The impossible happened: we went to a mob and didn’t do a lick of weeding (except, of course, the few weedaholics who just couldn’t help themselves). Instead, we covered fields with straw for winter, picked and bagged some ruby-red field corn, and…oh, you know…built a greenhouse or two. Two, actually. Maybe we didn’t COMPLETELY finish them, but we got the structure up and ready for Farmer Tate and had a heck of a good time in the process! Mr. Tewksbury (Tate’s dad) brought Lou and Sue, their gorgeous and enormous horses, down to the field so we could watch some old-school plowing, and we loved meeting all of the Morgan County locals who came out to help.

Once we were done working, we head up the road to meet some fantastic animals, have a cold one, stuff our faces and listen to awesome music. Seriously, does it get much better than that? The generosity at this mob was really amazing; Plow Point Farms donated and smoked so much delicious pastured Poulet Rouge chickens, Suzi Cooker Catering made amazing sides and desserts (I had no idea slaw could be that good!), the Morgan County Conservancy graciously donated 4 cases of much needed refreshment. And, to top it all off, The Bearfoot Hookers played an awesome set that kept our toes tapping (and perhaps inspired one or two of us to lead an impromptu hoedown by the lunch tables). The weather was finally starting to cool down a bit and hinted at a Fall we never thought would come.

And my oh my did we get our five minutes of sweaty fame! There were no less than four groups doing media pieces on the event including the Morgan County Citizen, Athens’s ezine BLVD, Ramsey Yount, and CNN! Crazy stuff, but it was fun to see all our mobbers getting interviewed – can’t wait to see how everything turns out!

Aaaaaand we’ve already got our September mob planned, too! On the 19th of this month we’ll be heading NE on 85 to Royston, GA (right before Lake Hartwell) to help Burnell Farm get ready for fall. Having relocated from Iowa a year ago after losing everything to floodwaters, the Burnells have worked hard to establish their farm and have several acres for production as well as chickens and rabbits. We’ll have an official chore list soon, but it will probably include finishing up some hoophouses, weeding, seeding, pulling out fence line – nothing our mobbers can’t handle! Expect more details and eventbrite registration soon!

This seriously just keeps getting better and better. And now we’ll have a good Georgia autumn to enjoy it by! I smell bonfires already…

Go Mob!

It’s grape season in North Georgia!

Wine grapes can be a bit fickle (especially in Georgia) and planning a harvest in advance is nearly impossible. Summer rainfall in Georgia is spotty at best and once the grapes hit the right percentage of sugar they have to be picked immediately if they are going to be transformed into outstanding wine.

We got the call from Montaluce Winery in Dahlonega today and they need a few extra hands on Monday (8/23) to help harvest their 2010 crop. They have offered those that come out a taste of their delicious Georgia wine. Only thing is that they do not serve lunch on Mondays so make sure to bring a little something to eat with you.

If you’d like to help out, give Brad or Maria a call at 706-867-4060.

Well, we’re not barn raising quite yet, but we’re getting close with our next mob! On August 29th, we’ll be heading east of the city (about 20 minutes past Burge) to Tewksbury Farms where we’ll be building greenhouses! I know we’ve got a lot of mobbers with some serious carpentry skills, and we’re ready to see what you’ve got. Of course, no prior skill is necessary. No matter what you know how to do, just show up and you’ll be able to add “greenhouse construction” to your list of life skills before we’re done. Plus, Tewksbury is run in a traditional Amish style, so we may get to see some plow horse demonstrations and learn about a style of farming few of us have access to!

I’m not kidding when I tell you this mob’s going to be a bit of a party. We know many of you wake up far earlier than you would want to on a Sunday to get to these farms and we’re hoping for a 9AM start time on this one, which is why Tate at Tewksbury has very kindly offered for people to come and camp Sat. night if you’d like. We’ll be sure to post more info and a sign up for that soon so you can make an evening of it – but don’t y’all go getting all crazy now…we’ve got hard work to do on Sunday! We’re giving the very generous Miller Union a break since they JUST fed our faces last weekend (be sure and congratulate them on being Atlanta Magazine’s Restaurant of the Year) and instead Plow Point Farms have donated free range chicken and we’re arranging for some gourmet sides. Does it get better than camping, delicious food and greenhouse construction? You bet it does! We haven’t gotten confirmation just yet, but Tate is working his magic to see if we can’t get a band to come play some tunes at lunch. It’s gonna be a heck of a good time. You won’t want to miss this one!

So, we’ll send a reminder closer to the mob, but don’t forget smart people things like sunscreen, water, boots, hat but also things you’ll be likely to forget like plates, utensils, napkins etc. And this go around, if anyone has any cordless drills, saws or other helpful construction tools, we sure would appreciate if you’d bring them along. Be sure to label them!

This is the first time we’re trying two larger mobs in one month, so show us you want us to keep it up by coming out to Buckhead, GA (no, not expensive one in midtown Atlanta) and helping our friend Farmer Tate get his greenhouses ready for fall! More on the camping situation soon!

