Because of All the Things

Matthew Raiford is a farmer and chef, who looks at his farm through the lens of legacy. Matthew is a sixth-generation farmer working the land on Gilliard Farms - land that has been in his family since 1874. He is a former James Beard Award Best Chef semifinalist and former executive chef at the House of Representatives.

Matthew’s wife, Tia Raiford, is a chef and slow-food champion, and together they look at their farm as an opportunity to grow their vision for the land and farm business. This dream includes a cultural farm-stay and wellness lifestyle. They want to incorporate bringing people to the land to educate folks as to what the Raifords are doing, and why. They are chefs and farmers, and want to show what happens on the farm to help spur a cultural transformation for others.

Matthew stewards the land with his sister, Althea. Their grandparents and great-grandparents grew up on the land, thinking about how to put in the work to leave something behind, and to let something grow. Now, Matthew and Althea use the same approach to steward their land. What can they do now that’s going to leave better land for those that come after them? Together with Tia, they curate meals and food that combines sustainable aquaculture from their coastal land in Georgia and products grown on their farm, all while celebrating Gullah Geechee recipes - part of their family’s heritage.

“Because of All the Things” - a short collection of photos and conversation from a day at their farm - presents a small insight into the Raifords and their farm in Georgia. Check out the film above!