Introducing the 2022-2024 Accelerator Cohort!

By Lydia Hsu 

Lydia Hsu is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics.

The Farmer Services team here at Georgia Organics is excited to formally introduce the farmers in the 2022-2024 Accelerator cohort!

The Georgia Organics Accelerator Program combines expert coaching with tailored on-farm investments to grow the vitality and resiliency of Georgia farms and improve the quality of life for farmers.  

The seven farms selected for the 2022-2024 cohort are all doing incredible work to grow their farm products and businesses, sustainably and organically. Each farm was chosen based on their proposed utilization of the program, which includes identifying three focus goals and one in-hand resource that the farms work towards achieving and completing by the end of the program. 

The Farmer Services team is working closely with each farm to develop their goals and in-hand resource, and to support them over the next two years as they execute their Accelerator plan. We have a robust directory of coaches that will be working hand-in-hand with the farmers to provide technical assistance, guidance, and training on a vast array of topics that help them with long-term farm business planning. In-hand resources can look like a Soil Fertility plan, a Food Safety plan, a Labor plan, a Transition plan, and more!  

The coaches will also advise farmers on how to maximize their Accelerator funding for their strategic capital investments. This funding can be applied towards farm expenses — including on-farm infrastructure, labor, healthcare, and marketing.  

Accelerator Coaches, Case Managers, and Farmers mingle at December 2022 Networking Session. Photo by M.F. Espinoza (@healianthusfarms).

In addition to the individual support farmers receive from coaches and case managers, a key part of the Accelerator program is the cohort community itself, and the peer-to-peer connections the program provides space for. The farmers have the opportunity to participate in networking sessions with their fellow cohort members, as well as Accelerator alumni farmers. These networking opportunities, hosted by Georgia Organics both online and in-person throughout the year, allow the cohort to learn from each other, discuss the Accelerator program together, and connect with other Georgia farmers while visiting each other's farms. Our hope is that these networking sessions become an invaluable way to grow community and friendships with other farmers. 

The seven farms in the 2022-2024 cohort are located across the state of Georgia and range from diversified vegetable operations to fiber and livestock farms. Without further ado, here are the 2022-2024 Accelerator farmers! 

Andrew Douglas and family of Crossroad Farm and Garden. Photo credit: Southern Soil.

Crossroad Farm and Garden (Facebook, Instagram)  

Andrew Douglas | Alma, GA  

Crossroad Farm and Garden is a Certified Naturally Grown farm owned and operated by Andrew Douglas. The farm uses sustainable practices to cultivate the soil and grow vegetables, herbs, and fruits. As a member of WayGreen, a local food coalition in southeast Georgia, the farm provides food for the community through the Family Farm Share program in Waycross. 

Brendan Gannon of Gannon Organics. Photo credit: Gannon Organics.

Gannon Organics (Facebook, Instagram)

Brendan Gannon | Savannah, GA 

Gannon Organics was founded by Brendan Gannon in December 2019. The operation is a 4-acre sustainable and diversified vegetable farm serving Savannah, GA. Brendan has been farming organically for over a decade, uses 100% organic methods to grow his produce, and uses cover cropping and field rotation as means for a regenerative growing environment.  

Keisha and Warren Cameron of High Hog Farm. Photo credit: High Hog Farm.

High Hog Farm (Facebook, Instagram)  

Keisha and Warren Cameron | Grayson, GA  

High Hog Farm is run by returning generation farmers Keisha and Warren Cameron. They officially started cultivating the land in 2014, regenerating the soil, and quickly becoming students of permaculture, agroecology, and indigenous practices. They produce locally grown fibers and plant-based dyes from heritage breed sheep, rabbits, and heirloom seeds. 

Brennan and Gwendolyn Washington of Phoenix Gardens. Photo credit Kayla Williams.

Phoenix Gardens (Facebook)

Gwendolyn and Brennan Washington | Lawrenceville, GA  

Phoenix Gardens was started in 2006 and is owned and operated by Gwendolyn and Brennan Washington. The farm is Certified Naturally Grown and uses sustainable methods to grow vegetables, herbs, and fruits. The farm has been a mainstay in Gwinnett County for over fifteen years, hosting farm tours and educational events for the community. 

Stephanie Simmons of PolyCulture Production at Gaia Gardens. Photo credit: Food Well Alliance.

PolyCulture Production at Gaia Gardens (Instagram)  

Stephanie Simmons | Decatur, GA  

Stephanie Simmons started PolyCulture Production at Gaia Gardens in 2022. With 2.5 acres in production, Stephanie grows a variety of vegetables and fruits organically. The farm focuses on soil health as the foundation for plant, community, and cultural health and on mimicking the biodiversity of nature by producing multiple crops in the same space. 

Ashley Rodgers of Rodgers Greens and Roots Organic Farm. Photo credit: Rodgers Greens and Roots Organic Farm.

