The Atlanta Foodcast: A Food Podcast

Welcome to this week’s Atlanta Foodcast! We’ve got another great lineup for you today...as well as a quick announcement.

On today’s show, you’ll first hear from guest host Quianah Upton of Nourish in Black and Nourish Botanica in conversation with Israel from Mariposas Rebeldes, a queer, Latinx urban ag and food collective, and indigenous healer Myrna De Jesús Rivera in an excellent two-part segment.

Then, we’re celebrating watermelon season, talking with the Georgia Watermelon Queen Lindsey Westberry, an ambassador for the Georgia Watermelon Association, supporters of our recent Farm to School Summit. Learn more about the Georgia Watermelon Association at georgiawatermelonassociation.org and view watermelon recipes at watermelon.org/recipes/. Connect with them on social media at facebook.com/gawatermelons and follow the Watermelon Queen at instagram.com/gawatermelonqueen/.

And to close us out, we’re checking in with Demetrius Milling (featured on Eater.com!) on the next stages of the Love is Love Cooperative Farm. Learn more about Love is Love, support them or join their CSA at loveislovefarm.com/. Follow their progress at Facebook.com/LoveisLoveFarm and instagram.com/loveislovefarm/. We also spoke about a keystone cooperative in Georgia, the Federation Of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund Georgia federation.coop/

And for that announcement...we’re going to end this season and take a summer break! Time to catch our collective breath, enjoy the sunshine and great season of produce, then come back this fall with more great guests in the Georgia food world. 

On today’s episode, we’re continuing the Georgia Organics Annual Awards celebration on May 27with a conversation between Lauren Cox, who heads up our Farm to Restaurant program, and three winning Farmer Champions: Steven Satterfield of Miller Untion, Chris Wilkins of Root Baking Co., and Stevenson Rosslow of Wrecking Bar Brewpub. We hope you join our party to celebrate these chefs on Thursday, May 27, details at georgiaorganics.org/awards. 

In our second segment, we have a very exciting guest, Stephen Satterfield, chef, writer, and soon-to-be-Netflix host of “High on the Hog” in conversation with Atlanta Foodcast guest host Quianah Upton of Nourish in Black and Nourish Botanica. 

So buckle up, because today’s show is packed with excellent guests and interviewers – Enjoy the show! 

We’ll recognize winners of the Land Steward Award, the Barbara Petit Pollinator Award, and also our new Farmer Champion Award winners! We hope you join us for this celebration of chefs and farmers – To join us and learn more, visit georgiaorganics.org/awards.  

This year’s debut class of Farmer Champion restaurants source from Georgia farmers every week and are being celebrated for having the Top Local and Organic spend out of 20 other participating restaurant partners. They have worked with the Farm to Restaurant program, even through the pandemic, on projects supporting farmers like Food Fight GA and the Mid-Week Pop-Up Market. Our Organic Procurement Coordinator, Lauren Cox, talks with them about how they came to source locally, their legacies in the kitchen, and how to low-key convert folks into becoming local food enthusiasts. 

First up: Farmer Champions Stevenson Rosslow of Wrecking Bar Brewpub and Chris Wilkins of Root Baking Co. 

Now we’ll continue talking to another Farmer Champion Top 3 winner in part two of this segment of the Atlanta Foodcast: Lauren Cox in conversation with Farmer Champion Steven Satterfield of Miller Union. Remember to register to attend Georgia Organics’ Annual Awards celebration and hear more from these Farmer Champion winners, register at georgiaorganics.org/awards. You can find all our Farmer Champion partner restaurants throughout Georgia on our Good Food Guide by going to gfg.georgiaorganics.org. 

Next, guest host Quianah Upton interviews chef and food writer Stephen Satterfield, the founder of Whetstone and creator and host of the forthcoming Netflix documentary series “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America.” This four-part series arrives on Netflix on May 26, inspired by the writing of Dr. Jessica B. Harris, and chronicles Satterfield’s exploration of the historical and cultural roots of staple foods. Today, he and Quianah discuss entrepreneurship, career paths and travel, as well as representation in the wine and food industry and recognizing the fundamental impact of African Americans on the food and identity of America. 

