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Pittsfield, Vermont is a small town of just about 400 people. You don\\u2019t notice much when you first pass through, apart from the beauty and unspoiled quality of the place. It\\u2019s a perfect spot for mountain hikes and star-gazing. The town itself is just a two-lane road dotted with farm houses and picture perfect Inn\\u2019s, hugged tight on either side by lush green mountains.\\xa0

One of the only stops is The Spartan General Store (at least that\\u2019s my unofficial name for the place). There\'s a small gift shop and grocery inside, but this is mostly a refueling spot. Breakfast plates come piled high with giant farm fresh eggs and thick slices of local bacon. Tall glasses of fresh pressed green juice act as the perfect recovery tonic for legs left for dead by 5 a.m. obstacle course climbs.\\xa0

By now you know this is no average town. This is the home of Spartan Race. The punishing early morning burpee sessions and mountain runs come courtesy of Joe De Sena, the highly driven founder and leader of the Spartan movement. The lovely eggs and green juice are made possible by the daily grind and passion of Joe Pumentei, or Farmer Joe as we know him.\\xa0

He is just the sort of guy you need to feed a growing Spartan army. He\\u2019s also having an amazing impact on local towns all over through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).\\xa0

A farmer\'s job might not seem very impactful at first, but like most things it\\u2019s not what you do it\\u2019s how you do it. When it comes to farming, Joe brings a bright Boston edge. He and his wife were lured to Pittsfield by that other Joe and his Spartan crew. It was a chance to run their very own farm, according to their rules, and up to their very high standards. It\\u2019s clear that Sweet Georgia P\\u2019s is an amazing place.\\xa0

The food is great, but that\\u2019s not the only reason for Joe\\u2019s impact. It\\u2019s got much more to do with that edge. He\\u2019s up at dawn with his family every day. He drives endless miles to spread his CSA and product to every town in his 200 square mile territory. And most importantly, he never turns down an opportunity to bark loudly about the big problem here - Most people don\\u2019t know what real food is, and it\\u2019s slowly killing them.\\xa0

\\u201cReal\\u201d is a funny word in this context. Judging by the regulations that Joe is subject to, you would think he was harboring toxic waste, but no, in this case it\\u2019s just milk. Raw goat\\u2019s milk to be specific. Joe\\u2019s milk is alive. It\\u2019s teeming with all sorts of cultures and enzymes. The protein is super-duper high quality. The fat is full and rich, just what your nervous system needs. You\\u2019d be hard pressed to find a higher quality recovery and muscle building beverage. But the legal reality is that Joe must keep a warning sign posted prominently on his Sweet Georgia P\\u2019s property.\\xa0

\\u201cWARNING! Unpasteurized, raw milk can be hazardous to your health.\\u201d In just that one paragraph there were three references to baby or fetal damage/death, not unlike cigarette package warnings. Sneak that stuff over state lines and you\\u2019d be committing a felony, despite the fact that raw milk has been found to be a low risk food. The same thing goes for many local farmers and all they produce. Getting real food to market now-a-day\\u2019s is all uphill. It requires the fight. You could use some edge.\\xa0

Maybe that\\u2019s the right mindset. Most people know that they should be eating better quality food, especially when it comes to vegetables and common animal products. But that\\u2019s not always the decision that gets made. So, why not try a new motive? Why not call this a fight?

There\\u2019s a mighty industrial machine out there pumping out bleached milk, flavorless veggies, runny eggs from sick chickens, the list of sins is long. The machine is fed by our dollars. It exists precisely because our decisions haven\\u2019t been the best. But that doesn\\u2019t mean we can\\u2019t take action now. We have to start putting our money where it matters most - Back into real food.\\xa0

To those who would say local organic food is too expensive, Joe\\u2019s bright edge bites back, \\u201cHave you priced out cancer lately? It\\u2019s not cheap.\\u201d People need to understand the value of real food. They need to learn. They need access to great farm fresh products, so Joe\\u2019s work continues. He keeps up his grind and passion every day. He continues making his impact.\\xa0

If you want to improve the health of your communities, support local farmers and CSA programs when you are able. Seek them out. No, a few farmers will not make much of a difference. But if a few hook-up every few hundred miles or so they can build a supply network that really could make cheap, super nutritious food readily available to more people. That kind of movement could make a real difference in public health.\\xa0

Demand better quality in your food. Put your money where it matters most. The value will come right back to you in the form of better health and improved performance, just see for yourself.\\xa0

Joe, I had a blast. Keep up the good fight.

Cheers,\\xa0

Chris Moore