FRESH FROM THE MARKET

Intown farmers markets re-open for the season

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Spring has sprung and that means Intown’s eclectic array of farmers markets have re-opened – or soon will – for the season. Some of the old favorites such as East Atlanta Village Market and Peachtree Road Farmers Market are back in action, but there’s also a newcomer at Freedom Park.

Freedom Farmers Market

This new market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. now through Dec. 20 at the Carter Center in Poncey-Highland. The Freedom Market is run by a small group of farmers, including Celia Barss of Woodland Gardens, Charlotte and Wes Swancy of Riverview Farm, and Laurie and Will Moore from Moore Farms and Friends. Expect fresh produce, baked goods, cheese and dairy, farm fresh eggs, handmade preserves and honey, prepared meals, fresh coffee and more. There will also be regular pop-up restaurants for those who want to grab a bite. Information: freedomfarmersmkt.com.

East Atlanta Village Farmers Market

The market reopens on April 10 from 4 to 7 p.m. and will continue every Thursday through Dec. 18 at 561 Flat Shoals Ave. There will be fresh produce, locally-made food and products, chef demos and much more throughout the season. Information: farmeav.com

Morningside Farmers Market

Open year-round, this neighborhood market at 1393 N. Highland Ave. is a Saturday morning favorite for the locals who walk over to check out organic produce, freshly prepared foods and baked goods. Market hours are 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. The cooking demo series by local chefs will be starting up again soon, too. Information: morningsidemarket.com

Grant Park Farmers Market

Grant Park Farmers Market re-opens April 13 and will be open on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through Dec. 21. There will be locally grown fruits, vegetables, artisan produced breads, cheeses, and other delicacies. Information: grantparkmarket.org.

Green Market at Piedmont Park

Now in its 11th season, the Green Market at Piedmont Market has more than 40 vendors including local farmers, bakers, sauce makers, crafters, chef demonstrations, canning workshops, live music and history tours of the park. The market is open every Saturday now through Dec. 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. near the 12th Street entrance. Information: piedmontpark.org.

Peachtree Road Farmers Market

Located in the parking lot at Cathedral of St. Phillip, 2744 Peachtree Road in Buckhead, the market will open for its eighth season on April 5 from 8:30 a.m. to noon and continue every Saturday through Dec. 13. There will be 50 weekly vendors, regularly scheduled chef demonstrations, live music and kids’ activities. Information: peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com.

East Lake Farmers Market

The East Lake Farmers Market (ELF Market) will be held every Tuesday beginning April 15 from 4 p.m. to sunset. The market will continue through October. The annual Collard Green Cook Off benefiting Wholesome Wave, a food assistance program, will also be held on opening day. The market is set up at 2343 Hosea L. Williams Drive. Information: elfmarket.org.

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Atlanta venture’s goal is to uplift rural Haitians

By Clare S. Richie

Coffee brings people together. That sentiment is evident in Reggie Grand’Pierre’s vision for Itiah Coffee: to link Haitian coffee growers to Atlanta consumers, one relationship at a time.

“From the mountain tops of Haiti to your cup,” is how Grand’Pierre describes the venture. Itiah Coffee also proudly shares 20 percent of its net profits to uplift rural Haitian communities.

Grand’Pierre, a Haitian born Atlanta entrepreneur, started Itiah Coffee after a 2009 visit to his home country. During that trip, he met with his wife’s uncle, a coffee grower and college friend, who owns a coffee-roasting house. This encounter sparked the idea to create an income producing coffee venture that gave back.

To test the idea, Grand’Pierre ordered 100 10-ounce bags of Rebo Cafe, a Haitian grown coffee brand. It sold quickly. In 90 days, he sold 268 bags to his friends and colleagues and raised $200 for Haiti. The idea had legs.

By July 2011, the one-person initiative evolved into Itiah Coffee, LLC and welcomed three Haitian-born members to the management team – Frantz Bourget, Edouard Demetrius and Pierre Richard Thomas. The team has experience with the Haitian agricultural sector, Haitian grassroots organizations in rural communities, and conducting business in the U.S.

This journey has had its share of challenges. Poor infrastructure in rural Haiti, such as inadequate facilities and roadways, made it difficult to connect with growers. Coffee growers are tempted to produce crops harvested more frequently, like cabbage, which their families can consume. In addition to reducing the coffee supply, switching crops is contributing to deforestation, since coffee grows in the shade.

Grand’Pierre and his team are not easily discouraged. “I am Haitian and have the patience to grow both the supply and the demand side of the business,” he said. In 2013, Itiah Coffee launched its own brand from the Fond Baptiste community. Customers enjoy the coffee’s bold, sweet flavor with no aftertaste. They like knowing exactly who grew their fresh coffee and the added goodwill of fundraising for Haiti.

“The experience of 2013 gave us great insight into sourcing and importing coffee from Haiti,” Grand’Pierre explained. With a healthy inventory on hand, the company is working to identify a stable region to expand its supply. Once identified, Itiah Coffee will invest in organic certification of the product that already grown without pesticides and fertilizer. The management team is also working on a reinvestment strategy that will spur local ownership in the identified region.

To thoughtfully increase demand, Itiah Coffee is focusing on expanding its coffee club. Each month you can receive fresh Haitian coffee by signing up at itiahcoffee.com. Coffee does connect people. Enjoying Itiah Coffee can also transform lives.