As you know, we do promote adventure at the Firefly, historic B&B not too far from Atlanta. There is a place of unusual adventure quality not too far from the Firefly. It is culturally interesting and is fun, and admission is free. It’s not for everybody, but everybody should do it once just to see it.
It’s the DeKalb Farmer’s Market, which is just north of Decatur.
The Dekalb Farmer’s Market is not on the backroad, nor is it part of Bed and Breakfast life, but it is an interesting place, for the “human-scale living” aspect of who we are. We like surrounding ourselves and having appreciation of local foods and foods like your mom would make, even if she is from a place that eats pasta and likes nice wine.
Directions
From the Firefly, take a right at the end of the driveway. Get on 20 if you can, headed west. Take a right when you get to I-285, thus avoiding the zombie infestation. Follow 285 until you get to the Billion Dollar Monument to trying to get people to Change then get off someplace safe and turn on your GPS.
https://goo.gl/maps/KrBZ6FomqAf2BiQ89
Here’s the map. The address is 3000 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur GA 30030.
They have a nice website: DeKalb Farmer’s Market.
What is the Dekalb Farmer’s Market
This is a giant international market that caters to immigrants from interesting countries. There is a lot of food that you can’t necessarily find locally but always thought you wanted:
Example: If you saw one of these swimming up to you down at Tybee you might be concerned. There would be some doubt in your mind as to whether it or you was edible. If you ever wanted to have a big barbecue and roast one of these on a spit, this would be your place to go.
The day we were there, we looked all over for a pig to roast on a spit, just in case we wanted to do so, but were unable to find it. Probable reason: At least part of this place is “halal” which to a certain kind of person means “they don’t let pigs in here.”
Other cool fact: the Dekalb Farmer’s Market is the current world’s largest single location for selling Black Angus beef.
They do have some pork and pork by-products but you don’t see them hanging around the store like you would elsewhere.
We will do research at some future point to someplace where you can get a whole pig. If the Redneck Farmer’s Market doesn’t exist, surely it needs to be invented.
Spicy Stuff at the Dekalb Farmer’s Market
This may be more to your liking: If you go into TLBBGS (the Local Big Box Grocery Store) and look for a box of smoked paprika, it will cost you somewhere between $4 and $6. You will get enough for one or two uses. If you go to the Dekalb Farmer’s Market, it costs you $2. You get enough to last the rest of your life. That is, unless you use this stuff all the time.
There is an exceptionally unusual variety of spices that are packed in a tidy little container. If you come from a land where the aroma and flavor of a given spice reminds you of Mom, this is the perfect place to
get it.
Bulk Stuff
If your dietary needs call for 6500 grams of carbs per day, you could try to eat one of these. The caloric content of 29,000 calories per bag may appeal to you as well.
More likely, you would buy this if you are from a place where Mom used to serve you this stuff every day. In some places, you need to find a way to eat cheap. This is the equivalent of half of your recommended caloric intake for a month.
Tempting, when combined with some of the vegetables that are on hand to go with it.
Supergrains at the Dekalb Farmer’s Market
They have a big selection of this as well, packed up in these little plastic containers. Reality: This is a big old giant grocery store. They only let the public in the front half of it. The back half of it is a bulk-breaking facility which buys this stuff in giant bags and repacks it.
Actually a significant fraction of this place is organic, “super” and gluten free because that is the way a lot of people eat. The fact that is now “trendy” to do so is another odd thing about our society right now.
They also have on hand a giant bakery, and significant wholesale business. They supply lot of the local restaurants and hotels.
So, it is not too far wrong to say that this is a little industrial operation. The front part is also being operated as a tourist attraction.
Dekalb Farmer’s Market Seafood
I suppose the idea is that if you see some of your seafood crawling around in the store, it is fresh. We did see some of these, and some lobsters (the bigger version) and some catfish. If f you are an immigrant from someplace like New Orleans where you need to make something like Mom would have made, this might be a good place to know at about Mardi Gras time. We also saw some red beans. That in combination with cayenne pepper and smoked paprika could get you pretty close to home.
Other Fun that Reminds You of Mom
If you are from someplace where your mom liked to drink tea and eat weird cheese, you are in business.
I believe from looking at the website that the very intelligent business people that run this place are onto something. We’re living in a place and time where people are dislocated from their home territory. They want to relive it a little.
This goes double if your mom came from somewhere that has a lot of nice pasta. Why should mom come from a place where people eat bugs? If mom liked very good quality wine, and some delightful desserts, it would be okay if a place reminded you of her.
If mom is from New Orleans? There are options.
People
An important part of the experience of this place is people watching. Now we are living in a time where this is sort of a touchy spot. If you see some one wearing their native costume down the street, it might make you nervous. If you see 1000 people wearing their native costumes in a giant international shopping place, with a lot of unusual items, it is comforting somehow.
It teaches you to be more accepting.
Why We Like the DeKalb Farmer’s Market
Well, there are a few things. For one thing, it is this whole idea of connecting back with your culture. There is a place here where the homesick Brazilians or Latvians can get some supply from their home land. For another thing, it is about connecting with somebody else’s culture.
The Dekalb Farmer’s Market is about Possibilities
There is a type of person that we like out at the Firefly that is not afraid of trying something interesting.
The DeKalb Farmer’s Market is about the possibility that you can buy a collection of groceries that you have never seen before and make some thing intersting out of it.
We are kind of belivers into “content creation” at the Firefly, so we feel sort of a bond to this idea.
As we said earlier, we like to stay away from the zombies unless there is some compelling reason. In this case, the DeKalb Farmer’s Market is worth a half-day trip. We’ll even help you cook whatever interesting food you bring back from this place.
Mom has to come from somewhere.
