From the proprietors of the Farm to Family bus/market:

Mark and I have recently been made aware of the many questions, comments, opinions and concerns expressed on this blog regarding Farm to Family in both Jason’s post on the trend toward grower’s only farmers markets and in Alicia’s subsequent critique of our Farm Bus. I don’t know either of these people. We are concerned about remarks made here about our business, our reputation, ourselves and are taking your feedback very seriously.  We are making positive changes to make things better. We are a fairly new business (3 years), and we don’t have all the answers. We are human beings who make mistakes, sometimes things slip through the cracks and we are sincerely sorry if we offended anyone. We are a work in progress and we are trying to do a better job with a complicated business with all the passion we can. We don’t have any support network and we are trying to do this as well as we can with what little resources we have available to us. Please have patience with us,– the world is changing quickly and there are not a lot of clear cut answers on what is exactly the right thing to do or how to do it. At the end of the day, hopefully we have helped someone or made their life a little easier.

My goal in writing is not to further antagonize anyone, or stir the pot anymore than it is already but I do want to address major inaccuracies and connect with everyone here so that we can better serve our customers. Unfortunately I am not going to address everyone’s statements individually, as I don’t want to take up more space than I am already. Please contact me off this blog if you want to talk to me about anything as I feel phone or in person communication is more effective. I feel that people need to work together and support each other, our world is hard enough, and I hope that we can all move forward and do that.

People who have immediate concerns and questions about anything that I have written, or has been written here about us, or anything we do, or our business, or anything Mark or I have said, especially about source of our produce and other goods, or if you have received unacceptable customer service,  please address me about it. If you do not tell us you are unhappy, we may not know about it and can’t do anything about it. We are not in this business to upset anyone, or rip you off and we want you to be happy with what we do, or we will refund your money or do whatever else it takes to resolve the situation. We will do our best to answer you or rectify the situation.

Our email is farmtofamilyinfo (at) gmail.com
or phone 804-767-8570.
You can also come to our market at
2817 Mechanicsville Turnpike, RVA 23223

We extend an open invitation to anyone who wishes to learn more about Farm to  Family or our business to come hang out with me at the market, or to accompany Mark on any of his foraging trips.

Farm to Family sources from our local food shed. The farthest away we source is 168.27 miles in Bolar, VA for maple syrup, but we are trying to source with farmers closer to home. We occasionally cross state lines into NC or Maryland for items such as kiwi, or butterbeans and recently have gotten sweet potatoes from out of state, but its still within our food shed. You can visit our website http://thefarmbus.com/food/ for a list of all items sold, farm/vendor of origin, and their location, and website if they have one. We also now have these listed in our market along with growing practices and certifications to the best of our knowledge. I havent yet figured out how best to do this on the bus, but am open to any suggestions. Not all ingredients in artisanally made food items are local or organic but the people who make them are from our food shed. Some accessories sold in our store are not local, but may make your life more sustainable and enjoyable (reusable produce bags, cheese cloth, tea infusers and honey dippers).

All of our current farmers, aggregators and 3rd party distributors are open to your questions about their growing practices and origin of product, including the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction in Dayton Virginia, who we do work with on a regular basis.

SVPA does auction items from out of state and of varying agricultural practices but they also work with excellent farmers with very clean growing practices, many who are USDA certified organic, or with other certifications, some of whom are Mennonite (not Amish). Many of these Mennonites have extremely sustainable farming practices, save seeds and work with hoophouses  to extend the growing season. They use alternative methods to control pests and fungus. Many of them farm with organic or natural farming practices, but choose to not be certified for many reasons (time, money, government involvement). Mark has spent a lot of time getting to know these farmers and has visited their farms. We respect what they do and how they do it. Unfortunately Richmond does not have a food hub, and the auction serves that purpose for us as well as many other prominent produce buyers in the Richmond area. In addition to our work with the auction, we are increasingly trying to source closer to home as much as possible.

Many people automatically assume that everything we sell we grow ourselves, or is USDA Certified Organic. That is not true. We work with other farmers to help sell the food that they grow.  Some of the fruits and veggies we source are USDA Certified Organic, but mostly we work with small farmers who use organic or natural methods but are not certified (farms generating less than $5,000 per year are not required to certify by the USDA), so the majority of our farmers are Natural Certified, or are natural growers (using Natural Certified methods but not certified). Our fruit farmers (Agriberry, Crown Orchards, Saunders Brothers) use integrative pest management methods. From time to time something we sell may be conventional and will be labeled as such. The meat, dairy and poultry products we sell are pastured, and are hand-raised without antibiotics or hormones, and are all inspected and/or processed under their respective government supervision when not exempted. All the  dairy is legal to sell in the state of Virginia and is inspected monthly at minimum and also spot checked by VDACS, USDA and the Health Department. I personally try to educate our customers as much as I can either verbally, with signage or by directing them to where they can find more information. We work closely with VDACS, who is our regulatory agency. If you have questions, ask us.

