Miller Union, Root Baking Co, Wrecking Bar, and Empire State South Win the Top Spend for Georgia Organics 2021 Farmer Champion Awards

Written by Lauren Cox and Kayla Williams

When Georgia Organics created the Farm to Restaurant program in 2019 our goal was to connect farmers to chefs as a way to move product. Although we knew there were restaurants doing this type of sourcing, we quickly (and happily!) discovered that many more chefs and farmers already had these deep connections. Our goal, afterward, became two-fold: to continue introducing farmers to chefs while simultaneously highlighting the incredible relationships that already exist within the Georgia food community. From this idea came the Farmer Champion campaign and the decals you’ll start to see popping up on restaurant windows around the state.

After two years of working with over 20 restaurants in the program, we’re excited to award the Top 3 restaurants in two categories: Local and Organic Spend, for going above and beyond in their sourcing from Georgia farmers. Lauren Cox (LC), Organic Procurement Coordinator and manager of the Farmer Champion campaign, chatted with the 2021 Farmer Champion winners: Chris Wilkins (CW) of Root Baking Company, Steven Satterfield (SS) of Miller Union, and Stevenson Rosslow (SR) of Wrecking Bar Brewpub about all things Farm to Restaurant, the Farmer Champion campaign, and what it’s like to source locally. Read their conversation below.


To learn more about the Farmer Champion campaign, view our 2021 restaurant partners, and watch our Farmer Champion celebration video with these 2020 Farmer Champion award winners, click below!


Lauren Cox: Congratulations on being named one of the Top 3 Farmer Champion restaurants in Georgia! That means you sourced the highest percentage of total food costs with either local producers or organic and local producers.  

How do you feel knowing that as a restaurant/bakery you are leading the way in this type of sourcing in Georgia?  

Chris Wilkins (CW): It’s an honor to be sure, and a wonderful surprise. Awards weren’t necessarily at the top of our mind in our approach to cooking and baking, but it is wonderful to know that the stakeholders in Georgia’s dining community think that the circuits connecting chefs, eaters, and farmers are worth preserving and celebrating.  

Steven Satterfield (SS): It feels wonderful to be recognized for the hard work that happens behind the scenes. I’m very proud of our team as well as Georgia Organics for doing the work to shine the light on these businesses.

Stevenson Rosslow (SR): I feel proud. All of the relationships built, all of the work, and all of the systems put in place have paid off. Our food tastes better because it is better. Yes, we have super talented chefs, but it is better, because we take the time, spend the money and energy to source the best Local-Organic product we can find. 

Chris Wilkins of Root Baking Co.

Chris Wilkins of Root Baking Co.

LC: When you opened your restaurant/bakery did you know that you wanted to source locally or was that something that evolved over time?  

CW: We were a local-focused project from the first. Nicole and I founded Root Baking Co. to explore Southern heirloom grains growing on the Carolina and Georgia coast. It was our stated mission to explore Southern heirloom cereals through artisan baking traditions, acknowledge and respect the often-painful stories behind Southern heirlooms, and celebrate the people growing them today. When the bakery relocated to Atlanta, we kept our mission statement unchanged, and found that our new location allowed us to explore Southern heirloom grains that didn’t quite make sense in the Low Country.  

SS: From the very beginning, we wanted the main emphasis for our sourcing to be locally and regionally focused, but as the good food movement has continued to evolve, we have evolved with it. We have seen more access to local/organic foods including grains, pastured poultry and pork, grass-fed beef, and a growing number of farmers – it’s exciting to watch the progress we have made over the last decade.

SR: We knew we wanted to serve simple local food from the beginning, but then comes the reality. Building a top tier local food program takes time and the right people. So naturally the sourcing program evolves and grows directly proportional to the relationships we have built and the passionate people we employ. From Chef Steve to Hudson, Rod, Skylar, Terry, Jeremiah, Shay, Holler, Crutch, Myers, Joel, Nick, Mikey, Kyle, and Sydney, we have always been blessed with dedicated and talented people. 

LC: What advice would you give to an aspiring chef or baker that wanted to begin sourcing locally or organically but didn’t know where to start?

CW: It’s easier than you think, if you’re willing to trust your diners to taste the difference and pay for it. The reasoning I hear most often for not sourcing well is some version of “the diner doesn’t get it.” Diners always know, and if you trust them to make the choice, you’re one step closer to giving the food on the plate the value it deserves. As far as mechanics of sourcing go, the folks at Georgia Organics know nearly everyone, and will always welcome a new face. If you reach out and ask who’s growing what, they’ll get you started.  

