Welcome to BlackBird Farm

“Lettuce” tell you how it all started!

We are so excited to welcome you to our farm.
The farm is currently open by appointment only or when Local Shop Days are posted on our social media.
Our primary system is Deep Water Culture Aquaponics.
We feed the fish, they feed our plants, and our plants clean the water for the fish.
The result is nutrient dense – chemical free – delicious produce for you.

Blackbird Farm was founded at the height of the pandemic when my husband and I were desperate to reimagine broken food systems and supply chains. We had seen systems fail for communities during natural disasters and watched as agricultural supply chains crumbled in 2020. Ripples of that showcased failures in agriculture support. Farmers lacked the resources to get product to market. Markets shut down. We wanted to join the community to change that and continue to look for ways to reduce the time and effort it takes to get you fresh food, while reducing footprints that destroy all that is around us.

Aquaponics is an innovation on the organic approach. In order to be certified organic farms have to grow in soil. We are working hard with the USDA and other agencies to get this ideal reviewed. The lettuce we produce is higher in vitamins, uses 92% less water than traditional row cropping, and allows us to produce all year long. Because we are a closed system, we do not drain resources.

Community

Every Saturday through March 2024 the farm will be in Atlanta at the Oakhurst Farmers Market
Our primary product is lettuce from the water culture system.
As we ease out of summer expect to see more varieties of lettuce, and some additional vegetables.
We were granted a high tunnel this season and are currently working to regenerate the soil quality, get nutrients in for crops that can only “grow” in the ground, and design natural systems for solar production, and watering.

We have met so many of you face to face, and look forward to your visits.
We do farm tours, group events, and welcome visitors of all ages.
The Event space has officially opened to book your party!
We ask that you please contact us to schedule a visit.

hello@bbfga.com

Meet Your Farmers

Charity

Chicken whisperer and farm animal Dr. Doolittle. I love blossoms, honeybees, and making sure our guests enjoy every aspect of our farm. Agriculture was not a family thing, or generational experience. Although I am an equestrian and had extended family that had farms, I didn’t “grow up in the biz”. The support from the community of farmers, homesteaders, and market gardeners, has been tremendous. I really look forward to giving back to help the next generation of growers.
I work on testing new crop varieties and creating better soil health year over year. Regenerative practice has been a buzz word, but is really the foundation for growing well and growing better.
This year I am expanding into cut flowers for boquets and florist.

Jeff

Our Brains, Jeff truly has built our systems by hand. In the middle of the Georgia heat he stood on a tractor, a pallet, and a ladder to hand install our greenhouse framework. When our neighbors could help they came and climbed scaffolding with him to build the center of our practice in that building.
Jeff’s family came from the mountains of northern Georgia and rural areas, but were not farmers by trade. Growing their own food however instilled the need for sustainability, giving, and preserving that way of life. He is passionate about science, seeing our plants thrive, and looking for new ways to introduce sustainability. He found Aquaponics a great way to combine our passion and purpose.

GREENHOUSE

The Lettuce

We grow a variety of butter and sweet crisp as well as mini romaine. The rafts are suited for smaller leafy greens such as Bibb types. We have trialed everything from kale, chard, herbs, and even peppers.
There is a formula and balance to what we do inside the greenhouse. Every nutrient has to be specific for the plants and fish to remain happy. We don’t use pesticides or chemical bug control methods. The fish feed the lettuce with their waste.

DEEP WATER CULTURE

The Fish

We have Tilapia, Channel Catfish, and Freshwater Prawns.
They live in two 500-gallon tanks and are currently growing bigger every day. Having them separated allows us to monitor their performance and health.
Tilapia are considered an invasive species here in Georgia and can not go “outside”. All of our systems are sealed, no water leaves, so no fish eggs can either.
When the fish do leave, they will be headed for your table