Author Archives: John Holcomb

One Family Growing Sweet Berries and Family Memories

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Rome, GA |

Rows of ripe strawberries, beautiful skies, and family time – things you can find on U-pick operations across the state, just like this one, LCCL Strawberry Farm in Rome. A strawberry operation that was started by the McDonald family more than two-decades ago in an effort to create a place for families to make memories.

“You can see here we got three and a half acres on this side of the road. On the other side of the road, we have five acres. We started with a half acre those 22 years ago. It was the idea from some family friends back home that grow strawberries at Copeland Strawberry Farm. So, we did that. First year, we started with a half acre, and we’ve just been fortunate enough to grow over the years and been blessed. And some people say, my wife might say it’s a curse sometimes because we both have jobs and it gets a little hectic out here during strawberry season, but we’ve been blessed and it’s been a good venture for us,” says Lance McDonald, Owner of LCCL Strawberry Farm.

This year is their twenty second crop, and as you can see, they’re already off to a great start as they’ve got tons of ripe berries that are just waiting to be picked.

“We usually start going around April the 10th, usually once middle of April hits, we’re pretty wide open and we go pretty strong through the end of May. Toward the end of May and into the 1st of June, we will still have berries, but it starts to slow down, and we may have to close some days and let them ripen back up to have enough for people to come in and pick, but that’s usually the normal season for us; is second week of April into the first week of June,” says McDonald.

Over the years, they’ve managed to build quite the name for themselves, as he says they have people that come from all over to pick berries at their farm.

“We’ve been blessed and fortunate to have the support of the community. We have people out of Atlanta and the Chattanooga area that come down here to our farm and pick. It’s just great and it’s rewarding for us. When you get those good compliments and people say thank you for allowing us to come to your farm, you can’t get a better compliment than that,” says McDonald.

However, as you would imagine, it takes a lot of hard work to manage an operation like this one, but McDonald says it most certainly is a labor of love as they enjoy meeting those that come out to the farm to make memories with their families.

“We have a lot of good people that help us out here, and we’ve been blessed in that situation to have these people to come out and help us. We’ve had people that’s been with us for many years. The other; there is spending time with family and getting to meet new people. We meet somebody new and different every day. It’s just been a great experience and we’ve had a lot of fun with it. It’s just a great experience for children to come out, some children that come from the city, they may not know what it takes to grow a strawberry or even know where a strawberry comes from, but for them to come out here and be together as a family and enjoy our farm, it just means a lot to us,” says McDonald.

By: John Holcomb

Low Beef Inventories Creating Opportunities

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Columbus, GA |

Despite popular belief, the steady increase of beef prices over the past couple of decades hasn’t necessarily mean more money in the pockets of producers. Between record high input costs and the portion that goes towards packers, profit margins remained slim. However, that is starting to turn, which provides new opportunities for cattlemen here in Georgia.

“The industry still remains strong for cow, calf producers like those here in Georgia where we’re excited about the higher prices that we’re starting to see. This is finally an opportunity for our industry to be able to help pay down the interest, keep the bankers happy, but also look at ways in which we can reinvest into our operations,” says Dale Sandlin, Executive VP of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association.

The biggest reason for this shift in the market is a historically low inventory, which now makes beef a premium product.

“The biggest thing that we’re seeing now versus later is obviously a change in the herd size. We’ve got the lowest number since 1951 as far as the amount of cattle that are on feed right now. And so, having that as well as weather changes and concerns out west that’s caused a need for more calves to be coming up and that’s the one thing that Georgia does a really great job on is raising those calves and starting that up,” says Sandlin.

While cattlemen are optimistic about the future, they are still encouraged to look into price support programs from USDA like livestock risk protection in order to hedge against possible market volatility or supply chain disruption.

“When everything is rosy and the numbers look like they can’t possibly go any higher, you have folks make decisions and invest in things. And you want to make sure there’s some coverage that the kind of prices they thought they were going to get for those products. We’re not poultry. We’re not a supply chain that can produce something very quickly. Cattle take a while to raise to maturity and send it on through the supply chain. We want to make sure those producers that are making those investments have some tools at their disposal to say, ‘man, I really like the price now that I would get for those cattle. I’m going to lock in some of that,'” says Ethan Lane, VP of Government Affairs for NCBA.

