In September 2011, Best Self Atlanta Magazine interviewed Will Harris of White Oak Pastures on his views about organic beef and its benefits to a healthy diet. “The consumer should learn as much as possible about the person who produces the food that they feed to their families,” said Harris.
This seems to be a view shared by all at the Fellowship of Southern Farmers, Artisans, and Chefs, an organization that fosters camaraderie between local farmers, chefs, and artisans. During the Taste of the South, which took place January 12 – 15, the Fellowship of Southern Farmers, Artisans, and Chefs inducted Harris into their organization. The event, which also serves as a fundraiser for the Southern Foodways Alliance, is now in its eighth year.
Located in Bluffton, Georgia, White Oak Pastures is a family operated grass-fed beef producer committed to sustainability and low-stress animal handling that also minimizes environmental impact. It is the largest certified organic farm in Georgia and one of only two on-farm, USDA-inspected, grass-fed beef plants in the country.
The farm was already distinctive from its inception, but now it is also home to the largest solar barn in the Southeast. Harris collaborated with Hannah Solar to install a solar thermal system atop his farm’s processing plant to provide for large amounts of hot water for sanitation and equipment cleansing. The solar barn turns sunlight directly into energy for the processing plant.
Read more about Going Organic at www.bestselfatlanta.com
