This weekend was proof of the old adage that if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. Karl, Jake, and I had an absolute blast savoring thoughtfully made organic food and exchanging lively stories with like-minded friends at the Mother Earth News Fair nestled in the blue tinted mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.
For years, we have attended Mother Earth fairs around the country sampling the best local fare and educating festival-goers on the healthy benefits of pure, straight from the source, extra virgin olive oil and olives. With it's heart-warming hospitality and love of all things local, Asheville is one of our favorite destinations. Charming Victorian-era buildings and flower-drenched trees line the streets near the easily walkable eclectic downtown, with its endless breweries, organic clothing boutiques, and creative gift shops. Just a few miles west, the winding roads of the Blue Ridge Parkway lead to relaxing views of the spring green forest and layers of mountains worn down to rolling hills by Father Time.
But traveling for us is mostly a marvelous treasure hunt for food so good you laugh out loud. This trip, we were delighted to find Nine Mile in downtown Asheville, a local restaurant serving Caribbean dishes packed with layers of rich flavor and warm spices. We tried the smoky vegetarian chili, the vibrant Easy Skanking salad with rare ahi tuna and grilled pineapple, and the star of the show, the Jamaican Me Thirsty, made with succulent chicken, flavorful zucchini and yellow squash, and perfectly al dente pasta in a red jerk sauce. This place is not one to miss, y'all!
So. Good.
We also couldn't wait to tell everyone about Koreana, a tasty (you guessed it) Korean restaurant plating up awesome lunch boxes including spicy kimchi and sweet pickled veggies. These ancient fermented foods are not only sensational, but they can also heal your digestive system with good bacteria called probiotics.
Speaking of ferments, at the show we caught up with our friends and fellow vendors Jordan and Jen, owners of Fab Ferments. Their radiant personalities and bright, funky designs are hard to miss, and that's a good thing because their traditionally made Raw Cultured Veggies, Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Beet Kvass, and unfiltered Kombucha are OUT OF THIS WORLD.
At the Healthy Harvest booth, we excitedly launched our new healing Olive Essentials Facial Oils formulated by longtime Mother Earth lecturer, author, herbalist and esthetician, Stephanie Tourles, using only organic certified or wildcrafted essential oils and our unbelievably silky organic Tuscan olive oil. While many natural beauty products use olive oil as a key ingredient, when it comes to olive oil, ours is simply the best.
Of course these are just some of the many reasons to visit Mother Earth News Fairs, where you can attend fascinating lectures and workshops on tiny homes, organic farming, herbal medicine, and more or shop from small producers who care about quality, community, and the environment. From raw honey and elderberry juice to geothermal heating and solar panels, there is no shortage of tasty food and lifestyle products that help us live in harmony with nature.
Sound fun? Join us in Madison, Wisconsin July 9-10. Cheese? Yes please! Can't make it? Give us a heads up on the best place to grab a bite! Post on our Facebook or email info@healthyharvests.com