And this could be a decision producers will have to face in the future as well, with the herd size expected to remain low in the foreseeable future.

“As far as people jumping into the cattle industry now, because of the higher prices, we’re not seeing quite the same gusto that we saw in 2014-2015 where the herd rebuilt back much faster and we saw those prices come down sharper. We’re expecting a more drawn-out approach this time. That’s something that will provide some long-term stability for our industry,” says Sandlin.

Another way producers can ensure long-term stability is joining organizations like the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association no matter the size of their operation.

“USDA says cattle producers in the state of Georgia, a lot of those producers cattle are not their only agricultural pursuit. They may be a row crop farmer. They may may have other livestock, but at the same time, cattle producers need to stand together. This is one of the things that we have seen and the ability for us to have members, those numbers matter,” says Sandlin.

By: Damon Jones

East Georgia Sheep Operation Thriving

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Crawfordville, GA |

What started off as just a way to make extra money while in college, has turned into a passion for Tucker and Emily West, a young farming couple that got married in 2020 and decided to turn their dream into a reality with Liberty Farms Livestock – a sheep operation just outside of Augusta that’s dedicated to providing great, quality lamb to their customers.

“We actually run a Katahdin ewe base, which are one of the most hardy types of sheep, and they’re real popular here in the Southeast. They’re resilient, they’re tough in environment, they’re great mommas, got great maternal instincts, adaptability is fantastic on them. So, we really try to keep a focus on that katahdin ewe base and then we breed with a white dorper. That way we get that carcass quality and that yield back out of the lambs. The dorper breed is known for their meatiness, their rail weights, and their yield percentages coming off carcass. So, we’ve been able to kind of narrow that down to where we want it to be,” says Tucker West, Owner of Liberty Farms Livestock.

In the last couple of years, business has exploded for them, as they’ve managed to tap into farmers markets, grocery stores, and even restaurants, which according to West, has been nothing short of a blessing as their demand continues to exceed their expectations.

“That’s kind of caught us by surprise. We thought we would deal with more ethnic groups in those kind of markets, but we’ve actually haven’t been able to tap into those just because we’re having trouble meeting the demand of the regular markets, but we sell a lot to independently owned grocery stores and markets. We sell a lot to that and we have a farmers market over on lake Oconee that we visit from May through December and we’re able to sell a lot straight to consumers that way. We’ve also built a great relationship with some restaurants in the state and we’ve been able to work with Cam Floyd a good bit. Just being able to build those relationships has been the biggest key to getting our product out there,” says West

As for the future, West says they want to continue to see their operation grow, one that is sustainable for them and the family they’re currently expanding, all while also still striving for that great quality product that speaks for itself.

“The most important thing for us now that we’re expecting our first child in July is making this operation generational. How can we continue to grow and make it profitable off the land that we have to where my kids can come back and still do what we do here, whether it’s sheep, cows, the chicken houses, whatever the case may be; having an operation where they can come back and still continue this generational farm, that’s probably the most important. Second is quality; at the end of the day, business is great and volume is great, but I want to make sure that we’re putting out the best quality product that we possibly can and that chefs, individuals, customers at restaurants, or people at the farmer’s market or at the retail locations, when they buy our product, that is the best piece of lamb meat they’ve ever had,” says West.

By: John Holcomb

County Presidents Advocate for Georgia Agriculture on Capitol Hill

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoFUVRPtK60

Washington D.C. |

Home to world class museums, breath taking monuments and some of the most powerful people in the world, Washington DC serves at the backdrop for those looking to affect change. That’s why every year, GFB county presidents make their way up to the nation’s capital to voice their concerns with lawmakers.

“These thirty that came up here, talking face to face with the federal elected people not only back up our policy people that work every day for our farmers back home, but they’re also helping take care of the farmers that we represent as Farm Bureau all over the state,” says Tom McCall, President of Georgia Farm Bureau.

“Without trips like this, the President’s trips, and our Young Farmers trips, it kind of causes a bit of a chasm between what our members in Congress hear and what is actually being felt. So, the more times we can get our real farmers and ranchers in front of them and let them kind of tell them what the effects of certain policies and rulings are, that better allows members of Congress to implement better policy,” says Ben Parker, National Affairs Coordinator for GFB.

