Augusta Locally Grown

Meet My Farmer: Shooting Star Acres Article and photos by Luke Lawrence FARMER SPOTLIGHT: Introducing Alicia and Hunter Weiss, the duo behind Shooting Star Acres! Alicia and Hunter have been living out their dream for a year and a half now in Dearing, GA, where their extended family of chickens and ducks are FREE to roam as they please! Having moved to the greater Augusta area several years ago, the couple traded in their Grovetown residence in favor of a more natural environment; one surrounded by nature and animals where they could pursue their dream of operating a farm and animal rescue! Hunter, a veteran, works full-time at Fort Gordon, as well as helping around the farm building enclosures and equipment, while Alicia runs the farm full-time while also raising their two beautiful children, Ayden and Ayla. The duo, with the help of their eager children, work day-in and day-out to ensure that their animals are treated with the utmost care and respect. “The animals are cared for here,...

  Meet My Farmer: Agape Chocolates    “Love for your fellow man. That’s the meaning, and that’s what we try to embody,” said James Stefanakos, owner and founder of Agape Chocolates. As he was preparing to make several bars from scratch, I had inquired as to what led to the name of his business. Like James, the word “agape” has Greek origins, and roughly translates to “love and charity for your fellow man.” Being a 2nd generation Greek immigrant, James wanted to infuse his heritage with his benevolent values: loving one another well; giving back to those who need help; making a difference in the community around you. These values are at the core of Agape Chocolates, and they have been there since the company’s inception. It started in 2014 when James left his engineering job at a local firm. “I felt like I wasn’t making a difference in the lives around me,” he said. “I wanted to give back; I wanted to help people.” After having a revelatory moment on the way back from visi...

  Summary The Augusta Locally Grown and Augusta To Go partnership developed to service local communities who want direct access to locally grown food – a challenge that impacts not only individuals, but also local restaurants and, subsequently, the local economy.  Following the events of 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic, access to fresh, local food has come into sharp focus for many people. One solution is a delivery option from our local online farmers market which provides farm fresh produce, meats and artisanal products to the region. Delivery is possible in-part thanks to a partnership between the nonprofit, Augusta Locally Grown (ALG) and the locally owned delivery platform Augusta To Go.  Customers can order directly through ALG https://augusta.locallygrown.net/market - and have their purchase of local ingredients delivered straight to their door. Established at the start of the pandemic as the demand for home delivery increased, the collaboration remains an active a...