Farm to School

Celebrate 12 Years of Growing Goodness with Georgia Organics’ “Apple of Our Eye” Farm to School Resources

By Kimberly Della Donna 

Kimberly Della Donna is the Director of Community Collaborations at Georgia Organics.  

This October, Georgia Organics is proud to celebrate the 12th annual Farm to School and Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Month with our sweetest theme yet: Apple of Our Eye.

Since 2013, Georgia Organics’ October Farm to School Month has brought hundreds of thousands of Georgia students, educators, school nutrition professionals, farmers, and families together to celebrate fresh, local food in cafeterias, classrooms, and gardens. With fun resources, engaging contests, and a focus on hands-on learning, this statewide campaign connects communities to where their food comes from, and encourages lifelong healthy habits. 

The Roots: Where It All Began 

The campaign was first launched in 2013 by the visionary Godmother of Georgia Farm to School, Erin Croom. With Lettuce Try It, Erin planted the seeds of what would become one of Georgia Organics’ most beloved annual traditions. Twelve years later, we’re still growing thanks to creative themes, delicious produce, and a passionate community of partners, participants, and supporters making it all possible.  

From the beginning, Farm to School Month has reflected Georgia Organics’ mission: to invest in organic farmers for the health of our communities and the land. By connecting children with local food and those who grow it, the campaign uplifts farmers while nurturing healthier, more resilient communities across Georgia. 

A Look Back

  • 2013: Lettuce Try It  

  • 2014: Grow Radish Grow  

  • 2015: Rooting for Carrots  

  • 2016: Leaf it to Spinach  

  • 2017: Make Room for Legumes  

  • 2018: Kickin’ It With Kale - Inspired by a partnership with Atlanta United, this campaign brought sporty spirit and kale’s powerhouse nutrition into schools across Georgia.  

  • 2019: Oh My Squash – A playful campaign featuring mischievous zucchini, this one filled classrooms and cafeterias with squashy, googley-eyed joy.  

  • 2020: Turnip the Volume - This music-inspired campaign helped schools stay engaged (virtually and safely) with farm to school despite the challenges of the pandemic.  

  • 2021: Livin’ La Vida Okra - A fan favorite that celebrated a Southern staple and brought humor and heart to Farm to School Month.  

  • 2022: Spinach to Win It – Yaza Sarieh kicked off her leadership with a celebration of leafy green strength. Check out this celebratory video to get a taste of the goodness.

  • 2023: Pepper Palooza - A colorful, spicy pepper party, paying tribute to peppers of all shapes and heat levels.  

  • 2024: ParSLAY the Day - An herb-forward campaign that sprinkled fun into classrooms and cafeterias statewide.  Check out this video to see how GA parSLAYED.

Team Member Reflections  

In the spirit of nostalgia and joy, our team is sharing a few of our favorite memories from campaigns past:  

  •  Kimberly Della Donna: Launching my first Farm to School Month campaign “Make Room For Legumes” in my first year on the job was unforgettable. We filmed a silly launch video at Cosmos Farm, a Georgia Organics member farm where our very own Farm to School Manager, Kimberly Koogler, lives and works. I was with my amazing new team, crowded in the brightest greenhouse; so bright I could barely keep my eyes open, which made it look like I maybe love beans and the camera a little too much. The video? Let’s just say the sparkle board and cut-out legume photos were... charmingly DIY. But what we lacked in polish, we made up for in heart, craftiness and creative puns. Watch it here. The whole campaign left plenty of room for being goofy.  

  • Yaza Sarieh: Pepper Palooza was hands-down my favorite campaign -- and it seemed to be a hit with everyone else too, as it was our biggest October Farm to School Month audience, reaching over 1,026,000 people. The campaign was such a fun, flavorful celebration of this spicy fruit, and I loved learning how peppers show up in cuisines and cultures around the world. More than anything, it brought people together in joyful and unexpected ways and served as a reminder that we're all pepper together. 

