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, we're excited to welcome friends from Savannah and Athens: Chef Mashama Bailey and Johno Morisano of The Grey and then Lauren Cox, who manages our Farm to Restaurant program, talks to Shyretha Sheats of The Plate Sale! First up, Chef Mashama Bailey and John O. “Johno” Morisano are co-owners of the much-lauded restaurant, The Grey, in Savannah. They are also co-authors of the recently released book “Black, White, and The Grey: The Story of an Unexpected Friendship and a Beloved Restaurant.” We had an great conversation about their book, which is a candid, heartfelt look at race, the restaurant industry, and the Savannah region; we also spoke more in depth about their relationships with purveyors and farmers in Savannah and the region, their response efforts in the wake of the pandemic, and the realities of running a highly successful restaurant. You can learn more about The Grey at thegreyrestaurant.com and follow them on social media at the handle @TheGreySavannah. Next up, Lauren Cox, who manages Georgia Organics' Farm to Restaurant program spoke to Shyretha Sheats of The Plate Sale, an Athens- and Atlanta-based group, co-founded Shyretha and her husband, Michael. Their current projects include a dinner series, a farm restoration, and restaurant start-up. They discuss these exciting projects, particularly their work restoring and establishing a farm near Athens, and navigating the pandemic as entrepreneurs. To learn more about The Plate Sale, visit theplatesale.com, and follow them on Instagram @theplatesale. Thanks for joining us for another week of the Atlanta Foodcast! Be sure to subscribe and review us wherever you listen, and to connect with Georgia Organics and become a member, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on social media @georgiaorganics. 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/.

On this week's episode of the Atlanta Foodcast, we're talking to the managers and owner three Georgia cooperative and independent natural groceries: Ahzjah Simons of Atlanta's Sevananda Natural Foods Co-Op, Kara Brown and Theo Horne of Athens' Daily Groceries Co-op, and Kristin Russell of Savannah's Brighter Day Natural Foods (and the Sentient Bean). Our conversation focuses on the background of these local food institutions and how they've met the challenges of doing business, protecting their staff, and serving customers during the pandemic as well as the engaging with the community in the Black Lives Matter and racial justice movement. We then spoke to Bilal Sarwari of the National Young Farmers Coalition, who will soon be joining the roster as an upcoming guest co-host of the Atlanta Foodcast. Our discussion centers around the racial equity movement and food justice and the roll of non-profit organizations in affecting systemic change. We hope you enjoy today's show and that it reminds you to eat responsibly and Stay Local. You can learn more about Georgia Organics' Stay Local campaign at georgiaorganics.org/staylocal. We'll be back with another episode in two weeks, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review us in the meantime wherever you listen to podcasts! - To learn more about Sevananda, visit sevananda.coop/ and follow on social media at facebook.com/Sevananda.ATL/ and @sevananda_atl/. To learn more about Daily Groceries, visit dailygroceries.org/ and follow on social media at facebook.com/dailygroceries and @dailycoop. To learn more about Brighter Day, visit brighterdayfoods.com/ and follow on social media at facebook.com/BrighterDayFoodsSavannah/ and @brighterdaynaturalfoods. To learn more and join the National Young Farmers Coalition, visit youngfarmers.org/. You can also join their advocacy network by texting Farmers to 40649. To connect on social media, visit facebook.com/youngfarmerscoalition/ and @youngfarmers/.

