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.  

• https://pinewoodspringsfarm.com/ 

• Facebook 

• Instagram (@pinewoodspringsfarm) 

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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.  

• Instagram (@foodandflorasovereignty) 

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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.  

• Instagram (@steelmagnolia_marketgarden_llc)

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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.

• https://www.crossroadfarmandgarden.com/ 

• Facebook 

• Instagram (@crossroadfarmandgardenllc) 

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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.   

• https://www.loveislovefarm.com/ 

• Facebook 

• Instagram (@loveislovefarm) 

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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.   

• Facebook 

• Instagram (@polycultureproductions) 

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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.    

Georgia is having a Pepper Palooza!

By Yaza Sarieh 

Yaza Sarieh is the Georgia Organics Community Collaboration Coordinator. 

Graphics created by Ana Maria Paramo

For the past ten years, Georgia Organics has coordinated a statewide campaign to get kids eating, growing, and learning about a new fruit or vegetable during October Farm to School Month.  Over the years, this campaign has encouraged millions of Georgians to get excited about local fruits and veggies – even the ones that have a bad rep!  

Our 2022 October Farm to School Month campaign, Spinach To Win It, reached over 700,000 Georgia students. Check out all our previous fruit and vegetable-themed campaign materials here. 

This year’s October Farm to School Month campaign is celebrating PEPPER PALOOZA! 

Graphics created by Ana Maria Paramo

Peppers are awesome because they not only grow and thrive right here in Georgia, but they are also found in cuisines all over the world.  

When you sign up for October Farm to School Month: Pepper Palooza at bit.ly/pepperpalooza, you’ll automatically receive access to our free electronic toolkit full of pepper-themed materials. From lesson plans to classroom & cafeteria recipes, plus school garden resources and everybody’s favorite: merch – this campaign is going to be pepper than ever. It’s downright spicy! 

To get peppered for Pepper Palooza, we asked some Georgia Organics staff to share some of their favorite pepper meals: 

“I love to eat peppers in all kinds of salsas and hot sauces, which I eat on everything. I also love all peppers on pizza.”

— Kimberly Koogler, Community Collaborations Manager

“I love to eat Muhammara, which is a red pepper dip from the Middle East. It is great with pita bread or vegetables! When you sign up for Pepper Palooza, you can get a free kid-friendly Muhammara recipe!”

— Yaza Sarieh, Community Collaborations Coordinator

“I love this recipe from the New York Times: Skillet Chicken with Black Beans, Rice and Chiles.”

— Lydia Hsu, Farmers Services Coordinator

“My favorite way to eat pepper is in a non-traditional Italian sausage and peppers recipe. I like to char my onions with red and yellow bell peppers, then add fresh garlic and fresh oregano with chicken sausage. It’s a very simple and yummy recipe.”

— Kimberly Della Donna, Community Collaborations Director

“I’ve been snackin’ on jalapeños frescos since I was 4 years old – my favorite way to enjoy a spicy, healthy snack! When I decided I wanted to step away from a career in professional theatre, I never dreamed that farming and agriculture would be my next big step. For my first growing season this spring, I decided to stick to my love of peppers & grow six different varieties to see what new peppery dishes I could explore…on my list to try are: Sofrita, a traditionally Puerto Rican soup featuring aji dulce peppers (ajicitos) & Peperonata (Sweet Bell Peppers With Olive Oil, Onion, and Tomatoes) – using doe hill golden bell peppers – and my own hot sauce using habanero, jalapeno & aji amarillo chili peppers, all home grown from USDA Organic seed sourced from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.”

— M.F. Espinoza, Communications Fellow 

Speaking of eating peppers, we have some BRAND NEW resources and activities specifically tailored for school nutrition!  As part of our toolkit, we have different cafeteria recipes and promotional materials that will get everyone pumped for peppers. Additionally, when districts serve peppers at least once a week during the month of October, they are eligible to win a very special prize! Check out the requirements and contest information here.  

Courtesy of Emily House, Gainesville, GA 

Courtesy of Samantha Tarvin, Walker County 

And speaking of contests, don’t forget to share all of your fun pepper activities for our social media contest! Use #pepperpalooza in your social media posts for the chance to win a fantastic prize. Social media winners will be selected each week and highlighted in our weekly engagement e-mails throughout October. At the end of the month, one lucky winner will receive a grand prize – so don’t snooze on the palooza! 

What are you waiting for? If you haven’t signed up already, REGISTER NOW to get this Pepper Palooza started!  

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

Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant Spotlight: New American Students in Hall County Connect with Their Roots

By Yaza Sarieh 

Yaza Sarieh is the Georgia Organics Community Collaboration Coordinator.

Georgia Organics, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and Newman’s Own Foundation have partnered for the second annual Farm to School Innovation Mini Grants. These funds support farm to school initiatives in eight Georgia school districts that:  

• Increase access to local, fresh, organically grown foods  

• Include culturally responsive food and education 

• Include organic and/or sustainability focused garden education 

• Increase local food procurement 

• And/or benefit Georgia certified organic farmers in other ways. 

To learn more about the Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant, click here. 

We are pleased to highlight mini grant awardee: Hall County School District. Horticulture teacher, Michelle Conable, has been using the mini grant funds to develop farm to school efforts at the Newcomer Academy.  

