Farmers continue family tradition

Date	January 02, 2013
Section(s)	Generations
Byline	By LINDSEY ADKISON The Brunswick News
As Matthew Raiford walks the property line of his farm, every step brings him closer to his past. Raiford and his sister, Althea Raiford, are owners of Gilliard Farms, 163 Florines Way, Glynn County, an organic estate that's been in their family for generations. The story of their farm really begins in 1867, with the federal Reconstruction Act. Following the Civil War, all male voters in Georgia and other states that had seceded were required to swear allegiance to United States. This voting requirement applied to all adult males who had been citizens of the Confederacy - both Caucasians and Africans who had been slaves. The Raifords' ancestor, Jupiter Gigglier (or Jupiter Gilliard as it was recorded in census records) did just that in Glynn County in 1870. Born in 1812 in South Carolina, Gilliard married before the Civil War, and both he and his wife were enslaved on plantations in Glynn County. After the Civil War, freed blacks could own land. Gilliard took advantage of the opportunity. The Glynn County tax digest for 1874-1880 lists Gilliard as a landowner in the 27th Militia District. He was taxed for 457 acres of land, which was valued at $9 in 1875. Jupiter Gilliard died either in 1877 or 1878 and left the land to his sons, Jupiter, and London. The sons married and had their own families. And their lineage began to grow. It continued through to the Raifords' grandmother, Ophelia Johnson-Killens. The link remains strong today. Matthew Raiford and Althea Raiford are determined to keep their family's long farming traditions alive, and were recently recognized for their efforts. They received the Centennial Farm Award in October from the Georgia Farm Bureau, which honors working farms that are more than 100 years old. "There was a feeling of pride that the land has been in our family for 138 years and that we are still using it for its original intent and purpose," Matthew Raiford said. Of course, advancements have been made and times have changed. Even so, the same sweat and commitment that propelled his ancestors forward keeps Matthew Raiford and his family moving day after day. "While on the farm, I start my day at first light, and I start off by walking the property and checking to make sure everything is the same from the previous evening," he said. "By 6:45 a.m., I am opening up the chicken coops and checking for eggs, getting feed ready for the chickens and checking on their water supply. By 7:30 a.m., I am moving on to feed and water the hogs." After the livestock is checked, Matthew Raiford grabs a quick breakfast and starts on the task for the day. "That can be anything from turning compost piles, to going pick up more ingredients for our compost piles, such as fish scraps form City Market, coffee grounds from all the Starbucks or horse manure from the local stables. That's just the tip of the iceberg," he said. He stays busy, but he wouldn't have it any other way. It's always been that way on the farm. And for Raiford and his sister, carrying on the tradition that began so long ago can prove surreal. "Some mornings, when I am walking the property, I feel like I never left home - even though I left in 1986 when I joined the Army and just returned to live back on the farm in 2011," Matthew Raiford said. His connection to the past is even more prevalent when he walks the land with his grandmother, Ophelia Johnson-Killens, who tells him where things used to grow and how much was planted. "As a matter of fact, we are planting sugar cane this year so that we can make a small batch of syrup for our first time. We still have the original sugar cane press and boiling pot on the farm," he said. While he stays connected to his history, Raiford is also moving forward. And he's adding to his family's tapestry. In addition to being a farmer, Raiford is also a chef. Trained at a culinary school in New York, he also serves as executive chef for Little St. Simons Island. "I have been a chef for more than 17 years and have always been in love with going to farmer's markets, or having the ability to walk into my vendors' places and see the quality ingredients that I am going to be using," he said. "Now, I am the producer of those quality ingredients that I am using, which is an amazing feeling. I feel as though, in the food chain, I have come full circle." It allows him to bring together two of his favorite elements - food and farming. And even though he's worked hard to get to where he is now, he still feels that destiny took a hand. "Sitting back looking at how everything happened, I believe the land chose me," he said.