Welcome back to another year of conversations in food with farmers, chefs, community activists, and other leaders around Georgia! The year has been and continues to challenge, but our hope with the Atlanta Foodcast is that hearing from these incredible people will bring you inspiration. These are the leaders working hard to establish an equitable, regenerative food system for all Georgians. On today's episode, we're connecting with a farmer-chef duo who participated in our Farm to Restaurant program's Food Fight GA initiative: Chef Deborah VanTrece of Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours (www.twistedsoulcookhouseandpours.com/) and Howard Berk of Ellijay Mushrooms (ellijaymushrooms.com/). In our second segment, we're talking to Nicolas Donck & Jeni Jarrard of Crystal Organic Farm (crystalorganicfarm.com/), a 27-year running certified organic farm in Newborn. They discuss how longterm business choices on the farm and the COVID-19 pandemic have evolved and established Crystal Organic Farm. For Gardening with Farmers this week, Nicolas is sharing his expertise on winter gardening for these cold months. Thank you for joining us; we encourage you to Stay Local this year and support their work. You can learn more about the Georgia Organics Stay Local campaign at georgiaorganics.org/staylocal.

We're headed (safely) to Athens this week…with a quick detour in Rome! First up, we're at the Athens Farmers Market with Tamita Brown and Gabriel Jimenez, owners of Caribe United Farm in Oglethorpe. Tamita and Gabriel insist on raising animals - currently chicken, duck, guinea fowl, pigs, and more - in a way that's responsible, respectful to the animals and land, and a way which honors their Caribbean backgrounds and travels. You can support Caribe United Farm and help them grow their operations by donating to their GoFundMe campaign, which can be found on their website at caribeunitedfarm.com/, where you can also shop from them for pick up at the Athens Farmers Market and the Grant Park Farmers Market. Follow them atfacebook.com/CaribeUnitedFarm andinstagram.com/caribeunitedfarm/. Next, we have transitional gardening tips for the season with Dr. Brian Campbell, Chair of Environmental Science & Studies and Associate Professor of Anthropology at Berry College and a leader in the Rome Food Oasis. Stay tuned for a future episode as we share a full conversation with our Rome Food Oasis partners. Finally, we're raising a glass and welcoming The Lark Winespace to Athens. We recently sat down, at a masked distance, with owner and sommelier Krista Lark Slater, who also co-owns The Expat, to talk about her background in wine, art, entrepreneurship, and her decidedly unpretentious approach to great wine, with a special emphasis on natural and biodynamic wines and women winemakers. We also got a few of her picks for great holiday wines. To learn more about The Lark Winespace, follow on social media atfacebook.com/thelarkwinespace andinstagram.com/thelarkwinespace/.

This week on the Atlanta Foodcast we're continuing to explore the theme of Georgia Organics' year-end campaign: Stay Local through conversations with farmers Monica Ponce, Russell Honderd, and Ronnie Mathis. To learn more about Georgia Organics' work, become a member, or shop directly from farmers, visit georgiaorganics.org/staylocal. First, we're talking to farmers Monica Ponce & Russell Honderd on navigating land and labor arrangements, cooperative farming, and farming as a couple, as well as why local food—Staying Local—is critical to righting systemic wrongs in food. Monica and Russell are currently farming at Love is Love Farm at Gaia Gardens in Atlanta, find out more at www.loveislovefarm.com/ or follow them atinstagram.com/loveislovefarm. For Gardening with Farmers, we hear from Ronnie Mathis of Mountain Earth Farm in Clarkesville. He is a fifth generation farmer sharing some winter tips for strong summer's blueberries! Finally, we hear more from Ronnie Mathis, exploring his lifetime career as a farmer in Northeast Georgia. Mathis has the kind of knowledge that comes from farming, primarily naturally and organically for decades. He shares his advice and mentoring of younger farmers, and why he just can't seem to retire from farming.

