Q&A with Farmer Jimmy Franks

What prepared you to be a farmer? Born and raised on a farm and have always wanted to be a farmer. We go back 6 generations of farmers beef and crop and now I’m the first dairy farmer.  I chose dairy because we are more interactive with our animals and better cash flow.  I am happy to see that both of my children will be going to college this year and are studying agriculture engineering and animal and dairy science.

What is a unique feature and how many acres do you farm? We have 1000 acres and 675 acres is dedicated to our cows for grazing and crops.  Our unique bottling is right on the farm thus a lot fresher and non homogenized.  We regulate very closely what our cows eat to insure they produce the best quality milk. Brown Swiss milk has a high fat-to-protein ratio. This means that the milk is extremely rich. Our cows produce natural milk that is free of artificial growth hormones. When our milk is pasteurized, it is heated to 140 degrees or more. However, the milk is not homogenized. This allows the cream to rise to the top inside each jug of milk.

Tell us about your feed and how they live on your farm. We try to graze as much as possible but in the summertime our cows can’t take the heat. We have a freestyle barn with shavings and an evaportive cooling system with misters that blow water on them. We grow corn, soybean, hays and sorghum. . Varieties are more digestible and . .. Gates are open . 4:30 am and 3:30 in afternoon. 4 fulltime emplyees. We graze our

How much of food goes to farmers markets and or restaurants? 20% goes to restaurants and farmers markets including  Stateboro farmers markets, Buford Hwy Farmers Market and HighRoad Craft Ice Cream and Sorbet. The rest goes to cooperatives that re-distribute it.

What challenges do you have as a farmer? Not sure if I have enough room here as it will take a novel.  From permitting to cow nutrition, it changes daily.

Where do you see farming in the future? We need to be more efficient and be able to make more with less. It seems it is up to US to feed the world so we’ve got to continue advancing with technology but with a humane approach

Where would be your ideal location for your last supper, what would be your meal & music and who would join you ? On the farm with BBQ and vegetables listening George Straight with my family

What prepared you to be a farmer?       I had no experience in agriculture when I began this journey two and a half years ago.  I turned to books, seminars, spoke with chefs & other farmers, and spent way too much time reading farming blogs on the internet.  I remember one of the first farmers I heard speak at a conference in Savannah, Ga several years ago.  He was reluctant to hand over his farming operation to his son for fear that the son just didn’t quite have enough experience.  The father was in his early 70s, the son in his 50s, and both had been farming their entire life.  A true testament to the fact that you might never be ‘prepared to be a farmer.
What is a unique feature and how many acres do you farm?         I am very blessed that I get to farm land that is in my family.  The 3 acres that I cultivate are part of a larger farm which I am proud to say is managed exhaustively for wildlife habitat.  
Tell us about your main crops and how you chose the varieties.  If you have livestock, tell us about your feed and how they live on your farm.            There are staples that ever gardener and farmer grows: squash, tomatoes, peppers, etc. We grow a wide variety under each of those families; but what is fun I enjoy is growing new and different crops.  For the most part, customers love to try new varieties or experiment with a vegetable they have only read about.  In addition to our garden variety of vegetables we also grow shiitake mushrooms, muscadines & scuppernogs, a variety of flowers, Asian pears, and hops for a brewery in Atlanta.   As of now we have no animals on the farm save Delk, my 2 year old yellow lab.  Chicken ‘tractors’ are being built in preparation for chickens that we look forward to welcoming to the family soon.  

How much of food goes to farmers markets and or restaurants?      95% of our food either goes to restaurants or the farmer’s market.  Allocation changes on a weekly basis depending on demand.  The remaining 5% that does not pass quality standards goes to my kitchen or the compost pile.

What challenges do you have as a farmer?            Farmers are at the mercy of mother nature.  Extremes in temperatures, rain, strong winds, insects, diseases, and wildlife are just a few of the challenges that come across our desk on a daily basis.  Fortunately, I have the greatest customers any farmer could wish for.  Educated customers understand the challenges we face and truly appreciate all the work we put into bringing the freshest  and best tasting produce to market at a price that is fair to farmer and consumer. 

 Where do you see farming in the future?       My wish is that people see local and sustainable agriculture as a necessity for the long term well-being of our environment and the generations that follow.  
Where would be your ideal location for your last supper, what would be your meal & music and who would join you ?     No brainer. The top of a mountain in North Carolina in the foothills of the Appalachians.  For me, it does not get any better than roasting a pig over an open fire with my dog, a good group of friends, and some bluegrass in the background. Atlanta has several breweries producing some of the best beer in the world so of course I  have to bring a few of those along as well.

What prepared you to be a farmer? It is a family business and since many generation we were producer especially in olive oil and wine
What is a unique feature and how many hectares do you farm? around 700 (about 1700 acres
Tell us about your main crops (olives, grapes, etc) and how you chose the varieties.
Regarding the olives the varieties are Moraiolo, Frantoio, Leccino and Dolce Agogia. All these varieties come from century since some of the olive trees are more then 1.000 year old.  Regarding the grapes, we have been a producer for many centuries but in 1998 we planted 40 new hectares (100 acres) with: Sangiovese, Sagrantino (a unique grapes that only grows in Umbria), Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah.
How much of food goes to farmers markets and or restaurants? Mostly we sell on line and many people come to buy at our winery since we believe that  is  very important that consumer could see where the products come from. We make our Zero CO2 emission tour with our Electric Jeep in our vineyard and Olive trees… It is a unique experience.
What challenges do you have as a farmer? Produce always the best you can with the goal to improve every year.
Where do you see farming in the future? To be a producer is very difficult to cover your cost, but I think there is only one way: quality, quality and quality
Where would be your ideal location for your last supper, what would be your meal & music and who would join you ?My love is to have a meal inside our farm with a beautiful bruschetta with fresh tomato, a piece of Parmigiano and a glass of red wine.  … the reason why we are Zero CO2 emission is because all the environment where we leave and produce our wine and olive oil has to be as pure as possible.  Not only do we want to breath fresh and pure air but also the olives and the grapes they start their quality breathing pure and clean air.

