Fresh, Farm To Table Tomato Salad

There is a natural synergy between farmers, chefs, and entrepreneurs.  They work insane hours, although at different times of the day.  During that stretch of time when all are awake, they salute what the earth has to offer.  Chefs are thankful when farmers give great produce, and farmers love chefs when they enhance it through their art---even the picky ones.  Especially the picky ones!  But the businessmen/women love them both with each opportunity to introduce something special and newly crafted in the world.  Put a chef in the garden and amazing things happens.  Put that same chef in the boardroom and watch the world of food production and distribution become more efficient, humane, and well thought out.

Spring is all about new life, wherever you happen to be.  But in the fields and farmyards or in the kitchen things feel springier.  The emerging greens seem greener in an organic environment.  The smells of nature are vivid and the livestock more skittish.  Nature is waking up.  Animals which were cooped up in the Winter, joyfully take advantage of the liberty the change of season brings.  The pigs catching every available ray of sun, while the cattle go feasting on sweet new grass and clover.  Meanwhile, crop planting is high on the agenda.  Recognizing that businessmen and women who are feeding on the delights that the new season brings routinely forge through the city streets with little thought to the extraordinary gifts that they enjoy.

As a child growing up on a farm in South Georgia, I had a great appreciation for the link between the consumer and the land for which our food comes.  But over many years I have become increasingly worried about the casual discarding of heritage farming and industrial mass production of food that has come to dominate our modern diet and perhaps the impact on our long-term health.  

I want to explore ways for each consumer to impact the way our food is produced and manufactured to ensure sustainable and organic agriculture for our country and the environment.  It seems simple to me, that we need to work with Nature rather than against her for the benefit of our children and all of our descendants.

At this crucial time in our history, where fires are raging and storms are at their strongest in generations, we must increase our efforts to combine our strategy from the farm to production warehouse on to the shelves of the grocer and finally the dining table.  There is a better path in our methods of feeding Americans.  We all have a say in how that is accomplished.  I hope you will join me as I explore some steps to a better path.

Until next time, take care of your people.  Take care of yourself!

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped tomatoes of any kind

• 2 small cucumbers

• 1/2 red onion

• 2 tbsp fresh chives

• 2 tbsp fresh mint

• 2 tbsp fresh dill

Dressing

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

• salt and pepper