On our quest to add more local food to our diet, the ladies and I set out one Saturday afternoon after gymnastics to find milk from the Hatcher Family Dairy. Now, you would think, as the blogger writing about how to find local food in Southern Middle TN, I would have the common sense to be sure of where I was going (print a map?) and perhaps to check the hours of a business (conveniently, centrally located on THIS WEBSITE) before setting out on a trek to find them. Alas and alack, not so. Here’s where I confess that I’M JUST LIKE YOU. Probably worse.
Anyway, my brave locavore crew and I set out from Lynchburg, stopped in Tullahoma for gymnastics, and then continued on our way. Through Shelbyville, on to Eagleville (where I knew their milk was listed as being sold, but I couldn’t quite remember where) and on to Cottage Grove. When I saw the big golf course construction eyesore in the middle of farmland, (I’m so sorry, Hatcher Family) I knew we must be close. Sure enough, right across the road. Closed. Very cute, but closed.
Here you can see my oldest. She’s checking the hours for her mom, who should have known better. So here’s the big moral of this story… When shopping for local food, double and triple check your hours BEFORE you go, because you will have to bribe your kids with brownies at the first opportunity if you drive them all the way out to a farm, luring them in with the thrill of the hunt, and you’ve gotten the hours wrong. Check your directions (and write them on something better than the back of a napkin) so you can avoid unnecessary backtracking, while you’re at it! And go earlier, rather than later, cause the kids (and mom, by the end of the trip) will be tired, cranky, and hungry. And you’ll resort to some very non-local snacks to cheer everyone up. Trust me.
So, now, I bet you’re wondering if we came home empty handed… Actually, thankfully, no. We didn’t. Thanks to my decent sense of direction, and great deductive reasoning, I decided if I too a left instead of a right on Horton Highway I’d come into “downtown” College Grove. And, at least for once that day, I was right.
There we found the College Grove Grocery, who sell what??? Hatcher Dairy Milk. Amen, and thanks to them for that! So, we grabbed our gallon of milk, and a half gallon of buttermilk, and headed home. Too bad I forgot (because I didn’t check, or write it down) that they also are supposed to sell the Organic Grounds Coffee that I like. Next time, I guess. Since I knew I could get home to Lynchburg by heading south, we ended up coming back through Chapel Hill, Farmington, and Flat Creek, completing the circle at about 124 miles (and nearly 4 hours) round trip.
Now, I’m sure you’re wondering, was it worth it? Absolutely. I mean, I hope I don’t have to go to such extremes the next time, just for milk, but it was the best milk I’ve had in a LONG time. Thick, creamy, and delicious! I have since looked, and discovered there’s a store in Lewisburg that sells it, which is MUCH closer to home, so I think next time, I’ll double check their hours, print a map, maybe even call ahead (which is what I recommend) and try this all again. No one ever said local was easier. Just better. Got milk?
(click on “view larger map” to see the crazy route we took)
I’m a local foodie living in the woods on 5 acres in middle TN, homeschooling my 3 girls while raising chickens & rabbits, gardening organically, hanging out at the farmers market, and building a local food website in my spare time.