Steven Satterfield of Miller Union

Steven Satterfield of Miller Union

SS: Well, clearly Georgia Organics is a great resource for connecting farmers and chefs. I think it is important to have conversations with the farmers and establish a relationship. Tell them about your needs for your business. Expectations can go a long way and can drive an economic system if they are clearly communicated.

SR: Work in a kitchen with a chef and owner that really care about sourcing quality food. Visit your local farmers market and introduce yourself to the Farmer/Owner. Foster that relationship and most importantly buy from them. Volunteer to work a day at the farm. Understand the passion and labor that go into the food. Local food is better, because fresher is better. Find the freshest _______, and you will have the tastiest version of that on your menu for your family, friends, and neighbors to enjoy. 

LC: What is your favorite thing to source from within Georgia and why? 

CW: Heirloom Rouge de Bordeaux wheat from Nathan and Murray Brett at Dayspring Farms, any fruit that our buddy Russell Brydson grows at Narrow Way Farm. 

SS: I’m constantly amazed by the seasonal produce in our state. We have so many options to work with and the biodiversity is continuing to broaden. I just get really excited when new things come into season and you get to feature them on the menu.

SR: Every year I look forward to the seasons. Within each season there are two moments: first when that fruit or vegetable first hits the market and second, when it’s at its juiciest, sweetest, and ripest. I certainly have some favorites: Strawberries, English Peas, Peaches, Tomatoes … If I had to pick one, I Iook forward to for 9 months that first Flavorich Peach of the year in mid/late May, It’s delicious and I have to fight the stone for every last juicy bit. I enjoy more than my fair share. Then a month later the Freestone peaches arrive. One of the most enjoyable moments of the year is when I bite into that “Ruby Prince” (insert whatever variety YOU like) and the juices are running down your arm and you literally need a shower after eating a peach. 

LC: Put simply, why do you do this type of sourcing?  

CW: Talking to a farmer is more fun than talking to a sales rep.  

SS: It is very rewarding to know your growers. Anyone can place an order on a purveyor’s voicemail or website and receive cases of food with unexpected origins, but when you order from your farmer, you know exactly what you’re getting, when it was harvested, and you probably get a chance to have a nice chat while they are delivering. Knowing where your food comes from and having traceability can earn your customer’s respect and repeat business. It is comforting for a diner to learn that we can rattle off every farm that is on the plate without hesitation.

SR: When you boil it all down we are a neighborhood restaurant. We are here to feed and nourish our family, friends and neighbors. We do it because our family eats at the Wrecking Bar. We do it because it food is medicine. We do it because it seems like the right thing to do. 

LC: For folks who don’t know the process, in order to be able to join the Farmer Champion campaign, Georgia Organics worked with you to look at your weekly invoices and did some basic math to figure out what percentage of your total food costs go towards spending with local and Organic farmers within Georgia.  

We won’t talk about that percentage (it was high!) but did the numbers surprise you? Why or why not? How about going through the process?  

CW: The percentage didn’t surprise us, necessarily. While we’ve never specifically thought about our local or organic sourcing as a percentage of our spending, our sourcing is a direct expression of what we value as a business – we’ve always put the highest value on local, organic farmers. Going through the process was easier than we thought it would be, and we saw the incredible value of the program. It’s one thing to say “LOCAL, ORGANIC”, it’s another entirely to spend the money and make sure that those words don’t become buzzwords. Simply put, we’re the types of folks who believe that if you say you source locally, organically, etc. make sure you can show your work, so to speak.  

SS: Unless you do a data analysis, you don’t really know exactly what your ratio is of Georgia products vs other origins, but I knew we would score relatively high. Seeing the numbers validates the choices we are making and we feel great knowing we supported a local food system that boosts our economy.

SR: The number surprised me twice. At first because the percentage was lower than I thought it would be. We work so hard to source as many things locally as possible and even with of all of this careful selection there are many logistical and financial hurdles. Big food does not make it easy on little-local-organic food. They are literally trying to put us out of business every day. 

Then I started looking at the number in dollars instead of percentages. At that moment I was again extremely proud of the amount of money we were spending locally. Our investment in our local food community pays off every day. 

LC: As a Farmer Champion chef/baker, you work very closely with farmers. Have you ever grown anything yourself and if you could be a farmer what would you grow? 

CW: Nicole and I have a sometimes sad, scrappy, Italian Nonna garden. Tomatoes, Green Beans, Basil. Eggplant if we’re feeling ambitious. I suppose if I were a farmer, I’d grow Moro oranges, Femminello lemons, pistachios, olives, and capers. Grapes for Nicole.  

SS: I’ve never dedicated time to try to grow anything but it is a goal of mine whenever I retire.

