Celebrating 5 Years of Impact: Georgia Organics’ Farmer Champion Program Strengthens Local Food Systems with Mushrooms, Awards, and Campus Partnerships

Celebrating 5 Years of Impact: Georgia Organics’ Farmer Champion Program Strengthens Local Food Systems with Mushrooms, Awards, and Campus Partnerships 

Written by Jamillah McWhorter, Procurement Fellow & Ever Williams, Farmer Champion Manager 

The Georgia Organics’ Farmer Champion program is excited to wrap up its fifth season this winter and share what the team and participating Farmer Champions have been up to in 2024!   

The Farmer Champion program at Georgia Organics was launched in 2019 and works to connect local farmers with the food service community and increase sustainable and organic purchasing. By highlighting businesses that source responsibly, the program aims to raise awareness about local sourcing and help Georgia’s diverse patchwork of small and organic farms thrive.

One of the main ways we spotlight these relationships is through our annual Farmer Champion Week, where participating businesses from the Farmer Champion program feature special limited-time only menu items. This year, chefs voted for mushrooms as the featured ingredient, and from September 6 – 13, served innovative, fun-gi dishes and cocktails with mushrooms sourced from The Horti-Culture, Bella Vita Mushrooms, Southern Cap Mushrooms, Shoots and Spores Farm, Green Box Produce, and Ellijay Mushrooms. We owe many thanks to our mushroom farmers—be sure to check out their websites! 

The week kicked off with a Cast Iron & Collards Society event on September 5, hosted by beloved community partner, Argosy.  Chef Cortney prepared an awesome mushroom-centric spread for attendees, featuring Wild Chantrelle Mushroom Risotto, Shitake Mushroom Croquettes, and a Mushroom Pizza with Oyster Mushrooms.  DJ D2T played some amazing vinyl records while attendees made conversation and enjoyed the food. 

Taken by Jamillah McWhorter at the Cast Iron and Collards Society Farmer Champion Week Kick Off Event

For the rest of the week, eaters across Georgia made it a point to dine with Farmer Champion restaurants, treating themselves to dishes such as the Bistec De Palomilla at La Semilla; the Veggie Patty Breakfast Sandwich at Kinship Butcher & Sundry; and Evergreen Butcher and Baker’s delicious Mushroom Danish to guests. To help eaters choose from the abundance of yummy options, the Farmer Champion Team created an interactive online map on the updated Farmer Champion week webpage for diners to reference as they made their dinner plans.  

Bistec De Palomilla at La Semilla, The Veggie Patty Breakfast Sandwich at Kinship Butcher & Sundry, Mushroom Danish at Evergreen Butcher and Baker

We are also delighted to recognize our Farmer Champion Awardees! The Farmer Champion Awards are designed to honor businesses who are sourcing the highest percentages of local food. Twice a year, Farmer Champions submit two weeks of their food invoices and we calculate the percentage of their food that is procured locally. This year, 41 Farmer Champions collectively spent over $346,000 on local food in just four weeks, roughly 27% of their total food costs. Over the past five years, 58 farmer champions spent more than $1,487,000 on local food in 14 weeks. Four tiers (Partner, Bronze, Silver, Gold) shown in the graphic below represent the range of percentages of local sourcing.  

The current tiers for businesses to participate in the Farmer Champion Program

In just four weeks, the seven selected 2024 Farmer Champion awardees spent 64% of their combined total food costs on local food! Congratulations to Dandelion Foods and Goods, Evergreen Butcher and Baker, Kinship Butcher and Sundry, Little Bear, Ry’s Table, and The Deer and the Dove. Additionally, in partnership with The Giving Kitchen, we recognized Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours and owner Chef Deborah Vantrece for contributing to their community far beyond local sourcing. Vantrece is an inspiring and active member of the Atlanta community – raising money for breast cancer research and frequently participating in fundraising events hosted by a variety of organizations focused on contributing to a resilient food system. To celebrate our winners, Chef Steven Satterfield of Miller Union graciously hosted the awardees and GO team members for a flavorsome dinner where they were presented with award plaques. 

This year to expand the reach of the Farmer Champion program, we were also thrilled to honor four colleges and universities who are sourcing locally in their campus dining halls. We partnered with our friends at The Common Market Southeast through the ACRE Collective project to enroll our inaugural class of Farmer Champion Colleges and Universities. Agnes Scott College, Mercer University, Oglethorpe University and Spelman College are committed to serving their students local food at least $400/week on average and we’re happy to celebrate them for their efforts!  

Emily Hennessee, GA ACRE Collective Project Manager, described the project as “centering on garnering food purchasing commitments from Atlanta-area anchor institutions, while shifting procurement to producers that share these institutions’ values...values-based food procurement is an opportunity for institutions to align their core values, like sustainability, equity, and corporate social responsibility, with their food purchasing. By incorporating food purchasing standards that align with core values, institutions can influence public health outcomes, boost regional economies, mitigate climate change, and improve racial equity via their food purchasing decisions.” 

Finally, the awardees participated in a dazzling photoshoot by Tropico Photo to commemorate their 2024 achievements and we are excited to share some of the moments they captured below!  To view more photos, please visit our Farmer Champion website. 

Photos of FC Awardees by Tropico Photo

These vital partnerships between small-scale producers and buyers in a food system heavily dependent on conventional agriculture and imported goods takes perseverance, tenacity, patience, and mindfulness and it’s been a joy to strengthen Georgia’s local food movement alongside our partners in 2024. Thank you to all Farmer Champions for a banner year! 

Cultivating Community: The Symbiotic Relationship Between a Regenerative Urban Farmer and Farmer Champion Chef in Atlanta, Georgia

Nicole Bluh (Grow Where You Are), Reid Trapani (La Semilla), and Eugene Cooke (Grow Where You Are) by Jamillah McWhorter

Photos and words by Jamillah McWhorter, Procurement Fellow

With Farmer Champion Week approaching and local food procurement in Atlanta flourishing, now is the perfect time to delve into how Farmer Champion chefs and regenerative urban farmers cultivate and sustain their mutually beneficial relationships. These connections are key to inspiring and supporting the local food scene. 

We recently sat with Reid Trapani of La Semilla, a Latin plant-based restaurant, and Eugene Cooke and Nicole Bluh of Grow Where You Are, a regenerative urban farm. In our conversation, the three explored their collaboration within the Farmer Champion program at Georgia Organics, an initiative that partners Georgia farms with local businesses looking to buy their product. The three delved into their shared values of food sovereignty, food justice, and regenerative farming practices—principles that are central to their businesses and help to foster a deeper connection with the communities they serve. Read excerpts from the conversation below:

What inspired you to cook/grow? 

Trapani’s culinary journey began simply by spending time in the kitchen with his family. However, a significant turning point came in 2017 when he lost his mother to a brief battle with cancer. This loss inspired him to explore new paths and after studying art at Georgia State University, Reid applied his creative thinking to his ventures: “I started thinking outside the box. I realized something was wrong, so I began researching food systems in America, the nature of disease, and the reasons behind growing our own food.” Reid and his partner, Sophia, made the decision to go vegan, quickly noticing the benefits of a plant-based diet and the empowerment of making more equitable food choices. 

