By Mary Elizabeth Kidd
Lauren Cox, who leads Georgia Organics’ Farm to Restaurant program, recently spoke to Russell Brydson of Narrow Way Farm and Chris Wilkins of Root Baking Co. to catch up with this farmer-chef duo about their involvement in Georgia Organics, plus life and business during the pandemic. Both Russell and Chris are leading participants in the Food Fight GA initiative and the Farmer Cohort and Farmer Champion programs, respectively.
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Narrow Way Farm is located in McDonough, where Russell Brydson and his family have farmed for around four years, growing a variety of sustainably grown fruits and vegetables, as well as pecan and chestnut trees. They also run a seasonal, on-farm blueberry U-Pick and We-Pick.
Narrow Way is a member of the 2020 Farmer Fund Accelerator Program as well as a 2019 veteran of the Farm to Restaurant Farmer Cohort, and it was through this program that Russell and Chris Wilkins of Root Baking Co. first began their farmer-chef partnership, thanks, in part, to a Farm to Restaurant Farmer-Chef Speed Dating-Style Mixer.
Chris Wilkins and his wife Nicole Lewis-Wilkins run Root Baking Co., located in Atlanta’s Ponce City Market. Their mission with Root Baking Co. is to “honor the baking traditions of time and craft, nourish our neighbors with high quality baked goods, and embrace the diverse character of the southern food landscape to enrich our community.”
Part of how they accomplish this mission is by working with farmers like Russell to ensure their high-quality baked goods are reflective of their environs and supportive of farmers. They’ve furthered their mission of enriching the community through leadership in the Food Fight GA initiative.
In April of this year, Chris Wilkins had the idea of providing weekly farm boxes to members of the restaurant community who had been dramatically affected by restaurant closures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. He brought the idea to Lauren Cox on the Georgia Organics Farm to Restaurant team, knowing that through the logistics and funding support of Georgia Organics (and seed-funding partner Jamestown Charitable Foundation), this vision could become a reality to serve those in the restaurant family when they needed it most.
Since its inception in mid-April to today, the Food Fight GA program has directed over $100,000 to farmers in Georgia for the supply of weekly fresh fruits and vegetables—not to mention fresh Root Baking Co. Breads—that go into these farm boxes. Almost 4,000 farm boxes have been distributed to restaurants to the Atlanta and Athens restaurants for their workers affected by COVID-19 staffing cuts and service-based income. And Russell and Chris’ farmer-chef partnership has extended to the work with Food Fight GA; many of these weekly farm boxes include berries and other produce from Narrow Way Farm.
Food Fight GA farm boxes being packed before a recent pick-up. (Photo credit: Kate Blohm)
In addition to Food Fight GA, Root Baking Co. has continued with its pandemic-version of business as usual, continuing to source from Narrow Way for the pastries, pizzas, and other creations they sell via takeout and at the Morningside Farmers Market.
“Relationships like this are fun because you get to buy fruit from your friend… you get to just check in and see what’s happening, and it’s fun to be able to catch up. That’s one of the main benefits for me of local sourcing. Working in the [restaurant] industry, we tend to stay in a little bubble, so this is a breath of fresh air.”
For Russell, Chris’ weekly questions are simple: “When are the blueberries coming?” and “When can I get more?”
Blueberries at Narrow Way Farm. (Courtesy of Narrow Way Farm)
“One of the biggest joys you have as a small farmer is the opportunity to interact with the customer, whether that’s a person coming to buy a bunch of kale or Chris buying a ton of blueberries or figs or whatever’s in season. You have the chance to say ‘hey, how’s everything going?’ and it gives me joy to see that people appreciate the fruit and the work that goes into it.”
Chris finds shared values in the fact that being a farmer, much like being a chef, is a big commitment, and in that work, you want to partner with those who are similarly committed to high quality and passionate work. That creative, symbiotic relationship keeps Chris producing beautiful, delicious food and Russell farming fresh, sustainable ingredients.
“I’m blessed to grow these things, so seeing someone turn what I grow into something beyond what I could even imagine, it gives me joy. You have to have that desire to see what you grow become more. You have to have respect for the person you’re selling to.”
“Mutual respect,” says Chris.
For more information about Narrow Way Farm, visit www.narrowwayfarm.com/ For more information about Root Baking Co., visit www.rootbaking.com/.For more information about the Georgia Organics Farm to Restaurant program, visit farmtorestaurant.georgiaorganics.org/.
Mary Elizabeth Kidd is the Communications Manager 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.