VIRGINIA COFFEE ROBINSON, age 79, of Cornelia, Georgia, passed away on Sunday, September 14, 2014 at her residence.
A trip to Osage Farms …..
This week the pickings were slim at the Clarkesville market with many vendors busy with school and other weekend activities and in that between summer and fall crop time. Instead of sighing and heading home empty handed, I decided to head to Osage Farms in Rabun County. It is a great time to take a little drive up the mountains and with the four-lane complete, no worries of getting caught behind meandering tourists…

Osage Farms is located outside of Mountain City just beyond Clayton on 441 North. There is always a busy parking lot of people anxious to get their market bags full of mountain grown goodies. Osage grows much of its produce and I love looking out over the cabbage fields with the mountains looming in the background. They look a bit like a blue lake and as the leaves begin to color it is a gorgeous sight.
There are two things I really enjoy at Osage during the season. The first is corn. As a good Georgia girl, I am partial to Silver Queen, but I must admit that last year I discovered Osage’s early bi-color super-sweet variety and it is equally as good. The other must buy is the heirloom tomatoes. Osage grows their own heirlooms and at the height of the season, it is a gorgeous display of 20 or more varieties. As a disclaimer, when Osage’s tomatoes are not in, they will sell South Georgia grown tomatoes, but they are clearly marked as such.
My market basket included both of my favorites and I will be enjoying the last of the season’s bounty tonight. I like to take the corn off the cob and sautee it in butter with some chopped up chives, thyme and basil from my little garden. Add a dollop of cream at the end and it is perfect! One of my other favorite dishes is a recipe of my Mother’s. Take the gorgeous eggplant like you see in my basket, peel and slice it into rounds about 1/2 inch. Place on a cookie sheet (greased) and cook for about 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven until fork-tender. Place the slices in a greased casserole dish and place sliced tomatoes over the eggplant and then sprinkle liberally with chopped vidalia onion. Take shredded cheddar cheese and coat the top of the dish and then place all back in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is nice and bubbly with a crisp edge on the sides. Even the most ardent eggplant hater will enjoy this dish.
While enjoying the last of the summer bounty, I also enjoyed seeing the early fall harvest. Apples are coming in as well as the autumn favorites of pumpkins, winter squash and gourds. Other items not to miss are the grits ground by a teacher at Rabun Gap that are some of the best I have ever had. They are a little coarser grind but with a rich, creamy base…truly delicious….They also carry a full array of breads from Our Daily Bread that you can also get at Jaemor Farms. My fall favorite is the sourdough apple. Toast it with butter for a taste of fall in the morning.




Pictured above, holding a tomato is Randi Williams, a senior Psychology Major at Piedmont College. Selecting veggies are members of the Johnson family of Sautee and pictures are courtesy of Tim Lytle of Clarkesville. Osage Farms are owned by Ricky and Clint James. The market is open from May through October when the James brothers head off to get their Christmas Tree Farm ready for the holiday. The address is 5030 North Highway 441 and the phone is 706-746-7262.
Every good and perfect gift
When I asked him what his life verse would be, Pastor Mike Thomas of The Torch thought for a moment, “It changes over time but over the past few years I’ve focused more on ‘where things come from.'”
As I sat in his office, I noticed many pictures: his children, his wife, various mission trips, but he handed me one in a simple frame. The photo was of a woman, carrying a baby, pushing a stroller filled with food.
“James 1:17, ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows,” he smiled, “that’s my life verse.”
The photo I held in my hands held great significance to him. It was taken the first day The Torch opened the Food Pantry in Cornelia at 236 Level Grove Road, just before Thanksgiving. The single mom had walked from her home and was the first person that day. Thomas remembers her well. “We probably put 100 pounds of food in her stroller, and I just watched as she walked away with her baby on her hip, pushing that stroller towards home.”
The Torch at 800 Cannon Bridge Road in Demorest, Georgia, began their Food Ministry 15 years ago, feeding 5 to 10 families per month. Today, The Torch, under the direction of Lead Pastor Mike Franklin, feeds 800 to 1000 families a month. “It is incredible what God is doing,” Thomas echoes with confidence.
Staffed by volunteers, the Food Pantry operates with hours that will help working families and single moms. The hours of operation are Mondays and Saturdays from 10:00am to 12:00pm and Wednesdays from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. “We try to accommodate various schedules,” Thomas explained. “When those days don’t work, we have a food give away the first Saturday of every month. Without our volunteers, we could not do it.”
