says Ardenne Farm representative Victoria Lambeth, speaking of their continuous journey to bring local foods to consumers everywhere.
For many of the vendors, coming up with a product was not their intention. Rather, they were recognized as being good at making a product and saw a demand for it in retail. When I asked many of the vendors how competition from national brands factored into their business they acknowledged it was there but were passionate that being local was their competitive edge.
Franco, the owner of Firewalker Hot Sauce remarked how getting the consumer “addicted to good for you flavors,” is a good start. From there, continuous innovation and customer satisfaction takes the business. I was surprised to learn that the main marketing strategy employed by majority of the local vendors was through local restaurants- community collaboration at its best. Many of the vendors market to local chefs and restaurant owners to use their product. Customers eat the product in the restaurant and then want to try it at home. Vendors also noted social media as a main marketing avenue. Traditional marketing plans are expensive- and word of mouth seems to work best with the local vendors.
Local food has many benefits. For the producer, they know how their food is made and are proud to share. An intern from Hickory Nut Gap Farm says, “It’s wonderful to be proud that our animals are treated humanely.” And like all small business owners, local food vendors have goals to grow their businesses and multi-location retailers provide that opportunity. The vendors noted that many supermarkets are open to hearing what your product is and what your business plan has to offer. From there, the vendors take it store-by-store, and town-by-town. For many consumers it is a learning curve to know that large supermarkets, like Ingles, have local foods. So, encourage your family, friends, and even strangers at the store, to buy local… you may just be helping your neighbor!
Mar
10
- Dietitians Answer the Question: "Why did you become a dietitian?"1 View comments
- Posted 10th March by Ingles Dietitian
- Labels: #RD2Be dietetic intern dietitian nutrition nutritionist registered dietitian
- Becoming a dietitian is no easy feat. It takes years of study of difficult and demanding classes (please don't mention Organic Chemistry). You need at least an undergraduate degree ( and soon a Master's will be required). You must complete an internship that can last nine months to over a year, You must pass a board exam and then for the rest of your career you have to keep up annual educational credits. Despite all of this hard work and sacrifice you won't find many dietitians who say that got into the field to become rich. Over the years I've met dietitians in a variety of fields... from clinical, consultants and culinary to authors and academics and have asked many what made them decide to become a registered dietitian. ( You can listen to podcasts of my interviews with dietitians here: https://www.ingles-markets.com/dietitian/leah/podcasts )In celebration of Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day ....Here are their answers:Career Change - Desire to Learn Something More/Different:"I was feeling stagnant in my current profession and decided I needed a change - a big change. I was always interested in eating healthy and staying fit so I decided to take my personal passion and make it professional.""I became an RD because I realized I didn’t know what the hell I was taking about when I dispensed free health information to my customers at my health food store."
Personal or Family Illness
Kristi King - Senior Dietitian - Texas Children's Hospital
"I became an RD because of my father. He was diagnosed with Type I DM when he was 13 and suffered significant health issues as he became older. I wanted to prevent other families from having to going through what my family did!"
Christine Rosenbloom - Professor Emerita Georgia State University
"I wanted to be a dietitian when I was 13...dad had kidney disease and was on dialysis and I made low protein breads for him. I thought it was interesting that food was an integral part of his care."
Dr. Susan Mitchell - Host - Breaking Down Nutrition podcast
"...my father consulted a dietitian for his cholesterol and told me all about his visit. I was fascinated."
Family Member Encouragement
Shari Steinbach - Healthy Living Manager - Meijer Supermarkets
"I became a dietitian because my Grandmother always took time to prepare wholesome meals and discuss with me why a healthy diet is important. ... she lived to be 97 and was never once in the hospital."
Influenced by a Dietitian or Dietetic Intern
Connie Diekman - Director of University Nutrition - Washington University in St. Louis
"I had two inspiring motivators - 1) an RD friend of my mom and 2) my home Ec teacher who was an RD. Both loved what they did and offered great encouragement when I talked about my interest in health and food."
