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.