Farmer Field Day Review: Crop Rotation at Oxford Organic Farm

By Lauren Cox and Porter Mitchell (former Farmer Services Coordinator) 

Lauren Cox is the Director of Farmer Services and Porter Mitchell was previously one of two Farmer Services Coordinators.

In December 2021, Georgia Organics partnered with Oxford Organic Farm located at the Oxford at Emory campus in Covington Georgia to host an on-farm Field Day and crop rotation work session. Roughly 20 farmers from across the state—from Atlanta to Athens to Albany to Blackshear—gathered on the farm on a frosty morning.  

The day began with a tour of the farm led by farm manager Daniel Parson and his farm crew. Attendees walked the farm to see Oxford’s rotation in action and discuss the specific benefits of cover cropping. Parson also showcased the farm’s riparian buffers and shared his experience with using flowering cover crops to attract beneficial insects.  

In the second half of the day, attendees headed to a classroom with a presentation by Parson followed by a hands-on work session where farmers could work on their own rotations with help from Oxford Organic Farm and Georgia Organic Staff.  

Here are some key takeaways and a step-by-step process for beginning to create your own crop rotation! 

Courtesy of Oxford Organic Farm

Why have a rotation?  

A rotation is a key component of a sustainable farm. It is important to rotate between crop families, incorporate cover crops, and rotate heavy feeding crops (crops that have high nutritional needs or are in the ground for more than 60 days) with light feeding crops and short crops.  

Example of pest control hierarchy pyramid, courtesy of Penn State Extension.  

A crop rotation is a part of what sustainable, regenerative, and organic farmers call a “cultural practice.” This means that it is a foundational tool for a healthy farm and does not rely on chemical/biological inputs for fertility and pest/disease control. Cultural practices form the bottom of the pest control hierarchy pyramid, meaning it is the one you should use most often and as your first line of defense.  

A crop rotation can help prevent pest issues, replenish nutrients in the soil, create a healthy soil ecosystem, and can help defend against soil-borne diseases.  

Interested in organic certification?  

Having a crop rotation and using cultural practices as a first defense is a requirement for farms to earn and keep organic certification!  

Courtesy of Oxford Organic Farm

Building a Crop Rotation 101 

Step 1 (in the field): Divide your fields  

“You need to go out and measure your fields. I guarantee if you guess you’ll be wrong every time,” says Mary. Use a walking measurer to measure the length and width of your fields. 

Step 2 (in the field): Standardize, standardize, standardize!  

Try to make all of your bed sizes, rows, row spacing, and field sizes as identical as possible. If your fields are different sizes, divide them into similar units. For example, if you have three 50 foo50-foots and then two 100 fo100-foots, divide your hundred food fields in half to make 50 foot sections.  

Step 3 (on paper): Decide on your crops 

Write out a list of all of the crops you want to grow and the season when you will plant them. Even if you have sequential plantings, identify the season in which they’ll go into the ground first.  

Step 4 (on paper): Calculate how much space each planting with take up 

Think about the yield you would like from each crop. Then, calculate how many row feet you’ll need of that crop to grow your desired yield.  

Step 5 (on paper): Start to plug and play on a spreadsheet that represents your fields! 

Download this rotation template, based on the Oxford Organic Farm model or create your own in Excel. Begin placing crops in your fields based on when they will be planted in the ground. Divide your cash crops across all your fields and mix up the planting pattern (ex. Field 1 has a summer cash crop; Field 2 has a spring and fall cash crop. Do this until you have 75% of your cash crops in the rotation then move on to fill in your cover crops. Also, do not place crops from the same family or heavy feeders in fields near each other. 

Step 6: Plug in your cover crops 

Identify the date(s) you would like to harvest your cash crop (based on when you plant them in Step 5. Then, slot in an appropriate cover crop based on when you’d like the next cash crop to be planted in the field. *Your goal is to have the cover crop reach its full potential, sometimes this is right before flowering, sometimes this is based on height. IDEALLY, you would have 1-2 cover crops in each field per year. This may look like:  

Step 7: Return to filling in cash crops, taking the rest of your list and filling plantings in behind your cover crops.  

Guess what? Now, not only do you have your rotation, but you have your planting schedule too! 

Crop Rotation Tips and Things to Remember:  

• Update your rotation as needed. No one needs to tell a farmer that it’s an unpredictable endeavor. Life and Mother Nature throw all kinds of things your way! Update your rotation to account for changes like crop failures, adding new land, changing which cash crop to plant, etc.

• If you have short-term crops that don’t need entire beds, you can group them by how many weeks they’ll be in the ground and can pair them together within one bed, flip-flopping them as you clear the bed and then replanting. 

COVER CROPPING

Cover Cropping on Raised Beds by Kayla Williams

A crop rotation allows you to plan for cover cropping rather than treating it as an afterthought. There are cover crops for every season and for the different lengths of time you want them to be in the ground. With all cover crops, putting the maximum amount of nitrogen and bio-mass they offer back into your soils is key so use them wisely and based on how long they need to be in the ground before you plant your next cash crop. *This is true even if you crimp them and use them for mulch. 

• If you want to plant an early spring cash crop, then consider a prior winter planting of: winter oats, Austrian winter peas, or crimson clover. 

• If you want to plant an early summer cash crop, then consider a prior winter planting of: hairy vetch, winter rye *Abruzzi, and clover. 

• If you want to cover crop in the summer in a 1-1 ½ month window between spring and summer crops (for most Georgians this is in May), then consider using: buckwheat or millet. 

•  You can also do the same for the window between summer and fall.  