With the margins now tighter than ever around the farm, there were a number of topics to discuss with legislators. And on the forefront of those was the passage of a new Farm Bill.

“Right now with the farm bill, we’re kind of in a deadlock between House and Senate. We have slim majorities in both. There hasn’t been a lot of movement this congress, but we believe that the House will be moving shortly on introducing a bill,” says Joe Gilson, Director of Government Affairs for American Farm Bureau Federation.

That is just one of many priority issues brought up in the meetings with members of the House and Senator John Ossoff, which is why having such diverse representation on this trip is so vital.

“Some of them may not know what’s going on. There’s a lot of issues that pop up; everything from the dicamba ban that affects soybean and cotton producers so much with pigweed problems, to some of these late freezes that may hit some of our farmers and producers need some disaster assistance. We have a varied group of people from muscadine growers, to cotton farmers, to soybean farmers, to animals, to horses, to calves, dairy, beef cows all up here that can explain the hands-on reason that we need some policy done,” says McCall.

However, this is just a small representation of Georgia agriculture, which is why each and every farmer around the state is encouraged to reach out to their state and national officials voicing their concerns.

“It’s effective through quality and quantity. So, if you have an office that’s getting hit up with certain issues, they’re going to start taking notice of that. The more that you can get in their ear, it’s an old expression but the squeaking wheel gets the oil. So, the more loud and effective we are in our messaging, the better our results are going to be and the more that we can do to impact agriculture in a beneficial way,” says Parker.

By: Damon Jones

This Market Bloomed Into a Premier Garden Center

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Clermont, GA |

With the days getting longer and the weather getting warmer, green thumbs around Georgia are making their way back into the garden. That means plants are flying off the lot of Full Bloom Nursery, a staple of the Hall County community that was started up by a husband-and-wife team looking to follow their passion.

“We decided, let’s open a nursery. So, in 2003, we opened to the public. We built all of this ourselves. We built the greenhouses. We laid it all out and wanted to just have a nice place with shade trees and off the highway where it just feels like you’re in a garden. It was a pipe dream, but you know the saying, ‘if you build it, they will come.’ Well, that’s very true in the world of flowers and gardening because gardeners are really, seriously passionate about gardening,” says Kellie Bowen.

That belief, along with plenty of hard work, has resulted in this business growing from just a single greenhouse into the expansive, award-winning operation it is today.

“We’re pretty much the biggest retail garden center in North Georgia. We have customers who come down from South Carolina and Tennessee and Atlanta and all over as they’re coming through or if they moved away, they come back. So, it’s just really grown into, we have I think twelve greenhouses and we have five acres of retail space for the customers to shop from,” says Bowen.

In order to keep up to date with the season and provide the largest variety of plants for their customers, those twelve greenhouses stay busy throughout the year. It’s a process they say is truly a labor of love.

“When you start that little plant, it starts out as this little, tiny thing and you’re seeing no visible evidence of growth and then, you’re three weeks, six weeks, eight weeks in and you see what you’ve done and put your hard work and labor into. It’s just great to see where you start and end up,” says Julie Bowen-Grizzle.

“We’re doing year-round production. We grow a lot of our own plant material here. So, we have some production greenhouses where that goes on all through the Winter to get ready for Spring. The Fall is a big season for us too because that’s the time of year you want to plant trees and there’s two big seasons for us, Spring and Fall. So, we’re always producing for the next season,” says Bowen.

That’s one of the major differences between a local nursery and the big box store, as the selection of plants and flowers to choose from are specifically curated to maximize the chance of success in the difficult growing conditions Georgia provides.

“Unfortunately, sometimes if you go to a big box store, you might find plants that are shipped in from Washington state or Minnesota and they’re not acclimated to this southern heat, humid climate and our big swings in temperature. In the springtime, we can go from thirties at night to seventies during the day. That’s a forty-degree swing. That’s hard on plants if they’re not acclimated to that. So, everything we have here will grow here,” says Bowen.

Despite that peace of mind, the prospect of choosing the right plant for the right spot in your garden can still seem daunting. However, with a little help from these trained professionals, it’s a job that is far from impossible.