Lorenzo Fasola Bologna  is the CEO of Castello Monte Vibiano. After graduating in Business Administration from the University of Perugia he took over his traditional family business in Umbria growing olives, producing olive oil and wines from the Umbria region. The production comes from the beautiful hills around Castello Monte Vibiana Vecchio just outside of Perugia. Umbria have often been called the green heart of Italy with it’s panoramic hillsides with sceneries of sunflowers, vineyards and olive trees. It is considered one of the finest and best agricultural areas of Italy. Lorenzo started at 16 years old to organize sports events for the city of Perugia, then the region of Umbria and finally all over Italy. For many years he was a radio speaker and journalist until. 10 years ago he decided to return to his family business that he grew up in and focus on introducing his olive oil and wine on a worldwide scale. His unfiltered first press olive oil, produced and marketed frozen in small single portion bottles, is unique and is served in some of the best restaurants, hotels and first class airline catering, both in Europe and USA. It was recently named the best olive oil in the world by the International Olive Oil Competition “ARMONIA”. Several television programs have featured his green gold, among them the globally distributed CNN Traveller. Lorenzo modernized the wines of Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio. Umbria is considered the next big wine region in Italy geographically, with some of the greatest of Italian wines, both white and red coming from the region. His reds wines have gotten rave reviews in the international press, especially the L’Andrea a unique blend containing the Umbrian grape Sagrantino and Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Sangiovese grapes. Lorenzo is a great enthusiast of Umbrian Cuisine and of course all of Italy. He has traveled all over the world to demonstrate the olive oil, food and wines from his home region. He has held numerous cooking classes of Italian and Umbrian food in his home, introducing amongst others journalists and his clients worldwide to the magic of Umbrian olive oil, food and wine. Those events have appeared in various TV shows and high style magazines in many countries. It’s thanks to Lorenzo’s great passion for the environment that on 5 February 2010 his company, olive oil and wine producing business “Monte Vibiano”, became the first farm in Italy and one of the first in the world to achieve 0 greenhouse emissions and to be certified number /0000001 in 2009 ISO 14064 from DNV. Two years after launching the ‘360 Green Revolution, an all-encompassing ecological plan that turned Monte Vibiano into an eco-sustainable company, and pledging to annul dangerous emissions by 2009, Lorenzo kept his promise: Monte Vibiano went from 287 tons of CO2 in 2004 to -764 tonnellate of CO2 . Not an easy task, but then Lorenzo is not the type to shy away from a good challenge. Webpage: http://www.montevibiano.it

What prepared you to be a farmer? Not sure I am prepared, though I was born on a farm in rural Limestone County, AL in 1941 and grew up absorbing by osmosis, the lesson that if one is to farm, certain tasks must be performed using certain methods at certain times, or things don’t work.  And if you are a subsistence farmer —- you and your family get hungry.  I think that lesson has stood me in good stead all of my life.  I have not farmed continually all of my life —-got sidetracked for a while and  have had a couple of other careers —- but that understanding works in most every venue.  City kids can and often do learn the lesson, but they have to learn it.  Most do, at some point in life, but until it is learned, they are disadvantaged.
What is a unique feature and how many acres do you farm? I suppose the most unique feature about the place is its’ location.  It is at the very top of a watershed so no pollutants (except rain and airborne ones) arrive on it.  If there is damage, I have to accept responsibility for it.  The place is 200 acres, but we have only about 20 percent of it in “cultivation”  Mostly it is deciduous woodland.  It grows timber well enough and would do little else on most of the land.  It lies atop and down the sides of what passes locally for a “mountain”.  It’s highest point is approximately 1600 feet above sea level.  Not much of a mountain actually, more of a molehill.  Most of the parts on the side of the “mountain” are very steep and not well adaptable for growing crops other than timber.  The very top is somewhat rolling terrain, so we have to be quite careful about erosion.  We plant with the contours and make sure that the swales (drainage watercourses) are planted to sod at all times.  These methods along with the fact that we never plow it up combine to improve it rather than cause damage.  The portions where we plant food crops are narrow strips, perhaps two feet wide.  Those we till (again on contour) and once the crops are planted and out of the ground, we mulch to help maintain moisture and keep down unwanted  vegetation. The areas between the rows are rapidly, regularly cut with a lawn mower.  This actually serves to kill many insects, and is far less energy intensive than tilling it all.  The method yields another side benefit, in that the whole is aesthetically pleasing and low maintenance.  If it has just rained, and there is work in the field to be done, one is not working in mud.
Tell us about your main crops and how you chose the varieties.  If you have livestock, tell us about your feed and how they live on your farm. Mainly, we grow vegetables and mushrooms.  I have an assistant who has many years experience at veggie growing,  and he is rapidly adapting to our methodology.  We do have some livestock —- most at the moment owned by my assistant.  There is a herd of alpacas,  Maybe eight or ten, there are a few goats, a few pigs, a donkey, a mule and some dogs and cats.  We plan soon to add a few cows and calves.  Every animal has a specific purpose, ( except the mule) so far, he is for entertainment.  Waste veggies are fed to the animals  and they  graze in their pastures and are supplementally fed as needed, and their droppings collected and composted along with the waste product from the mushroom growing for use as fertilizer. Varieties of veggies we grow are mostly Heirloom types, selected for quality of product rather than other criteria. How much of food goes to farmers markets and or restaurants? Virtually all of our production is sold to restaurants or fed to the animals or consumed by us, (or given to others).
What challenges do you have as a farmer?
Weather and other forces of nature — insects etc.  We do not use conventional pesticides.
Second challenge is making enough money to stay in business.
Third through 50 ‘th is trying to figure out how to improve production while improving the land.