• If you want to cover crop in the summer for 2-3 months between an early spring planting and a fall crop consider using: sorghum sudan, cowpeas, or Sunn hemp. 

• A good rule of thumb for winter cover crops is to plant both a legume to increase nitrogen in the soil and a grass for increasing bio-mass and organic matter. 

You can always check your local ‘feed and seed’ for cover crops. Just make sure they’re untreated and not GMO. Otherwise, you can also find cover crops that ship from: Welter Seed Company, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Seven Springs,

Want to learn more about cover crops? Check out the excellent resources at SARE: sare.org/resources/managing-cover-crops-profitably-3rd-edition/ 

And check out this episode of the “Tractor Time” podcast on cover crops, soil health, and no-till farming Tractor Time #65 Rick Clark on Soil Health.

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit www.georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Instagram @GeorgiaOrganics, Twitter @GeorgiaOrganics, and at www.Facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics. 

October Farm to School Month: Honoring History & Culture through Farm to School Curriculum, Recap

By Kimberly Koogler 

Kimberly Koogler is the Farm to School Coordinator at Georgia Organics.  

For the grand finale of our October Farm to School Month Wednesday webinar series, we gathered at the Parkside Elementary School garden with Jenna Mobley of Tending Our Common Ground, Tasha Gomes of FoodCorps Georgia, and Suzanne Welander, a founding member of Parkside Elementary School’s garden.

To honor and get grounded in the garden space we were in, Suzanne Welander told us all about the history and evolution of Parkside’s school garden, including all of the many and various contributions made by so many different community members over the past 15 years.

Tasha Gomes Parkside Elementary Garden

We spent a lovely hour together, learning about culturally responsive teaching practices, talking about our favorite meals, exploring how that simple prompt can be turned into a culturally relevant and rich garden project for your whole class that promotes each student’s individual identity and celebrates the diversity in your classroom. 

If you were not able to join us for this, I really encourage you to watch the recording. It will not only inspire you, it will also leave you feeling good. Here are some golden nuggets to take away:  

• Culturally responsive teaching…  

• Honors those who came before us and those who are with us presently. 

• Acknowledges and promotes each of our individual student’s identities and celebrates diversity DAILY. 

• Engages in student-centered instruction, centered on students’ unique interests, abilities, and life experiences. 

• Connects to, affirms, uplifts, and validates your students’ family and community traditions and knowledge. 

• Are you a school garden leader having trouble getting teachers or other school community members engaged and invested in your school garden? Ask them how they want to use it and what they need to do so! How would the school garden best serve them and meet their needs?  

• A favorite children’s book to open the conversation about food and culture is The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin. 

• Have students catalog what they eat all week in a food journal and/or have them choose a favorite meal. Then you can plan your garden together, choosing plants that make up part of the students’ favorite meals. 

• There are many opportunities to invite parents into this process, too. 

• You could compile recipes brought from home into a class cookbook. 

• Encourage and model for students how to respectfully express curiosity about their peers and their lived experiences.  

Tasha Gomes mealtime traditions (photo by Jenna Mobley)

To learn more about FoodCorps Georgia, visit foodcorps.org, and follow them on social media @foodcorps_ga.

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on social media @GeorgiaOrganics and at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.  

October Farm to School Month: Livin’ la Vida Okra con Mis Pequeños Genios, Recap & Video

En Español y English (scroll down)

Livin’ la Vida Okra con Mis Pequeños Genios—Resumen

Por Kimberly Koogler

Kimberly Koogler es la Coordinadora de Farm to School en Georgia Organics.

El miércoles pasado, el equipo Farm to School se reunió con María Claudia Ortega en su guardería familiar en Marietta, GA, My Little Geniuses para conversar con ella y ver como ella hace Farm to ECE todos los días con sus estudiantes chiquitos.

My Little Geniuses excited about okra!

Maria Claudia teaching knife skills

Empezamos entrevistando a María Claudia para conocerla un poco más, de donde es y de su familia y su trabajo. María Claudia y su esposo, Jesus Silva vinieron desde Colombia, su país de origen, hace aproximadamente 20 años. Vienen de familia agricultora y María Claudia había estudiado la educación especial en Colombia. Llegaron acá y a pesar de que fue bastante difícil empezar de nuevo en un país nuevo, donde el idioma principal es inglés, lograron a abrir su guardería My Little Geniuses dentro de su propio hogar. Con el correr de los años se ha hecho una guardería de gran reputación con un excelente programa de Farm to ECE.

Luego María Claudia describió para la audiencia dos ejemplos específicos de actividades Farm to ECE que ella ha hecho con sus propios estudiantes:

1. El primer de cómo cortar y preparar el okra con los estudiantes para hacer una prueba de sabor de okra frito al “air fryer”

2. Y el segundo de una exploración de hojas diversas y otra prueba de sabor de diferentes hojas de tres maneras distintas.

(photos: onion bed screen shot, garden tour screenshot) Por último, nos dio un recorrido por su huerta donde se cultivan muchos vegetales diversos para utilizar ahí en la guardería diariamente.

En caso de que no pudiera asistir, aqui hay algunos puntos clave:

• Los beneficios de cultivar y cosechar en un entorno ECE son muchos, incluyendo:

• La comida que uno cultiva y cosecha por si mismo está mas fresca, segura, sabrosa, y sana.

• Ya no hay que comprar tanta verdura del super.

• Es un programa rico y bonito que ofrece oportunidades sin fin de aprendizaje diferentes para los niños.

• Empiece con algo pequeño, poco a poco, sea constante y diligente, y su programa de educación jardinería crecerá con el tiempo.