In 2018, Reid and Sophia Trapani founded Happy Seed, a restaurant group dedicated to opening plant-based eateries. Six years later, their vision has materialized with La Semilla, aptly named “the seed,” symbolizing the beginning of their ongoing journey. 

As an artist in Southern California, Cooke was initially driven by the need to provide his growing family with healthy, sustaining food. He began his farming journey with a mentor in California, focusing primarily on installing and maintaining home gardens. When approached about starting an urban farming venture with a former business partner, Cooke initially declined the offer. However, after the investors brought Cooke to Atlanta for planning, he fell in love with Atlanta's landscape and resources, he and his partner received funding to launch Truly Living Well in Southwest Atlanta.  

Despite their enthusiasm, securing additional funding proved challenging. Cooke recalls banks being skeptical, with many saying, “There’s no way we’re going to invest in that. It’s 2007, and they’ve never seen a successful urban farm.” At that time, neither Cooke nor his partner could find any successful urban farms to point to, which only deepened the banks' reluctance. 

Undeterred, Cooke drew inspiration from successful Black business owners and their examples of resilience. Though the journey was long, and many investors were wary of their business model, in 2014 Cooke established the social enterprise Grow Where You Are. Today, Grow Where You Are, proudly celebrates 10 years of operation! 

Nicole Bluh was born in North Fulton County to an Argentinian mother, with her grandparents having been farmers in Argentina for several generations after migrating from Eastern Europe. Her own farming journey began out of a desire to address her own systemic health issues. Motivated by the success stories she saw online, Bluh was determined to change her lifestyle and eating habits.  

In 2006, Bluh traveled to the Superstition Wilderness in Arizona to study with an herbalist. To her surprise, she was soon informed that her role would involve farming. Although she initially sought only to learn about plants and wasn’t thrilled about the farming aspect, she soon discovered that, in her words, “the work was the thing that was healing me.”  

Upon returning to Atlanta in 2009, Bluh sought farms accessible by public transportation and found Truly Living Well—ironically, just after Cooke had parted ways with the farm. Since then, Bluh has remained dedicated to farming. 

What is your intended hope and impact for your community? 

Trapani begins by highlighting the high standards of hospitality typically found in non-vegan restaurants—standards he is committed to upholding at La Semilla. He aims to "plant a seed of conscious eating" and redefine what restaurants and dining can be. Although La Semilla is a plant-based restaurant, Trapani hopes to appeal to a diverse range of dietary preferences. Trapani finds the term "vegan" sometimes "cognitively dismissive," so he avoids using it in the restaurant’s marketing and branding. This approach seems to be working, as he notes, “most of our customers aren’t vegan.” He emphasizes that people appreciate the opportunity to be educated through their dining experience. 

Photo by La Semilla of their 2024 Farmer Champion Week dish “Bistec de Palomilla" (local Lion’s Mane Mushroom)

At La Semilla, you may not find mainstream brands like Tito's Vodka, but you will learn about local distilleries and farms they partner with, such as Grow Where You Are. Trapani believes it is their responsibility to educate their community about their choices and to set an example of high-quality, plant-based local sourcing. They are committed to advancing dining standards and sustainability, and Trapani is confident that this shift is underway in their community.   

In celebrating a decade in Atlanta, Cooke reflects on their journey and the impact it has made. The essence of their mission, encapsulated in their name, is to inspire others to "grow where you are" and to be a catalyst for broader growth and change. Cooke says, “for anybody who has a touch point with us, similar to La Semilla, it should be the starting point of something bigger...and it should be the place where you start to think more about how we eat, think more about who our money goes to, how to form partnerships, how to deal with our waste streams...”. 

A key differentiator for Grow Where You Are is their selective approach to collaborating with chefs. They work with a diverse range of culinary professionals, from those who have turned to healthier eating after personal losses to those who seek exceptional ingredients. “We’re looking to be a place where people check in for quality and integrity”, states Cooke. This commitment ensures that every dish prepared with their produce affirms those distinguishments. 

Unlike many farms at markets where customers may interact with staff who aren't involved in the farming process, Grow Where You Are prides itself on direct engagement with the actual farmers. This personal connection reinforces their dedication to authentic, high-quality produce and transparent farming practices. 

As they’ve continued their mission, the integration of their products with the Medicinals created by Earth Rich Herbs exemplifies their cooperative approach. Nicole, for instance, can proudly share that the herbs used in her products are grown and harvested at their peak by her from the farm. While many botanical apothecaries source herbs online, both Grow Where You Are and Earth Rich Herbs ensure their offerings are of unparalleled quality due to their hands-on, peak-harvest approach. Their intention remains to foster fruitful, abundant, and healthy partnerships, reflecting their ongoing commitment to excellence. 

What are some of the challenges you all face buying, growing and selling locally? 

“The floor of locality is already superior to your average", says Trapani, alluding to a previous instance at La Semilla when after purchasing another farm’s locally grown parsley, Cooke and Bluh delivered their parsley during the middle of service.  Due to its remarkable quality, Trapani decided to stop service for 10 minutes to change the parsley they were previously using on their Lion’s Mane Dish for Grow Where You Are’s parsley. Trapani uses this story to highlight one challenge in buying locally, and that is product variability between local producers that can make it difficult for restaurants to offer a consistent high-quality dish.  Local produce can sometimes be harvested early or late, affecting its taste and usability, which requires the restaurant to adapt and sometimes delay service. 

Bluh answers by describing how growing and selling locally in Atlanta presents a unique set of challenges for their business. As an urban farm, operating across multiple sites in the city involves dealing with transportation logistics and the steep cost of living in the Atlanta area vs. a rural location. Additionally, balancing a busy schedule that includes educational and farm work while managing these logistical issues is a constant juggling act. 

Despite these obstacles, they view challenges as opportunities. For instance, expanding their market attendance at Freedom Farmer’s Market and working closely with clients like La Semilla, who exclusively sources Lemon Verbena from Grow Where You Are, helps them manage excess produce effectively. Trapani makes it a point to consistently check in with the farmers as well after they sell at the farmer’s market to help with offloading any produce that may be leftover. 

Bluh mentions some barriers to scaling up conventionally like their commitment to using only the herbs grown on their farm sites, “I can’t always make the product I want to make because the herb hasn’t gotten mature enough.” referring to her business, Earth Rich Herbs. Bluh makes it a point to harvest herbs for her products at their peak. Cooke adds another challenge to scaling up being the reality of needing more land to grow, which requires significant investment. Meanwhile, their focus remains on maintaining strong client relationships and adapting to the evolving market. Cooke makes a point that supporting local farmers and understanding their constraints helps customers appreciate the value of their purchases and the efforts behind them. 

In what ways do you believe your partnership contributes to a more resilient and equitable food system? 