Where do you see farming in the future? There are moves afoot, sponsored by Corporate agriculture to destroy small holder producers.  Silly laws are being written by people who are being lobbied by Corporate Organizations and who could not identify a garden hoe if they stepped on it.  I plan to live out my life doing what I am doing, and if I am made an outlaw for sustainably producing on a small scale, so be it.  I hope that when I am gone, someone will step in and take up my mantle.  Climate change may make this all irrelevant —- at least in this latitude.  The heat the last few summers has made production difficult.
Where would be your ideal location for your last supper, what would be your meal & music and who would join you ? I think it would be under a wild cherry tree on my farm —- probably a cookout —- with my children and grandchildren, many of my friends from the rest of my life and from the Restaurant Industry in attendance —- Probably cook some pork ribs on a grille, and have the traditional things that go with them – a fine green salad with chopped romaine and heirloom tomatoes–  some grill roasted sweet corn —- perhaps some al dente haricot vert, and some fine potato salad, deviled eggs  and baked beans.  Music would probably be rousing classical —- Maybe Beethoven’s Fifth — or Wagner’s Ride of the Valkries —- or the 1812 Overture—-.
Don Hardiman is age 69 and counting who’s previous career has been engineering assistant and photographer — technical representative, designer and manufacturer of fine custom jewelry and final career: Farmer and he hopes —inventor. Don Hardiman   — “The Geezer’s Garden” PO Box 278 — Gurley, AL 35748 , 256 603 0417

What prepared you to be a farmer?
I spent summers visiting my grandparents in southern Louisiana.  We would cream fresh corn and shell purple hull peas until our fingers were sore.  That’s where I developed a love for vegetables.  Simply prepared, but so delicious I just couldn’t get enough of them.   My father had a vegetable garden as well.  He would enlist my help to harvest, weed and stake up the summer tomatoes with my mom’s old panty hose.  I HATED helping him in the garden.  After graduating college, I started as a horticulturist at the Atlanta Botanical Garden taking care of the vegetable areas in the children’s garden.  Having a few more years of maturity under my belt, I found new joy in weeding, harvesting and staking tomatoes (I use vine tape now, not my mom’s old panty hose.)  When the botanical garden opened the new edible garden, it was a natural next step for me to take.

What is a unique feature and how many acres do you farm?
Our edible garden is approximately 3 acres.  It features an amphitheater that displays designed vegetables growing in raised beds that seem to surround the visitor as they walk through.  We also have A 9 foot tall vertical herb wall.  People enjoy touching and smelling sage, thyme, oregano, rosemary and other herbs that grow as low as their toes up to their heads and beyond.  Lastly we have a state of the art outdoor kitchen where we host cooking demonstrations, parties, and seated dinners.

Tell us about your main crops and how you chose the varieties.  If you have livestock, tell us about your feed and how they live on your farm.  Each year we have a cool and warm season plan that is designed focusing on color, texture and plant combinations.  We want to show people how beautiful edibles can be.  When I review the plans, I choose varieties that will perform well for out climate while keeping the design intent in mind.

How much of food goes to farmers markets and or restaurants? While none of our food goes to farmers markets or restaurants we do use it for our weekend cooking demonstrations.  We have 2 garden chefs that choose a vegetable from the garden to spotlight each week.  They craft a delicious recipe using the garden’s produce and visitors can sample their creations.  When there is excessive harvest, it is donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank where it is used by partner nonprofits all around North Georgia to that provide food assistance to families and individuals.

What challenges do you have as a farmer? I feel like my challenges are a little different than other farmers barring the diseases and insects that we all have to manage.  The edible garden is a display and teaching garden that must look good.  We’re trying to inspire people to grow vegetables and show them how they can be as a part of the home landscape.  When a crop gets decimated by an insect, I have to remove and replace it with a new crop I have waiting in the wings.  Therefore, I have to be really good at planning ahead.

Where do you see farming in the future? I think that we’re going to see more homeowners “farming” for themselves.  People are recognizing that fresh vegetables from a local farm have a smaller carbon footprint, more vitamins and minerals, less pesticide exposure and just taste better than their grocery store counterparts.  With the American public becoming more health conscious, this realization alone can inspire the average person to plant a bed or just a few containers of veggies for their family. Where would be your ideal location for your last supper, what would be your meal & music and who would join you ?  My ideal last supper would be at my mom’s farm in southeastern Louisiana. My mom, dad, sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephew would attend and we would make our own music singing to my sisters’ guitar playing.  Fresh tomato sandwiches (on white bread with mayo), field peas, and creamed corn would be on the menu.  We’d also have to have a pulled pork shoulder to satisfy the meat lover in all of us.  My mom’s pound cake with a dollop of sour cream would round out the meal.

