2007 Annual Report for CS06-042
Sustainable Farming: wedding regional agriculture and community development in Coastal Georgia
Summary
We have been working on the food assessment project and implementing programs that came out of the food assessment. The organization created and implemented a farmers market and mobile market. We have planted and harvested our first community garden.
Objectives/Performance Targets
McIntosh SEED has been able to build a stronger connection between sustainable agriculture and sustainable rural community development by promoting sustainable farming as a viable initiative in coastal Georgia. McIntosh SEED organized a search committee and conducted a local search conference, which focused on developing strategic plans for addressing the needs of local and regional food systems. As a result of the conference,a food systems working group was formed. The food systems working group developed a plan for implementing elements of the Food System Plan and discussed methods to increase the public's awareness of the benefits of sustainable farming.
Accomplishments/Milestones
McIntosh SEED created the first community farmers market in downtown Darien. McIntosh SEED built a partnership with local farmers and created markets for local farmers' produce, which resulted in additional income for the farmers.
Over 1,000 local residents and tourists visited the farmers market. A local business donated the property where the market was located.
McIntosh SEED produced value-added products from local produce.
Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes
Based upon McIntosh SEED's food systems work and building a local sustainable food system in McIntosh County, for the first-time ever, local farmers' produce was sold in three (3) local restaurants.
Local farmers' produce was also sold to the local school system.
As a result of the increased venues for locally-grown produce, the community benefitted from local sustainable agriculture and more nutritious foods.