When Pastor Mike Thomas was a child, his home burned down. His mom was attempting to raise three children as a single mom. If it were not for the churches in the area who supplied them with food and clothing, Thomas does not know how they would have made it. “Even though we did not attend church regularly,” he commented, “it was the churches who helped us out and made us whole again. I’ve never forgotten where our help came from.”
The process is simple enough. Each family receiving food is required to fill out an application in order to comply with USDA regulations; but, unlike other charities, The Torch does not ask for I.D. or a Social Security number. “The USDA specifies that families must meet certain economic levels; other than that, we at The Torch just desire to help people.”
On September 7, 2014, The Torch added a clothing ministry. 100 families were served and over 500 garments were given out.
“It is all for His glory,” Thomas stated. “When we have a surplus of food, we call other ministries and donate the food to them. It all comes from Him; we just move it around.”
If you are interested in donating to The Torch Food Ministry or need more information regarding their services, please call 706-778-4063.
Faith Matters
Welcome Habersham! I hope you will join us daily to find inspiration, hope and a smile. From daily devotionals by Pastor Mike Franklin of The Torch, to articles of faith in action throughout our community, to notes written to brighten your day, we want you to know, this page is for you. Make us a habit and spread the word! Faith matters.
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…we simply shared a cup of coffee
Notes by Nora…
A few summers ago, I spent several weeks in New York with my daughter while she trained with Joffrey Ballet Company. Our apartment sat on top of an Italian restaurant, sending flavorful scents of garlic and pesto through the cracks in the floor. Joe’s Café was a quaint coffee shop just around the corner from our humble abode in Greenwich Village; a nice “home-like” atmosphere with tables outside to enjoy the morning light. After taking my laundry down the street, I decided to stop in and read. At 7:15am Joe’s quiet and inviting setting attracted me, and there was one particular table that I liked because I could see the street in either direction.
She sat at the table next to me, joking that I had taken her favorite spot. “Well, if it’s your favorite, why not join me?” I responded…and she did.
We talked about New York; where we were from; why we were here. She said I didn’t sound southern. I told her I try not to. After asking why, I responded, “Because most people think southerners are illiterate.”
“Well, you’re reading,” she replied, gesturing towards my book, “So I guess that speaks volumes for you.” We laughed.
We discussed whether Obama would have a second term and the economy in Greece. We laughed about pigeons and their thoughts of the city and reminisced about an old Disney Movie that had Doberman Pinschers in it who assisted a couple of bank robbers. “What happened to that movie?” we wondered.
I told her about hearing a gospel singers group in Time Square the day before, and how it rejuvenated my soul. I missed my church and the Praise and Worship music. She asked me about my faith; she shared hers. When she had finished her cup of coffee and some sort of Danish, she left a tip for the waiter, thanked me for our conversation, and left.
“How do you know her?” the waiter asked me as he cleared away her plate.
“Who?” I responded.
“Ellen. Ellen DeGeneres.”
The silence that followed answered his question. “You didn’t know you were having coffee with Ellen?”
“Maybe she was just a look-alike,” I murmured to his condescending eyes and shaking head as if he could not believe I could be so ignorant.
I’ve spent a great deal of time wondering if indeed she was Ellen and had I known, what I would have said differently. Probably that Finding Nemo is my all-time favorite movie and “Dory” the fish’s phrase, “Just keep swimming,” has inspired me on many occasions. I often use it as a mantra when I need encouragement. Autographs are just too intrusive, so I know I wouldn’t have requested hers.
She didn’t tell me her name was Ellen; but then again, neither did I say my name was Nora.
…we simply shared a cup of coffee and maybe that was what we both needed at the time.
Arts & Entertainment
The hills of Habersham are alive with the talent and creativity of many artists. Whether on canvass, on stage or on the page, artists in Habersham enrich our lives daily. This section of Now Habersham is dedicated to bringing you the latest arts & education news and information for Habersham County.
Education News
This section of Now Habersham is dedicated to keeping you informed about what’s happening with local education. Whether public or private, primary or post-graduate, we aim to make Now Habersham your primary source for education news and information.
Op-ed: Former commissioner speaks out on SPLOST VI
Former Habersham County Commissioner, Lee Mulkey, shares his insight and opinions into the upcoming SPLOST VI vote.
Lady Raiders Softball
Sept. 2014 – Habersham Central Lady Raiders SR CF Hannah Adams & SR 1B Jessica Traylor on BLITZ.