Oct 15, 2014
Pittsfield, Vermont is a small town of just about 400 people. You
don’t notice much when you first pass through, apart from the
beauty and unspoiled quality of the place. It’s a perfect spot for
mountain hikes and star-gazing. The town itself is just a two-lane
road dotted with farm houses and picture perfect Inn’s, hugged
tight on either side by lush green
mountains.
One
of the only stops is The Spartan General Store (at least that’s my
unofficial name for the place). There's a small gift shop and
grocery inside, but this is mostly a refueling spot. Breakfast
plates come piled high with giant farm fresh eggs and thick slices
of local bacon. Tall glasses of fresh pressed green juice act as
the perfect recovery tonic for legs left for dead by 5 a.m.
obstacle course climbs.
By now you know this is no average town. This is the home of
Spartan Race. The punishing early morning burpee sessions and
mountain runs come courtesy of Joe De Sena, the highly driven
founder and leader of the Spartan movement. The lovely eggs and
green juice are made possible by the daily grind and passion of Joe
Pumentei, or Farmer Joe as we know him.
He is just the sort of guy you need to feed a growing Spartan army.
He’s also having an amazing impact on local towns all over through
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
A farmer's job might not seem very impactful at first, but like
most things it’s not what you do it’s how you do it. When it comes
to farming, Joe brings a bright Boston edge. He and his wife were
lured to Pittsfield by that other Joe and his Spartan crew. It was
a chance to run their very own farm, according to their rules, and
up to their very high standards. It’s clear that Sweet Georgia P’s
is an amazing place.
The food is great, but that’s not the only reason for Joe’s impact.
It’s got much more to do with that edge. He’s up at dawn with his
family every day. He drives endless miles to spread his CSA and
product to every town in his 200 square mile territory. And most
importantly, he never turns down an opportunity to bark loudly
about the big problem here - Most people don’t know what real food
is, and it’s slowly killing them.
“Real” is a funny word in this context. Judging by the regulations
that Joe is subject to, you would think he was harboring toxic
waste, but no, in this case it’s just milk. Raw goat’s milk to be
specific. Joe’s milk is alive. It’s teeming with all sorts of
cultures and enzymes. The protein is super-duper high quality. The
fat is full and rich, just what your nervous system needs. You’d be
hard pressed to find a higher quality recovery and muscle building
beverage. But the legal reality is that Joe must keep a warning
sign posted prominently on his Sweet Georgia P’s
property.
“WARNING! Unpasteurized, raw milk can be hazardous to your health.”
In just that one paragraph there were three references to baby or
fetal damage/death, not unlike cigarette package warnings. Sneak
that stuff over state lines and you’d be committing a felony,
despite the fact that raw milk has been found to be a low risk
food. The same thing goes for many local farmers and all they
produce. Getting real food to market now-a-day’s is all uphill. It
requires the fight. You could use some edge.
Maybe that’s the right mindset. Most people know that they should
be eating better quality food, especially when it comes to
vegetables and common animal products. But that’s not always the
decision that gets made. So, why not try a new motive? Why not call
this a fight?
There’s a mighty industrial machine out there pumping out bleached
milk, flavorless veggies, runny eggs from sick chickens, the list
of sins is long. The machine is fed by our dollars. It exists
precisely because our decisions haven’t been the best. But that
doesn’t mean we can’t take action now. We have to start putting our
money where it matters most - Back into real food.
To those who would say local organic food is too expensive, Joe’s
bright edge bites back, “Have you priced out cancer lately? It’s
not cheap.” People need to understand the value of real food. They
need to learn. They need access to great farm fresh products, so
Joe’s work continues. He keeps up his grind and passion every day.
He continues making his impact.
If you want to improve the health of your communities, support
local farmers and CSA programs when you are able. Seek them out.
No, a few farmers will not make much of a difference. But if a few
hook-up every few hundred miles or so they can build a supply
network that really could make cheap, super nutritious food readily
available to more people. That kind of movement could make a real
difference in public health.
Demand better quality in your food. Put your money where it matters
most. The value will come right back to you in the form of better
health and improved performance, just see for yourself.
Joe, I had a blast. Keep up the good fight.
Cheers,
Chris Moore