Southern Soil Fall Issue 2022, Vol 5

fall issue 2022

Photo by LeeAnna Tatum

Editorial

As I’m wrapping up this final digital issue for 2022, I can’t help but think about those early days when I was wondering if I’d have enough content to fill one issue let alone keep going for one year!

It’s five years worth of publications later and we’re still going strong. Every new person I meet leads me to another farm, another homesteader, another chef, another link in this growing food system! And what I started all alone has developed into a community of people who understand how important it is to share the stories behind the food.

This year we settled into a quarterly publication schedule so that we can focus on the seasons. Eating seasonally is an important part of supporting a local, sustainable food system.

A global economy has made it possible to just about anything any time of year … which is great when you’re craving that BLT in January, but not so great if you really want to enjoy nutritionally dense produce at the peak of flavor and freshness. Our seasonal focus is meant to help encourage mindfulness about the seasons and the foods that go along with them.

I can’t begin to thank everyone who has supported me and Southern Soil over the past five years. I’m so grateful to our audience who take the time to read the magazine, listen to the podcast and/ or engage with us on social media! We have the BEST advertisers who share in our mission to see stronger, healthier local food communities. And I’m

incredibly thankful for everyone who contributes their time and talents to help give voice to our local food movement!

This may be our last digital issue of 2022, but we will be publishing a printed Compilation 2022 Issue which will be available to pre-order in December. (We have a limited number of advertising spots available in this issue.)

Season 3 of the Southern Soil Podcast will begin airing in November and run through the first of the year. If you haven’t yet, be sure to take a listen to our first two seasons!

I’m looking forward to continuing to bring you the stories of our local food movement in 2023! We will continue to focus on seasonal topics with a quarterly digital publication and one printed compilation edition available to purchase at the end of the year. We will also be continuing to bring you in-depth conversations through the podcast!

Thank you for being a part of this journey, let’s keep growing together!

LeeAnna Tatum

LEEANNA TATUM, Editor

SOIL Sou ern Sou ern

a grow food movement a grow food movement

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The Future Looks Bright for Olives in Georgia

When you think of olive trees, you probably think of places like Italy and Spain or further east to Israel and Palestine. Old World countries with centuriesold olive trees and a thousand years of agricultural history behind each new harvest.

But what about right here in Georgia?

Located along the same latitudinal lines on the globe, The Southern United States does provide a similar climate as the Mediterranean. But what else do olive trees need to thrive? They are thirsty plants that require a good deal of water but are picky about having moisture left around their roots.

These Goldilocks of the plant world require a soil composition that is “just right”! And that just-right soil just happens to exist within Georgia’s eclectic

By LeeAnna Tatum

mix of clay, sand and loam. Olive trees can do exceptionally well in these pockets of perfectionacres of just-right sandy soil can support thriving olive groves while just a few feet away, the trees would struggle to stay alive.

But growers in the know with access to these Goldilocks’ lands are growing the business of olive farming in Georgia and producing some of the world’s best olive oils!

Olive trees are not new to Georgia, they were most likely first introduced to Coastal Georgia by early Spanish settlers in the 1500s. Though those colonies did not last, British settlers who came along nearly 200 years later found olive trees growing on Saint Simons.

Nathaniel Green, who owned Cumberland Island at the time, also found existing olive trees and worked with Thomas Jefferson to have even more trees brought over from Europe. With several prominent figures promoting olive and olive oil production in the South, the industry grew leading up to the Civil War.

The War essentially brought an end to the fledgling industry - at least for a time. In 2009, with the establishment of Georgia Olive Farms and the Georgia Olive Growers Association, olive oil production was given new life here in Georgia.

I recently spent a few delightful hours with owners Curtis and Tracy Poling of Woodpecker Trail Olive Farm near Glennville in Tattnall County and I have to admit that I never knew olive oil could be so fun.

near the Coast to the home and property that Tracy had inherited, they were interested in using the land for something other than growing pines and began researching some alternatives. Curtis knew that olives were being grown successfully in the Southern part of the State and was also familiar with the history of olive trees in early America, so he thought olives might be a viable option for their land.

Neither Tracy or Curtis have experience farming, but they both come from farming families. “When I was a kid, my grandfather decided to buy a farm. And so as a teenager, I actually drove tractors and baled hay … and knew that I’d never be a farmer,” Curtis said ironically.

