Located at 347 Horace Veal Rd., Milledgeville, Comfort Farms specializes in locally sourced whole foods. The Saturday farmers market provides locals with a chance to not only support local businesses but also eat something that was naturally grown in the community.
Jon Jackson spends every day working and living on the 38-acre farm. Jackson alongside volunteers manages crops, livestock, and the market.
Jackson does all this with the goal of giving his community clean and wholesome food. Before serving as the executive director for Comfort Farms, Jackson served in Afghanistan for almost 12 years with the 75th Ranger Regiment. Jackson wanted to help other veterans and had a passion for food leading to the creation of the farm. Jackson named the farm after his friend Captain Kyle A. Comfort, who was tragically killed in combat.
“He (Captain Kyle), like so many of my other friends in the military who got killed in action, they served valiantly. They did amazing things and were just really good people. I figured why don’t I do this, create a farm where I can help other veterans and help the community,” said Jackson.
Jackson also wants to use his farm to educate people on food and eating healthily. He discussed the problem with big supermarkets and eating behaviors seen in the community.
“We’re the community farm for people who want to take their health back. They (supermarkets) don’t have to worry about bug pressure, or worry about disease, because they are using GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) products. I can have greens that have no holes and they look pretty, but there’s a cost to that and that’s your health,” said Jackson.
Jackson acknowledges a price difference in some of his products compared to bigger name retailers. He warns, though, that many would rather pay for problems later in life rather than address them while they are younger and healthier.
“We’ve seen a lot of folks who had terminal cases and end up turning around their situation through whole foods. There’s a lot of that, but I’m not saying it’s a cure for everything though, but it’s a step in the right direction,” Jackson said.
Comfort Farms is soon going to be featured in a PBS special called “Savers of Flavor.”
“It’s Dr. David Shield and Chef Kevin Mitchell. Those guys riding around the Southeast looking for old-timey vegetables and cooking methods. I introduced a very old ancient okra that I named Motherland. It’s from my mother’s land and has this kind of cult-like following,” said Jackson.
“It’s grown exclusively here. There are people that got the seeds, but I maintain the seed.”
The PBS show will feature Comfort Farms and the Milledgeville area on May 11.