Toby Smithson - Author, Founder Diabetes Everyday
"...in 8th grade ...I was hospitalized with the stomach flu. I had to be monitored carefully because of my type 1 diabetes. A dietetic intern who also happened to have T1 diabetes came to my bedside as part of her rounds-and that's when the journey began. I was inspired by a dietetic intern."
Angela Lemond - Owner Lemond Nutrition, Board Certified in Pediatric Nutrition
"Took an "elective" Nutrition 101 class thinking it'd be super easy.... realized that I was wrong - it was much harder - but I was inspired by Donna Israel, PhD, LPC, RD, FADA's passion. I didn't pursue dietetics until 10 years later, but Donna is now a dear friend. She became a mentor."
- Dave Grotto - Author, President of Nutrition Housecall,LLC :
- Keri Gans - Nutrition Consultant, spokesperson, author
- Heather Mangieri - Owner and Nutrition Consultant, Nutrition CheckUp LLC,
- "...after taking a physiology class my freshman year I knew I wanted to work in the healthcare field. I also knew I did not want to work with blood. That's when I discovered nutrition as a major. It was the only field that I could help people get healthy without having to deal with blood..."
- Carolyn O'Neil - author, Nutrition Advistor - Best Food FactsDesire to Improve Health of Self or Others"When I hit high school, I wanted to fit in with the other "slim" girls and started dieting. I did lose weight, but I was confused with all the conflicting information and frustrated that I could not maintain the weight I wanted. In my 20s I vowed to find a healthy way to lose weight and keep it off. That’s why I decided to study nutrition in college and later become a registered dietitian.""In college, I saw a TV show that said: “Do for a career what you do in your spare time.” I spent most of my free time at the local healthfood store & cooking out of a vegetarian cookbook so a counselor suggested a career in nutrition."
- Dawn Jackson Blatner - Author, Chicago Cubs Nutrition Consultant
- Patrician Bannan - Nutrition and Health Communications, author
- "I was already an English major at Florida State University but wasn't really happy with the gloomy writer types in my classes. So, I flipped open the FSU course catalogue ....and looked up Food & Nutrition. The courses jumped off the page! Food History, Food Science, Diet and Disease! I changed my major as soon as I got back to campus and didn't even tell my academic advisor."
- "Why did you become a dietitian?" Was there a person, event or a class that was the motivation?
- Leslie Bonci - Director of Sports Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
- "I had an undergrad degree in bio psychology and no clue what I wanted to do Started grad school in public health one of my first courses was Maternal and Child Nutrition it was fireworks! I knew nutrition was what I wanted to pursue."
- Influenced by a class:
- It's sort of like asking someone how they met their significant other...how they "knew" he or she was THE ONE.
Feb
24
- Dietary Guideline Envy-Are the Guidelines Greener/Better in Another Country? 4 View comments
- Posted 24th February by Ingles Dietitian
- Labels: Brazil DGAC dietary guidelines Food Guide Pyramid guidelines myplate
- The Scientific Report for the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015.asp) has just been released and will be in comment phase until April so it will probably be late summer or early fall before the official 2015 Dietary Guidelines are made public. Once again I see people proclaiming the benefits of Brazil's Dietary Guidelines over those of the U.S and so I asked myself, "Self, Why Brazil? Don't other countries have Dietary Guidelines?" The answer is, yes, of course they do. Here is some information about Food-Based Dietary Guidelines(FBDG) in Europe https://www.eufic.org/article/en/expid/food-based-dietary-guidelines-in-europe/
How about a quiz to see how much you know about the Dietary Guidelines of other countries:
1. The U.S is not the only country that uses the plate icon to illustrate how people should eat. What other countries in Europe use a similar plate icon?
