2014 Farmers Market Week Kicks Off Tomorrow

Courtesy Department Press Office

Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black announced today that he will recognize Gov. Nathan Deal’s proclamation of Farmers Market Week in Georgia with a Farmers Market Tour throughout the state June 21 through 28. The tour will include visits to community and state farmers markets in Snellville, Atlanta, Milledgeville, Athens, Warner Robins and Gainesville, ending with the Georgia Grown Farmers Showcase at the Atlanta State Farmers Market. This tour will promote the growth of farmers markets across the state while encouraging people to purchase locally.

The Department Marketing Division administers nine state farmers markets that form the network for sales of fruits and vegetables throughout Georgia, as well as the Southeast. These facilities maintain a viable market for Georgia farmers and farm products in the communities where they are located. Georgia’s state farmers markets are responsible for more than $1 billion in sales each year.

In addition to state farmers markets, Georgia is also home to a large number of thriving community farmers markets. These markets provide an opportunity for  farmers to sell directly to their neighbors and are often operated by non-profits or local governments. Throughout the state, these community markets generate $30 million in revenue.

“Through the Farmers Market Tour, we hope to spotlight Georgia’s thriving state and community farmers markets, and the positive impact that these markets have on our local economy,” Black said. “Farmers Markets allow consumers not only to pick up some fresh, locally grown produce, but the chance to get to know the local farmers in his or her community.”

2014 Farmers Market Tour Schedule

June 21, 2014
Snellville Farmers Market
2342 Oak Rd, Snellville
8 a.m.

June 23, 2014
Sweet Auburn Curb Market
209 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta
1 p.m.

June 24, 2014
Milledgeville Marketplace
222 E Hancock St, Milledgeville
4 p.m.

June 25, 2014
Athens Farmers Market
301 College Ave, Athens
4 p.m.

June 26, 2014
International City Farmers Market
Watson Blvd, Warner Robins
1 p.m.

June 27, 2014
Gainesville Farmers Market
734 E Crescent Drive, Gainesville
2:30 p.m.

June 28, 2014
Atlanta State Farmers Market
16 Forest Pkwy, Forest Park
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Find a farmers market in your area!

Farm-Fresh Field Trip

By Maggie Dudacek, summer intern

Father and daughter team Travis Burch and Jessica Rothacker take family dynamics seriously at their Athens, Ga., restaurant, Heirloom Café and Fresh Market. The tightly knit family atmosphere is evident in every aspect of the eatery: staff, community and even where its ingredients come from.

With a family business atmosphere, Rothacker is able to emphasize what she deems most important: “great food, service and community," according to the restaurant’s website.

In order to focus on this type of environment, Heirloom Café brings its management and staff to the farms where food and ingredients are sourced from. Chefs and servers become knowledgeable about the food’s background and are able to converse with customers about its origin and why buying local matters.

  

Last week, Rothacker and Burch took their staff to Darby Farms in Good Hope, Ga. Daniel Dover, Darby Farms owner, has more than seven years of experience delivering Heirloom with fresh, locally grown meats.

“It’s hard for people to understand why they should pay more for a product that is … humanely raised. It is easier for the customers to understand if the servers are able to communicate with them,” Rothacker said.

She and Burch look to hire staff members that are interested in the “cooking and sourcing” of the food and able to promote the restaurant’s mission of buying and supporting farms from the area.  

“[The cooks] have a lot of passion for food,” Rothacker said. “[It’s] inspirational for them to get to come out here and they come back to work with a new reason on why they’re doing what they’re doing.”

Heirloom manager Aura Morris is proud to be a part of a business that not only provides its customers with enjoyable and tasty meals, but supports the local economy as well. With a background in farming and passion for how food is grown and where it comes from, Morris is the perfect advocate for Heirloom.

“Our customers tend to really care about the food and where it comes from, and it’s nice to tell them from personal experience what the farms are like, where the food comes from. Our mission is to be a local food-focused restaurant,” Morris said.

Over the years, the trend for using food from homegrown farms has increased exponentially. However, Heirloom is the expert when it comes to supporting its local community. Field trips to their producers and suppliers show just how invested the restaurant is in supporting farmers who are not only their business partners but neighbors as well.  

“We seem to fill that niche really well. The people who come to eat with us really seem to care about those issues too and are just really curious about what it is that we are doing and why we are passionate about local food,” Morris said.