Rodgers Greens and Roots Organic Farm (Facebook, Instagram) 

Ashley Rodgers | Douglasville, GA  

Rodgers Greens and Roots Organic Farm is a Certified Organic farm owned and operated by Ashley Rodgers on 64 acres of historic farmland along the Chattahoochee River. Currently, 15 acres are under cultivation; 10 acres in vegetables, and 5 acres in perennial fruit orchards. The farm’s growing style is medium-scale and sustainable practices are the backbone of the farm. 

Rahul Anand of Snapfinger Farm. Photo credit: Snapfinger Farm.

Snapfinger Farm (Facebook, Instagram)  

Rahul Anand | Covington, GA   

Rahul Anand started Snapfinger Farm in 2016, when he took horse pastures and turned them into vegetable fields, built a walk-in cooler, wash station, hoop houses, and more. The farm is Certified Naturally Grown and uses sustainable growing methods. The farm expanded onto a new property in 2022 and will be scaling up from 2.5 acres to 30 acres of production. 

JOIN US IN WELCOMING THE NEW COHORT OF ACCELERATOR FARMS!

GIVE THEM A FOLLOW AND SHARE THE LOVE AS WE LAUNCH A GREAT YEAR. 

MAP OF CURRENT & ALUMNI ACCELERATOR FARMS

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn by searching the handle @GeorgiaOrganics or Georgia Organics.

Our full suite of programs and services is accessible to our Farmer Members at no additional cost and can be discovered by visiting farmerservices.georgiaorganics.org. Not a member yet? Visit georgiaorganics.org/membership to become a member today!

Farmer Field Day Recap of Tractor Implements, Soil Health, and Wash Stations at Bugg Farm

By Ain Chiké 

Ain Chiké is a Georgia Organics Farmer Services Coordinator 

ACCELERATOR PROGRAM: 2022-2023 Accelerator applications are LIVE from August 1- September 12. Learn more about the year and a half long program and how you can qualify and apply here.   

Addis Bugg, Jr. and Addis Bugg, Sr. Photo Credit: The Common Market   

Last month on a warm Monday morning, the Georgia Organics Farmer Services team and about 10 farmers visited Bugg Farm in Pine Mountain, GA, to witness tractor implements in action and view the newly constructed wash station. During our stay, we learned about resting fields, considerations for building a wash station, weening cattle, and how the Georgia Organics Accelerator Program benefited Addis Bugg’s farm operations.  

Our day began with our gracious host and 2021-2022 Accelerator farmer Addis Bugg taking the attendees on a tractor-pulled hayride tour around the farm.  We gazed upon peach trees and muscadine vines sitting heavy with ripening fruit. Participants learned about the rich legacy of Bugg farm, of which Addis is the fifth generation to inherit and work the land. At one stop, Addis showcased the sabbatical field covered in bright green clover. 

Soil is a farm’s most valuable asset, and when we allow the soil to rest, it gives the Earth time to replenish nutrients that are leeched throughout a crop‘s development. Cover cropping fallow fields restores nitrogen, aids carbon sequestering, reduces erosion, and keeps pests at bay.  

Wash station BEFORE.

Wash station AFTER. photo Cred: Addis Bugg  

Our tour concluded at the newly built wash station partially funded through the Georgia Organics Accelerator Program. As we looked around the large, covered area, Addis mentioned his considerations before erecting the structure. Not wanting to build in a space where bacteria from uphill could wash downward, he noted how water flowed on the farm. A concrete base and roofing keeps water from pooling and floors from becoming slippery.

Every farm is unique, so here are some key points to consider for constructing a wash station:  

• Do the components and design adhere to grant or certification requirements?  

• What are the pros and cons of wooden, plastic, or steel materials? 

• Where is the wash station in relation to the field and storage areas? 

• What kind of flooring is best for my operation? Grass, gravel, or concrete? 

• What is financially feasible for my farm and how much will I expand over the next 5-10 years Will the wash station become too small very quickly? 

• How will I keep the area clean and free of standing water? 

• Where does rainwater runoff go after a storm?  

• Where is the sun and therefore heat, in relation to where I’ll be washing and packing produce?  

• How can I streamline my set-up to work as quickly and efficiently as possible so that produce moves quickly from the field to the wash station and into the cooler? 

• How can I keep things like bins and harvest crates off the ground at all times? 

• Will I need a designated washing space for ‘dirtier’ root crops like turnips, radishes, or potatoes? 

In the final hour of our stay, Addis happily demonstrated the capabilities and usefulness of his new tiller attachment purchased with the funding granted to Accelerator farmers. Part of knowing which new farm tools to invest in came through the guidance of Georgia Organics’ Farm Services Director, Lauren Cox. Using educational material and a guided exercise, Addis and Lauren assessed three crops for profitability and prioritized tool purchases based on their findings. “I was breaking ground with an ancient harrow that I had to grease up every three rounds. This new tiller has helped out SO much.” As we stood by and watched Addis partially till a row, it was easy to see why he was grateful for the equipment.  