Tracy is the 6th generation of her family to farm the land where they currently live and farm, though she is definitely the first generation to grow olives! Previous generations had raised cattle and grown row crops, but mostly the land has been used consistently through the years to grow pine trees.

When the Polings decided to move from their home

Though Curtis lacks experience farming, he has plenty of experience with business development and has put that knowledge to work on the farm.

After extensive research and traveling the country to see other working olive farms, Curtis determined

that not only could their land be ideal for growing olives but he felt that he could do it well and produce a quality product.

Woodpecker Trail Olive Farm consists of 300 acres and is home to about 9,000 olive trees. The trees are from all over the world, including some that are genetically related to the trees originally sourced by Thomas Jefferson himself.

Since their first harvest and pressing, the Polings have been producing internationally recognized and award-winning olive oil. They are committed to environmentally-friendly practices on the farm and harvest the olives by hand to protect the integrity of the trees.

Woodpecker Trail Olive Farm is also home to longleaf pines and the many species of animals that thrive amongst the pine trees. Tours are available and the Polings are working toward making their farm more accessible to the public for tours, tastings and shopping.

Georgia’s long and fruitful connection with the olive tree is significant and an important part of history! But even more importantly, the olive oil industry is ripe for development in Georgia today and the future looks bright!

Along with its many culinary uses, olive oil is also renowned for its health benefits and uses in skin and hair care treatments. No matter where in South Georgia you call home, you’re likely to find a local source near you for this indispensable pantry item.

Get Going with Kira King

Kira King has a 4-acre homestead in Savannah, Georgia with her husband, daughter, and menagerie of animals. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree, she began her own social media marketing company which over time morphed into a homesteading blog and podcast.

The Homestead Kings treasure local and sustainable food practices beginning in the home, the simple lifestyle that homesteading provides, and the companionship they share with their animals. They didn’t grow up in the homesteading or farming way of life, but Kira says they got there as quickly as possible and still learn something new every day.

What to do this Fall

Fall, the most welcomed season of the year in the South. After a long, sweltering summer, fall brings with it a cool reprieve with its crisp mornings, warm, pleasant days, and early nights. Every season change provides signals to your mind and body on how to respond and what to do. Fall prompts us to get ready for winter. It cues us to get those green brassicas in the ground soon so that when all the world is alive with the reds, oranges, and yellows of autumn, our bodies still have greens to thrive on. It reminds us that we are living beings that are just as affected by the seasons’ changes as the gardens and animals around us. As with every season, there’s an abundance of things to do, but somehow with fall, after the urgency of late summer harvesting and preserving, it feels that we can take

on its tasks with a slower, more restful pace.

In the Garden

Just because the sun is setting earlier and the nights are getting cooler doesn’t mean that your gardening season is over! In fact, it’s just starting for a whole new set of cool-loving crops. Now is also the time to do a restorative garden reset before the frosts come. Garden resets look different everywhere depending on what type of beds you grow in, whether they’re perennial or annual garden beds, and what resources you have available to you.

(continued on page 14)

In our garden, a reset looks like cleaning out our deep litter chicken coop for one of its bi-annual deep cleans and spreading this rich, nutrient-dense compost onto our annual garden. We then cover the compost with a thick layer (2-4 inches) of mulch. Our mulch is not the typical mulch from the store and is composed of both green, nitrogen-rich plant matter and woody, carbon-dense plant matter. Having both of these types of plant matter within the top dressing of our garden beds means that even over winter, our mulch is not only covering and protecting our compost/soil underneath it, but it is also breaking down and continuing to feed it.

from your kitchen all year long. Adding nutrients to your soil can sound difficult, but in practicality, it’s extremely easy. Just remember that the soil is teeming with life from the tiniest microorganisms to the earthworms you come to regard as the best friends of your garden. For mulch, you can use something as simple as leaves that drop from your trees, grass clippings from your lawn (minus the seed tops), or shredded newspaper. There are few places you can go wrong with mulch. The important thing is that the soil is always covered and isn’t exposed to the elements. This ensures that the millions of lives within it remain active and healthy which in turn sets your plants up for success.