Check out this video that showcases how Pepper Palooza brought excitement, learning, and local flavor to schools

  • Kimberly Koogler: Each campaign has been so joyful and rewarding in unique ways, but I might be most proud of shining the spotlight on and giving well-deserved glory to okra during Livin’ la Vida Okra in 2021. It felt like a statewide bonding experience during a time of social distancing to honor the history of okra and to highlight the diverse ways that folks around the state relate to and enjoy this sometimes underappreciated, yet incredibly beautiful, resilient, nutritious and delicious plant that thrives in our southern climate. Also, it’s hard not to be proud seeing photos of kids across Georgia growing and harvesting and trying okra for perhaps the first time. 

    Check out this video playlist that features favorite okra recipes and the stories behind them.

Photo courtesy of Jenna Mobley: Kids taste tested locally grown, raw and pickled okra at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market in October 2021.

2025: Apple of Our Eye 

This October marks our final Farm to School Month campaign, and we’re doing things a little differently. Instead of our usual rollout with sign-ups, contests, and coordinated outreach, we’re making all Apple of Our Eye resources available for free and easy access here. As Georgia Organics permanently pauses our Farm to School and Farm to ECE programmatic work, we invite you to carry the celebration forward in your own way. While we won’t be sending engagement emails or running contests, we’ll still be cheering you on from afar. So please keep sharing your photos, lessons, and local apple fun on social media using #appleofoureye 

 A Note of Gratitude 

Over the past 12 years, each Farm to School Month campaign has been its own rich harvest- rooted in care, creativity, and connection. Together, they’ve grown into something much bigger than any one veggie, school, or celebration. These campaigns, crafted with love, served with joy, and shared by thousands, have been a gift to work on and to share. And at the heart of it all has always been you, the incredible community of educators, farmers, food service workers, caregivers, and kids who brought it to life. You are the true apple of our eye. 

Together, we’ve transformed taste tests into triumphs, gardens into classrooms, and lunchtime into learning. You’ve shown us what’s possible when a community grows something together; not just food, but relationships, resilience, and wonder. 

As we mark the end of this chapter, we do so with deep gratitude and pride in our work. To every teacher who turned a snack into a lesson, every school nutrition professional who sourced locally, every farmer who welcomed little hands into the field, and every child who took that first curious bite- thank you. You made this work matter. 

The official campaigns may be ending, but the spirit of Farm to School Month lives on in every seed planted, every local bite served, and every child who now knows where their food comes from. The impact, relationships, and joy we’ve cultivated together will continue to grow in classrooms, gardens, and communities across Georgia. 

Because once you plant the seeds of connection, they keep on growing. 

Resources 

The Apple of Our Eye resources are now available online--free and accessible to anyone! This ap-peel-ing toolkit is packed with FREE apple-themed lesson plans, activities, cafeteria recipes, and more. From the classroom to the cafeteria, we’ve got everything you need to celebrate apples to the core
Don’t leaf this opportunity behind--be sure to take advantage of these fapple-ulous resources found in our Farm to School Lessons Library here for your upcoming appley celebrations.   

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.  

Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant Spotlight: From Garden Beds to Cafeteria Trays – Hall County Champions Local Food

By Yaza Sarieh 

Yaza Sarieh is the Community Collaborations Coordinator at Georgia Organics. 

pc: Hall County School Nutrition

At Georgia Organics, we believe that growing a healthier future for Georgia’s children starts with fresh, local food and hands-on learning. That belief inspired the launch of our Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant: an initiative that supports our broader mission to grow a network of advocates who champion organic agriculture and invest in sustainable, community-rooted food systems. 

Through a competitive selection process, our 2024 grant awards prioritized projects that: 

  • Increase access to local, fresh, organically grown food; 

  • Provide culturally responsive food and nutrition education; 

  • Foster organic and sustainability-focused garden education; 

  • Expand local food procurement; and/or 

  • Support Certified Organic Georgia farmers in other ways. 

