My Experience at Country Gardens Family Farm

Outside of the Farm Store

Driving about an hour out into a more rural area in search of Country Gardens Family Farms, I noticed how the landscape became less urban and more forested. White picket fences sprawled across pastures and dilapidated barns loomed in the distance while I reached my destination. As I turned into the farm’s driveway I immediately noticed the rows of vegetables to my right and the beehives behind them all leading the way to an adorable little store with the words “Country Gardens Family Farm” across the top in brown lettering. I made my way towards the shop, making note of the pumpkin and hay bale decorations by the entrance and already feeling like this place had a welcoming atmosphere. Entering the shop I was overwhelmed with the amount and variety of goods being sold in rather small shop. The bright colors of peppers and eggplants caught my attention at first but a shelf lined with a collection of soaps quickly stole it.

Muscadines, Squash, and Greens 

Peppers, Apples, and Eggplant

 I was surprised that animal products were also sold at the shop since they were not produced at this particular farm. From visiting their website I learned that they also had another location where 100% grass-fed beef, raw milk, and eggs are produced. (Home) Although the store contains these goods, these products are reserved for CSA members only. A CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture, is a system that allows buyers interested in locally grown food to subscribe to local farmers for their products which they receive directly from the farmer rather than a supermarket.(CSA-Farm Co-op) Country Gardens Family Farm not only sells their products at their store and CSA subscription service but also at the Peachtree Roads Farmers Market.(Farmers Markets) As I looked around I asked the woman at the cashier if she was Judy Cunningham, who is one of the farm’s owners that I scheduled an interview with, and although she was not Judy she directed me towards her. Judy and her husband Michael Cunningham, who is also one of the farm’s owners, both were very helpful, informative, and willing to answer my questions. Based off of my experience, interview with the owners and information on the farm’s website I can fully say that Country Gardens Family Farm strives to produce high quality products, use environmentally friendly farming methods, and connect with their buyers.

Milk Reserved for CSA Members

Eggplant and Peppers

Country Gardens Family Farms provides many different seasonally grown vegetables and fruits as well as raw milk, 100% grass-fed beef, honey, and eggs. They also sell several other wellness products like beeswax candles, beeswax skincare, handmade soap, and natural aluminum free deodorant. While I was at the farm’s store they were selling several varieties of tomatoes and peppers, eggplant, muscadines, squash, several kinds of greens, and apples. Talking with Judy Cunningham I learned that all of their produce are grown free of synthetic pesticides and herbicides. Judy explained that they use several natural, eco-friendly ways to keep their fruits and vegetables safe from pests or weeds. In fact they do their best to grow their produce in the most natural way that is healthiest for the consumer and the environment. They try many alternatives before using even organic non-synthetic pesticides. Keeping the crops healthy is one of the ways that they avoid using synthetic chemicals on their plants because the plants can defend themselves and survive pests. Additionally, they also use mesh coverings to protect their plants from pests and they grow pest-deterring plants near their crops. To bring in pollinators, flowers are planted in the fields with their produce so that their plants are naturally pollinated which also helps declining bee populations. In turn, beeswax and honey produced by the bees are then sold in their store. Basically, Country Gardens Family Farm strives to work with nature rather than against it and that is why Judy believes that their products are of top quality. As Michael Pollan, a well-known nutrition and food author, stated, “When you eat food from the farmer’s market, you automatically eat food that is in season, which is usually the most nutritious.”(Pollan) Thus the farm’s products could be considered of higher nutritional value than typical imported vegetables and fruits from a supermarket since Country Gardens Family Farm’s only sell what is in season.
While I was speaking with Judy Cunningham she directed me outside with her to also talk with her husband and co-owner Michael Cunningham. She told me that he would be able to answer more of my questions about the animal products from their other farm. Michael informed me that their beef cattle are raised on only grass once they are weaned from their mother’s milk. I asked him if grass-fed beef was healthier than corn-fed beef and he explained to me that it is higher in Omega 3 fatty acids, which are what the body needs, versus the Omega 6’s that are are higher in corn-fed beef. Furthermore, Michael elaborated on how cows that are fed only or mostly corn also are given antibiotics due to corn, “tearing up their digestive system.” The grass-fed cows raised by Country Gardens Family Farm are kept in clean conditions in which they do not need antibiotics, Michael Cunningham explained to me. Both Michael and Judy, believe that their cows are raised in an ethical way since they spend their time in pastures free from restricting cages and dirty conditions. I asked if they sold organ meats, and Michael told me that they believe in “eating nose to tail.” This results in using almost all of the parts of an animal which means less food is wasted and less resources used to make that food are wasted. I asked Michael what he thought about the vegetarian and vegan movements and he said, “I think we should have choices.” He also said that he thinks people do not need to eat as much meat as they do as it can be expensive, especially if it is high quality meat. The farm produces plenty of goods non-meat eaters could benefit from too and they are high in nutrients and grown sustainably.

