Elliotts, Green Cedars Farm, Named Escambia County Farm Family Of The Year

January 15, 2012

Roger and Pam Elliott of Green Cedars Farm in Molino have been named the Escambia County Farm Family of the year.

Green Cedars Farm is an agricultural tourism farm dedicated to educating people about the origins of their food.   The farm also provides a farm experience for events such as birthdays, parties, and even weddings.

Green Cedars Farm produces pastured poultry products, including chicken and Thanksgiving turkeys.  Eggs from the pasture management system are marketed as tastier and more nutritious than conventionally produced eggs.  Eggs are sold at the farm or at the Palafox Farmers Market on the weekends in Pensacola.  The farm also produces lamb and pork for the freezer.  Their meat products are designed to fit local niche markets and are promoted as locally and humanely grown.

The farm also has a small apple orchard incorporating the Green Shell Apple that was common in the Brewton area over 100 years ago. After some of the old trees were discovered, a grafting program was initiated to recover the almost lost genetics of the Green Shell Apple. This old heritage variety of apple will become a staple of the farm’s tours as a “you pick” apple.

To support the apple orchard, the Elliotts have a small honey bee yard. The honey bees provide the necessary pollination for the apple orchard as well as the garden and even many of the grasses in the pastures.

The Elliotts utilize the chicken and turkey droppings as fertilizer for their pastures, orchard and gardens. The sheep flock grazes behind the chickens to harvest the rich grasses produced. This management system also encourages a richer and more diverse population of soil microorganisms.

Roger retired from the U. S. Navy in 1993 after a 21 year career as a helicopter pilot. He was then employed by the University of Florida Extension as a Livestock/Small Farms/ 4-H Agent. Roger and Pam moved to their present farm on Gibson Road Molino in 2001.

Motivated by visits to other Agricultural Tourism farms and pastured poultry farms around the country, they began planning for a third career. After deciding that he would rather be a farmer than teach farmers, Roger retired from Extension in 2007 and began farming full time.

Dr. Pam Elliott is employed by the Escambia County Schools as a music teacher at N. B. Cook Elementary School of the Arts. On the farm, she is active as host for those visitors participating in the farm’s trail rides as well as day to day chores and upkeep of facilities. Pam loves canning local foods from the farm’s garden and presenting meals that are almost totally local grown. She has canned over 300 jars of produce and freezes other fresh foods for the family’s freezer.

The Elliott’s daughter, Dr. Laurel Elliott Newman, and her husband Michael Newman bring another set of skills to the farm. As a veterinarian, Laurel is involved in the health and welfare of the farm’s livestock and the livestock guardian dogs used in predator control.

Michael is responsible for the farm’s website — www.greencedarsfarm.com. As a professional photographer, Michael visually records farm events. Michael is also involved with the poultry breeding program in which the farm is involved in breeding Welsummer, Cuckoo Marans, and Delaware chickens — one of the “threatened” breeds of poultry. Michael is also responsible for the farm’s bee hives.

For more information about Green Cedars Farm, visit www.greencedarsfarm.com.

Pictured top: Jimmy Cunningham (left) of the Escambia County Farm Bureau presents the Farm Family of the Year award to Roger and Pam Elliott of Green Cedars Farm in Molino. Also pictured: Scenes from the farm. Photos courtesy Michael Newman for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

12 Responses to “Elliotts, Green Cedars Farm, Named Escambia County Farm Family Of The Year”

  1. Courtney Baldwin on January 31st, 2012 11:43 pm

    You are an inspiration to farming for a healthier world! Keep up the hard work and congratulations on a job well done!

  2. Hilary Gilles on January 18th, 2012 12:18 pm

    Congratulations!! We are proud to have you be a part of the Palafox Market!!

  3. Becky on January 17th, 2012 12:03 pm

    What an awesome article! Once again, congratulations to an amazing family (so glad our kids got married to each other so we can claim y’all !!) Seriously, Green Cedars Farm is something to be proud of. I love how each of you use your gifts and passions to contribute to the overall vision and success of the farm. Perhaps Jeff and I WILL retire down there in Pensacola someday…………!!! Can we bring our horses?? :)

  4. Lester «» SMS on January 16th, 2012 8:35 pm

    Congratulations on receiving the Farm Family of the year award. You all deserve it and we appreciate what you do to promote our Ag Industry.
    Sure enjoy working with you.
    LVL

  5. Anthony S on January 16th, 2012 6:15 pm

    Congrats Mr Roger and family! You and your farm definitely deserve the honor.

  6. Everett on January 15th, 2012 8:43 pm

    Very well deserved and appreciated to the Elliot family. We need more of these stories on NE.

  7. The Manning's Windyridge Farm on January 15th, 2012 12:27 pm

    Awesome family and farm! Congratulations!!!!

  8. Mom of 3 on January 15th, 2012 8:03 am

    I love riding by Mr. and Mrs Elliotts and seeing their beautiful sheep. Congratulations for receiving this honor.

  9. Jane on January 15th, 2012 7:27 am

    I have been using rabbit fertilizer (and a product called “Yesterday’s News”) in my garden. I can grow veggies organically and not burn the plants…the veggies grow very prolifically and taste great! Do they use any rabbit fertilizer in their planting?

    Congratulations to them! We need more farms like this one!

  10. carolyn bramblett on January 15th, 2012 6:57 am

    What a great story.

  11. Jane on January 15th, 2012 6:16 am

    Fantastic! It just goes to show that if you do something really well it will be successful! I am sure it takes the whole family to run this as well as they do, and I am truely impressed with all their efforts and the concepts they have developed!

  12. Sharon Meharg on January 15th, 2012 12:46 am

    Congrats to the Elliot family. You have earned this award and keep up the great work .