crop mob attacks/farm burger rescues

two amazing things happened today at the backyard moon.  first, we were attacked by a mob of city dwelling, country itching "landless, wannabe farmers".  crop mob atlanta, an all volunteer production, travels to local sustainable farms and lends a hand in whatever ways are needed.  as they explain on their website, farmers are not only an aging population, but a dissapearing one.  in the age of gps plantings and oil powered harvesters, less people are needed.  but in our world, where hand meets seed and soil, community is paramount.  and that is exactly what they provided us with today. 

like the sweet faced angel that he is, terry koval, head chef of farm burger, rode on his magic, flying skateboard from decatur to lexington with his family and food for twenty five in his backpack.  it was very impressive--almost as impressive as the lunch.  in a touching gesture to this community, farm burger donated produce that they had just bought from us the day before to be cooked by chef koval for all the volunteers who came out. 

full circle is an overused term.  the farm to table movement loves to think they are full circle.  much to their surprise, perhaps, is that a chef in new york buying carrots from a farmer--that's more of a straight line than a circle.  a very short line.  a much improved line.  a sustainable line which i fully support.  but a circle, it's not. 

farm burger, and farm255, and the many people that make up our community, have reinvented the circle.  the farmer owns the restaurant, the chef is a farmer, the patron is a student, and the barmaid is selling egg layers.  it's a thing of beauty.  

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i urge you all to read this article olivia wrote last week on civil eats entitled "changing roles in the local food economy."  it's incredibly informative, and elegantly worded, by a true pioneer in the field.