TRACTOR IMPLEMENTS: Learn more about choosing and using tractor implements with this great resource from Vern Grubinger, Sustainable Vegetable Production: From Startup to Market (PDF pages 103-111) 

IMPLEMENT MAINTAINANCE: Consistent maintenance is important when it comes to extending the life and quality of your tractor implements. Check out this maintenance log template for recording scheduled cleaning, etc.  

ACCELERATOR PROGRAM: 2022-2023 Accelerator applications are LIVE from August 1- September 12. Learn more about the year and a half long program and how you can qualify and apply here.   

Last but not least, click to learn more about Bugg Farm visit their webpage or follow Bugg Family Farm on Facebook. 

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Instagram @GeorgiaOrganics, Twitter @GeorgiaOrganics, and at www.Facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics. 

Accelerator Farmer Addis Bugg, July 18 Farmer Field Day

By Meg Darnell

Meg Darnell is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics 

Join us for a Farmer Field Day at Bugg Farm (Pine Mountain) on Monday, July 18. Register by Friday, July 15 at 6:00 p.m.!

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“Welcome to Bugg Farm where the sun shines brighter than anywhere else in the world.”

So it reads on the homepage of buggfarm.com. And after visiting their farm, where Addis grows produce and raises cattle on land that’s been in the family since 1874, it's hard to argue with that claim, it is indeed a special place. So special in fact, they were one of the ten farms chosen for our most recent Accelerator Program cohort.

We spoke with Addis Bugg Sr., owner and operator of Bugg Farm, about the rich history of his property and he shares his experience with the Farmer Services team’s Accelerator Program.

Learn more about the Accelerator program here. To meet the 2021-2022 Farmer Accelerator Cohort, read our blog post on The Dirt. You can also read about launching the Accelerator program in 2020 here.

Addis Bugg, Sr., all photos courtesy of Bugg Farm.

Below is our Q&A with Addis:

Greetings Addis! Thanks for taking the time to connect with us! First and foremost, can you give us an overview of the different iterations of this property over the years?

Well, that’s a long time, so I’ll just say I’m a fifth-generation farmer. It started with T.J. Bugg who started farming as a slave and when he was freed, he started buying up land any time he could. He built a church, was a pastor, built a school, and continued to buy land. I think he ended up with about 1000 acres.

And each generation one of the many children born into each family would continue to farm. My father, Cornelius Bugg, grew soybeans, sweet corn, field corn, peas, and all sorts of things.

Out of my dad’s five children, I seemed to be the only one who wanted to farm the land, so I grew up farming with my dad, but was recruited by the Marine Corp and did that until I retired in 2008. I worked in the civilian sector from 2008 to 2015 and then returned home to start a farm at the family property.

 What was starting a farm like for you?

I really hit the ground running. We got in contact with the NRCS and they helped us with a lot of infrastructure. We got a well, drip irrigation, a high tunnel, and a water pad for the cows.

From there, we heard about Georgia Organics and attended the conference in Columbus and then another in Augusta.

All the press we’ve gotten over the years has just been word of mouth; we never seek anything out. It seemed like, whatever I was doing on the farm, the word was getting around.

Filmmakers Christine Anthony and Owen Masterson did a short documentary about the farm and it just seemed like things were falling into place.

In 2021 we found out about the Accelerator Program so we applied for that.

How was your experience with the Accelerator Program?

Better than I thought! It was good, it turned out to be very informative. Lauren (Director of Farmer Services and one of four case managers) sat down with me and showed me the crop planning worksheet. For the first time in the 6 years since I’ve been farming, I was able to see which crops were profitable and how profitable they were.

 What infrastructure were you able to get through the program?

The Accelerator paid for our washing station and some tractor implements. Talk about day and night. I was breaking ground with an ancient harrow that I had to grease up every three rounds. This new tiller has helped out SO much.

Wash station at Bugg Farm

What are your biggest challenges in farming?

The unknown. For example, last March, my fruit trees were looking great and everything in the high tunnel looked award-winning; then there was a hard freeze. It damaged everything.

I basically run this whole farm by myself, I’ve designed it that way, so I don’t have the time to go cover every crop with cloth. My son has some cattle here and he helps out whenever he’s home from school, but most of the time it’s just me. Not being able to plan for certain things is difficult.

Bugg Farm customers Courtesy of Bugg Farm

What are your favorite things about farming?

I would say my faith. It runs through everything I do here.

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org, and follow us on social media @GeorgiaOrganics and at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.

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Join us for a Farmer Field Day at Bugg Farm (Pine Mountain) on Monday, July 18.