Tewksbury Farm
1121 Mason Rd.
Buckhead, GA 30625
9AM

Register Now (Click Here)

This past weekend Crop Mob went to Burge Organic Farm in Mansfield and MAN did we get some work done! Cory, the super amazing farm manager, did a great job of organizing our tasks so that, once we were all in and accounted for, we hit the ground running! Well, not running, so much as harvesting and weeding. One group harvested an entire field of African winter squash and took fun pickup truck rides to move them to a protected area while another group weeded around asparagus plants that towered over many mobbers heads. We also harvested the dramatically named Bloody Butcher heirloom dent corn, a gorgeous – you guessed it – red variety. We also discovered one of the few things a goat won’t eat when uprooting some coffeeweed, and no Crop Mob would be complete without having to wrangle with some of the dreaded pigweed.

The fried chicken lunch from Miller Union was lifechanging as always. We never stop wondering how we’re lucky enough to have them as a partner. PLUS we had some unbelievable Honey Basil Ale from Folksy Brews. Yes, it was every bit as amazing as it sounds. Even the weather was pretty perfect: cooler than previous mobs with intermittent sprinkles when you needed them most. The farm itself is part of the breathtakingly beautiful Burge Plantation which has been in the same family for over seven generations – or, as the owner accurately put it – since Lincoln was born! It was really awesome to be part of something so historical. In fact, we each got to take home a produce souvenir (prouvenir?) of a winter squash and some heirloom garlic that they found growing on the property from who knows how long ago! We’re hoping mobbers will plant a clove or two to keep this tradition alive. As for me, I’ve already got designs on that winter squash.

And guess what? We get to do it again in under two weeks at Tewksbury Farm! We’ll have more info on that to you today or tomorrow but there are some pretty fun times in the making (think camping, a band, and learning about seriously traditional farming techniques). More on that to come!

Thanks so much to all of you who worked so hard at Burge. Cory couldn’t thank us enough. Hopefully we’ll have a few pictures to share soon, but we couldn’t be prouder of our mobbers. We’re really turning into a strong force farmers can count on when they need it most.

We’re agricultural superheroes, people.

Photo credit: Corey Deyette

Well guys, we had such an awesome time at Indian Ridge Farm, we thought we should get more mobbing in this month. That’s why we’re doubling your pleasure and doubling your fun with TWO mobs this month. Our first will be August 15th at the scenic Burge Organic Farm in Mansfield, GA and the second…well…we’ll get back to you on that one shortly.

The Farm

So Burge Organic Farm! Not only is this place beautiful, but it’s been in family hands for seven generations and has an incredibly rich history dating back to 1809. The Burge Plantation itself is over 2,000 acres of beautiful land, and the certified organic farm sprawls over an impressive 16 acres — so we’ve got our work cut out for us!

Cory Mosser is the awesome farm manager at Burge; you may have seen him selling something awesome and delicious at the Peachtree Road Farmer’s Market. Between throwing out his back and having a new baby in the family, it’s been a busy time for Cory. But if this mob is anything like the ones we’ve had so far, we can make up for his lost time in a snap!

The Mob

We’ll send out a reminder as the 15th gets closer to let you know what exactly we’ll be up to and if we’ll need any special skills or equipment. But we do know that Miller Union will be providing food again (you can start doing the “happy belly” dance now) so remember to bring reusable plates and utensils. We’re kind of a tree-hugging lot, so let’s try and remember stuff we don’t have to chuck at the end of the meal. And don’t forget water, sunscreen, hats, etc. All the good stuff to keep you safe in the scorching Georgia August heat.

We’ll be starting at 9AM to try and beat the heat a little, but the farm is just a little under an hour east of the city, so you won’t have to get up TOO too early on Sunday, just a little too early.

Good news! We’ve been asked to cap this mob at 75, so the more the merrier! Plus, if you don’t snag a spot for this one, there’s another on the way. Each mob keeps getting better and better; let’s keep the trend going! Can’t wait to see you and make some more history at Burge Organic Farm!

Register Now (Click Here)

It remains to be seen if we’ll have an Indian summer this year, but we know one thing for sure: it was a deep south summer day at Indian Ridge Organic Farm this past Sunday. Over the day, the heat index climbed upwards of 103. But did that stop us? Heck no! Didn’t even slow us down! After a scenic hike around the gorgeous property (think horses, wooded paths and a breathtaking farmhouse) we showed up at the fields already sweating through our clothes and ready to go.

Some first-time mobbers had a trial by fire (almost literally) and did GREAT. You should have seen the areas we cleared in no-time flat. We were lucky enough to have a mid-morning refreshment of iced coffee and goodies from Cafe Campesino – and it was exactly what we needed. At that point, the heat was so intense that I pretty much expected most mobbers to chill out in the shade until lunch. But no, not this crew. After a brief break, it was right back to work in the mid-day sun. We worked straight through until the smell of frying catfish called everyone in. That’s right – Miller Union did it again with an old school fish fry complete with the world’s most amazing hush puppies, field pea and tomato salad, coleslaw and watermelon. It’s funny how a staggeringly good meal can make you forget the heat. Darby announced the first of two August mobs (stay tuned for more info on those) and we all got a chance to unwind a little from a great day of work.

And then, we discovered the best feature of Indian Ridge Farm: the Soque River runs through it. Most. Refreshing. River. Ever. We all had a heck of a good time splashing around, cooling down, and sipping on some of Mike’s famous homebrew. Check us out – cool as cucumbers – at the end of the video!

It was a great one. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: our mobbers are the best. We work hard, we play hard and we get a couple of months worth of farmwork done in the process.

Keep an eye out for details on next month’s mobs!

Photo credit: Pete Mora