For those of you who have been living under the rocks located outside of Kentucky Fried Chicken’s front landscaping, there is such a thing as locally grown organic produce. And for those of you who have not clued in to the uber-hip culture that surrounds everything locally grown and organic – this Trouble’s for you.

I’ve been visiting Terry’s Berries on River Road for a few years. I thought it was about time I picked on their staff and uncovered their organic-loving roots.  As per the usual, owners Terry and Dick Carkner were too busy rustling through their fields to talk to me.  Well, at least that’s the excuse they gave. You can’t fool me; I know avoidance when I see it.

So I cornered Terry’s Berries manager Lisa Tupper for a chat.

STEPH DEROSA: Lisa, I see you everywhere. Here at the store, out at the local farmer’s markets, and I even see you sometimes in my dreams. I do believe that you are THE face of community supported agriculture.

LISA TUPPER: As for me being in your dreams — CREEPY. Second, I’m not the only face of CSA. It takes all of us to make it happen.

DEROSA:  I love that for one solid price I can join the farm share, and come by on a weekly basis to collect my produce. It’s always delicious, and I actually appear to be an O.K. chef when I cook it. How many members do you guys have for your farm share?

TUPPER: When I first started here about five years ago, we had around 120 members. We now have over 360 members.

DEROSA: Wow!  This place has grown so much. My daughter loves to come and feed the chickens. You get a lot of eggs from them, don’t you?

TUPPER: Usually, yes.  Sometimes we hear the coyotes out at night and we know they’re going to try and go after our chickens.

DEROSA: How many chickens have you lost this year?

TUPPER: About 30 to 40.  We also lose produce when it doesn’t sell at the markets and we have to throw it away.

DEROSA: Yeah, I think I smell the rotted produce somewhere near.

TUPPER: Oh, really? I just assumed that smell was you.

DEROSA: I get that a lot.

TUPPER: Well I’ll have to let Terry know it is not you. Why do you think she always has something to do in the fields when you arrive?

DEROSA: I knew it!

[Terry’s Berries, 4520 River Road, Tacoma, 253.922.1604]