GATHER & GROW: When Food Finds Its Way Home: Reclaiming Local Food and Community in Waycross

by Sagdrina Brown Jalal, Community Food Systems Strategist

Not every market begins with abundance. Some begin with a question.

In Waycross, that question was simple: why is it so hard to find fresh, local food in a place surrounded by land that can grow it?

In 2014, that question brought a small group together inside a local history museum. Led by Connie Oliver, the Homestead Guild became a gathering place for people who cared about growing food, living simply, and reconnecting with the land. As conversations deepened, so did the realization that access to local food was limited.

Connie remembers that moment clearly: “There wasn’t an easy way to consistently access fresh, locally grown vegetables directly from farmers. The desire was there, but the resources were limited.”

Instead of accepting that limitation, she began to reimagine what a market could be. What if it included not only farmers, but also bakers, makers, and homesteaders? What if it reflected the full table of a community, where food grown from the soil sat alongside food and goods made by hand?

From that vision, WayGreen’s Local Fare Market was born. In May 2015, fifteen vendors gathered for the first market, offering vegetables, baked goods, and handmade items. It was not just a place to shop. It was a place to begin again.

The choice of Waycross is not incidental. The name itself means “where the ways cross,” a place historically known as a railroad hub where agricultural goods passed through on their way to other destinations. For generations, food moved out of Waycross more often than it stayed.

The Local Fare Market represents a quiet return. On a recent visit, I watched as neighbors lingered between tables, not rushing, but settling into conversation. A musician played softly in the background while a vendor explained how to prepare something unfamiliar. It felt less like a marketplace and more like a place people had come to be with one another.

Held in the Winona Park area, land once promoted as fertile farmland, the market brings local food back to the very place that was known for producing it.

Over time, the market has evolved to meet the realities of its community. In its early years, vendors were primarily farmers offering produce, eggs, and meats, alongside homemakers selling breads and preserves. During the COVID era, the market expanded its reach and welcomed producers from outside the immediate region to meet increased demand. This period also led to new opportunities, including helping launch a market in Brunswick and advising other communities interested in building their own local food systems.

As the market landscape shifted, so did WayGreen. Fewer farmers began traveling to multiple markets, and more prepared food vendors entered the space. In response, WayGreen expanded its schedule, now operating on the first Saturday of each month from May through November and adding weekly Thursday markets. This rhythm has created more consistent access for both vendors and community members.

At the same time, the market has returned to what has always made it meaningful, its sense of connection. Cooking demonstrations and tastings remain a cornerstone of the experience. What began years ago through the work of Chef Andy Thigpen continues to shape how people engage with local food to see what is possible.

That trust extends beyond the market tables. WayGreen has built its vendor relationships through presence. The team visits farms, kitchens, and homes to understand how products are grown and made. Vendors are known, not just listed. Over time, this has created a community grounded in shared purpose and mutual care, where everyone plays a role in something larger than themselves.

What makes WayGreen especially distinct is that it has been sustained entirely by volunteers. For more than a decade, every role, from coordinating vendors to processing SNAP and EBT transactions, has been carried by people who believe in the work. Families have grown alongside the market, and what began as participation has become legacy.

The market continues to expand its role as a community anchor through partnerships, education, and food access. SNAP and EBT acceptance ensure that local food remains accessible, while future plans include transportation partnerships, hands-on gardening classes, and nutrition programs for both older adults and children.

Still, the work is not without challenges. Reaching the community remains an ongoing effort. Even now, people still say they did not know the market existed. But the team and vendors keep showing up, keep inviting, and keep building awareness one conversation at a time.

That is what resilience looks like here. Connie describes it simply: “Resilience looks like choosing purpose over convenience… and believing that small, local efforts can create lasting change.”

She shared a story about a grandmother passing by the market with her grandson. As they drove past, he pointed and said, “That’s where we have the market.” In that moment, the market was no longer just a place. It had become part of how a child understood his community.

For Connie, the invitation is as much about feeling as it is about food: “People should visit for more than what they can buy. It’s about what they can feel… where you shake the hands that grew your food and become part of something shared.”

If you visit, you will find more than food. You will find people who know each other. You will find stories carried in every product. You will find a community choosing, again and again, to grow something for itself.

And in a place once known for what passed through, you will find something that has decided to stay.