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Field of Greens and L'Thai restaurant |
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Wednesday, 10 October 2007 |
I interviewed Pithya "Pete" Kongthavorn from L'Thai (in Tucker, Georgia) who was one of the creators of the fund raiser for Georgia Organics taking place on October 13, 2007 from 10 am to 11 PM. Pithya along with Tom Maicon wanted to create the "organic woodstock" in order to support organic farmers. When Pithya tried to find organic for for his restaurant he found that there were not enough farmers in the area to provide all the food that he really wanted, especially Thai vegetables. He and Tom decided they should do something to support the farmers and that is when "Field of Greens.... grow it and they will come" was first dreamed up. It is held at Whipporwill Farms near Covington, GA . It will have bands, chef tastings, vendors, organic produce and all kinds of family fun.
go to www.Fieldofgreensgeorgia.org or www.Georgiaorganics.org
Pithya "Pete" Kongthavorn is the owner of L'Thai which is the "first and only organic Thai restaurant outside of Thailand". He is from Thailand, growing up with a markedly different culture, but the similarities are the really interesting part. He talked about the fact that his mother, grandmother and great grandmother felt it was important to nurture the food while you are cooking in order to nurture the people who are eating it. It is an attitude in the cook of holding the food tenderly. I think that good cooks everywhere know that the food is nurtured by the attitudes of the cook who is in the kitchen. Our grandmothers and mothers loved us through the food that they prepared for us. When I was a nurse midwife, we talked constantly about nurturing the mother in order that she can nurture her baby better.... it's a similar idea.
Organic farmers really nurture their plants to grow healthy food. Whipporwill Hollow Farm is the place of the Field of Greens. They are a certified organic farm. Pithya talked about his feeling that it is important for farmers to become certified organic, so that they have a say in the rules in the future. We really need more farmers to grow organic produce. The idea of organic food and locally grown produce has become accepted.
Georgia Organics is the place in Georgia for farmers to learn how to run their businesses as well as switch farms over to organic production. This is the reason Pithya and Tom Maicon felt that they would be the best way to channel money to farmers.
Pithya talked some about his restaurant . He loves to eat and loves to cook and has felt that it would be wonderful if other people could eat like he does. He has been healthy and well for so many years, partly because of the wonderful food that he has eaten. Our lives are controlled by out thoughts. What gives rise to thoughts is not us, but it is perhaps partly our body chemicals. If you want to be happy, healthy and be present to happiness you must have a clean vessel.... a healthy body. It's hard to have inner peace when we don't feel well. Pighya went on to say he feel that "the chemicals in our foods really create a scarcity paradigm instead of us realizing the abundance around us. With a scarcity paradigm it is hard to have inner peace. Inside of a scarcity paradigm, there is fear and a driveness to accomplish and do things rather than just experience the now.
The decor in his restaurant is meant to promote that quietness and calm and things to help you experience the now. It is important to be present to the food and the people who you are with. He has a strong feeling that food is medicine. If you become present to the food you will recognize the food that is good for you and you will notice the taste of the food in a different way. The employees at the restaurant are encouraged to buy and cook and share meals together. Sometimes he asks them to slow down while they are cooking so that they cook the food as if they are giving it to the monks. Nearly all the cooks are Buddhists and cooking food for the monks would be very carefully cooked.
Most of the times we are not present. Pithya talks about how important staying out of the scarcity paradigm is to the work that we do in the world.
Field of Greens is certainly a demonstration of abundance in our lives.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 10 October 2007 )
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