“I think everybody here can name some example of just being screwed by a vegan restaurant or vegan food in some capacity. Like, I can't believe that this costs this much? You know what I mean?... And the unfortunate side of that is the fact that whether it's a product or whether you're spending more time, the amount of time I spend in this building and prepping food, I don't charge for my time”, says Trapani.  He goes on to talk about how he thinks of himself as an employee although he is the owner when maneuvering, and this helps Trapani to ensure he is upholding realistic standards for his team and himself. This way of thinking also influences the way Trapani prices food at La Semilla, and he mentions that the average amount someone spends there is $33.  With that, patrons with various financial abilities can fully enjoy the restaurant experience while also tipping staff appropriately. They strive to keep costs accessible, avoiding the common practice of inflating prices to cover premium ingredients or services. This approach supports a diverse customer base while ensuring the long-term viability of their business. 

Additionally, Trapani prioritizes purchasing from smaller, local farms, even if it means spending more than with larger suppliers. They consciously choose to support these smaller operations, recognizing their struggles and valuing their contributions to the local food ecosystem. This practice not only promotes equity by providing financial support to less well-known farms (who may not have the infrastructure or marketing capacity that larger farms have) but also strengthens the community by fostering relationships with local producers. At La Semilla they make sure to communicate about these local partnerships with the staff and, importantly, the customer. Overall, the partnership's focus on affordability, local sourcing, and equitable spending helps build a more inclusive and resilient food system.   

Next, Cooke explains, “When it comes to how we are contributing to a more equitable food system...this is something we have been communicating to organizations like Georgia Organics for years...supporting Grow Where You Are is automatically supporting the people who are doing the work, and the people who are what they would call marginalized.” Grow Where You Are is a proudly Black-Owned and majority Woman-Operated business that has uplifted many underrepresented individuals in the agricultural community for over a decade. Founded on principles of equity, the organization extends this commitment to fairness through their apprenticeships, by paying above-average wages to reflect the demanding nature of the work and to attract and retain talent. 

A concrete example of their impact is illustrated by a former trainee who now leads an organization with substantial funding. Even with her success and organizational growth, she continues to consult Grow Where You Are for urban agriculture training opportunities, highlighting the ongoing need for increased food production. Grow Where You Are places a strong emphasis on developing new growers and providing training for young people interested in farming. As Cooke notes, “everything that Grow Where You Are puts in the ground is already sold,” demonstrating their commitment to ensuring their produce reaches those in need as well as their limited capacity. Their goal is not only to meet current demand but also to inspire and cultivate the next generation of farmers, thereby ensuring long-term equity and sustainability in the food system.

In conclusion, the partnership between Farmer Champion chefs and regenerative urban farmers in Atlanta exemplifies a powerful model for cultivating a more equitable and resilient food system. This collaboration between Reid Trapani of La Semilla and Eugene Cooke and Nicole Bluh from Grow Where You Are highlights how shared values of food sovereignty, justice, and sustainability can drive meaningful change. Cooke’s emphasis on supporting marginalized individuals and maintaining equitable employment practices through Grow Where You Are demonstrates a deep commitment to fairness and community upliftment. Trapani’s approach at La Semilla reflects a dedication to affordable, high-quality, and locally-sourced food, reinforcing the importance of equitable pricing and support for smaller farms. 

Nicole Bluh, Reid Trapani and Eugene Cooke, at La Semilla by Jamillah McWhorter

Through their dedication to community support, fair pricing, and local partnerships, Trapani, Cooke, and Bluh are not just enhancing the local food scene but also setting a standard for how intentional, thoughtful collaboration can drive systemic change. Their work exemplifies how investing in local and regenerative practices can lead to a more resilient and inclusive food system, ultimately benefiting everyone involved. 

You can stay connected with La Semilla by following their Instagram @lasemilla.atl and visiting the restaurant located at 780 Memorial Drive SE, #4A, Atlanta, Georgia. Be sure to check them out during Farmer Champion Week, September 6-13, 2024!

Also, visit Grow Where You Are at Freedom Farmers Market at The Carter Center, located at 453 Freedom Parkway Northeast, Atlanta GA, 30307, on every 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Saturday, 8:30am-12:00pm.  Be sure to follow them on Instagram @growwhereyouare for updates and more ways to be involved.  

Sourcing Local Table Talk at Levity Farms, Georgia Organics hosts Farmer-Buyer Mixer

By Kimberly Koogler 

Kimberly Koogler is Georgia Organics’ Community Collaborations Manager. 

Crops in Season during Buyer Farm Tour at Levity Farms (@levityfarmsga)

On a recent Monday morning, I got to find out what the best way to start a new week is. It is definitely getting together with Georgia farmers, chefs, and early childhood educators on a gorgeous day at a beautiful farm to meander about and then enjoy a locally sourced lunch under a heavenly October sky.

Why might you find six farmers, three early childhood educators, and nine restaurants, caterers, and pop-up chefs gathered together on a Monday morning? To nerd out about local sourcing, of course!  

It was our first time doing an event like this, and it unfolded so beautifully that we look forward to doing more of its kind. Our Farmer Champion team--comprising Lauren Cox, Farmer Services Director; Kayla Williams, Farmer Champion Senior Coordinator; Kimberly Della Donna, Community Collaborations Director; and myself—called this delightful convening. We did so because all the above-mentioned parties in attendance have in common a desire to serve up fresh, nutritious, delicious, local food to their community and to grow a resilient local food system in so doing.

Represented in this photo: Bistro Off Broad, A Kid’s World, Hearts of Harvest Farm, The Expat, Bread and Butter Farms, Puma Yu’s, Georgia Organics Staff, Ry’s Table, Slater’s Steakhouse, and Levity Farms)

So, we got together at the beautiful Levity Farms in Madison, GA, exchanged insights and ideas, and shared an exquisite lunch catered by the local Hallie Jane’s Catering, who sourced much of the produce from Levity Farms!

Georgia Organics’ Kayla Williams and Lauren Cox

Local sourcing talk over lunch!

Our gracious farmer hosts, Zach and Ilana Richards took us on a tour, told us their story, and showed us how they build and maintain healthy soil and where they are in their progress towards a closed-circuit, regenerative farming operation.

Everybody shared what it is they look for when starting a new purchasing relationship and what is most conducive to maintaining those relationships. Farmers talked about what helps them when working with chefs; chefs talked about what helps them serve more locally grown food on their menus; and our ECE representatives talked about the challenges of sourcing the volume of food needed to feed many kids multiple meals on a daily basis and the opportunity to plan ahead. While everyone in the room could probably use more time and help, nobody was lacking in passion, care, and respect for each other and each other’s work.  

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Consistency and communication! 

• For farmers:  

• Send updated availability lists and/or check in consistently. 

• Also, let your buyers know what’s coming up soon, and try to give them an idea of how long you’ll be able to offer different items on your availability list. 

• For buyers:  

• Consistent ordering: When farmers know they can count on a regular order for you, they will grow for you. 

• Consistent communication: This is key to building trust and a solid relationship. 

• Provide your farmers feedback on their product. They want to make you happy! 

Cultivating personal working relationships 

• “Community connection makes what we do magnetic.” So well said by Ilana Richards of Levity Farms! 

• Build a symbiotic relationship. 

• Check in with each other. 

Planning ahead helps everyone! 

