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) 

---

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) 

---

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)

---

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) 

---

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) 

---

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) 

---

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.    

Nuts for Local Foods in School Meals: “Feed My School” Marietta School Event Recap!

By: Sharonda Chiangong & Yaza Sarieh 

Sharonda Chiangong is an Emory Rollins School of Public Health Masters Candidate, studying Global Health. Yaza Sarieh is the Community Collaborations Coordinator at Georgia Organics. 

The ACRE Collective: Advancing Agriculture, Community, Resilience & Equity  through Values-Based Procurement is a collaborative partnership aimed at enhancing the availability of nutritious, locally sourced foods, to the advantage of every participant within the food network. Through value-based procurement (VBP), the ACRE Collective aims to create sustainable, long-term buying relationships between local food producers and large institutions, such as schools, universities and hospitals. The Common Market Southeast leads the ACRE Collective with support from organizations such as Georgia Organics, Health Care Without Harm, and the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at Emory University to help ensure the longevity of values-based food procurement practices in Atlanta-area schools.  

One of the ACRE Collective’s first projects was to launch a values-based local food incentive pilot program with Marietta City Schools and Rockdale County Public Schools. This pilot demonstrates how local food incentive dollars support a shift toward local procurement, catalyze economic opportunity for diverse farmers in our region, and increase student access to fresh, healthy foods. The ACRE Collective provided a $60,000 grant to these districts with the goal of increasing the amount of local, culturally significant foods included in school meals and encouraging statewide adoption of a local food incentive program for all schools in Georgia.  

With the support of Georgia Organics, the ACRE Collective also empowers school nutrition staff by sharing knowledge on best practices for fresh food prep, information on where fresh ingredients are sourced from, and structure for how to plan nutrition education activities to engage student leadership in school nutrition. Students give their insights and feedback during taste tests, which ultimately shape the food purchased and the meals served in the cafeteria. 

Nutrition Workshop for school nutrition staff at Marietta City Schools, pc: Marietta City Schools 

In April, Georgia Organics supported the “Feed My School” event at the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy, during which the ACRE Collective hosted multiple taste tests. The purpose of this event was to showcase Georgia Grown foods and get students’ input on the foods they would like to see in their school meals. The event took place during the students’ lunch period, and lunch featured Georgia Grown foods. The cafeteria was set up so that students could walk around to different tables and try various locally grown produce items.  

In addition to tasting the produce item, students participated in fun activities and trivia and voted on whether they liked it and wanted to see it incorporated into cafeteria meals. 

The Georgia Organics table highlighted pecans! Students learned that Georgia is the nation’s largest supplier of pecans, with an average annual harvest that could make nearly 150 million pecan pies! They also learned fun facts about this staple product, like:  

• Georgia has been the nation's leading pecan-producing state since the late 1800s. 

• There are approximately 78 pecans used in every pecan pie! 

• Albany, Georgia, which boasts more than 600,000 pecan trees, is the pecan capital of the United States. 

• Pecan Trees have a lifespan of up to 300 years! 

• July 12th is National Pecan Pie Day! 

Pecan taste test at Marietta City Schools pc: Sharonda Chiangong

The ACRE Collective is an opportunity for school cafeterias to build demand among our next generation of consumers for delicious, fresh, and sustainably produced local food while offering tremendous financial support to a local food system that nurtures the land and our communities. 

For more information about the ACRE Collective, visit their website or check out The Common Market Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) pages. 

Order farm-fresh pecans right to your doorstep by visiting the Rolling Branch Farms website! 

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