If you’re planning on adding some berries or fruit trees to your landscape, now is a great time to plant them. It may seem counterintuitive to start them as the weather cools down, but the cooler weather actually helps them establish their root systems without the stress of the summer heat and drought

If you don’t have access to this mixture, don’t worry! You can use your own version of compost and mulch depending on what’s available to you. There are wonderful businesses around south Georgia that sell beautiful, fertile compost soil or maybe you already make your own with the food scraps

and helps them prepare for growth come early spring. Also, provide them with a heavy mulch layer, but not too close to their trunks, to conserve soil hydration and minimize weed encroachment.

For annuals, we have a great growing season all year long in south Georgia.

It’s now time to start:

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Mustards

• Carrots

• Onions

• Radishes

• Turnips

• Broccoli

• Beets

• Cabbage

We’re so fortunate in our climate that we really can feed ourselves from our garden every month out of the year!

If you have animals, now is a great time to assess their living conditions. Are their pens in need of repair? Do they need new waterers or feeders? Does their bedding need to be refreshed? Do you need any more supplies or feed for the upcoming winter? The cooler temperatures bring about some reprieve for animals too, but their basic needs are still the same. Your chickens will enjoy any leftover garden bounty as treats, discarded pumpkins after the season, or even scratching around in the piles of leaves you rake up. Your goats will love you for giving them access to your transitioning garden to clean up before your reset. Just make sure to do a quick internet search to double-check the safety of

the plants you give them for animal consumption. If you’re getting a set of fall chicks, set your brooder up before their arrival and use an appropriate heat source to keep them warm and healthy until their feathers come in and they can handle the colder temps.

In the House

Fall is a preparation time for winter for your house too. Now is the time for all of that fun annual maintenance.

Here are some ideas to get you going. Check your gutters, search for air drafts, change your filters, touch up any exterior paint, patch any roof leaks, clean the outside of your windows, pressure wash (continued on page 16)

the siding, winterize your pipes, clean your chimney, and more. The key is to prepare so that when those winter winds are howling, you’re nice and cozy inside without a worry as to whether or not you left something important undone.

Don’t worry. It’s not all hard work! Decorating for a new season stimulates our creativity, and the brisk, fall air rejuvenates us all. Bring in natural elements by using your old corn stalks as decoration on your porch or dipping colorful leaves into wax and making a vibrant garland for your mantle. Arrange some of the dried flowers from long-spent stems into an eye-catching vase for your dinner table. Add a thick, cozy throw blanket to your favorite resting spot, and fill your home with the insatiable smells of a big pot of chili and freshly baked pumpkin bread. Be intentional and welcome the earlier evenings with a hot apple cider and a leisurely stroll around

your quickly changing garden. It’s slowly getting ready for its winter rest, and while we don’t go completely dormant during winter, we can learn quite a few lessons from emulating our garden’s activities or lack thereof. Sit around a fire with your family and friends, look up at the stars, and enjoy just being present in this new season.

Photos by LeeAnna Tatum

The Four Aunties: OKRA

by Matthew Raiford and Helen Rae Ladson

They came in the braids of Africans who were stripped, shackled, and placed head to foot in the belly of ships named White Lion, Monrovia, Clotilda, and Wanderer. Their voyages to the hinterlands from the west coast of Africa helped to create food ways that have evolved from survival food to delicacies that are coveted by even the richest of palates.

The P.O.W.R Aunts (peas, okra, watermelon, and rice) have been a source of sustenance since its arrival upon the coastal shores of what is now known as the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor. In this series we will see the aunts as individuals and collectively.

Many have said that in the survival of the fittest, only the strongest survive. Before the end of this article, an amendment to this statement would include versatility as well as strength. Strong crops of West Africa include but are not limited to the koala nut and true yam (sweet potatoes are what we consume in North America) are still prevalent in West Africa but could not take root on the coasts of the original thirteen colonies.

The voyage that the Four Aunties endured through the Atlantic Ocean with several spots as far East as West shows that the ability to adapt to new environments has caused these former stowaways to reign in cuisines across the world.

Okra, abelmoschus esculentus or hibiscus esculentus, is a member of the Mallow family making it kin to hibiscus and cotton. This pod is usually known for its green hue, however there is a variation that is red and turns green when cooked. Grown in sub-tropical regions, this plant produces a yellow hibiscus-like flower and grows

year round with a pique in the summer months. Plants are said to grow to about six feet tall and is as durable as it is edible, firmer or harder pods are used to produce paper and binding rope.

