The Weblog
The Online Market is open for ordering from 8 AM Wednesday till 8 PM on Thursday.
Spring time is upon us again. The planting of vegetables and flowers is in full spead as we work to provide an aboundance of fresh new products. Please feel free to make your selections from the great products available this week.
Remember the New Customer Referral Program
From March 20 through June 30
How it Works
1. Tell a friend about the CUMMING HARVEST farmers market.
2. Have them register at cumming.locallygrown.net. (the market managers will contact all new customers to ask who referred them)
3. After their third purchase (3 different weeks), your credit will be applied to your account.
Thank you for sharing your love of healthy food and for helping to support our local growers!
Stephen Daniels
770-905-9155
Weblog Entry
This post expired on February 27, 2023.
Market News
Our FEATURED FARMER OF THE MONTH is
Farmer Greg Hutchins of Heritage Farm in Bowdon, Ga.
www.heritage-farm.net
How long have you been farming? When and why did you create Heritage Farm?
I grew up in a farming and gardening family so I started my first garden as soon as I moved away from home at 18. We (Lainya and I) have gardened our entire marriage and we added the livestock little by little over the years. We founded Heritage Farm when we moved to Carroll County in 2006 and originally just planned it as a family farm and a new heritage for our children. We wanted to be set apart from all the worldly influence that is killing our country. We officially opened as a farm business in 2009 when I lost my job in the construction meltdown.
Why did you decide to grow food sustainably?
This may be a little sensitive but honestly we started seeing a huge amount of “early” development in a lot of the children in our society (home school groups, church etc..) particularly the girls. Lainya was very instrumental in doing the research on all the hormones and other junk and we gradually just started moving away from all of it. I was very much a traditional type gardener using commercial 10-10-10 and as much sevin dust as we could buy but once we realized how really really bad all that stuff was for you we felt we owed it to ourselves and our children to try something different. We did and it works!
What kind of animals do you have on the farm?
As of this morning we have cows, pigs, ducks, chickens, lambs, goats, rabbits, horse, donkey, dogs and a cat. We will be adding some turkeys as soon as the poults are ready in April.
What type of animal do you enjoy raising the most?
The pigs have been the most fun so far. We like them all but pigs, once you get to know them, are a blast. Its like having 4 and 5 hundred pound lap dogs!
Tell us about the land/property you have?
We are on approximately 35 acres of pasture and hardwood mixed. We use a rotational paddock and woodlot system to manage our grass, fertilize and restore the woodlots. We have about 1 – 2 acres dedicated to homestead and garden with the rest for the animals.
What do you find to be the most challenging job/task on the farm?
Aside from the financial challenges that every small farmer faces the other one is just keeping the schedule balanced so we can tend to all the tasks at hand. Time managment is very important on the farm and somedays there just isnt enough time to get it all managed!!
What do you enjoy the most? Why?
For me it is the 24/7 relationship with my wife and kids. Since we school at home and farm together it gives us a unique relationship that I find very enjoyable. We most assuredly have challenges but I can not think of a more rewarding way to spend my days. Plus we are not so hinered and influenced by the world that we lose sight on the important things like our faith, family values and God’s creation.
Do you have any help on your farm? Who helps you?
I usually hire some apprentice type labor during spring and peak summer but it is mostly me, Lainya and the kids (Jacob, Grace, Jordan and Mary)
Do you have a favorite recipe? What is it?
My gosh that’s a hard one….Lainya has developed so many farm fresh dishes and I can burn a piece of pork pretty much as good as the next guy but I guess my favorite would be whatever is next on the menu! What we really do enjoy is just eating whatever is fresh, local and in season as much as possible. When you eat like that its all good!
Do you have any short term or long term goals for your farm?
Short term is to get more infrastructure done so we can better manage our time. We also want to add a small goat or cow dairy to our operations. Long term I would like to add a few more acres, get debt free and position ourselves to let the next generation take over.
What is your favorite food to grow?
Tomatoes, Corn (non GMO of course) and anything pork are very high on all our lists.
LOCATION & PICK-UP
Building 106, Colony Park Dr. in the Basement of Suite 100, Cumming, GA 30040. Pick up every Saturday between 10-12pm.
Google Map
To view the harvest today and tomorrow till 8pm, visit “The Market” page on our website, The Cumming Harvest
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!