Q&A: Local Perry celebrity James Farmer on conservation, hometown love

Driving into downtown Perry from Interstate 75, a business sign that says, “JAMES FARMER INC” appears at the corner of at the corner of Washington and Carroll streets.

The business, an interior design firm, is owned and operated by the locally iconic James Farmer. Farmer was recently featured on The Strategerist, a podcast with the George W. Bush Institute, and he spoke about his work in conservation and preservation. He has currently written eight books about gardening, cooking and interior design.

Here is the story behind this community figure.

1. Can you start off by telling me a little bit about yourself and your business?

I’m an interior designer. I studied landscape design and art history at Auburn University. I’m a third generation of my family to attend and graduate from Auburn, but I grew up here in Houston County... The farm where I grew up was on the Hawkinsville — kind of Perry line, but I live in Perry at my home, and my office is downtown... We’re currently working on interior projects from Pennsylvania to St. Louis to North Carolina Florida, so we’re very fortunate in that I practice what I studied in college, but I also am an author of eight books. Number nine on the way for 2020, but those books and book signings take me to speaking engagements and book signings across the country. And so, I have a really really fun job. It’s hard explaining what I do but I get to make things pretty and talk about it.

2. What does conservation look like to you?

One of the things that I got to talk about (on Strategerist) was conservation, civic conservation. Also, how plant material and nature comes into that. So a city or a town can plan a wonderful new development. However, you have to think about where does the water go. Where will the grass be planted? Where can people play? Where can they eat? They can enjoy these opportunities that are presented. However, you’ve got to make it pretty. And so sometimes it’s conserving. You know, it’s that conservation moment where you’re conserving trees, plants and flora that are already there... For me one of the examples that I like to always use is here in downtown Perry we have these beautiful Japanese evergreen oaks. They produce lovely acorns but they are evergreen and they take maintenance. They take maintenance to conserve them so that we have them for future generations.

They think I’m going to plant these trees because they’re pretty, but then my children can enjoy these trees and my grandchildren can further enjoy these trees. So conservation is thinking generationally, using what you have but preserving it for the future.

3. How have you implemented these beliefs in Perry?

...I always like to talk about the trees that are planted downtown because the trees are something that generations of Houston County and Middle Georgian residents can remember, but conservation isn’t always just environmental. Sometimes it’s historical conservation or preservation in that sense. So growing up, to go downtown was to shop, was to eat, was to conduct business., and I wanted that same aspect for me and for my business from my office. So I bought an older building in downtown Perry, and I’m able to conduct business here.

4. So why Perry?

I’m asked all the time why am I still in Perry. It’s a really interesting answer to me. I never thought of it in another way... I grew up here and was born and raised here... Besides college, I’ve never known somewhere else besides home. I travel a lot for work, and so there’s a great aspect about always coming home, and it’s the same place where I’ve always come home. It’s comforting.

5. Why do you think it’s important to be involved in your community?

I think it’s very important to be involved in your community in any aspect or facet that you can be involved in, whether it’s a downtown merchants association or if it’s United Way or the Rotary Club or your church... To give back is to be involved in some way. It’s very important for that rooting for that foundation to have some kind of involvement. Time prevents me from being involved with everything that I’d like to be involved with. However, it allows the things that I am involved with to have a little more of an impact.

6. Who do you admire most?

...Anyone who knows me knows my family and my family has been a major part of my life... So my granddaddy and then my grandmother... would definitely be my top people to admire. They taught me to love big, to be passionate and to love everyone and to really go for your dreams, and you can do that even if you’re a kid from Perry.

7. Where’s you favorite place to eat in Perry?

We have The Swanson across the street from our office. I mentioned the Perfect Pear. (Bodega Brew) is a great new coffee shop. I’m just obsessed with their peach tea in the summertime and their muffins and their grilled cheese. I think today we’ve ordered out from Georgia Bob, so as you see, we don’t go hungry that often, but if I have to really answer, my absolute favorite place in Perry is my own kitchen.

8. What do you think is the biggest problem that Perry faces moving forward?

We may not be dreaming big enough. We are poised to be an amazing town. We already are. Our location, our climate, our population. We have everything going for us... We’re the only viable downtown in Houston County and then surrounded by other counties where people come here to shop. And I think we need to really realize the asset that is our downtown... So, dare to dream big Perry. Just another day in Perrydise.

9. How do you spend a Saturday in Perry?

If it’s like now where it’s springtime and I’m thinking about summer, I love to garden. I love to work in my yard. That’s therapy for me... If it’s wintertime, I love to read and to be able to read and drink that extra cup of coffee and not be in a rush.

10. What is some advice you have for people?

When I hear the word growth I think two things, I think of it on that level of gardening and planting, and so that’s the plant flower nerd in me coming out. So if you want to know how to grow, know your soil, know your zone and let the plants do the work for you. Then on the other aspect besides gardening is know what you can and can’t do, but don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. So for me, I had the idea that I wanted to write a few books while in my 30s and that opportunity has led to nine books... I never would’ve thought that I would write books. But at the same time, I didn’t doubt it that I could, so it’s believing in yourself ... but also know your weaknesses. You have to know your weaknesses or know your zone or know your soil, and that knowledge, that is the base and the best soil for growth.