Paul Sorah, Hearts of Harvest Farm
Paul Sorah and his wife Lindsey bought their property, now Hearts of Harvest Farm, in 2017. “For our home, [farming] is the foundation,” Paul shared. “When we moved out of Atlanta, it came on quick. So for me, it’s the foundation for a very transitional point in our lives, it’s helped us to keep our home. Most times, that’s all it can pay for.”
For Paul, farming provides moral guidance. “Farming is truth. You can’t fake it, you can’t cut corners. It bites you when you do. Then you’re behind in the moment and behind in the future. In farming you’re living in the past and the present and future at all times. In which you’re trying to learn from your past mistakes, manage your current moment, and prepare for your future actions…You have to be prepared, and you have to show up.”
Paul and Lindsey were in Georgia Organics’ first Farmer Accelerator cohort, a recently-concluded program that combines expert coaching with tailored, on-farm investments to grow the vitality and resilience of Georgia farms while improving farmers’ quality of life. He shared that starting a farm with no prior farming experience had its obvious challenges but this program was an invaluable experience that afforded them the tools to continue their brave venture into agriculture. “That was really good for us…ultimately I think it was our foot into the resources and community of Georgia Organics.”
Today, Paul supports the Georgia Organics team as our Climate Smart Agricultural Specialist focused on the Southern Piedmont Climate-Smart Project. This project, spanning five states, led by the Rodale Institute and funded by the USDA, tests the environmental and socio-economic benefits of cover crop termination and planting into residue vs plasticulture. It is the largest grant in the Rodale’s history and with his expertise, the project sets new benchmarks for agricultural research and reinforces our commitment to sustainable solutions.