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Jimmy Hudson’s Story
By Emily Eggletson
Jimmy Hudson has farmed full-time for nine years and sold his produce at the Northside Farmer’s Market since it started. In fact, he’s never missed a single Sunday. If you’ve ever stopped to chat, chances are you walked away with a couple of good stories along with his delicious vegetables.
Jimmy grew up in Arkansas, picking cotton. You can’t pick cotton unless you were born picking cotton he told me. It’ll poke you and cut you. He started picking when he was 6-years-old. Cotton kept Jimmy out of school at times. His labor was useful for his family, both to bring in cash and to tend their kitchen garden.
“I was too hungry. My dad told me I had to stay out of school sometimes because I ate too much,” he said. “I would eat half a pan of corn bread and a skillet of food big enough for a whole family.” One time, he ate 100 peaches in one day. “I ate 30 in the first hour,” he boasted. And then finished the other 70 over the remainder of the day.
Want to find out how Jimmy ended up in Madison? Stop by his table at the Northside’s indoor winter market starting this Sunday, November 6. Along with a great story, you can get kohlrabi, kale, collards, turnips, bok choy, beets, carrots, leeks, radishes, squash, lettuces, Jerusalem artichokes, horseradish and parsley.
You can read more about Jimmy Hudson on Emily Eggleston’s blog at:http://curiousterrain.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/the-rough-skinned-yam-a-tale-of-roots/
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