Hall County Schools exemplify these priorities in action. With support from the Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant, three schools in the district—Friendship Elementary, Sugar Hill Elementary, and Wauka Mountain Elementary— revitalized school gardens, engaged in sustainability efforts, and deepened their connection to locally produced food, impacting over 1,200 students. 

At Friendship Elementary, staff have been building a school farm from the ground up. A new chicken coop, built in partnership with a local Eagle Scout, supports agricultural education, composting, and animal husbandry. One of the long-term goals for this space includes launching a student-run farmers market, empowering students with real-world entrepreneurship skills, and a deeper understanding of where their food comes from.

pc: Courtesy of Hall County School Nutrition

At Sugar Hill Elementary, educators transformed an overgrown greenhouse into a thriving learning environment. With guidance from the district’s agribusiness specialist and a local Master Gardener, the team prepared the garden beds and worked with local distributors to procure seeds and materials, laying a foundation for sustainable growth and local food integration. The students shared the produce they grew with their families as well as school staff.

pc: Courtesy of Hall County School Nutrition

Wauka Mountain Elementary piloted a cafeteria composting program to reduce food waste and enrich garden soil. They also installed a water feature to attract pollinators and improve garden biodiversity. Their student-led garden club took ownership of the garden with presentations and active involvement in planning and planting.

pc: Courtesy of Hall County School Nutrition

In addition to growing food, Hall County has been growing relationships with local farms, produce distributors like Royal and Linear Produce, and community volunteers. The district has recognized the need to bridge the gap between schools and farmers who aren’t yet affiliated with produce organizations, reinforcing their commitment to expanding local procurement and making fresh, Georgia-grown food more accessible to students. Their list of local farms and other sources of local food has grown from just two in 2023-2024 to 13 in 2024-2025! 

From compost bins to chicken coops, these projects show just how much can grow when you invest in local food, student leadership, and sustainable agriculture education. We’re proud to support Hall County through the Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant, and we’re excited to watch their farm to school program continue to blossom. 

To learn more about Hall County Schools’ Nutrition Department, visit foodservices.hallco.org/web/ or follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/hallcountyschoolnutrition) and Instagram (@hallcountyschoolnutrition).  

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.   

GEORGIA PAR-SLAYED THE DAY: Highlights from this year's October Farm to School Month Campaign

By: Yaza Sarieh & Alissa Pantuosco  

Yaza Sarieh is the Community Collaborations Coordinator at Georgia Organics 

Alissa Pantuosco is a Farm to School Contractor at Georgia Organics. 

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s October Farm to School Month (OFTSM) campaign with Georgia Organics! ParSLAY the Day was a statewide initiative designed to get kids eating, growing, and engaging in parsley-themed activities, and thanks to your efforts, we parSLAYed! 

We are excited to share that over 530,000 teachers, students, and cafeteria staff across 117 Georgia counties and 49 school nutrition departments took part in the celebration this October. For nearly 382 participants, this was their first time joining us for October Farm to School Month. We were also thrilled to have Governor Brian Kemp officially declare October as Farm to School and Farm to Early Care & Education Month!

Throughout Georgia, early care centers and elementary, middle, and high schools sprinkled a little parsley magic into their classrooms with our parsley-themed resources, inspiring hands-on learning activities for students of all ages. Participants joined the ParSLAY the Day social media contest, sharing their parsley-inspired activities with the hashtag #parslaytheday. Our grand prize winner was the Bartow County School Nutrition Department! Nearly ten schools in the district grew organic parsley in their school gardens and used it to prepare fresh, scratch-cooked meals for cafeteria lunches. They conducted parsley taste tests, experimented with new recipes, started composting projects, and even harvested enough parsley to feed entire schools! 