Maybe it’s because her father has grown the same two vegetables for the last 20 years that has inspired her love of crop diversity.  Colleen Dudley oversees and tends the Edible Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden; growing unusual garden favorites and surprising food crops.  A degree in Horticulture from UGA and 7 years of experience professionally farming at ABG’s Children’s Garden have given her practical experience to helm the new Edible Garden.  A dream came true this year when she was tapped to teach a cooking class in the demonstration kitchen of her new territory.  Her quest this year— to grow rhubarb and artichokes from seed.

Cory Mosser started farming as an afterthought. After graduating from college, he hiked from Maine to Georgia on the Appalachian Trail and broke bread with several friendly farmers along the way. Upon his return, he was hooked and convinced that the secret ingredient to reinvigorate our communities was the sharing of food- produced and eaten locally!

Over the years, Mosser garnered many lessons of the whole food system. From managing a restaurant that sourced regularly from local farmers to managing Farmers Fresh Food Network, a co-op of sustainable growers in West Georgia and East Alabama and a stint at Destiny Organics, a wholesale distributor located at the State Farmers’ Market in Forest Park, Georgia.  All the knowledge he gained was put into practice in Savannah at Harvest Lake Farm, a project begun by Farmer D at Hampton Island Preserve.  He grew citrus, sugar cane, rice and even olives.

After two years at Harvest Lake, the opportunity to return to Atlanta was realized in the management of  an organic farm outside of Atlanta where he presently resides.

In July, Mosser welcomed his third daughter to the world, which completed his family’s all-female cast of 2 dogs, a cat, 30 chickens, and several thousand honeybees.  He is considering adding some billy goats next year just for the company.

What prepared you to be a farmer?I bumped my head a lot, and tried to learn lessons along the way. Being a parent has taught me patience, hiking the Appalachian Trail taught me resilience; a degree in history taught me context, and being married has taught me not to take myself so seriously…

What is a unique feature and how many acres do you farm? The farm currently consists of 16 cultivated acres that are certified USDA Organic. The most interesting aspect of this farm is that it is a true heritage farm- it has been in the same family since 1809. There are agricultural records that go back to pre-Civil War, so I can go back and look when the first planting of corn was done 150 years ago. That’s quite a tool to have as a farmer.

Tell us about your main crops and how you chose the varieties.  If you have livestock, tell us about your feed and how they live on your farm. We try to highlight the tradition of the plantation by growing heirloom and open-pollinated varieties whenever possible. Our 3-acre orchard contains Blackberries, Figs, Plums, Paw-paws, Persimmons, Pears and Blueberries. One notable crop is our heirloom Elephant Garlic- It was found growing wild near a long abandoned homestead on the property and we were able to cultivate it this past year. Some of the heads are the size of a tennis ball. It’s Fantastic!

How much of food goes to farmers markets and or restaurants? About 80%

What challenges do you have as a farmer?  I could write a book on this. Time is the big one. Learning to prioritize dozens of independent projects all occurring simultaneously within a small window of time takes a tremendous amount of organization, skill, and even more luck. Operating a truly diversified farm spread out over several square miles is kind of like juggling bars of soap in the rain- if it rains…

Where do you see farming in the future? On a global scale, the developing world will continue to adopt environmentally damaging methods of industrial farming as private businesses buy up huge chunks of land in Africa, South America and Asia. Farms of several thousand acres will be the norm.  Stateside the prospects are a little better, but there is the real danger of the local farm movement being co-opted just as the term ‘organic’ has been. The future viability of small independently-run farms rests solely on the ability of consumers to demand and differentiate the real thing from marketing-hype. Not that it would necessarily be a terrible thing, but I see in the not-too-distant future a Wal-Mart sponsored local farmer.

Where would be your ideal location for your last supper, what would be your meal & music and who would join you ?  Mountains, nothing fancy over coals paired with creek-chilled beer, crickets and frogs with some banjo accompaniment, close friends and family with guest appearances by John Muir, Thomas Jefferson, Wendell Berry, and Paolo Conte.

Q&A with Steve Esau of Niman Ranch

What’s your definition of sustainable food? Definition of Sustainable: Ask 10 different people and you will get 11 different answers as the first person will want to change their answer by the time they hear the 10th person’s definition. But to tell you the truth, that’s okay because as we learn more and become more informed, sustainability and the level of commitment continues to change on a personal level. I feel when you take the definition of sustainable to food and food production, one needs to realize actions reach beyond the fence line of a given farm or property owner. For the purpose of this interview, to me sustainable food is defined as a food that is grown or raised in a respectful system where the earth is minimally impacted preserving it for future generations.

What’s the biggest challenge facing sustainable food right now?I think there are many challenges that face sustainable food production right now. But one of the biggest is the resistance of the status quo (factory farming and large commodity producers) to evaluate the true cost of cheap agricultural production.

What does Niman Ranch do to tackle the problem? The system or systems need to be sustainable. Not only do the actual production methods need to be sustainable but so does the ability to get product to market. Niman Ranch addresses many of these problems by bringing together the network of 650+ individual family farmers and ranchers under one brand who otherwise might struggle with issues such as harvesting, processing, inspection, third party audits, marketing, sales, logistics, distribution, and balance of the carcass. The farm as a business entity also needs to be sustainable to operate from year to year. Niman Ranch through the brand is able to pay the farmer or rancher a premium for their livestock to cover the additional costs of production under the Niman Ranch protocols or guidelines. The premiums are increased as the quality of the product increases. This is important, because the ultimate decision on repeat purchases and brand survival is consumer satisfaction. Everything can be right on paper but if the product or the brand doesn’t perform the whole system will collapse.