Register by Friday, July 15 at 6:00 p.m.!

Farmer Field Day Review: Crop Rotation at Oxford Organic Farm

By Lauren Cox and Porter Mitchell (former Farmer Services Coordinator) 

Lauren Cox is the Director of Farmer Services and Porter Mitchell was previously one of two Farmer Services Coordinators.

In December 2021, Georgia Organics partnered with Oxford Organic Farm located at the Oxford at Emory campus in Covington Georgia to host an on-farm Field Day and crop rotation work session. Roughly 20 farmers from across the state—from Atlanta to Athens to Albany to Blackshear—gathered on the farm on a frosty morning.  

The day began with a tour of the farm led by farm manager Daniel Parson and his farm crew. Attendees walked the farm to see Oxford’s rotation in action and discuss the specific benefits of cover cropping. Parson also showcased the farm’s riparian buffers and shared his experience with using flowering cover crops to attract beneficial insects.  

In the second half of the day, attendees headed to a classroom with a presentation by Parson followed by a hands-on work session where farmers could work on their own rotations with help from Oxford Organic Farm and Georgia Organic Staff.  

Here are some key takeaways and a step-by-step process for beginning to create your own crop rotation! 

Courtesy of Oxford Organic Farm

Why have a rotation?  

A rotation is a key component of a sustainable farm. It is important to rotate between crop families, incorporate cover crops, and rotate heavy feeding crops (crops that have high nutritional needs or are in the ground for more than 60 days) with light feeding crops and short crops.  

Example of pest control hierarchy pyramid, courtesy of Penn State Extension.  

A crop rotation is a part of what sustainable, regenerative, and organic farmers call a “cultural practice.” This means that it is a foundational tool for a healthy farm and does not rely on chemical/biological inputs for fertility and pest/disease control. Cultural practices form the bottom of the pest control hierarchy pyramid, meaning it is the one you should use most often and as your first line of defense.  

A crop rotation can help prevent pest issues, replenish nutrients in the soil, create a healthy soil ecosystem, and can help defend against soil-borne diseases.  

Interested in organic certification?  

Having a crop rotation and using cultural practices as a first defense is a requirement for farms to earn and keep organic certification!  

Courtesy of Oxford Organic Farm

Building a Crop Rotation 101 

Step 1 (in the field): Divide your fields  

“You need to go out and measure your fields. I guarantee if you guess you’ll be wrong every time,” says Mary. Use a walking measurer to measure the length and width of your fields. 

Step 2 (in the field): Standardize, standardize, standardize!  

Try to make all of your bed sizes, rows, row spacing, and field sizes as identical as possible. If your fields are different sizes, divide them into similar units. For example, if you have three 50 foo50-foots and then two 100 fo100-foots, divide your hundred food fields in half to make 50 foot sections.  

Step 3 (on paper): Decide on your crops 

Write out a list of all of the crops you want to grow and the season when you will plant them. Even if you have sequential plantings, identify the season in which they’ll go into the ground first.  

Step 4 (on paper): Calculate how much space each planting with take up 

Think about the yield you would like from each crop. Then, calculate how many row feet you’ll need of that crop to grow your desired yield.  

Step 5 (on paper): Start to plug and play on a spreadsheet that represents your fields! 

Download this rotation template, based on the Oxford Organic Farm model or create your own in Excel. Begin placing crops in your fields based on when they will be planted in the ground. Divide your cash crops across all your fields and mix up the planting pattern (ex. Field 1 has a summer cash crop; Field 2 has a spring and fall cash crop. Do this until you have 75% of your cash crops in the rotation then move on to fill in your cover crops. Also, do not place crops from the same family or heavy feeders in fields near each other. 

Step 6: Plug in your cover crops 

Identify the date(s) you would like to harvest your cash crop (based on when you plant them in Step 5. Then, slot in an appropriate cover crop based on when you’d like the next cash crop to be planted in the field. *Your goal is to have the cover crop reach its full potential, sometimes this is right before flowering, sometimes this is based on height. IDEALLY, you would have 1-2 cover crops in each field per year. This may look like:  

Step 7: Return to filling in cash crops, taking the rest of your list and filling plantings in behind your cover crops.  

Guess what? Now, not only do you have your rotation, but you have your planting schedule too! 

Crop Rotation Tips and Things to Remember:  

• Update your rotation as needed. No one needs to tell a farmer that it’s an unpredictable endeavor. Life and Mother Nature throw all kinds of things your way! Update your rotation to account for changes like crop failures, adding new land, changing which cash crop to plant, etc.

• If you have short-term crops that don’t need entire beds, you can group them by how many weeks they’ll be in the ground and can pair them together within one bed, flip-flopping them as you clear the bed and then replanting. 