Stevenson Rosslow of Wrecking Bar Brewpub

Stevenson Rosslow of Wrecking Bar Brewpub

SR: This is an easy one. Yes, I have grown food for myself and for my family every year for as long as I can remember, and in 2016 we bought a farm in Loganville. The Wrecking Barn Farm has allowed us an opportunity to grow our own food. We grow Strawberries, Blueberries, Cucumbers, Okra, Tomatoes, Melons, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Collards, Swiss Chard, Beans, Peas, Flowers, chickens and so many more things. Some things we grow really well and some things not so much. You may think this has changed our buying habits and we would buy less food from other local farms, but the opposite has been true. It has given us so much respect for good food and all of the work and love it takes to grow well. Farming is an extremely difficult endeavor. Maybe the only thing more difficult than owning a restaurant. 

LC: Does this type of sourcing make a difference and why should Eaters connect the dots between farmers, chefs, restaurants, and themselves? We know that’s a pretty general question but let’ roll with it!  

CW: I’d like to think that this kind of sourcing makes a difference, if making a difference means more growers able to survive off growing whatever speaks to them. I think it’s important for Eaters to connect the dots because that’s the first step in restoring value in the food on the plate or bread basket.  

SS: I see a lot of our customers at the farmers markets and they often stop and speak to me when I’m picking up my orders for the weekend. Some of them just to say that they had a wonderful meal or that they cooked something from my book, or perhaps they have a question about produce. I think our customers generally understand that we do the best we can to source locally and it is nice to get that feedback from them in real time or in the restaurant.

SR: It makes all the difference in the cycle of life. It makes all of the difference to the earth, to the food and to your health. Cheers to that and thank you to all the farmers, chefs and guests out there. We couldn’t and wouldn’t want to do it without you. 


Restaurants in the Farmer Champion campaign have tiered decals based on their level of local (Georgia) and Organic sourcing. They receive these decals by submitting receipts of their purchases twice a year for a period of two weeks each. Check out farmtorestaurant.georgiaorganics.org/chefs if you or someone you know is interested in joining the campaign and contact kayla@georgiaorganics.org to receive updates on the first round of invoice submissions for 2021 taking place in June.  This campaign not only measures the impact of restaurants that source locally but allows customers to identify and support restaurants that are Farmer Champions.

2021 Land Steward Award Winners: Chris and Jenny Jackson of Jenny Jack Farm

By Mary Elizabeth Kidd

Photos by Kayla Williams

In 1997, the Land Steward Award was created by Georgia Organics to honor an individual or individuals who have contributed significantly to the organic agriculture movement in Georgia. The Land Steward Award recognizes the farmer with significant commitments to the tenets of organic agriculture, including soil fertility, biodiversity, and more.   

This year's Land Steward Award winners are

Chris and Jenny Jackson of Jenny Jack Farm in Pine Mountain!

Celebrate Chris & Jenny on Thursday, May 27. Tix: georgiaorganics.org/awards.

Chris and Jenny embody the meaning of this award through their dedication to sustainable scaling, a cared-for team, community connection, and, of course, fostering a better environment through soil health and organic growing practices. 

Listen to the Jacksons on Georgia Organics' podcast the Atlanta Foodcast!


What do you hope your lasting impact will be?

For Land Steward Award winners Chris and Jenny Jackson, they thoughtfully respond that they aim to be "a type of nourishment to this land and the local community that surrounds, supports, and encourages us." 

Meeting the couple at Jenny Jack Farm in Pine Mountain, it’s evident that they are well on their way to enacting this legacy. On their farm, with two young children in tow, it’s hard to miss the fulfillment and groundedness they exhibit; a state of being for which so many strive…but which only comes with hard work, committment, and love of the land.

Chris and Jenny are Georgia natives and University in Georgia alums who met, fittingly, outside Athens' iconic 40 Watt Club. Shortly after graduation, marriage, and entry jobs in education and gardening at Callaway Gardens, their interest in full-time farming blossomed. 

Crucial factors fueled the desire to farm full-time: "…it gave us the opportunity to have a little more dominion over our daily lives, the gift to work alongside each other and the great outdoors, and the work itself provided our bodies and minds with the right amount of exercise."

To grow this passion, the couple set off to work on three farms in Hawaii via WWOOF: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. Upon their return, they apprenticed at Glover Family Farm in Douglasville with mentors they cite as integral to their path: "Skip and Cookie offered us experience, connections, and a launching pad into our own farm business."

Throughout their journey, the Jacksons have prioritized growing food naturally. Both for their personal eating preferences and the knowledge that the market existed (and has continued to thrive) for food grown organically. 

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Today, Chris and Jenny Jackson are in their 15th year of intensive farming with a team of full- and part-time farm staff and their own very young farmers: daughter, Tulsi, and son, Amos. 

