Debbi Wolfarth is passionate about farm-fresh food.
“I like to help people understand where their food comes from,” said Wolfarth, who operates EAT Local CSRA, a business with a focus on local growers and artisans of organic food products. “People think of organic as being expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.”
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Through her website and social media accounts, Wolfarth connects growers and artisans to those in the community. She also records educational videos and has done in-person classes as well. Her classes aren’t always in a formal setting. She’s taught some from her home and others at events such as the Evans Farmer’s Market.
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“I want kids to enjoy food, not for them just to be told something is good for them,” she said.
That’s usually a turn off to children. They want to eat something because it tastes good -nutritional value isn’t important to them. Wolfarth said she likes to let children play with their food and taste it along the way. At the farmer’s market, she gave children a simple task– make something for their parents.
At one event, one of the children made a simple tomato dish. The mother said she didn’t necessarily like tomatoes, but she ate it because her son made it for her. Wolfarth said the mother discovered tomatoes weren’t so bad after all.
Wolfarth said fresh food just tastes better, and the closer people can go to the source to get their food, the better.
During the pandemic, Wolfarth has opted for more virtual classes and hosts a virtual family cooking class from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Saturdays.
Also on her website, she likes to highlight restaurants who use the farm-to-table concept. She even highlighted a nearby school district whose cafeterias use food grown at the high school. And she’s given tours of area farms.
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Wolfarth also likes to plan farm-to-fork tasting events. The next one is scheduled for May 1. It will be a small gathering at J And L Farm and Stables in Hephzibah.
“At most, it will be 10 to 12 couples,” she said.
The meal will feature all local items, and some growers will be on hand to sell their harvest. Laurie Ritchie, who owns the farm, will give a class on lavender, and there will be activities available for the children.
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The cost of the event is $25 per couple.
She expects the event to sell out, but she’s planning another one in June.
For more information, email Wolfarth at contact@eatlocalcsra.com.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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