Southern SOIL
Table Talk
Bush started his own garden to feed his growing obsession with fresh food and soon had more than enough for his own needs and was able to produce enough to become a vendor at the Forsyth Market. When the position for Executive Director became available it just seemed like the perfect fit as he had spent most of his career working in the nonprofit sector and then working as a producer himself.
E 12
ACH ISSUE OF SOUTHERN SOIL FEA-
“I spent so much of my adult life in the nonprofit
TURES A CONVERSATION WITH INDI-
world. And then I had taken a few years as a farmer
VIDUALS REPRESENTING DIFFERENT
and it just seemed like the perfect combination of
PERSPECTIVES ALONG THE FOOD SUPPLY
my two worlds. I felt like I had a better opportunity
LINE. THIS ISSUE FEATURES JEB BUSH. BUSH
to advocate for farmers in this role than just being a
CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE EXECUTIVE DI-
farmer myself,” Bush explained.
RECTOR OF THE FORSYTH FARMERS MARKET IN SAVANNAH. HAVING PREVIOUSLY BEEN A
Bush is optimistic about our local food systems,
VENDOR, BUSH HAS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
but stresses the importance of community involve-
ON THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM IN SOUTHEAST
ment and consumer choices.
GEORGIA ESPECIALLY IN THE SAVANNAH AREA.
“We’ve got a really big opportunity right now to help
Bush’s local food journey started when he was a
sitting in a really good spot right now where we
child eating fresh foods grown right at home, but he
could do a lot more. It just takes continued com-
took a detour away from that tradition as a young
munity support to make it happen. Without com-
adult.
munity support, the farmers’ market doesn’t exist.
farmers and help our community,” Bush said. “We’re
It’s so important for people to come out even if it’s “Growing up, daddy always had a big garden. We
hot, even if it’s rainy. It’s so important for people to
always ate food straight off the farm … it was
come out and support those farmers every week.”
normal to have that. and then I went to college and moved up north for a few years and totally got
The following is Bush’s perspective on a series of
away from that and didn’t really think anything of it
questions regarding the sustainable, local food
until I moved back and had some fresh local food
system in Southeast Georgia.
and thought, ‘oh my gosh this is so good!’.”
