31
Aug
I grew up in the same community as Southern Valley, but working here has been an eye-opening experience and I have learned things about the operation I could have never imagined. Here are the 5 things that make Southern Valley different from your typical farming operation.
1. We are female-owned.
Wanda Tyler-Hamilton and her granddaughters Kaylee (left) and Courtney (right) own more than 50% of Southern Valley making it a female-owned company.
Even though we started as a four-man farming operation, as three of the original four members either sold their part or passed away, the remaining ownership defaulted to Kent Hamilton and his mother, Wanda. Over the years, ownership has been divvied up and Wanda and her two granddaughters now own the majority percentage of Southern Valley, making us a female-owned operation.
2. We have our own sports teams.
A soccer team at the farm in Georgia and a baseball team for the farm in Yucatan – both comprised of workers. These teams are fitting examples of how Southern Valley owners and employees like to work hard and then have just as much fun playing hard.
3. We are always experimenting with the latest innovations in the fields.
All of our produce in the States is grown on plastic.
From growing produce on plastic to harvesting Pole-Grown Cucumbers to making our own compost, we are always experimenting with the latest innovations in the fields to bring the best possible product to consumers. With six generations of farming experience behind him, President and CEO Kent Hamilton, has learned what works and what doesn’t, but he is always willing to take a risk if it means improved product.
4. We are always experimenting with the latest innovations out of the fields.
Southern Valley leadership is always thinking outside of the box! This has led to innovations such as repurposed container housing for workers in Tennessee and specially designed squash packing lines unique to Southern Valley. Some of our best managers are also our greatest innovators. Never ones to stick to the status quo and routine, they are constantly developing new and innovative ideas on some of the farm’s most mundane issues.
Worker housing in Tennessee was developed out of repurposed shipping containers.
5. We are family-operated and operate like a family.
Since its inception, Southern Valley has been a family-operated farming venture. Not only are we family-operated, but we also operate like a family. From breakfast cooked and served in the kitchen each morning to a fish fry lunch held down at the farm shop to an end of season dance for all the harvest crews – we are constantly interacting with the dynamics of a family.
Kirk Hamilton, Benny Hamilton, and Wanda Hamilton-Tyler in the first year of Southern Valley’s operation.