Podcast No. 98: Seth Nelson of The Farmer's Perk
It's not every day that you meet a fourteen-year-old entrepreneur, but Seth Nelson is doing much more than serving out of a coffee pot these days. Today on our podcast, Kevin Adelsberger interviews the creator of The Farmer's Perk about his business journey over the last six years, going from simple cups of joe to speciality drinks and now a full-blown donut truck.
Kevin Adelsberger and his wife Renae moved to Jackson for college (proud Union alumni) and have stayed ever since. Jackson has since taken hold of Kevin’s heart, and he looks forward to continuing to grow with the city. Kevin opened Adelsberger Marketing in 2014 and saw working with Our Jackson Home as a way that he could serve the city he loves. Kevin and Renae are members of First Baptist Church and volunteer with the youth group there and with Madison County CASA.
Production, editing, and photography by Kevin Adelsberger.
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This summer has been jam-packed of great meals, a lot of which were enjoyed at restaurants celebrating new locations. Get the scoop on where we’ve been, old and new, and what’s tickling our tastebuds right now.
“We are ‘be the change you want to see’ kind of people. Ultimately, we can complain about what is not available to us in rural West Tennessee or we can choose to change it.” This is Katie Weatherford’s heart behind Retro Coffee Bar, West Tennessee’s newest coffee option that is on the move and popping up at events, weddings, and festivals. Based in Selmer, Katie and her husband Jake have teamed up with couple Matthew and Sarah Moore to create the delicious coffee they crave, without all of the hassle of attempting a full storefront in a small town.
“third wave coffee.” noun. 1. The most recent cultural phenomenon in the history of the coffee industry and consumption. Comes after the first wave of coffee, which included “growing coffee consumption exponentially,” and the second wave of coffee, which began to “define and enjoy specialty coffee.” 2. Purchasing coffee due to its “origin and artisan methods of production.” 3. A movement aspiring to produce the highest quality of coffee possible at every level while pleasing and intriguing the coffee consumer. “UrbanHouse.” noun.
Martin, Tennessee, is a town with a population of around 11,475. It’s known for its annual Tennessee Soybean Festival and for the University of Tennessee at Martin. If you drive down University Street, you’ll go right through the university, pass by Sammie’s (an aptly-named sandwich shop), and mosey by several boutiques and small shops. It’s a small, charming place. Locals support the UTM Skyhawks and the Westview High School Chargers and eat at The Grind.
I’m sitting by myself, the steady thrum of others’ voices around me, and I’m looking at a white sign with neat black lettering: “WHERE HOT COFFEE AND WARM CONVERSATION FLOW.”I’ve got the hot coffee part—it’s steaming pleasantly in a glossy brown mug—and I can hear the groups talking around me. There are some college students in the corner of the room. (I can tell they’re in school because of their tired eyes trained on the laptops perched in front of them, even as they continue to hold conversation with each other.)
This fall we cozied up at some favorite local spots for warm meals, including a handful of food trucks and a couple of new businesses, too! If you're unsure where to go for dinner tonight, check out Katie Howerton's reviews below, then join us for our last season of #OurJacksonTable this winter as we hit 100 local restaurant visits.
A morning ritual, a conversation piece, a shared bond: coffee adopts whatever role its faithful consumers may assign. It’s one of the few addictions that our local cultures openly embrace. Even just the word “coffee” can be seen on decorative signs for the home, on t-shirts, on mugs. Coffee has transcended its place as a drink to an idea: the symbol of incentive in an increasingly demanding world. “I can’t do anything before I have my coffee” is not a personal statement; it’s a cities-spanning mantra.
This summer was full of lots of food trucks, a few meals out, and a whole bunch of trips to the farmers' market, and we had a blast. Check out Katie Howerton's review of our summer 2017 #OurJacksonTable dozen, and join us in trying even more local restaurants this fall!
We've got the perfect selection of local gifts that will cover everyone on your list. Check out details below.
Eggs. Flour. Milk. Sugar. Your basic ingredients for a cupcake. But so much more than that goes into the cupcakes at HaliHannigan’s Café & Cakery. Five years ago a cozy little space in the Columns bedecked in pink and black opened its doors—and its heart—to the Jackson community. Neill and Christi Bartlett, the husband and wife team that co-own HaliHannigan’s (whose name is derived from various parts of the names of their three daughters), were ready for a change.
Some of you Jacksonians may be scrambling for some thoughtful date ideas for your Valentine this weekend. Fear not—We've got you covered. No, there's no need to head of to Nashville of Memphis to show your love how much you care. We've got the perfect variety for your unique personality right here in Jackson, Tennessee.
After my divorce I almost left Jackson to live on the Appalachian Trail, expecting to leave for six months and return somehow different, new, and with a long beard. I also contemplated living in my Subaru, hopping from town to town like a wandering nomad. I even considered becoming a farmer, finding friends among the crops and pigs.
We've got the perfect selection of local gifts that will cover everyone on your list. Check out details below.
Folk music has enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance over the passed five years, but with any genre of music, another period of stagnation could always be around the corner. There have only been a handful of folk artists I have been able to really appreciate over the past year, and that’s disappointing when the Americana and Folk scenes of 2015 have seemed to be thriving. Luckily, there are always some under appreciated diamonds in the rough.
Jackson is home to a community of phenomenal people and growing social appeal. While our weeks can seem mundane and leave us jaded, there are plenty of opportunities to socialize, express creativity, and simply relax. I've compiled a list that I hope will enhance our weekly routines to create shared memories with friends and family as we together enjoy Jackson.
If your coffee education has been anything like mine, you were probably introduced to the centuries-old beverage that’s been studied and practiced and thought about deeply by way of the Just Add Sugar method. You know what I’m talking about. Your dad might have taught it to you and maybe still practices it to this day. He tears those little pink packets open and pours their contents into his steaming cup, and you see a look of satisfaction on his face after that first sip.
Alba, the coffee shop that now sits on 112 East Baltimore downtown, follows a string of laughable changes in owners and names. First, there was Starbucks, followed by Green Frog. Green Frog sold their business to Ugly Mug, and Ugly Mug closed shop within a few months. The important thing, though, is that there is a really good local shop there, and it is celebrating one year in business.
I have a confession. I’m a stereotypical twenty-something creative person with a soft spot for independent coffee shops. It’s hard to find a coffee shop these days without someone like me sitting at a table with his or her laptop slowly sipping on expertly crafted iced coffee. Where can you find such a place in Jackson? As of this past summer: Alba. Alba is a traditional coffee shop focused on hand-making quality drinks.