COVER CROPPING

Cover Cropping on Raised Beds by Kayla Williams

A crop rotation allows you to plan for cover cropping rather than treating it as an afterthought. There are cover crops for every season and for the different lengths of time you want them to be in the ground. With all cover crops, putting the maximum amount of nitrogen and bio-mass they offer back into your soils is key so use them wisely and based on how long they need to be in the ground before you plant your next cash crop. *This is true even if you crimp them and use them for mulch. 

• If you want to plant an early spring cash crop, then consider a prior winter planting of: winter oats, Austrian winter peas, or crimson clover. 

• If you want to plant an early summer cash crop, then consider a prior winter planting of: hairy vetch, winter rye *Abruzzi, and clover. 

• If you want to cover crop in the summer in a 1-1 ½ month window between spring and summer crops (for most Georgians this is in May), then consider using: buckwheat or millet. 

•  You can also do the same for the window between summer and fall.  

• If you want to cover crop in the summer for 2-3 months between an early spring planting and a fall crop consider using: sorghum sudan, cowpeas, or Sunn hemp. 

• A good rule of thumb for winter cover crops is to plant both a legume to increase nitrogen in the soil and a grass for increasing bio-mass and organic matter. 

You can always check your local ‘feed and seed’ for cover crops. Just make sure they’re untreated and not GMO. Otherwise, you can also find cover crops that ship from: Welter Seed Company, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Seven Springs,

Want to learn more about cover crops? Check out the excellent resources at SARE: sare.org/resources/managing-cover-crops-profitably-3rd-edition/ 

And check out this episode of the “Tractor Time” podcast on cover crops, soil health, and no-till farming Tractor Time #65 Rick Clark on Soil Health.

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit www.georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Instagram @GeorgiaOrganics, Twitter @GeorgiaOrganics, and at www.Facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics. 

Farmer Accelerator Program Spotlight: Whitney Jaye and Brandon Stephens of Sunbird Flowers

By Mary Elizabeth 

Mary Elizabeth Kidd is the Director of Communications at Georgia Organics. 

In this series, we spotlight members of Farmer Services’ annual Accelerator Program, which is the first of its kind to identify and address the various challenges faced by new farmers. After an application and selection process, ten farmers enter an 18-month-long cohort. Each participating farm receives nearly $10,000 in on-farm infrastructure investment and labor stipends from Georgia Organics, plus an additional $3,000 in professional consulting from experts. 

To learn more about the Accelerator program, visit farmerservices.georgiaorganics.org/accelerator.

To meet the 2021-2022 Farmer Accelerator Cohort, read our blog post on The Dirt. Read about the launch of the Accelerator Program here. 

With no further ado, we’re excited to spotlight Accelerator Program farm Sunbird Flowers!

Sunbird Flowers, all photography courtesy of Kiyah C. Photography via Sunbirdflowers.com

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“It is kind of a miracle to put tiny seeds into the soil, and watch them grow into these beautiful plants that can sustain lives, support the ecosystem, and bring joy and pleasure to other people.” 

This month, we’re talking with farmer-owners Whitney Jaye (quoted above) and Brandon Stephens of Sunbird Flowers in Lithonia. Whitney and Brandon began farming on their current property around 5 years ago and share with us—via a Q&A with Whitney, below—the key elements that led them to their chosen profession and continue to guide their choices. 

Interconnectedness and creativity are two words that come to mind when learning what makes Sunbird Flowers tick. From the community they’ve found in fellow “returning generation farmers” to the vibrancy of the flowers they grow, it’s clear that Whitney and Brandon are committed and passionate farmers and farmer advocates. 

Whitney recently participated in our Good Food for Thought online event in partnership with American Farmland Trust titled Challenges and Opportunities for Transformation: Womxn in Agriculture. Watch a recording here: bit.ly/womxnvid. 

In the conversation, Whitney shared that her path to farming has been “a bit of a winding road, but one that, for me, is definitely tied to my lineage and heritage that’s allowed me to reclaim that.”  

Her nonlinear path continues in her farming career, as she runs the farm with her husband Brandon while raising a two-year-old...during a pandemic. She balances the physical and emotional demands of mothering her child and their land, leaning on familial and community support. 

Sunbird Flowers, all photography courtesy of Kiyah C. Photography via Sunbirdflowers.com

She cites sisterhood and finding relationships with other womxn farmers, such as Keisha Cameron from High Hog Farm, as an invaluable asset in her expansion as a farmer and as “soft places to land” when navigating the challenges of farming. 

Sunbird Flowers joined the 2021-2022 cohort of Accelerator Farms, and Whitney and Brandon work with Farmer Services Director Lauren Cox as their Accelerator case manager. Lauren shares:

“Brandon and Whitney are some of the most thoughtful farmers I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Every business decision they make is done with care and consideration for their family, their community, and where they see themselves in the future.” 