(continued on page 20)

The journey of okra begins in the Horn of Africa or Ethiopia and eventually followed the Red Sea to Egypt where it began cultivation in 12th century B.C. Quickly spread throughout North Africa and the Middle East okra was roasted, grounded and enjoyed as a coffee-like beverage. By the time okra reached the west coast of Africa, okra began making its trek through the Diaspora with a stop in the Caribbean where it thrived before its introduction to North America in the 1700’s.

the consumption of okra, oftentimes it is due to the mucilaginous substance that is produced when okra is boiled or steamed.

Although the sliminess may take many aback, it is filled with vitamin A, vitamin C, and is a great source of calcium and iron. The substance is also said to be used to strengthen hair follicles and nails. This juice is also used as a thickener in soups, which is found in customary dishes in India, Africa, South America, and parts of Turkey and Greece.

It is this thickening that caused okra to solidify its space in Southern Low Country cuisine; once the Creoles of Louisiana learned from the enslaved peoples of African descent who first introduced the pod to the eastern coast, it was mass used finding its way into Cajun dishes as well.

Known as nkuruma in the Twi language, the pronunciation of okra derives from the Igbo people of Nigeria who refer to the pod as okuru. Okra’s French name is gombo and is the namesake of the Southern dish that is usually celebrated as a Louisiana food-way staple, but the name is a creolized descendant of the Bantu language’s guingombo or ochingombo. There are those who shy away from partaking in

The great novelist and poet, Ntozake Shange, once rendered the challenge to, “free the okra, the way we freed the watermelon.” Like watermelon, okra has been stigmatized as “nasty” or “gross” by many who may have had a bad experience in youth. People might shy away from the pod because of its “slime” which is often viewed with disgust.

Unlike watermelon, okra’s only negative connotation is its appearance on a plate and has not been claimed as a food of shame in the African American community. In fact, if the properties of okra are no longer deemed as an offender of satisfaction, one could quickly discover okra in a form that causes the palate to sing its praises.

Researching his cultural and culinary roots, Jon Jackson of Comfort Farms cultivates a variety of okra that originated in his mother’s home country of Liberia in West Africa. He has named this variety Motherland Okra in honor of that connection. In Liberia, okra is grown primarily for the leaves which are most often cooked in a stew.

These seeds can be purchased through Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and you can learn more about Jon and his work at Comfort Farms in Milledgeville by visiting the website: stagvetsinc.org.

However, if one refuses to get past its reputation for sliminess, one may miss the opportunity to be transformed by the many ways that okra can be enjoyed. As a way to circumvent the production of too much of its juice, it is recommended that younger pods are used whole. Okra is multifaceted and can be used as a side, compliment, or entree. It can be consumed raw, boiled, fried, pickled, grilled, sautéed, or can be ground into flour. Okra has traveled through time bringing both wellness and flavor! It has been the consistency that appeases the taste buds of many food connoisseurs beginning from antiquity to present day and continues to hold its place in the delicacies of Gullah Geechee people.

She is strong enough to bind things together, yet soft enough to soothe a hungry soul. She is okra, our Empress of Versatility.

Photos by LeeAnna Tatum

Small Farm Spotlight

In this series, get to know more about the small farm operations that are using sustainable methods to help meet the local demand for fresh food. And meet the farmers that are making it happen!

Suzanne Bailey is the heart and soul of Sandy Creek Farm. She was raised on a farm and was not a stranger to the process of growing, raising, harvesting and preserving food.

raised goats and chickens and had three ponds on the property with ducks and plenty of fish. But it was the horses that held her attention.

As a teenager she started showing horses and for decades her farm was used to board and train horses. It was after she retired from the horse business that she was reintroduced to goats.

The family farm was in Bloomingdale and her family raised cows for both beef and milk. They

“I retired from the horses and friends of ours that own Bootleg Farm - Wendy and Richard. … when they sold their house and they were moving to their property where they are now they stayed here for like eight months. And they brought their goats with them and I just fell in love with them … so when they left and took all their goats with them, of course, I saidwait a minute, I’ve gotta get some goats!”

Suzanne started working on raising her own herd of goats and then other animals were added to the farm as well.

Sandy Creek Farm is located in Brooklet and produces poultry (turkeys, ducks and chickens), goat’s milk products, eggs and seasonal produce. Products can be purchased on the farm. Be sure to call ahead!

