The Winter Farmer Series consisted of in-person networking and educational events hosted at farms across Georgia in February and March. These farmer field days took place in lieu of the annual Georgia Organics Conference & Expo, which has evolved to engage regenerative farm and food advocates across the U.S. Southeastern region under the moniker “SOWTH.”
On February 19, 2024, Georgia Organics kicked off the Winter Farmer Series with a Collective Organic Purchasing and Accessing Organic Markets Organic Growers Farmer Field Day in Keysville, Georgia. This Farmer Field Day, in particular, highlighted the strength that collective farming and selling models have in accessing more markets.
Last May, we engaged multiple organizations for anti-racism audits, ultimately choosing Widerstand Consulting, whose process involves document review and focus groups with staff, board, farmers, and partners to inform necessary changes.
Georgia Organics hosts a series of educational workshops, Organic Growers Farmer Field Days (OGFFDs), as part of the Farmer Services GO Organic! program to provide a portfolio of services geared specifically towards transitioning and Certified Organic farmers.
At Grateful Pastures Farm — the only Certified Organic poultry farm in Georgia — field day attendees took an autumnal farm tour while learning about pasture management and, later, the importance of record keeping.
This Farmer Field Day, attendees gathered at Bread and Butter Farms in Sparta, GA, to learn about diagnosing engine problems and indulge in some southern style farm-fresh eats at Harvest Kitchen and Market.
The Savannah Family Farm Share Partners: (Back row, left to right) Director of Early Childhood Education and Care of Greenbriar Children’s Center Jennifer McMichael, Executive Director of Forsyth Farmers’ Market Dr. Deidre Grim, Food Coordinator of Greenbriar Children’s Center April Mixon, Farm Truck Manager of Forsyth Farmers’ Market Brian Heyward, Community Collaborations Coordinator of Georgia Organics Yaza Sarieh, and Community Collaborations Director of Georgia Organics Kimberly Della Donna .
(Front row, left to right) Director of Community Engagement and Market Manager of Forsyth Farmers’ Market Asia Harold, Community Collaborations Manager of Georgia Organics Kimberly Koogler, Director of Education of Forsyth Farmers’ Market Tasha Wei, and Executive Director of Greenbriar Children’s Center Gena P. Taylor.
SAVANNAH (Aug. 3, 2023) – Georgia Organics and The Forsyth Farmers Market announce the launch of Savannah Family Farm Share, a group style Community Supported Agriculture program designed to address childhood food insecurity for children ages birth to five while developing a new outlet for small scale farmers. The goals of this initiative are to expand opportunities for small scale farmers, increase access to organic and healthy food and educate families about how to prepare and enjoy a weekly bounty of fresh, local food.
Beginning with the Greenbriar Children’s Center, Savannah Family Farm Share hopes to enroll up to 800 members this year, in a low-cost vegetable subscription program specifically designed for families with young children enrolled in Early Care and Education centers.
The Family Farm Share Program is primarily funded by the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and Takeda, though Georgia Organics has raised over $1.5 million to expand the program ten Georgia communities by 2025. The Savannah Family Farm Share program builds on the work of the Waycross Family Farm Share Pilot that began with a Community Transformation Grant of $75,000 from the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL)
The Savannah Family Farm Share program is one of five communities where Georgia Organics is facilitating a local collaborative, joining Head Start communities in Ware, Bacon and Pierce counties.
The project commenced in May, and work is underway identifying local farmers for participation. Email market(at)ffm-sav(dot)org if you are a Savannah area farmer interested in working with the collaborative. In July, the collaborative began engaging farmers and early care families to discuss their needs and preferences for fresh food. Progress and stories of the pilot program will be shared at georgiaorganics.org/familyfarmshare and on Georgia Organics’ and partners’ social media.
“Forsyth Farmers’ Market is ecstatic to be a part of such a great program that will strengthen our local food system by financially supporting our local farmers while eliminating the barriers that make it hard for residents to access fresh local produce. Food apartheid areas are becoming more recognizable and opportunities to patronize our local farmers are limited. Thus, making the expansion of the Family Farm Share program an ideal collaboration to meet both needs.” Dr. Deidre Grim, Executive Director, Forsyth Farmers’ Market Inc.
“What an awesome collaborative opportunity to improve the health of our community; to increase the knowledge of families about fresh food and to increase access fresh produce to families.” “Greenbriar is excited to be an active participant of this program that will yield healthy outcomes for families and children.” Gena P. Taylor, Executive Director, Greenbriar Children’s Center.
“What I love about Family Farm Share is we’re meeting families where they’re at, within their daily routines at daycare and early care centers, while connecting small farmers to new markets close to their farms. We hope to make Savannah a model that other communities can adapt and make their own.” Suzanne Girdner, Community Outreach Manager, Georgia Organics
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Forsyth Farmers’ Market is so much more than a farmers market because they offer programming and services 7 days a week. The organization holds a weekly market in Savannah’s Forsyth Park Saturdays from 9am - 1pm. Farm Truck 912, their mobile farmers’ market makes stops throughout the community with the intention of eliminating barriers to access to fresh locally sourced produce. Forsyth Farmers’ Market accepts and double SNAP/EBT benefits at the Saturday market and on Farm Truck 912. They also offer a variety of other programming and education to build community and create a sense of place. Click here to learn more about the Forsyth Farmers Market.
Georgia Organics celebrates National Farm to School Month: Pepper Palooza
Every year, Georgia Organics coordinates a state-wide campaign to get kids across Georgia eating, growing, and learning about a new fruit or vegetable during October Farm to School Month. The lessons, activities, resources, and workshops reach over one million students statewide through classroom, cafeteria, and community educators who sign up to participate. This year’s celebration: Pepper Palooza! Sign up for FREE to access digital resources for families and educators at bit.ly/livinlavidaokra. Click here and here to view additional free resources from Georgia Organics’ Farm to School team to engage kids with fresh food!
ABOUT SAVANNAH FAMILY FARM SHARE PARTNERS
About Georgia Organics
Georgia Organics is a member-supported, non-profit organization that champions organic agriculture and healthy families by prioritizing farmer prosperity, engaging children with good food in their cafeterias and classrooms, and convening local leaders to address food access issues by making organic and local food accessible to all. The organization has been rooted in providing direct support to small and organic farmers across our state since the 1970s, before formally incorporating as a 501(c)(3) in 1997. For more information, visit georgiaorganics.org.
About Forsyth Farmers Market
Forsyth Farmers’ Market Inc. is Savannah's largest food and horticulture market. Each Saturday over 50 vendors offer fresh produce, pastured meats, local honey, artisan dairy and cheeses, craft breads, baked goods, and a wide variety of prepared foods. All vendors come from within a 200-mile radius of Savannah. We envision a just and equitable food system that has an interest in producing food for the health of citizens and the environment. For more information, please visit forsythfarmersmarket.com.
About Greenbriar Children’s’ Center
Greenbriar Children’s Center is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the healthy development of children and the strengthening of families through a multitude of services. These services include early childhood education and care; family and individual counseling and support services; an emergency shelter for children ages 11-18 and Project Safe Place. For more information, please visit www.greenbriarchildrenscenter.org or call 912-234-3431.
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!
By Lydia Hsu
Lydia Hsu is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics
Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, started as a cloudy, drizzly morning as over 25 attendees pulled up to Hearts of Harvest Farm, located in Arnoldsville, GA. Farmers traveled from across the state to convene at this diversified vegetable, flower, and mushroom farm run by Paul and Lindsey Sorah, 2020-2021 Accelerator alumni.
The Field Day served as a networking event to welcome the 2022-2024 Accelerator cohort and provided the farmers with an opportunity to meet each other, connect with several alumni, get to know their program coaches, and put faces to the names of the Farmer Services team.
Daniel Sweeney, a Seven Springs Farm Supply Crop Adviser, shares soil health and fertility knowledge at Hearts of Harvest Farm. Photo by M.F. Espinoza (@healianthusfarms)
The day started off at Hearts of Harvest’s home location, and the alumni farmers shared their Accelerator program experiences and insight, while the new farmers had the chance to talk about their hopes and goals for the program. As the drizzle turned into rain, the group left the cover of the tents, and we toured Hearts of Harvest Farm. Attendees were able to learn how Hearts of Harvest utilized their Accelerator capital investment funding to revamp a wooden structure on their property into a mushroom house. Growing mushrooms now provides them with a revenue stream through the winter months and allows them to retain employees with minimal turnover before the growing season – a game changer.
After learning more about how the farm applied their Accelerator program funding, including shade cloth, market bins, and microgreen trays, the tour wrapped up and the group drove to the new, secondary farm location Hearts of Harvest just recently acquired. This expanded acreage will allow them to divide the two properties between flower-focused production and produce-focused growing space.
Accelerator Farmers learn about the mushroom house at Hearts of Harvest Farm. Photo by M.F. Espinoza (@healianthusfarms)
In addition to receiving strategic capital investment funds to put towards their farm’s infrastructure, the new cohort receives funding specifically designated for working with coaches to further advance their short and long-term goals for their farm business. Accelerator program coaches spoke about their areas of expertise and the coaching services they could provide to the new cohort, ranging from food safety plans to legal guidance and everything in between. As an aspect of a newly formed partnership between Georgia Organics and Seven Springs Farm Supply, one of Seven Spring’s Crop Advisers, Daniel Sweeney, will be an Accelerator coach for the 2022-2024 cohort, focusing on soil health, fertility, and integrated-pest management.
Inside the Farm Home at Hearts of Harvest Farm. Photo by Lydia Hsu
To finish out the Farmer Field Day, the new cohort of Accelerator farmers separated into breakout groups and met with the coaches and Farmer Services case managers to talk more in-depth about the year ahead.
Despite the rain and dreary weather, the Field Day was filled with rich conversations, joyful connections, and invaluable community building between farmers. To cap the day, attendees shared a hearty meal together from Farmer Champion Farm Burger in Athens, GA, provided for by a gracious donation from Seven Springs Farm Supply.
The Farmer Services team is excited to jump into the new year and start working with these seven, awesome 2022-2024 Accelerator farmers. So, without further ado, here is our newest Accelerator class!
Gannon Organics (Facebook, Instagram) | Brendan Gannon | Savannah, GA
High Hog Farm (Facebook, Instagram) | Keisha and Warren Cameron | Grayson, GA
Phoenix Gardens (Facebook) | Gwendolyn and Brennan Washington | Lawrenceville, GA
PolyCulture Production at Gaia Garden (Instagram) | Stephanie Simmons | Decatur, GA
Rodgers Greens and Roots Organic Farm (Facebook, Instagram) | Ashley Rodgers | Douglasville, GA
Snapfinger Farm (Facebook, Instagram) | Rahul Anand | Covington, GA
Accelerator Coaches, Case Managers, and Farmers mingle at Hearts of Harvest Farm. Photo by M.F. Espinoza (@healianthusfarms)
Learn more about the Georgia Organics Accelerator Program by visiting our website at farmerservices.georgiaorganics.org/accelerator.
To learn more about Hearts of Harvest Farm, visit www.heartsofharvestfarm.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @heartsofharvestfarm.
Find out more about Seven Springs Farm Supply by visiting www.sevenspringsfarmsupply.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @sevenspringsfarmsupply.
Starting on Nov. 1st, we took to social media with 25 Reasons to Support Georgia Organics. Our goal? To raise $150,000 for our 25th Anniversary “From the Ground Up” Campaign.
We’re thrilled to announce we have just surpassed our goal! Congratulations and thank you to you, our outstanding community, for your support!
The good news about reaching our goal is that any additional funds we raise between now and Dec. 31st will supercharge our efforts to grow farmer prosperity.
There are just three days left of this campaign, so if you haven't made a contribution yet, this is your last chance to give!
Make a 25th Anniversary donation and invest in our future... from the ground up!
#25 The answer is in the soil.
We work with farmers who prioritize soil-focused stewardship. These farmers abandon synthetic herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, and fertilizers - all to better care for the land, the water, and our air.
#24 Everything we do works toward farmer prosperity.
Our Farmer Services team provides organic farmers with one-on-one support, resources, group instruction, and deep-dive programs like our Accelerator, Emergency Support, and Healthcare programs. These tailored services help farmers build and maintain strong farm businesses and achieve farmer prosperity.
#23 We further hands-on, farm-to-school education practices.
Photo Credit: Jenna Shea Photography.
With a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, we helped students at South Columbus Elementary School team up with a local farmer to learn and practice Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Students dove into planting, growing, harvesting, marketing, and selling produce - all on school grounds. Plus, they planted an orchard of fruit trees and bushes that will last for years to come! What if every school had resources to teach students how to grow their food?
#22 We supply local farmers with localized solutions.
Through the Farmer Accelerator Program and our other Farmer Services, we provided more than 120 hours of one-on-one business coaching and $120,000 in direct investments to farmers in 2022.
#21 We're ready for anything.
Over the past two-and-a-half years, the local food system has been in flux. Because of our networks across industries and sectors, we were able to mobilize several wide-reaching response efforts to the pandemic to stabilize and preserve Georgia's food system: from providing farmers who lost markets with direct investments, to supporting farmers pivoting to online sales, to Food Fight GA—which provided weekly farm-fresh produce boxes to unemployed restaurant workers.
#20 We make puns with a purpose.
At Georgia Organics, we’re investing in the future...from the ground up. And we’re inviting you to support us from the GROUNDS up with Café Campesino! Throughout November and December, Café Campesino will donate $1.85 for each bag sold directly to Georgia Organics. Check out our celebratory 25th Anniversary packaging and order yours today!
#19 Because Spinach to Win It!
Wait, because Spinach to Win It? Yes! Spinach to Win It! This year, we reached more than 700,000 youth in this October’s Spinach to Win It! #FarmtoSchoolMonth Campaign. We even provided mini-grants to outstanding school projects to achieve their farm-to-school goals.
#18 We build farmer allies (part 1).
In 2022, we expanded the Farmer Champion program which incentivizes local and organic purchasing by culinary professionals to include 45 restaurants, bakeries, butcheries, caterers, early care centers, and pop-ups across six cities in Georgia.
#17 We build farmer allies (part 2).
In 2022, we announced our intent to delve more deeply into our role in farmer advocacy. We sought feedback from more than 1,000 farmers to inform our Farmer Advocacy platform. We look forward to sharing more about our plans with farmers, partners, and agricultural policymakers.
#16 The amazing Georgia Organics team!
What started as a one-person office in a church basement has grown into a dynamic, 17-person team with a 20-member board of passionate individuals dedicated to a positive food future.
#15 We mobilize the community.
Georgia Organics is powered by thousands of members, volunteers, and partners. They support us by attending and leading educational events, sharing information, advocating, and so much more. Wholeheartedly, they answer the call to participate and invest in the local food movement.
Photo Credit: M.F. Espinoza.
#14 We bring farmers together.
Through our annual Conference & Expo, Farmer Field Days, Farmer Mixers and other events, Georgia Organics provides a platform for farmers to share information and resources, mentor and learn from each other, and build community.
#13 We can help you plan a casual date night that gives back to community!
This Tuesday, November 29, take your date to Farm Burger to celebrate #GAgivesDay! ALL Georgia locations ALL day will donate 10 percent of sales directly to Georgia Organics. You could say they're really moooo-ving us closer to our year-end goal! Thank you, Farm Burger, for investing in our future… from the ground up!
#12 Because it’s #GAgivesDay!
What a great day to SUPPORT FARMERS! We know that healthy farmers are the cornerstone of healthy communities. They heal the earth, increase food access across the state, and sustain life. From the soil itself — living and breathing — to the plants, the people, and everything in between.
#11 To be a part of a generous and passionate community!
Last Tuesday was #GAgivesDay 2022, and you all showed up by donating more than $15,000, making it an extraordinary day as we climb closer to our overall year-end goal as part of our 25th Anniversary “From the Ground Up” Campaign!
#10 “Without good solid healthcare, then the sustainable farm, I don’t think exists.” - Farmers Chris & Jenny Jackson, Farmer Members
In 2022, we enrolled eight new farmers for FREE Gold Level Health Insurance through the Kaiser Permanente Bridge Program.
#9 The answer is in the soil (part 2).
Georgia Organics invests in farmers so that inch by inch, the soil gets the care it needs. We support these farmers so that they can grow in a way that heals the earth, increases food access across the state, and sustains biodiversity and life, from the soil itself (which is living and breathing!), to the plants, the people, and everything in-between.
#8 To break bread with inspiring legends and leaders of our movement.
On December 10, we hosted renowned chef, cookbook author, and food activist, Alice Waters for a 25th Anniversary Dinner for 68 guests prepared by some of our favorite chefs. This six-course dinner turned into a community salon, with a passionate conversation unfolding about the future of our food movement.
#7 Gifts made between now and Dec. 31st will go twice as far!
We have an anonymous donor who just pledged to match all gifts made between now and midnight on Dec. 31st up to $15,000. Donate now and your gift will be supercharged toward our goal!
#6 We honor the contributions of our land stewards.
Each year, we offer awards to outstanding members of the food and farming community in three categories: the Land Steward Award, the Barbara Petit Pollinator Award, and the Farmer Champion awards. Land Steward and Pollinator Award winners are nominated by the general public and voted on by our Board and Governance Committee. Together, we can continue to uplift the strong work of our soil stewards and champions!
#5 Georgia’s land needs stewards like never before.
Every day, Georgia’s land, growers, and communities stand at the mercy of ongoing and increasing environmental pressures, social and economic gaps, and barriers to access. Deeply entrenched agricultural practices and policies make these challenges worse, further degrading the soil and access to land and food. Meanwhile, the champions in our local food system work daily to stem this tide. They make sacrifices to prioritize soil and community health. They lead the way, showing us that it is possible to build a future in which Georgia’s food is produced accessibly, equitably, and sustainably by thriving community farmers.
#4 Conference is back, baby!
After a two-year hiatus, we’re thrilled to have the chance to come together for our cornerstone annual gathering featuring keynote speaker, farmer and community activist, Karen Washington. For three days, farmers, community advocates, educators, equity activists, and climate leaders will connect, learn new skills, and generate fresh ideas to foster a healthy and sustainable food system. Get your tickets for the 2023 Conference and Expo today!
#3 Our brand new Farmer Apprenticeship Program.
In fall 2022, more than 20 beginning farmers applied for an apprenticeship to learn regenerative farming and sustainable business practices from established organic farmers. This program creates a pipeline for new and beginning farmers while supporting a cohort of farm hosts as they increase their business capacity. We look forward to selecting nine top candidates to launch into their work in early 2023!
#2 Our history.
We’ve been at it for 25 years. With your support, we've grown the number of organic farmers and acres. We've instigated, cajoled, and convened. We've been a centering rock on which new local food organizations and coalitions have found their footing. What started as a one-person office in a church basement has grown into a dynamic 15-person team with a 20-member board and a network of farmers, partners, and allies dedicated to a positive food future.
The #1 Reason to support Georgia Organics: Our future.
Photo Credit: Kayla Williams.
With 25 years under our belt, we’re gearing up for the next 25. We’re investing in our future from the ground up, and we need your support! We believe in a future where Georgia’s food is produced accessibly, equitably, and sustainably by thriving community farmers, and we are centering our work on farmer prosperity to achieve that vision. For 25 year past and 25 years to come, if you invest in farmers who are investing in the soil, you’re investing in a more bountiful future for all.
Join us to today. Make a 25th Anniversary donation and invest in our future... from the ground up!
For more information on ways to support Georgia Organics, contact Fundraising Manager, Emmy Carter, at emmy@georgiaorganics.org.
To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit www.georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Instagram@GeorgiaOrganics, Twitter @GeorgiaOrganics, and at Facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.
By Meg Darnell
Meg Darnell is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics .
Want to know how you can help support our GA farmers? Building resiliency against climate change is a great place to start.
Do your part by ensuring your local farmer can supply the community with fresh, local produce and meat. Click here to learn more about The Farmer Fund and how to invest in farmers—when they need it most.
All photos by M.F. Espinoza, Georgia Organics 2022-23 Communications Fellow.
On Oct. 31, 2022, Georgia Organics hosted over 25 participants at 3 Porch Farm in Comer, GA, for a farmer field day.
The event centered on the many benefits of on-farm solar energy and conservation projects for climate change resiliency. Mandy and Steve O'Shea, owners of the farm, jumped right into things. Informed by their experience, they shared how to best source and install solar panels on a farm. The O'Sheas also covered how the USDA Rural Energy for America (REAP) grant and the Federal Tax Credit offset the cost of their solar installation. The farm owners even shared their breakdown of associated costs and savings to detail how farmers in attendance could follow the process.
Mandy and Steve discussed the many conservation projects 3 Porch Farm has implemented with the assistance of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Specifically, we discussed how the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) was a valuable resource for the farm. NRCS agent, Bryan Barrett, was also on hand to explain the program and how to apply.
We organized the field day so attendees would leave with the following:
A better understanding of solar-power benefits for a nine-acre, Georgia farm
How this solar-based sustainable operation does/doesn’t translate to their farm
Examples of real on-farm solar projects, funded through the REAP grant
An outline of considerations, costs, challenges, and best practices for installing solar
How to apply for the REAP grant & Federal solar tax credit
Examples of on-farm infrastructure, funded through the EQIP grant
An understanding of EQIP’s High Tunnel Initiative
Knowing if they qualify for EQIP and, if so, what projects to select
An open-ended barn at 3 Porch Farm (Athens, GA). Built by farm owners Mandy and Steve O-Shea, the barn doubles as a covered storage area and solar array system.
We began our field day under an open-sided barn built by Mandy and Steve. The do-it-yourself project was inspired by their desire to cover farm equipment and provide roof space to install a solar array system. Thanks to their ingenuity, we were able to stay out of the rain and take turns introducing ourselves; attendees were primarily farmers — some traveling from hours away.
As the rain let up, we ventured into the fields. There, participants discovered how sustainability is woven into everything Mandy and Steve do at 3 Porch Farm. They discussed their journey of transitioning from selling in-person at farmers markets to selling online and providing nationwide shipping.
They spoke with a climate-science professor who informed them that the carbon footprint of shipping was much lower than they previously thought, so they were able to move past some preconceived notions and pivot their whole business model.
The O’Sheas explained how they choose to ensure the offset of their carbon footprint by using all biodegradable/recyclable packaging and rounding up their mileage, paying 1.5 times in carbon offsets.
Guineafowl (also known as Guinea hen or original fowl) are native to the Western region of Africa and rank among the oldest of the landfowl birds.
Their flock of guinea hens joined us briefly, a pleasant surprise, so Mandy and Steve took the opportunity to explain the fowls’ presence as organic pest control, more specifically, tick eradication. Our hosts explained that the guinea hens allow them and their employees to work in the fields without the stress of contracting tick-borne illnesses. They went on to share their philosophy on employing workers, providing them with a living wage, year-round work, and health benefits to support high employee retention.
The O’Sheas were able to secure installation of their high tunnel systems with funding from an EQIP initiative. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program is accessible through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
We meandered on a path through the farm’s different growing fields, stopping next to one of 3 Porch’s many high tunnels made possible through EQIP’s high tunnel initiative. Mandy explained that they added extra trusses and propane heaters with temperature sensors to the tunnels to mitigate damage from snow storms or sudden cold fronts with freezing temperatures.
Bryan Barrett, NRCS agent (pictured far right) attended our Farmer Field Day in Comer, GA. Above, he shares details about EQIP’s struggle to keep up with US economic inflation. Farmer Russell Brydson (pictured far left) of Narrow Way Farm in McDonough, GA shares his experience navigating farm life post-2020.
They explained that the cost of high tunnel additions is offset by the standing protection they offer against chaotic weather. Since a single, sudden storm or cold front has the capability to impact the entire farm, the O’Sheas learned that having year-round protection is essential to crop retention. We spent some time discussing how prices for high tunnels have gone up dramatically in the past ten years. Bryan Barrett, an NRCS agent, joined us and explained that the EQIP program has not increased its cost share accordingly. EQIP reimbursement to farmers approved for the program in 2012 was around 75 percent of the cost. Today, reimbursement rates have dipped to around 50 percent. In light of the increased cost and smaller reimbursement rate, Mandy and Steve remained firm in their positive endorsement of the benefit of high tunnels.
3 Porch Farm’s four-stall compost barn sits amongst a small bamboo forest.
We left the high tunnel and headed to the compost barn, another conservation project that the NRCS supported. The barn helps organize waste, turn it when necessary, and produce quality compost that goes back into their soil, improving its health.
The tour concluded back at their old packing barn, where Steve broke down the cost of their most recent solar energy project, completed in 2019 — totaling a sizable 13kW power supply. They have completed five solar array projects in all, including rooftop panels on the barn, workshop, lumber/tractor shed, and parking structure. This comes to 36.5kw that powers the whole farm, producing twice the amount of energy needed so they can sell power back to the grid at a profit. They explained that between installing the solar themselves, taking advantage of the USDA’s REAP program and the federal tax credit, the return on investment was as little as 1 to 2 years. In addition, they benefit from a 80 percent reduction of their energy bill, plus, the ability to profit from selling the excess energy they produce. You can see the cost analysis from Mandy and Steve O’Shea of 3 Porch Farm below, along with links to all other shared resources from our field day.
Visit georgiaorganics.org to see all of what we do and follow us on social media @georgiaorganics for updates and weekly happenings.
For the first time in 12 years, Georgians will elect a new commissioner of agriculture this November, with three candidates vying for the position that oversees, regulates, or assists with dozens of crucial aspects of the food and farming system in Georgia. Agriculture is the state’s leading industry, generating $74 billion in economic activity each year.
Recognizing this historic moment, and the lack of attention this important race typically garners, Georgia Organics invited all three candidates to tour a certified organic farm, get to know the organization and the local and organic food movement, and speak with five certified organic farmers.
The Democratic and Republican candidates both accepted this invitation, and agreed to allow Georgia Organics to publish the answers to a series of questions so that our constituents could have a better understanding of their stances on issues important to our growers and members.
Democratic candidate Nakita Hemingway met with us on Oct. 3, 2022, and Republican candidate Tyler Harper met with us on Oct. 7, 2022. The Libertarian candidate David Raudabaugh was invited to answer the same questions on two occasions through a portal on his campaign’s website and has yet to reply. If he does, we will promote his answers as well.
To learn more about Georgia Organics’ Farmer Advocacy work, visit georgiaorganics.org/advocacy.
From left to right, Demetrius Milling, Russell Honderd, Joe Reynolds, Monica Ponce, Nakita Hemingway, and Daryll Bartolome.
From left to right, Russell Honderd, Joe Reynolds, Tyler Harper, Monica Ponce, Judith Winfrey, Georgia Organics President and CEO Alice Rolls, Matthew Agvent, and Demitrius Milling.
To learn more about our Farmer Advocacy work, visit georgiaorganics.org/advocacy and sign up for our email newsletter, The Dirt, for updates at bit.ly/thedirtsignup.
What do you think is the most important trend in agriculture affecting Georgia farmers right now?
There are a number of issues currently impacting our industry.
Agricultural land loss and access to land/capital is a significant issue. We are losing agricultural land every day, and that’s a significant loss to Georgia farmers. Right now, Georgia is projected to lose as much as 800,000 acres of agricultural land by 2040. Protecting Georgia’s Ag land is vitally important to the success of our industry. We also need to find ways to increase access to capital for our new and beginning farmers.
Input costs & inflation are putting a squeeze on all farmers and not just commodity farmers. I feel it on my own operation every day. This year the USDA forecasts a 5 percent decline in farm revenue, and there’s been a 50 percent decline in farm revenues over the past 20 years. We need to work on a way to get the retail dollars back to the farmer.
Labor is a significant issue. It’s in the top five if not the number one issue in agriculture today. A viable labor force is vital and that’s a really heavy problem in Georgia.
What do you think organic farmers in Georgia need from the Department of Agriculture?
Organic agriculture plays a vital part of agriculture in Georgia. Organic farmers need the same resources any farmer can expect from the department, and that is that we are partner in that farm’s success. It is vital for the department to ensure all of agriculture in Georgia is successful, and organic agriculture is a part of Georgia agriculture. The department can be and should be vitally important partner for Georgia’s organic farmers and groups like the Georgia Organic Peanut Association as they are getting their feet under them.
The Georgia Development Authority, which is chaired by the commissioner of agriculture, can support organizations like GOPA and Georgia Organics through financing, education, partnerships, and marketing. We can also work with the University System of Georgia and Georgia Technical College System on partnerships for research.
At the end of the day, I want to be a partner in making sure your operation is as successful as it can be.
What role if any do you think the GDA should have in dealing with climate change?
At the end of the day, the climate is always changing and the department can and should do things to allow agriculture be successful with climate change. Farmers have always and still deal with issues and forces outside of their control. Certain crops grow here now that we couldn’t grow before. Satsumas are grown in South Georgia now. It’s neat to see that. As the commissioner of agriculture, we are working to ensure the right resources are available for farmers related to climate change, from a resource and regulatory standpoint, the department can ensure Georgia farmers have access and are allowed to deal with a changing climate.
Soil health was identified as the number one issue our farmers care about. What does soil health mean to you, and how can the GDA better support farmers who are working towards improved soil health?
If you don’t take care of the land, the land won’t take care of you. If you don’t have proper soil health, you’ll see declining soil health, declining yields, and declining crop viability. Soil health allows you to grow crops, to grow a product.
Utilizing organic matter is important on my farm. We utilize peanut hay and chicken manure to improve soil health on my farm. Looking after soil health is ensuring you are taking care of your farm. The department partners with education and research institutions and everyday they are working on soil health at the different research plots across the state. If we are not working on soil health every day as farmers, we won’t be very successful on our farms.
What’s the most important function or program at the department you want to improve?
The most important program at the department is the Georgia Grown program and the most important role of the department is ensuring that Georgia’s food supply is safe, reliable, and secure. At the end of the day, the department needs to get resources from the General Assembly to make sure our food supply is safe, secure, and reliable. Having served in the Senate the 10 years, I’ve built strong relationships with bipartisan members of the General Assembly and Governor Kemp, and I’ll be able to make sure the department has the resources necessary to achieve this goal.
Georgia farmers are more efficient and more productive than they’ve ever been. Yet, hunger and farmer stress are both at all-time highs. What’s the solution for this paradox?
True. Mental health & farmer stress are significant issues in agriculture in Georgia and across the nation. I know that happens to me sometimes at my farm. University of Georgia held a farmer stress summit earlier this year and they are partnering with County Extension Services to connect farmers with local healthcare providers and nonprofits. We can tap into that extension that is present is every single county in Georgia to get farmers those needed resources.
On the hunger side, it is also a significant concern. In the legislature I was proud to work with the Governor to create and deliver funding for the Farm To Foodbank Program. Through this program we were able to get $800,000 in the state budget for foodbanks to purchase local produce that was not going to grocery stores. You know, 40 percent of the produce grown in Georgia doesn’t make it to market. So this program allows foodbanks to negotiate a price, buy from farmers, and get produce to the foodbank. Partnerships with foodbanks, religious institutions, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture will help us fight food insecurity and hunger in our state. That’s is really connecting farm to table and that is what the department can do.
What do you think is the most important trend in agriculture affecting Georgia farmers right now?
In a positive way, I believe 2020 really helped people connect the dots to just how insecure our food system really is, and how vulnerable we are to just supply chain shocks. The way that we respond has been phenomenal. I will admit a lot of people probably never even looked at my face on Facebook, but I've been in all of these gardening groups. I'm the person who they could have sworn was a 70-year-old lady giving everyone advice on how to cultivate tomatoes in your backyard for the first time.
There is this thirst for knowledge and connectedness around our food and where it comes from and how we can be a part of that, that I believe it's a profound opportunity for us to expand upon that curiosity and grow the next generation of farmers and build out what those support systems look like. You guys, by your own admission, you went to technical colleges to learn this because you didn't want to go through an entire four-year curriculum just to get the essentials in order for you to be efficient in this new love of yours. I don't even consider it a passion or identity or a job because to farm you must love it or be born in it and trapped in it.
That's one aspect. The negative aspect is the lack of control over the marketplaces and the opportunities in this space. We have policies that on surface they say, "This is essential to protect society, to make sure that marketplace is free, fair, equitable for everyone," but we know it's not equitable for everyone. How do we think differently about the end game goal, which is to get more of Georgia-grown foods on the tables of families and get more money in the pockets of farmers?
For me, when I'm travelling throughout the state and I'm talking to some of the more rural farmers who don't have as much access as even you guys do, their number one question is, "How are you going to get my foods on the shelves of the grocery stores?" I tell them, "I'm not, but this is what I'm going to do." Reality is you've got to be able to scale to produce in order to get the products on the grocery stores. Then there's that extra layer of, you're selling this wholesale to them at the prices they've determined. There's no negotiating because they have all the power.
That's now cutting into your profit margins and your end-dollar is smaller. What if we built more farmers' markets? What if we create more digital opportunities for people to know about you and build more agritourism regulations so that you have a tourism component where people are coming to tour your farm, see your operation? You're making more of your money. You're becoming more self-sustaining in your business practice. At the end of the day, that's what you really want.
Then in about 5 years when the grocery stores are not as profitable, they'll come back and they'll want to renegotiate terms. Guess who has all the power? You do. Then you can negotiate terms that are more favorable for you. That's how we shift the narrative. We can't operate from a space of weakness when we're trying to negotiate deals. We've got to take some bold steps, so we can shift that power structure to where we are winning in the end.
What do you think organic farmers in Georgia need from the Department of Agriculture?
Support. When you made that apparent that that need is not there, and it is something that we need to incorporate, it's not just having somebody sit in that seat and champion those ideas, we need a whole educational component behind it.
I do understand Georgia Organics has their system, but I do believe there's power and redundancy as well. That's what I'm looking at. Then it is how can we build community around this. It can't be so stoic that it's just government and private. There needs to be community support around that so that it's organic in its adaptation.
What role, if any, do you think the Georgia Department of Agriculture should have in dealing with climate change?
I think we can do a lot. The sunflowers you're growing, there's sequestering. They can remove heavy metals and toxins out of the soil. If you do the research and you look at Chernobyl, that was one of the two crops they planted. The other was cannabis and hemp to try and remove some of the radiation. I believe it's about education and educating growers on companion planning. I wouldn't say commodity farming doesn't have its value because everything has a value, but I do want to lean in more to how can we add crop rotation or companion planning so that we use less toxins in the soil.
We do it a lot with our cut flowers, so we know which flowers that we can grow next to each other because they're going to take care of, much like what you guys do with your vegetables, that they're going to take care of each other. There's been a lot of research in the use of chrysanthemum oil and what it can do for pesticides, but also for human beings too, for figure. I believe agriculture can do a lot. There are emerging opportunities in agriculture structure as carbon farming, which is selling carbon credits to corporations by types of farming. We don't have a system for that here in Georgia. It is a new opportunity.
I definitely want to look into that. Also going back to the Hemp cannabis conversation, let's look at it from beyond where everyone likes to take the conversation into medicinal versus the psychedelic attributes of it. Let's look at it from the environmental aspect of this as well. Then one day I would love to be able to get in zoning codes where you're not tied into the grid, and you can have solar or hydro-powered facilities because I think that's impactful. You can't do that yet in Georgia. As a matter of fact, they just passed a bill, if not this term, last term, where certain parts of South Georgia must be tied into a grid. They don't have an option.
Soil health was identified as the number one issue our farmers care about. What does soil health mean to you, and how can the GDA better support farmers who are working towards improved soil health?
There is a direct relationship between the global erosion of topsoil and global warming. Also, when we talk about locally grown agriculture, we don't speak about it from the components, the aspect of climate change. In the cut flower industry in the United States in the 1990s, they created the Andes Free Trade Agreement or Fair Trade Agreement, which incentivize Columbian and cocaine farmers. Columbian and Ecuadorian cocaine farmers to turn their farms into cut flower farms. Because of that all of the cut flower farms disappeared overnight, which is why we import over 80% of our flowers.
They come mostly from South America, Africa. We get some from Europe, like Holland, different places like that. In this, they did a study and they found that, and by the way, Memorial Day is the day in which people consume the most flowers, not Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. They found in 2019 that we imported 141 million blooms. Now we're importing flowers every single day but 2019 on Valentine's Day, 141 million roses. That was the equivalent of 78,000 cars being on the road for an entire year. We're importing flowers every single day. When we lean into locally grown, that reduces the carbon footprint because we're not importing and exporting as much.
What's the most important function or program at the department that you want to improve?
Efficiency. I don't believe the office is running efficiently. There is a lot of waste in terms of dollars and efforts. There is a high churn rate with staffing. It's very difficult for this department to match private dollars in terms of salary and compensation for workers. Veterinarians and our shelters are overrun and they lack resources. The list is long. Pet breeding is a huge issue here in Georgia, and anyone can breed a pet.
If the Department of Agriculture actually started charging a fee, that's revenue, a licensing fee to breeders, that's revenue for the Department of Agriculture, which means more resources for farmers, more efficiency. It's just those things is finding where we are not running in an efficient way, peeling back those layers. I'm just going to be honest with you, cleaning house because there are a lot of people who are there who have no desire to do what is required of the job and attracting and retaining the best talent. Honestly, it's a very long list of things that need to be done, but it can be done.
Georgia farmers are more efficient and more productive than they've ever been, yet hunger and farmer stress are both at all-time highs. What's the solution for this paradox?
The solution is you build out farmer support systems because suicide rates amongst farmers are the highest per profession. You find out where they're losing. For me, it is why is this so high? When I talk to you guys about interest rates or mortgage, that financial, when you're spending so much to run an operation that's making so little, this is a tie to your identity. It's not just a business where you can just say, "Okay, I'm done. I walk away from this."
Farming is everything for most people who are in it. Having resources for mental health going to be very important. Building community within those communities so that when you're going to the Department of Agriculture, you're not speaking to some stranger. You're speaking to your neighbor or a friend down the street because they work in that department and they live in that community.
It's also listening. I have my ideas about what I want to change, but it's like the comment you made about, "Well if we bring in cannabis to him, this is going to impact rental rates." Now you're bringing to me the problems you are seeing. Now, this is something new I add to my ever-never-ending list of, "Okay, so this is what we got to work on," and as when you told me we need a branch that focuses on organic farming. "Okay, so now we've added this to the list."
Additional Resources
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Harper, Hemingway Vie to Bring New Leadership to State’s Ag Dept.
Tyler Harper’s campaign website
Nakita Hemingway’s campaign website
David Raudabaugh’s campaign website
The Atlanta Press Club’s Ag Commissioner debate video.
https://youtu.be/B4e4YWEwLU0
The role of the Georgia Department of Agriculture
Methodology
Georgia Organics went to extensive efforts to be as fair and transparent with all candidates as possible.
Both the Republican and Democratic candidates toured the Love is Love Cooperative Farm in Mansfield, Ga., and met with Georgia Organics President and CEO Alice Rolls to learn more about the state of organic agriculture in Georgia. The candidates also met with the five farm owners and workers at the Love is Love Cooperative Farm.
Love is Love Cooperative Farm was selected as the host farm because of its relative proximity to Atlanta, which was important to both candidates, and because its ownership structure allowed candidates to meet with five farmers at one location.
The questions we asked the candidates were compiled by Georgia Organics and expanded upon by the farmers present during the conversations, and former Georgia Organics board chair Joe Reynolds asked the candidates the questions. Hemingway agreed to be recorded during this part of the conversation. Harper did answer all of our questions in the meeting, and allowed us to take notes of his answers, but did not allow us to record the conversation. Georgia Organics sent the notes on Harper’s answers to his campaign staff, and returned them to us for publication with only minor edits.
Georgia Organics also sent a transcript of Hemingway’s answers to her campaign and allowed them to edit her questions, if desired. Hemingway did not edit her answers.
The answers shown in this package accurately reflect the conversations between the candidates, the farmers, and Georgia Organics.
By Ain Chiké
Ain Chiké is a Georgia Organics Farmer Services Coordinator
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.
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.
By Michael Wall
Michael Wall is Georgia Organics’ Director of Advocacy and previous Director of Farmer Services.
Georgia Organics Farmer Advocate Michael Wall and Albany organic farmer and Georgia Organics board member Sed Rowe asked federal lawmakers for more institutional support for organic growers on a March trip to Washington, D.C.
During the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Week and Advocacy Day, Rowe and Wall met with lawmakers or their staff from the offices of Rev. Sen. Raphael Warnock, Rep. Nikema Williams, Rep. Sanford Bishop, and Sen. Mitch McConnel.
Farmer Sed Rowe and Farmer Advocate Michael Wall with staff members of Rep. Nikema Williams office on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The top priorities Rowe and Wall discussed with lawmakers included much-needed improvements to the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), which has been diminshed by recent changes enacted by the USDA Farm Service Agency. Also, they asked for the full amount of funding that has already been approved for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), program, the continuous improvement of the National Organic Program, continued funding for the OAO 2501 program and its support of BIPOC growers, and funding for organic research.