How do we move sustainable food into the mainstream? Over the last three years there have been huge strides in moving sustainable food programs into the mainstream. Obviously there are different levels or measurements of sustainable but the key is that we keep from “green washing” the standards. Chefs such as Kevin Gillespie who have influence are critical in not only getting the consumer to think and ask questions but also his colleagues. It is also critical that the consumer continues to vote with their dollar and actions.

Can you discuss your animal husbandry standards? Probably the easiest way to describe Niman Ranch’s husbandry standards in a nutshell is to say that we implement a low stress system in the raising and harvesting of the animals in the Niman Ranch program. We work closely with Dr. Temple Grandin and other leading minds in the animal welfare arena to continually evaluate our system and protocols to make sure they are of the highest standards.

How much more expensive is it to follow these standards? I am not sure I can put an accurate pencil to measuring the exact cost to follow the Niman Ranch standards or protocols as there are many, many factors to take into consideration. The actual production methods followed by Niman Ranch farmers and ranchers are more costly due to a decrease in efficiencies not only in the cost of gain but the number of pounds of product going to market per acre due to the low density farming practices. But there are also expenses that are hard to measure that occur outside the actual cost of producing a pound of beef, pork, or lamb in a “commodity” system. Take for instance; Iowa has the most polluted ground water of any state. That statistic can be directly tied to the number of CAFO or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations / Factory Farms. This is just one example of an unmeasured cost that isn’t put back against the price of “commodity” raised pork. It goes back to the question “What is the true cost of cheap meat?”

How did Niman Ranch become the largest U.S. network of family farmers and ranchers?

When I think of the large corporate “factory” farms that song comes to mind. For the most part, Niman Ranch didn’t do anything revolutionary. We aren’t out there waving flags and converting factory farms to our way of farming, ranching and raising livestock. What Niman Ranch has offered is a means for the family farmer who is committed to what Niman Ranch stands for – a market and a sustainable price for their product. In the truest sense Niman Ranch is a marketing co-op that manages and connects over 650 individual U.S. family farmers and ranchers with the customer. Niman Ranch from the consumer side has been able to build the trust of the consumer in our products with stringent protocols governing both animal welfare and production methods through a third party independent audit system that is in place to guarantee claims are met.

What are the benefits of choosing your products? There are many issues that drive a consumer to purchase. Niman Ranch reaches across the lines and addresses many of those issues. Niman Ranch offers the consumer products that are “never ever” or “clean” – never given any antibiotics or added hormones. Niman Ranch offers the consumer sustainable products that are raised with respect – respect to the earth, respect to the U.S. farmers and ranchers who labor to bring products to market, and respect to the animal through all phases of its life.

Is there anything else you want to add? Knowledge and commitment is the key to the success of sustainability in our food system. The level for each can be different from person to person and altered by our means. Make a difference in what you do and do it with passion.

Q & A with Farmer

What prepared you to be a farmer?I basically grew up on the farm located across the street and spent a lot of time in the fields.  Some of my fondest memories from childhood are picking bushels of corn in the morning and grilling some of them for lunch in the afternoon.  Fresh is as important in the produce industry as it is in the seafood industry.

What is a unique feature and how many acres do you farm?We have 15 acres in Conyers.  The most interesting feature about the farm itself is that previously to our farming it for produce it was a dairy farm for well over 75 years.  The topsoil is over 18 inches deep and I’ve never used (or needed!) any fertilizer.

Tell us about your main crops and how you chose the varieties. Heirloom tomatoes and peppers are our cornerstone products, but we do it all from carrots, beets and radishes to beans and corn.  We only choose unique old world varietals because of the superior taste, quality, and lack of genetic tampering.

How much of food goes to farmers markets and or restaurants? 95% of our products go to restaurants.  but we do sell small portions to local markets.

What challenges do you have as a farmer? Small farmers have a much larger production cost per acre than the larger scale farmers do.  Niche farming allows us to compensate for that by growing a higher quality product and thereby increasing our gross income per acre.

Where do you see farming in the future?A larger and larger portion of restaurant menus is already being devoted to local farms.  I see this trend not only continuing but expanding in the future.

Where would be your ideal location for your last supper, what would be your meal & music and who would join you ? Anywhere in the south of France, in a wine vineyard, overlooking the Mediterranean.  Sitting at the table would a be a handpicked group of Atlanta chefs, local farmers, friends and family.  Whatever is local and fresh would be the appropriate meal, accompanied with local wine, and Paul McCartney would sing in between courses.  And there would be many courses.

Noring Specialty Produce was an idea formed out of a love for food. Andrew Norman, a native of Georgia, was raised on a farm and combined this experience with his 8 years in the wine business to create a unique farming business. “Foodie gone Farmer” as he likes to refer to it. Andrew grew up in the horse country of Conyers, GA and got farming in his blood by working the Rohrabaugh Farm in Rockdale County.  14 years in the restaurant and wine industry fostered an understanding of the restaurant industry, helping to foresee and meet their needs. Christina cut her teeth in the corporate marketing divisions of Pepsico, Countrywide, and Citysearch.  Since Noring Farms was created in March of 2006, she has worked diligently to get the name known and as of April 1st, 2010 now works for the farm full-time.  Noring  the name is a combination of Norman and Waring, Andrew and Christina’s last names.