Welcome to another episode of the Atlanta Foodcast, hosted by Georgia Organics!As Georgia Organics launches our end-of-year fundraising campaign: Stay Local, we're focusing on why it's so important that Georgians continue to support Georgia farmers by shopping as directly as possible from them. In this episode, we're discussing the environmental and economic significance of supporting small farmers and why it's so vital to support Georgia farmers in and beyond this pandemic year. To learn more about Georgia Organics' Stay Local campaign, visit georgiaorganics.org/staylocal. First up, we're talking to Georgia Organics board member Rebecca Williams with Rodale Institute Southeast Organic Center at Many Fold Farm in Chattahoochee Hills. Rodale Institute's Southeast Organic Center is opening soon, and we caught up about the work they'll be doing to support research and policy-making in organic agriculture in Georgia and beyond. To learn more about the Rodale Institute Southeast Organic Center, visit RodaleInstitute.org and follow them on social media.Rodale Institute Southeast Organic Center is hosting a virtual open house on Tuesday, November 17 at 7 p.m. to register, visit https://rodaleinstitute.org/events/soc-virtual-open-house/. For this week's Gardening with Farmers, CheFarmer Matthew Raiford is sharing his tips for the fall vegetable and fruit garden. Matthew is the sixth generation owner and farmer of Gillard Farms in Brunswick, host of the podcast Jupiter's Almanac, author of the forthcoming cookbook, Bress ‘n' Nyam, and an Atlanta Foodcast co-host!Finally, we caught up with Zac Harrison of Fresh Harvest about how their operations have weathered the pandemic year and why it's more important than ever to be supporting Georgia farmers as directly as possible. We discuss how crucial it is that consumers who have shopped from farmers during the pandemic continue to do so to provide ongoing stability to Georgia's small farmers who are planning their crops with these new customers in mind. To learn more about Fresh Harvest and become a member, visit freshharvestga.com/.Curious about our Stay Local campaign? Through the end of the year, we're asking Georgians to STAY LOCAL, by doing two things:First, consider keeping your charitable dollars in Georgia with a year-end contribution to Georgia Organics, which will go toward supporting local and organic farmers working to feed their individual communities across our state.Second, please buy from those farmers directly where possible. Consistently shop at your local farmers market, and visit gfg.georgiaorganics.org to browse a selection of our farmer members who offer direct purchasing options through CSA subscriptions and online purchasing.Visit georgiaorganics.org/staylocal to learn more.

Welcome to the Atlanta Foodcast, returning with your new hosts with Georgia Organics!We sat down recently with the Forsyth Farmers' Market (forsythfarmersmarket.com/) team in Savannah to talk about their work in the community both through the market itself and the several other programs they offer to champion food equity in Savannah and beyond. We spoke with Executive Director Jeb Bush, Director of Community Programs Mark Bowen, and Outreach & Education Coordinator Tasha Wei about food as an agent of social change and tool for community health and healing. To donate to their COVID-19 relief fund, visitforsythfarmersmarket.com/give and leave the note “COVID Relief” in the Comments section. You can also follow Forsyth Farmers' Market at www.facebook.com/ForsythFarmersMarketand www.instagram.com/forsythfarmersmarket/.Next up, we got a few helpful tips for beginners setting up their fall garden from Haylene Green, aka the Garden Queen! The Garden Queen is legendary in the farming and health community of Atlanta, and we're thrilled to hear from her as she shares a bit about herself and her notes for fall. To learn more and shop from The Garden Queen, visitwww.thegardenqueen.com/ and follow on social media atfacebook.com/haylenethegardenqueen/ andinstagram.com/atlgardenqueen/.Finally, we're celebrating the fifth anniversary of The Farmer Fund (www.thefarmerfund.org/) by talking about the creative (even scandalous!) start of this fund helping farmers to weather crises such as Hurricane Michael, health emergencies, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2018, Georgia Organics assumed operations of The Farmer Fund and aims to honor the intent and vision of the amazing crew who got The Farmer Fund off the ground. Since that time, more than $175,000 has been raised and more than $50,000 awarded to farms impacted by Hurricane Michael floods, healthcare emergencies, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia Organics has provided $1,000 grants to 71 small Georgia farms and counting. To learn more and donate or apply, visit www.thefarmerfund.org/.