That’s our show for today, don’t forget to join the party as we celebrate farmers and chefs on Thursday, May 27 – secure your spot at georgiaorganics.org/awards. As always, thanks for joining us and don’t forget to support your local farmers and farmers markets! You can visit Georgia Organics’ Good Food Guide to connect with farmers near you. 

Welcome to the Atlanta Foodcast: Awards Edition! I’m ME Comms Dir at Georgia Organics. We’re bringing you this special episode to celebrate the Georgia Organics Annual Awards, an ongoing virtual celebration of some truly remarkable farmers, leading up to an online get-together with these farmers on Thursday, May 27.  

To register and learn more about this event and read more about these Annual Awards, visit georgiaorganics.org/awards. We also have two exciting cookbook events with Chef Asha Gomez and CheFarmer Matthew Raiford, in partnership with A Cappella Books, check out the Events on our Facebook page to learn more. 

 We’re thrilled to announce this year’s winners:  

First, the Barbara Petit Pollinator Award, named in honor of Barbara Petit, a remarkable community food advocate who served as Georgia Organics’ past president. This award acknowledges individuals with exceptional success in advancing Georgia Organics' mission of “Good Food for All” by spreading—pollinating—the movement throughout community life. 

The winners of this year’s Barbara Petit Pollinator Award are Brennan and Gwendolyn Washington of Phoenix Gardens, our first guest on today’s show! The Washingtons are successfully farmers and icons of leadership in Georgia and the Southeast; they offer an urban agriculture education-focused property, that has indeed risen from the ashes and thrives in Lawrenceville. They have impacted countless farmers across the Southeast, and we’re excited to recognize their incredible work through this award. 

In 1997, the Land Steward Award was created by Georgia Organics to honor an individual or individuals who have contributed significantly to the organic agriculture movement in the state of Georgia.   

The Land Steward Award recognizes the farmer with significant commitments to the tenets of organic agriculture, including soil fertility, biodiversity, and more.   

The winners of this year’s Land Steward Award are Chris and Jenny Jackson of Jenny Jack Farm. Chris and Jenny embody the meaning of this award through their dedication to sustainable scaling, a cared-for team, community connection, and, of course, fostering a better environment through soil health and organic growing practices. 

In this segment, Brennan and Gwendolyn talk with friend and fellow agriculture consultant-leader James Ford of Square O Consulting (squareoconsulting.com/). They discuss the history and mission of Phoenix Gardens and why mentorship and resource-sharing is so critical to the success of future generations of farmers in Georgia and beyond. They have had a profound impact on sustainable agriculture in our state and countless individuals have benefitted from their passion and wealth of knowledge. 

Next, we feature Land Steward Award winners Chris and Jenny Jackson of Jenny Jack Farm. Katherine Kennedy, Executive Director of Concrete Jungle and former apprentice at Jenny Jack, interviews the Jacksons about their 15-year farming career, lessons learned, and why they continue farming. You’ll even hear cameos from their very special guests Amos and Tulsi as they explain how to grow a farm while raising children and finding balance in their life. 

Thank you for joining this special Annual Awards edition of Georgia Organics’ Atlanta Foodcast. Once again, we hope you join us online for a get-together and celebration of these winners on Thursday, May 27 via Zoom. This event is FREE for Georgia Organics members. Learn more and register at GeorgiaOrganics.org/awards.  

For this week’s episode, we’re excited to bring you a rich conversation and Q&A between two paramount leaders in food sovereignty and farming: Leah Penniman and Matthew Raiford. This segment is a replay from our recent Eighth Annual Farm to School Summit. 

Before we get started, a few Georgia Organics’ announcements! Mark your calendars! We’re celebrating farmers, virtually, on Thursday, May 27 for Georgia Organics’ Annual Awards! You can learn more at georgiaorganics.org/awards, this is a FREE member event celebrating all-star farmers in Georgia. And get ready to party for serviceberry season with Serviceberry Fest ATL on June 3! You’ll catch amazing chefs and beverage folks creating serviceberry-based bites and drinks...You’ll even catch ATL Foodcast guest host Quianah Upton with a Nourish Botanica pop-up! Get your tickets and details on Facebook, searching Serviceberry Fest ATL! 