Image courtesy of Michelle Conable, Hall County Schools

The Ivester Early College, a college dual enrollment campus, provides a unique learning opportunity for New American students by hosting the Newcomer Academy program at their Jones Learning Center. This program invests in New American students by preparing them for life in the United States and developing their talents and skillsets. The Newcomer Academy consists of nearly a third of the school’s population, with most students from countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico.  

Michelle Conable, an educator in the Newcomer Academy, noticed the impact of food insecurity on the student’s’ health and well-being. A 2020 study by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) found that in the United States, nearly 59% of New American households' experience ‘not [having] enough food to eat’, a number that ‘jumps to 78%’ for households with a family member who is an American, migrant, and/or immigrant seeking status. For New American families, not having enough food is a result of economic hardships in the face of head of households working to provide and the challenges they are navigating with social services like SNAP. In addition, many of their new US communities lack culturally relevant foods available close by.  

To address these challenges, Michelle developed more garden education opportunities for students at the Newcomer Academy. This curriculum would foster a sense of community, while creating access to and excitement for fruits and vegetables. Michelle applied for funds from the Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant to purchase the plants and gardening supplies that would make this program possible.  

Many of the students already know a little bit about farming or gardening from their home countries and have transferred their knowledge to their new community through this project. Although the garden lost some crops this year due to weather, they were able to learn from the experiences and change their approach accordingly. Some of the fruits and vegetables students encountered here are different from their home countries, but they also grew some produce that was more familiar to them. For instance, while visiting a plant sale, one student was ecstatic to find a plant that is used for medicinal purposes in their country. The gardening project has provided a meaningful chance for the exchange of cross-cultural knowledge and appreciation. 

Image courtesy of Michelle Conable, Hall County Schools

For students at the Newcomer Academy, the garden project has given them the ability to connect more with their new community and to make their own food choices. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not usually available in the school cafeteria. However, the Newcomer Academy’s Garden has helped to change that by supplying the cafeteria with some of the produce from their garden. Students even used their harvest to make Pico de Gallo which was shared with the community.  

Images courtesy of Hall County Schools

The project at Newcomer Academy has shown the significance of gardening education for New Americans. It is a means for folks to connect with their roots while growing into their communities. Keep up the good work, Hall County! 

To learn more about Hall County School District visit www.hallco.org or follow them on Facebook and Instagram (@_hcsdofficial). 

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

Farm to School Innovation Mini-Grant Spotlight: Dawson County Gives School Greenhouse a Facelift

By Yaza Sarieh 

Yaza Sarieh is the Georgia Organics Community Collaboration Coordinator. 

Georgia Organics, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and Newman’s Own Foundation have partnered for the second annual Farm to School Innovation Mini Grants. These funds support farm to school initiatives in eight Georgia school districts that:  

• Increase access to local, fresh, organically grown foods,  

• Include culturally responsive food and education, 

• Include organic and/or sustainability focused garden education,  

• Increase local food procurement 

• And/or benefit Georgia certified organic farmers in other ways.  

To learn more about the Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant, click here. 

We are pleased to highlight mini grant awardee: Dawson County School District. School Nutrition Director, Scott Richardson, has been leading a collaborative mini grant project at Kilough Elementary School. 

All photos courtesy of Dawson County Schools.

The greenhouse at Kilough Elementary School was in bad shape when Scott Richardson arrived in Dawson County a few years ago. Even though it was run down, Scott recognized that the greenhouse would be a place where agriculture education would thrive. To get the ball rolling, Scott applied to the Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant and received funding to rehab the space for the community to grow food.  

With the greenhouse revamp underway, interest and investment in the project has taken off, with many staff members at the school beginning to take the lead on lessons and maintenance tasks. The greenhouse has even gone beyond the Kilough school walls. Local high school students have joined the project through their Future Farmers of America (FFA) Agribusiness Management class, supporting hands-on activities such as amending beds, testing soil samples, installing irrigation/sprinkler systems and building large hydroponic tables. 

All photos courtesy of Dawson County Schools.

For Kilough students, the greenhouse has become a place where they learn life-long lessons about food and nutrition. During one activity, students tasted celery grown in the greenhouse and compared it to celery supplied by the cafeteria. Because the school had waited too long to harvest the greenhouse celery, it was considerably more sour than normal. After the taste test, one student commented, “Now I know why my mom buys food from Walmart,” which led to a discussion on where food comes from and why it can taste different. The greenhouse has provided these students with hands-on learning experiences that are more memorable and impactful than a typical lesson.  

One of the biggest takeaways Scott has from this journey is the importance of community engagement in farm to school. Scott believes that you must build a community around farm to school projects to ensure buy-in and to sustain the efforts. Getting as many folks into the greenhouse as possible, including students, teachers, parents and reporters, has helped Scott to develop excitement and support for the project. 

The greenhouse in Dawson County has provided community members from all around the district with opportunities for hands-on food education and leadership. Scott hopes to use the lessons from this mini grant project to build greenhouses in all schools throughout the district. We cannot wait to see how farm to school in Dawson County will grow! 

To learn more about Dawson County School District visit https://www.dawsoncountyschools.org/. 

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