Let’s dive into the Q&A... 

“Sunbird Flowers is small flower farm located on land owned by the Peterson/Stephens Family – once cultivated by Claude Tedford Petersen, a master grower from the U.S. Virgin Islands.” 

Mary Elizabeth, Georgia Organics: Can you tell us a bit more about the history of the land you farm on? How did it come to be the home of Sunbird Flowers? 

Whitney Jaye, Sunbird Flowers: The land that we farm on is family land - 25 years ago, several members of Brandon's family came together and intentionally decided that they wanted to purchase a piece of land, and live on it together. For many years, it was a beautiful garden, cultivated by Brandon's grandfather Claude Petersen, and it was reverted to a grassy lawn after he passed away. Brandon's family graciously allowed us to use the space for our farm, and we became the stewards in 2017. We try to hold the spirit of what Claude Petersen envisioned for the land in our practices, and in the flowers, herbs, and vegetables that we grow. 

Flower CSA example from Sunbird Flowers, all photography courtesy of Kiyah C. Photography via Sunbirdflowers.com

 “We grow flowers using ecologically sustainable practices, ones that conserve resources, build rich soil, and promote a vibrant ecosystem.” 

Can you give us an example or two of sustainable practices y’all use? Why is it important to you to farm this way? 

We take pride in being good stewards of the ecosystem of which we are a part. Not only is being in right relationship with the land aligned with our ancestral practices, but we also see it as our role and responsibility in our community. A few practices that we've adopted are: 1) composting - we use several methods of composting on-site that utilize household scraps, and on our farm organic materials, 2) we use minimal tilling, and regularly add compost to build our soil structure and replenish the organic matter, and 3) we use crop rotations that include cover crops and allow us to effectively manage the fertility of our soil. 

How does being a parent affect why and/or how you farm? 

Being parents means we have to be intentional about every aspect of the farm, particularly around time management. We've had to shift the farm and business to accommodate the kind of life experience we want for our child, and the kind of business model (for example - choosing to do a CSA instead of a farmers' market) that can support that. 

What’s the story behind your farm’s name? 

There is a bird species called a "sunbird,” and there are various iridescent color combinations in their feathers. It was inspiring to us that nature could be that vibrant, and gorgeous, so we chose that as our farm name. We want our offerings to invoke the same inspiration in our customers - that they see our color and texture combinations and are moved by the splendor of nature. 

What is your origin story with farming and particularly flower farming? What drew you to this work? 

Our paths into farming are both very different, but they are connected by the same thread - we are returning generation farmers, who are walking in our ancestral call to the land. We follow in the legacy of the many, many Black farmers who continue to embody the inherent dignity in land-based work and environmental stewardship. 

We decided to go into flower farming because of Whitney Jaye's interest in the creative aspects – the ability to grow for color, and texture, and to really curate an experience for our customers. After years of research (and getting a scholarship into the Floret Workshop), years of support from our community as we eased into offering more floral design, we shifted our business to flowers exclusively. 

What has been one of your favorite moments as a farmer?

One of our favorite moments as a farmer is seeing the process of a plant that you've nurtured grow up, and be ready to harvest and share. It is kind of a miracle to put tiny seeds into the soil, and watch them grow into these beautiful plants that can sustain lives, support the ecosystem, and bring joy and pleasure to other people. 

What’s inspiring you and your work these days? 

One thing that is inspiring me and my work these days is the Faith Ringgold retrospective taking place at the New Museum in New York City right now. I am a huge fan of her work. I also have infinite respect for artists who have plugged away at their craft, balanced motherhood and activism, and maintained the essence of their purpose. Faith Ringgold is simply the best. 

What has been one of the best parts about being in the Accelerator program? Is there anything you’re looking forward to as part of the Accelerator program? 

One of the best parts of the accelerator has been connecting with the other farmers in the program! We believe in the power of creating farming communities - this work is already so hard; we need connection and webs of mutual support to lighten the load. It was also great to have an advisor that could help us in this stage of transition, and they were amazing. Once the program is over, I am looking forward to looking back on how far we've come and basking in the growth that has been supported by our time in the accelerator. Much appreciation and gratitude to the Farmer Services team for the impactful work.. 

What is one piece of advice you’d give new farmers? 

One piece of advice I would give new farmers is to seek community and support - there is so much knowledge that can be gleaned by talking to other farmers, and sharing what you may already know. 

Disrupt the notion that everyone is a competitor, and resist the urge to hoard information and resources - foster a deep belief in abundance. Farming was never meant to be a solo endeavor - so find people who understand your vision, and who can encourage and support you along your journey. 

What are the best ways for folks to support y’all? 

Grab one of our flower subscriptions - we have both monthly and full season shares! We always take donations, there is so much more we could do if we had capital. Follow us on social media! Instagram.com/sunbirdflowers, facebook.com/sunbirdflowerfarm

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To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org, and follow us on social media @GeorgiaOrganics and at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics. 

