Bluffton Producer Selected as Georgia Farmer of the Year

Originally published in the Aug. 7, 2013, issue

 

By Dallas Duncan

 

There’s a lot going on at White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Ga. So much, in fact, that owner Will Harris was selected as the 2013 Georgia Farmer of the Year.

 

“Will’s very forward-thinking in the things he does,” said Brian Cresswell, Early County Extension coordinator. “He knows what he’s doing and why he’s doing it. I thought he’d be a very strong candidate.”

 

Cresswell nominated Harris for the award, which is part of a regional competition. The southeastern winner will be announced at the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition in Moultrie, Ga., in October.

 

Harris said he is honored and humbled at being selected the state winner.

 

His family started the centennial farm in 1866. Harris farmed in the conventional manner for years, but said as he got older he chose to focus on the “old way.”

 

Will Harris of Bluffton, Ga., checks on cattle in the pasture
at his farm. Harris was named Georgia Farmer of the Year
and is competing for the regional title, to be announced at
Sunbelt this fall. Photo courtesy White Oak Pastures

White Oak Pastures is the only farm in the country with both US Department of Agriculture-inspected red meat and poultry abattoirs. Harris’ family raises 10 different meat animals as well as pastured eggs and certified organic vegetables. They built a restaurant on the farm and are looking to build lodging in 2014.

 

“It is truly pasture to plate,” Harris said. “Our agritourism is based on education more than recreation. … We grow mushrooms, we tan leather hides, we can vegetables, we make jelly and jam and sausage and jerky and charcuterie. … We do a lot of things that hopefully some people would want to learn about.”

 

Steve Brown, University of Georgia assistant dean for Extension, is in charge of the state award program. He said nominations come in from county agents across the state.

 

“We want a farmer that’s innovative, that tries new things. We’re looking for engagement in the community and in commodity groups, people that are active in different commodity commissions and regional Farm Bureau groups and stuff like that,” he said. “They need to ideally show some type of conservation for their farm and that they’re taking care of the land. They need to show some sort of legacy plan – what’s going to happen to their land when they pass on.”

 

Brown said it was Harris’ atypical farming practices in a very conventional ag-based community that stood out to the judges, as well as his ability to promote those products.

 

“You gotta find a market for your products,” Harris said. “You can’t just hoof to it and pull it to the grain elevator or the auction barn or the cotton gin. You’ve got to find your market. And making production match demand – you gotta raise enough, but you can’t raise too much.”

 

White Oak Pasture products are sold at several Georgia grocery stores. In addition, food service distributors purchase the farm’s meat and consumers can buy direct from the farm’s online store.

 

This is the 24^th consecutive year the Southeastern Farmer of the Year award has been sponsored by Swisher Sweets. For being the Georgia winner, Harris’ prizes included a $2,500 cash prize, an all-expenses paid trip to the Sunbelt Expo and several other items. The regional winner will win more prizes, including $15,000 cash.

 

For future years, the state award has been merged with the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award. Next March, Brown said the Georgia Farmer of the Year will be announced at Ag Day at the Capitol to compete at the Sunbelt Expo.

 

Judges for the regional competition will visit White Oak Pastures later this month for the final judging.

 

“Georgia is such a great farm state with so many great, great, great farmers,” Harris said. “I don’t think for one minute that I am the farmer of the year from Georgia, but somebody had to be and I’m glad they picked me.”