You can’t talk about Colquitt County, the roots of Southern Valley, without talking about high school football. And if there’s anything you can say about Colquitt County football, it’s that it’s earned quite the reputation over the years. A reputation surrounding a strong work ethic, a wide pool of talent, and a passion for the game that’s incomparable to others.
The Colquitt County football program has the kind of work ethic that doesn’t just come around when the mornings get cooler and the leaves change color. It’s work ethic that stems from two-a-days, spring and summer practices, and a coaching staff that invests countless hours year-round. Colquitt County’s talent pool Read More
I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about being at our Tennessee farm that makes you feel closer to God. Is it the fact that you’re surrounded by sheer remoteness? Is it the breathtaking views? Could it be as simple as just being at a higher elevation?
Whatever the reason, you feel it as soon as you step outside. You feel it when you breathe in that first breath of crisp dewy morning air. You feel it in the afternoon breeze that floats through the hills and in the soft sunshine that falls delicately across your skin. You can hear it when your boots crunch with every step, colliding with Read More
Well, summer has offically started which means that summertime heat is in full force here at the Valley. Evenings that were once spent outside enjoying a nice breeze and a glass of sweet tea are now spent swatting gnats in between running from your truck to your front door. It’s the kind of heat where your upper lip sweats if you even think about walking outside and where you wake up every day thanking God that you live in the era of air conditioning.
Despite the heat, the Valley is still thriving. The crops seem to savor every drop of those afternoon rain showers in the same way that we Read More
Ask a businessman if he believes in a higher power, and his answer could equally be yes or no. Ask a lawyer, a bus driver, your family doctor, a fast food worker, a courthouse clerk, your hair stylist, and they might say yes or they might say no. Ask a farmer — male, female, young, old, new, experienced — if they believe in a higher power, and the answer is almost always yes.
The truth is that farmers can control certain aspects of farming, but there are many other factors that are simply out of their hands. They control things like what seeds are purchased, how many seeds are planted, and harvest methods, Read More
Before stepping onto the soil of Southern Valley, I had never been on a farm. Despite growing up ten minutes down the road, I’d never sunk my boots into the fresh earth before sunrise or plucked a fresh-grown fruit from the vine. Never smelled the farm-truck exhaust or heard the bees buzz about as they pollenate flower after flower, field after field.
This is farm life at Southern Valley.
While the fields are full of muddy boots and fresh-picked fruits and vegetables, the office of Southern Valley works just as hard. The Operations team sinks their boots into the hustle and bustle of packing and shipping while the PACK Logistics team Read More
As spring gets nearer, so does the likelihood of what could be mistaken as a head cold actually turning out to be nothing more than allergies. In the last couple of weeks, South Georgia received its first coating of yellow pollen for the year. We know winter isn’t over yet, but spring has begun its entrance into the area and leaves behind little telltale signs of yellow pollen everywhere it touches.
Despite the fact that the farm in Yucatan is still smack-dab in the middle of winter season, in the words of Dug Schwalls, “When we see pollen on the plastic, we start thinking about Memorial Day.” We know it’s Read More
It’s mud, slick as snot and sticking to your boots.
It’s work days from sunrise to sunset.
It’s riding fields and supervising farm labor.
It’s farm life. And it’s not unfamiliar to Austin Hamilton.
But this is farm life in another culture.
It’s carrying out everyday tasks in a different language.
It’s living in an on-farm apartment with his wife and child.
It’s eating food that is foreign and unfamiliar.
This is farm life in Yucatan.
In the last few years, the trucking industry has seen a multitude of changes. Following the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), signed in 2011- shippers, carriers, and supply chain professionals have been required to follow a list of new strict requirements. The latest of these requirements, and arguably the biggest hurdle, being The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) mandate which requires nearly all U.S. truck operators to use electronic logging devices (ELDs). The mandate went into effect on December 16th of last year and impacts not only truckers, but trucking insurers, carriers, suppliers, and shippers and shipping costs.
The full spectrum of industry-effected areas is much too vast to cover, but there Read More
As we hold our Thanksgiving celebration next week, our Southern Valley family will gather around the table in order to fellowship and give thanks for our many blessings. There will be lots of food, plenty of laughter, and cheerful discussions of our accomplishments as well as our renewed approach to the way ahead. This past year has truly been one of growth and development for our Southern Valley family.
We started the year off with the completion of the upstairs office that enabled us to stretch our legs and grow in a variety of ways. The room enabled us to add the PACK Logistics staff to our Southern Valley Team Read More
The South has long been known for its love of the finer things in life, like sweet tea, mama’s cooking, the great outdoors… and of course, football. As the weather begins to cool off and everyone holds their breath waiting for the first signs of fall to blow in, football seems to be the topic on everyone’s mind and discussions about who is expected to win the weekend game is the topic on everyone’s tongue as well. Whether it’s Friday night football in a high school stadium or Saturday tailgates on the lawn, us Southerners are known for our love of football and the boundless energy, enthusiasm, and passion we Read More