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Davis Yaun
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Marian and Davis worked together to begin blackberry and blueberry gardens, and grew all varieties of garden produce. Much of this they gave away, despite the fact that Marian canned/ froze 500 containers of vegetables and fruits in 2010, and 750 in 2011. In 2011, they included luffa plants, but mostly for beauty on the front fence and personal use. The plants were so prolific, Davis harvested and processed all of them, mostly to washcloth size. Another advantage of the luffa was the low cost of mailing.
He has since added many products,. They have purchased more land in which to grow more produce. In 2012, they continued to provide friends and relatives with the luffa, and educated others as often as possible about the unique uses of the “luffa sponge”. (The first and foremost educational point was that it does not come from the sea, but unbelievably for most, from the soil, like a farm right here in Georgia.) They found various additional uses for the luffa during this time. Marian’s favorite, in addition to a dishcloth, is for cleaning garden vegetables and farm fresh eggs. Davis promoted the exfoliation benefits of the shower washcloth, and the versatility as a strainer, and scrubber for cars, boats, outdoor furniture, and vinyl siding as just a few cleaning jobs.
As their belief grew in the marketability of the luffa, as well as their berries, in 2013 they began visiting various farmers markets and flea markets, where they had good response. Davis developed a strong sales approach and demonstration of the luffa but the market was not strong enough in the local area to support the bountiful harvest in 2013. He began to search how to market the plant, discovering and joining the Georgia Grown Association. Since attending a Ga Grown symposium in Perry, GA, our excitement has grown at the potential of fulfilling our farming dreams. While we will continue to promote our plant, berry, muscadine and peach products locally, mostly as “Pick Your Own”, we are now majoring in growing luffa and selling the “sponge gourd”.
To our knowledge, Whispering Pines Ga Farm is the only commercially growing luff farm in Georgia. We have the ideal situation for growing our products and Davis already has approximately 3 miles of underground irrigation systems which drips all the berries, muscadines & orchards,----- so we are ready to progress where ever or how ever God leads.
He has since added many products,. They have purchased more land in which to grow more produce. In 2012, they continued to provide friends and relatives with the luffa, and educated others as often as possible about the unique uses of the “luffa sponge”. (The first and foremost educational point was that it does not come from the sea, but unbelievably for most, from the soil, like a farm right here in Georgia.) They found various additional uses for the luffa during this time. Marian’s favorite, in addition to a dishcloth, is for cleaning garden vegetables and farm fresh eggs. Davis promoted the exfoliation benefits of the shower washcloth, and the versatility as a strainer, and scrubber for cars, boats, outdoor furniture, and vinyl siding as just a few cleaning jobs.
As their belief grew in the marketability of the luffa, as well as their berries, in 2013 they began visiting various farmers markets and flea markets, where they had good response. Davis developed a strong sales approach and demonstration of the luffa but the market was not strong enough in the local area to support the bountiful harvest in 2013. He began to search how to market the plant, discovering and joining the Georgia Grown Association. Since attending a Ga Grown symposium in Perry, GA, our excitement has grown at the potential of fulfilling our farming dreams. While we will continue to promote our plant, berry, muscadine and peach products locally, mostly as “Pick Your Own”, we are now majoring in growing luffa and selling the “sponge gourd”.
To our knowledge, Whispering Pines Ga Farm is the only commercially growing luff farm in Georgia. We have the ideal situation for growing our products and Davis already has approximately 3 miles of underground irrigation systems which drips all the berries, muscadines & orchards,----- so we are ready to progress where ever or how ever God leads.