To kick off this week’s episode, we have a quick intro by Georgia Organics’ Farm to School Director Kimberly Della Donna. She provides much-deserved credit to the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning and the valuable sponsors who brought this 8th annual Summit to life, this time virtually! “The Summit is a celebration of spirit and ‘pandemic positives,’” says Della Donna.  

Leah Penniman is the Co-Director and Farm Manager of Soul Fire Farm in Petersburg, NY and author of Farming While Black. Matthew Raiford, the CheFarmer, is the owner and farmer of Gilliard Farms in Brunswick and the author of Bress 'n' Nyam. 

Their conversation centers around fostering a love of the earth and growing food in the young generation, the definition of food sovereignty, and beyond. They share a passion for preserving ancestral agricultural practices that honor the earth, regenerating the soil, and advocating for food sovereignty in their communities and beyond. Enjoy this thought-provoking and motivating conversation and Q&A. 

To learn more about Georgia Organics’ Farm to School work visit farmtoschool.georgiaorganics.org/. To learn more about about Soul Fire Farm, visit soulfirefarm.org/. To learn more about Gilliard Farms, visit gilliard-farms.com/.  

Welcome to another episode of the Atlanta Foodcast by Georgia Organics! 

This week, we’re exploring farming, cooking, and climatology with some great guests. To kick things off: a farmer and chef conversation with Chris Edwards, farm manager of Sparta Gardens in Sparta, Georgia, and Jarrett Stieber, chef and owner of Little Bear in Atlanta’s Summerhill. We then caught up with agricultural climatologist Pam Knox, director of the UGA Weather Network and a UGA Extension Specialist. 

First, we have the incredible farmer-chef duo Chris Edwards and Jarrett Stieber. Chris Edwards is the farm manager at Sparta Gardens, founded lby Robert & Suzy Currey. Chris has spent over 10 years as an organic farmer in Georgia and in Ghana. Chris’ expertise and passion for farming matches perfectly with the talent and sourcing commitments of Chef Jarrett Stieber of the now one-year old Little Bear. Enjoy their conversation! 

Next, we’re speaking with Pam Knox about Georgia’s climate, why organic farming matters, why the new administration is signaling meaningful change. As the director of the UGA Weather Network (weather.uga.edu), Pam and her team communicate the intricate daily weather details that farmers rely on across 86 stations in Georgia. We spoke about her title “Agricultural Climatologist” and why climate must be central to agricultural discussions moving forward. 

To learn more about Sparta Gardens, visit spartagardens.com and follow them at facebook.com/spartagardensga and @spartagardens. 

To learn more about Little Bear, visit littlebearatl.com/ and follow them at @littlebearatl. 

To learn more about Pam Knox’s work, visit site.extension.uga.edu/climate.  

Welcome to another Atlanta Foodcast by Georgia Organics! Today, we’re talking food policy and solutions with folks working at the national, regional, and local level.  

First, John Piotti, the president & CEO of American Farmland Trust, an organization dedicated to influencing policy to protect and conserve farmland. American Farmland Trust is a Georgia Organics supporter and business member.

After that, Katherine Kennedy and Nichole Fields-Kyle of Concrete Jungle, which distributes neglected fruits & vegetable to those in need and grocery deliveries to the medically vulnerable during the pandemic. 

We’re thrilled to share their work; we also discuss two opportunities to connect with these organizations:

On Wednesday, April 14 at 8 p.m. EST, John Piotti of American Farmland Trust hosts Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for a conversation on the American Rescue Plan. To register (FREE), visit farmland.org/events/.

Concrete Jungle has several volunteer opportunities in the coming weeks and months, learn more at congrete-jungle.org.

Enjoy this week's episode! We'll be back in another two weeks.

On this week’s episode of the Atlanta Foodcast, special guest host Joe Reynolds, farmer at Love is Love Farm at Gaia Gardens, is talking to the legendary Haylene Green, the Garden Queen. Then we spoke to Erin Croom and Chef Asata of Small Bites Adventure Club.

First, Joe Reynolds of Love is Love Farm at Gaia Gardens (loveislovefarm.com) and former Georgia Organics board president joins us as a guest host to talk to a dear farming friend and gardening expert Haylene Green, known around the state as the Garden Queen (thegardenqueen.com), and for good reason – She is a pioneer of urban agriculture and shares her knowledge and entrepreneurship in this great farmer-to-farmer conversation.

