ATLANTA — Farmers market season is underway in metro Atlanta, a prime time for local farmers to sell their produce to the community.
But it's been a rough few weeks for Russell Brydson of Narrow Way Farm.
Brydson has been the main farmer of the Virginia Highland Farmers Market since it launched in 2021. Following the first market of the season, Brydson was driving back to his family's farm in Henry County when he was injured in a car accident. His van was totaled.
"We farm full time, myself and my family," Brydson said. "Spring is when things start picking up."
During peak farm season, it's critical period for getting spring crops harvested and summer crops in the ground on time. But Russell suffered a broken sternum in the crash, making breathing or doing anything physically difficult.
"We're thinking of how we're going to make up the time that we're losing now," Russell said. "Even with my family and workers, it was hard to think about how I'm going to get four or five weeks of planting in to make up for the losses."
But turns out, he didn't have to worry. The community had his back.
The team at Community Farmers Markets launched a fundraiser to help Russell and his family with medical bills and even organized a planting day to get the crops in the ground on time.
"They did a week's worth of planting for us that day, which was a blessing for us," Russell explained.
"[Russell] really cares about the market community and his customers" Aubrey Cyphert with CFM shared. "They come to market to see him weekly so I knew that we would be missing him for awhile so that's why it was important to come together."
And come together, they did. The group not only travelled to the farm to plant, they helped coordinate a greenhouse build and even replaced Brydson's van, which he relies on to transport produce across the metro. The team also helped re-sell his fruits and vegetables in his absence.
"It was a great outpouring from the community," Cyphert shared. "So many people rallied around Russell."
The support proving to be a labor of love for the farmer who means so much to the market.
"A little joy and happiness bubbled up inside me," Russell said, "that people actually care."