Jenny Jack Farm lies on about 3.5 acres in Pine Mountain, where they grow Certified Naturally Grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and microgreens, as well as spring transplants and medicinal tinctures. The property, some 150 acres in total, is the home where Jenny grew up. "Her parents have generously allowed us to integrate our farm enterprise into their lives, giving us access to 2 beautiful buildings along with use of the land," Chris adds.

Even during the pandemic, their business has thrived thanks to an almost 200-member CSA and an on-farm store. While the on-farm order pick-ups have shifted from so-called "bucolic" gatherings to a COVID-safe drive-through, their engagement with the community has never waned.

Our conversation with Jenny and Chris about their path in sustainable farming follows:

What is your WHY in agriculture, generally? What motivates you to continue doing what you do...? 

Farming is not just one thing; the tasks and the momentum are ever-changing. Farming asks us to do things we are not necessarily comfortable doing, and we have to be pretty good at each for the whole enterprise to keep moving forward. The farm is never finished, it's this imperfect living organism always shifting, and we farmers come alongside and reverently abide in the evolution. I think that's why farming is so attractive because we never, ever feel like we have mastered our work. 

Besides the fulfillment we find in doing this kind of work, the need for fresh, naturally grown food is only growing, and we want to help provide for our community of supporters.

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What are a few of the hurdles you've overcome in your career? 

We've been fortunate that we have not experienced any major weather damage, our bodies have held up so far, and even in years when we experience some crop loss, other crops pull us through. However, adding two babies to the already demanding role as farm owners and managers has been challenging, to say the least. We are thankful that we waited until after our farm was established before adding additional humans to the mix. We have found that even with the help of family and babysitters, we are operating at the equivalent of one very full-time farmer as opposed to two very full-time farmers. This is not a hurdle we have overcome, but one we navigate daily; it's one part insanity and one part the most beautiful thing in the world. 

How has mentorship factored into your work, and who are some folks you have mentored who have continued to farm? 

We operated our farm for 12 years using our apprenticeship program as the main labor model. We would employ two apprentices each year but for a variety of reasons have recently shifted to all hourly work. We are still good friends with most of the apprentices who came through here; several of them visit us each year. I would say our perspective of so many issues in this world has been shaped and colored by these folks who have spent most of a year toiling in our soil. Some of these folks are still farming, and we all continue to learn from one another. Liz and Brian have a big vegetable operation in Mentone, AL, Rahul owns Snapfinger Farm near Atlanta, Katherine Kennedy manages Concrete Jungle, Miranda Cox apprenticed with us eight years ago and has been working with us on and off since, Micah and Katherine have a small vegetable and medicinal herb farm in Blairsville, Shana Frankel has just started Ma Rabu Farm 30 minutes down the road from us in Franklin, Ann Sharpe is running a small farm in Cincinnati, and Kelley Walton is working for a farm up near Louisville.

Did anyone mentor or inspire you in farming? 

Oh sure! The Glovers, of course, were a big inspiration. Their farm's beauty, hospitality, and the size of tomatoes that their land could produce were memorable. We were inspired by Alex and Betsy Hitt of Peregrine Farm in North Carolina (they gave us a free tour of their farm on a Sunday afternoon!), Nickolas at Crystal Organics, Celia at Woodland Gardens, and Daniel Parsons at Emory, to name a few. Wendell Berry's writing gave us hope, and the Georgia Organics Conference gave us so much energy and new ideas, especially early on in our careers.

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What are three factors that have gotten you this far in your farming career? 

Jenny and I do a pretty good job of, as our friend Brandon says, "staying in our lane." We both have specific jobs on this farm, and while we might discuss them with one another, we do not encroach. Chris built, maintains, and repairs the greenhouse but couldn't tell you the varieties of lettuces we have started. Jenny creates the crop plan, knows proper plant spacing and how to prune tomatoes, but does not dabble in irrigation repair. Second, 

We are pretty focused people with a high tolerance for physical labor, so early on in our career, we worked our way into a moderately successful farm. That strategy has since changed, and we are now doing well at spending less time on farm chores. Third, I think we make decisions quickly, and we pivot to enact those decisions quickly. While this might be a flaw in some instances, we don't spend hours and hours discussing and analyzing every little detail and filtering through all the possibilities. There's no time for that, especially with two kiddos now, so we go with the gut. Oh, and I know this is more than 3, but hiring employees took our farm to the next level, and we find great joy in being around our staff; they keep us laughing and educated on the outside world. I would also be remiss not to mention the fact that we did not have to buy the land we are farming; we lived in a friend's old house a few miles down the road the first six years of the farm. They asked for no rent, and our neighbors sold us the house we live in now for a very low price allowing us the opportunity to move it onto our farm and remodel it. So much love and good fortune have come our way...

