But not without decades of time passing.
And certainly not without many reservations.
His great-great-great-grandfather, Jupiter, was born into slavery in South Carolina.
Left: Matthew and Tia Raiford harvest rosemary at Gilliard Farms in Brunswick, Georgia. Right: Sea Island red peas.Siobhan Egan of Paprika Southern
Many iconic Southern dishes are from the Gullah Geechee kitchen.
And now Matthew and his wife, Tia, tend the 50-acreGilliard Farmson this same land.
But it was a process he wouldn’t change for anything.
Left: Zuri Marsh enjoys a lowcountry boil with her mother Jessica Short at Gilliard Farms in Brunswick, Georgia. Right: Matthew Raiford preparing his lowcountry boil.Siobhan Egan of Paprika Southern
I ask the ancestors what they want.
I venture to commune with nature as much as possible."
When he was only 18, Matthew left Georgia in search of something more.
Paprika Southern
He joined the Army and traveled the world.
When his military time ended, he enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C., to study physiology.
But still, the kitchen called to him.
Matthew and Tia Raiford with their chickens.Paprika Southern
His nana and her brothers hadn’t been able to keep up with the farm.
It was overgrown and weedy.
He knew it was his responsibility to bring the farm back to its full glory.
Paprika Southern
“We’re doing things the way my family always did themthe old ways of composting and carbon sequestration.
My family has always been a part of that, even when it didn’t have a name.
That alone makes me feel amazing.”
“It starts with the seed.
“Then I’m looking for the taste.
Is that Sweet Passion muskmelon going to be amazing?”
Both of them find the farm a place rife with inspirationbut also one of centering and grounding.
Ultimately, they want to create a safe space at their farm.
Recipes
Get the recipe:Lowcountry Boil
Get the recipe:No-Churn Watermelon Ice Cream
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
