Telgoa Springs Farm in Chattooga County recognized as Centennial Farm

Earlier this month, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper and the Georgia Department of Agriculture recognized 13 Georgia farms as recipients of the Georgia Centennial Farm Award during the 34th Annual Georgia National Fair, including a farm in Chattooga County.

The Centennial Farm Program was created in 1993 to recognize historic Georgia farms that have been in continuous operation for over 100 years and is a collaborative effort by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter, and Georgia EMC.

A Chattooga County farm was one of the thirteen recognized by the Ag Commissioner and the Georgia Department of Agriculture this year.

Teloga Springs Farm was founded in 1838 and is a family-owned, working farm.  John Stubbs, who is the fifth generation operating the farm, and Amanda Hicks, his partner, began a refurbishing process of the farm and some of the historic buildings in 2015.  In the past, the farm was a row crop, dairy and cattle farm and also operated a general store and housed a post office until 1944. Today Teloga Springs Farm is a working cattle farm.  Amanda told WZQZ News that they were thrilled to be selected as a 2023 Georgia Centennial Farm.

The Georgia Centennial Farm Program was created to draw attention to historic farms and to encourage their preservation. Since 1993, the program has recognized over 700 farms around the state.  Nominees must be a working farm with a minimum of 10 acres of the original purchase, actively involved in agricultural production, and must generate at least $1,000 in annual farm-generated income.  In addition, farms must have been continuously farmed by members of the same family for at least 100 years.