Back in 2013 as Kiva Fellow I was sitting in a van next to a very smart woman and I pointed out the pineapple fields. “Pineapples don’t grow on trees?!?” she exclaimed. No, they don’t, but growing up in Wisconsin how could she have known that and why should she? Well, I think not knowing how the food you eat goes can go from seed, sunshine and water to a juicy treat is kind of like not knowing the history of your country. Sure, you can get through life fairly well without the knowledge, but knowing the story makes life so much richer and your decisions that much more informed. Wanting to drop some knowledge (and gain some myself), I’ve started this blog.

This blog is about food and farmers, particularly around my current home in the Piedmont of North Carolina, USA, and sometimes farther afield. Related to that you might see posts about:

• food
• farmers
• land
• animal breeds
• recipes (or links to them)
• restaurants/shops/markets featuring local foods
• whatever else WE find interesting

I’m so glad you’re coming on the journey with me. I’d love to hear from you about anything you’d like to see profiled.

About Me
I believe we all have a duty to help our country and our world and that if you live purposefully, you can do this and enjoy life.  In fact, I’d go so far as to say that to truly enjoy life, you have to live with the intention and action to make yourself and your world better.  Buy me a beer and we can have a longer discussion.

I’m married to a great guy named Tim and we live in a nice place called Greensboro, NC, with our springer spaniel, Lolly (short for Loblolly, like the pine tree).  I’m part of a large extended family from the Pineywoods of East Texas.  I graduated with a degree in Agriculture Systems Management from Texas A&M and hold a Master of Environmental Management degree from Duke University.

I’ve worked for lots of great organizations including John Deere and Rainforest Alliance, but you can check that out on my LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jadatullosanderson/.

If you’re still reading, you might be interested to know that I feel best when I’m outside, whether it’s hiking, running a triathlon, or volunteering all too irregularly with Habitat for Humanity.  When I combine these activities with family and friends, I’m over the moon.