Turnip Truck helps keep local cuisine local

When it comes to the farm-to-table movement — which emphasizes locally grown, organic produce — one component is often overlooked. There’s the farm and the table, of course, but there’s also the “to.” Even food raised just across town still has to be carried to the kitchen.

That’s where Michael Schenck comes in. For two years, as owner/operator of the Turnip Truck, he’s devoted his workdays to helping the farmers farm and the chefs chef. Schenck, a former chef himself, takes care of the work in between.

“When I was a cook, I noticed that people were definitely trying to do more local produce, but one thing that seemed to be missing out of that equation was distribution,” he said. “I give the farmers more time to farm. Instead of spending their time delivering, they can spend more time out in the field making more delicious food.”

In his biodiesel-fueled vehicles, Schenck picks up produce, eggs and dairy products from places like Dillwood Farms in Loganville, Serenbe Farm near Palmetto, Featherwise Farms in Rockmart and Johnston Family Farms in Newborn. He delivers to restaurants including Cakes & Ale and Watershed in Decatur, Holeman & Finch Public House in Buckhead and Woodfire Grill in Midtown.

And yes, this time of year he does deliver turnips — standard purple-topped, snow-white hakurei turnips and also rutabagas, “which are basically overgrown turnips,” he said (they are, technically, a separate species). “A great thing about the local food movement is that people are utilizing more classic produce from Georgia, and turnips and turnip greens are a great example of that.”

Schenck does turnips another honor by turning the tables on that old jab at naivety referenced in his company name. After all, only folks of a certain age are sophisticated and wise enough to have heard the phrase “just fell off the turnip truck.”

I couldn’t resist asking Schenck the obvious: Has he? You know, fallen off? The truck? He was ready with his answer.

“It’s a constant battle not to.”

At local farmers markets

Apples, arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, endive, escarole, fennel, herbs, kale, lettuce, mixed greens, mustard greens, parsnips, pecans, peppers, persimmons, potatoes, radicchio, radishes, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, tatsoi, turnip greens, turnips, winter squash

From farther afield

Looking good: Apples, Caribbean asparagus, Florida and Chilean avocados, California and Caribbean beans, Mexican beets, Argentine blueberries, Mexican brussels sprouts, Texas and California cabbage, Michigan and California carrots, California cauliflower, Florida and California corn, Florida and Mexican eggplant, California and Southern greens, Texas grapefruit, California grapes, Italian kiwifruit, California and Arizona oranges, Washington pears, California and Florida peppers, Mexican and Florida radishes and summer squash, Southern and California sweet potatoes, Florida and California tomatoes

Coming in: Chilean and Uruguayan blueberries, Chilean cherries, Mexican corn, South America grapes, Mexican peppers and raspberries, Florida strawberries, Mexican tomatoes, Florida watermelon

Variable quality: Texas beets, Mexican blackberries and carrots, Mexican and Arizona honeydews, California and Caribbean peas, California raspberries, California and Mexican strawberries, Mexican watermelon

Local reports and the Packer

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Turnip-Potato Soup

Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Serves: 6

Simple and satisfying, this is fast comfort food for chilly evenings. If you get your turnips with the greens still attached, braise them separately with a bit of garlic, and serve with crusty bread to finish the meal.

Note: The smaller you dice the turnips and potato, the faster they will cook. To serve as a puree instead of a soup, use only enough broth to puree the vegetables.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 pound turnips, peeled and diced

1 large potato, washed and diced

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 to 21/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons half-and-half (optional)