I had to do some onsite consulting that took me down Flippin Road. I hadn’t been out that way in a while. Although I knew the Broder farm had been sold, I was shocked to see it completely gone. The old silos that were a landmark for most of my life are now only memories. Mr. Broder would let us bird hunt on his property. For those of you who are old enough to remember, at one time the Broder farm was bordered by a place called Lion Country Safari. As we hunted down Rum Creek we always wondered if we were going to come across a loose lion or panther. We never did, but it was rumored that some had escaped.

  Not long ago we watched as the old barns in Ola were torn down to make way for a shopping center. That corner has quite a history and the store, ballfield, and at one time a cotton gin, are now all just memories. Not too many years back we watched the old dairy barn get torn down across the road from our office to make room for the restaurants that replaced it.

  Lambert Farm with its hayfields, runway, hunting preserve, pavilion and pond, are now warehouses. I remember when we trained our search dogs there. The 4-H shotgun team also practiced there at one time. When folks talk about Urban Agriculture, I show them a picture of Larry Allen’s cows grazing with the warehouses in the background.

  Now the peach stand and orchard in Locust Grove have been replaced by warehouses. I guess someday these will all be filled to capacity. This is the price you have to pay for progress. I am all in favor of progress, but so far all this progress has replaced our landmarks with traffic jams and potholes.

  But there is good news: many of the larger farms whose property value outweighed the ability to farm profitably are being replaced with many smaller farms. Places like Green Ola Acres, Narrow Way farm, Mayflor farm, Westworthy farm, Snapfinger farm, and many more smaller operations targeting the fresh produce market are alive and well. Southern Belle and Yule Forest are offering farm experience and training for youth and adults coupled with pick-your-own fruits and vegetables. C4 farm is expanding its cattle operation and the list goes on and on. People are striving to produce food that is grown using organic principals. Food that is fresh and wholesome. You do not need a large track of land to join the fresh food rush. If you are interested in growing food for your family and others, contact the extension office at 770-288-8421 and we will advise you on how to get started.

  Frank Hancock has worked as a Farm Manager, Vocational Agriculture Teacher, Vice President at Snapper and currently serves as the University of Georgia Agricultural Extension Agent in Henry County. He is a also a member of the Heritage Writers Group.