Today, we brought together Ben along withGeorgia Organics Communications Manager Mary Elizabeth Kidd and Georgia Organics Board Member—and the one & only "CheFarmer"—Matthew Raiford to talk about what's next

Hey, friends! Just a quick update here and wanted to share what is happening here at the podcast.In case you just can't handle a good cliffhanger, I'll cut to the good stuff: I'll be moving on as your host! That's right — there's going to be a NEW host of The Atlanta Foodcast! I couldn't be more excited about this and I'm very much looking forward to a new, creative individual taking the reins here. You'll be hearing plenty more about who this person is in due time, so don't worry.Also, I'm very excited to stay on as the Producer of the show! I'll be running things from behind the scenes — so I won't be a total stranger.So, all I can say is thank you. Thank you for an amazing three years of bringing this podcast to life and perpetuating the hard work of Atlanta chefs, restaurant owners, business people, and more. Thank you for listening. Thank you for supporting. Thank you for making these stories even more available to our wonderful city. It's been my dream all along to keep this podcast going with new hosts in the mix. I can't wait to see what's next.Until next time, Atlanta. I love you forever.-Ben

Meet Matt Hinton. He doesn't come from a history of restaurateurs nor did he attend culinary school. Nay! The motivations behind this gentleman's beloved-by-many business is quite the tale.Bell Street Burritos is, as many know, a staple in the city. Trusty burritos, quesadillas, tamales, and plenty more. If you're just now learning of Bell Street, you're not completely out of luck. The locations continue to offer to-go orders and they are offering many of their items in a marketplace fashion (Who doesn't need a few extra avocados anyways?).Matt and I had a chance to chat over the phone last week. There's a lot more to his story and the story of Bell Street that we've yet to cover, but here's the first part or “Origin” story. Do enjoy.Episode Music: Luxury - Parallel Love

I caught up with Michael Lennox of Electric Hospitality (Ladybird, Muchacho, and Golden Eagle) to chat about a recent initiative that he and other ATL business owners started just in the past few weeks — ATL Family Meal.

I had a chance to catch up with Chef Ian Winslade of Mission + Market in Buckhead. He was on the podcast last season and shared a lot of his story. Here's our conversation.

This morning, I caught up with Tal Baum of Oliva Restaurant Group. Her group runs Aziza at Westside Provisions, Falafel Nation (next to Aziza), Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market, and Rina — just across the Beltline.In case you were wondering where the marketplace is that Tal mentioned in this episode click here.

This afternoon, I caught up with the guys from Word of Mouth Restaurant Group in Brookhaven. Many of you know Ron Eyester (Rosebud, The Family Dog, etc) and I also have Michel Arnette and Stephen Herman on from their team as well. The guys are fighting, as we all are, each day to keep things going.

Life is insane. Things move fast on any given day, but we all know this is different. We are creatures of habit and our daily routines have been completely turned upside down. It's uncomfortable. Unknown. Unfamiliar. Damn hard and filled with hardship — and Hardship hardly captures what is going on right now. It's hard not to feel heartbroken. The restaurants and coffee shops and businesses you, I, we all love — we all just want them to be there when all of this is over. More than anything.The reason this podcast as started in the first place was to offer a place for local businesses, restaurants, and people to share their stories. Well, now this is part of everyone's story — much to anyone and everyone's chagrin. Though, distress and defeat don't have to be the only overwhelming thought on our minds. We're a resilient bunch and I have faith that we'll find a way through all of this. However, there is nothing wrong with asking for help.This morning, I caught up with Neal Idnani from NaanStop. The guys have three locations and, much like everyone else, are adapting as fast as they can to keep their business going. Here's our chat.

So, I caught up with Kevin Ouzts of The Spotted Trotter. Here's our conversation from this morning, March 24th, 2020.