Vegetables and Flowers Growing Together

Peppers in the Greenhouse

 After interviewing Judy and Michael Cunningham I decided to take a look around the farm and see how things were run based off of what I personally observed. I was not able to personally observe how their beef, milk and eggs were produced as this Country Gardens Family Farm only produced vegetables, fruits, beeswax, and honey. I made my way around the rows of mixed vegetables and flowers and remembered what Judy had said about growing different plants to keep away pests and bring in pollinators. Thin yellow-topped stalks taller than me grew thickly together next to rows of bright pinwheel-shaped zinnia flowers and several patches of tomatoes and other leafy greens. Like Judy said, the flowers certainly brought in droves of fluttering butterflies and bees. Next to that field, there were two large greenhouses in which shiny red peppers and multi-colored tomatoes climbed towards the ceiling on orange twine. The tomatoes and peppers had plenty of leaves and I did not notice any pests or weeds on them. Behind the greenhouses were six white beehouses that looked clean and well-kept, bees were busily traveling from the hives to the fields of vegetables and flowers and back. Past the hives were more fields of greens, squash and other vegetables. I did not see any pests or weeds growing near the plants and the rows of vegetables looked like they were maintained well and organized. It is clear that they use farming techniques that utilize the symbiotic relationship of nature to produce healthy crops.

Beehives

 I made my way back into the farm store again and noticed Judy talking with a customer and happily answering her questions and giving her advice. Judy and the cashier at the store greeted everyone who came into the store and were willing to help them in any way that they could. That’s one of the aspects that makes Country Gardens Family Farm different, you can get information about the food you are buying directly from the people who are growing it. There is a direct connection between the farmers and the customer. Like Michael Pollan said, “If you’re concerned about chemicals in your produce, you can simply ask the farmer at the market how he or she deals with pests and fertility and begin the sort of conversation between producers and consumers that, in the end, is the best guarantee of quality in your food.”(Pollan) I truly felt as though the Cunningham’s and their workers want to connect with their customers, and based off of my experience speaking with them I can say that they are very informative and friendly. Talking directly to the farmers gave me a new appreciation for how they strive to produce foods that are free from synthetic chemicals and are produced in an eco-friendly way despite it being more difficult than most mainstream farming methods.
What I learned from my visit was that the Cunningham’s truly care about what they produce on their farm. They grow their food free from synthetic chemicals, seasonally, and in an eco-friendly way. It’s harder to grow crops and raise animals in that way because it takes more time, work and planning. It also is harder to compete with the juggernaut corporations that produce most of the food sold in supermarkets, but buying from their farm gives the customer a direct interaction with the growers of their food unlike a customers typical experience at a supermarket. This gave me the impression that the Country Gardens Family Farm is a business that puts its values before profits and respects the land and environment that they use enough to give back to it. After my experience at this farm I highly recommend Country Gardens Family Farm to anyone interested in high quality agricultural products that do not harm the environment while being produced and allow the buyer to connect with the people growing their food.

Image Attributions: Gabrielle Jarrett