There’s no such thing as being too careful when it comes to choosing what goes on your plate and into your mouth. Market Table picks the best local Alabama produce and foods so that you don’t have to second guess your food choices. We’re proud to have Marble Creek Farmstead on our distributors’ list. Get to know them here.
Text by Sarah Vice
Who Is Marble Creek Farmstead?
Named for its location, Marble Creek Farmstead is an all-natural farm located in the Marble City (Sylacauga, Alabama). It began as a a large patch of land, an old farmhouse, and a determined newlywed couple. After successfully raising broiler chickens for a year, that newlywed couple, Jesie and Matthew Lawrence, began investing time in growing crops and raising other farm animals. Marble Creek quickly became something much larger. They now employ a few extra hands and spend time regularly tending to vegetation and to hundreds of animals on the property. They’re careful to follow scientific strategies to maintain the health of their land, livestock, and well-being.
What Does It Mean to Be All-Natural?
The Lawrences believe that “eating truly healthy food benefits us all.” That’s why they refrain from using harsh chemicals and pesticides on their property. To remove the GMO obstacles, they regularly change the routine of their farms. The chickens are moved from location to location, fertilizing the pastures naturally. They also rotate other animals to prevent them from eating too much of the grass in one location. This benefits the soil’s productivity by allowing time for it to recover.
What Do They Farm?
Currently, Marble Creek hosts broiler chickens, hogs, roosters, duck, geese, goats, (occasionally) cows, and a series of fruits and vegetables. Their most popular items are their chicken and duck eggs, which have a fridge life of up to 45 days. In fact, Marble Creek supplies Market Table’s eggs, and we can attest that they’re absolutely delicious. Also, they now have a facility where they can butcher meat and preserve it to sell.
What Is Marble Creek Farmstead’s Mission?
The Lawrence family hopes to continue farming for their table’s needs and to share their produce with the neighboring communities. Farm tours are available so that people can enjoy the beautiful scenery and see how they maintain the farm. This allows customers an up-close look at how their food comes to be. It also invites a healthier community atmosphere and provides natural food alternatives to store-bought preservatives.
Here at Market Table, we care about our community. We’re committed to providing healthy foods and meal options for your family. We’re also committed to supporting local businesses and the Central Alabama food economy. Whenever possible, we buy our fresh produce from nearby farms. We’re proud to partner with Ireland Farms in Alpine, Alabama, a farm focused on bringing the best naturally grown ingredients to your table. Get to know the good folks of Ireland Farms below!
Text by Sarah Vice
Who is Ireland Farms?
Ireland Farms is located in Alpine, Alabama. It’s owned and operated by Scott Ireland, Hollin Williams, John Riddle, and Joseph Batistella. The farm began as a way to provide more local food options to the central Alabama food economy with an emphasis on naturally grown produce. Scott Ireland founded the farm with Hollin Williams in 2016 with a trial run for friends and family. Once the two men got a grasp on how to run the farm, it became an official business in January 2017. Then, they outsourced foods to local restaurants as well as selling on-site. Soon after, team members John Riddle and Joseph Batistella joined the crew. The four men share responsibilities on the 5 acre farm.
What is Ireland Farms’s Mission?
Ireland Farms wants to bring food to their community’s table while preserving the environment. They strive to bring healthy and natural produce to local vendors, restaurants, and individual buyers. This includes providing food to the Jimmy Hale Mission. When the crops are plentiful and won’t last throughout the season, Ireland Farms shares their gains with the Jimmy Hale Mission food bank.
What Does it Mean to Grow Crops Naturally?
Ireland Farms grows crops naturally as a way to help protect the environment and provide healthier soil for planting. They keep 6 greenhouses year-round and rotate crops during the winter months. Rotating different plants in different seasons eliminates the need for preservatives. During the summer months, Ireland and his associates cover the greenhouses in cloths to shade some of the plants. This provides cooler temperatures.
Ireland Farms Community Involvement
Scott Ireland not only produces food on the farm, but also helps teach a local middle school about agriculture. He’s given presentations on how to properly maintain food sources on a farm. He also helps the students with a small farm of their own. Ireland stated that the farm occasionally shares fertilizing resources with the school in addition to the farming lessons. Ireland Farms aims to help other generations grow food successfully and naturally.
The Future of Ireland Farms
Scott Ireland hasn’t made plans to expand the farm beyond local communities. There is a chance that the produce could make its way into the Atlanta market, because of the close proximity to the farm’s location, but nothing is set in stone right now. The farm was created to provide for a local community, and Ireland holds true to that idea for the future.