I have spoken with all of our current farmers about your requests for information on farming practices and transparency. Mark has met with SVPA auction management regarding concerns we and other buyers have about transparency  and organization of produce. He made suggestions to the effect that all items be clearly labeled with farm of origin, location of the farm, and farming practice, and that out of state items be separated from Virginia items. They have agreed and will be implementing these changes next auction season. Anyone interested in talking with the auction manager regarding our patronage of the auction, farming practices of anyone participating in the auction including the Mennonite farmers are welcome to call him. The reputation and business of all of our farmers, vendors, aggregators is also at stake here, as well as the well-being of all of our customers, so we wish to address your concerns with accuracy and speed.

We are not farmers, nor have we represented ourselves as such, although from before the beginning of our business we have grown food ourselves at our home. We still grow food at home and now we also strive to grow on land at our market to sell on the bus and at the market and indeed were doing so at the point we left the SOTJ.  We are distributors of food, and we are proud to do that. We would like to be spending more time with our bus in areas that don’t have as much access to fresh food, but the unfortunate reality is that in order to stay in business here in Richmond, we have had to go to other areas.  This is a very hard time economically for small businesses so we are doing what we have to to stay open, and soon we hope that things are moving into place so we can return on a more regular basis to underserved areas. In the meantime, our market is located on the edge of  Church Hill and Highland Park, areas that we have visited with the bus, and is within walking distance for many of our customers. We feel the area where our market is in (which is a short bike ride from our home) is diverse racially and economically, although demographics state that it is primarily African Amerian. We do take food stamps, also for our shares.

A rash of Richmond restaurant closings is putting a damper on this holiday season, especially for those unfortunate small food business owners and their crestfallen loyal customers. Without meddling in their business’s inner workings, it’s hard for those of us scratching our heads to grasp the hardships faced by our favorite food purveyors. Location? Personnel? The economy? Promotion? It’s rarely clear where to point the finger when a restaurant shuts down.

However, there is something public citizens can do to create a more friendly environment for restaurant start-ups: We can demand the elimination of Richmond’s 6% meals tax. It’s probably no coincidence that Nate’s Taco Truck Stop and Cafe Ole Carytown closed down shortly after the City carried out its audit of many local restaurants and hit them with a bill for the hefty balance. When you’re still working out the kinks in your operation and trying new things,

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Now that we’re a one car household, it’s pretty rare that I find myself heading out Midlothian Turnpike. But, when I do, I’m certainly looking to stretch some modest means between a few of Richmond’s best bargain shops: Marshall’s, Fresh to Frozen Grocery Salvage, La Michoacana ice cream… It was on one of those trips that I did a double take while passing the old The Hook Fish’n Chips (that was the name, right?). The sign had changed and now the restaurant was flush with people. Otherwise, no exterior make-over. Exact same neon “fish” and “shrimp” ablaze in the windows.  There was just some additional signage: this is a Mexican joint now.

The next time I passed, I did a U-ey and pulled in for a bite. Inside, every seat was taken. At the bottom of a long list of specialties, the word “huaraches” jumped out at me, so I ordered that without deliberation. The word holds special meaning for me, because I had to learn it on my Mexico City honey moon. Street vendors were pressing oblong corncakes bigger than your head, searing them on giant comals, topping them sparingly with amazing chili sauces and lightly with cheese. The perfect snack. The product on Midlo is miles apart from the Mexico City style. Instead, heaping like a tostada, unfortunately topped with bland salady veg that waters down the experience. Order meat on yours and maybe you’ll enjoy it more.

This was my introduction to Taqueria Panchito, my personal “Restaurante of the Year.” But I wasn’t put off. While waiting on my food, I spied a man’s impressive sub-style sandwich. It was Dagwood-esque. On top of several layers sat the unmistakeably red al pastor pork. He had the top bun off and was preparing to drizzle one or all of the three house salsas on it. A couple glances at his ritual and I knew I’d be back to follow in his footsteps.

The thing about Panchito’s (in the Richmond parlance) is its transparency. Three sides of the restaurant are all windows, so you know who’s in there. Is there space? People you know? Very different from the numerous Latino establishments that are foreboding hole-in-the-wall storefronts with little light.  Ducking into those places often yields the best eats, but Panchito’s adds a much more accessible and social atmosphere, greasy spoon though it may be (depending on your definition). (more…)

The following was left by Alicia as a comment about farmers markets and the expectations we have of the vendors.  A few weeks afterwards, Farm to Family issued a response.