Phone: 912-481-8593

Address: 555 Pless Clifton RD, Brooklet

Clethra alnifolia growing as a thicket, giving the illusion of a solid border

Photo: Katie Antczak

Native Plant Highlight: Sweet Pepperbush / Clethraalnifolia

more, please visit their website

“Grab one or two of these leaves, crush them up, add water, and scrub between your hands as fast and as hard as you can” are words often spoken by naturalists throughout the Okefenokee Swamp. One of the many amazing properties of Clethra alnifolia, also known as sweet pepper bush, summersweet, poor man’s soap, soap bush, and more, is its natu ral ability to make foam that resembles soap after the leaves are crushed and lathered.

This property was useful for swampers of the 19th and 20th centuries and continues to spark joy in the hearts of Okefenokee Swamp visitors today. Although the foam has no antibacterial properties, it is handy for removing smelly scents, such as fish, from hands. It’s also a lot of fun to experience!

alnifolia is native to eastern North America from Nova Scotia to northern Florida and west to the eastern portions of Texas. It is most frequent ly found in swamps, damp thickets, sea shores, stream banks, hillside bogs, and sandy woods.

Clethra

Article by: Katie Antczak katie.antczak@gnps.org

This article is courtesy of the Coast Plain Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society. The GNPS is dedicated to promoting the stewardship and conservation of Georgia’s native plants and their habitats. The Coastal Plain Chapter serves the people in the Coastal Plain ecoregion of Georgia. This includes all areas south of the Fall Line in middle Georgia, from the Alabama and Florida borders to the Atlantic ocean. To learn

Late season Clethra alnifolia bloom with developing fruits in the Okefenokee Swamp

Photo: Katie Antczak

The “soap” from the wet, crushed, and scrubbed leaves of Clethra alnifolia Photo: Katie Antczak

Clethra alnifolia grows well in moist, acidic soils including sands and clays. This shrub is also a facultative wetland plant, meaning that its presence indicates a site is a wetland.

Cypress, Atlantic white cedar, coastal pine species, red maple, magnolias, and beech are tree species that are usually found growing nearby. Clethra alni folia is in the white alder (Clethraceae) family, and it is the only species in its genus that is native to North America. Although it is common in Georgia, it is listed as a species of conservation concern in some areas of its range.

Flowers of Clethra alnifolia are white or very pale pink, slender, and cylindrical spikes and form dense clusters at the end of the branch. Collectively, the bottle brush shape of the flowers are quite showy when in full bloom in the late summer, making them conspicuous when surrounded by other shrub species. Leaves are produced in late spring, flowers in July and August, and fruits ripen in September and October.

Other key identifying characteristics of Clethra alnifolia are the leaves and the bark. The simple and oval-shaped leaves of the bush are finely serrated and arranged alternately on the stems, and the midvein has appressed white hairs. In the fall, the leaves turn dull yellow to rich golden yellow or orange.

The bark is reddish-orange or gray and has loose stripes. The twigs are also reddish-orange and are covered in white hairs. The branches may be dense ly clustered when the shrub is found in thickets or mixed shrubs. The entire shrub may reach up to 2.5 m tall.

This shrub is hardy and typically resistant to insect and disease damage and physiological issues. It is also tolerant of salt-spray which makes it an ideal candidate for coastal gardens. The best zones for growth are Zones 4-9. It prefers full sun to partial shade with moist soils but with proper care may thrive in drier areas if kept moist. A potential issue in hot, dry locations is spider mites which damage the leaves of plants.

Two of the most popular cultivars are Vanilla Spice and Ruby Spice, which are chosen for their larger flowers, overall size, fragrance, and color. Other cul tivars include Hummingbird, Paniculata, Pinkspire, Rosea, September Beauty, Sherry Sue, Sixteen Candles, and White Doves.

Because it can form dense thickets, the naturally growing plant and the cultivars are often used to create a hedge or border for landscaping. In moist areas the plant can be left to naturally grow into

Clethra alnifolia blooms during the Great Georgia Pollinator Census in 2022

Photo: Katie Antczak

By the end of November, these fruits will turn brown and be ready for wildlife consumption

Antczak

thickets through the suckers that it produces, but it also responds to pruning in the spring. Flowers will develop on the new wood that grows post-pruning.