We're excited to bring you a special episode which took place at the Georgia Organics Conference in Athens. It's an annual event that takes place in a different city throughout Georgia where farmers, members of Georgia Organics, partners of the organization, and many others meet for hands-on sessions, learning opportunities, and where friends gather to connect — all centered around the Good Food Movement. We stopped by to chat with a few attendees and listen to what this special has meant to them this year, the past decade, or longer…So, it's clear that this conference holds a special place for many and the relationships forged due to their attendance. The work of Georgia Organics touches all corners of our great state through multiple programs — one being Farm to School. The program started back in 2007 and the work has continued to impact over 90 school districts throughout the state of Georgia. So, here's Erin She started and ran the program for many years for Georgia Organics. We dropped by tho hear some of the it's origin.And that brings us to lunch, but not just any lunch. Lunch with Alice Waters, chef/owner of Chez Panisse in Berkley, California and founder of The Edible Schoolyard and Chef/Farmer, Matthew Raiford . They allowed us to take part in a meal that was made from produce and ingredients from Georgia farms where we all had to work together to gather all materials — plates, cups, drinks, prepared dishes, utensils, and everything without using words. All of this was modeled off of what is possible in a school lunchroom. Let me tell you — it was wonderful (and incredibly delicious).Immediately following, we had a chance to sit down with Alice Waters and hear more from her perspective on food, our education system, and the impact of Edible Schoolyard and Farm to School.So, who better to give us perspective on how the impact of growing and cooking local food, let alone working with local farms/farmers in our schools? Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Alice Waters.

BOCADO is one of those restaurants that has aided in defining dining for Atlanta. The restaurant has been been a part of westside for 10+ years and continues to hold a place of dining reverence in our city — and will for many to come.Chances are you've seen the guy in charge throughout the restaurant during your last visit — Mr. Brian Lewis. This gentleman's story is one that I love and appreciate very much. We sat down at the restaurant pre-service so I could hear things from his side, how BOCADO and BOCADO Burger came to be, and to have a chat about the industry.

Steve Nygren is one with a long history here in Atlanta. Back in 2004, the first house at Serenbe was built in realization of a community in Chattahoochee Hills — just a short drive outside of Atlanta proper.There's a quote that stuck out to me before I got to hear Steve's story — “If you want to change the world, you should start in your own backyard.” What Serenbe is, especially in such close proximity to everything happening in Atlanta, is truly remarkable. Here's Steve and his story.

Urban Agriculture. This might sound like a bit of an oddity to some, but with over 80% of Americans living in metro areas we're now more dependent on others producing almost all of the food we consume.Thus, welcome Rashid Nuri to the show. His work has been paramount to Atlanta throughout his entire career — and life. Committed to developing knowledge, resource, and love around “seed to table.” How food is grown, nurtured, and made possible in the earth around us — regardless of living in the city.He founded Truly Living Well back in 2006 to develop a conduit for connecting communities and culture through training, education, and nutrition. He now works as an Advisor and Elder for the organization.Rashid and I caught up so I could hear his story ahead of the Georgia Organics Conference — happening in Athens February 7-8th — where his the keynote speaker.

Back in 2008, George and his partner, Jason Mann, set out to change the makeup of what makes a burger joint. The idea was simple — Bring together communities of ranchers and growers and supply the restaurants with they raise, grow, harvest, and produce. Then, there was Farm Burger.George has spent the greater part of his life in the hospitality industry and he's been a part of the good food movement throughout Atlanta for some time now. We sat down at the Decatur location so I could hear more of his story. Here he is.

There are few places in Atlanta touting the flag of “20+ Years in Business.” Let alone business that have shaped the way people experience parts of our beautiful city.Brick Store, on the other hand, is a staple. An institution. A place that paved the way for beer to be had for all of us Atlantans. It was a pleasure to sit with Mike, Dave, and Tom and hear how their stories eventually led to opening Brick Store back in 1997.

The mission of Fresh Harvest is simple: Fresh produce that is locally sourced delivered to your front door. Take a look at their website and you'll see what is in season, where its coming from, and how you can expand your meals with locally-sourced, organic produce from farms around the greater Atlanta area.Zac Harrison, the founder of Fresh Harvest, has an incredible story — and is a tremendously wonderful individual. We caught up late last year so I could hear the origin story of Fresh Harvest. Here it is.

