Small growers in short supply
Local food boom increases demand.
Expanding the pool of farmers ‘something that takes time.’
By Coleman Wood

For the AJC

Saturday, May 09, 2009

When Jonathan Tescher began the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market in
2006, he had to start small despite the growing demand for locally
grown organic food.

The operating budget that first year was a mere $250, half of which
came out of Tescher’s own pocket. But the bigger problem was one
facing many upstart farmers markets in Georgia —- a shortage of local
farmers.

When the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market debuted midseason,
Tescher had just a handful of vendors, only two of whom were farmers.

“It was weak [at first], but it was there and people supported us,”
Tescher said.

By the second season, Tescher had developed a business plan and formed
local partnerships that provided, among other things, financial
assistance for a marketing budget, supplies and other operating costs.
The market grew to 25 vendors, including four or five farmers.

Today, East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, which opened for the
season Thursday, is thriving. But as demand for community farmers
markets continues to increase, the dearth of farmers remains an issue.

“The problem is we’ve had this explosive growth in interest,
particularly in the past two to three years, and to [expand the number
of] growers is something that takes time,” said Alice Rolls, executive
director of Georgia Organics, a nonprofit organization that promotes
organic and sustainable agriculture in the state.

Out of the $20 billion in food Georgians purchase annually, $16
billion comes from out of state, according to Georgia Organics.
Meanwhile, the number of farmers markets in Georgia expanded from 12
to 62 between 2004 and 2008, according to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Survey.

“One of our ultimate goals is to grow more growers,” Rolls said.

Tescher hopes the proliferation of markets will encourage more people
to take up farming. And assistance is coming from the federal
government. The 2008 farm bill had several provisions in it that
increased funding for various organic and sustainable farming
programs.

It should be noted that farmers markets are not limited solely to
organic growers; the only condition of these “producer-only” markets
is that the farmer selling the food has to be the one who grew it. And
many local farmers adopt the same environmentally friendly growing
practices as those certified organic by the USDA (the only people that
can call themselves organic), but do not want to go through the red
tape associated with being certified. These practices include not
using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, as well as not using
genetically modified seeds. A local market will often contain a mix of
certified and non-certified sustainable farmers.

The farm bill increases the amount of funding for the Organic
Agriculture and Extension Initiative, the USDA’s main grant program
for organic studies. The bill also increases the amount farmers are
reimbursed for the cost of organic certification and supports those
who wish to convert to organic farms.

But a turnaround will be needed soon. The number of people going into
farming has been decreasing for decades, and most farming today is
done by large-scale industrial operations rather than family farms.
According to Georgia Organics, less than 1 percent of farmers are
under age 25. The average U.S. farmer is 56.

Farmers are well aware of the demand. Moore Farms & Friends is one of
the area’s most popular community-supported agriculture groups —- a
subscription service in which members are delivered produce each week
straight from the farm. In one recent week, Moore Farms added 30 new
members to its CSA and three new drop sites for deliveries.

“We’re able to meet demand for our delivery schedule right now, but we
get calls literally every week wanting to add a drop site on the other
side of Atlanta,” said Will Moore, who runs the CSA and his farm out
of Woodland, Ala., with his wife, Laurie.

Despite today’s shortage of local small farmers, there is optimism
that the local food movement in Georgia will continue to grow. Local
groups and government agencies are coming up with new ways to attract
farmers, and slow progress is being made.

“I think it’s going to be years before we can meet the demand,” Moore
said. “I think growing the farmers is really crucial. We don’t have
enough growers in this area, but I have seen a lot of new growers come
along, so it’s not a gloomy prospect.”

Metro Atlanta producer-only farmers markets

Alpharetta Farmers Market

City parking lot behind Smokejack Grill, Alpharetta

April to October, Saturdays, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

www.alpharettafarmersmarket.com

Decatur Organic Farmers Market

Corner of Church Street and Commerce Drive, Decatur

Year-round, Wednesdays, 4-7 p.m. (summer) And 3-6 p.m. (winter)

www.decaturfarmersmarket.com

East Atlanta Village Farmers Market

1231 Glenwood Ave. (Parking lot of the east Atlanta Ace Hardware), Atlanta

May through November, Thursdays, 4 p.m.-dusk

www.farmeav.com

Emory Farmers Market

Cox Hall Bridge, 569 Asbury Circle, Emory University Campus

June through November, Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Green Market at Piedmont Park

The 12th Street entrance to Piedmont Park, Midtown

May through October, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

www.piedmontpark.org

Marietta Square Farmers Market

65 Church St., Marietta

May through September, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon

www.mariettasquarefarmersmarket.net

Morningside Farmers Market

1393 N. Highland Ave. (across from Alon’s Bakery), Morningside

Year-round, Saturdays, 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

www.morningsidemarket.com

North Fulton Tailgate Farmers Market

11913 Wills Road, Alpharetta

Saturdays, 7 a.m. until sold out

Peachtree Road Farmers Market

2744 Piedmont Road

(in the Cathedral of St. Phillip parking lot), Buckhead

April through December, Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-noon.

www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com

Riverside Farmers Market

Riverside Park, Roswell

May through October, 8 a.m.-noon

Spruill Green Market

4681 Ashford-Dunwoody Road, Atlanta

May through November, 8 a.m.-noon

Studioplex Green Market

659 Auburn Ave., Atlanta

Summer through fall, Saturdays, 8 a.m.-noon

Markets for low-income families

The Georgia Citizens’ Coalition on Hunger operates four farmers
markets that provide regular and organic produce at reduced prices to
low-income families and the general public, from June through October.
Contact Melissa Pittman at the Hunger Coalition for specific days and
times ([log in to unmask] or 404-622-7778).

> Lakewood Health Center —- 1853 Jonesboro Road, Atlanta

> Adamsville Health Center —- 3699 Bakers Ferry Road, Atlanta

> College Park Regional Health Center —- 1920 John Wesley Ave., Atlanta

> Southside Medical Center —- 1046 Ridge Ave. S.W., Atlanta


--
Dr. Teri Hamlin
North Region Agriculture Education
Georgia Department of Education
204C Four Towers University of Georgia
Athens, Ga 30602
706-542-3679 / 706-540-0032
[log in to unmask]