• Toda cosa (literalmente)y cada falla en el jardín es una oportunidad de aprendizaje para los niños.

• El okra hecho al “air fryer” sale muy rico. 😉

Se puede hacer aderezo “Ranch” de yogurt griego, especies, e hierbas, y a los niños les gusta toda verdura mejor la que tenga “Ranch”.

Un programa de jardinería en un centro ECE queda mejor si se involucran a los padres. Por ejemplo: Maria Claudia nos dijo que la mayoría de las familias de My Little Geniuses son Mexicanas que comen picante, y por eso, cultiva varias clases de chile/pimiento para compartir con ellas.

Echa un vistazo a la grabación para obtener más información sobre My Little Geniuses y su programa modelo de Farm to ECE.

Para obtener más información e inscribirse en Livin ’la Vida Okra, visite bit.ly/livinlavidaokra.

Para obtener más información sobre Georgia Organics, visite georgiaorganics.org y síganos en las redes sociales @GeorgiaOrganics y en facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.

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Livin’ la Vida Okra con Mis Pequeños Genios—Recap

By Kimberly Koogler

Kimberly Koogler is the Farm to School Coordinator at Georgia Organics.

Last Wednesday, the Farm to School team met with Maria Claudia Ortega at her family daycare center, My Little Geniuses, in Marietta, GA to talk with her and see how she does Farm to ECE every day with her young students.

We began by interviewing Maria Claudia to get to know her a little more and learn where she’s from and about her family and work. Maria Claudia and her husband, Jesus Silva, came from Colombia, their home country, about 20 years ago. They come from a farming family and Maria Claudia had studied special education in Colombia. They arrived here and despite it being very difficult to start anew in a new country, where the primary language spoken is English, they managed to open their family daycare center My Little Geniuses out of their own home. Over time, they have gained a great reputation and have created an excellent Farm to ECE program.

My Little Geniuses making air fried okra.

Then Maria Claudia described for the audience two specific examples of Farm to ECE activities that she has done with her own students:

1. The first one about how to cut and prepare okra with students for a taste test of air-fried okra.

2. And the second about an exploration of different leaves and a three-part taste test of different edible leaves.

Lastly, she gave us a tour of their garden, where they grow a bunch of different vegetables to use daily in their ECE center.

In case you missed it, here are some key takeaways:

My Little Geniuses tasting okra!

There are so many benefits of growing food in an ECE setting, including:

• The food you grow yourself is more fresh, safe, tasty, and healthy.

• You don’t have to buy as much produce from the store.

• It’s a rich and beautiful program that offers endless different learning opportunities for the kids.

• Start small, be consistent, and your gardening education program will grow over time.

• Literally everything and every failure in the garden is a learning opportunity for the kids.

• Turns out air-fried okra is delicious.

You can make your own ranch dressing using Greek yogurt, herbs, and spices, and kids like vegetables better with Ranch.

Garden tour with Maria Claudia.

A gardening program in an ECE Center is even better with engaged parents. For example, Maria Claudia told us that the majority of My Little Geniuses’ families are Mexican and like spicy food, so she grows several different varieties of hot peppers to share with them.

Check out the recording to learn more about My Little Geniuses and their model Farm to ECE program.

To find out more about and sign up for Livin’ la Vida Okra, visit bit.ly/livinlavidaokra.

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on social media @GeorgiaOrganics and facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.

October Farm to School Month: The Secret Succotash Society, Recap

By Kimberly Koogler

Kimberly Koogler is the Farm to School Coordinator at Georgia Organics. 

Next in our webinar series line-up on October 20 is Livin' la Vida Okra con Mis Pequeños Genios presented in Spanish by Maria Claudia Ortega of My Little Geniuses and Lena Enciso of Georgia Organics and translated to English by Kimberly Koogler of Georgia Organics.

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Today is your special day because we’re freely offering to you the steaming secrets of an American treasure, a most satisfying succotash. Welcome to this high society!

In case you missed it, The Secret Succotash Society gathered last week, and the not-so-secret secrets of “suffering succotash” were revealed. Cobb County UGA Extension Agent, Master Gardener, and Food Historian, Terri Carter (pictured below) beautifully laid out some of the intriguing and important histories behind both okra and the old, multicultural dish called “succotash.”

Chef, Author, and Health Educator, Asata Reid gave to us a live demonstration of how to cook succotash, made our mouths water, and shared with us some culinary secrets as well as some suggestions for incorporating cooking into curriculum and/or curriculum into cooking.

Here are some key takeaways, but seriously, check out the recording of this presentation (scroll down!) to make sure you get all the juicy bits:

• Africans, kidnapped and forced into slavery brought okra to the Americas.

• Explore the different names around the world for okra and how okra is used in different cultures.

• Succotash, introduced to struggling colonial immigrants by the Narragansett people, was born out of the genius Native American technology and system of planting known as the “three sisters”. The basic elements are corn, squash, and beans. This brilliant combination of legumes and whole grains provides the amino acids your body needs to create complete proteins.

Culinary secrets:

• To avoid okra slime, cook fresh, whole okra quickly, just until bright green and still firm.

• Or cook okra longer in stews so that it becomes part of the sauce and thickens the stew.

• Make sure you use a heavy pan (it’s better for caramelization and it’s safer in the classroom).

• Don't overcook your corn!

• Use lots of smoky paprika for flavor if you’re not going to use bacon or sausage.

• A whole lot of black pepper is the secret to Southern cooking.

• Serve your succotash over rice for a super sensational and satisfying, not-at-all-suffering, nutrient dense meal.