• Take some time to plan together and understand each other’s expectations. This helps chefs plan menus and gives farmers more information about what’s in high demand while they’re planning their season. 

• Some purchasing relationships, like those between farmers and ECE providers might benefit from drawing up a simple contract. 

Georgia Organics’ Farmer Champion program works to bring local farmers, chefs, and aggregators together to increase sustainable and organic purchasing by Georgia restaurants, caterers, pop-ups, and early childhood education centers. By connecting farmers to these purchasers and eaters to these businesses that source responsibly, our local food system’s diverse patchwork of small and organic farms will grow and thrive. If you’re a buyer interested in learning more, please reach out to Kayla Williams at kayla@georgiaorganics.org and/or Kimberly Koogler at kimberlykoogler@georgiaorganics.org. 

To learn more about Levity Farms, visit www.levityfarms.com or follow them on social media at facebook.com/levityfarms and/or on Instagram at levityfarmsga. 

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

A Conversation with 2022 Farmer Champion Award Winners

By Kayla Williams

Farmer Champion Senior Coordinator

A Farmer Champion is a restaurant or chef that strives to strengthen and grow Georgia’s ‘good’ food movement. With verified weekly sourcing, Farmer Champions demonstrate a commitment to Georgia producers and serve as an example to other chefs and restaurants that sourcing locally is possible  

The Farmer Champion campaign was launched in 2019 by Georgia Organics to raise awareness about local sourcing, both by highlighting chefs and restaurants who walk the walk and by giving people new to the movement tools and opportunities to begin sourcing from Georgia producers.   

The 2022 Farmer Champion Awards celebrate these outstanding Farmer Champions in the following categories:   

Top 3 Organic Spend 

• Jarrett Stieber of Little Bear 

• Parnass Savang of Talat Market 

• Steven Satterfield of Miller Union 

Top 3 Local Spend 

• Jarrett Stieber of Little Bear 

• Emma and Sean Shacke of Evergreen Butcher and Baker 

• Terry Koval of The Deer and The Dove 

Farmer Champion Community Award (in partnership with Slow Food Atlanta)

• George Frangos of Farm Burger

We got to chat with the awardees about how they started their journey sourcing locally, their dream locally sourced dishes and more. 

How did you get into sourcing locally?  

Terry Koval: I got into sourcing locally at Canoe Restaurant in 2001.  Georgia Grown, a co-op of farmers at the time, and Laurie Moore from Moore Farms and Friends were bringing produce through the back doors. It was very eye-opening for me as a young chef to see this beautiful product come into a restaurant from folks who grew it! But it really expanded and became more of a passion when I joined the Farm Burger team in 2010! Olivia Sargent and George Frangos introduced me to a network of local emerging farmers and from there I have met some incredible people that have a passion for good food! 

Emma and Sean Shacke: It’s just been instilled in us throughout our careers! We’ve had a combined 30+ years of experience working under other chefs and bakers who also care deeply about local sourcing and cooking seasonally and regionally. Hopefully, we can continue to pass along the expertise and passion to the next generation of butchers/bakers/cooks who work with us at Evergreen. 

Parnass Savang: I learned from working at places that promoted locally sourced food like Empire State South, Kimball House, and Staplehouse. It wasn’t a fad, it was just something we did.  

Miller Union by Ginger & Carrot Productions

Steven Satterfield: I started sourcing locally over 20 years ago when I worked for Chef Scott Peacock in the early 2000s. Since we opened Miller Union in 2009, we continue to push ourselves to source more and more from local farmers and producers. 

Jarrett Stieber: I got into local sourcing when I worked at Abattoir and then Empire State South between 2010-2013 and saw the quality of the product, the variety of what grows here, and it made me want to continue doing it and commit even further to sourcing only local fresh products. 

George Frangos: Sourcing locally goes back over 30 years to two very influential restaurants and chefs I worked with.  First, I worked with Nora Pouillon at Restaurant Nora in Washington DC from 1992- 1995. Nora was an organic and biodynamic restaurant before the term "Farm to Table" was born. But it was then, over 25 years ago, when we were listing local farmers, and producers on our menu, that I was able to learn about the small organic farmers and foragers that came through our kitchen door every day. From 1998-2001 I worked with Chef Peter Hoffman at Savoy restaurant in NYC.  Savoy's menu was created from Peter's weekly shopping at the Union Square Farmer’s Market and his connection to local farmers in the Hudson Valley that would deliver to NYC.  We also hosted author dinners for some amazing food writers like Michael Pollan, Betty Fussell, Mark Bittman, and Mark Kurlansky before they were hip and popular. Both these experiences laid the foundation for a commitment to local sourcing. 

The Deer and The Dove by Ginger & Carrot Productions

What advice would you give a chef, butcher, or baker who wants to source locally or organically but doesn’t know where to start?  

Terry Koval: The advice that I would give is to go to the farms that you are interested in, plan a work day on the farm, see how they farm, and start that relationship! 

Emma and Sean Shacke: We’d just recommend reaching out to other industry folks who seem to care about the same things you do. When we were opening, that was our best resource, everyone in the community was very forthcoming and willing to help out to further the cause! 

Parnass Savang: I'd contact a chef you know who has been working with farmers and ask if they could connect you with some farms that you are interested in. 

Farm Burger by Ginger & Carrot Productions

Steven Satterfield: Visit your local farmer's markets, sign up for farmer availability lists, and pay attention to the seasons. You can start small by purchasing a little bit of something local to see how far it goes on your menu and then ramp up the quantities when you see the patterns of sales and pars. 

Jarrett Stieber: Go to farmer's markets and meet the farmers! Start there!  

George Frangos: The best way to start is to go to a local farmers’ market.   In the last decade, they have grown from almost non-existent to thriving marketplaces.   Start to talk to the farmers that are there.  Understand the best way to find their availability and delivery.  Talk with other restaurants and chefs that source locally.  We are all here to share information and support our farmers.  

What is your favorite thing to source from within Georgia and why?   

Terry Koval: I really love the mustard frills, they are spicy and can be eaten raw or gently cooked  

Emma and Sean Shacke: Probably tomatoes and peppers. We’ve lived in multiple regions throughout the country, and nobody can grow and have them taste the way they do in GA!  

Parnass Savang: Produce that you can't find in stores like pink celery from Woodland Gardens and green garlic from Snapfinger Farm 

Steven Satterfield: I love that we have a 12-month growing season - at this point, I just get excited about whatever is in season, and the most exciting thing is when something new comes in for the first time in a long while.  It always gets us inspired for a seasonal menu change. 

Jarrett Stieber: Peaches because Pearson Farm peaches are the best in the world, for one thing. But I also absolutely love Georgia root veggies (hakurei turnips, the sweetest carrots ever, rutabaga, parsnip, etc.). Feijoa is super fun, too, when it's in season for a short while in the summer, it provides a shockingly tropical vibe for a fruit grown in Georgia. *Feijoa is also known as pineapple guava and is native to South America, but grows in Georgia as well.  

George Frangos:   That is a hard one.  I have a soft spot for locally raised foraging pork and all the heritage breeds here in Georgia. The flavor is so fantastic. And then anything at the peak of the season.  Georgia strawberries are so amazing - I can crush two-three pints, no problem! I eat little sweet cherry tomatoes like candy. 

