the well-traveled tomato

You might be staying at home, but chances are good your food has quite a passport.

Every morning, as soon as the sun is peeking over the Blue Ridge Mountains here at Stargrove, we put on our boots and walk out to check the plants. Even in the most punishing weather, it's a gorgeous sight. The fog lifts over the rivers and creeks, the forest is alive with birds and animals, and we love the fresh morning air.

“If you've ever asked yourself where does your food come from, who picks it, who packs it, who ships it, who drives it to your local warehouse and then on to your local grocery, you owe it to yourself to ask if that system aligns with the values of who you really are.”

Here at our farm, Stargrove, we grow heirloom organic tomatoes. It's quite a process. This year we are growing three varieties, all with their roots in the culture of American agriculture--Pink Brandywine, from Pennsylvania; Cherokee Purple from western North Carolina; and the elegant Cherry Tomato. We grow all of these from seed, in organic goat compost that we make ourselves. We grow the tomatoes from seed, caring for them hourly. We use a no-till method of agriculture that does not disturb the soil. We follow organic practices and do not use pesticides.

So About that Tomato....

According to Foodmiles.com, the average tomato in the United States travels nearly 2,000 miles from Mexico to make its way, finally, exhaustingly, to the shelves of your local grocery.

At Stargrove, we practice social distancing and no-contact delivery. Our tomatoes travel a maximum of 30 miles from our farm to your doorstep and are handled by a maximum of three people.

Want to know more? Send us an email and we'll put you on our list.

#social justice #food #nocontact #COVID19