• This simple dish is bursting with opportunity to learn and teach: history, culture, social studies, math and science, measurements, chemical reactions, emulsification, knife skills, exploration of shapes, size, contrasting colors…

Here is the recipe and scroll down or click here to check out the recording!

Next in our webinar series line-up on October 20 is Livin' la Vida Okra con Mis Pequeños Genios presented in Spanish by Maria Claudia Ortega of My Little Geniuses and Lena Enciso of Georgia Organics and translated to English by Kimberly Koogler of Georgia Organics.

To see all of our upcoming Good Food for Thought events, visit georgiaorganics.org/virtual-events.

To learn more about and sign up for Livin’ la Vida Okra visit bit.ly/livinlavidaokra.

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org, and follow us on social media @GeorgiaOrganics and at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.

Good Food for Thought and Conference Announcements

By Ashley Dowling

Ashley Dowling is the former Events Manager and Conference Coordinator at Georgia Organics.

Georgia Organics has always been a convener. For more than 23 years, we have brought people together from every corner of our state and beyond for good food events and, most notably, for our annual Conference & Expo.  

While nothing sounds better than coming together for a weekend at the annual Georgia Organics Conference & Expo, the pandemic has challenged us to continue to re-envision our work. 

For another year, Georgia Organics has decided we will not be hosting a conference in February of 2022. While we are saddened to share this news, we are excited to continue our Good Food for Thought programming year-round.  

We launched Good Food for Thought (gfft.georgiaorganics.org/) to continue our role as a convener by providing opportunities for learning and connection year-round, through panel discussions and webinars along with video resources, digital toolkits, podcast episodes, and more.  

Since the program’s launch in August 2020, we have hosted over 25 virtual events engaging with nearly 800 attendees. Georgia Organics has hosted workshops for farmers, train the trainer lessons for educators and farm-to-school advocates, and brought together community leaders to gain practical experience for coalition building.

We even celebrated our 2021 Land Steward, Barbara Petit Pollinator, and Farmer Champion awardees. We could not have done this work without our partners in this movement, sponsors, and our community of engaged attendees.  

While we won’t be able to gather, learn, and celebrate at the conference – we hope to see you at one of our upcoming events this fall!  

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UPCOMING EVENTS

OCTOBER

Join the Farm to School team every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. for our October Farm to School Month Webinar Series! Each week, Georgia Organics and partners will be highlighting lesson plans and Livin’ La Vida Okra resources & activities for all ages and learning environments.

On October 6, take a virtual field trip to Maple Park Homestead in Winder, GA with Farmer and Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher, Brooke Lewis-Slamkova as she demonstrates how to pickle okra and other vegetables using lacto-fermentation, including how to turn this into a STEM lesson for students. Register here!

Then on October 13, Chef, Author, and Health Educator, Asata Reid, and Cobb County Extension Agent and Farmer, Terri Carter, will share the history behind the dish known as "Succotash" and demonstrate how to prepare this dish with students. Register here!

Additional webinars include a Farm to ECE demonstration in English and Spanish by Maria Claudia Ortega of My Little Geniuses Center and a session on how to use the school garden as an outdoor classroom with FoodCorps at Parkside Elementary School.

FARMER FIELD DAYS

NOVEMBER

Georgia Organics is excited to announce two upcoming Farmer Field Days! These on-farm workshops are designed to deliver continued education opportunities to current farmers, space for each on-farm workshop is limited. Registration coming soon!

Join us as we team up with farmers Lindy Kloepfer and Daniel Guzman of The Little Farm Tractor School on Sunday, November 14 for “Tractors: Soil Health and Safety with the Little Fox Tractor School” hosted at Little Fox Farm in Douglasville, GA. Attendees will spend the afternoon learning tractor safety and education, strategies for utilizing tractors to optimize soil health and gain a deeper understanding of cover cropping using a tractor.  

This field day is for any beginning farmer or farmer looking to gain knowledge on tractor safety. The tractor safety lesson portion of this field day is a pre-requisite tractor safety course with Little Fox Tractor School – after completing this session attendees will be able to take more advanced tractor courses with Lindy and Daniel as they become available.   

december

Then on Monday, December 13 register for Proper Planning for the New Year: Crop Rotation Workshop hosted by Daniel Parson, Farmer & Educator at the Oxford College Farm, and Lauren Cox, of Georgia Organics.

Crop planning can save you time and minimize stress when looking towards the future. At Oxford College Farm at the Emory Campus in Oxford, GA, attendees will see a field rotation in action and learn about a tried-and-true rotation model. Following the farm tour & presentation, attendees will have the option to participate in a working session where you can bring your pen, paper, or computer to tackle building out your farm’s crop rotation for 2022 with the help of Daniel Parson and the Georgia Organics Farmer Services team.   

Daniel Parson, by Anthony Masterson

This field day is best for diversified fruit and vegetable farmers;  farmers that want to increase production; farmers with CSAs; farmers interested in Organic certification; and farmers looking to integrate or gain a deeper understanding of cover cropping.

Stay tuned to your email and social media as we release registration for these events in the coming weeks!  

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org, and follow them on social media @GeorgiaOrganics and at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.

Creating Rich Environments: In the Compost Bin & the Classroom!

By Kimberly Koogler

Kimberly Koogler is the Farm to School Coordinator at Georgia Organics.

Last week, in partnership with teacher and farm to school expert Jenna Mobley, our Farm to School team presented a bilingual workshop all about composting and teaching composting lessons to English Language Learners. “Creating Rich Environments: In the Classroom and the Compost Bin” (click to view) was, much like compost itself, packed with super rich content.