Thanks for listening to The Atlanta Foodcast again this season! Can't wait to bring you more episodes soon. Season Three will kick off on January 27th, 2020!In the meantime, please be sure to follow us on Instagram - @atlfoodcastAlso, please consider supporting the podcast on Patreon - For just $1 a month, you can help us bring you the stories you love from local chefs, culinary entrepreneurs, and people making Atlanta the greatest city for eaters.

Hey, friends!Here's a little bonus episode for you. I had the pleasure of moderating a conversation with Jen Hidinger-Kendrick of Giving Kitchen, Steve Carse of King of Pops, and Zac Harrison of Fresh Harvest at General Assembly last month.The evening was filled with stories of how their ideas became businesses, their dreams became reality, struggle, triumph, hardship, perseverance, and much more. The recording was done LIVE in the main room, so it may be a little hard to hear in places. Also, listen to the Q&A portion at the end. Jen, Steve, and Zac tell some incredible stories and give incredible advice. ==The next Real Food, Real Stories event is happening on February 6th, 2020 at General Assembly at Ponce City Market.Many thanks to our lovely host, General Assembly, for hosting!

Dining in a beautiful restaurant, you're typically surrounded by decor, furniture, accents, and multiple points of attention to detail that…. may go unnoticed. Now, once the train of dishes starts? The plate ware or dinner ware are also typically seen as nothing more than a vessel. .However, I'd like to introduce you to Connie Matisse — Co-founder of East Fork.East Fork creates beautiful dinnerware and functional items like cups, mugs, and other things out of stoneware clay based in Asheville, NC. The pieces created by this team of artists and experts give incredible life to simple function and color for the kitchen, dinner table, and more. One thing is for certain — there's not fuss in what they create.Connie and I caught up so I could hear her story and how things at East Fork came to be.

Something that most may not realize is truly HOW farmers and restaurants work together — on a daily basis. The aspects of a farmer working to produce and a chef working directly with a farm to build their menu(s) are truly beautiful.Thus, welcome Lauren Cox and Bruce Logue to the show. Lauren runs the Farm to Restaurant program with Georgia Organics and Bruce is the Executive Chef at Boccalupo. The two have worked together through many avenues over the years. For this episode, we're focused on an important campaign Lauren at the helm of: Farmer Champion.The three of us sat down to talk about the practical side of the bond between restaurant and farmer.

The family of Indigo Road and Chef Jeb Aldrich have been on the show this season the next stop on my list had to be Claudia Martinez. If you've been to the Hotel Clermont or Tiny Lou's, you've more than likely seen her desserts — and you've also more than likely been blown away by the presentation and flavors.Her story started here in Georgia where's she's been working her way through many prominent kitchens. We caught up in the longe of the Hotel Clermont so I could hear her story.

Billy Allin is a chef we've had here for quite some time. Much of his story is rooted in the inspiring cousin of Alice Waters of Chez Panisse and Scott Peacock — back in the days of Watershed.If you've followed Atlanta dining for long enough, you know the beauty, delight, and true inspiration that was Cakes & Ale. Truly a restaurant after my own heart — as it was for many others. You'd also know everything that Billy and his team have created with Bread & Butterfly at Inman Quarter and with Proof Bakeshop.We caught up on the patio at Bread & Butterfly so I could hear his story.

Holly Chute, ladies and gentlemen. Someone I absolutely adore. She has worked has the chef for pretty much every Governor you can remember in the state of Georgia. Her story, like many of the guests we have here on the show, is wonderful. The way she made it as the person chef for the Georgia Governor? It's just perfect.I won't spoil any more of her story here, but we caught up Downtown at the Department of Agriculture — in the offices of Georgia Grown.If you don't know, we're one of the few states to have a wonderful Department of Agriculture. Mr. Gary Black is at the helm and the Georgia Grown program and label is a major one. Pointing much deserved recognition to the foods and products produced or grown right here in the Peach State.Holly and I also caught up to talk about Taste of Atlanta this weekend — specifically Friday night. There's an awesome kick-off happening on Friday celebrating Georgia products and chefs.

