Meet Me At the Table
My goal with this blog is to bring you perspectives from my past, peppered with insights and facts on the future of food, farming and health – providing “food for thought, action and personal responsibility.” As a registered dietitian and a sixth generation farm owner in Kentucky, the connection of farm to plate is part of my DNA. I have spent my career navigating the connections between food, health, agriculture and consumer behavior. Together, we will dig into the complex and ever-changing story of who grows our food, what’s in our food, and how food affects our health and ultimately our lives.
A Two-for-One Celebration — Blending the Best of Both Worlds
September is National Mushroom Month and National Veggies and Fruit Month. By combining mushrooms with a traditional meat choice such as the hamburger, we can add more vegetables to our diet and enjoy the best of both the plant and animal worlds. The “blended burger"...
Ice Cream … Any Time Is a Good Time!
Growing up in the Smith household, a celebration or special time of the year wasn’t required for ice cream. There was always a half of gallon in the freezer as the backup dessert or an addition to homemade brownies, as a meal was not complete without dessert according...
The Water Reality — Bright Green Lawns or Food on the Table?
Drought and extreme heat in the western United States have dominated the headlines over the past couple of months. We see pictures of fallow farm land too dry to plant and Lake Mead in Nevada at its lowest point ever. Unless we are living with the stark realities of...
Get the Facts: Dairy is Not the Enemy
Speaking from experience, it’s not easy to be a dairy farmer regardless of the size of the farm or the era in which it operates. Even though it’s been 30 years since cows grazed the pastures of my family farm, the passion and commitment of my late father can still be...
Is It Crush or Crunch Time? Taking a Bite of “Bug Nature” May Be New Norm
The chorus of cicada sounds may be quieting in our backyards and woods but the sound of bug “crunching” remains. Seventeen years ago, when the last cycle of Brood X cicadas was populating our yards and sidewalks, the thought of eating them wasn’t top of mind for most...
With the Rise of Plant-Based Milks, is it Time to Say “Move Over Cows”?
Think about the last time you walked into a grocery store to buy a carton of milk. How many options awaited you in the dairy aisle? Growing up on a dairy farm, I had two options for milk, whole milk with cream on top or without (Holstein style 3.5% butterfat). It was...
Food Allergies Are Real. Get the Facts During Food Allergy Awareness Week!
Each year in May, the food allergy community marks “Living Teal Food Allergy Awareness Week.” This year, the designation is being observed on May 9-15. If you are one of the 32 million Americans with a food allergy, or one of the additional 53 million who are part of...
Earth Day: We Can Make A Difference! Be Part of the Solution
It’s 1970. Peace, love, war and civil unrest dominate conversations in America. Earth Day appears on the scene and it’s recognized by few. For those of us on farms, we may have thought, “every day is earth day” and dismissed its significance beyond routine farming...
Gardening Has No Limitations — Plant What You Love And Love What You Cook!
One tomato plant may not a farmer make, but it certainly classifies you as a gardener! During 2020, the return of the “victory garden” became a reality as we endured the pandemic’s realities. With the limited ability to travel outside our homes, there was more time to...
Celebrating Women in Agriculture
During the month of March, we’ve had the opportunity to celebrate National Ag Day and Women’s History Month, which is only appropriate as we look at the family heritage of agriculture and particularly the influence women have had and are continuing to make in the...