Clethra alnifolia has a sweet scent that is often described as spicy and quite fragrant. When found growing in large clusters, the scent travels and can be smelled before actually seeing the shrub. The flowers are a particular favorite of pollinators such as native bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, and even hummingbirds. After flowering, fruit forms as small brown capsules which remain throughout the winter.

The fruit’s persistence through the colder months make it a popular forage source for seed-eating mammals and birds when other food sources are more scarce. The dense thickets that it can create provide a great refuge for migratory songbirds and other wildlife. However, Clethra alnifolia is tolerant

of deer browse, so it does well in areas where there may be a large number of deer.

In order to propagate Clethra alnifolia, take cut tings from softwood or collect the seeds. Cuttings should be taken at the end of May or the beginning of June, and leaves should be removed from the bottom two-thirds of the cutting. The lower portion of the stem should be wounded to apply a powder or liquid hormone compound, then placed in coarse sand that is watered every two hours, preferably with an intermittent misting system.

Seeds should be collected in the fall and sown on sand. The USDA suggests that the seeds should be cold stratified for 30 days and germinated under spring temperatures.

Clethra alnifolia is readily available via local nurs eries and online. You can find local nurseries by visiting the Georgia Native Plant Society website at https://gnps.org/georgias-native-plants/sources-na tive-plants/. Definitely give the 2021 Georgia Pollina tor Summer Blooming Plant of the Year a try. You won’t regret it seeing all of the pollinators that visit!

References

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_ plant=clal3

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/clethra-alnifo lia/

https://www.gardenia.net/plant/clethra-alnifolia https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plant guide/pdf/pg_clal3.pdf

https://issuu.com/statebotanicalgardenga/docs/ pollinatoryear2021

Photo: Katie

The Four Aunties: PEAS

by Matthew Raiford and Helen Rae Ladson

They came in the braids of Africans who were stripped, shackled, and placed head to foot in the belly of ships named White Lion, Monrovia, Clotilda, and Wanderer. Their voyages to the hinterlands from the west coast of Africa helped to create food ways that have evolved from survival food to delicacies that are coveted by even the richest of palates.

The P.O.W.R Aunts (peas, okra, watermelon, and rice) have been a source of sustenance since its arrival upon the coastal shores of what is now known as the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor. In this series we will see the aunts as individuals and collectively.

The journey of peas is quite similar to okra, watermelon, and rice with the point of origin being the continent of Africa. Legumes such as black-eyed peas were included in the diets of pharaohs and aristocrats during antiquity and others like Congo peas were found in their tombs. The research and findings of Dr. Jessica B. Harris concludes that one of the earliest accounts of peas was observed by Ibn Battuta who visited the Mali Empire in 1352 A.D. and found that legumes were grown, fried, and served in dishes while in other instances were milled into flour to aid in the preparation of porridges.

Because they grow well in tropical climates, legumes flourished in South America, India, and Japan - each having their own recipes that include the usage of black-eyed peas. .

When Shakespeare’s Romeo ponders, “What’s in a name?”, although his follow up statement referred to roses - the query of peas and beans should be

questioned as well. The name peas and beans can be interchangeable because of their close relationship with one another.

Conversely, the difference between peas and beans are minuscule for they both belong to the Fabaceae or legume family and their naming is contingent upon where the pulse, or edible seed, grows on the stem of the plant. The true difference between the two is that peas are usually green and come in pods, however the process of preparation is generally the same and just as tasty.

Every New Year throughout African American communities, traditional dishes are set out before family members to bring in the year with prosperity and good luck. Amongst those dishes is Hoppin’ John, a perlou dish that consists of black-eyed peas or on the Gullah Geechee Coas t- Sea Island Red Peas and rice; customarily some type of meat is added to impact flavor and texture. Although this dish has been consumed for generations, warming the bellies and hearts of many, consumers may be unaware of the fact that what is called a pea is actually a bean.

Sea Island were a specialty that grew in the gardens of cultivators who were enslaved before the Reconstruction Era, and were not found in the

larger fields that were for mass production. These peas were actually much smaller than the wellknown black-eyed peas or field peas that were often used in soups, perlou, or as a source of protein to sustain the once captive that went on to maintain the respective work fields that they tended.

