Southern Fresh Produce will open its 11th farm in the Florala area soon, officials said Monday.

Sarah Lee of the company said it is a new, high-production organic vegetable farming business, with the goal of developing a network of 11,000 throughout the Black Belt region, the state and the South over the course of the next decade.

Lee explained that each farm such as the one in Florala has access to a whole coalition of experts with knowledge of vegetable production, and that tunnel houses are used.

The Florala farm is owned by Ferrin Seay.

“This is a turnkey approach to helping people become USDA-certified organic growers,” she said. “The collation helps them become successful. For example, we have someone to do the soil testing; someone helping them get certified; a certified factory builder; someone to work on the automation; and an expert grower who can do leaf tissue testing.”

Lee said the vegetables grown are totally organic.

Among the first crops currently being grown and to be ready for harvest in a few months are lettuce, kale and carrots.

The farm is located at 28636 Seay Road, Florala.

For more info, call 205-331-0439.