Throughout Georgia, early care centers and elementary, middle, and high schools sprinkled a little parsley magic into their classrooms with our parsley-themed resources, inspiring hands-on learning activities for students of all ages. Participants joined the ParSLAY the Day social media contest, sharing their parsley-inspired activities with the hashtag #parslaytheday. Our grand prize winner was the Bartow County School Nutrition Department! Nearly ten schools in the district grew organic parsley in their school gardens and used it to prepare fresh, scratch-cooked meals for cafeteria lunches. They conducted parsley taste tests, experimented with new recipes, started composting projects, and even harvested enough parsley to feed entire schools! 

The month of October was seasoned with friendly competition, adding extra flavor to our Farm to School activities. Eighteen Georgia FCCLA Chapters competed to create the best ParSLAY the Day initiatives, and Ware County High School FCCLA parSLAY-ed first place! Culinary arts students hosted a parsley-themed week at their student-run Gator Bistro, serving parsley dishes and promoting the campaign with fun posters, trivia, and a tasting booth. Georgia Organics was proud to sponsor this FCCLA competition, recognizing the hard work of the advisors and members. Read more about this year’s FCCLA competition in this blog post

Every school needs delicious food—and our GA School Nutrition departments brought the flavor! Many sourced fresh parsley from local farmers or school gardens and served parsley-packed dishes in the school cafeterias. Bartow and Polk School Nutrition Departments were honored by Georgia Organics for incorporating parsley into their menus at least once a week throughout October, creating vibrant dishes like Tabbouleh, Spicy Mean Green Sauce, and Chimichurri to spice up the lunch experience for students. 

Six Georgia farmers partnered with us on the ParSLAY the Day campaign, gaining valuable exposure and strengthening connections with local schools and early learning centers. Through blogs, newsletters, and social media, we promoted these farms and their businesses to folks around the state. There was a clear interest among ParSLAY the Day participants to leverage the campaign to connect students with their local food system – 90% of campaign participants expressed their intention to promote and/or serve locally grown produce, and 69% planned to engage with a local farmer during this year’s OFTSM celebrations! 

This year, we were excited to connect the OFTSM campaign with our Family Farm Share program, a low-cost, local produce subscription program designed for families with young children. Even in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, Family Farm Share partners in Southeast Georgia came together to ParSLAY the Day. Farmer Andy Douglas of Crossroad Farm and Garden generously provided parsley seedlings for WayGreen to distribute to the 50 families participating in the weekly subscription program. In West Georgia, Farmers Fresh CSA included fresh bundles of local, organically grown parsley in the weekly shares going home with their Family Farm Share members. Looking ahead, we’re excited to build on the success of the OFTSM campaign, creating even more opportunities for local sourcing to support farmer prosperity. 

The celebration doesn't have to stop here! National Farm to School Month is in October, but we hope you continue celebrating good food, local farmers, community, and engaged learning throughout the year. The ParSLAY the Day resources will be archived on this webpage within the next few weeks. This year, more than ever, OFTSM participants requested our Spanish-language resources. On our website, you can find resources in English and Español and past campaign materials to help integrate Farm to School into your programs!   

A big thank you to everyone who sprinkled a little extra green into their October Farm to School Month celebrations! Your efforts truly added flavor to Georgia’s farm to school celebrations, inspiring students of all ages to grow, cook, eat, and learn about fresh, healthy foods. The joy you cultivated has been a refreshing boost, and we are so grateful for the vibrant, leafy enthusiasm you've shared throughout this campaign! 

Go forth and ParSLAY your day!  

Georgia FCCLA Chapters ParSLAY October Farm to School Month

By: Alissa Pantuosco 

Alissa Pantuosco is a Farm to School Contractor at Georgia Organics.

Each year, Georgia Organics coordinates a statewide campaign for October Farm to School Month to get kids across Georgia eating, growing, and learning about a locally grown produce item. This year we are focusing on the versatile herb, parsley!  