We covered the why, who, what, how, and where of composting—the benefits, the decomposers, the compostable ingredients, and the containers and spaces for composting—in English and Spanish. We interspersed all of that information with interactive, dynamic lessons that teach composting in a way that is accessible to English Language Learners and fun for everyone, using the ten key components of Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE).

Farm to school expert Jenna Mobley

If you imagine all of the info, facts, rules, tips, and tricks that were presented as brown ingredients and all of the fresh, juicy lessons as green ingredients, our workshop itself resembled a healthy compost bin.

We sang, danced, made compost cake, even used some sign language, and we learned A LOT.

You can teach a group of students how to compost, the science behind it, and why it’s important, in such a way that they are also learning English and having fun. What a productive way to teach and what a rich environment you create in doing so!

Some key takeaways in case you missed it:

• Everyone can make compost! Choose from a diverse array of compost bin options for affordable, indoor and outdoor composting.

• There are many “rules of three” by which you can help yourself remember the how-to's of composting and troubleshooting.

• The FBI (fungus bacteria invertebrates) have a very special job—decomposition!

  • We can help them by giving them home, food, water, and air.

  • For their food, remember: if it grows, it goes.

  • We can put it in the pot, and let it all rot, for compost stew!

If any of the above left you wondering, you definitely need to check out the recording of this workshop, as well as our composting resources: Georgia Organics Composting Handbook in English and Spanish.

To learn more about Farm to School at Georgia Organics, visit farmtoschool.georgiaorganics.org, and follow Georgia Organics on social media @GeorgiaOrganics and at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.

Good Food for Thought: Ready? Set? Plant! Livin’ la Vida Okra!

By Kimberly Koogler

Kimberly Koogler is the Farm to School Coordinator at Georgia Organics and a former farmer at Cosmos Farm, where this event took place.

Last week the Farm to School team gathered on a hot, sunny day at Cosmos Farm in Carrollton, GA to start livin’ la vida okra.

We began by reviewing how you can participate in Livin’ la Vida Okra and what you get out of it. Then we covered the basics of planting okra on a small scale, and Little Ones Learning Center’s garden educator Farmer Trin and their PreK class showed us how to plant okra in one of their raised bed gardens.

As it turns out, preK students are really good at instructing how to plant okra seeds, and they look very cute while doing so!

Farmer Trin and Georgia PreK planting okra seeds at Little Ones Learning Center in Forest Park, GA

Finally, Farmer John Davis professed his undying love for okra, showed us how they plant okra at Cosmos Farm, using his old, faithful tool, the Earthway seeder. He also shared with us a couple of funny okra harvesting stories, involving a snake and the notorious “okra itch.”

Farmer John demonstrated how they plant okra seeds at Cosmos Farm using a nifty tool, the Earthway seeder.

It was a fun way to kick the summer off and to get some okra seeds planted in anticipation of October Farm to School Month! In case you missed it, here are some key takeaways:

· Okra is easy to grow, low maintenance, highly productive, resilient, and beautiful!

· The sooner you plant it, the more okra you’ll be able to harvest, up until the first frost.

· There are so many ways to enjoy okra, pickled being one of the favorites at Cosmos.

When you sign up to participate in Livin’ la Vida Okra you’ll get access to our robust online resource toolkit, which includes Georgia standards-based lessons for early care through 12th grade, fun, educational activities, fact sheets and growing guidance, and a delicious and diverse array of okra recipes shared by fellow Georgia farm to school stakeholders!

Watch the recording on our YouTube channel here, and sign up to join in on all the Livin’ la Vida Okra fun here!

Leah Penniman and Matthew Raiford Discuss Opportunities for Equity, Justice and Food Sovereignty in the Farm to School and Early Care and Education Movement

By Yaza Sarieh

Yaza Sarieh is a contractor for Farm to School at Georgia Organics and a Childhood Health and Wellness intern at the Georgia Department of Public Health.

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To learn more from Leah Penniman and Chefarmer Matthew Raiford’s perspective, join educators, school nutrition staff, early care providers, and agriculture professionals for the 8th Georgia Farm to School and Early Care and Education Summit to be held virtually April 27- May 1.

Visit farmtoschool.georgiaorganics.org/summit to view the agenda and register!

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“Agroecosystems have a lot to teach us about equity. Generally, non-human beings are pretty good at collaboration, cooperation, and fairness. For example, a tree in the forest (or an orchard) will take its excess sugars and share them with other trees, kin, and non-kin, via a network of fungal mycelium. Humans have a harder time seeing resources as the commons that they are. Through a practice of cultural biomimicry, we can approach the just society we claim to desire.” - Leah Penniman 

In communities throughout Georgia and the United States, racial inequities create food insecurity, and food insecurity creates racial inequities. During this year’s Georgia Farm to School and Early Education Virtual Summit, Leah Penniman and Matthew Raiford will teach us how Farm to School and Early Care and Education strategies can work to develop an equitable, just, and culturally responsive food system for all.

Courtesy of Leah Penniman

Leah Penniman has been a leader in the food justice movement for many years. Growing up in Albany, New York, Leah lived under food apartheid, the systematic destruction of food sovereignty and self-determination in minority communities. In a food apartheid environment, large corporate organizations exploit food-insecure conditions and racial disparities to make inexpensive, unhealthy food the easier, more accessible, and affordable option. As a result, these communities are vulnerable to chronic diseases that develop over time, such as diabetes, heart disease, or obesity.

