Popular Bossier Parish Farm Is Growing Concern
I wonder what it says about me that in my adult lifetime I have lived in three of the top ten fattest cities in America. In this year's WalletHub list of the Fattest Cities in America, McAllen, TX, ranks 4th; Shreveport/Bossier City ranks 5th; and Mobile, AL, ranks 7th. I lived in McAllen for four years in the late 80's and Mobile for four years in the early 90's. My wife and I have been in Shreveport now for about a year. My wife weighs the same as she did the day we married, so she's not a factor in these findings. Me, on the other hand, not so much.
The study cited above factors in a number of metrics including Weight-Related Health Problem rank, Healthy Environment rank, and Obesity and Overweight rank. In that last category, Shreveport/Bossier is ranked #1 in the entire nation. So, I've been thinking that it might be time for a little lifestyle change for me. (Ya think?)
The first place to start would seem to be eating more healthily. So, this morning I began to peruse the web for some options and stumbled upon a place called Mahaffey Farms. The current farm is managed by Evan McCommon whose great-uncle Happy Mahaffey established the farm around the town of Princeton in Bossier Parish in the late 1920's. Until recently the farm focused on timber production, conservation, and wildlife management.
During the Great Recession there were downturns in the timber markets, and McCommon began to look for other sources of income. After travelling the country and seeing the growth in other cities of the local food movement, he decided to join the growing trend and re-start the family farm just the way his Uncle Happy did in the early 20th century.
Mahaffey Farms first venture was to begin selling their organically grown, chemical-free vegetables at local food markets including the Shreveport Farmers' Market in 2012. Their produce was so popular, that McCommon decided to expand and today the farm produces grass-fed beef and pasture-raised pork, chicken, and eggs, along with organic fruits, nuts, and herbs. All of these are available on-line for pickup or home delivery.
The best way to experience Mahaffey Farms is to go there. The farm is located five miles east of Harrah’s Louisiana Downs in Bossier Parish. You'll find the farm store at the end of Mahaffey Road.
Soon the store will be easy to spot because Mahaffey Farms is expanding. McCommon recently announced that the farm has acquired the former Eastwood Fairways golf course and expects to complete its expansion there by Spring of next year. This will give Mahaffey Farms a storefront and sign right on Highway 80.
So, since I feel a certain responsibility for contributing to the collective delinquency of Shreveport/Bossier's waistline, an excursion to Mahaffey Farms would seem to be in order.