🚨 Is ICE building a detention center here or not?

🍽️ The Best Restaurants for Some Peace and Quiet

Nashville’s dining scene isn’t just booming — it’s REALLY LOUD. On today’s City Cast Nashville podcast, contributor Margaret Littman shares her favorite quiet restaurants in town, perfect for conversation, contemplation, and finding a little zen over a delicious meal. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🚨 ICE Reverses Course on Local Detention Facility

After an uproar from local and state officials, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has reversed course and now says it hasn’t purchased a detention facility in Lebanon. A spokesperson says ICE’s previous statement that it had purchased the property “was sent without proper approval and this mistake has since been rectified.” [Tennessee Lookout]

• Public outcry and pressure from local lawmakers have stopped ICE from building detention centers in other communities nationwide. [Tennessee Lookout]
• However, ICE is still planning to lease an office in Nashville for its legal team. [Nashville Scene]

🌨️ NES Commission Appointments Announced

Mayor Freddie O’Connell has announced his appointments to a commission investigating Nashville Electric Service’s response to Winter Storm Fern. Former Nashville Mayor and Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen will chair the commission. Other members include Vice Mayor Angie Henderson, Metro Councilmember Delishia Porterfield, and Vanderbilt University director of emergency management Johnny Vanderpool, among others. [Nashville Scene]

🏚️ Beloved Historical Building Demolished

Metro Councilmember Clay Capp says a historic East Nashville building, most recently home to The Groove record store, was demolished without the proper approval. Capp, who represents East Nashville, is working with Metro departments to hold the new owner accountable. [WKRN]

• See photos from the demolition. [Instagram]

The simplest definition of a CSA is a box of produce that you pick up from a farmer every week. Many of our local farms offer pickup at farmers markets around town, and in some cases, you can visit the farm itself. Several farms let folks order half-shares and include add-ons like milk, eggs, honey, or fresh-cut flowers. There’s even an all-beef CSA.

This is a great time to subscribe to one of our local CSAs before they sell out. Here are some of our faves.

🌼 S.E. Daughtery & Sons

Located in Bellevue, this family-owned farm offers produce in 7-week blocks, for those not ready to commit to a full 21-week season. The farm also welcomes strawberry and flower picking later in the year. Their early-bird discount on CSA boxes ends March 15.

🍄 Bells Bend Farm

I currently subscribe to Bells Bend, and I love picking it up on Saturday mornings at the Richland Park farmers market. (They’re also at the East Nashville market, or you can go straight to the farm.) Add-ons for grass-fed yogurt and gourmet mushrooms are available, and membership gets you free admission to farm events!

🥬 The Nashville Food Project

This nonprofit, which ensures leftover food from restaurants gets used in healthy meals for the community, also offers a veggie box that includes popular produce and herbs from Burma and Bhutan, thanks to the South Asian farmers at the Growing Together Farm in South Nashville.

🏡 Cooper Creek Farm

Amazingly, this working farm is located in the heart of Inglewood in East Nashville, where it began in Alex Bice’s backyard after COVID-19 shut down his music career. They offer pickups at the Richland and East Nashville markets, the South Inglewood Community Center, and the farm itself.

🧺 Farmhouse Nashville

This CSA offers heirloom fruits and veggies through a partnership with Golden Rule Farm, an old-order Mennonite farm in nearby Scottsville, Kentucky. They’ve got multiple pickup locations, and even offer home delivery in Davidson and Wilson Counties!

🐄 Caney Fork Farms

On top of seasonal organic produce, Caney Fork Farms also offers a regenerative meat share featuring 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, and pasture-raised pork and chicken. They also allow you to purchase per week, rather than per season.