Lauren Wasmund's blog

Benevolence Farm, located in Graham, N.C., is a transitional living and employment program for women leaving North Carolina prisons. The farm grows and sells produce, flowers and herbs and manufactures soaps, lotions and candles with the support of the women participating in its programs.

According to their mission statement, “Benevolence Farm seeks to cultivate leadership, promote sustainable livelihoods, and reap structural change with individuals impacted by the criminal justice system in North Carolina.”

For Rosie Arias, her mission is simple. She wants to keep the world warm one baby at a time.

Whimsical Charm, based out of Long Beach, Calif., was incorporated in 2011 after Rosie’s close friends began having children and she couldn’t find a blanket that was unique and different to gift them. This inspired her to use her fashion degree and sewing skills to make an easily-maintained, practical blanket that looked nice. 

Georgia leads the nation in production of peanuts, pecans, blueberries and spring onions. Don’t forget the peaches. The warm weather, diverse soil types and rural surroundings make for fresh, rich produce. For Sarah O’Brien, owner and founder of Little Tart Bakeshop in Atlanta, this luscious produce is one of the main reasons she moved to the South to start her business in 2010.