"There was never a kid who came to the store that didn’t leave with a small brown 'poke' of grocery mix candy scooped from a large box as a gift from Granddaddy."

Before we get to the heart of today's post – which includes German Chocolate cake, cold buttermilk and full-service gas stations – here are a few Wednesday stories we're working:

• If Nashville can provide free composting services to its residents, why can't Chattanooga?
• This year, the Main Street Farmers' Market turns 15 years old. We're a few interviews away from bringing you the people's history of the true Chattanooga market.
• Is it possible for our city to have a Saturday market? A true, green, open air Saturday farmers' market ... in addition to our Wednesday market? Chattanooga is one of the fastest growing cities in the South; what is preventing us from fully supporting two downtown farmers' markets each week?

In the meantime, as we root around for answers to those questions, here's a bit more on Sammy Norton.

Two Sundays ago, our profile on Norton, one of the last small dairy farmers around, hit home with many of you.

"Read it three times," one friend said.

Norton has so many admirable qualities: kindness, a steadfast work ethic and contagious humor. They threw him a retirement party Monday at the Boathouse Rotisserie and Raw Bar. His big-hearted influence is far and wide.

"I met Mr. Norton after researching local dairy farmers and going to his farm, and I am thankful I got to do so," said Beau Duvall.

Beau is a rising sophomore at Hixson High, where he's enrolled in the Ag-Science program. At a time when small dairy farmers are endangered, Beau's represents something awfully important.

The future.

Not long ago, he spent some time with Norton.

"In 10 years, I hopefully have about 400 acres and a huge barn and 150 head of cattle. Maybe a John Deere or two," he said. "Or three."

In June, Beau was named the 4H Dairy Chairman of the Month. He's met with elected leaders, speaks up at town halls and represents the future of regional small dairy farming.

" I love educating about Ag and especially dairy," he said. "Dairy is an important substance for keeping healthy, it's a known fact. But some people don’t know, and that is where I come in and have the honor to be educated, and educate."

Congratulations, Beau. You're the type of young man we need in this world.

When you're farming in 10 years, we'd love to come visit.

"For all of you folks reading this, I would like y’all to know that the dairy industry is losing popularity, and a purchase from a local farmer helps out a TON," he said.

Then, a note arrived from Nita Henley Johnston, a reader and friend.

"Sammy is my dad's first cousin," she said.

Norton lives on her great-grandfather's farm.

"I remember the first pony I ever rode was at Uncle Earl and Aunt Squibb’s house, Sammy's parents," she said. "I must have been only been about six years old at the time, but the memory is very vivid."

Her grandfather – Bob Snyder Henley – had a farm, dairy and country store called The Chicken Roost in Meigs County. The farm "spanned both sides of Highway 58" and the store was an old chicken house her grandfather transformed into a country store in the 1930s.

"The country store in a rural community back in the day really did serve as the convenience store, gas station, supermarket, hardware store, clothing store, pharmacy and internet café/information/entertainment center all rolled up into one," she said.

Nita's email read like a time machine; I never saw the Chicken Roost, but had my own versions of it, only now existing in my memory.

I'll sit back and let Nita – whose father was Thomas Clancy Henley, well-known principal, school board member and educator in Cleveland – take over here. These are her words, written about yesteryear in Meigs County with young Sammy Norton nearby.

Enjoy.

I have such fond memories of playing at the store, all around the dairy barn, the cattle barns, fishing in the pond or creek. Life was simple and fun on those Sunday afternoons. I would take my friends and they all loved it.

Back in the day, it was quite a center for the community. Daddy would tell me that when he was a young lad they would have Saturday night 'pickings' and square dances in the old shed next to the store. Daddy couldn’t play an instrument, but he was rumored to be quite the 'buck dancer.'

In my mind, every memory I have of Sammy from my girlhood days is of him dressed blue jeans, a plaid shirt  and cowboy boots with a cowboy hat as he sat atop a horse. He would ride to my Granddaddy’s Store on many a Sunday afternoon to get a 'Co-Cola' or meet up with friends from the community. Many of the farmers and youngsters would come hang out on those lazy afternoons.