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What personal characteristics do you think lend well to you being a farmer? 

Chris is a nine on the Enneagram scale. He's a peacemaker and avoids conflict, which can be a flaw but also can be helpful when managing a crew. He walks fast, is very organized, pays close attention to details, and has little fear of standing on wobbly ladders. 

Jenny hates to disappoint people, so she goes to great lengths for customer service. She's also patient, steadfast, and has big love and appreciation for this land we are tending. 

What's next for the farm and yall? 

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Hopefully, at least another 15 years as farmers. We just started saving for retirement last year, so we might be in this thing by necessity for much longer. Or maybe people will start to value collards as highly as they do bitcoin, and we can gracefully shift to whittling spoons on the front porch and taking afternoon naps. More than likely, the immediate future holds much of the same, to keep running a productive, profitable farm business and to try to be good parents who have time to play.

What does winning this award mean to you? 

Well, it's definitely the most prized award we have received, and perhaps it just verifies that we're scrappy enough to keep coming back year after year. Really, the power of this award rests in the long list of good farmers who have received it. We are so grateful to be growing food in a state with so many talented, creative growers, many of whom will be recipients down the road. One of Wendell Berry's solutions to the environmental crisis we have found ourselves in is to "think small," and that's what we think this award is highlighting. We carefully tend this really small piece of earth, cooperatively grow thousands of pounds of food within the bounds of nature's guide, and then distribute all the food within 40 miles of our farm. Receiving this award 15 years into our farming career is an acknowledgment of the hard, deliberate work of both the community of microbes enriching our soil and the community of eaters choosing each week to purchase food plucked from our soil. What good fortune to make a living and raise a family right in the middle of the two!


Want to help us honor Chris, Jenny, Gwendolyn, and Brennan? You can make a contribution in their name for our award honorariums.

Visit: www.georgiaorganics.org/donate

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Join us online to meet and celebrate Chris and Jenny Jackson on Thursday, May 27, at 6 p.m. FREE for Georgia Organics members. Register at georgiaorganics.org/awards.


Mary Elizabeth Kidd is the Director of Communications 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.



2021 Barbara Petit Pollinator Award Winners: Brennan & Gwendolyn Washington of Phoenix Gardens

By Mary Elizabeth Kidd

Photos by Kayla Williams

The Barbara Petit Pollinator Award is named in honor of Barbara Petit, a remarkable community food advocate who served as Georgia Organics' past president. This award acknowledges individuals with exceptional success advancing Georgia Organics' mission of "Good Food for All" by spreading—pollinating—the movement throughout community life. 

This year's Barbara Petit Pollinator Award winners are 

Brennan and Gwendolyn Washington of Phoenix Gardens in Lawrenceville! 

Celebrate Brennan & Gwendolyn - Thursday, May 27. Tix: georgiaorganics.org/awards.

The Washingtons are successful farmers and icons of ag leadership in Georgia and the Southeast; they offer an urban agriculture education-focused property that has indeed risen from the ashes and thrives, impacting countless farmers across the Southeast. 

Listen to the Washingtons on Georgia Organics' podcast the Atlanta Foodcast!


"We are 'accidental' farmers."

Theirs is a story of chance—fate, more likely—persistence, and resilience. And through it all, spreading and deepening the roots of sustainable farming in Georgia and beyond.

Brennan and Gwendolyn Washington are both natives of the northeast with successful technology and customer service careers, respectively. They began as avid gardeners, even before relocating to Georgia, growing food using natural methods to feed themselves. 

Soon enough, the garden began producing more than they could eat, Gwendolyn discovered the Lawrenceville Farmers Market, and the rest, as they say, is history. Well, "that, and Gwendolyn insisted that my gardening activities would have to start paying for themselves," Brennan adds. 

Today, Phoenix Gardens is a thriving 2.5-acre diversified farm growing a wide variety of vegetables, fruit, and herbs and keeping a flock of laying hens. They participate in the Norcross and Tucker Farmers Markets and offer their own online market (phoenixgardens.net/).

But growing and selling beautiful food is just the tip of the iceberg for this farming couple. In their 15+ years of farming, they have had a strong influence in guiding the security and future of sustainable agriculture and have launched countless new farms along the way.

As a "pollinator" of natural food-growing practices, Brennan's role with Southern SARE (southern.sare.org/) extends the impact of their expertise and resource sharing far beyond Georgia. At Southern SARE, Brennan serves as the 1890 Land Grant Liaison and Limited-Resource/Minority Farmer Outreach Specialist. In Georgia, Phoenix Gardens is often a training ground for HABESHA cohorts and a whole host of other prospective and current farmers.

