Bob’s note: This season Let’s Get Fresh will be featuring a rotating schedule of contributors. Last week we met one of our new regulars, Chef Jay Mahoney, who will be featured here the first Sunday of each month. This week it’s my pleasure to introduce our third regular, Heidi Nawrocki. Heidi has been pitching in on Let’s Get Fresh for a couple of seasons but this year she will be featured the fourth Sunday of each month. I’ll be here the second Sunday and we’ll have a special guest each third Sunday. For more info about the Bridgeport Farmers Market be sure to visit our web and blog site at www.bridgeportfarmersmarket.com. Enjoy!

 

It’s hard to believe that this is our sixth season supporting the local farmers and artisans at the Bridgeport Farmers Market! Neither my husband nor I are native West Virginians, but we are more than happy to call the Mountain State home. I am a Pennsylvania girl, born and raised. I grew up on a farm, drinking raw milk as a child, and always having a name for my grandparent’s beef cows. I showed horses and was generally given the beloved job of weeding my parent’s garden. Oh, and snapping beans.  

 

After graduating high school, I attended Waynesburg College (now Waynesburg University!) and graduated with a BS in Chemistry. I met my husband during my undergraduate years and we’ve been together since! After graduation, I attended West Virginia University to obtain my MS in Chemistry. Morgantown, and a weight loss journey 11 years ago, is what opened ours eye to the local food culture. We lived within walking distance of the Morgantown Farmers Market and were there most every Saturday morning. We also jumped on the CSA wagon, before the CSA wagon was cool.

 

During graduate school, I was on the path to become a forensic microscopist. Scanning electron microscopy was my specialty and a lot of fun, but I didn’t feel totally fulfilled. I chose to work for Weight Watchers as a group leader until we started a family.

 

For our first anniversary gift, we purchased the 53 acres on which our house now sits. A week after closing on our new venture, we found out I was pregnant with our son. We stayed in Morgantown for an additional year and a half to finish up the complete remodel on our home.

 

Because we are totally crazy, we decided to build our own home. With a two year old in tow, we built a passive solar home and started our small farm. We now have a 2400 square foot garden, 17 free range chickens, a clothesline, just started an orchard, and have a whole ‘lotta wild berries. I tried my hand at winter gardening this past winter and was able to harvest greens most of the winter. I am inspired to do even more this coming winter!

 

In a strange turn of life events, I went from an aspiring chemist to a now stay at home mom to our two littles. I’m homeschooling our oldest and having a lot of fun! I also started my own soap business recently, House on the Hill Soap Co.  I’m excited to chat more about soap in a later post. I blog for Grit and occasionally ramble on my own blog. I also knitted my chicken a sweater. I’m crazy like that!

The BFM has truly become family to me. Becky and Larry Gardner of Gardner Farms  have known our now 6 year old since he was 6 months old. When you see people each week, all with local food as a common passion, you can’t help but strike up conversation! So, I encourage you to come on out, grab a cuppa joe and enjoy making new friends this Sunday!