OUR STORY
Carter Dodd began farming in 2012, making a career shift after years of managing a music venue in downtown Athens, GA. What began as a hobby garden soon blossomed into a shared passion for the entire Dodd family. For the first three years, Carter and his wife Shelley ran Diamond Hill Farm as a hardworking two-person team.
In 2017, the Dodds moved to a new home in East Athens and began cultivating the 9 acres adjoining their property, planting vegetables along with a small orchard of fruit trees and muscadines. Not long after, they began leasing nearby land a few minutes down the road, further expanding the farm’s growing capacity.
In recent years, Diamond Hill Farm has evolved to include a strong focus on specialty cut flowers while continuing to grow more than 100 varieties of vegetables. Today, the farm is supported by a team of over twenty employees—many of whom work year-round—growing the vibrant produce and flowers you’ll find at farmers markets in both Athens and Atlanta.
Diamond Hill Farm’s philosophy is grounded in a strong sense of community— with customers, friends, other farmers, and employees of the farm— and a firm belief that locally, sustainably grown vegetables can’t be matched in quality and flavor by mass producers.
OUR CREW
Over twenty farmers work the land at Diamond Hill Farm. Led by owner Carter and a core managerial team of eight, our farm crew is a vibrant mix of people at all stages in their farming journeys. Some have been farming for years, and others are just beginning to discover the joys of dirty fingernails and wriggling earthworms! Farming on two parcels of land in the Athens area, our “Veggie Teams” and our “Flower Team” work closely to keep the farm running smoothly- and everybody lends a hand where needed! Through this collaborative blend of personalities we are always learning, teaching, having fun, and setting ambitious goals for the seasons.
Sustainability
At Diamond Hill Farm, sustainability is woven into everything we do—from nurturing the soil beneath our feet to supporting the hands that tend it. We’re proud to be a Certified Naturally Grown farm, a grassroots alternative to organic certification rooted in the same core values: no synthetic fertilizers, no harmful pesticides, and a deep respect for ecological balance.
In growing our flowers and vegetables, we prioritize practices that give back to the land—building soil health, encouraging biodiversity, and honoring the natural rhythms of the seasons. By caring for the earth and each other, we hope to grow food and flowers that are not just beautiful and nourishing, but part of a gentler, more sustainable way forward.