Tag Archives: Community

Gretchen on Scott James 92.1 FM radio about Ham and Eggs show 7:00AM 2016-02-10

7AM Thursday morning, Gretchen Quarterman will be on the Scott James, 92.1 FM radio program along with Ray Ewing (President of Lowndes Improvement Association), to talk about a South Georgia cultural tradition, and one of only two left in the entire country: the 66th annual Ham and Eggs Auction 2016. You can bid on eggs, on a ham, and if you talk to Gretchen or Ray they can tell you how to get involved in the program and even how to get the whole hog!

noon at 2102 E Hill Ave, Valdosta, GA 31601 The Ham and Eggs Show will be noon Wednesday 17 February 2016 at the Lowndes County Extension Office, 2102 E Hill Ave, Valdosta, GA 31601 (facebook event).

If you are interested in entering eggs in the show Continue reading →

I Stand For What I Stand On: Permaculture for a Better Tomorrow –Benjamin & Jennifer Vieth @ SOGALO16 2016-02-06

Layered gardens as ecosystems that have persistent community and environmental benefits: permaculture.

Jennifer Vieth in the garden Description: We will be discussing how permaculture practices with an emphasis on land stewardship and building communities.

Who should attend: Anyone interested in community gardens, permaculture, and environmental philosophy.

“Benjamin Vieth has a BA in Continue reading →

Valdosta Farm Days –Gretchen on WALB

Gretchen is at the old Lowndes County Courthouse now, setting up for Valdosta Farm Days, 9AM to 1PM today.

By Colter Anstaetts reported from Okra Paradise Farms for WALB yesterday, Lowndes County farmers ready for “Farm Days”,

Lowndes County farmers will be at the courthouse in downtown Valdosta from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. selling their crops. This is the fourth year for the “Farm Days” program, and Lowndes County farmers are looking forward to it.

“I’m definitely looking forward to Farm days,” said Gretchen Quarterman, a farmer in Hahira. “It’s an excellent opportunity for farmers, not only to sell but for local people to get local, fresh food. And, when we buy from local farmers we support the local economy.”

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Growing up Growing –Maria Arambula

Maria Arambula will speak at South Georgia Growing Local 2014:

Gardening is an essential skill that every child and adult should learn. How can we work in our families and communities to ensure that young people understand how our food is grown? This workshop will share creative ideas and resources for gardening with youth of all ages at home and in the community. Attendees will be encouraged to share their own experiences through a fun and collaborative workshop format.

Her conference bio: Continue reading →

For the Love of Herbs –O’Toole’s Herb Farm

Elizabeth (B) Fraleigh O’Toole, President of O’Toole’s Herb Farm will speak at South Georgia Growing Local 2014:

This presentation will touch on growing herbs for pleasure, growing herbs for the fresh cut market and growing herbs in greenhouse production for wholesale and retail sales. I will cover the joy and positive healing energy these plants give, the passion of growing and using them and how I got to this place.

Her farm was featured in the April-May, 2012, edition of Home & Design:

“A village is happening out here,” B said during a tour of her 114-acre farm’s greenhouses, gardens, retail shops and resident flock of sheep. “If you think Walmart, we’re absolutely the opposite. Small, local, knowledgeable, none of our plants genetically modified with man-made chemicals.”

Also on facebook.

Her conference bio: Continue reading →

Proof Is in the Certification –Connie Hayes

Connie Hayes of Healthy Hollow Farms will speak at South Georgia Growing Local 2014,

How do we prove to customers that our products are free of genetically modified ingredients? while many homesteaders choose to be not certified or certified naturally grown, consumers are becoming more concerned with GMOs. We will offer practical tips for insuring consumers, as well as how to on certifications & non-GMO testing.

Here’s her conference bio:

Members of Coastal Organic Growers (COG), Connie & Jimmy Hayes own & operate Healthy Hollow Farms near Stilson, GA, which has been certified organic since 2007. They grow organic peanuts and raise Belted Galloway cattle. They are in the process of setting up an on-farm processing facility for their peanuts. Connie serves on the board of Georgia Organics and has trained under Jeffery Smith with The Institute for Responsible Technology to speak on GMOs.

Come to SOGALO2014 and hear Connie about getting certified organic!

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Online payment for South Georgia Growing Local 2014

You can register online for South Georgia Growing Local 2014.

Seed saving, composting, rain water collection, fruits, vegetables, textiles, goats, chickens, bees, and policy, plus Friday Farm Tours, dinner and a movie!

Continue reading →

Early registration extended to January 15th! –South Georgia Growing Local 2014

Early registration extended to January 15th!

Update 2 January 2014: Or pay online.

You can sign up here to see the goats, bees, chickens, ham, eggs, fruits, seeds, textiles, rain, and sun, and let’s not forget the worms!

Continue reading →

South Georgia Growing Local for Christmas

How about a registration for South Georgia Growing Local 2014 as a Christmas gift?

Have fun and support the local economy on the Farm Tour (citrus, sheep, olives, and row crops) Friday 24 January 2014, plus also dinner and a movie.

Learn a lot, eat well with the local community at the talks Saturday 25 January 2014, about animals, orchards, gardens, health, farmer experiences, and policy.

You can register using this form.

And you can join events on facebook so everybody can see you’re going.

Here’s the conference flyer for more information: Continue reading →

Lowndes County next year: SoGa Growing Local & Sustainable Conference

Janisse Ray starting the conference This year’s SoGa Growing Local & Sustainable Conference was a satisfying success, and next year it moves to Lowndes County.

Not only did 260 people sign up, but all the sessions were well-attended, and everybody seemed to learn something new, from hoop houses to solar power, from hands-on workshops to all-hands plenary sessions. Of course the food was excellent. You can get a hint from this picture of Janisse Ray opening the conference; the food in the foreground is on the snack tables (ah, the honeycomb!). Then there were the meals, potluck by and for a conference-full of foodies.

In 2011 about 50 people came to the first one in Tifton. In 2012, about 150 people went to Reidsville. In 2013, about 260 people signed up, also for Reidsville, Tattnall County, to learn what it takes to grow local sustainable food here below the gnat line in this longleaf pine land of tea-colored rivers, acid soil, and rich gardening traditions.

As Janisse Ray wrote on the facebook event for this year’s conference:

Gretchen Quarterman on preserving foods

SoGa Growing Local 2014 will be held in Valdosta, GA. Gretchen Quarterman will be the lead organizer. We’ll be keeping you posted on the date so you can put it on your calendars now. (We may do a mini version in Tattnall in 2014.)

More later on what happened at this year’s conference, and more as it develops on next year’s conference. So far, many local farmers, civic and business organizations, and local governmental bodies have offered to help, and Gretchen is forming an organizational committee. Stay tuned!

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