Photos by Kayla Williams

Photos by Kayla Williams

What factors have gotten them this far in their impressive farming career? "Resiliency, Passion and Love." 

As a farming couple, they cite individual characteristics that meld to form a successful partnership: "Brennan has an easy-going, patient manner. He also likes to try new things and tinker with new ways of doing things. Gwendolyn is a natural people person. We call her our social butterfly and those qualities have made her really good with our customers."

Our conversation with Brennan and Gwendolyn about the heart of their work as farmers and mentors follows:

How did you select 'Phoenix Gardens' as your farm name?

Shortly after we moved into our home, we received a notice from Gwinnett County indicating that our property may be seized for a road project. After an almost agonizing year of waiting, we received a notification saying our property wouldn't be needed. Gwendolyn and I said we rose from the ashes like the phoenix and Phoenix Gardens was formed. Our name took on a deeper meeting when our home was destroyed by a fire in 2015.

Photos by Kayla Williams

Photos by Kayla Williams

What is your WHY in farming? What motivates you to continue doing what you do?

Well, first of all, we enjoy it. We have a passion for it and will continue to do it as long as we can physically. We are also deeply motivated to be a resource for new farmers, especially Black and Brown farmers. If the renewed interest in local foods continues, as we believe it will, we need to nurture new farmers to meet demand and build local communities.

What are some of the hurdles you've overcome in your career? 

We've had to overcome quite a few challenges over the years. Aside from the road-building issues and the fire detailed earlier, we have had to deal with some health issues that severely hampered our ability to work the farm. Brennan had to undergo some major back surgery about ten years ago that brought us to the brink of financial ruin. The farm has presented us with very few challenges. It's been the personal issues that everyone has to deal with that have presented us with our greatest challenges as they often become aggravated when you operate a farm.  

How has mentorship factored into your work, and who are some folks you have mentored who have continued to farm? 

We have been both mentees and mentors over the past 16 years. We are graduates of the Georgia Organics Mentoring Program, and Brennan also played a role in helping to mentor farmers. Among the farmers we have helped: Jamila Norman of Patchwork City farms, Andrea Ness of Aluma Farms, Keisha and Warren Cameron of High Hog Farms, and Monica Booker of Keeyah Gardens. We've also worked closely with HABESHA Works to put on training programs for their cohorts and host them at our farm. Through his work with Southern SARE, Brennan has helped countless farmers and organizations all across the Southeast and the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to help grow farmers and local food systems.

Did anyone mentor or inspire you in farming? 

Aside from the Georgia Organics Mentoring Program, we have benefitted immensely from the Southern University Small Farm Agricultural Leadership Program. This was a two-year experience that helped broaden our knowledge of agriculture in the Southeast and connected us with many invaluable people in helping us throughout our farming career. Equally valuable were the state and regional conferences such as those put on by Georgia Organics and the Sustainable Agriculture Working Group.

What do you hope your lasting impact will be? 

We hope that when people think of Phoenix Gardens and Brennan and Gwendolyn, they will say they were solid and helpful supporters. Not only did they grow healthy food, but they also encouraged and helped other farmers to do the same. We hope we leave behind a legacy of support and outreach that people found valuable and hopefully encourages them to do the same. 

What's next for the farm and y'all? 

Well, we're getting close to retirement, so our plan is to transition the farm to more of an educational model and to figure out to bring in some farmers to run the operation once we head out to pasture. 

Of course, we'll continue to work on important projects, among them helping to develop a new version of a southeastern sustainable agriculture regional conference increasing agricultural ties between farmers of color on the mainland and US territories, and continuing to ensure that farmers have access to the resources that can help them be sustainable for some time. 

What does winning this award mean to you? 

It means a lot to us. We knew and worked with Barbara Petit and appreciated her passion for local food systems. While we have done a lot of our work in the shadows, it is nice to get some recognition for the work we have done, especially Gwendolyn. We have been around as long as Truly Living Well and Metro Atlanta Urban Farm, yet we are often left out of conversations when it comes to local food system work in Atlanta and Georgia, so it's nice to have some recognition tossed our way. Winning this award means that we have helped to advance local food system work not only in Atlanta but beyond as well, and we believe that this award will help us to continue to advance this work.


Want to help us honor Chris, Jenny, Gwendolyn, and Brennan? You can make a contribution in their name for our award honorariums.

Visit: www.georgiaorganics.org/donate

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Join us online to meet and celebrate Brennan and Gwendolyn Washington on Thursday, May 27, at 6 p.m. This event is FREE for Georgia Organics members. To learn more and register, visit georgiaorganics.org/awards


Mary Elizabeth Kidd is the Director of Communications 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.

 

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.


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!


“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

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

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. 


Courtesy of Matthew Raiford

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.”


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!