“We’re here. We want you to succeed. It’s a lot of fun but it is scary. For someone like me, I’m still very new, green into this. Yes, I grew up and my parents are great and have done a great job with this, but I learn something new every day. So, don’t be afraid to come out here. That’s what we’re here for. We’ll help you and guide you to be successful,” says Grizzle.

“So, we encourage them to bring pictures of the areas. Brind some measurements. We’ll even sketch it out on paper and help them lay out what’s going to work for their situation. The number one rule in gardening is put the right plant in the right spot,” says Bowen.

By: Damon Jones

Women’s Pivotal Role in Georgia Agriculture

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Athens, GA |

In Athens recently, conversations were had surrounding the topic of women in agriculture, which according to USDA Census Data, accounts for thirty-six percent of the ag industry’s workforce, three times was it was just decades ago. However, despite that progress, there’s still more work to be done, which is where the Women in Agriculture Forum comes in.

“We were able to travel all over Georgia and to meet farmers and ranchers, all across Georgia. And all of them are very happy and generous when it came to sharing their experiences with us. A common theme here really was that first of all, agriculture is a necessary and vital industry, but it is also a really hard profession, especially for women. And so our question was kind of how can we make this a little bit easier? How can we possibly support female farmers in Georgia? I think this forum today is kind of our answer to that question. We’re trying to support female farmers in Georgia by providing a platform for them to get to know each other, to build a community, but also to learn about state and federal resources and to also practice some really tangible skills like leadership, mentoring, and branding,” says Alexa Bankert, an Associate Professor at UGA.

According to Bankert, one of the biggest hurdles they found for women in the agriculture industry, was the lack of community, as she says most are juggling several things at once and either don’t know about or don’t have time to utilize the resources that are out there.

“What we heard a lot was the lack of community, the lack of support, simply because in many cases, a female farmer is not the stereotypical farmer. So, sometimes there was the lack of having a supportive community. That was really a big challenge. The other one is in fact mental health. That too was something that came up quite repeatedly and also just unawareness, really a lack of awareness. When it came to available resources, right? And so we really tried to tailor this workshop to these needs and to provide at least a starting point to address those deficiencies,” says Bankert.

To Breanna Berry, Leadership Programs Coordinator for Georgia Farm Bureau, that’s where GFB comes in, as she says though women in ag often do have a full plate, not only is GFB is a great resource for them, they’re also vital to the organization’s success.

“I think Farm Bureau provides a really great opportunity for our women in agriculture to find that sense of belonging, that sense of community. There are women in our organization who might be older with a lot of wisdom and a lot of experience that they can offer our younger and future generations. That is vital for that next generation to have success. They’ve faced a lot of challenges, a lot of struggles, maybe a lot of obstacles they’ve found that community that has helped them work through some of those challenges. And we really can be a place where all of those groups come together, all of those ages and generations meet and are able to share their experiences, share their knowledge, and really find that community that really is necessary for our ladies to be successful,” says Berry.

By: John Holcomb

Connecting Georgia Farmers to Worldwide Markets

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Tucker, GA |

As is the case for most things in life, big things come from humble beginnings. And that’s certainly the case for FEAST Global, a multinational company that started off as just a website. Despite that growth, the goal of promoting the agricultural industry and connecting farmers to different markets has remained the same.

“Our company was really founded as a food blog in 2008. From there, we were in Mississippi and then we did things in the South. Last year, we changed our name to FEAST Global. We opened an office in Mexico, the Philippines, and India. We represent farmers, Ag places all across the world helping tell the story. We help connect people to great ingredients and it can be across a variety of different products and product types. It’s a relationship business,” says Andy Chapman, CEO of FEAST Global.

One of the main products here in Georgia is, of course, the peanut. And with all the time spent planting, growing and harvesting the crop, there are very few opportunities for producers to get out and promote the industry.

“The farmers that are out and farming peanuts don’t have time to go tell people about the crop they’re growing. So, we work with the peanut industry to help tell their story and help them sell peanuts. There’s lots of different things that people don’t understand about peanuts and other ingredients. So, our job is to educate people on different ways to use it, how it’s grown, how is this sustainable and what you’re doing to the earth as you grow any given crop,” says Chapman.