[Most Sundays, she'd go to her grandparent's house for lunch.]

My grandmother never knew how many would be there for lunch, so she prepared a huge spread, just in case.  There was always fried chicken and a ham, a beef roast and maybe chicken and dumplins. There would be all sorts of vegetables out of the huge garden my grandmother tended.  Always on the table were mashed potatoes, and 'roastin’ ears', or corn on the cob, fried okra, green beans, sometimes sweet potatoes or squash, maybe a salad or slaw, and the desserts, oh my!

If she could get a fresh coconut to crack, she would make a freshly grated coconut cake using the coconut milk in the batter. There might be German Chocolate Cake, Angel food cake with fresh strawberries and real whipped cream, and always something chocolate, all sorts of fruit pies, and pineapple upside down cake … every Sunday there would be three or four choices. I fondly remember getting to help her make the homemade biscuits and cornbread, with sweet milk or buttermilk from the dairy poured straight from a glass gallon jar out of the refrigerator.  

My Dad would let me pump Shell gasoline, clean windshields and and check the oil with a dipstick for folks who pulled up in front to the two gas pumps.  I worked the big old antique cash register on the store’s front counter, and would cut bologna or cheese slices on hand crank slicer for customers.

I would get cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, Vienna sausages or canned goods from behind the counter as was requested.  And there was never a kid who came to the store that didn’t leave with a small brown “poke” of grocery mix candy  scooped from a large box as a gift from Granddaddy.

My favorite treats were reaching down into the Mayfield’s Ice Cream Freezer for a cold Heath Bar or Ice Creme Sandwich. Or getting an ice cold 'Co-Cola' out the red chest freezer filled with soft drinks.

One side of the store was groceries with a big coal burning stove in the middle aisle, where Granddaddy sat in his wooden rocker every day. The other side had overalls and denim, a few shoes and work boots and maybe some material or thread, STP, motor oil or some other random item. He also sold eggs out of a refrigerator in the back room brought by the local farmers and loaves of Holsum Bread, honey buns and every candy bar imaginable.

I remember the first time Daddy ever took Granddaddy into a 'Supermarket.' He was rumored to say, 'They must have to have more workers in here than they have customers.' He just couldn’t fathom all the choices and stock in a modern grocery store. He thought you could get just about everything you needed for good living right there at “Chicken Roost'.

Finally, here's a recipe from Mattie Sienknecht, originally published in last week's Sequatchie Cove Farm's newsletter. Many of the ingredients for Mattie's Pesto Green Bean and Potato Salad can be found at today's Main St. Farmers' Market.

Thanks, Mattie.

Happy Third and Fourth, everyone.

See you Sunday.

Pesto Green Bean and Potato Salad

As this heatwave continues to drag on, I find myself only wanting to make cold foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. New potatoes and green beans are the stars of the show in this salad along with fresh basil pesto. You can really use any summer veggies here: think sweet corn, tomatoes, roasted summer squash etc. Make it your own and enjoy!

Ingredients
3 pounds red or yellow potatoes
1 pound green beans
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup pesto (basil or otherwise)
1/2 cup sour cream
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
White wine vinegar to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Place your potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water and set over high heat on the stove. Add a few large pinches of salt. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook until easily pierced with a fork (about 20 minutes for new potatoes, longer for older potatoes). While the potatoes cook, de-string your green beans.

Step 2:  Remove potatoes from the boiling water with a slotted spoon once cooked and place in a colander to cool. Add your de-stringed green beans to the potato water and blanch for 2 minutes until just slightly tender but still crunchy. Drain and rinse with cold water. Once cool, chop green beans into smaller pieces. You can chop your cooked potatoes into cubes or break them up roughly with a fork depending on what size pieces you prefer. Add potatoes and green beans to a large bowl along with your diced red onion.

Step 3: In a small bowl mix the pesto, sour cream, lemon juice and zest, and a splash of white wine vinegar or more to taste. Mix well and then toss in with the potatoes and beans, combine well and taste for seasonings. Enjoy alongside cooling cucumbers and hummus or any other summer snacks.

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