Inspired by her food apartheid experiences, Leah established Soul Fire Farm as a “farm for the people.” Located in Petersburg, New York, Soul Fire Farm is committed to educating diverse communities about sustainable agriculture, connecting People of Color with local foods, restoring the natural environment, enhancing positive health outcomes, and pursuing complete self-determination with regards to food choice and accessibility.

Courtesy of Soul Fire Farm

To root food sovereignty and grow a more equitable and just food system for generations to come, Soul Fire Farm emphasizes engagement with young folk living in food apartheids. “Liberation of the Land,” a one-week program for youth, brings together around 500 young people each year from across the region to learn about farming, food preparation, arts, and activism. Leah reflects, “Connection to land is fortifying physical, emotional, and spiritual levels for young people. There are few things more empowering than learning to grow your own food, prepare it for your friends and family, and take care of an ecosystem.” Working with the youth has allowed Leah to experience firsthand the chance for the Farm to School movement to build a just, dignified and inclusive food system. 

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Courtesy of Matthew Raiford

Another Farm to School Champion who believes Farm to School and ECE is a key opportunity to enhance equity in food accessibility is Chefarmer Matthew Raiford. Gilliard Farms has been in Chefarmer Matthew’s family since 1870, when his great great great grandfather Jupiter Gilliard obtained the land in the post-Civil War era. Stewards of this land for over six generations, the descendants of Jupiter Gilliard have worked to build a sustainable, organic farm based on Gullah Geechee cultural practices. Matthew believes Gullah Geechee traditions of farming are applicable to Farm to School and ECE, mentioning, “The practices that we use are based on working with nature not against it, creating compost for better nutrient-dense foods and ensuring the food is relevant to the people eating it.”

During his Summit Session, Chefarmer Matthew Raiford will be discussing how ‘school is a farm,’ using references to the Union Schoolhouse that is on his property. This schoolhouse was the only educational space for African Americans in the community for a 20-mile radius for nearly five decades. The location was chosen specifically to connect students with the farmland so that no matter how far away they lived, they always had accessibility to a meal before and after their school day. In addition, the student’s educational experience was also centered around the farm, using the environment to learn concrete skillsets, knowledge, and lifestyles.

Chefarmer Matthew hopes to use this narrative to inspire the Farm to School and ECE movement to enhance food sovereignty and equitable access to healthy, fresh foods.

Matthew states, “I see where more school systems are working on providing culturally relevant food selections; I believe that is a step in the right direction because it causes us all to take a pause, I think about what’s on the plate from seed saving to cooking to eating.”

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To learn more from Leah Penniman and Chefarmer Matthew Raiford’s perspective, join educators, school nutrition staff, early care providers, and agriculture professionals for the 8th Georgia Farm to School and Early Care and Education Summit to be held virtually April 27- May 1.

Visit farmtoschool.georgiaorganics.org/summit to view the agenda and register!

Good Food for Thought: Spring Forward - Planning & Prepping Your Summer Garden with Joe Reynolds & Special Guests

By Caroline Croland

Caroline Croland is the Fundraising Coordinator at Georgia Organics. To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit www.georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Instagram @GeorgiaOrganics, Twitter @GeorgiaOrganics, and at www.Facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics. 

Spring is upon us, and Georgia Organics was lucky enough to ring in the season with a gardening workshop! On March 14, farmer and former Georgia Organics Board Chair Joe Reynolds and co-manager Demetrius Milling of Love is Love Farm at Gaia Gardens shared their green thumb expertise in a live virtual demonstration, demonstrating how to plan and prepare a successful spring garden. Additionally, Laura Diaz-Villaquiran, FoodCorps Service Member, shared some tips and tricks on how to get your little ones in on the gardening fun by demonstrating how to create seed tapes and transplant lavender. This event was free for Georgia Organics members; if you want access to free and discounted events, sign up as a member today!

"We are at a critical time for getting ready for gardening- the days are longer, the sun is shining brighter, the soil is beginning to warm, and our very important planning time is beginning to ebb away," said Joe.  

With that in mind, let's dig in! Here's a rundown of a few of the planning tips covered in the webinar.  

Photo of Love is Love at Gaia Gardens, courtesy of Jenna Shea Photography.

Having a Game Plan

Step one for starting a garden is creating a game plan. This plan's level of detail will vary from garden to garden, but it all boils down to tracking your planting activities. What are you planting? Where are you planting? When are you doing your planting and harvesting?  

The sophistication of your plan is up to you! You can create notes in your phone, keep a journal, a spreadsheet, or sketch it out on a legal pad- the point is to start your gardening journey off with the habit of creating a record of what you did, and ultimately, what did and did not work for you. This will ensure that you can create a more informed gardening plan in the years to come.

Where to Plant?

To ensure healthy plants, be sure to choose a space that gets 8-10 hours of sunlight. If you find yourself tethered to an area that gets less than that, you may need to make some adjustments regarding how many plants or which plants you choose to grow. Herbs, for example, are much more tolerant of low light

Another consideration is your orientation. A southern orientation is going to give you more sunlight.

Water is another essential factor. Are you putting your garden way out in your yard in a place where it will be inconvenient to water?

Once you find that perfect spot and build or mark your perimeter, take your tape measurer and divide that space into a grid divided by the square foot. This grid will help you determine the number of plants you can fit into your space. Once you map out your space, you'll be ready to start thinking about what kind of garden you will plant.

Raised Beds vs. in Ground Planting: What kind of Garden to Construct? 

Demetrius Milling demonstrating how to grid off your raised bed. Photo from Spring Forward.

One popular gardening option is to construct a raised bed. To do this, you need to place a tarp over the native soil of your yard. Next, you will create a buffer. In the webinar example, Joe and Demetruis used concrete blocks to construct their bed, but you can use a wooded boundary box, logs, or even stones. Finally, you fill your raised bed with compost.