While this company might work on a global scale, there are still numerous local events like this one held at Tucker High School, where students got a first-hand demonstration on how peanuts are used in restaurants from a celebrity chef.

“We have a group of culinary students and we brought in Chef Jernard Wells to combine with me to teach these kids more about one of the things that’s grown right in their back yard that they may not realize comes straight from a farm, like literally a couple of steps away,” says Chapman.

Even though most of these students will never step foot in a professional kitchen, having an appreciation for all the hard work that goes into producing the food they eat will help continue moving the agricultural industry forward in the future.

“I think the thing that I want to hammer, and we do this internationally as well, you’re only as good as the ingredients you start with. So, knowing where your food comes from, the history and the stories behind it makes you a better chef. Using better ingredients makes your food better. This is going to be a whole generation of cooks and eaters. Some of them are never going to cook in a restaurant. Some of them are going to cook for their family every night. So, when you introduce great ingredients, tell the story, create memories, that’s important for them. It’s important for the farmers that you’re helping and that’s what we’re here to do,” says Chapman.

By: Damon Jones

Better Days Ahead for Georgia’s Forage Producers

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Tifton, GA |

Spring has officially sprung here in Georgia which means hay fields and pastures across the state will be starting to flourish, signaling a new production year for forage producers. According to Lisa Baxter, State Forage Extension Specialist, producers are hoping for great conditions like they saw early on last year, as the weather was nothing but ideal and producers got some relief from input costs.

“Overall, given the limitations we’ve had over the last few years. 2023 was a great forage year. For the most part, statewide. We had pockets with some challenges in it, but with some fertilizer prices starting to come down, people getting better control on weeds; it was an incredible hay year for a lot of producers. We had some very well timed rain overall. There were definitely pockets that we were a little dry that worked well for hay production because we were able to get some timely harvest done and not have to rush to get something bailed before the next rainstorm,” says Lisa Baxter, State Forage Extension Specialist.

However, Baxter says that great year all changed last Fall, as a large portion of the state suffered from drought conditions, especially the Northwest corner, which ended up hindering Fall planting due to just how dry the soil was.

“We had an incredible Summer last year and not so great Fall and Winter. So, coming into Fall, a lot of the state was fairly dry at the exact time that we needed to be planting Winter grazing. So, for the most part, producers were fairly late planning winter grazing if they could get the drill in the ground at all. A lot of seed just stayed in the bag last year and fortunately, because when we’re not looking at rain in the forecast with the lack of irrigation in Georgia for forage production, it just wasn’t worth putting that seed out. So, as good of a Summer as it was, Fall and Winter was hard, especially for the northern part of the state,” says Baxter.

According to Baxter, due to those drought conditions, especially where it was severe, it’s going to be a waiting game, as she says they won’t really know how things will shape up until warmer temperatures are here to stay.

“To give you a reference, we turned in drought loss estimates, some less severe than others for a hundred and twenty counties in the state of Georgia last year, so essentially the entire state, but there was that pocket up in the Northwest corner of the state, thirteen, fourteen counties that did hit disaster level of drought. I think we’re still trying to determine how severe that drought was, because going into Fall, that was peak tall fescue growing season. So, for producers not to have that stockpile available for tall fescue and not being able to plant that winter grazing, it really set us up for some big challenges in that Northwest corner of the state. We expect that fescue to come back this Spring, but time will tell. We don’t know for sure. While rainfall has occurred, it’s been highly variable. So, it’s one of those wait and see games, which is what no producer wants to hear, but there’s no way to know until we get through the spring and our temperatures start to warm up,” says Baxter.

By: John Holcomb

Is There a Pecan Revolution Coming?

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Perry, GA |

There’s a whole lot of shaking going on here in Georgia, with as it is responsible for nearly a third of the country’s pecan production. And that is unlikely to change in the near future with a number of trees finally reaching maturation.

“Once the prices went high back around 2010, we started having a lot of planting taking place. So, our planting in Georgia, we’ve probably added since that time, probably sixty thousand acres of pecans, and now we’re starting to see those plantings contribute to the volume that’s out there. So, what used to be an off crop in Georgia or a bad crop in Georgia used to be about forty million pounds of pecans in the state, now an off year in Georgia is more like eighty to eighty-five million pounds,” says Lenny Wells, Pecan Extension Specialist.