If you've been listening to the show for a while you probably get the gist that the stories of Atlanta chefs, restaurant and business owners, and generally wonderful people get told around here. However, the one thing that all of us know about our beautiful city is that it's packed with people. Tons. Close to 6 million, in fact.Everyone in this city needs food. All of us. The Atlanta Community Food Bank is one of the largest operations in the country — feeding 750,000 people over 60 million meals EVERY. YEAR. Across 29 counties. Talk about people making Atlanta the greatest city for eaters — by feeding them. These folks, along with over 700 partners, are true heroes.I stopped by to speak with Kyle Waide — President & CEO of the ACFB. I got to know him a little bit and then we got into how the organization mobilizes to feed those in need around the Greater Atlanta area.

Exciting News!The Atlanta Foodcast and Georgia Organics are partnering to bring you an all new podcast covering telling the stories from the people who grow and prepare our food — from all over the state of Georgia.Here's a little intro episode with the podcast's host — Skye Estroff.The first, full episode is coming soon. You can find out more at georgiafoodcast.com. Also, check out Georgia Organics and become a member today!

Imagine you grew up in Mumbai or Delhi and your family moves to Atlanta. Big enough story already, but imagine the foods you grew up with are within reach from a few grocery stores in town — your favorite fruits and vegetables, spices, and even snacks and desserts. But then you find out that the store is 45 minutes from your house — on a good day.That's why Manav and Sajal created Subziwalla — an online grocery delivery service specifically serving the Indian grocery stores and markets here in Atlanta and soon to be more of the Southeast. These guys have incredible individual stories and the story of how they founded Subziwalla is just awesome.We sat down at The Shed at Ponce City so I could hear their story.Use code ATLFOODCAST for 25% off of your first order. Visit their site here to start shopping.

So, we're nearing the finish line on Season Two of the show here and I'm feeling… let's say… nostalgic. It's a little crazy to think that the show has been running for almost two full seasons and we've heard from an incredible lineup of talented and wonderful people.Thus, I want to get back to some of the first couple episodes of the show — all the way back to March of 2018. Three stories I love from Jackie and Deanna Halcrow of Emerald City Bagels, Nate Hybl — Founder of Gusto!, and Steve Carse — Co-Founder of King of Pops.All three are stories I love — and especially people I believe in, support, and love having in Atlanta.Note: I was learning a lot back in the early days, so please excuse the audio quality in places.

Jared Karr and Jules Tompkins didn't start out as friends, per se. A bit more like “frienemies.” Their paths crossed in their earlier years here in Georgia and again later in life — as business partners. Fast forward to today and you step into the bright, beautiful space of East Pole Coffee Co — found in the same industrial part of Atlanta near Sweetwater Brewing, Armour Yards, and so on.Coffee is seldom part of the culinary realm that many come to understand fully. The plant, the process, regions, varietals, roasting methods — especially the farmer.Jared and Jules set out to bring something different to the coffee community here in Atlanta. They roast their own (right in the coffee shop, in fact), but they take extra care and steps to know who is growing it.The guys had me over to their space a little after hours so I could hear more of their story. Here they are.Check out East Pole site hereJoin their Coffee Club

Leslie Lennox started making pesto when she and her family purchased a home here in Atlanta — back in the late 90s. This wasn't just any home, though. It came with a 1200sqft greenhouse which was pretty prolific in terms of basil production.Fast forward to 2007, she, her husband, and daughter, Hope, start selling their pesto, Hope's Gardens Pesto, at the Peachtree Road Farmer's Market during their first season. They were a part of the market for many years and, since, Leslie hasn't slowed down on pesto — now for 20 years. So much, in fact, that she just released a book entitled Pesto: The Modern Mother Sauce. I'm a big fan of Leslie, friends. She and her husband were a part of things back in 2007 that helped shape much of what we're reaping the benefit of today.Leslie was in town recently for this conversation so I could hear her story and learn more about her book.