Georgia’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) has been a key partner in the October Farm to School Month campaign. FCCLA is a nationwide program that provides students with opportunities to expand their leadership potential and develop lifelong skills. Through this campaign, FCCLA has inspired innovative and engaging projects that ignite student’s interest in nutrition and healthy eating. 

During the Georgia FCCLA Fall Leadership Rally on October 9th and 16th, students had the opportunity to engage with other FCCLA programs through competitive culinary events, hear a motivational message, and network with schools across Georgia. Eighteen chapters submitted their parsley-themed projects, making it a challenging competition to judge, with unique projects across the board.  

Below, we highlight our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for the Georgia Organics competition, part of FCCLA's Fall Leadership Rally. 

Pictured: Houston County High School FCCLA students

 

Babb FCCLA / Babb Middle School FACS  

3rd Place  

 Babb Middle School FACS students and FCCLA members kicked off this year by growing parsley in their chapter's garden bed to use in various food labs.  

In September, during Babb Middle School's curriculum night, the students used their garden grown parsley to prepare tabbouleh for parents, students, faculty, and staff members. During this event, students learned food safety, knife skills, and recipe scaling skills as they served tabbouleh to over 200 individuals!   

Taking the tabbouleh recipe to their afterschool chapter meeting, they sampled the recipe with additional students, and each participant received a copy of the recipe with information on the nutritional value of parsley to take home. The students also incorporated a cultural education component, researching and teaching about the origin of tabbouleh, learning more about this traditional salad from the Levant region. 

 Babb Middle School’s project brought parsley and tabbouleh to the community in a fun and culturally responsive way, and for that they’ve parSLAY-ed third place in the competition!  

To learn more about Babb Middle School FCCLA, follow them on Facebook (G.P. Babb Middle School) and Instagram (@babbmiddleschool). 

 

Houston County High School FCCLA / Early Childhood Education  

2nd Place  

Houston County High School FCCLA members visited Little Bears Preschool to teach the younger students about the health benefits of parsley and lead them in several parsley-themed activities. They created ways to make learning about parsley fun and relatable to the preschoolers by designing "ParSLAY superhero" cartoon flyers. They also shared a read-aloud video to help the preschoolers understand how herbs and vegetables are grown, and what farmers do while teaching the meaning of farm-to-table. 

 The FCCLA students made parsley crowns and prepared parsley butter with the Little Bears preschoolers for a taste test. They then asked developmentally appropriate questions to guide the preschoolers in making sensory observations regarding parsley's taste, texture, and smell! 

 For connecting with their preschool friends and engaging them in nutrition education in such engaging and creative ways, Houston County High School FCCLA parSLAY-ed second place!  

 To learn more about Houston County High School FCCLA, visit their website. 

Pictured: Students at Little Bear Preschool, provided by Houston County High School FCCLA

 

Ware County High School FCCLA / Culinary Arts  

1st Place  

Ware County High School culinary arts students created menus for a whole week, highlighting parsley in the meals that were served at the Gator Bistro, an on-campus restaurant they manage for teachers. Leading up to the parsley-themed week’s activities, they promoted the ParSLAY the Day campaign by making posters, trivia games, and public service announcements that informed the students and faculty about parsley's health benefits and culinary uses.  

A group of students also conducted a ParSLAY Booth in the cafeteria to educate students about the uses of parsley while sharing samples of foods containing parsley for students to try. This project fully came together by using technology at the information booths in the Bistro and the Cafeteria. A trivia Kahoot was shared via QR Code with students and faculty to test their parsley knowledge and use the data to assess the success of the ParSLAY campaign. For their innovative and comprehensive approach, Ware County High School FCCLA parSLAY-ed first place in the competition.  

To learn more about Ware County High School FCCLA, follow them on Instagram (@warecofccla).  

 

Pictured: Houston County High School FCCLA students

 

Thank you to all the GA FCCLA Chapters who participated in creating unique projects to continue to make October Farm to School Month a huge success! 