Farm-fresh ingredients arriving to Talat Market and the scene at their dinner service. Photos by Ginger & Carrot Productions.

Describe your dream locally sourced dish.

Terry Koval: We love White Oak Pastures duck! Pair it with some amazing local veggies! 

Emma and Sean Shacke: Anything that uses multiple goods from multiple farms. Example—fruit pies! Flour from Nathan at Dayspring Farms, fruit from Pearson Farm. Or smoked ham hock terrine—hogs from Jon at Comfort Farms wrapped in collards and speckled with pickled peppers from Paul at Hearts of Harvest.  

Parnass Savang: Bramlett Farm's Trout with green curry made with local turmeric, cilantro root, galangal, lemongrass, local Thai eggplant with locally harvested bamboo, Thai basil, and Bird's Eye Chili.

Steven Satterfield: Anything that reflects what is currently being harvested with little manipulation so you can taste the freshness of the ingredients. 

Jarrett Stieber: Peaches and tomatoes covered in a ton of sliced fresh chilies, herbs, and cultured buttermilk while they're all in season, with lots of flake salt on top! 

George Frangos: A big Ossabaw pork chop with strawberry mostarda and creamed collards.  

Jarrett Stieber and seasonal dishes (right) from Little Bear. Photos by Ginger & Carrot Productions

What are you looking for in working with farmers? Any qualities that make you especially interested in working with a farm?  

Terry Koval: Good communication and consistency. Knowing that they are farming for a cause and love what they do. Having the opportunity to choose the size of a vegetable is also a plus! 

Emma and Sean Shacke: When we can contact the farmer directly, and potentially have it delivered straight from them without having to coordinate with a middle man. It brings the personal touch back into doing business. And we can communicate with them about our needs, what we’re looking for, what they need us to purchase to help them out, etc. It’s also nice to be able to share with them what we’ve created with their produce when they come back for the next delivery!  

Evergreen Butcher and Baker by Ginger & Carrot Productions

Parnass Savang: I’m looking for consistency, clean vegetables, passion for what they are growing and anyone growing Thai vegetables! 

Steven Satterfield: Communication about availability and pricing, clear understanding of delivery days/times, well-groomed produce that is restaurant ready (not covered in dirt and good quality upon arrival). 

Jarrett Stieber: I'm looking for farmers who take growing and harvesting vegetables as seriously as we take preparing and serving them. I want to see super clean produce without lots of dirt still on it and stains from the dirt not being cleaned off soon enough. I want to see petit roots harvested while still sweet and tender, perky greens, herbs that aren't sad and wilt before they arrive... the details that show that the farmer knows what we're looking for and that they are willing to produce things that are worth the price that local ingredients cost. Simply being a farmer and growing veggies isn't good enough if you don't put effort into doing it right! Communication is also really important and I'm always more apt to work with the farmers who are organized, responsive and consistent.  

George Frangos: We look for passionate farmers that are committed to the land and soil they farm.  Farmers we can support and that we can continue to learn from. Communication is a very important quality.  We understand that harvest dates can change, and availability can change from sometimes less product to sometimes an abundance of product.  The more we know, the better relationship we can have. 

Check out our Annual Awards video spotlighting these winning Farmer Champions and some of the farmers they support!

Video by Ginger & Carrot Productions.

Georgia Organics Announces the 2021 Class of Farmer Champions

By Lauren Cox 

Lauren Cox is the Farm to Restaurant, Farmer Champion, and Organic Procurement Coordinator at Georgia Organics. 

Fall has arrived and with it a much-needed turning of the season. The past couple of months our Farm to Restaurant team has been busy calculating Farmer Champion 2021 Round One invoices and are finally ready (and excited) to announce the newest additions to our Farmer Champion family. 

2021 FARMER CHAMPIONS 

These butcher shops, bakeries, cafes, and restaurants are located throughout Georgia and demonstrate the diverse way in which local sourcing is possible. Although not always easy, it is our belief here at Georgia Organics, that community-driven sourcing is part and parcel to creative and dynamic businesses that stand out among the crowd. We also know that movements often happen in a groundswell and judging from this list, we’ve got to say, these Farmer Champions are in great company. 

Without further ado, check out our 2021 Farmer Champion family.  

WHAT’S THE FARMER CHAMPION CAMPAIGN AGAIN?  

The Farmer Champion campaign began in 2019 as a way to understand, in earnest, which restaurants around the state source from local farms. Functionally, restaurants submit their purchasing invoices twice a year and from these invoices we calculate what percentage of their total food costs come from Georgia producers. Farmer Champions are the restaurants or bakeries that go through this verification process and spend at least 5% of their food budget with Georgia producers. Beyond that, Farmer Champions receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold tier based on their percentage of spending after they’ve been in the campaign and submitted invoices for a year.  Some gold tier restaurants spend as much as 80% of their food budget giving money back to Georgia producers (which is huge!).

REFLECTIONS 

Two years after launching the Farmer Champion campaign, we have to admit we’ve learned a lot. Beyond its quantitative value, the campaign has given us the space and opportunity to build a community network for both furthering farmer/chef connections and supporting our restaurant partners.  

In 2020, while the pandemic challenged our local food system in numerous ways, we were able to leverage that network to create Food Fight GA, a locally sourced veggie box program for restaurant employees and their families and partnered with Wrecking Bar Brewpub in Atlanta to host a mid-week farmers market for farmers to make up for lost restaurant revenue. 

Now, as 2021 winds down and we reflect back on the dynamic evolution of the Farmer Champion campaign, we are grateful for the ways in which a simple system for quantifying local food purchases has continued to shift and grow. While our goal of recognizing restaurants sourcing from Georgia producers has never wavered, we have also learned that the Farmer Champion campaign is about so much more than that. It’s about community and connection.  

CELEBRATING OUR TOP FARMER CHAMPIONS (in case you missed it) 

A couple of months ago Georgia Organics held our Annual Awards ceremony where we celebrated our Land Steward and Pollinator winners in addition to four outstanding Farmer Champions that had the highest verified local and local, organic spend from producers here in Georgia. 

We were joined by GO staff, board, partner organization members, and eaters from around the state and it felt great taking the time to celebrate folks doing good work in our Georgia food community despite the difficulties of the past year. 

Moving ahead, each year we hope to continue this tradition of celebrating our top Farmer Champions and have already begun planning for next year’s event. Stay tuned and we'll keep you in the loop.  

KNOW A RESTAURANT IN GEORGIA THAT WOULD BE A GREAT FARMER CHAMPION PARTNER?  

Reach out to Kayla Williams at kayla@georgiaorganics.org to learn more. 

INTERESTED IN READING MORE?  

Read on as Lauren Cox, who leads our Farmer Champion campaign, explores the meaning of this often-overused phrase and why recognizing meaningful farm to restaurant partnerships is so important. Click below to read The Rise and Fall of Farm to Table and Through It All Our Farmer Champions.

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

Check out the Good Food Guide and be sure to follow all of our Farmer Champion partners on social media!

