Meet Our Sponsors and Curated Advertisers!

Our Local Food Community Builders are businesses that are committed to seeing growth and improvement in our local food systems. Through their sponsorship and annual commitment to advertising with Southern Soil, these businesses help ensure that we can continue the work we do to share, celebrate and promote local, sustainable food production and consumption here in Southeast Georgia.

Please take a moment to learn more about them and thank them with your business when possible!

“Conscious Consumerism”

What it is. Why it matters.

How we can help you connect.

Continue reading here.

Brighter Day and The Sentient Bean

Downtown Savannah / Kristin Russell, owner

Cornering the market on fresh food done well in historic downtown Savannah, these two establishments serve up more than great food!

The Sentient Bean has been brewing up coffee and community since 2001 under the leadership of Kristin Russell. The Bean’s own brand of activism and outreach goes hand in hand with a fresh, locally sourced, vegetarian menu and coffee shop!

Brighter Day Natural Foods Market has been a pillar of the community for decades, providing fresh organic produce along with supplements and a wide range of healthy foods. The juice bar and deli serve up fresh prepared options daily.

Kristin was raised in a farming family and the “family farm” continues to hold a special place in her heart. Her pragmatic activism is always at work in her two businesses. Two driving forces are: supporting local farms and reducing waste. 

You can listen to A Conversation with Kristin Russell: local food systems and practical ways to improve them. (Season 1: Episode 8 / 2022)

Articles: Table Talk with Kristin Russell (Issue #4 2018), Twenty Years at the Bean: practical activism with Kristin Russell (Issue #5 2021), and Shortening Supply Lines: buying from local farms (Issue #5 2020).

Halyard Restaurant Group

St Simons Island / Chef Dave Snyder, owner

Halyard Restaurant Group is comprised of Halyards Catering and Hook & Knife Charters along with three restaurants located on St Simons Island: Halyards, Tramici and La Plancha. 

Drawing on his relationships with local fishermen and farmers, owner Chef Dave Snyder demonstrates to eager guests that the best ingredients make a tremendous difference in food quality, in the sustainability of the environment, and in the financial strength of the local economy. 

He serves on the Advisory Panel for Snapper/Grouper Species for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and has worked with the South Atlantic Fishermen’s Association to improve the sustainability and health of the South Atlantic, the availability of local fish, and the financial future and heritage of the fishing industry.

In 2020, when Covid affected restaurant sales for many local farmers, Dave helped organize and host a farmers market to help connect local residents with locally produced food. 

Dave is deeply committed to community service and serves on multiple boards including the recently formed Georgia Grown Trail 17 which is an agritourism initiative designed to encourage visitors to agricultural-related experiences along the coastal corridor. 

Articles: Table Talk with Dave Snyder (Issue #1 2018), Camp Happy Tummies: comfort through food and hospitality (Issue #1 2019), and Shortening Supply Lines: buying from local farms (Issue #5 2020).

Podcast: A Conversation with Chef, Restaurateur and Fishing Captain Dave Snyder: from Restaurant Staffing Crisis to Sustainable Fisheries and More (Season 2: Episode 3)

Exclusive Engravings

Richmond Hill / Chris and LaShonda Hartley, owners

In an age of disposable everything, there’s something quietly powerful about permanence. A name etched in metal. A date carved into wood. A simple object transformed into a story. At Exclusive Engravings in Richmond Hill, Chris and LaShonda Hartley have built their business around the idea that the most meaningful gifts are the ones made personal.

Veteran-owned and established in 2008, Exclusive Engravings was founded on service, precision and purpose, values shaped by the Hartleys’ time serving their country and carried forward into their work today. Their shop specializes in customized items ranging from wedding gifts and business awards to deeply personal keepsakes, each crafted with care and attention to detail. Whether commemorating a milestone or celebrating a relationship, their mission is simple: help customers create something unforgettable.

But what truly sets Exclusive Engravings apart isn’t just their craftsmanship - it’s their commitment to community. Since day one, Chris and LaShonda have been strong supporters of Southern Soil, believing in the importance of uplifting local voices, farmers and independent businesses..

Personalized gifts start here. From engraved jewelry and custom awards to one-of-a-kind creations, Exclusive Engravings works closely with customers to bring their ideas to life. Every piece begins as a conversation and ends as something tangible - something meant to be held, remembered and passed on.

In a world that moves fast, Exclusive Engravings invites us to slow down and honor the moments that matter most.