On Sunday, March 14 at noon, Joe (along with special guests) will be hosting Spring Forward: Planning and Prepping Your Summer Garden. You can learn more about this event and register at our Good Food for Thought website: gfft.georgiaorganics.org/virtual-events. This event is free for Georgia Organics members!

In our second segment, we’re talking with Erin Croom, co-founder of Small Bites Adventure Club (smallbites.club) and Chef Asata, Small Bites’ Chef Educator and author of the recent released book, How to Feed a Kid. We spoke about their work educating children (and their teachers and parents) about good food and Georgia farmers!

Thanks for joining us this week, enjoy the show!

Welcome to the Atlanta Foodcast by Georgia Organics, I’m Mary Elizabeth, GO Communications Director. On this week’s episode, host Candace Dantes is speaking to Sed Rowe of Rowe Organics. Then I spoke to Jon and Rhandi Altidor of The Better Buggy. 

Candace Dantes joins the Atlanta Foodcast with her first hosted segment today talking with Sed Rowe of Rowe Organics in Southwest Georgia. Candace and Sed connected through their respective work with the Black Farmers’ Network (blackfarmersnetwork.com/. They connected over his role pioneering and coaching around hemp in Georgia, marketing and expanding awareness of his business, and what it means to him to be a young, Black farmer in the organic agriculture community of Georgia. Sed is one of the founding farmers of the Georgia Organic Peanut Association (organicpeanuts.farm/). You can connect with Rower Organics at roweorganic.com/ and on Instagram @roweorganic.  

Next up, we talk to Jon and Rhandi Altidor, founders & co-owners of The Better Buggy. The Better Buggy was established in May 2020 as a grocery shopping and delivery service for Black-owned farms and grocery stores throughout the Greater Atlanta area…and beyond. We spoke about starting a business during the pandemic, navigating the logistics and relationships of a food business, as well as why it’s so important to them to be a sales platform for Black farmers in Georgia. You can connect with The Better Buggy at thebetterbuggy.com and on social media at facebook.com/TheBetterBuggy and @TheBetterBuggy on Instagram. 

On today’s episode of the Atlanta Foodcast, we’re featuring two leading voices in the Georgia food, wellness, and farming space–Candace Dantes and Quianah Upton, both of whom will be joining the host team of the Atlanta Foodcast for upcoming segments! 

First up, Candace Dantes, an award-winning rural journalist and branding consultant. Candace is the Media Manager for the Black Farmers’ Network (blackfarmersnetwork.com/) and the Founder and Editor of Southern Styles & Steeds (southernstylesandsteeds.com/). We spoke about her work and recent projects including a student-driven docuseries on a group of young Black farmers in Southwest Georgia. We also talked about her career as a branding & marketing consultant to farmers—she’ll expand on this in her forthcoming segments—and about some of the guests she plans to bring to the Atlanta Foodcast. 

Next, we spoke to Quianah Upton about her work through her platform Nourish in Black (instagram.com/nourishinblack/) and the forthcoming physical space Nourish Botanica (nourishbotanica.cafe/shop), a greenhouse and plant-based eatery. Quianah’s work exists at the intersection of movements for racial justice, healing and wellness, activism, food justice, and care for the environment. We spoke about how her career, creativity, and spiritual journey have guided her as an entrepreneur in community food; she also shares some of the valuable lessons she’s learned along the way and what this month, Black History Month, means to her. 

Thank you for joining us for another episode! Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and stay tuned, we’ll be back in two weeks! To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org, and follow us on social media at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics/ and @GeorgiaOrganics. 

To learn more about Candace Dantes, visit southernstylesandsteeds.com/ and follow on social media at facebook.com/SouthernStylesSteeds/ and @southernstylesandsteeds. To learn more about the Black Farmers’ Network and read Candace’s work, visit: blackfarmersnetwork.com/ and follow on social media at facebook.com/blackfarmersnetwork/ and @blackfarmersnetwork. 

To learn more about Quianah Upton and Nourish in Black, visit instagram.com/nourishinblack/ and Like on Facebook. You can learn more about Nourish Botanica at nourishbotanica.cafe/shop and follow on social media at instagram.com/nourishbotanica/.