Miller Union, Root Baking Co, Wrecking Bar, and Empire State South Win the Top Spend for Georgia Organics 2021 Farmer Champion Awards

Written by Lauren Cox and Kayla Williams

When Georgia Organics created the Farm to Restaurant program in 2019 our goal was to connect farmers to chefs as a way to move product. Although we knew there were restaurants doing this type of sourcing, we quickly (and happily!) discovered that many more chefs and farmers already had these deep connections. Our goal, afterward, became two-fold: to continue introducing farmers to chefs while simultaneously highlighting the incredible relationships that already exist within the Georgia food community. From this idea came the Farmer Champion campaign and the decals you’ll start to see popping up on restaurant windows around the state.

After two years of working with over 20 restaurants in the program, we’re excited to award the Top 3 restaurants in two categories: Local and Organic Spend, for going above and beyond in their sourcing from Georgia farmers. Lauren Cox (LC), Organic Procurement Coordinator and manager of the Farmer Champion campaign, chatted with the 2021 Farmer Champion winners: Chris Wilkins (CW) of Root Baking Company, Steven Satterfield (SS) of Miller Union, and Stevenson Rosslow (SR) of Wrecking Bar Brewpub about all things Farm to Restaurant, the Farmer Champion campaign, and what it’s like to source locally. Read their conversation below.

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To learn more about the Farmer Champion campaign, view our 2021 restaurant partners, and watch our Farmer Champion celebration video with these 2020 Farmer Champion award winners, click below!

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Lauren Cox: Congratulations on being named one of the Top 3 Farmer Champion restaurants in Georgia! That means you sourced the highest percentage of total food costs with either local producers or organic and local producers.  

How do you feel knowing that as a restaurant/bakery you are leading the way in this type of sourcing in Georgia?  

Chris Wilkins (CW): It’s an honor to be sure, and a wonderful surprise. Awards weren’t necessarily at the top of our mind in our approach to cooking and baking, but it is wonderful to know that the stakeholders in Georgia’s dining community think that the circuits connecting chefs, eaters, and farmers are worth preserving and celebrating.  

Steven Satterfield (SS): It feels wonderful to be recognized for the hard work that happens behind the scenes. I’m very proud of our team as well as Georgia Organics for doing the work to shine the light on these businesses.

Stevenson Rosslow (SR): I feel proud. All of the relationships built, all of the work, and all of the systems put in place have paid off. Our food tastes better because it is better. Yes, we have super talented chefs, but it is better, because we take the time, spend the money and energy to source the best Local-Organic product we can find. 

Chris Wilkins of Root Baking Co.

LC: When you opened your restaurant/bakery did you know that you wanted to source locally or was that something that evolved over time?  

CW: We were a local-focused project from the first. Nicole and I founded Root Baking Co. to explore Southern heirloom grains growing on the Carolina and Georgia coast. It was our stated mission to explore Southern heirloom cereals through artisan baking traditions, acknowledge and respect the often-painful stories behind Southern heirlooms, and celebrate the people growing them today. When the bakery relocated to Atlanta, we kept our mission statement unchanged, and found that our new location allowed us to explore Southern heirloom grains that didn’t quite make sense in the Low Country.  

SS: From the very beginning, we wanted the main emphasis for our sourcing to be locally and regionally focused, but as the good food movement has continued to evolve, we have evolved with it. We have seen more access to local/organic foods including grains, pastured poultry and pork, grass-fed beef, and a growing number of farmers – it’s exciting to watch the progress we have made over the last decade.

SR: We knew we wanted to serve simple local food from the beginning, but then comes the reality. Building a top tier local food program takes time and the right people. So naturally the sourcing program evolves and grows directly proportional to the relationships we have built and the passionate people we employ. From Chef Steve to Hudson, Rod, Skylar, Terry, Jeremiah, Shay, Holler, Crutch, Myers, Joel, Nick, Mikey, Kyle, and Sydney, we have always been blessed with dedicated and talented people. 

LC: What advice would you give to an aspiring chef or baker that wanted to begin sourcing locally or organically but didn’t know where to start?

CW: It’s easier than you think, if you’re willing to trust your diners to taste the difference and pay for it. The reasoning I hear most often for not sourcing well is some version of “the diner doesn’t get it.” Diners always know, and if you trust them to make the choice, you’re one step closer to giving the food on the plate the value it deserves. As far as mechanics of sourcing go, the folks at Georgia Organics know nearly everyone, and will always welcome a new face. If you reach out and ask who’s growing what, they’ll get you started.  

Steven Satterfield of Miller Union

SS: Well, clearly Georgia Organics is a great resource for connecting farmers and chefs. I think it is important to have conversations with the farmers and establish a relationship. Tell them about your needs for your business. Expectations can go a long way and can drive an economic system if they are clearly communicated.

SR: Work in a kitchen with a chef and owner that really care about sourcing quality food. Visit your local farmers market and introduce yourself to the Farmer/Owner. Foster that relationship and most importantly buy from them. Volunteer to work a day at the farm. Understand the passion and labor that go into the food. Local food is better, because fresher is better. Find the freshest _______, and you will have the tastiest version of that on your menu for your family, friends, and neighbors to enjoy. 

LC: What is your favorite thing to source from within Georgia and why? 

CW: Heirloom Rouge de Bordeaux wheat from Nathan and Murray Brett at Dayspring Farms, any fruit that our buddy Russell Brydson grows at Narrow Way Farm. 

SS: I’m constantly amazed by the seasonal produce in our state. We have so many options to work with and the biodiversity is continuing to broaden. I just get really excited when new things come into season and you get to feature them on the menu.

SR: Every year I look forward to the seasons. Within each season there are two moments: first when that fruit or vegetable first hits the market and second, when it’s at its juiciest, sweetest, and ripest. I certainly have some favorites: Strawberries, English Peas, Peaches, Tomatoes … If I had to pick one, I Iook forward to for 9 months that first Flavorich Peach of the year in mid/late May, It’s delicious and I have to fight the stone for every last juicy bit. I enjoy more than my fair share. Then a month later the Freestone peaches arrive. One of the most enjoyable moments of the year is when I bite into that “Ruby Prince” (insert whatever variety YOU like) and the juices are running down your arm and you literally need a shower after eating a peach. 

LC: Put simply, why do you do this type of sourcing?  

CW: Talking to a farmer is more fun than talking to a sales rep.  

SS: It is very rewarding to know your growers. Anyone can place an order on a purveyor’s voicemail or website and receive cases of food with unexpected origins, but when you order from your farmer, you know exactly what you’re getting, when it was harvested, and you probably get a chance to have a nice chat while they are delivering. Knowing where your food comes from and having traceability can earn your customer’s respect and repeat business. It is comforting for a diner to learn that we can rattle off every farm that is on the plate without hesitation.

SR: When you boil it all down we are a neighborhood restaurant. We are here to feed and nourish our family, friends and neighbors. We do it because our family eats at the Wrecking Bar. We do it because it food is medicine. We do it because it seems like the right thing to do. 