SUMMIT 2021—Supporting the Whole Child using Farm to Early Care and Education with Wendy Palmer

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.

Sign up today for the eighth annual Georgia Farm to School and Early Care and Education Summit, held virtually from Tuesday, April 27 through Saturday, May 1. The Summit features dynamic education sessions highlighting gardening, cooking with kids, local procurement, curriculum integration, and more! This event is hosted by Georgia Organics and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.

SIGN UP FOR SUMMIT TODAY!


“In Farm to School and ECE, I love the shift that is taking place to incorporate the whole child. Rather than thinking that food is just fuel, food is starting to be used in other components of childhood wellness such as mental and emotional health or physical health.”   

Farm to ECE initiatives are a wonderful tool to educate children about the complexities of life, whether it is the different dynamics at play when procuring local foods, the importance of health and well-being, or the value of our environment. Wendy Palmer, a registered dietitian and certified health education specialist, has found ways to weave these different topics into garden and nutrition education.  

wendy-palmer-headshot.jpeg

One of Wendy’s Farm to ECE favorite strategies is using the garden to promote positive mental health outcomes. She encourages educators to utilize the garden not only to teach children about where food comes from and how it grows, but also to show students unique coping or stress-reducing mechanisms.  

Wendy mentioned, “Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and cope, but there are other ways that we can encourage good mental health strategies early on as well. We can teach children to meditate in the garden, to care for plants or to harvest healthy foods for them and their families, activities that will nourish a sense of accomplishment. FTECE gives us the opportunity to engage with students in some many different ways!” 

Wendy is thrilled to be participating in this year’s Summit, to share knowledge as well as to learn from the wide variety of expertise present. During her session, Wendy will be giving us insight into the ways that you can utilize Farm to School to support holistic childhood development -- physically, emotionally and academically. 

SUMMIT 2021—Bee Smart. Eat Smart: Meet Dr. Caree Cotwright

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.

Sign up today for the eighth annual Georgia Farm to School and Early Care and Education Summit, held virtually from Tuesday, April 27 through Saturday, May 1. The Summit features dynamic education sessions highlighting gardening, cooking with kids, local procurement, curriculum integration, and more! This event is hosted by Georgia Organics and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.

SIGN UP FOR SUMMIT TODAY!


“We have a strong Farm to School and ECE Alliance and Coalition in Georgia, and I am looking forward to learning from the expertise of the diverse partners and connecting with them.” 

Partnerships make Georgia Farm to ECE stronger, something Dr. Caree Cotwright has experienced firsthand. A professor in the UGA Obesity Prevention lab, Dr. Cotwright, has been working with the State Botanical Garden in Athens, Georgia to use Farm to Early Care and Education as a strategy for preventing childhood obesity. This partnership led to a summer pilot program at the State Botanical Gardens called “Bee Smart, Eat Smart” that allowed UGA to analyze the implementation of comprehensive garden curricula in Early Care education.  

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While collaborating on this project, Dr. Cotwright noticed the benefits of using gardens as a holistic place to nurture student’s learning, development, and lifestyle choices. She noted: 

 “There was so much learning going on in the garden! I love that Farm to ECE connects students with where food comes from. When these students develop basic knowledge and love of food, nutrition, and the environment early on, they are taught to be mindful and have an appreciation of the whole spectrum that will serve them well in the future.”  

During Summit, Dr. Cotwright and her students will be hosting a virtual tour of the State Botanical Gardens where they tested their Farm to ECE garden curricula. Then, they will provide best practices for creating partnerships and offer suggestions for funding mechanisms and garden curriculum development that enhances Farm to Early Care and Education.  

Visit our website to learn more and register for this year’s Summit using this link

Announcing Farm to School Month 2021: 'Livin’ La Vida Okra!' Starts this Summer in Your School’s Garden

By Kimberly Koogler and Yaza Sarieh 

Kimberly Koogler is the Farm to School Coordinator at Georgia Organics. Yaza Sarieh is a Farm to School Contractor with Georgia Organics, as well as a Child Health and Wellness Intern with the Georgia Department of Public Health.


For more guidance that will include more visual aids for all the visual learners out there and will also be more entertaining, please save the date for our upcoming virtual Good Food for Thought event, all about getting ready for Livin’ la Vida Okra on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 3:00 pm. This fun AND practical event will include a presentation on how to plant your okra seeds with students, as well as a special on-site demonstration. So, mark your calendars, and we’ll all plant okra together this Summer, and then we will celebrate a bountiful okra harvest together during October Farm to School Month! 