Farmer Services Accelerator Spotlight: Taking Flight at Levity Farms

By Michael Wall

Michael Wall is the Advocacy Director at Georgia Organics and Farmer Services team member.

Levity Farms, photos by Michael Wall

During the COVID-19 pandemic, plenty of farms and businesses hunkered down and entered survival mode. Not Ilana and Zach Richards, of Levity Farms, a small-scale diversified vegetable operation hyper-focused on soil health.

Since the outbreak begin, these two powerhouses applied for and received a USDA Farm Service Agency farm purchase loan, bought a new farm, sold their home, moved their farm and all of its equipment from Gwinnett to Morgan county, and then refinanced their original FSA loan to include better loan rates and three NRCS EQIP contracts, including a new well and caterpillar tunnels.

So, that was a lot. But the Richards are really just getting warmed up. Levity Farms is a first-generation family farm in beautiful Morgan County and was a member of Georgia Organics second Accelerator class. The Accelerator provides $9,650 in on-farm infrastructure investments, paired with customized expert coaching to help farmers achieve financial sustainability more quickly.

Since 2017, the Richards have worked with local chefs to provide fresh, nutrient-dense produce to the folks of Atlanta, Decatur, and Athens and the community in and around their new home in Madison.

Beginning in 2022, Levity Farms will shift redirect its efforts toward growing food that will be available directly to the Madison community, via home delivery.

Zach and Ilana Richards of Levity Farms, photos by Michael Wall

About moving the farm from Gwinnett to Morgan County in 2020, what was the most challenging part?

 I'd say the most challenging part of moving the farm was deciding how to set up at the new location. The previous farm land was strongly contoured, so we didn't have a whole lot of choice in where our plots could be. Since the new farm was pretty much a flat, blank canvas, we had virtually endless possible layouts to consider, which was definitely exciting and optimal, but also presented a new challenge for us.

 What did the FSA loan enable you to do? 

 The FSA loan paid for our entire land purchase, on a ridiculously low interest rate, and without a single dollar down. We utilized that land ownership loan as well as an operating loan, which enabled us to gear up and get started growing right away. The FSA, rendering services specifically to farmers and therefore understanding the seasonal ebbs and flows of income on a farm, only requires that our mortgage payments are made in lump sum in late Summer, rather than insisting on collecting during the Winter months. This has alleviated much pressure on us over the slower months to deliver mortgage payments, since we know we'll have Spring and much of Summer to generate the necessary income.

 What are the benefits for your farm for the three NRCS contracts all at once?

 We needed the well right away, since we were previously irrigating the field from our neighbor's well, and we also recognized the need early-on to get set up with plenty of tunnel space for season extension. The NRCS will be providing reimbursement for a large portion of those costs.

 How are you settling into the Madison community?

 We are feeling more and more at home here with each passing week! Folks are very receptive to our farm and our mission here. The smaller-town climate is exactly what we were looking to raise our farm and our family within, and we have not been disappointed. Our neighbors are welcoming and friendly. We've been told by locals that Madison has been in need of small, local farmers for a long time. Seeing as how there are so many farms around here, some have mentioned their surprise at how limited availability of local produce has been until now. We also seem to have arrived here at just the right time, as downtown Madison is getting a face lift, and several farm-to-table restaurants are opening right around now, and they're all enthusiastic about utilizing produce from our farm and other local farms!

Zach Richards of Levity Farms, photos by Michael Wall

 What if anything has the Accelerator program provided for your farm or in what way supported your farm?

 Though we have enjoyed connecting with our fellow Accelerator Cohorts and sharing stories, advice, and struggles with our farming colleagues, I'd have to say the strongest benefits we've received through the program have been our one-on-one sessions with Debbie Dangerfield, who helped us an insanely huge amount with QuickBooks, as well as the connection we've made with Ellen Polishuk, with whom we're scheduled (very soon!) to discuss the results of a soil test she introduced us to and to develop plans to apply soil improvements to the field. We're also so grateful for the financial support Accelerator has provided, because through that support, we have been able to get a jump start on so much farm setup that would have taken many, many seasons to afford. I'm not sure what the last year would have looked like without the help from the program, but I'm sure we'd be way behind where we are now.

Learn more and follow Zach and Ilana’s journey on Instagram and Facebook.

Georgia Organics Kicks Off First of Its Kind Farmer Accelerator Program

Tianna Neal of Starlit Roots Farm (Photo courtesy of National Young Farmers Coalition).

By Porter Mitchell

Beginning farmers come in our doors eager to learn and to make a career from agriculture. They want to feed their neighbors, continue a family tradition of farming, steward the land, and care for their rural communities. We’ve seen many of these farmers succeed, but we’ve seen hundreds begin farming only to quit after a few years. Why?  