We have 2 Acres of Land located in Conyers, Georgia. Our original niche product was heirloom tomatoes and we have quickly expanded to be able to provide more seasonal old world exotic varietals. Our original customers were local restaurants and then we expanded to serving area Farmer’s Markets and our next venture is a “Farm to Door” project that will deliver a fresh varietal basket weekly to local residents. We look forward to giving you fresh, local, unique produce .

Family Pickin’

Connect with the Earth and visit PICK-YOUR-OWN Farms in Georgia

Enota Mountain Retreat
1000 Highway 180, Hiawassee, GA 30546
Dr. Suan Freed, 706.896.9966 enota@enota.com
Enota is a 60-acre sustainable organic farm,campground, and retreat center on ancient Cherokee land in the beautiful Georgia Mountains, surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest. Our propertycontains waterfalls, crystal-clear streams, and acountry store, restaurant, and lodge.

Wolfcreek Wilderness Farm
2162 W. Wolf Creek Road, Blairsville, GA 30512
Robert Steele, 706.835.8456
wolfcreek@windstream.net
www.wolfcreekwildernessfarm.com
Fresh blueberries. Located in Northeast Georgia near Vogel State Park. We are open for U-pick and sales Monday through Saturday 9am to 6pm, Sundays 1-6pm. Open July 1 through August 15.

Serenbe Farms
8457 Atlanta Newnan Road
Chattahoochee Hill Country, GA 30268
Paige Witherington, 770.463.9319
info@serenbefarms.com
www.serenbefarms.com
Located 35 miles south of Atlanta in the sustainable Serenbe community, we offer an extensive variety of organically produced vegetables, herbs, fruits,flowers, and eggs. We also have a CSA program and sell at our Serenbe Farmers’ Market.

Garmon Family Farm
337 Old Four Notch Road, Whitesburg, GA 30185
Larry & Corinna Garmon, 770.214.8531
garmonfamilyfarm@earthlink.net
www.localharvest.org/farms/M7513
Best known for our blueberries, we are a small family farm located approximately one hour west of Atlanta. We have blueberries, muscadines, scuppernongs, pears, apples, seasonal garden produce, herbs, free range eggs, and flowers. We grow mostly heirloom and specialty vegetables.

White Rock Farm
407 Compton Road, Rockmart, GA 30153
Mike & Lisa Mason, 678.363.5653
mimason20@bellsouth.net
www.freshfarming.com
The mission of White Rock Farm is to provide farm fresh eggs from pastured hens and high quality, locally grown produce without using herbicides or pesticides.

Sim’s Garden Patch
301 College Street, Historic Mountville Community
LaGrange, GA 30241
Sim Blitch & Caroline Nelson, 678.575.1063
simblitch@charter.net
We grow tomatoes, sweet corn, lettuce, cabbage, mixed greens, cucumbers, eggplant, rattlesnake beans, carrots, garlic, broccoli, okra, blueberries, and melons. We sell at the Garden Patch at our on farm market on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and deliver
into LaGrange.

Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farm
3905 Highway 138, Covington, GA 30014
Andy & Hilda Byrd, 678.625.3272
whippoorwillholf@bellsouth.net
www.whippoorwillhollowfarm.com
We are a Certified Organic farm that produces fruits, berries, vegetables, and free-range eggs for sale on farm and at the Morningside and Decatur Farmers’ Markets. Countryside organic livestock feed, soil, and amendments, and Nature Safe fertilizer available.
Check our website for agritourism opportunities and events.

Clark & Sons Organics
526 Clark Farm Road, Twin City, GA 30471
Al, John, & A.R. Clark, 912.531.3746
adclark@bulloch.net
Our sustainable family farm grows strawberries, watermelons, sweet corn, peas, butterbeans, squash, okra, and pumpkins. We provide hayrides for groups by appointment.

Heritage Organic Farm
485 Scuffletown Road, Guyton, GA 31312
Shirley Daughtry, 912.728.3708
heritageorganicfarms@comcast.net
www.heritageorganicfarm.com
The first farm in Georgia to be Certified Organic, Heritage has been and continues to be a leader in the field. To provide a market for other organic growers and to provide the freshest organic produce for its customers, Heritage works with a network of local
and regional growers.

Horners Farm, Inc.
124 Horner Drive, Homerville, GA 31634
Ray & Connie Horner, 912.487.3049
horners@dishmail.net
Eight acres of Certified Organic blueberries. Adding blackberries and will have some other produce in
winter 2009. U-pick blueberries start in June through the end of the season; closed Sundays.

Crystal Ponds Aquaculture
5476 Old Aycock Road, Garfield, GA 30425
Sandy Miller, 478.982.0939
crystalponds@gmail.com
Pond-raised catfish fed a corn/soybean-based feed–no chemicals, no drugs. Customers can call to place
orders, or come to the farm and fish by appointment–we do the cleaning!

Koinonia Farm
1324 Highway 49 South, Americus, GA 31719
Jerry Nelson & Sarah Pendergrast, 877.738.1741
jandrewnelson@yahoo.com
www.koinoniapartners.org
Koinonia Farm grows typical South Georgia produce. Commercial bakery onsite. Items sold in our Welcome Center, catalog, and online. Strong presence in area farmers’ markets and restaurants. Visitors/guests welcome with advance notice. Internships available.