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.   

Farm to School Innovation Spotlight: Welcome to the Food Miles Project - Connecting local farmers, students, and community in Dodge County

By: Alissa Pantuosco 
Alissa Pantuosco is a Farm to School Contractor at Georgia Organics. 

The Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant provides Georgia public school districts with the resources and support systems they need to expand their garden and nutrition education programs. Applications for the 2024-2025 Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant are now open.

To inspire ideas, we wanted to highlight a unique project that connects students with the Georgia agriculture industry. During last year's mini-grant cycle, Dodge County decided to get creative with their project, going above and beyond to enhance local farmer connections. The project included farm field trips to six local farms with 24 middle and high school students through the Food Miles Project.

Photo credits: Alisha Hall, Dodge County School Nutrition

Behind this project is Alisha Hall, Dodge County's School Nutrition Director. With the opportunity to interview Alisha, we got an inside perspective of the relationships, benefits, and connections behind the Food Miles Project, asking questions regarding the planning and process that brought this project to life.    

In 2024, where many cafeteria meals are heat-and-serve, Alisha noticed there is frequently a missed connection between students' understanding of where their food comes from and the appreciation of the hard work that goes into putting food on the table, starting with the farmers. Alisha decided to develop the Food Miles Project, which offered students an opportunity to visit local farms. These students were given behind-the-scenes tours of farm operations for them to learn about food production and careers related to agriculture and increase their exposure to locally grown commodities.   

Alisha held an application process for students to apply for the program if they were interested in learning more about agriculture and farm-to-table. Twenty-four students applied and were part of the Food Miles Project - a school bus journey to local farms, experiencing how far the food travels to get to their plate

Photo credits: Alisha Hall, Dodge County School Nutrition

The farms visited were intentionally picked to include variety in agriculture, including: 

  • A farm that specialized in hydroponic lettuce (later used in their school lunch salads) 

  •  A hatchery fish farm 

  •  A dairy farm 

  • A blueberry farm   

  • And fruits and vegetables farms   

 The students experienced firsthand the effort and detail that goes into regenerative agriculture and the benefits of local procurement in terms of nutritional quality and supporting the local economy. Alisha mentioned that after the Food Miles Project ended, she continued to see students become spokespeople for Dodge County's school lunch program, encouraging classmates to eat cafeteria meals as they continue to source local ingredients. Other benefits of the project were that students found opportunities for themselves, some even getting part-time job opportunities to work on farms!   

Photo credits: Alisha Hall, Dodge County School Nutrition

If you are interested in starting your own type of Food Miles Project like Dodge County, Alisha shared advice regarding logistics and planning: 

  • Make contacts and coordinate in advance with farmers, teachers, and parents  

  • Start with a small group of students who are interested in agriculture   

  • Pack a lunch for farm field trip day!  

  • Make it fun and educational   

Alisha was eager to share their proudest accomplishments to inspire other school nutrition programs. Building a community in Dodge County and surrounding counties with farmers gave them a new list of vendors to shop from, purchasing over $7,600 in food from participating farms. This not only supported local farmers but also had a positive impact on school nutrition. For example, they incorporated blueberries from Anna's Garden Blueberry Farm, encouraging students to create blueberry recipes to add to the cafeteria menu. As the farmers showed off their operations and increased exposure, they stated that seeing students motivated to learn about local farming gives them hope for the future.   

Photo credits: Alisha Hall, Dodge County School Nutrition

 When you have an idea that benefits the next generation, farmers, and the local community, your mini-grant project can be the perfect opportunity to go for it! Now's your chance to join the next cohort of mini-grant awardees and create memorable, impactful experiences for your students – apply now! 

For more information about Dodge County School Nutrition Services, visit https://www.dodge.k12.ga.us/departments/school-nutrition. You can also follow updates from Dodge County Schools on Facebook (Dodge County Schools).

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.   

