Baker Family Farms

Terry Baker is no stranger to hard work, or to seeing it pay off. One of their unique claims-to-fame is the Baker Freshness Advantage- greens are harvested to order, even for their large grocery store customers. That means that when you purchase Baker greens in the produce aisle, you're getting food that’s several days fresher than most competitors. The farm has grown from a one-man operation in 1970 to a leader in the produce industry, specializing in leafy greens. As Terry's children grew, they started helping on the farm, and in 1989, Terry's son Joe officially came on as a partner. The farm is still family-owned and employs several family members, long-time employees, and over 150 seasonal workers.  

Almost 5,000 acres in Georgia are home to Baker's fields of greens, which are then distributed to major grocery stores across the United States and parts of Canada. Heath Weatherington is Terry's son-in-law and has been working on the farm for the past 16 years. When asked what his role is on the farm, he laughs warmly and replies, "We're all everything here, really,". Heath oversees aspects of both the farm operations and finances, and is married to Terry's daughter Jennifer. Heath and Jennifer are working on the next generation of the legacy- they have five beautiful daughters under the age of 12. 

Keeping up with advances in farming technology is also a big part of the Baker operation. "It's not just driving a tractor anymore, "Heath explains. "The innovation, even in the last five years, has been incredible. We can start pivots from our phones now. I think advances like that will keep improving efficiency in farming just like any other industry." 

Heath himself is a fourth-generation farmer who is no stranger to the challenges and victories of farm life. "The thing I love most about agriculture is that it's hard work, but seeing the end result- that field right before it's ready to be harvested. When you're out there early in the morning and there's still some dew on the crops, and the sun hits it just right... To me, there's nothing better than that."  

When asked how he feels about Baker greens being a part of so many Thanksgiving celebrations, Heath doesn't hesitate to issue a challenge. "Listen," he laughs, "there's nothing more special than sitting around the table with Grandma's greens- my Grandma's greens, not your Grandma's greens, because everyone's grandmother's greens recipe is the best one- being a part of that tradition for so many people is such an honor, and it's why we work as hard as we do to provide the best quality products we can."   

Find out more about the Baker family and their products at www.bakerfamilyproduce.com, and look for them in your local produce department.