James Childs, Sr. shown here in his Hoophouse

Mr. James Childs, Sr., a resident of Mt. Hebron, Alabama is a well known and respected farmer and vegetable producer in West Alabama, who has been in the farming business for over 50 years.  Mr. Childs currently farms a total of 15 acres with his son James Childs, Jr., and grows a wide variety of vegetables which include collards, turnips, corn, squash, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, watermelons, Irish potatoes, peas and butter beans.

His goal is to provide members of his community with fresh, healthy produce.  He has made a personal commitment to this goal, and currently grows all his vegetables organically.

This year, Mr. Childs, Sr. was one of the first farmers in Greene County to receive a hoophouse through the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service’s Cost Share Program.  The hoophouse will enable Mr. Childs to extend his growing season in both the fall and the spring, and foster faster maturation of the vegetables (see in picture, vegetables currently growing in his hoophouse this winter). 

Mr. Childs is one of the founding members of the Greene/Sumter County Farmers Market Cooperative, where he currently serves on the Board of Directors. Mr. Childs sells his vegetables through the Farmers Market Cooperative, and other outlets which include the St. John Community Fresh Market in Panola, Alabama, Piggly Wiggly supermarket, and other farmers’ markets in West Alabama.

Mr. Childs through his cooperative is also a member of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, which has provided him with technical assistance and support.

In addition to selling vegetables through these outlets, Mr. Childs delivers vegetables to members of his community, and also sells vegetables off his farm.  If you would like to purchase collards and turnip greens during this holiday season, or to visit his farm and learn more about hoophouse production, please feel free to contact Mr. Childs at 205-372-7277.