Most times, after work was done in the larger fields, many of the enslaved and freedmen went home to take care of their own personal patches of land that may have been on the side or back of their dwellings.

These half acre (or smaller) fields yielded grains and plants that were remnants of their native lands (continued on page 32)

to which they would never return. They made new homes in places like Sapelo Island off of the coast of Meridian, an unincorporated township in McIntosh County, Georgia.

What makes these peas or beans so unique is the red tint that should not be mistaken for kidney beans or even the aforementioned field peas. The Sea Island Red Pea is slightly smaller and is unmistakably delicious and difficult to find in most stores.

But merely lingering on the origins of peas would stifle the wonderment of this amazing plant and the multitude of benefits that they bring to all forms of life on Earth. Legumes are a great source of

protein, potassium, iron, and vitamin K and are known to decrease problems with blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke.

Yet with all of these great advantages, many have taken the advice of James Brown and have decided to “Pass the Peas” however it’s not because they give you something that makes you want to shout but because of the flatulence that may come with digestion.

The nitrogen that legumes produce helps aid in the conservation of the land and actually helps facilitate water retention and circulates the air in the soil. Legume crops can grown to be harvested or to be used as a cover crop for enriching the soil

through a process called biological nitrogen fixation (BFN).

If one would think of their body as soil or the Earth, the realization that legumes are effective within our own bodies just as they are in nature, the appreciation of peas may increase.

Nature reminds us that time will tell what will continue to last despite the conditions that may

arise. Peas stands as one of the many testaments of this statement with examples of its travels throughout the entire world as it has mutated into many different strands that have found their way on the tables of young, old, rich, or poor and have left them all satisfied and wanting more. Although peas may be full of gas, they are more than hot air- she is our Baroness of Biodiversity!

Photo courtesy of Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser

Some Kinda Good in the Neighborhood

by Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser

Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is the author of the best-selling memoir “Some Kinda Good.”

Featured in Forbes, on Food Network and ABC, she writes about Southern, coastal cuisine, locally sourced and in-season. Connect with her on social media by liking Some Kinda Good on Facebook, or follow @SKGFoodBlog on Instagram and Twitter. To learn more, visit RebekahLingenfelser.com.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Make A Some Kinda Good Side Dish

The biggest food holiday of the year is right around the corner, and planning is the key to helping Thanksgiving dinner go smoothly. We all know the star of the show is a big beautiful turkey, but all leading roles need a good support cast. That’s where the side dishes come in: Sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, pineapple and Ritz cracker casserole, dinner rolls, canned cranberry sauce and dressing of course, play a big part on my Thanksgiving table. Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and fresh parmesan cheese may actually be my favorite, and is one dish that’s on my table throughout the fall months, and especially at Thanksgiving. Now, if you’re reading this, and you’re thinking, “No, thanks,” that’s because you’ve never had them roasted. The most flavorless way to cook anything is to boil itand for Brussels sprouts, that’s like sending them to an early death.

Cabbage-like and small, these little green leafy vegetables have the most flavor when they are tossed on a baking sheet with olive oil, bacon, salt and pepper. When they finish roasting, the bacon fat has married with the seasonings and they develop this beautiful golden brown, crisp texture. I finish them by shaving fresh, salty parmesan cheese over the top and there are never any leftovers.

These are good anytime served alongside pork chops with rice, or as one of the green side dishes to accompany the turkey at Thanksgiving. To bulk it up, you can even add small-diced russet or sweet potatoes to the sheet pan for a colorful hash. What grows together, goes together! Y’all be sure to connect with me on social media, and for more cooking inspiration, follow my food blog by visiting SomeKindaGood.com.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Bacon and Parmesan

Cooking Tip: These don’t travel well. The last thing you want is to place them in a casserole dish and cover them with a lid when they’re still hot. Condensation is no good! To avoid this, bake them on-site, or wait to cook them when you can enjoy their crispy, salty goodness at home.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Brussels Sprouts

• 3 slices Smoked Bacon

• 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

• Kosher Salt, such as Diamond Crystal

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spread Brussels sprouts in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season liberally with salt and pepper. Using a pair of clean scissors, clip small pieces of raw bacon over the seasoned Brussels sprouts. With clean hands, toss everything together to coat evenly. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Shred large shards of fresh Parmesan cheese right over the top.

Photos courtesy of Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser