The True Cost of Local Small-Scale Poultry

By Kayla Williams, Georgia Organics Farmer Services Coordinator 

A craving for chicken parmesan hits you. You plan to make the sauce with the delicious tomatoes you picked up at your local farmers’ market but ponder where to get your chicken. Sure, you could grab some chicken raised in Georgia and labeled as American Humane Association Certified Humanely Raised (Certified Humane), from a nearby grocery store.   

What does Certified Humane really mean though? Consumer Reports defined the label as meaning that “the animal was raised on a farm and slaughtered in a slaughterhouse that met the organization's "core criteria." These criteria include meeting basic needs, such as food and fresh water; providing care for sick and injured animals; and humane treatment on the farm, and during transport and slaughter.”

It’s a good start, but the label doesn’t require that the chicken’s natural inclinations like roaming free in a pasture is met, and the farm only needs to meet 85% of the requirements, although customers are not given the privilege of knowing which 85% of requirements are being met versus not met.  

Pasture raised chicken is typically difficult to find in a typical supermarket but it’s easy to check with the poultry farmers at your local farmers’ market. Pasture raised means exactly that – the chickens are raised in a pasture, and frequently moved (sometimes daily, sometimes weekly) to another part of a field to eat bugs and fertilize the land with manure for future healthy crops to grow on (you can harvest crops 90 days after manure has been applied to the field).  

Now, imagine a world in which you didn’t have to look up a label, didn’t have to guess about the kind of environment that those chickens were being raised in and knew exactly where your money was going. That world does exist, even within Georgia! The price may be higher than what you’ll find at your local supermarket and it may be a bit more labor on your end to find that local chicken, but there are some really good reasons why that price is higher.  

The current Georgia Department of Agriculture’s poultry processing rules favor the large producers, stating that only farms that raise less than 1,000 birds can process on the farm. This means that if you raise more than 1,000 birds per year, you need to use an off-farm processor.

Gabriel Jimenez of Caribe United Farm

As Gabriel Jimenez of Caribe United Farm put it, “Finding a good processor is like finding a good mechanic. It requires a lot of trust, because I love and care about my animals and when I give them to the processor for them to finish, I have to trust that they are going to treat them with the same love and care.”  

Melissa Nisbet of Four Bellies Farm in Bowdon, Georgia generally books with a Kentucky-based processor, a five-hour drive from the farm, one full year in advance to ensure she can get her batch processed. The Kentucky processor had a labor shortage due to COVID-19 which has been common for processors across the country which gave Melissa the impetus to find another processor as a backup plan. She has also used a processor in Sylacauga, Alabama, just an hour and a half away.  

Four Bellies Farm

When I spoke to Melissa on the phone recently, her husband and business partner, Avery Nisbet, had just driven the batch to be processed in Alabama the previous evening. A few days later, he’ll go get the processed meat and trailer that he left there. That’s six hours of driving back and forth, which is notably less than the roundtrip to their former processor in Kentucky but still a significant amount of time in a farmer’s week! Gas, time, and processing fees add up. To process the approximately 580 chickens (including some getting cut up, some getting turned into sausage, as well as additional processing for feet, livers and hearts), Melissa expects they’ll spend approximately $4000 at the processor.  

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Until recently, there were no USDA-inspected poultry processing facilities open to small scale producers. In spring of 2021, Shaun Terry of Grateful Pastures Farm, Georgia’s only local pasture raised certified-organic chicken producer, partnered with a nearby deer processing facility in Loganville, GA to open Atlanta Poultry Processing and began filling the void for small-scale poultry producers in Georgia. 

Shaun Terry and Beth Johnson

The first year Shaun started farming, he tried to process 100 birds on the farm. It took him a week to process 70 birds and after that, he decided he’d process off farm. Finding a reliable processing facility in quality, availability and convenience was always a difficulty for Shaun until he took matters into his own hands. After renting storage freezer space at one of Beth Johnson’s deer processing facilities several years prior, Shaun and Beth decided to open a poultry processing facility within the deer processing facility. He noted that having Beth’s processing wisdom, combined with the knowledge of Shaun’s former processor in Kentucky (the same that Four Bellies Farm used to use) made it possible for the Atlanta Poultry Processing facility to start up quickly.  

Atlanta Poultry Processing

Folks who work with Shaun and Beth have ranged from beginning farmers coming from all over Georgia and the surrounding states with less than fifty birds up to 600 bird batches, the size of Grateful Pastures’ typical batches. When asked if creating a facility closer to home changed retail-prices, Shaun replied “No, in fact my processing costs have gone up.” The Kentucky-based processor is part of the Mennonite community so labor is cheaper, making the price per bird less than what Atlanta Poultry Processing can charge to keep themselves afloat. 

Want to get in touch with Shaun and Beth? Email atlantapoultryprocessing@gmail.com.  

The price of feed adds to the retail cost of local poultry as well. For a little perspective, Four Bellies needs more feed every 5-6 weeks (Freedom Ranger chickens need about 9-11 weeks to mature to full size). They buy 5 tons of non-GMO soy-free feed for their flock and most recently, it cost them $569/ton including a delivery fee. This feed goes towards both the mature chickens (who went to the processor in Alabama) and the chicks in the brooder (who will move to the tractor in a few weeks). The chicks eat a lot less than the more mature chickens so it’s hard to say exactly how much feed costs per the recently processed flock, but either way, feed is expensive. And this feed isn’t even certified organic. The prices for certified organic feed are higher–Shaun Terry pays $1100/ton.  

In April 2021, a “Notice of Intent to Amend Poultry Inspection–Poultry Processing Rules” was released from the Georgia Department of Agriculture that would change Rule 40-10-2-.02. from being able to process on farm if you only raised 1,000 birds or less to 20,000 birds or less.

This rule has not yet been implemented by Commissioner Gary Black and his administration but it has been approved. If a farm has the processing equipment and labor force to process on farm, this change of rule could potentially save folks time, money, and stress. When asked if they would process on farm given the new amendment, Melissa said “At this point, probably not because we don’t have the labor or equipment, but if we were just starting out our operation with this new rule, we might.”

For Gabriel, he searched for over a year before finding anyone to help him on the farm without even considering the labor required processing on farm. Gabriel also noted that as the requirements currently stand, if you process your birds on farm, you can only sell them direct-to-consumer (like at a farmer’s market) as opposed to selling wholesale.

Tamita Brown of Caribe United

Shaun stated that if he hadn’t just opened the Atlanta Poultry Processing facility, he might have considered processing on farm depending on the details of the rule. If he could process whole birds as well as cuts, he might consider. If the infrastructure rules required a drainable floor, walk in cooler, and walk in freezer among all the other equipment required to process, he probably wouldn’t process on farm. Small amendments like these have the potential to open doors for small poultry farmers but unless the rules favor flexibility in cuts and accessible infrastructure, many folks will continue to outsource for processing.

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Are you craving chicken parmesan still? Follow these folks to find out where you can buy some local poultry.

• Four Bellies (@fourbellies on Instagram and Facebook)

• Grateful Pastures (@gratefulpastures on Instagram and @gratefulpasturesfarm on Facebook)

• Caribe United (@caribeunitedfarm on Instagram and Facebook)

• Grassroots Farms (@grassrootsfarmsga on Instagram and Facebook)

• White Oak Pastures (@whiteoakpastures on Instagram and Facebook)

Follow Georgia Organics on social media @GeorgiaOrganics and at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.

Creating Rich Environments: In the Compost Bin & the Classroom!

By Kimberly Koogler

Kimberly Koogler is the Farm to School Coordinator at Georgia Organics.

Last week, in partnership with teacher and farm to school expert Jenna Mobley, our Farm to School team presented a bilingual workshop all about composting and teaching composting lessons to English Language Learners. “Creating Rich Environments: In the Classroom and the Compost Bin” (click to view) was, much like compost itself, packed with super rich content.

We covered the why, who, what, how, and where of composting—the benefits, the decomposers, the compostable ingredients, and the containers and spaces for composting—in English and Spanish. We interspersed all of that information with interactive, dynamic lessons that teach composting in a way that is accessible to English Language Learners and fun for everyone, using the ten key components of Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE).

Farm to school expert Jenna Mobley

If you imagine all of the info, facts, rules, tips, and tricks that were presented as brown ingredients and all of the fresh, juicy lessons as green ingredients, our workshop itself resembled a healthy compost bin.

We sang, danced, made compost cake, even used some sign language, and we learned A LOT.

You can teach a group of students how to compost, the science behind it, and why it’s important, in such a way that they are also learning English and having fun. What a productive way to teach and what a rich environment you create in doing so!

Some key takeaways in case you missed it:

• Everyone can make compost! Choose from a diverse array of compost bin options for affordable, indoor and outdoor composting.

• There are many “rules of three” by which you can help yourself remember the how-to's of composting and troubleshooting.

• The FBI (fungus bacteria invertebrates) have a very special job—decomposition!

  • We can help them by giving them home, food, water, and air.

  • For their food, remember: if it grows, it goes.

  • We can put it in the pot, and let it all rot, for compost stew!

If any of the above left you wondering, you definitely need to check out the recording of this workshop, as well as our composting resources: Georgia Organics Composting Handbook in English and Spanish.

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

ECE Sourcing Solutions...sort of!

By Kimberly Della Donna 

Kimberly Della Donna is the Farm to School Director at Georgia Organics. Kimberly has always been interested in local foods systems and distribution, and finds the challenges Early Care and Education (ECE) providers have finding local food supply chains especially intriguing. She thinks that seeking local sourcing solutions for early care providers seems like a good strategy for job security. 

Two years ago, Georgia Organics embarked on a research project we optimistically called our “ECE Local Sourcing Solutions” project. If you’re an early care and education provider struggling to find sources of local produce, you know just how optimistic that title is!

Together with a researcher from GSU and another researcher from UGA, I set out to identify all the possible sources an early care provider in Georgia could tap for local food. We reached out to over thirty distributors and farmers that we thought definitely or possibly distributed local fresh food in Georgia. We were disappointed to only confirm and interview 15 sources, but it was exciting to create a directory of those sources specifically for ECE providers.

The Local Food Sourcing Directory listings include definitions of “local food,” as well as information on how each distributor identifies the grower of the food in their catalog. We tried to put all the information a provider needs to choose the vendor who fits with their local purchasing goals.  

The Local Food Sourcing Directory

Our next steps were to connect at least four of those vendors to ECE providers with local food sourcing goals so we could follow their progress of the purchasing relationship and note their process. We hoped to document their challenges and successes and create models to make it easier for other ECE purchasers to set up new, local purchasing programs. We never imagined it would be so challenging! Besides the challenge of finding the right geographical matches, providers who could meet distributors minimum orders, and farmers who had the time to even talk about direct purchasing relationships, there was COVID-19- which slammed the breaks on our project for over four months while upending supply chains and ECE environments. Needless to say, we didn’t find a long list of “ECE Local Sourcing Solutions”. 

Sourcing Solutions Best Practices

Sourcing Solutions Recommendations for Support Organizations

In the end, we were able to document four successful ECE local purchasing programs from different regions in Georgia. As those of us who work in early care know, there are so many different sizes, shapes, and styles of early care environments that one- size will never fit all when it comes to local purchasing. This short report shares some best practices that most providers seeking to create a local purchasing program can use as a guide, though.  

There are also some common challenges (too many challenges!) to be aware of when setting your expectations.  

There are even recommendations for agencies and organizations who support ECE providers.   

My favorite parts are the “Success Stories”, which share the innovative and inspiring ways that four brilliant business owners have created programs that support the health and wellness of Georgia’s little eaters, those who care for them, and their communities. 

Read the Farm to Early Care Sourcing Strategies infographic report here 

Meet the Board: Amy McMorrow, Director, Member of Governance and FunComms Committees

By Mary Elizabeth Kidd

Mary Elizabeth is the Communications Director at Georgia Organics.

All non-profits that are strong and effective have one thing in common: a strong and effective board. Georgia Organics’ board of directors meet quarterly, serve on committees within the organization, and shape the strategic direction while helping us connect with new people, partners, and members.

In this new blog series, we’re meeting members of Georgia Organics’ Board of Directors! Stay tuned as we continue to spotlight the folks that help to guide the work of our organization.

View our full list of board members, and stay tuned via our weekly newsletter, The Dirt, for announcements on board nominations!

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MEET THE BOARD

Amy McMorrow, Attorney & Community Activist. Amy serves on the Governance and FunComms (Fundraising+Communications) Committees.

Hi Amy! Give us a bit of background about yourself…

I am originally from central Illinois - the Land of Lincoln, and lots of corn and soybeans.  I went to school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and after a couple of years in Chicago, moved to Atlanta with my husband and attended law school at Georgia State University.  After graduating, I spent ten years working in environmental law at Troutman Sanders.  Since leaving the practice, I have volunteered extensively with the Dunwoody Nature Center, serving in several officer positions on the Board of Directors and providing leadership in various capital expansion projects.  I also spent several years managing a parent-led outdoor education program at the elementary school level, which incorporated Farm to School elements (with help from Georgia Organics!).

What brought you into the world of sustainable farming, organic food, etc.?

First and foremost, eating!  But also great concern about the extensive reliance on chemical inputs in our conventional agriculture system.  I believe in supporting organic farmers, research that serves to educate all eaters about the benefits of organic farming, and improving access to clean, fresh food for all who wish to stock their pantries and refrigerators with the best food available.

What’s your favorite season to shop the farmers market? Any favorite fruits/vegetables?

Summer!  And nothing says summer like fresh peaches, tomatoes, and melon.

How did you first connect with Georgia Organics, what interested you the most about our work?

I first connected with Georgia Organics through the Farm to School program in its earliest stages.  My friend Erin Croom introduced me to her work, and then to Alice, and opened my eyes to the good work Georgia Organics has been engaged in over the years to support our farmers, tell their stories, and advocate for organic farming across the state.  This effort is so multi-faceted, and Georgia Organics is working through so many angles to connect eaters, growers, policy-makers, and so many other stakeholders.  I love the concept that food is what connects us all on the most basic level.

What skills, connections, resources, expertise, etc. do you bring to the table as a board member? What appeals to you about board service with Georgia Organics? 

I hope to be able to provide support to the organization in my board role in both fundraising and nonprofit corporate governance.  I think it is so important for highly functioning boards to have a strong foundation in internal policy and governance.  Such a foundation ensures that the substantive work of the organization proceeds smoothly and that board members and other volunteers are engaged and put to their highest and best use.  We need all the great ideas and energy this staff and board bring to the table every day, and a strong organizational foundation and effective fundraising enables all that good work to flourish.

What excites you about the future of Georgia Organics?

We are nearing the conclusion of our strategic planning effort, and there's so much in store for the organization and its stakeholders.  I'm excited to see us take all the lessons and opportunities presented from the last crazy year and a half, and engage with our partner organizations, farmers, eaters, and policymakers in new and creative ways that advance the mission of Georgia Organics.

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Give Your Soil a ‘Rays’ with Biosolarization

By Porter Mitchell

Porter Mitchell is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics.

Biosolarization

Biosolarization is an organic method of weed control that uses heat from the sun to kill weeds. A farmer covers their growing area with clear plastic and keeps the soil underneath the plastic moist using drip irrigation. The sun heats the soil up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit which kills weeds and weed seeds.

Biosolarization Courtesy of Semantic Scholar

Biosolarization is also good for the soil. When the ground is thoroughly watered the water displaces the air in the soil. This creates an anaerobic (oxygen free) environment for helpful bacteria and fungi to grow and flourish. These fungi and bacteria help make nutrients more available for crops and can even kill many soil-borne diseases.

Research performed by our friends at ATTRA/NCAT shows that biosolarization is extremely effective on nutsedge, mustards, pigweed, thistle, and annual grasses. One study showed that biosolarization reduced weed coverage from 34 percent to four percent!

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Tips for Using Biosolarization at Your Farm:

• You must use clear plastic. Black plastic blocks the sun’s UV rays and keeps the soil from becoming hot enough to kill weeds and weed seeds. Try using old hoop house plastic to save on costs. 

• You must keep the soil under the plastic moist. Water thoroughly.

• You must create a good seal on the plastic to keep air out and moisture in. Air coming in can cool the soil and hamper the process.

How long does biosolarization take?

It takes roughly four weeks to kill weeds and weed seeds through biosolarization but the time can vary on temperature, humidity, soil type, and weed type. It’s best practice to take notes on which area you laid the plastic, which weeds are a problem in that area, and how long it took kill the weeds. A temperature log can also be useful if you are using biosolarization during the fall, winter, and spring seasons when weather can be unpredictable.

Drawbacks of Biosolarization

Alas, there is no perfect method of weed control. Here are some drawbacks of biosolarization:

• Biosolarization does not kill weeds that spread with deep rhizomes like Johnson grass.

• Biosolarization is not a realistic method of weed control if you do not use drip irrigation.

• Rolling out drip irrigation and plastic is time consuming, although some farmers have been successful at rolling drip irrigation lines and plastic mulch simultaneously using their plastic layers.

• Keeping the edges sealed means weighing them down, and weighing them down means moving and managing heavy sandbags.

• Removing the plastic, cleaning it, and storing it can be a time-consuming and messy process. 

Biosolarization Courtesy of UC Davis

Biosolarization Pro-Tip

Do you know that a field or bed has the same weed pressure every year? Get a head start on weeds by using biosolarization right when weeds emerge!

Up the Ante with ASD!

ASD is short for anaerobic soil disinfestation (that’s a mouthful!). ASD causes bacteria in the soil to release compounds that act as pesticides, killing harmful soil-borne diseases and pests. ASD also accelerates breaking down organic matter.

The process for ASD is similar to biosolarization but with two important differences: the farmer spreads a thick layer of organic matter on the area before covering and the farmer uses permeable plastic mulch instead of clear plastic. Use whatever organic matter you have readily available like compost, used straw, or broken-down wood chips.

Have you tried biosolarization? Let us know your results and any helpful tips or lessons learned! Email Porter at porter [at] georgiaorganics.org

Making Soil from Scraps: The Dirt on Backyard Composting, Aug. 12 Workshop

By Melissa Needham

Melissa Needham is the summer Farm to School intern at Georgia Organics. She is a Master of Public Health student at the Rollins School of Public Health where she studies behavioral, social, and health education sciences. Melissa developed an interest in gardening and nutrition, education, and health equity while attending Appalachian State University. Interested in exploring the connection between education and health outcomes, Melissa served 2 years as a Teach for America corps member in Selma, Alabama, and 1 year as a Food Corps service member in Raleigh, North Carolina.

To learn more about composting as well as best practices for supporting and engaging English language learners in the classroom, register for the Creating Rich Environments: In the Compost Bin and the Classroom workshop on Thursday, August 12, 2021, from 4:00 - 5:30 PM. This bilingually-presented workshop hosted by Georgia Organics will lead K-12 teachers and early childcare providers through how to best to engage and support English language learners in the classroom through compost education.

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Photo credit: Jenna Shea Photography

While some consider coffee grounds, fallen leaves, potato peels, and yesterday’s newspaper as just a few more items to stuff into the garbage, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The natural process of recycling organic matter like kitchen scraps, leaves, twigs, and yard trimmings back into a valuable and highly-treasured soil-like material is called composting. With the help of bacteria, fungi, worms, mites, and other decomposers, organic or once-living material is broken down into nutrient-rich compost.

More than Dirt

Aside from creating a rich soil amendment with loads of nutrients to add to your garden, composting diverts landfill waste, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and revitalizes soil and water.

Composting reduces waste. Organic materials like discarded food and yard trimmings make up nearly one-third of what reaches landfills and incinerators. 1 As organic material breaks down without air in landfills, it produces methane gas—a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 2 Composting your food scraps, paper, yard trimmings, and more can significantly lower methane emissions.

Photos by Georgia Organics’ Farm to School Director Kimberly Della Donna

Composting improves soil. Compost breaks up heavy, compacted soils like the clay soils we have in Georgia, which allows plant roots to spread, improves soil drainage, and aerates the soil. It functions like a sponge when introduced to soil—it soaks up and holds nutrients and water where the plants need it most. Compost also contains many nutrients that boost soil health and help plants grow and function at their best.

Compost protects and revitalizes water. Because of compost’s sponge-like abilities, adding compost to the soil increases how much water can penetrate the soil which reduces runoff, prevents erosion, and replenishes springs, ponds, and lakes.

Photo by Kimberly Della Donna

The Rot Ingredients

When composting, it’s important to remember your Rule of Threes:

1.       Your pile should be 3’x3’x3’

2.       Add one-part green to two-parts brown.

3.       Keep your pile aerated and moist.

Your pile should be large enough to maintain heat, which means that it should be a minimum of 3'x3'x3' (or one cubic yard). A smaller pile will still produce compost but will take longer to do so. Just like us, our decomposers need three basic ingredients to break down organic material: food, air, and water!

Much like us, decomposers need a balanced diet to perform optimally. We separate the two kinds of organic materials they eat into greens and browns. Green materials are high in nitrogen whereas brown materials are high in carbon. Add one-part green nitrogen-rich material, such as food waste and grass clippings, to every two parts of brown carbon-containing material like newspaper, leaves, branches, and twigs. Avoid adding bones, meat, cheese, and other dairy products or oils, dogs and cat waste, and weeds.

Aerobic organisms need oxygen, so turn your compost every week. Turning too little will result in unfinished, smelly compost. Turning too often will produce finished compost slower and may allow some harmful microbes and weed seeds to survive. Compost should be about 50% moisture, or about as moist as a wrung-out sponge. If the pile is too dry, materials will decompose very slowly and if the pile is too wet, it will produce a foul odor.

Photo credit: Jenna Shea Photography

Harvest your compost when it is a rich dark brown color, smells earthy, feels cool, and crumbles in your hand. Let your compost sit for longer if there are still recognizable pieces of food, the pile feels warm, or compost is producing an odor. With the “rot” ingredients, time, and patience, you can transform your scraps into soil from your backyard.

Creating Rich Environments

There are countless composting methods, so consider your goals, space, and waste when selecting the best method for you. Whether you choose to purchase or construct a composter, or dispose of your waste through a composting service, composting is one of the simplest ways to promote a healthy, sustainable environment.

Register for the Creating Rich Environments: In the Compost Bin and the Classroom workshop here. For additional composting resources, check out our Composting Handbook.

#LivinLaVidaOkra: Summer Adventures in Okra

By Yaza Sarieh

Yaza Sarieh is a contractor for Farm to School at Georgia Organics and a Childhood Health and Wellness intern at the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Photos courtesy of Yaza Sarieh

One recent, rainy Sunday morning, I decided to visit my local Indian grocery store. As I was walking through the door, drying my boots and shaking the water off my jacket, I saw some children run by me, playing with these gigantic, gourd-like vegetables. I had no idea what this vegetable was, and set out to find it myself. When I made my way around the produce section, I finally saw it—this three-foot-long, dark green, ridged, narrow, tough vegetable is known as Chinese okra.

 Although it is botanically closer to squash and zucchini, Chinese okra is a unique variety found in many subtropical regions of the world. In terms of nutritional value, Chinese okra is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fiber, calcium and vitamin A. Additionally, the outside peel contains lots of iron and protein. Chinese okra is so tough and fibrous that sometimes, it is even dried out and used as a loufa!

Because I had never eaten Chinese okra before, I decided to take it home and experiment with it in new cuisines. While searching for different recipes, I found multiple dishes of Asian origin that incorporate Chinese okra.

In India and China, Chinese okra is often used in stews, stir fry, vegetable or meat dishes. I decided to try this Stir Fried Chinese Okra with Egg recipe which proved to be a pleasant surprise. The soft, spongy inside of the okra soaked up the flavor of the different sauces and spices, while the outside texture gave it a nice crunch.

What is the best way to start Livin’ la Vida Okra? Try new cuisines and learn about the importance of okra in other regions of the world!

Okra is prominent in Southern food culture, but there are so many varieties around the globe. Okra is rooted in diversity, whether it is the dynamic ways it is incorporated in different cuisines or the various types of okra plants and fruits out there, which makes Livin’ la Vida Okra a great opportunity to expand our palate and immerse ourselves in other cultures and traditions.

Sign up for Livin’ La Vida Okra activities & lessons today at bit.ly/livinlavidaokra!

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Sources:

• specialtyproduce.com

• crystalvalleyfoods.com

• healthythairecipes.com

Georgia Food Oasis Grantee Spotlight: Sun Market

By Suzanne Girdner

Georgia Organics’ Community Outreach Manager and lead of Georgia Food Oasis

Sun Market (eatfromthefarms.com) received a Georgia Food Oasis 2021 Planning Grant to help with launching and promoting its first market season in April 2021. 

Led and managed by Gabbie Atsepoyi, a community activist living and working in Decatur, GA, Sun Market is on a mission to create affordable access to fresh local food for neighbors of communities near Columbia Drive, an area that lacks access to high quality fresh foods.  Another critical start-up partner, Wholesome Wave Georgia allows Sun Market to double SNAP dollars to extend food budgets for working families. 

I visited with Gabbie at Sun Market on a gloriously low-humidity morning on June 26 and met with a family of hard-working and generous vendors, who filled my arms with delicious food, and reminded me that community happens through the grace of a neighbor seeking and making space for connection with others.  

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1. Tell us about yourself and one of your favorite ways to celebrate with food?  Or a favorite food memory?

Gabbie Atsepoyi, founder of Sun Market. Photo credit: Suzanne Girdner.

I’m Gabbie Atsepoyi (Aa-she-poo-yee), a first-generation Nigerian-American from Denver, Colorado. I moved to Atlanta in 2012 and now live in South DeKalb with my partner, Brent and 2-year old child. I graduated from Spelman College where I studied the environment, specifically policy, soil science and carbon cycling, so I love the earth and I’m committed to sharing with others the impacts of climate change on our world.

I also really love food and believe access to fresh produce is a basic human right. Food sovereignty within our communities deserves a special spotlight in conversations relating to equity, health and environmentalism. So I’m happy to share Sun Market’s purpose to our neighbors to jump start important conversations.

As a Nigerian-American, when in Nigeria, I grew up eating most meals served family-style. I have strong memories of the aromas and the associated story of each produce purchased from the market. Because my parents are immigrants so were many of their friends, and as a child each new family friend I met exposed me to new flavors, aromas and traditions.  In this way I grew up eating to experience culture.

2. Why do foodways and fresh food access matter so much to you?

My great-grandfather in Nigeria gifted all of his sons, including my grandfather, land to care for and steward. My grandfather managed the land, and my grandmother sold their produce at the market. They were able to provide for their large family through farming for themselves and others.  So this idea of caring for the land and feeding the next generation was very normal to me, and part of my family’s tradition. Later in college, I went to a seminar and the conversation focused on the soils of Africa--such a vague word for a vast continent with many countries!--and the presenting researcher went on to suggest corn species that would “help” people eat more nutritious foods. It was a complete shock to me — the Nigeria I knew was lush with fertile soil and had diverse and abundant crops that are more nutritionally dense and better for the environment than any species of corn could be (no shade to corn, and its complex food history).

3.  Tell us about Sun Market?

Sun Market is a local farmers’ market that exist only because of the sun. Thanks to the sun and soil we are able to utilize produce for energy and nutrients. Our main objective is to share locally grown produce to our neighborhood. When I first moved to Atlanta, I was amazed by the offerings at the farmers markets.  So much grows in Georgia! As I was starting to plan Sun Market initially, I was hoping to invite farmers out to vend, but as a new market that was harder than I anticipated--it’s really hard to be a new and unknown market and attract farm vendors! So I responded to this detour in my plan by buying produce wholesale from farmers, and then selling pre-packed produce bags filled with seasonal greens, herbs, root vegetables, and fruits — all sourced exclusively from nearby Black farmers. Luckily, the produce bags have proven beneficial at establishing a steady supply of produce, and helped us in setting a weekly budget and price point for shoppers. Our bags are filled with a week’s worth of produce, and separately shoppers can purchase mushrooms, eggs, and honey. Our produce bags cost between $35 or $40 per bag.  We accept and double SNAP/EBT which means we can offer these bags to SNAP households between $17 or $20. So far the farmers have been open to the arrangement because they save time and are able to avoid traveling to another market, and we pay them on time. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship that I hope will grow. We want to pay Black farmers and share produce grown by them to our historically Black community while also addressing food insecurity and fresh food access. 

4.  It feels like there’s a real sense of intention at Sun Market, from the produce sourcing to the rotation of market vendors each week, so there’s always something different but a real sense of global community.  Tell us about the experience(s) you’re facilitating between vendors and community in this way?

We are intentional about our mission - the rest has been divine alignment. Columbia Drive United Methodist Church was one of our first supporters and every week they allow us to show up, use the refrigerators, store our equipment and occupy their parking lot. They also provide a warm welcome to the Sun Market community. Each week, a new vendor or reoccurring vendor shows up to share a product they grew, a food they specialize in, or a group of foods unique to their culture and life experiences. We like to say that “Our vendors reflect the diversity of this country” because it’s true!  We are so grateful for the pop-up food scene of chefs that support our mission each market. In the rain or on a hot Georgia day we fall in love each week with our neighbors (near and far) who come to our market for food and produce. After 2020 this type of gathering feels so fulfilling - here we all are - gathering together (outside), eating food from around the world, surrounded by fresh local produce and we are laughing and enjoying flavors — together. Sun Market cultivates diversity in age, ethnicity, culture, economic background and in experiences and we’ve been able to do this by aligning on a mission that uplifts and supports the community we serve and live in.

5.  What are the biggest challenges you’re facing right now in your first season as a market?

Whew. Time. I work in paid media and I have a toddler and a family. But thanks to the help of my partner and our friends and family we get things done.  

Our second biggest challenge is locating new Black farmers that are ready to sell through our market.  In my “Request for Support” letter than I share with farmers, I suggest partnering with Sun Market and the Candler Black Market, led by Neelah Hinds. I hope by offering two back-to-back markets to vend at, we can create an opportunity for our community to purchase fresh produce during the weekends.

Because I’ve had conversations with farmers and I’m aware of the lack of monetary and foundational support Black farmers receive in Georgia and nationally. I approach every new conversation to vend with grace and understanding. I’m new to the Atlanta agriculture space and there’s a lot for me to learn. I’m hopeful that in each year we will grow our partnerships with Black farmers, supporting organizations and community members who support our mission.

6. What are some positive lessons you’ve learned 3 months into managing a market?

1. Word of mouth is everything!

2. People are happy to support and show-up. 

3. Food is really the meeting point for community. 

4. Leafy greens are so sensitive! 

7.  What’s your hope for Sun Market over the next 1-2 years?

In two years, I hope to be working towards a brick and mortar location for Sun Market with standard hours. That operates as a farmers led co-op with sliding membership fees that’s located in a food desert like the one we are currently located in South DeKalb County.  

8. What are the best ways for folks to get engaged as shoppers, potential vendors, or sponsors?

·         Every Saturday (April-Sept): 11am-2pm at 2067 Columbia Drive, Decatur 30032

·         Website: eatfromthefarms.com/

·         Instagram: nstagram.com/eatfromthefarms/

·         Accepts & Doubles: SNAP/EBT

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Good Food for Thought: Ready? Set? Plant! Livin’ la Vida Okra!

By Kimberly Koogler

Kimberly Koogler is the Farm to School Coordinator at Georgia Organics and a former farmer at Cosmos Farm, where this event took place.

Last week the Farm to School team gathered on a hot, sunny day at Cosmos Farm in Carrollton, GA to start livin’ la vida okra.

We began by reviewing how you can participate in Livin’ la Vida Okra and what you get out of it. Then we covered the basics of planting okra on a small scale, and Little Ones Learning Center’s garden educator Farmer Trin and their PreK class showed us how to plant okra in one of their raised bed gardens.

As it turns out, preK students are really good at instructing how to plant okra seeds, and they look very cute while doing so!

Farmer Trin and Georgia PreK planting okra seeds at Little Ones Learning Center in Forest Park, GA

Finally, Farmer John Davis professed his undying love for okra, showed us how they plant okra at Cosmos Farm, using his old, faithful tool, the Earthway seeder. He also shared with us a couple of funny okra harvesting stories, involving a snake and the notorious “okra itch.”

Farmer John demonstrated how they plant okra seeds at Cosmos Farm using a nifty tool, the Earthway seeder.

It was a fun way to kick the summer off and to get some okra seeds planted in anticipation of October Farm to School Month! In case you missed it, here are some key takeaways:

· Okra is easy to grow, low maintenance, highly productive, resilient, and beautiful!

· The sooner you plant it, the more okra you’ll be able to harvest, up until the first frost.

· There are so many ways to enjoy okra, pickled being one of the favorites at Cosmos.

When you sign up to participate in Livin’ la Vida Okra you’ll get access to our robust online resource toolkit, which includes Georgia standards-based lessons for early care through 12th grade, fun, educational activities, fact sheets and growing guidance, and a delicious and diverse array of okra recipes shared by fellow Georgia farm to school stakeholders!

Watch the recording on our YouTube channel here, and sign up to join in on all the Livin’ la Vida Okra fun here!

The Gift that Keeps Giving: Captain Planet Foundation’s Project Giving Gardens

By Yaza Sarieh

Yaza Sarieh is a contractor for Farm to School at Georgia Organics and a Childhood Health and Wellness intern at the Georgia Department of Public 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.

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Since March 2020, food assistance in Georgia has increased almost 300% to address COVID-19 related food insecurity. To confront these unprecedented challenges, organizations within the metro-Atlanta area have partnered with the Captain Planet Foundation to develop Project Giving Gardens that cultivate and distribute produce to meet the needs of thousands of Georgia families and children.

The Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) is a non-profit organization providing small grants to fund over 2,700 schools and partners with hands-on environmental education projects, such as gardens and other farm to school projects. One of the most invaluable programs CPF supports is the Project Learning Gardens, which provides schools with onsite learning laboratories that not only teach students about agriculture and the environment, but also supply communities with local foods.

When the Pandemic began in early 2020, CPF shifted Project Learning Gardens to Project Giving Gardens to alleviate food insecurity at large. With the help of the Food Well Alliance and the Atlanta Community Food Bank, CPF enlisted over 100 school gardens and 20 community gardens to utilize their space to cultivate, grow and distribute produce.

Belvedere Peace Community Garden in Decatur, Georgia participates in Project Giving Gardens. Managed by Partners in Action for Healthy Living (PAHL), the garden contributes over 50% of their plots to local food banks and donates produce to any individual in need. Despite the challenges surrounding seed procurement, volunteer engagement and increased demand for produce, the Belvedere Peace Community Garden took advantage of the resources, support systems and connections with CPF to safely and efficiently disperse fresh fruits and vegetables to more than 1,500 families.

Over the past year, Project Giving Gardens has harvested over 100,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables for families hit the hardest during the Pandemic – that’s almost 450,000 servings!

Additionally, Project Giving Gardens is partnering with Georgia Organics to grow okra in 23 metro-Atlanta school gardens in anticipation of this year’s October Farm to School Month, Livin’ la Vida Okra (bit.ly/livinlavidaokra).

Check our social media pages throughout the summer to find best practices for growing okra and to watch the gardens’ progress.

And join us on June 24 at 3:00 pm for a live okra planting demo! Click here for more registration details.

Project Giving Gardens has been such a success, that CPF is hoping to expand the initiative even more throughout the course of 2021. If you’re interested in learning more about the 2021 Project Giving Gardens, visit captainplanetfoundation.org/project-giving-gardens/.

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

Written by Lauren Cox and Kayla Williams

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chris Wilkins of Root Baking Co.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Steven Satterfield of Miller Union

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stevenson Rosslow of Wrecking Bar Brewpub

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

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

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

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

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

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

2021 Land Steward Award Winners: Chris and Jenny Jackson of Jenny Jack Farm

By Mary Elizabeth Kidd

Photos by Kayla Williams

In 1997, the Land Steward Award was created by Georgia Organics to honor an individual or individuals who have contributed significantly to the organic agriculture movement in Georgia. The Land Steward Award recognizes the farmer with significant commitments to the tenets of organic agriculture, including soil fertility, biodiversity, and more.   

This year's Land Steward Award winners are

Chris and Jenny Jackson of Jenny Jack Farm in Pine Mountain!

Celebrate Chris & Jenny on Thursday, May 27. Tix: georgiaorganics.org/awards.

Chris and Jenny embody the meaning of this award through their dedication to sustainable scaling, a cared-for team, community connection, and, of course, fostering a better environment through soil health and organic growing practices. 

Listen to the Jacksons on Georgia Organics' podcast the Atlanta Foodcast!

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What do you hope your lasting impact will be?

For Land Steward Award winners Chris and Jenny Jackson, they thoughtfully respond that they aim to be "a type of nourishment to this land and the local community that surrounds, supports, and encourages us." 

Meeting the couple at Jenny Jack Farm in Pine Mountain, it’s evident that they are well on their way to enacting this legacy. On their farm, with two young children in tow, it’s hard to miss the fulfillment and groundedness they exhibit; a state of being for which so many strive…but which only comes with hard work, committment, and love of the land.

Chris and Jenny are Georgia natives and University in Georgia alums who met, fittingly, outside Athens' iconic 40 Watt Club. Shortly after graduation, marriage, and entry jobs in education and gardening at Callaway Gardens, their interest in full-time farming blossomed. 

Crucial factors fueled the desire to farm full-time: "…it gave us the opportunity to have a little more dominion over our daily lives, the gift to work alongside each other and the great outdoors, and the work itself provided our bodies and minds with the right amount of exercise."

To grow this passion, the couple set off to work on three farms in Hawaii via WWOOF: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. Upon their return, they apprenticed at Glover Family Farm in Douglasville with mentors they cite as integral to their path: "Skip and Cookie offered us experience, connections, and a launching pad into our own farm business."

Throughout their journey, the Jacksons have prioritized growing food naturally. Both for their personal eating preferences and the knowledge that the market existed (and has continued to thrive) for food grown organically. 

Today, Chris and Jenny Jackson are in their 15th year of intensive farming with a team of full- and part-time farm staff and their own very young farmers: daughter, Tulsi, and son, Amos. 

Jenny Jack Farm lies on about 3.5 acres in Pine Mountain, where they grow Certified Naturally Grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and microgreens, as well as spring transplants and medicinal tinctures. The property, some 150 acres in total, is the home where Jenny grew up. "Her parents have generously allowed us to integrate our farm enterprise into their lives, giving us access to 2 beautiful buildings along with use of the land," Chris adds.

Even during the pandemic, their business has thrived thanks to an almost 200-member CSA and an on-farm store. While the on-farm order pick-ups have shifted from so-called "bucolic" gatherings to a COVID-safe drive-through, their engagement with the community has never waned.

Our conversation with Jenny and Chris about their path in sustainable farming follows:

What is your WHY in agriculture, generally? What motivates you to continue doing what you do...? 

Farming is not just one thing; the tasks and the momentum are ever-changing. Farming asks us to do things we are not necessarily comfortable doing, and we have to be pretty good at each for the whole enterprise to keep moving forward. The farm is never finished, it's this imperfect living organism always shifting, and we farmers come alongside and reverently abide in the evolution. I think that's why farming is so attractive because we never, ever feel like we have mastered our work. 

Besides the fulfillment we find in doing this kind of work, the need for fresh, naturally grown food is only growing, and we want to help provide for our community of supporters.

What are a few of the hurdles you've overcome in your career? 

We've been fortunate that we have not experienced any major weather damage, our bodies have held up so far, and even in years when we experience some crop loss, other crops pull us through. However, adding two babies to the already demanding role as farm owners and managers has been challenging, to say the least. We are thankful that we waited until after our farm was established before adding additional humans to the mix. We have found that even with the help of family and babysitters, we are operating at the equivalent of one very full-time farmer as opposed to two very full-time farmers. This is not a hurdle we have overcome, but one we navigate daily; it's one part insanity and one part the most beautiful thing in the world. 

How has mentorship factored into your work, and who are some folks you have mentored who have continued to farm? 

We operated our farm for 12 years using our apprenticeship program as the main labor model. We would employ two apprentices each year but for a variety of reasons have recently shifted to all hourly work. We are still good friends with most of the apprentices who came through here; several of them visit us each year. I would say our perspective of so many issues in this world has been shaped and colored by these folks who have spent most of a year toiling in our soil. Some of these folks are still farming, and we all continue to learn from one another. Liz and Brian have a big vegetable operation in Mentone, AL, Rahul owns Snapfinger Farm near Atlanta, Katherine Kennedy manages Concrete Jungle, Miranda Cox apprenticed with us eight years ago and has been working with us on and off since, Micah and Katherine have a small vegetable and medicinal herb farm in Blairsville, Shana Frankel has just started Ma Rabu Farm 30 minutes down the road from us in Franklin, Ann Sharpe is running a small farm in Cincinnati, and Kelley Walton is working for a farm up near Louisville.

Did anyone mentor or inspire you in farming? 

Oh sure! The Glovers, of course, were a big inspiration. Their farm's beauty, hospitality, and the size of tomatoes that their land could produce were memorable. We were inspired by Alex and Betsy Hitt of Peregrine Farm in North Carolina (they gave us a free tour of their farm on a Sunday afternoon!), Nickolas at Crystal Organics, Celia at Woodland Gardens, and Daniel Parsons at Emory, to name a few. Wendell Berry's writing gave us hope, and the Georgia Organics Conference gave us so much energy and new ideas, especially early on in our careers.

What are three factors that have gotten you this far in your farming career? 

Jenny and I do a pretty good job of, as our friend Brandon says, "staying in our lane." We both have specific jobs on this farm, and while we might discuss them with one another, we do not encroach. Chris built, maintains, and repairs the greenhouse but couldn't tell you the varieties of lettuces we have started. Jenny creates the crop plan, knows proper plant spacing and how to prune tomatoes, but does not dabble in irrigation repair. Second, 

We are pretty focused people with a high tolerance for physical labor, so early on in our career, we worked our way into a moderately successful farm. That strategy has since changed, and we are now doing well at spending less time on farm chores. Third, I think we make decisions quickly, and we pivot to enact those decisions quickly. While this might be a flaw in some instances, we don't spend hours and hours discussing and analyzing every little detail and filtering through all the possibilities. There's no time for that, especially with two kiddos now, so we go with the gut. Oh, and I know this is more than 3, but hiring employees took our farm to the next level, and we find great joy in being around our staff; they keep us laughing and educated on the outside world. I would also be remiss not to mention the fact that we did not have to buy the land we are farming; we lived in a friend's old house a few miles down the road the first six years of the farm. They asked for no rent, and our neighbors sold us the house we live in now for a very low price allowing us the opportunity to move it onto our farm and remodel it. So much love and good fortune have come our way...

What personal characteristics do you think lend well to you being a farmer? 

Chris is a nine on the Enneagram scale. He's a peacemaker and avoids conflict, which can be a flaw but also can be helpful when managing a crew. He walks fast, is very organized, pays close attention to details, and has little fear of standing on wobbly ladders. 

Jenny hates to disappoint people, so she goes to great lengths for customer service. She's also patient, steadfast, and has big love and appreciation for this land we are tending. 

What's next for the farm and yall? 

Hopefully, at least another 15 years as farmers. We just started saving for retirement last year, so we might be in this thing by necessity for much longer. Or maybe people will start to value collards as highly as they do bitcoin, and we can gracefully shift to whittling spoons on the front porch and taking afternoon naps. More than likely, the immediate future holds much of the same, to keep running a productive, profitable farm business and to try to be good parents who have time to play.

What does winning this award mean to you? 

Well, it's definitely the most prized award we have received, and perhaps it just verifies that we're scrappy enough to keep coming back year after year. Really, the power of this award rests in the long list of good farmers who have received it. We are so grateful to be growing food in a state with so many talented, creative growers, many of whom will be recipients down the road. One of Wendell Berry's solutions to the environmental crisis we have found ourselves in is to "think small," and that's what we think this award is highlighting. We carefully tend this really small piece of earth, cooperatively grow thousands of pounds of food within the bounds of nature's guide, and then distribute all the food within 40 miles of our farm. Receiving this award 15 years into our farming career is an acknowledgment of the hard, deliberate work of both the community of microbes enriching our soil and the community of eaters choosing each week to purchase food plucked from our soil. What good fortune to make a living and raise a family right in the middle of the two!

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Want to help us honor Chris, Jenny, Gwendolyn, and Brennan? You can make a contribution in their name for our award honorariums.

Visit: www.georgiaorganics.org/donate

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Join us online to meet and celebrate Chris and Jenny Jackson on Thursday, May 27, at 6 p.m. FREE for Georgia Organics members. Register at georgiaorganics.org/awards.

Listen to the Jacksons on Georgia Organics' podcast the Atlanta Foodcast!

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Mary Elizabeth Kidd is the Director of Communications 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.