However, that record production could put downward pressure on the price growers will see, especially with a chief trading partner buying less of their product.

“Pecan growers normally make good money when there’s a good, strong in shell pecan market. Right now, we don’t really have a good in shell market. China was a tremendous in shell market. So, that’s why we saw the prices go up so high and do so well for growers, but with the tariffs came on in 2018 that of course cut that out,” says Wells.

That means new markets must be explored. And one option is the country with the second highest population.

“We had some buyers from India over here a few months ago meeting with pecan suppliers here in Georgia and throughout the US. There was a lot of demand, a lot of interest there. The tariff reduction going from a hundred percent down the thirty percent I think is going to open the door,” says Wells.

Until then, growers are going to have to do more with less. And the University of Georgia’s breeding program is looking to make that job a little easier.

“Long term, we need to get better varieties in those orchards that have a higher yield potential. So, a lot of the older varieties that we were growing, that yield potential, maximum consistently would be around a thousand, maybe twelve hundred pounds an acre. We need varieties that are going to provide fifteen hundred or two thousand pounds an acre or more and do that at a lower cost of production,” says Wells.

With that in mind, there is one thing growers are encouraged to do in order to get the most out of their trees.

“One thing that has become very popular in the last few years that we see a lot of positive benefits to is hedge pruning. So, you basically with hedge pruning, you go down the length of the tree row and cut everything off a certain distance away from the trunk. And then you top that tree to bring the size of the tree down. What that does, it allows you to bring that entire tree into a size that whatever sprayer you’re using can cover that crop,” says Wells.

By: Damon Jones

Breaking Down Stresses Related to Agriculture

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Jasper, GA |

Recently in Jasper, the University of Georgia, held its annual Farm Stress Summit. An event that’s meant to shine a light on the stressors within the ag community and help strengthen the resources that are available. It’s an event that has helped make major strides on the topic of mental health, especially within the farming community as more and more people come forward to talk about their struggles and stress.

“One of the things we found is that in general, not just with the farming community, but also with any community, people are just more willing to talk about it. In the last five years, you’ve seen more people willing to come forward, athletes on TV talk about their mental health. Social media has made it a lot more accessible for people to say, ‘hey, I’m struggling, things are not okay.’ I think a lot of people have personally been touched by suicide or by a mental illness, either in their family or in their community and just talking about it, being willing to talk about it. There’s still a there’s still some stigma, but I think that we’re just having more conversations. People are a little more willing these days, and I just see it increasing every day,” says Jennifer Dunn, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

According to Christina Proctor, a professor within UGA’s College of Public Health, that couldn’t be truer, as she says when conducting her research within the state, farmers were very open about where they were, and says most of the time, she found it only takes one person to start the conversation.

“One thing that really stuck out to me and all the interviews that we did with that, our farmers actually really wanted to talk about their stress. They wanted to talk about the struggles that they had faced. And I think there is this shift and I had an interview with a farmer a few weeks ago and she’s like, it only takes one of us. One of us has to be brave enough in these meetings to step out and say like, ‘hey, like I’m struggling,’ or ‘I think we should talk about mental health.’ I think having a stress summit like this opens up those conversations even more because somebody in this room can go to one of those meetings and feel like they can open up about it after they’ve seen other people up here sharing their experiences or they’ve seen the data and the quotes from our farmers across the state,” says Christina Proctor, a Professor at UGA.

Dunn believes that events like this one help facilitate those meaningful conversations, as more people realize the benefit to being open and discussing what they’re going through, and helps others know how to talk to those dealing with mental health challenges.

“One of the things I think that is the best advantage of this is you have the ag folks and the mental health folks in the same room and they get to know each other and they might have kids that play baseball together, they might play soccer together, but they didn’t know that’s what you did for a job. And so how can we build on those partnerships and work with these folks together? One of the things we just talked about in our last session was mental health first aid or question, persuade, and refer, which are two programs that help you have a conversation with people about just this topic. How do you talk to people about depression? How do you talk to people about suicide prevention? And so just the best thing to me is just knowing who the partners are, who the players are, and how we can connect each other,” says Dunn.

By: John Holcomb