Buy a Bunch: Don’t Leaf Parsley Out! Your Local Parsley Purchasing Guide.

By: Alissa Pantuosco 

Alissa Pantuosco is a Farm to School Contractor at Georgia Organics. 

This year, in celebration of Farm to School Month, Georgia Organics is excited to ParSLAY the Day! To get kids excited about growing, tasting, and learning about parsley, we have created TONS of FREE lessons, resources, recipes, school nutrition materials, activities. Sign up for this year's campaign here

Have you ever tried parsley from a local farm? Or do you grab a bunch of parsley from the produce section at the grocery store? This is the year to try locally grown parsley and taste the difference! Whether it's curly-leaf or flat-leaf parsley, this herb can add variety and flavor to your recipes—be they soups, sauces, salads, or garnishes. This little green herb has some big health benefits, such as immunity-boosting nutrients. So, next time you are at a local farmer's market, grab a bunch! 

Parsley is also a fantastic herb for school districts interested in sourcing directly from local farms. Since parsley is generally needed in smaller quantities, larger districts can use this opportunity to source from small-scale farmers, overcoming previous supply limitations. Sourcing parsley from local farmers is a great way to start building relationships with farmers in your area while exposing students to a new produce item through taste tests or school meals.   

Whether you are participating in ParSLAY the Day as a parent or educator/school administrator, you can support many local Georgia farmers through this campaign. Below is a list of participating ParSLAY the Day farmers, with more information about their farms and how to connect with them.

 

PINEWOOD SPRINGS FARM (Stockbridge, Georgia)

Jeff and Rodney at Pinewood Springs Farm  - Photo by: Jeffrey Anthony

Jeffery Anthony and Rodney Gabriel, farmers at Pinewood Springs Farm in Stockbridge, GA, grow parsley on their farm in Henry County. Pinewood Springs Farm sells parsley to restaurants, online markets, and farmers markets. If you are heading to Marietta Square Farmers Market or Peachtree Road Farmers Market, stop by the Pinewood Springs booth to find local parsley! If you're looking for a simple parsley delivery, Pinewood Springs Farm delivers to customers in the metro Atlanta area and offers a CSA program to members. Also, Pinewood Springs Farm is the first farm in Georgia, and the Southeast to provide pre-ordering from their online store using SNAP/EBT for pick up at farmers markets. Soon, they will offer a 50% discount code for SNAP/EBT orders! Pinewood Springs Farm sells Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) parsley with high-quality standards for you to purchase today. 

To inquire about purchasing parsley from Pinewood Springs Farm, reach out to farmer Jeffery at Jeff@pinewoodspringsfarm.com 


FOOD AND FLORA SOVEREIGNTY (Woodstock, Georgia)

Emily Zeike at Food and Flora Sovereignty - Photo by: Emily Zielke

Emily Zielke, a farmer at Food and Flora Sovereignty in Woodstock, GA, is growing parsley and selling it at farmers markets in the Metro Atlanta area. Check out Piedmont Park Green Market and Virginia Highlands Farmers Market for Food and Flora Sovereignty's fresh parsley! Parsley delivery is available for residents in the Atlanta area as well. 

To learn more and inquire about purchasing parsley from Food and Flora Sovereignty, reach out to farmer Emily at Emily.zielke@gmail.com 


STEEL MAGNOLIA MARKET (Waycross, Georgia)

April Westover’s Parsley at Steel Magnolia Market Garden - Photo by: April Westover

April Westover, the farmer at Steel Magnolia Market Garden (formerly GreenWay Gardens) in Waycross, GA, is growing lots of parsley this year. April sells parsley to farmers markets, schools, and daycares. You can purchase parsley from Steel Magnolia Market Garden from the WayGreen Local Fare Market in Waycross, GA, or locally delivered if you live in Waycross. Steel Magnolia Market Garden is Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)-certified. 

