I’m not going to go into detail about what I think COVID-19 really is or isn’t. Suffice it to say that the virus, or the government’s response to the virus, has created unique challenges for all of us. This post is about those who’ve stepped up to the plate.

The day that COVID-19 became big news, we were negotiating the final details of an agreement with a restaurant distributor. That nascent agreement evaporated as restaurants began shutting down or modifying their menus for curbside service.

Many local farms get the majority of their business from restaurants. The significance of this is that when people patronize local farms, it’s often at the restaurants and not during grocery runs. See this NYT article.

We farmers have much to thank our chefs for. The chefs in the New Orleans metropolitan area and the Northshore area believe strongly in using the best produce that is available locally.

What this relationship between local farms and local restaurants means, though, is that orders that were placed months in advance suddenly could not be received, and we small-scale farmers had to (have to even now) scramble to retail massive inventory that was already spoken for until CV hit hard.

The challenge is that the American consumer - myself included - mostly favors convenience over ethics. We’ll sacrifice our ideals at the grocery store or the big box store more often than anywhere else. We’re all to blame for making life difficult on small businesses. I do not exempt myself or my family from responsibility.

Here’s where things get interesting, though. I reached out to the Main family in Folsom and Adam Acquistapace in Covington, explained our situation, and asked if they’d be willing to stock some local meat from local farms. Not only did both grocers place significant orders, but expressed great solidarity with us.

Adam blows me away. His attitude about pulling through these challenges together is what makes the term “local” in regards to our little Covington community so meaningful. Adam assured us he would do everything he could for our business and insisted that we’re all on the same team: grocers, farmers, and restaurants. You may have seen the news about the hot plates he stocks in his stores from local restaurants.

Along with Acquistapace’s (both Covington and Mandeville locations) and Main’s Market, Calandros in Baton Rouge also ordered a fair number of our ducks. We were so busy last week that there were a few days when we worked from dawn until midnight on these orders.

I cannot begin to express my gratitude for the reminder that we are a common human family, and that supporting our local community should always come first.

There are still difficulties ahead, but we are adapting. Duck egg production is in our future, along with offering various cuts from our ducks in addition to the whole bird. You’ll also be seeing us at the Covington Farmers Market in the near future!

If there’s one thing I can ask of you, it’s to buy from your local farmers. … And this asking is really a giving, because the ingenuity, innovation, and integrity of our local farmers is unparalleled. If you want to protect your family from Coronavirus, feed them the best and safest nutrition you can find. Here’s a start: