Citrus Royalty

The first thing I noticed about Mary Mitchell, owner of Eagles' Nest Organic Citrus grove, was the power of her commanding presence.

As Rodney Scaman (one of the owners of Goodness Greenness Sustainable Foods who had flown in especially to facilitate my introduction) and I walked into the restaurant, I had no doubt as to whom we were meeting. Her posture was nearly perfect but not so stiff as to be unapproachable. Seated at the table, she was flanked on either side by men who worked with/for her and their body language told me immediately that she was not one whose wrong side they or anyone else would ever want to be on.

She hails from Paducah, Kentucky, having been a city girl before her husband bought the grove about 30 years ago and as she says, "didn't have a damn bit of sense about how to run it which means I had to figure it out because all our money was tied up in it." He passed a way a few years ago but "run it" she has.

Over lunch I was mesmerized as she told me her story and the 30-year journey she has had in the organic industry. You can't help but yield the floor to this woman as words sounds like honey when spoken with her southern accent. It is because of Mary that organic citrus in the state of Florida is where it is today. In the 80's she fought in court to overrule fumigation laws that made shipping organic citrus across Florida state lines illegal. She stood her ground when state inspectors were sent to shut her operation down because they felt organic was a threat to other citrus growers whose money lined their pockets. John Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods, started in the industry by selling out of a garage; Mary was one of his initial growers. Her roots in the industry run deep and she is on a first name basis with all the important power players.

She is a woman in a man's world but this isn't something that bothers her. She holds her own and holds it well. I pity the man who attempts to speak to her with sexual inneuendos as she will put them in their place and shame them without ever raising her voice or looking away. She once told a buyer from a large grocery chain, "I am flying up next week to take you to supper because I need to find at least one thing I like about you or you won't be buying from me anymore." I asssure you it wasn't an empty threat considering she has been known to stop selling to companies even as large as Whole Foods or Albert's because their buyers didn't respect her. She doesn't care how big they are or how much money she stands to lose, her dignity is not for sale. She lives alone and is often targeted by thieves and low-lifes having even been kidnapped at gun point, but she has a solution for this - her Smith & Wesson or shot gun which she not only knows how to use but has a track record of not being afraid to.

After lunch we headed to the grove and I learned that they paint the trunks of new trees with organic milk to keep them from getting sun burned. I ate a fresh Honey Bell off the tree and was convinced I had ended up in orange heaven as it was so full of juice and by far one of the sweetest oranges I have ever tasted. Traditionally, citrus is picked green and gassed to be made orange, but not Mary's. They are tree ripened and not picked until naturally orange. She tests her citrus on a regular basis for acid and bricks levels using some sort of complicated math formula with the two numbers to find out the exact perfect time to pick and ship the fruit. She has seasonal help that works in the packaging house and picking but does all the tree maintance herself such as pruning and picking tree moss by hand.

Back at her house she offered us some of her homemade orange cake and oh, my soul was it wonderful! It was there, in her modest home, that I got to see the other side of Mary's personality. She made sure my coffee cup was filled to the brim and that I felt welcome. She had a conversation with Rodney about how to best help me get with other growers in the state, offered sensible advice about how sticking to your convictions is the key to success, and gave words of encouragement about my new business.

As the day came to an end Rodney and I strapped our precious cargo into Fiona's car seat and headed back south.

I am a firm believer in making the family farm the story behind our food and Mary is a perfect example of what story I wish my food to tell.

Cheers and Happy Eats!

Lucinda

A Girl on a Mission

For those of you that have been following the "Lucinda World" saga over the past few years, (If you don't know me personally you can find an abridged version in this post) you know that I am in Florida working towards opening my new business.

Launching Fresh Box Organics isn't just a career move, it is also personal endeavor. Even if I didn't have two mortgage payments, massive medical bills, Fiona's school tuition, and rent to pay thus making it necessary for me to work, I would still spend my free time doing what I do. My work is my passion.

When I started my first business in Kansas City, it was almost on accident that it became a success. Of course, I wanted to create something wonderful and make a difference but I didn't know if I could or not. This time around, not only do I know that I can make a difference, I feel I have the responsibility too.

With knowledge comes responsibility. I have seen what differences a company like mine can make for small family farms and consumers alike. I understand that in the long run, if the logistics of our food supply aren't massively overhauled, we face serious troubles as a nation and as a people.

In terms of helping the small family farm, there is one common issue that they face: the infrastructure is not in place to allow small scale organic farmers an outlet to move their products from farm to table. When a conventional farmer grows row crops such as corn or soy they are guaranteed a place to sell it. They merely need to take it to the local elevator, and although the price may fluctuate, they are guaranteed a buyer. This is not the case with produce, or small scale organics. If a person were to grow only 5 acres of tomatoes, who would buy them? They could take them to a farmer's market, but there is no guarantee that what they take will be sold. Shouldn't farmers who grow food we can consume in it's natural state (not the case with field corn) be afforded the same right as a conventional farmer? I think so. So that is where I come into play. As was the case in Kansas City, and now in Florida, I am able to leverage the collective buying power of my customers to create a market infrastructure for the farmer. They can grow 5 acres of tomatoes knowing that they have a place to sell it

When it comes to social issues, I make no qualms about being a flaming liberal. (I'm a fiscal conservative..."By all means, do what you want, as long as I don't have to subsidize something I don't agree with." OK, tangent over.) However, and this is a very big however, I do believe that one should at least look at a situation from all view points before jumping to conclusions about anything. For example, after reading this article about how children in Africa are dying from Malaria because insecticides are banned in the farming communities that provide organic cotton to Walmart, I was nearly sick to my stomach. Kids dying so Americans can have organic clothing? I was ready to go naked. Then I thought about it more and did some research. If Walmart actually gave these organic cotton farmers a reasonable price for the cotton they produce, their community would benefit economically, and then they could buy mosquito nets. I would pay a few more cents for a shirt if it meant I could save a child. Wouldn't you? If a consumer understands who grows their food, who is profiting from their purchase, how it is produced, and how far it has traveled from farm to table but still chooses conventional products, it is their choice. I just want to make sure you know all the information, alternatives, and opinions on the subject before you make your choice.

One of the comments that I hear time and time again, after I explain the motives of Big Ag to people, is that they don't like that they support companies like Cargill, Monsanto, or even Walmart. However, it is too difficult for them to find other options and when they do, it is out of their budgets. Once again, that is taken care of with companies like mine - the price is reasonable and we deliver. It can't get any easier than that.

When you have an infrastructure in place for the farmer and an educated consumer with easy access to big agriculture alternatives, what you end up with is a force to be reckoned with. When corporate giants start losing market shares, they have no choice but to take notice. Want to send a message to a large corporation? Speak their language - dollars.

I have been diligently working on the the nuts, bolts, and infrastructure of the company. I have overhauled my website three times (the newest and most up to date version will be live at the end of this week), been visiting local farms, recruiting the right employees, finding the best location for my warehouse, and mulling over every little detail.

Being as I am within a few weeks of starting deliveries, I decided last week that I was ready for the next step in the process. I needed to head to Washington to see what, if any, connections I have left in that city. After all, if one really wants to overhaul the food system in this country there are many laws, corporate subsidies, and programs that will need to be scrutinized and changed. Furthermore, there is a very specific person who lives there that I wanted to get on board with my team.

So Saturday morning, I got on a flight and headed to DC.

To be continued...

Cheers and Happy Eats!

Lucinda