Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable in Georgia: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable of Norman Park, Georgia, was founded in 1987 and has grown from 100 acres into one of the Southeast's major family vegetable growers. Its CEO, Kent Hamilton, was named 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Georgia Farmer of the Year, and the company farms in Georgia, Tennessee and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
| Location | Norman Park, Colquitt County, Georgia |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1987, by Kent Hamilton, his brother Kirk, their father Benny and David Rogers |
| Sectors | Bell peppers; sweet corn; squash; cabbage; cucumbers; eggplant; green beans |
| Scale | About 5,000 acres in Georgia per Vegetable Growers News; more than 8,500 acres across Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and the Yucatan per the Georgia Farm Bureau |
| Why it is elite | 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Georgia Farmer of the Year; multi-state produce supplier |
| Ownership | Family owned and operated; motto 'Family owned, family grown' |
| Official website | Georgia Farm Bureau announcement of Kent Hamilton's 2025 Sunbelt Georgia Farmer of the Year award |
History of Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable
Southern Valley began in 1987 with about 100 acres, started by Kent Hamilton, his brother Kirk, their father Benny and friend David Rogers. And Now U Know reported in 2017 that the company had passed its thirtieth anniversary and now farmed more than 5,000 acres. The early years were hard, as Kirk Hamilton died in the first year and Benny Hamilton a few years later, and family members including Benny's wife and her relatives joined to keep the business going.
The company expanded to the Yucatan in 2003 and to eastern Tennessee in 2009 so it could supply buyers across more of the year. Through a partnership with Henderson Farms it grows in Tennessee in summer and Mexico in winter, according to Vegetable Growers News.
What Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable Grows and Raises
Bell peppers, sweet corn and yellow and zucchini squash are the biggest items, with cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, hard squash and hot peppers also grown. Vegetable Growers News reports that the farm monitors plant nutrition with sap analysis, began biological soil testing in 2021, uses cover crops such as millet, oats, radish and hemp, and integrates data to plan planting, spraying and harvest.
Labor is 45 percent of total costs, and the company has recently reduced acreage to protect margins. Water and electricity conservation are priorities. Kent Hamilton leads as president and CEO, with family members running agriculture, operations and equipment.
How Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable Makes Money
Fresh vegetable sales
Revenue comes from selling fresh vegetables and fruit to buyers year-round. Growing in Georgia, Tennessee and Mexico lets the company offer continuous supply instead of a single short window.
Multi-region production
Partnering with Henderson Farms and farming in several regions spreads weather risk and extends the selling season.
Cattle and diversification
The Georgia Farm Bureau notes that the family also owns about 100 head of cows, a small beef side alongside the produce business.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable
Geography is a hedge. Producing in three regions across seasons keeps buyers supplied and reduces the damage from any single freeze, storm or heat wave.
Invest in soil biology and data when margins are tight. Sap analysis, soil testing and cover crops are ways to cut input waste, and shrinking acreage to the best ground can protect profit when labor costs rise.
Growing peppers, squash and sweet corn from Georgia to the Yucatan means a lot of miles and a lot of produce trucks, and a Norman Park farm family has probably been asked more than once whether squash grows in a straight line. The farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes at farm.FM are for the long days between harvest and the truck leaving the dock. Zucchini season, of course, is when even good neighbors start locking their cars.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
How to Contact Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable
Website: https://www.gfb.org/news/ag-news/post/kent-hamilton-named-sunbelt-georgia-farmer-of-the-year
No official company website appeared in the sources reviewed, so the award announcement is listed instead. Confirm sales and contact details through the Colquitt County Extension office or Georgia Farm Bureau. November 2026.
Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Georgia Farm Bureau: Kent Hamilton - Award announcement for the 2025 Sunbelt Georgia Farmer of the Year
- Vegetable Growers News - Trade feature on soil health and technology at Southern Valley
- And Now U Know: 30th anniversary - Trade coverage of the company's history
- SARE: Southern Valley - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education case study on climate adaptation
- USDA NASS Georgia Census of Agriculture - State farm numbers and sales from the 2022 Census
Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable FAQ
When was Southern Valley founded?
In 1987 in Norman Park, Georgia, starting with about 100 acres.
How big is Southern Valley?
Vegetable Growers News reports about 5,000 acres in Georgia; the Georgia Farm Bureau cites more than 8,500 acres across Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and the Yucatan.
What does it grow?
Bell peppers, sweet corn and squash lead, along with cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans and hot peppers.
How can I contact Southern Valley?
No official website appeared in the sources reviewed; Colquitt County Extension or the Georgia Farm Bureau can help.
Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable shows how a family can scale a produce business across regions while investing in soil health. See the Georgia farms guide for the broader state picture and other profiled operations.