At the risk of making myself unpopular, I’m going to say it: I’ve got beef with the Veggie Bus guy.

Don’t get me wrong. I think what he’s trying to do is great, and I love the idea that anyone with the time and means can buy (or salvage) a bus and start a program in their own area. My ‘beef’ lies in the disconnect between principal and practice. I think that consumers have a right to make informed decisions, to know what they are buying, and to not be misled. I was all about getting on the bus, Gus… until I did. And then I was sad– and a little bit mad.

According to Mark Lilly’s (self-penned) Huffington Post blog entry entitled ‘Beginning,’ he has “created a perfect local, sustainable food distribution system that can penetrate any demographic area in any city or town with nutritious, tasty, organic, local food.” He goes on to say that he “[sources] local products from family, friends or anyone that grows clean food within a 150-mile radius of where I am located in Richmond, VA. I build relationships with local farmers, drive to their farm, load up the bus, and then distribute it into the urban landscape through set routes.” Although his straw-hat persona suggests otherwise, Mark is primarily peddles wares grown by others. I have no problem with Virginia farmers needing middlemen to get their goods to market so that they can keep running the farm. In fact, it’s a darn good idea… if only the execution matched the ideals.

The Farm to Family website states that “[Mark] is an expert in local food distribution, the slow food movement, marketing, CSA’s and setting up a successful small sustainable business concept.” I guess, in the same way that a person whose dog has had a littler of puppies might consider themselves a ‘dog breeder,’ he might be an expert. In which case, I’m an expert, too. I’ve read several books on the subject and I follow the ‘slow-food’ movement in the news and blogosphere and Twitterverse. I have also taken graduate and undergraduate courses in Natural Resources, Food Science, and Agriculture in which sustainability, the collapse of the global food chain, and alternatives to industrial farming practices were discussed ad nauseum. But I don’t go around calling myself an expert, because I’m not. I’m just a person with a strong interest in a subject who tries to educate themselves as much as possible. Mark has a bachelors degree in Fine Arts from VCU and took some courses for a Disaster Science degree at the University of Richmond — a degree which he did not finish. Now, I could care less that a person started taking courses and, for whatever reason(s), decided not to finish a program– but you do NOT get to call yourself an expert for so doing.

I rode with Mark in mid-April on one of his weekly runs to the Shenandoah Valley. We hit up the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction in Dayton, VA, where he purchased rhubarb, strawberries, bean sprouts, asparagus, tomatoes, lettuce, watercress, herbs, and some flowers. Much of the produce up for auction was brought to market by large-scale Mennonite farmers– but some of it was also trucked in by other distributors from parts unknown. I watched Mark bidding because I was curious, once I saw how the auction worked, how he knew where the stuff he was buying came from. When I questioned this he said “Oh, I ask.” Well, maybe he does ask sometimes– but he did not ask that day. (more…)

It’s gotten to the point that you can’t throw a rock in Richmond without hitting a food blogger. As one of those eating/writing enthusiasts, I would just ask that you substitute for those rocks with fried sugar-toad sliders (or vegan alternative) and aim for our mouths.  Surprisingly, few of the 75 food bloggers that are showcased at EatingRichmond.com have actually ever met.  Twice, we’ve gathered at Olio, but the contingent, thought fun, attendance was just a fraction of our total population.

Well, here’s hoping the third time is the charm… On Thursday, December 15th, at 6:30, Olio is opening its doors to Richmond’s food blog writers and the people who love them (okay, appreciate, or at least, can relate to).  They’ll have their normal extensive gourmet menu and the beer and wine will be for sale at their surprisingly affordable rates (for a restaurant, anyhow).  Its should go until about 9pm, or later if it’s still in full swing.

How ’bout we pack the house this time? Let’s buy Olio out of every Belgian beer they have in stock.  And stinky cheese. Lots of it.  The food blogging “community” has grown exponentially since EatingRichmond.com began.  It’s time to meet the new crop.  And our points of view are getting increasingly diverse, bringing all kinds of culinary and consumer perspectives to the table. In fact, far from being some kind of homogenous social clique, Richmond’s food bloggers are geographically far flung and there isn’t much we  likely agree on.  Wouldn’t that make for perfect party conversation?  Quirky people and their palates, the perfect pairing to spice up the holidays.  And Olio’s market is a great place to shop for presents and stocking stuffers too.

HELP NEEDED: I’ve been hard at work creating and losing and not updating my email list of all 75 of us.  To help pull together full participation, please spread the word to any food blog writers or enthusiasts.  This is the Facebook event page. RSVPs are appreciated, but not required. If the link doesn’t work, just search “Richmond food blogger”.