2. Sweden created the Food Guide Pyramid in 1974 and though the U.S has abandoned the pyramid for MyPlate many countries still use a Pyramid icon. Which of the following do you think use a Pyramid? Germany India Ireland Israel Italy Spain Switzerland
3. Some countries have a unique way of depicting preferred eating habits. Match the country with the icon China House South Korea Pagoda Germany Bicycle Hungary 3 dimensional pyramid
(see the answers below) Source: https://www.eufic.org/article/en/expid/food-based-dietary-guidelines-in-europe/
Ok, now that our fun little quiz is over let's do a reality check. Why do we have our own Dietary Guidelines? I mean, why do we have to recreate the wheel...I mean the Pyramid ...I mean MyPlate? Why can't we just borrow someone else's? I like what the European Food and Information Council writes, "... the evaluation of the nutritional status of a population is the best way to ensure that FBDG take into account the prevailing nutrient gaps and public health problems of a specific country." (Source: Link noted above)
A closer look at Brazil reveals life expectancy of the typical Brazilian is 74.3 while in the U.S the average life expectancy is 78.6 and their literacy rate is 88% while in the U.S it is 99%. They also have some of the world's highest rates of deaths due to violence and alcohol. It's not that I think the Dietary Guidelines for Brazil are bad but why do we envy them? Why don't we aspire to have guidelines more like a country that is doing BETTER than us in terms of life expectancy? How about Sweden with one of the world's highest life expectancy's of 82 years? While cardiovascular disease is also the leading cause of death in Sweden it is less of a cause than in both the U.S and Brazil. (www.worldlifeexpectancy.com) So, before we start proclaiming that a country's Dietary Guidelines are better, how about if we do a better job teaching, communicating and following our own. Answers: 1. Finland, Sweden and UK 2. All of these countries use the Pyramid (hah, tricked you) 3. China - pagoda;South Korea-bicycle; Hungary-house; Germany-3 dimensional pyramid
Dec
22
- Dietitian Resolutions2 View comments
- Posted 22nd December 2014 by Ingles Dietitian
- Labels: dietitian fad diet perimeter processed resolutions
- 1. When talking to customers/clients don't automatically "dis" that fad diet that eliminates gluten/wheat/sugar/salt/white foods etc. Why? Mostly because people are seldom fanatically following it anyway so the risk to their health is minimal. Also it may just turn your customers or clients off if you demean what seems to be working for them. Instead: Ask a few questions that will help you to find out what they like about this diet and you may discover why it's working for them. It may be more about what they are adding to their diet than what they've eliminated.
2. Don't say "only shop the perimeter" Why? - Supermarkets now merchandise items throughout the store - cheese near apples in produce....cookies and donuts near milk.....bananas near cereal. -All supermarkets aren't the same and their floor plans may be different, e.g. beer/wine and cakes on the perimeter, produce in the center of the store, frozen fruits and vegetables in the middle - so do you still want to say "only shop the perimeter"? -Frozen and canned vegetables are economical,useful AND nutritious and should not be ignored - the same as canned and bagged beans, dried grains, brown rice and cooking staples - all of them on the "infamous" middle aisles. Instead: Recommend reading labels and shopping for the best buys both economically and for nutrition THROUGHOUT the supermarket.
3. Avoid saying "processed" in a pejorative way. Why? -Many foods and beverages have to be processed in order to be transported or to be safe or edible some examples include milk, rice, and yogurt. -Processing an item doesn't automatically mean it is bad or has had more sugar/salt/fat added. -Just because it is processed and put into a bag or box doesn't mean it is a negative- just means it may be easier to transport and store! Instead: Teach and advise that customers/clients read labels, the nutrition facts panel and check ingredients. Avoid items that have been processed to include unnecessary or high amounts of fats, salts or sugar.
3. Avoid saying - "Shop only at farmers markets and tailgate markets." Why? -This is may not practical or economical for most consumers. Supermarkets allow the average consumer to make one trip to purchase fresh, frozen, canned, paper goods, beauty aids etc without having to make multiple or special trips by car or public transportation to a number of farmer or tailgate markets. -Supporting local farmers is important, but many supermarkets do purchase produce, milk,eggs, meat, chicken etc from local farmers and vendors. This is often a more efficient and sustainable way for the farmer/vendor to sell their products rather than having to "man" -Many farmers markets and tailgate markets are seasonal and cannot supply customers year around. a stall at a farmers market or tailgate markets or transport their products to numerous locations which takes more time and fuel.
Instead: If you have a farmers market or tailgate market that is convenient to you, support it but also look for local products in season at your supermarket. Vote with your pocketbook if it is important for you to buy local.
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