Farmer Brings His Own Market to Suwanee

When farmer David White of Lula comes to the Suwanee Farmers Market, he brings his own customer base.

His farm, It Began With a Seed, is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, a type of co-op between the grower and the consumer.

According to a brochure, a CSA is a consumer friendly farm where the farmer and community work together to grow the freshest, highest quality garden produce based on annual commitment to one another.

Which is your favorite vendor at the Suwanee Farmers Market.

The CSA member agrees to purchase a "share" of the farm's annual anticipated harvest, at a preset price. The consumer therefore becomes a financier of the farm, keeping the farmer out of debt and ensuring a delivery point for the harvested produce.

This effort reflects the love of farming that White and his wife Anita have.

"It's 24/7," White said. "It's not a job, it's a lifestyle."

He's in his 11th year of farming after moving to Lula from the Hamilton Mill area, for a more rural environment. An electrician by trade, his job ended with the Cold War.

It is working well. The Whites grow 200 varieties of produce on their 49 acres. The one most in demand in Suwanee is lettuce, and potatoes, tomatoes and beans also draw attention.

"The customers here are quite fantastic," he said.

In the CSA, shares are purchased by members each fall for the following year's growing season, which is mid-May through late September. Shareholders get an option in October and are given 30 days to renew their commitment for the upcoming year, according to White's brochure.

Most of the produce is delivered to members within 24 hours of harvest.

"Our promise to you," the brochure reads, "is ... to trust in God as our source, and to know that we will surely reap what we sow."

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