Farmer Advocate Michael Wall and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Director Sarah Hackney, who has participated in and presented at numerous Georgia Organics Annual Conferences.
The meetings were either beginning or continuing important relationships that could benefit Georgia Organics’ farm members, especially during upcoming Farm Bill discussions, which have already kicked off with several U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearings.
In addition to the Capitol Hill visits, Rowe was also a panelist during a State Organic Network session and talked about his organic and hemp accomplishments achieved in partnership with Georgia Organics. And, Wall participated in several meetings as a member of OTA’s Farmers Advisory Council, Climate Change Task Force, and Diversity Committee. He also took the time in D.C. to meet with long-time partners at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), which has worked hard for decades to forge the Farm Bill into legislation that puts organic farmers on equal footing with the rest of American agriculture.
To keep up with the Farm Bill and many other critical agriculture bills, sign up to receive NSAC’s weekly newsletters here, and learn more about the Farm Bill here.
By Michael Wall
Michael Wall is Georgia Organics’ Director of Advocacy and previous Director of Farmer Services.
As a non-profit, Georgia Organics updates its strategic plan every five years to ensure it remains on track with its mission, values, and farmer-focused programming.
Typically, the board of directors, key constituents, and important partners are interviewed to assess the changing landscape that Georgia Organics operates within, and the needs of the community that Georgia Organics attempts to serve.'
One of the surprising elements that emerged from these discussions in the most recent strategic plan was a strong direction for Georgia Organics to re-launch its advocacy efforts, this time with a singular focus on farmer prosperity.
To that end, and after months of conversations and planning within the Georgia Organics offices, Lauren Cox was promoted to Director of Farmer Services, and Michael Wall moved over to the new position of Director of Farmer Advocacy.
It must be noted that advocacy is not a brand-new effort for Georgia Organics.
Roughly 10 years ago, Georgia Organics had an Advocacy Director, Jennifer Owens, who addressed small-scale poultry processing, early Farm to School efforts, and many other important topics. Also, the Atlanta Local Food Initiative, another Georgia Organics initiative under the leadership of now Director of Programs Suzanne Girdner, also engaged in policy work that gave rise the City of Atlanta’s urban agriculture legislation and later the city’s first Urban Agriculture director position.
Wall and other members of the farmer services team, including Donn Cooper and Tenisio Seanima, and the board of directors, such as farmer Joe Reynolds of Love is Love Farm Collective, have worked on advocacy in the past, especially around the Farm Bill, SARE and NRCS funding, and the Organic Cost Share Reimbursement Program.
The strategic plan was approved by the Georgia Organics board of directors on Nov. 8, 2021, and includes several key themes that pertain to advocacy, partnerships, and movement building, especially around farmer prosperity, racial justice, and climate change.
For example, one of the plan’s goal states that Georgia Organics work would:
“Grow an influential network of advocates who champion organic and regenerative farmers.”
Other key themes from the Strategic Plan summary related to Farmer Advocacy work:
Move from program building to movement building. Step fully into our role as a convening and advocacy organization.
Foster strong partnerships, and together pursue collective impact strategies.
Become an integral part of Georgia’s climate change solutions.
So far, Georgia Organics Farmer Advocacy work has been based on strong existing partnerships and previous advocacy experience, especially around the Farm Bill with partners such as the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the Organic Trade Association. In March, Wall and organic farmer and board member Sed Rowe traveled to Washington, D.C., and met with federal lawmakers about the Farm Bill and the needs of Georgia’s organic farmers.
Georgia Organics and a handful of farmers also been hosted USDA Undersecretary Jennifer Lester Moffitt to discuss much-needed improvements to the Organic Cost Share Reimbursement Program, and the upcoming Organic Transitioning Initiative, which will have $300 million devoted to support farmers seeking organic certification.
Most importantly, Georgia Organics’ advocacy agenda will be set by its most important constituents: farmers. Over the Spring and early summer of 2022, Georgia Organics distributed a survey to more than 1,000 farmers to determine their highest policy priorities.
That survey will be finalized and analyzed over the coming weeks, and a report will be shared with Georgia Organics’ farmer members and partners.
Champion diversity, equity and inclusion internally and externally, working towards becoming an anti-racist organization
Move from program building to movement building. Step fully into our role as a convening and advocacy organization.
Invest in farmers, especially Black farmers, and local food communities.
Refocus core programs by regionalizing/localizing work and centering on farmer prosperity.
Foster strong partnerships, and together pursue collective impact strategies.
Use the power of storytelling to recruit more advocates and members to the movement.
Become an integral part of Georgia’s climate change solutions.
Re-envision and reshape The Farmer Fund to increase impact.
Expand and diversify revenue streams, including unrestricted revenue and fee-based services.
Organize, invest in, and develop staff and board to ensure needed skills, aligning with the organization’s values and capacity to achieve goals.
Consider these delivery mechanisms and ways to build the movement: direct services; partnerships; investment; convening and peer-to-peer services; advocacy.
Farmer Prosperity
We believe that thriving farmers are the catalyst for a transformed world playing the central role in the interdependency between restored soil, thriving people, stronger communities, and healthier environment.
Soil Health and Environmental Stewardship
We believe agriculture should use soil-building farming practices, and steward our air, land, and water resources.
Anti-Racism
We believe in working intentionally, consistently, and collaboratively to transform our food system, our farming system, and our own organization to one that is anti-racist, multi-cultural, diverse, and just.
Community & Collective Impact
We believe in the inherent talents, passions, and wisdom that exist in communities and our partners in the local food movement. We believe working collectively is essential to transforming our food system to be healthy, local and organic.
Climate Action
We believe organic farming is a critical solution to sequester carbon in our soil and mitigate the catastrophic impacts of climate change on people and ecosystems.
Public Health
We believe that public health begins in the soil where our food is grown and raised and organic farmers are stewards of our health and should be recognized and supported accordingly.
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.!
“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.
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.
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.!
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
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 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.