LC: For folks who don’t know the process, in order to be able to join the Farmer Champion campaign, Georgia Organics worked with you to look at your weekly invoices and did some basic math to figure out what percentage of your total food costs go towards spending with local and Organic farmers within Georgia.  

We won’t talk about that percentage (it was high!) but did the numbers surprise you? Why or why not? How about going through the process?  

CW: The percentage didn’t surprise us, necessarily. While we’ve never specifically thought about our local or organic sourcing as a percentage of our spending, our sourcing is a direct expression of what we value as a business – we’ve always put the highest value on local, organic farmers. Going through the process was easier than we thought it would be, and we saw the incredible value of the program. It’s one thing to say “LOCAL, ORGANIC”, it’s another entirely to spend the money and make sure that those words don’t become buzzwords. Simply put, we’re the types of folks who believe that if you say you source locally, organically, etc. make sure you can show your work, so to speak.  

SS: Unless you do a data analysis, you don’t really know exactly what your ratio is of Georgia products vs other origins, but I knew we would score relatively high. Seeing the numbers validates the choices we are making and we feel great knowing we supported a local food system that boosts our economy.

SR: The number surprised me twice. At first because the percentage was lower than I thought it would be. We work so hard to source as many things locally as possible and even with of all of this careful selection there are many logistical and financial hurdles. Big food does not make it easy on little-local-organic food. They are literally trying to put us out of business every day. 

Then I started looking at the number in dollars instead of percentages. At that moment I was again extremely proud of the amount of money we were spending locally. Our investment in our local food community pays off every day. 

LC: As a Farmer Champion chef/baker, you work very closely with farmers. Have you ever grown anything yourself and if you could be a farmer what would you grow? 

CW: Nicole and I have a sometimes sad, scrappy, Italian Nonna garden. Tomatoes, Green Beans, Basil. Eggplant if we’re feeling ambitious. I suppose if I were a farmer, I’d grow Moro oranges, Femminello lemons, pistachios, olives, and capers. Grapes for Nicole.  

SS: I’ve never dedicated time to try to grow anything but it is a goal of mine whenever I retire.

Stevenson Rosslow of Wrecking Bar Brewpub

SR: This is an easy one. Yes, I have grown food for myself and for my family every year for as long as I can remember, and in 2016 we bought a farm in Loganville. The Wrecking Barn Farm has allowed us an opportunity to grow our own food. We grow Strawberries, Blueberries, Cucumbers, Okra, Tomatoes, Melons, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Collards, Swiss Chard, Beans, Peas, Flowers, chickens and so many more things. Some things we grow really well and some things not so much. You may think this has changed our buying habits and we would buy less food from other local farms, but the opposite has been true. It has given us so much respect for good food and all of the work and love it takes to grow well. Farming is an extremely difficult endeavor. Maybe the only thing more difficult than owning a restaurant. 

LC: Does this type of sourcing make a difference and why should Eaters connect the dots between farmers, chefs, restaurants, and themselves? We know that’s a pretty general question but let’ roll with it!  

CW: I’d like to think that this kind of sourcing makes a difference, if making a difference means more growers able to survive off growing whatever speaks to them. I think it’s important for Eaters to connect the dots because that’s the first step in restoring value in the food on the plate or bread basket.  

SS: I see a lot of our customers at the farmers markets and they often stop and speak to me when I’m picking up my orders for the weekend. Some of them just to say that they had a wonderful meal or that they cooked something from my book, or perhaps they have a question about produce. I think our customers generally understand that we do the best we can to source locally and it is nice to get that feedback from them in real time or in the restaurant.

SR: It makes all the difference in the cycle of life. It makes all of the difference to the earth, to the food and to your health. Cheers to that and thank you to all the farmers, chefs and guests out there. We couldn’t and wouldn’t want to do it without you. 

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Restaurants in the Farmer Champion campaign have tiered decals based on their level of local (Georgia) and Organic sourcing. They receive these decals by submitting receipts of their purchases twice a year for a period of two weeks each. Check out farmtorestaurant.georgiaorganics.org/chefs if you or someone you know is interested in joining the campaign and contact kayla@georgiaorganics.org to receive updates on the first round of invoice submissions for 2021 taking place in June.  This campaign not only measures the impact of restaurants that source locally but allows customers to identify and support restaurants that are Farmer Champions.

Good Food for Thought: Dish Dive into Wholesale and High-End Wholesale

By Kayla Williams 

Are you a farmer that sells to farmers’ markets or have a CSA but are ready to get into the wholesale market, either to restaurants or institutions? Luckily, we have some tips for you! On Thursday, February 26th, Lauren Cox, Organic Procurement Coordinator at Georgia Organics along with Zac Harrison, owner of Fresh Harvest, and Neil Ringer, Director of Operations of The Common Market Southeast shared knowledge on what the processes look like to enter the wholesale market in Georgia in a variety of ways. Previously, Lauren managed Woodland Gardens, an organic mixed vegetable farm in the Athens-area that sells to many restaurants in Atlanta and Athens. At Georgia Organics, Lauren works  closely with farmers to help them sell to  larger institutions and restaurants, from helping them crop plan to organizing QuickBook trainings, improving their marketing skills and more. Lauren shared her knowledge about some pros and cons of selling to restaurants and larger wholesale markets in general, as well as best practices – we’ll share some here.

Whichever way you decide to “slice your pie”, your farm will become more resilient if you have multiple revenue streams. Maybe you attend one farmers’ market on the weekend, have CSA (community supported agriculture) pick up on Tuesdays, and deliver to restaurants in your closest larger city on Wednesdays. Or maybe, you sell to one large wholesale customer on Thursdays, delivery to restaurants on Fridays and do a CSA pick up on Saturdays, skipping farmers’ markets all together! You can choose how you slice your pie, but it’s important as you scale up, to add more revenue streams so you can be flexible as needed. So how do you choose?

Restaurant Walk-In. Photo credit: Bailey Garrot.

Although restaurants can be unreliable customers due to frequent menu and staff changes, you can usually get the best wholesale price available and because you are harvesting to order, you won’t have any leftovers. If you decide to sell to a larger wholesale customer, like grocery stores or distributors, you may have to settle for the lowest price point for your goods (as compared to the retail farmers’ market price) but the transactions may be more reliable working with a larger institution, and they may come pick up the products from your farm rather than delivering to a restaurant. It’s important to remember that the type of operation you run may be a better fit for some wholesale than others – if you are small and very diversified farm, you may be a better fit for a high-priced restaurant that uses smaller quantities of many products. If you are larger and specialize in (let’s say) tomatoes, you may be a better fit for a local pizza joint that makes huge quantities of sauce daily

Quick Cleaning Turnips. Photo credit: Lauren Cox,

. No matter which revenue streams you choose, recordkeeping is essential. From knowing where things are in the field, to making sure you have a consistent inventory for your customers, to knowing the prices each item sells for through your various streams, to telling your employees where to harvest what, recordkeeping can only make your life easier and more organized. How you harvest, package and clean your products also make a difference in the world of wholesale. Minimize handling your products because the more you touch it, the more degraded it gets,  especially when wholesalers are aggregating, repackaging and redistributing. Cleanliness is key and minimizing moisture in washed greens, for example, extend the shelf life of your produce.

