Proud to a Be a Farmer: Randall Morris

UVALDA, Ga. (WTOC) - Vidalia onion season is in full swing, but not all those onions end up on local shelves.

One Montgomery County farmer’s onions benefit more than just his local community.

Randall Morris grew up on his family’s farm in Uvalda, Georgia. A farm his father started after World War II that is home to countless memories over the years.

“Dad always planted an acre of peanuts, of Valencia peanuts, for us. My mom boiled them and we would sell them on the streets of Uvalda. We did that until we were well into high school,” said Randall Morris, farmer.

Randall Morris and his brother, Howard Morris, grow about 40-acres of Vidalia onions each year, which are then used to help high school and youth sports organizations around the country.

“FFA clubs, 4-H clubs, Kiwanis clubs - they use them as fundraisers for their organization that year,” said Morris.

From Michigan to Maine and Alabama, the Morris’ have been providing the onions for these fundraisers for decades.

These Vidalia onions provide more than funds for grounds around the country, they help support the economy around Montgomery County.

“We don’t have a lot of full-time employees on our farm, but we have a lot of seasonal employees. A lot of that payroll during onion season goes right back into local businesses,” said Morris. “If you go to Vidalia to some of the restaurants on the weekend, on a Sunday afternoon even, a lot of the migrant workers or a lot of local workers working on onions, they’re all spending money on the weekend.”

No matter where his onions end up, Randall is just happy to get up every morning and provide for the community, whether it is down the road or hundreds of miles away.

“The last year, you have heard a lot about essential industries or essential professions. But I don’t think there is any profession that is any more essential than someone who is providing the food and fiber for people to live,” Morris said.

If you are interested in purchasing onions from the Morris family, click here.

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