Group Participants : Stephen Morrison, Rannie Bond, Lindsey Bond, Sara Henderson, Frank Crane, John & Lyn Morrey, Donnie & Mitzie Craps and Jody Tinsely
Jody Tinsely took notes for the group.
Questions posed to the group…
Q: How do we see the food situation in our area?
- We have to drive to town to shop for food—Clayton, Westminster, Walhalla. All have Ingles grocery stores.
- Some towns have or have had farmers’ markets, which some in group visit rarely. It seems the times folks went they didn’t find it worth it, due to limited variety.
- If one were up here then folks would be willing to try it. It has to be worth the visit, and the first year or so will be hard.
- We all feel blessed.
Q: What are the problems we see in this area relating to food?
- Distance is the main issue, but we acknowledge that this is self-imposed. We choose to live up here. Some folks on the mountain don’t make that choice, or not as freely.
- There are community centers in both Long Creek and Mountain Rest, but nothing in between. If you’re going to drive from one community to the other you might as well drive to town, just considering distance and time.
- Some other limits for some on the mountain include lack of transportation and financial hardship, leading to the suggestion that if there were a farmers market up here that hoped to serve the needs of the mountain population in general, it would need to accept snap or food stamps or whatever form aid is in.
Q: What would we like to see happen regarding access to food?
- There was a suggestion that a food delivery program that dropped off food to needy folks up here during peak harvests would help those with either financial or transportation problems.
- A veggie delivery truck for elderly/shut in/poor/non-drivers, as above.
- Grant money to upgrade Long Creek and Mountain Rest community center kitchens.
- Cooking/canning classes at these centers, suggested recipes with veggie purchases, especially for less common items.
- A seed/plant exchange at farmers markets.
- There’s a commercial kitchen at the Food Bank in Clayton (Rabun County, GA) available for individual use.
- In reference to the area covered by Long Creek and Mountain Rest, an in-between place would have advantages, starting as a market location with shed roofs and stalls and then possibly progressing to a kitchen, especially if both the existing kitchens need lots of upgrades anyway.
- There is evidently county land next to the Whetstone volunteer fire station that could possibly be used. County owns this land—they are easy to ask and interested in development.
- Ag extension should be brought into the process of developing a farmers market; in fact, gardens must be inspected and certified by Clemson (?) for folks to be able to sell at farmers markets.