Alpharetta Farmers Market
Located under an old oak tree in historic downtown Alpharetta, this market is open Saturdays, 8am-1pm, starting in late April through October. Named “Best Saturday Morning Excursion” in 2007 by Atlanta Magazine.
Address City parking lot behind Smokejack Grill
Alpharetta, GA 30004
Name: Paula Guilbeau
Tel: 770.844.1462
Email: hansonfarms@comcast.net
Website: www.alpharettafarmersmarket.com

College Park Health Center
This market operates on Thursday and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. mid-June through the end of October. Market is located in front of the Willie J. Freeman College Park Regional Health Center, convenient to College Park MARTA station. 1920 John Wesley Avenue
College Park, GA 30337
Map & Driving Directions
County Fulton
Contact Info  Tel: 404.622.7778
Email: hungercoalition@mindspring.com
Website: www.gahungercoalition.org/farmersmarket.htm

Dacula Farmers Market
Year-round market hosted in Rancho Alegre’s indoor facility during inclement weather. Produce, raw goat’s milk, grass-fed beef are a few of the items that can be found at the market. Winter hours: Saturdays 10AM-2PM, and spring hours:Saturdays 8:30AM-12PM.
Address 2225 Givens Road
Dacula, GA 30019
County Gwinnett
Contact Info  Name: Pilar Quintero
Tel: 770-339-3065
Email: contact@ranchoalegrefarm.com
Website: www.ranchoalegrefarm.com

Decatur Farmers’ Market  – Open year-round on Wednesdays
In downtown Decatur, offers locally grown fresh organic produce, flowers, bread, and other organic food products. Meet the farmers who grow your food!  from 4-7pm in the summer, and 3-6pm in the winter.
Address Corner of Church St. and Commerce Drive
Decatur, GA 30030
Map & Driving Directions
County Dekalb
Contact Info  Name: Duane Marcus
Tel: 770.527.0395
Email: info@decaturfarmersmarket.com
Website: www.decaturfarmersmarket.com

Decatur Farmers’ Market- Saturday Morning
located in downtown Decatur, offers locally grown fresh organic produce, flowers, bread, and other organic food products. Come meet the farmers who grow your food! Open year-round on Saturday mornings from 9am-12pm.
Address Corner of Trinity and McDonough (400 Block)
Decatur, GA 30030
County Dekalb
Contact Info  Name: Duane Marcus
Tel: 770.527.0395
Email: info@decaturfarmersmarket.com
Website: www.decaturfarmersmarket.com

Dunwoody Green Market
A producer only market open April – November on Wednesdays from 8am-12:00pm. You’ll find seasonal vegetables, fruits, beef, pork, poultry, honey, and free-range eggs. Meats are sold on a pre-order basis only.
Address 1551 Dunwoody Village Parkway
Dunwoody, GA 30338
County Dekalb
Contact Info  Name: Paula Guilbeau
Email: info@dunwoodygreenmarket.com
Website: dunwoodygreenmarket.com/

East Atlanta Village Farmers Market
Every Thursday afternoon from 4pm until 7pm May through November. Fresh local vegetables, flowers, herbs, music, and local crafts. Located in the parking lot of the East Atlanta Ace Hardware.
Address 1231 Glenwood Avenue SE
Atlanta, GA 30316
Map & Driving Directions
County Dekalb
Contact Info  Name: Judith Winfrey
Email: info@farmeav.com
Website: farmeav.com

East Lake Farmers Market
Local produce, herbs and lots of goodies! Join us Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. Open May through October.
Address Hosea Williams Drive & 2nd Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30317
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Doug Williams
Tel: 404-428-8017
Email: eastlakefarmersmarket@gmail.com
Website: www.eastlakefarmersmarket.com

Emory Farmers Market
The Emory Campus Farmers Market serves to support Georgia farmers and allows the Emory community to interact with and expand their knowledge about healthy eating and sustainable production systems. Open Tuesdays June through November, 11am-2pm.
Address Cox Hall Bridge, 569 Asbury Circle
Atlanta, GA 30322
Map & Driving Directions
County DeKalb
Contact Info  Name: Emory Office of Sustainability
Website: www.emory.edu/sustainability.cfm

Fairburn Farmers’ Market
Open Saturdays May 15th thru October, 8am to noon. Located in parking area Fairburn Educational Campus on Hwy. 29 (West Broad St.), just north of Barton Dr. About 1/2 mile north of downtown Fairburn.
Address See Description
Fairburn, GA 30213
Map & Driving Directions
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Jeff Couch
Tel: 678-481-0300
Website: www.fairburn.com

Farmers Atlanta Road Market (FARM)
FARM is hosted by St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church on Tuesday evenings from 4-8PM (May thru September). All items are locally raised and/or produced. Seasonal produce, eggs, honey, flowers, pasta, plants, meats, cheese, artisan breads, pastries and baked goods.
Address 2160 Cooper Lake Road
Smyrna, GA 30080
Map & Driving Directions
County Cobb
Contact Info  Name: Dane Lorio
Tel: 404-408-0654
Email: dane.lorio@gmail.com
Website: www.farmersatlantaroadmarket.org/

Green Market at Piedmont Park
Green Market is a local market located in Piedmont Park. Live band and two chef demonstrations every week. Produce, bakers, juice makers, gourmet sauces, pastas, cheeses, coffee and tea, artist-of-the-week, handmade crepes, free chair massages, and much more?
Address 1071 Piedmont Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
Map & Driving Directions
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Holly Hollingsworth
Tel: 404.876.4024
Email: hhollingsworth@piedmontpark.org
Website: www.piedmontpark.org