10 years. In the course of life for a restaurant, this is either insignificant — or it's everything. Oftentimes, getting through the first 365 days of service can set the pace for the next nine years and good golly are the stories what make it all worth it.Thusly, we're celebrating an incredible restaurant, culinary team, restaurant group, and generally wonderful mess of people here in Atlanta. The Iberian Pig, part of Castellucci Hospitality Group, is turning 10. These guys got their start back in 2009 in Decatur Square and they've seen a lot in the years since getting things going. In fact, the story of one restaurant is also the story of many others under the Castellucci umbrella — which you'll hear more of in this episode.Seriously, though, some of the stories you are about to hear are absolutely insane, hilarious, and absolutely worthy of appreciation. I sat down with Fred and John Castellucci and Edwin Molina — who has been with them since the very beginning. We/I laughed a lot during this recording.

Think of the last time you went to “see your butcher.” Back in the day, your butcher was the person who took care of everything for you — steaks, burgers, sausage, a whole chicken, bacon… everything, right? Knowing your butcher is now back on the rise as we all seek to learn and understand more about food and foodways.Enter: Rusty Bowers, Butcher and owner of Pine Street Market and Chop Shop. Pine Street hit the city back in 2008 and brought a side of butchery that celebrated the whole animal and especially paid homage to the hard-working folks who raised them in the first place. Now, Rusty and his team are continuing to expand Pine Street, and, they just opened Chop Shop — a market in direct partnership with Riverview Farms.

I love restaurants. The culture, the people, the opportunity to experience the cuisine. Everything. Over the past few years, I've gotten to know more people actively working to make Georgia an incredible state for growing. Agriculture. Two of those people are Ilana and Zach — Owners and Farmers at Levity Farms up in Milton. I met them a few seasons back at the Ponce City Farmer's Market. Every Tuesday, we'd walk away with incredible produce they they planted, nurtured, and wrested from the earth — and that's all it took.So, here's a first for The Atlanta Foodcast (and certainly the first of many). We went up to the farm, walked the rows and plots, picked produce, snacked on veggies of all kinds, and stopped for a bit to record a podcast.Interested in supporting The Atlanta Foodcast? For as low as $1/month you can help us tell more amazing stories. Follow this link to our Patreon to learn more. Want to learn how you can sponsor an episode of the podcast? Get in touch here.

Kraig moved to Atlanta back when things were still taking shape… in fact, many aspects of food, good beer, the Beltline… and generally Atlanta as we know it today was the distant future. He opened Hop City a little over 10 years ago to offer a place for Atlantans to fill a growler, pick up all the gear needed for home brewing, a few bottles of wine, and more.Since that first location on the Westside, they've expanded the stores across the city and into Birmingham, AL. The other side of Kraig's story you'll love is that he found his way into opening restaurants through his love, and the need, of good beer.

The story of Hawkers doesn't revolve around singular talent in the kitchen.The goal of Hawkers was always to bring the experience of eating at a hawker stall on the streets of Asia. Thusly, four friends brought the concept to life in Orlando in 2011. Since then they've been celebrating the recipes and flavors of generations past that are now still being enjoyed today — all the way here to the Atlanta BeltlineKaleb Harrell and Allen Lo are two of the founding members of Hawkers. We caught up earlier this summer so I could hear their story and how they've grown the restaurant concept over the years.

Suffice is to say that I love the story of Angie Mosier. She's a decorated, celebrated, and beloved food photographer who also happens to be a Georgia/Atlanta native. Her work can be seen alongside names like John T Edge, Eric Rippert, and Kevin Gillespie and her work is stunning. The one thing I enjoyed most about her story is this — she spent much of her career working as a caterer and pastry chef/cake decorator.Angie is constantly putting out incredible work. Check out her website here: Placemat Productions.We caught up at her studio in College Park for a conversation. So, here she is — Angie Mosier.