Carole Isom has a history of diabetes in her family, so this year she decided that she and her grandson, Frederick, are going to eat healthier.

That's why on Saturday she was at a vegetable and fruit stand at Wonderland Gardens, buying dew-kissed squash and zucchini, fresh corn and vine-ripened tomatoes.

Isom, who lives in Decatur, said she was driving by on Rainbow Drive when she saw the wagon laden with vegetables and farmer Jasper Cain sitting under the shade of a tree.

"I figured that this is home grown so it should be a lot healthier than some of the things in the grocery store," Isom said. "In the supermarket, you don't know how long its been sitting there."

And they were. Cain was happy to point out the organically grown green tomatoes and squash were picked that morning at Wonderland Gardens in soil that was enriched from the old Mathis Dairy Farm that stood there for years. The rest of the produce — zucchini, beans, peppers, okra, onions-, peaches and three varieties of watermelon — came from black farmers across Georgia.

Cain, who is the president of the United Farmers Network, which has 18,000 black member farmers from 22 states, says they plan to operate the stand year round. It is open Fridays and Saturadays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wonderland Gardens has hosted the black farmers for about four years. Cain says the produce varies from week to week depending on where in Georgia they come from. Last week's crop came from farmers in McDonough, Cordele and Thomasville. He said they have also had onions from Vidalia.

Health officials say a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables is healthier and Steps to a Healthier DeKalb has been pushing South DeKalb residents to eat the recommended five servings of vegetables a day.

Isom said a cucumber and tomato salad she made when she got home was one of the best she'd had in a while. For her Sunday dinner, she was planning to marinate the zucchini and squash in light Italian dressing and roast them on the grill.

"You can't beat some fresh vegetables," she said. "These tomatoes, oh they were so good. I will be back at that stand."