In addition to compost, you can add peat, which assists with water retention. You could also add perlite or vermiculite to add air content into the soil.

Raised beds can be a great option because they are relatively easy to construct, and there is no need to loosen up the soil. However, there can be added cost to sourcing the materials you need to build these beds. 

In contrast, you could plant in the ground, directly into the native soil. The first step here is to mound the soil up so that you have a clear spatial distinction on where the plants go and where you can walk.

If you are in Mid-Georgia we have a lot of clay, and if you're in the south, you're going to be working with a lot of sand. This soil will have to be broken up, which you can do with a pitchfork or broad fork. 

The next step will be getting a soil test, which your local extension agent can provide. You would want to check your PH, your phosphorus levels, and your potassium levels. These tests will also give you information about your soil nutrients.

PH is the most important. Vegetables thrive in slightly acidic soil, between the 6 to 6.5 ranges on that 14 point scale. Adding live compost can also be an excellent option when planting directly into the soil, as this adds biological organisms, nutrients and increases water holding capacity.

To further increase the fertility of your soil, you can add organic fertilizer. These options include:

• Plant & animal meals to add nitrogen

• Alfalfa meal to add nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium

• Lime- will change your soil PH

• Kelp meal- adds nutrients and it will give a full range of all trace elements to their plants

If you are gardening in a residential area, be sure to get your soil tested for toxic elements such as lead.

Getting in the Weeds

Everyone needs a plan for weed remediation! Weeds not only compete for nutrients with your plants, but they also provide shelter for pests and even carry diseases.

The plan could include pulling the weeds manually with your gloved hand or hand-tools. You can set a time to weed, either once a week or each time you harvest.

Mulch can be a great option for controlling your weeds while helping your soil moisture while also helping keep dirt off your picky plants (looking your way, tomatoes.) You can use plastic or paper mulch, which is available at your local hardware store. Alternatively, you could use good old fashion wood chips or pine straw.

What to plant?

Love is Love starter plants. Photo by Caroline Croland.

The question boils down to a simple determination- what would you like to eat or provide for your neighbors and community? What are your intentions and objectives for your garden? Do you want to grow herbs or edible flowers that you can pick nightly to accentuate your meals? Are you going to be drying and preserving herbs or vegetables? Some crops can grow prolifically in a small space, so having an idea of your objectives will help inform your plan of how much to grow. 

Again, utilize your notes here to track your progress so you can adjust your planting plans each year.

Please note that spring in the Atlanta area tends to be relatively short, so some things you plant in spring won't last as long as your summer crops. However, all of these crops do have to be planted at the same time. Make a note when planning your garden that you will be turning the space where you grow spring items over more quickly than your summer crops.

Are you stumped on where to start? Here are some suggestions from Joe:

• Cherry tomatoes

• Arugula

• Radishes

• Turnips

• Bush beans

• Peppers

• Edible herbs and flowers

These can be planted directly from seed or by purchasing starter plants from your local farmer. Click here to access Love is Love's plant sale or search the Plant Sale tag on our Good Food Guide to purchase from a farmer near you!

In addition to Joe and Demetrius teaching us to plan our garden, Laura provided a demonstration on how to involve your kids in gardening. Check out this resource from Foodcorps on creating Seed Tape to replicate that activity at home.

Planning a garden can be daunting, but by taking some thoughtful planning steps, you will be well on your way to growing your food.

Happy planting, ya'll!

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Visit gfft.georgiaorganics.org/virtual-events to view upcoming GFFT events and register. 

Stay connected to Georgia Organics! If you are not yet a member, you can join at membership.georgiaorganics.org/!

Buy your starter plants from local farms by searching the “Plant Sale” tags in our Good Food Guide

Learn more about Love is Love Farm: loveislovefarm.com and check out their plant sale!

Check out Love is Love’s General Growing Guide for additional tips!

Good Food for Thought: Dish Dive into Wholesale and High-End Wholesale

By Kayla Williams 

Are you a farmer that sells to farmers’ markets or have a CSA but are ready to get into the wholesale market, either to restaurants or institutions? Luckily, we have some tips for you! On Thursday, February 26th, Lauren Cox, Organic Procurement Coordinator at Georgia Organics along with Zac Harrison, owner of Fresh Harvest, and Neil Ringer, Director of Operations of The Common Market Southeast shared knowledge on what the processes look like to enter the wholesale market in Georgia in a variety of ways. Previously, Lauren managed Woodland Gardens, an organic mixed vegetable farm in the Athens-area that sells to many restaurants in Atlanta and Athens. At Georgia Organics, Lauren works  closely with farmers to help them sell to  larger institutions and restaurants, from helping them crop plan to organizing QuickBook trainings, improving their marketing skills and more. Lauren shared her knowledge about some pros and cons of selling to restaurants and larger wholesale markets in general, as well as best practices – we’ll share some here.

Whichever way you decide to “slice your pie”, your farm will become more resilient if you have multiple revenue streams. Maybe you attend one farmers’ market on the weekend, have CSA (community supported agriculture) pick up on Tuesdays, and deliver to restaurants in your closest larger city on Wednesdays. Or maybe, you sell to one large wholesale customer on Thursdays, delivery to restaurants on Fridays and do a CSA pick up on Saturdays, skipping farmers’ markets all together! You can choose how you slice your pie, but it’s important as you scale up, to add more revenue streams so you can be flexible as needed. So how do you choose?

Restaurant Walk-In. Photo credit: Bailey Garrot.