Farmers reach a point in which they need real investment to move their business from day-to-day survival mode to true sustainability. They need personalized services, investment in infrastructure, personalized education to develop a business or marketing plan, and training to access new markets—not the one-size-fits-all approach that is the current norm. 

Sed Rowe of Rowe Organic Farm (Photo Credit Southern Styles and Steeds)

Jenny of Jenny Jack Farm harvests onions (photo courtesy of Jenny Jack Farm)

These critical services are out of reach for many smaller growers. They may not qualify for FSA loans, they may not have the credit to access a small business loan, they may not have family or personal wealth or property to use as collateral. Black growers specifically face an uphill battle due to decades of discrimination from banks and the USDA. Or many beginning farmers, often already saddled with student loan debt, may simply not want to take on debt in a profession not known to be particularly lucrative.

The Georgia Organics Farmer Accelerator Program is the first of its kind to fill these resource gaps. Ten farmers enter a yearlong cohort and each receives nearly $10,000 in on-farm infrastructure investment and labor stipends, plus an additional $3,000 in professional consulting from experts. Farmers also receive coaching on food safety and organic certification from the Farmer Services team.

“We’ve got the best coaches in the country for this program,” says Farmer Services Director Michael Wall who has spent the past year securing these consultants. “By going deep with these coaches, these farmers can really strengthen their operations.”

About sixty farmers applied for the ten spots available. Choosing which farmers would receive support and which ones wouldn’t was incredibly difficult. Kayla Williams, Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics, led efforts to build a complex application scoring system. 

“When deciding how to choose Accelerator cohort members, we wanted to recognize the fact that race and place are two very real factors that can and do affect a farmers’ ability to succeed. By giving extra points to and prioritizing our farmers of color and rural farmers, it holds us accountable to our mission of ‘Good Food for All’” she explains. At least five of the Accelerator spots are reserved for BIPOC farmers and at least five spots are reserved for rural farmers

 After lengthy inner dialogue and presenting the list of finalists to a panel of farmers and outside experts, the Farmer Services team chose ten farmers from across the state. They range from fourteen years of farming experience to three, from large scale row crop and commodity production to small market vegetable farms, from chicken and cattle to flowers and fruit, from several hundred acres to three acres. In other words, the 2020 class of Accelerator farmers represent the diversity of Georgia’s agriculture. The inaugural Accelerator class is:

• Deep Grass Graziers, Fitzgerald (www.deepgrassgraziers.com/) – Beef cattle

• Hearts of Harvest Farm, Arnoldsville (www.heartsofharvestfarm.com) - Mixed fruit and vegetables, flowers

• Four Bellies Farm, Bowdon (http://fourbelliesfarm.com/) - Beef, rabbit, chicken, lamb

• Jenny Jack Farm, Pine Mountain (https://www.jennyjackfarm.com/) - Mixed fruit, vegetables

• Narrow Way Farm, McDonough (https://narrowwayfarm.com/) – Vegetables, berries, fruit

  New Eden Ecosystems, West Point (www.facebook.com/westgeorgiafarmerscooperative/) - Fruit, vegetables, livestock

• Rag and Frass Farm (Jeffersonville) - Mixed fruit and vegetables, flowers https://www.ragandfrassfarm.com/ 

• Rolling Branch Farm, Naylor (www.rollingbranchfarms.com/) - Pecans flowers

• Rowe Organic Farm, Albany (ga.foodmarketmaker.com/business/4914917-rowe-organic-farm) - Peanuts, sunflowers, melons

• Starlit Roots Farm, Keysville ( www.Instagram.com/starlitroots) - Vegetables

After an intense intake process that gathered extensive data on the farm and farmer, the Farmer Services team collectively drafted plans for each farmer for coaching and infrastructure spending. These plans were based on priorities listed by the farmer, a SWOT analysis (strengths, weakness, opportunities, threats), a formal business analysis, and lengthy conversations with the farmers. Each plan is wholly unlike the other ones, just as each farmer is different. For the next nine months, the farmers will work closely with a Farmer Services staff member as their case manager. “The success of our Accelerator farmers is our number one priority,” explains Michael Wall. 

Dan Glenn of Deep Grass Graziers (Courtesy of Deep Grass Graziers)

Eric Simpson of New Eden Ecosystems (Courtesy of Black Farmers Network)

Georgia Organics hopes that this program will not only help these farmers grow and strengthen their businesses and their skillsets but can also be used as a model to replicate across the country. 

Interested in learning more about these farmers and keeping up with their progress? Keep checking in for extended profiles and interviews on The Dirt!

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Click to view Accelerator Program farms around the state.

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Porter Mitchell, Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics. To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit www.georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Instagram @GeorgiaOrganics, Twitter @GeorgiaOrganics, and at www.Facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.