Marietta Square Farmers’ Market
Fruits and vegetables, fresh flowers, local honey, herbal soaps, whole grain breads, fudge pies, jelly, jam, and preserves. Open Saturdays starting in early May through December, 9am ’til noon, on the historic Marietta Square.
Address 65 Church Street
Marietta, GA 30060
Map & Driving Directions
County Cobb
Contact Info  Name: Johnny Fulmer
Tel: 770.499.9393
Email: JFulmer@ChurchStreetMarket.Com
Website: www.MariettaSquareFarmersMarket.net

Morningside Farmers’ Market
The Morningside Farmers’ Market features locally grown organic vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits, soaps, herbal products, pottery, furniture, and other crafts every Saturday, 8-11:30am. Cooking demonstrations at 9:30am by local chefs. Located in the parking lot across from Alon’s Bakery.
Address 1393 N. Highland Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA 30306
Map & Driving Directions
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Jessica Givens
Email: contactus@morningsidemarket.com
Website: www.morningsidemarket.com

North Fulton Tailgate Farmers’ Market
Fresh-picked fruits and vegetables, culinary herbs, berries, local honey, cut flowers, and plants. Open Saturdays 7am until sold out.
Address 11913 Wills Road
Alpharetta, GA 30004
Map & Driving Directions
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Louise Estabrook
Tel: 404.613.7670
Email: laesta@uga.edu

Northside Farmers Market
A holiday market in the heart of Buckhead that connects farms, craftspersons, gifts, and consumers.
Address 3100 Northside Drive NW
Atlanta, GA 30305
Map & Driving Directions
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Nancy Davis & Mike Gregg
Tel: 404.237.8621
Email: manager@northsidefarmersmarket.com
Website: www.northsidefarmersmarket.com/

Paper Mill Farmers’ Market
Open-air farmers’ market featuring local fruits & vegetables, artisan cheeses, honeys, salsas, jellies, milk, pastries, artisan breads, pickles, prepared foods, herbal soaps, jewelry, cut flowers, potted herbs and more. Open Fridays through November 2009 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Address 255 Village Parkway
Marietta, GA 30067
Map & Driving Directions
County Cobb
Contact Info  Name: Lisa Graham
Tel: 678-469-4504
Email: info@papermillfarmersmarket.com
Website: www.papermillfarmersmarket.com

Peachtree Road Farmers Market
COver 45 farmers & vendors offering fresh produce, eggs, meat, cheese, yogurt and honey from local Certified Organic and Certified Naturally Grown farms. Plus breads, pasta, coffee and more. Open Saturdays April – December 8:30 -12:30. We accept EBT/SNAP benefits.
Address 2744 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30305
Map & Driving Directions
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Lauren Carey
Tel: 404.365.1078
Email: laurencarey@peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com
Website: www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com

Riverside Farmers Market
The Riverside Farmers Market brings together vendors and shoppers in a celebration of farming and wholesome Georgia-grown produce. Enjoy events such as music, cook’s tours, chili cook-offs, watermelon eating contests, and a harvest festival! Open Saturdays 8am ’til noon, late May through October.
Address Riverside Park
Roswell, GA 30050
Map & Driving Directions
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Louise Estabrook
Tel: 404.613.7670

Sandy Springs Farmers Market
Community farmers market specializing in local/regional produce and locally prepared foods. Limited crafts as well as this is a producer market. Open May-December, Saturdays, 8:30am-12:30pm.
Address 235 Sandy Springs Circle
Sandy Springs, GA 30342
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Andy Bauman
Email: info@sandyspringsfarmersmarket.com
Website: www.sandyspringsfarmersmarket.com

SWOOM – Southwest Outdoor Organic Market
SWOOM supports local farmers and entrepreneurs while promoting healthy lifestyles. Urban gardeners and craft persons committed to enhancing communities through health, economic and educational initaitives. SWOOM features demonstrations on gardening and raw food cooking.
Address 2329 Cascade Road
Atlanta, GA 30311
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Debra J. Robinson
Tel: 678-500-8387
Email: swoomatl@gmail.com
Website: www.swoomatlanta.org

The Local Farm Stand
The Local Farmstand at Star Provisions offers fresh produce three days a week. We are open 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. All produce and fruits are seasonal and grown by some of the area’s best sustainable growers, including Crystal Organic Farm, Love is Love Farm, Jenny Jack Sun Farm, Double B Farm, Riverview Farm, and more.
Address 1198 Howell Mill Road
Atlanta, GA 30318
County Fulton
Contact Info  Name: Joe Reynolds
Tel: 404.840.9618
Email: joesamreynolds@gmail.com

UMOJA Farmers’ Market
The UMOJA (Swahili for ‘unity’) Farmers’ Market is a non-profit indoor market, primarily operated for low-income neighborhood families, that carries a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables at greatly reduced prices. Open year-round, six days a week.
Address 9 Gammon Avenue SW
Atlanta, GA 30315
Map & Driving Directions
County Fulton
Contact Info  Tel: 404.622.7778
Email: hungercoalition@mindspring.com

Village Farmers’ Market at Life University
A new open-air, producer-only market on the beautiful Life University campus. Wednesdays 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Food, flowers, herbs, plants and more. All organic or sustainably grown locally. Quality vendors wanted.
Address 1269 Barclay Circle
Marietta, GA 30060
County Cobb
Contact Info  Name: Nita Allen
Tel: 770-426-2605
Email: nita.allen@life.edu
Website: www.life.edu