Although restaurants can be unreliable customers due to frequent menu and staff changes, you can usually get the best wholesale price available and because you are harvesting to order, you won’t have any leftovers. If you decide to sell to a larger wholesale customer, like grocery stores or distributors, you may have to settle for the lowest price point for your goods (as compared to the retail farmers’ market price) but the transactions may be more reliable working with a larger institution, and they may come pick up the products from your farm rather than delivering to a restaurant. It’s important to remember that the type of operation you run may be a better fit for some wholesale than others – if you are small and very diversified farm, you may be a better fit for a high-priced restaurant that uses smaller quantities of many products. If you are larger and specialize in (let’s say) tomatoes, you may be a better fit for a local pizza joint that makes huge quantities of sauce daily

Quick Cleaning Turnips. Photo credit: Lauren Cox,

. No matter which revenue streams you choose, recordkeeping is essential. From knowing where things are in the field, to making sure you have a consistent inventory for your customers, to knowing the prices each item sells for through your various streams, to telling your employees where to harvest what, recordkeeping can only make your life easier and more organized. How you harvest, package and clean your products also make a difference in the world of wholesale. Minimize handling your products because the more you touch it, the more degraded it gets,  especially when wholesalers are aggregating, repackaging and redistributing. Cleanliness is key and minimizing moisture in washed greens, for example, extend the shelf life of your produce.

The Common Market, a non-profit aggregator and distributor, works with many institutions such as private schools, hospitals, universities, food service providers and municipal offices. The Common Market Southeast Headquarters are in East Point, GA but they also have a program based in Houston, TX and Philadelphia, PA. The Common Market wants to lower barriers and provide the infrastructure for local farmers to be able to sell to these institutions. The requirements for working with The Common Market Southeast are as follows: farmer must be in a 250 mile radius of their offices, must have sustainable growing practices, proof of liability insurance, be involved in a food safety program, and have a post-harvesting handling and packing system. Additionally, you must pack your products in wax boxes with your contact information on the label. During COVID-19, The Common Market Southeast received a USDA grant that allowed them to deliver over 96,440 boxes to families across the state, partnering with over 45 community organizations and purchasing over 964,000 pounds of local food purchased and distributed. Their systems and infrastructure made that work possible. A big thanks to Neil Ringer and Common Market for sharing with us and doing incredible work every day to make it easier for local producers to be involved in larger institutions!

West Georgia Farmers Coorperative Delivering to Miller Union. Photo Credit: Bailey Garrot.

Fresh Harvest, on the other hand, is solely residential. Each week, Zac Harrison texts all the farmers in the Fresh Harvest network (some big, some small, but all organic) and finds out what their availability is for the week. Based on which farmer has what products, he compiles weekly boxes that are delivered to homes around Atlanta. In addition to a weekly produce box, customers can add on other local goods, like local dairy, eggs, meat, prepared foods and more. Fresh Harvest’s offices are in Clarkston, GA and they employee many refugees that are based in Clarkston. Zac’s goal is to expand the reach and sale of the farmer, not to infringe on their other revenue streams and he wants to crop plan with farmers at the beginning of the season, so they can be guaranteed a revenue stream from Fresh Harvest.

No matter which route you decide to go down for slicing your pie, utilizing the tips from Lauren and working with folks like Neil and Zac who have the farmers’ best interest at heart, choosing to diversify your revenue streams can only make your farm more successful and resilient.

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Interested in learning more about Lauren’s work? Check out farmtorestaurant.georgiaorganics.org/, follow Georgia Organics on Instagram @georgiaorganics, and Facebook at facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics/.

Want to see if The Common Market may be a good fit for you or support their work? Check out thecommonmarket.org, follow them on Instagram at @commonmarketse and Facebook at facebook.com/thecommonmarketse.

Ready to work with Fresh Harvest or purchase a box? Visit them at freshharvestga.com/, follow them on Instagram at @freshharvest and Facebook at .facebook.com/freshharvestga.

Good Food for Thought: Culture and Connections—Farmer Organizing the SAAFON Way

By Kayla Williams

Kayla Williams is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics.

In this series, we’re revisiting our most recent Good Food for Thought conversations. To register for Georgia Organics’ upcoming Good Food for Thought events, visit gfft.georgiaorganics.org/virtual-events.

On February 10, the Southeastern African American Organic Farmers’ Network (SAAFON) partnered with Georgia Organics for a Good Food for Thought Webinar. Dr. Jahi Chappell, the new Executive Director of SAAFON, along with Tammy Harris, the Agroecology & Education Resource Coordinator. SAAFON focuses on supporting black farmers in the southeast, with member affiliates from Maryland to the US Virgin Islands, through direct services, community building and resource sharing.

Dr. Chappell shared his background in the world of sustainable agriculture that led him to SAAFON, the organizations’ values and its history. Tammy shared the ways in which those values are implemented into SAAFON’s programmatic work and more about specific initiatives they are currently working on.

I’m not going to spend time summarizing the content of the webinar, because it would be doing Dr. Chappell and Tammy Harris a disservice to the knowledge they shared about SAAFON. Instead, you’re encouraged to watch the recorded webinar, click below!

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Want to learn more about SAAFON’s programming or become a member? Visit saafon.org, follow on Instagram @saafon_grows, and on Facebook at facebook.com/SAAFONgrows Want to support SAAFON’s work? Donate at saafon.org/donate.

Join us for upcoming Good Food for Thought sessions in our Winter Webinar series for farmers! Upcoming dates and registration links at gfft.georgiaorganics.org/virtual-events.