To learn more and inquire about purchasing parsley from Steel Magnolia Market Garden, reach out to farmer April at Steelmagnoliamg@gmail.com 


CROSSROAD FARM AND GARDEN (Alma, Georgia)

Andy Douglas’s Parsley at Crossroad Farm and Garden - Photo by: Andy Douglas

Andy Douglas, a farmer at Crossroad Farm and Garden in Alma, GA, grows parsley in the southern region of GA. Crossroad Farm and Garden sells at farmers markets and has a CSA program! If you live within a 30-minute proximity to Crossroad Farm and Garden, parsley delivery is an option. For farmers market attendees, you can find Crossroad Farm and Garden's parsley at Mary Ross Farmer's Market in Brunswick, GA. Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) parsley is available at Crossroad Farm and Garden for your CSA box and farmers market purchases.   

To inquire about purchasing parsley from Crossroad Farm and Garden, reach out to farmer Andy at Andrewdouglas85@gmail.com.


LOVE IS LOVE COOPERATIVE FARM (Mansfield, Georgia)

Love is Love Cooperative Farmers -Photo by Judith Winfrey

Judith Winfrey, a Love is Love Cooperative Farm farmer in Mansfield, GA, sells parsley through various outlets, including restaurants, wholesale distributors, and a CSA program. The Common Market and Fresh Harvest are places where you can find Love is Love Cooperative Farm's parsley. If you are a restaurant or school looking to buy in bulk, wholesale orders require a $150 minimum for delivery. This USDA Certified Organic parsley can be delivered to metro Atlanta, Covington, and Monroe city residents.   

To inquire about purchasing parsley from Love is Love Cooperative Farm, reach out to farmer Judith at judith@loveislovecooperativefarm.com 


POLYCULTURE PRODUCTION AT GAIA FARM (Decatur, Georgia)

Stephanie Simmons with Polyculture Production at Gaia Farm - Photo by: Food Well Alliance

Stephanie Simmons, farmer at Polyculture Production at Gaia Farm in Decatur, GA, grows parsley for you to purchase from farmers markets, a farm stand, and through a CSA program. You can find Polyculture Production’s parsley at Oakhurst Farmers Market, SUN Market, and the MARTA Markets. If you are interested in a CSA program, theirs will run through August 21st. In the fall and spring seasons, there will be farm market pop-ups with a bi-weekly schedule for farm sales where you can purchase parsley! Along with these options, wholesale pricing is available for parsley in bulk for a $50 minimum order within a 5-mile radius and a $100 minimum order if you live in the metro Atlanta area beyond 5 miles of the farm.  

To inquire about purchasing parsley wholesale or through a CSA program from Polyculture Production at Gaia Farm, reach out to farmer Stephanie at Stephanie.simmons03@gmail.com 


For those who would like to visit the farms and see where parsley is grown along with other fruits and vegetables, these farms are offering farm field trips. Students are welcome, and these four farms would love to have you visit! 

  1. Food and Flora Sovereignty  

  2. Crossroad Farm and Garden (reach out directly to inquire about fee)  

  3. Love is Love Cooperative Farm ($10 per person/$150 minimum)  

  4. Polyculture Production at Gaia Farm ($10 per person/$100 minimum)  

These parsley farmers are all located in different regions of Georgia and are here to supply you with fresh parsley. Purchasing from farmers within your community is nutritionally healthy and supports organic farmers, benefiting our local environment and economy. So, check out the markets, farm stands, CSA programs, and wholesale options for purchasing and ParSLAY the Day! 

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.    

FARM TO SCHOOL INNOVATION MINI GRANT SPOTLIGHT: Building Opportunities for Local Food and Garden Education for Polk County Students

FARM TO SCHOOL INNOVATION MINI GRANT SPOTLIGHT: Building Opportunities for Local Food and Garden Education for Polk County Students

These garden projects will cultivate healthier, lifelong eating habits by enhancing student’s learning experience and raising awareness about the benefits of locally grown foods.