Mealtime Magic: Common Ground

The CommonGround program, created by volunteer farm women from 16 states, serves as a resource to provide moms with facts and information that can help them make educated choices about the food they buy for their families. One of the main activities of CommonGround includes volunteer farmers engaging in face-to-face conversations with moms to share the facts on where food comes from.I had a chance to interview two great ladies, LaVell Winsor and Kristin Reese, about their organization, food prices, and affording high-quality food on a budget.


LaVell Winsor lives and farms in Grantville, Kansas, with her husband, Andy, and their two sons. Lavell and Andy grow soybeans and corn on their farm with Andy’s parents and brother, who also raise hay and cattle. Kristin Reese grew up on a typical row-crop farm in Carroll, Ohio. She and her husband, Matt, have been married for nine years and have two children. The Reese family has a small farm operation where they reside in Baltimore, Ohio, that consists of hogs, feeder cattle, sheep, meat chickens, laying hens and rabbits. They also raise alfalfa and grass hay for feed.