Oh, man. You’ll never guess who called me this week…multiple times.
⚡METALLICA⚡
Yes! Well, sort of.
Alicia, who assists their private chef, Mitch, did. Turns out they were looking for real ingredients to prepare for the band members when they came through Blacksburg this week for a show and wanted to pick up…get this…VEGETABLES from us.
And fresh herbs. And duck. And more.
Wow.
I’m still wondering if it all happened. Except that I have the signed picture from Metallica thanking Glade Road Growing to prove it.
So why is the private chef for Metallica seeking us out? Because these heavy metal rockers, now in their 60’s, are into healthy eating. “Cocaine is out, kale, celery and spinach are in.” it says according to an article on Mitch, their personal chef of 10 years, in The Times.
“Mitch’s philosophy is that he doesn’t make diet food — it just has to be healthy and tasty. This is what is wanted by all the bands Mitch has worked with, something he describes as a “crazy sign of the times”. Over the past decade or so there has been a broader societal shift towards understanding how we use food to protect our health and prevent disease; rock stars are just following the trend. ‘It’s the antithesis of what it used to be.’ Mitch laughs as he describes the reactions of people who encounter Metallica sipping their green juices: ‘Is this for real?’”
-Charlotte Ivers of The Sunday Times, London, 7/28/24
It is real.
And then all our brush with fame dreams started coming true.
Mid-day Tuesday, in the midst of our farm share season opener bustle, Mitch and Alicia appear. Mitch, Metallica’s private chef, is standing outside the farm stand, taking a video of the farm with his phone. I recognized him from the photo in The Times article.
It was all I could hope for. Mitch and Alicia were super polite. They were genuinely interested in our farm. They were so excited that we were here. We were excited they were here.
They wanted to go on the farm tour we offered, but regretfully just didn’t time. They conversed with all our staff, who wanted to talk to them about soil microbiological health, lard-based skin care, wild ramps, how we slaughter chickens.
They stayed here for nearly an hour. We gave them Glade Road t-shirts. They bought lots of ingredients to cook for the band. They were lovely. I’m still high on the experience.
I feel so validated. I’ve been saying this all along! If you want to rock it into your golden years, you gotta eat chemical-free vegetables and real meats and eggs.
Metallica gets it. Metallica went the extra mile to seek us out. They are The Heroes of The Day.
It’s easier for you than it was for Mitch and Metallica to get fresh kohlrabi. Because we’re right here in Blacksburg where you live.
You, too, can eat like a rock star, fueled by duck breast, causing seismic activity with your jumping. Eat the real stuff and you’ll be halfway there.
By the way, Mitch graciously sent us his Blacksburg show menu. Here it is.
So, I know you’re dying for the GRG-grown shopping list that Metallica picked up. Here it is:
- Arugula
- Kohlrabi
- Spinach
- Microgreens
- Pea shoots
- Lions mane mushroom
- Oyster mushroom
- Daikon radish (?!)
- Salad radish
- Fennel
- Dill
- Oregano
- Baby Zucchini
- Buttercrisp head lettuce
- Bok choy
- Kale
- Green garlic
- Scallions
- Rainbow chard
- Ramps (the last of them)
- Cedarwood lard balm
- Duck breast
- Chicken breast
- Whole chicken
- Chicken stock
⚡AND you can imagine how much I was beaming when they called the NEXT day to pick up the following Glade Road meats to take to Columbus, Ohio, the next town they’re playing in:
- Berkshire pork spare rib rack
- Whole duck
- Duck confit kits (legs + wings)
- Chicken wings
⚡AND how over the moon I was the THIRD time they came to our farm, this time to give us a signed thank you photo of the band.
So… the lesson.
You, too, can rock on into longevity, and you’re going to love eating real vegetables and happy meats on your way there.🫛🥕🥬