Giving Back: Meet Our Volunteers
Farmer Caylor Interviews Awesome Curb Market Volunteer Kim Cole
We are so grateful for E.A.T. South’s volunteers. This month, we want to say thank you and introduce you to Curb Market volunteer Kim Cole. To introduce you to Kim, I interviewed her in between customers on a busy Saturday at the Curb Market.
Caylor: Hi, Kim, do you want to say a few words to introduce yourself.
Kim: I am Kim Cole, and I now live here in Montgomery, Alabama. I moved here from St. Louis, Missouri where I lived for 24 years.
I volunteer to work at the Curb Market. My cousin used to work for E.A.T. South, and she had to man the booth, or as I say “woman” the booth at the market. She would ask me to come keep her company. Then one day she said, “I can’t work this weekend. Can you work in my stead.” That’s how it all started.
This is my second full year doing this by myself, but I would come with my cousin starting in 2014. I’m here every other weekend, and last fall, I was here every weekend.
C: What do you like about the Curb Market?
K: I refer to it as my natural anti-depressant. I get to meet great people, and I get to learn about vegetables. It’s lots of fun. I love kids, and I’m always meeting and picking on the kids. It gives me an opportunity to learn things about our community and about the vegetables E.A.T. South has. At the market, we exchange ideas about how to cook vegetables, how to consume them.
I’m the girl who doesn’t know anything about gardening. I hate to say that, but I do know about vegetables. My family thinks it’s hilarious. I’ll cook meals for my parents. That’s how I moved here, to be with my parents. I’ll cook meals for my parents and explain that this is from the garden, and this is how I’m cooking it. It’s different from the way they’re used to. I’m getting them to try new things.
C: What are your favorite things to cook?
K: I’ve been having a blast this year with the garlic. If I can put garlic in it, I’ll put garlic in it. I like roasting vegetables like beets and carrots. I like learning about the different vegetables. Until last year, I never knew what to do with sorrel. I used sorrel in a stir fry, I used it with pasta, and I sauteed it with kale and other vegetables, just a little bit. A little bit of sorrel goes a long way.
I did the CSA, and that’s how I was introduced to some of the vegetables. When my CSA ran out, I started volunteering. Now, really, volunteering on a regular basis is how I learn about vegetables. It’s also helped introduce my boyfriend to new vegetables, too. Every week he’ll ask me what E.A.T. South has.
C: Is there a recent, memorable meal that stands out?
K: For Mother’s Day and Father’s Day 2016, all of the vegetables for those meals came from the farm. I was able to introduce some new things to my family. That turned out very well. Unfortunately, my boyfriend was not able to be here so I’ll have repeat the Father’s Day meal later this month.
C: For people who have never been to the Curb Market, what would you like them to know about it?
K: You can find a little bit of everything, but what I tell people is please make sure you come to the Crampton side of the market, closer to Madison Avenue, where I am and where the E.A.T. South booth is. People don’t know we’re here. I try to post on Facebook weekly that we’re on the Crampton side of the market.
C: Any last things you want to share?
K: I love E.A.T. South. I have an apron in my office. Right here in downtown Montgomery, in the Supreme Court building, there is an E.A.T. South apron on my office wall. Anybody stopping by, that’s my opportunity to tell them about E.A.T. South and to tell them about the Curb Market. I’ve actually have people come to the Curb Market based on what I’ve told them. I truly enjoy it.
The Montgomery Curb Market is open 5 am to 2 pm Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. E.A.T. South’s booth is open on Saturdays from 7 - 12 (or until we sell out of produce).