The Common Market, a non-profit aggregator and distributor, works with many institutions such as private schools, hospitals, universities, food service providers and municipal offices. The Common Market Southeast Headquarters are in East Point, GA but they also have a program based in Houston, TX and Philadelphia, PA. The Common Market wants to lower barriers and provide the infrastructure for local farmers to be able to sell to these institutions. The requirements for working with The Common Market Southeast are as follows: farmer must be in a 250 mile radius of their offices, must have sustainable growing practices, proof of liability insurance, be involved in a food safety program, and have a post-harvesting handling and packing system. Additionally, you must pack your products in wax boxes with your contact information on the label. During COVID-19, The Common Market Southeast received a USDA grant that allowed them to deliver over 96,440 boxes to families across the state, partnering with over 45 community organizations and purchasing over 964,000 pounds of local food purchased and distributed. Their systems and infrastructure made that work possible. A big thanks to Neil Ringer and Common Market for sharing with us and doing incredible work every day to make it easier for local producers to be involved in larger institutions!

West Georgia Farmers Coorperative Delivering to Miller Union. Photo Credit: Bailey Garrot.

Fresh Harvest, on the other hand, is solely residential. Each week, Zac Harrison texts all the farmers in the Fresh Harvest network (some big, some small, but all organic) and finds out what their availability is for the week. Based on which farmer has what products, he compiles weekly boxes that are delivered to homes around Atlanta. In addition to a weekly produce box, customers can add on other local goods, like local dairy, eggs, meat, prepared foods and more. Fresh Harvest’s offices are in Clarkston, GA and they employee many refugees that are based in Clarkston. Zac’s goal is to expand the reach and sale of the farmer, not to infringe on their other revenue streams and he wants to crop plan with farmers at the beginning of the season, so they can be guaranteed a revenue stream from Fresh Harvest.

No matter which route you decide to go down for slicing your pie, utilizing the tips from Lauren and working with folks like Neil and Zac who have the farmers’ best interest at heart, choosing to diversify your revenue streams can only make your farm more successful and resilient.

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Interested in learning more about Lauren’s work? Check out farmtorestaurant.georgiaorganics.org/, follow Georgia Organics on Instagram @georgiaorganics, and Facebook at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics/.

Want to see if The Common Market may be a good fit for you or support their work? Check out thecommonmarket.org, follow them on Instagram at @commonmarketse and Facebook at facebook.com/thecommonmarketse.

Ready to work with Fresh Harvest or purchase a box? Visit them at freshharvestga.com/, follow them on Instagram at @freshharvest and Facebook at .facebook.com/freshharvestga.

Good Food for Thought: How We Slice Our Pie—Choosing Markets and Managing Revenue Streams

By Lauren Cox 

Lauren Cox is the Organic Procurement Coordinator at Georgia Organics

Aluma Farm’s very organized harvest board. Photo credit: Bailey Garrot.

Small farms operate much like other small entrepreneurial businesses. In addition to producing food, a farmer must also be a self-promoter, a marketer, their own research and development team, and very often juggle the wants and needs of a variety of customers. In the 6th installation of the Winter Webinar series, Farm to Restaurant’s Organic Procurement Coordinator leads a three-part webinar covering these activities: deciding on your basket of goods and services and creating a value statement, managing your weekly farm flow, and understanding how you divide up your farm based on your revenue streams.  

Whether you sell at the farmers market, to restaurants, wholesalers, or through a CSA program, you should aim to know your customer base and plan for moving product. Photo by Lauren Cox.

There are multiple ways for farmers to get food to their final customers. This ‘farmer to eater’ supply chain can include processors, wholesalers, restaurants, grocery stores, and retailers or simply go directly into the hands of an eater. Farmers can sell to each of these groups and should understand that each one of them has different wants and needs, including where they hold value and what they are looking for when buying from a farmer. 

This ‘basket of goods and services’ can also change over time depending on the farmer as well as the customer. While planning for the year ahead, ask yourself: What am I selling and why is it important to my customer? Remember, what is important to you isn’t necessarily going to be important to everyone else. Maybe your customer values being able to talk to you each week and ask questions about what they’re buying while you prioritize paying your employees fair wages and growing organically. One does not necessarily exclude the other but again, your customer’s values and where they’re prioritized might not be the same as your own. 

Thinking about a value statement or value proposition is also important. This can change with your customers and correlates to your basket of goods and services. If you can’t make money from your basket of ‘goods and services’ then don’t do it and always make sure you have a feedback loop to understand if your customer’s values are changing. Easy ways to do this include talking to your customers directly as well as conducting surveys to market-goers and CSA members. Also watching what sells quickly and what doesn’t is a non-verbal way to assess your markets. No matter what, having a feedback loop gives a farmer the advantage to help plan for growing any of their revenue streams. 

Planning for growth is important. Photo by Lauren Cox.

As you think about the year ahead and decide which customers and parts of your business will shift or grow, consider your current weekly farm schedule. Taking on more revenue streams could mean you take more time off the farm for market days. It could mean more time spent harvesting and delivering to wholesalers or restaurants. While planning, try this exercise: Make a column for each day of the week and then fill it with the general tasks you do consistently, for example, Monday’s are bookkeeping days, and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are workdays while Friday is a harvest day for Saturday market. Once this is done ask yourself, “Does my weekly flow feel well-paced? Is it packed in one part of the week and less busy in another? What if there were an emergency? Do I have enough time, in that case, to react? And finally, “Could I take on another sales channel?” Depending on your customer’s needs and values, you might be able to shift your schedule to take on new opportunities or give you that much-needed time on the farm you’ve been looking for.  

 Listing out your top sellers across your different markets can highlight your resiliency in withstands shifts in market demand. Photo by Lauren Cox.

How do we bring what we know about our customer base, our weekly bandwidth, and how we want to grow our business together to refine our systems and plan for the year ahead? First and foremost record-keeping is our biggest asset! Thinking about your ‘top sellers’ for each customer base and looking at your books to see if you’re making money on them can give you valuable insight (no pun intended) into whether or not you’re on the right track. Ideally, you should plan for growth and have multiple customers that are interested in the same thing in case one of them falls through. In addition to QuickBooks and surveys, keep a notebook with your weekly sales information. Walk around the first day of your workweek and write down what you need to sell, how much you have, and to whom you plan to sell it to (CSA, restaurants, markets, or otherwise).

This exercise will help you get better at understanding quantities of what you have to offer and how much space you are allocating on your farm for each sales outlet. As you think about the space on your farm and how it relates to your customer base ask yourself these questions: What isn’t selling to multiple customers? Are there other things I could use that farm space for? Are there other things I could sell to the same customers that also sell at other markets? Asking yourself these questions explicitly with give you a leg up in planning for growth and managing your revenue streams. 

This Good Food for Thought event was a workshop exclusive to Georgia Organics Farmer Members. Interested in becoming a farmer member for just $12 per year? Visit membership.georgiaorganics.org/farmer-membership. Join us for more Good Food for Thought by visiting gfft.georgiaorganics.org/virtual-events.