The Simple Life Farm Fresh years of selling history

On the Square in Kidron, OH Open every day except Sunday 800-438-5346

Grow, Gather and Savor Freshness

By Glenda Lehman Ervin

( SPONSORED CONTENT) – Getting close to your food source means moving away from purchasing prepackaged food that has been mysteriously grown, transported and preserved with chemicals and unknown ingredients.

If you want to better understand or become more involved in where your food comes from, here are some ideas:

• Grow a Garden: Cultivating your own fruits, vegetables and herbs allows you to step outside and gather fresh ingredients for a salad, pie or seasonal soup.

• Visit a Farmer’ s Market: Visit a local farmer’ s market and support small-scale producers while meeting the people who grow it. Often this food is picked fresh daily and is( typically) less expensive than the grocery store.

• Educate Yourself: Read labels, learn how food is produced, processed and transported. Research the ethical and environmental impacts of food production.

• Forage the Field: Gather wild food directly from nature such as picking berries or herbs from local fields and forests.

• Harvest it Yourself: Many small towns have a“ pick your own” berry patch or orchard where you can harvest fresh fruit. Not only is it a fun activity for you and your family, but you can also collect in bulk for baking and food preservation.

• Trade With the Neighbors: If you’ re fortunate to have ideal soil for root vegetables like potatoes, while your neighbor excels at growing berries and another has a thriving fruit orchard, you can trade products and avoid the grocery store.

• Bake From Scratch: Instead of buying premade soups, breads or casseroles, make them yourself from ingredients you choose.

About the Author:

Glenda is the director of marketing for Lehman’ s and the daughter of company founder Jay Lehman. She is responsible for shaping customers’ view of the brand.

34 AcreageLife April 2025 AcreageLife. com

AcreageLife. com April 2025 AcreageLife 35