We are celebrating okra this October for National Farm to School Month, but preparations will begin long before October! If you want your school garden to be ready with a bountiful okra harvest, you should plant your okra before you come back for school in the Fall. Okra takes a few months to get to the point where it is producing vigorously, but once there, it will give and give until the first frost. For the most bountiful okra harvest, we recommend planting your okra either before school gets out in May or during the summer break, in June or July.  

This means that someone will need to take care of it while school is not in session! School gardens are often neglected during the summer, but with a little help from the school community, they can survive and even thrive. With advance planning, you can ensure your okra crop and any other summer vegetables growing in the garden are flourishing and in abundant supply when school starts back up again.  

From Mis Pequenos Angeles, photo credit: Linden Tree Photography

From Mis Pequenos Angeles, photo credit: Linden Tree Photography

How to recruit and manage help from your school community: 

  • About a month before school gets out for the summer, advertise the need for summer school garden helpers through announcements, newsletters, e-mail communications, and social media.  

  • Clearly communicate your goals for the garden: Let folks know what the goals are--one being thriving okra plants--and shout it from the rooftops that we’ll be Livin’ La Vida Okra this Fall!  

  • Engage students in virtual outreach efforts, encouraging them to share with their families and on social media. This will not only help spread the word but will also increase students’ sense of ownership of the school garden. 

  • Check-in with educators who may be hosting summer school sessions or summer camps at the school to coordinate schedules and/or cross collaborate. 

  • Use Calendly (https://calendly.com/), Sign Up Genius (https://www.signupgenius.com/), Google Calendar, or another online group scheduling tool and ask volunteers to commit to one or two weeks of summer garden maintenance.  

Helpful hints: Make sure you understand your school district’s policies regarding volunteers and summer programming to ensure rules and regulations are followed (e.g., filing waivers for volunteers, getting access to school grounds, water, etc.).  

Check out this Collective School Garden Network “Building a School Garden Support Network” resource

From My Little Geniuses, photo credit: Linden Tree Photography

From My Little Geniuses, photo credit: Linden Tree Photography

Once you have recruited summer garden helpers, you’ll need to provide some guidance and simple instructions:

  • Outline a plan for weekly maintenance tasks, such as watering, weeding, harvesting, etc. 

  • If you haven’t already done so, add planting okra to the to-do list! Be sure to include clear instructions on where to plant the okra seeds. 

  • Create a simple maintenance calendar that is accessible to all your garden helpers and populate it with tasks to be done on a weekly basis.  

  • Include optional tasks that would be nice to have done but are not critical for garden survival as extra options to keep your garden lovers happy and busy.  

  • Post your maintenance calendar in the garden and online. Use Google Calendar or whatever your school’s preferred shared calendar is. Make sure the sharing settings are open to all garden helpers, and share the calendar with all garden helpers on social media, through newsletters, and email. 

Courtesy of Kimberly Koogler

Courtesy of Kimberly Koogler

Guidance on Planting and Caring for Okra

When?  

Okra thrives in the heat and full sun and should be planted when the days become consistently warm. In Georgia, the ideal time is late April through July.  

Which okra varieties should you plant?  

Spineless varieties will be kinder to everyone’s skin. Otherwise, okra thrives in our climate, so you can’t go wrong with any variety! Southern Exposure Seed Exchange has 18 different varieties to choose from. You can also wait until the sign-up for Livin’ La Vida Okra goes live in June. The first 300 people who sign up will be mailed a resource packet, which will include two okra seed packets. 

How?  

Okra can be direct-seeded or transplanted, but its root system prefers to be direct-seeded. Sow seeds ¾ to 1 inch deep, spaced approximately 18 inches apart, in rows 5 to 6 feet apart. If transplanting, start seeds in trays or pots 2-3 weeks before planting outside. 

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Courtesy of Kimberly Koogler

Then what?  

Keep the area around your okra plants free of weeds, especially while the plants are still young. After pulling weeds, you can apply a thick layer of mulch to prevent any more weeds from growing. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, thin them out so that they are at least 18 inches apart. Okra plants can grow to be quite large, so it’s important to give them ample space to branch out and flourish.  

Keep your okra plants well-watered, especially while they are flowering and producing pods.  

How to Harvest Okra 

The sooner you plant your okra this Summer, the sooner you’ll start harvesting it, and once your plants start putting out pods, you need to stay on top of harvesting!  

You can use a knife or scissors to cut the okra pods from the plant (students should be careful!), or you can gently snap the stem of the okra pod from the plant. Harvest while the pods are still tender. Generally, this means at 2 to 3 inches; however, if it has been rainy (and warm), the pods will grow faster and can be longer yet still tender. Try to harvest daily, or at least every other day, in order to harvest while pods are still tender and to encourage the plant to keep producing pods.  

Okra pods become woody if they’re left on the plant for too many days. Remove the woody pods and save them for another use or toss them into the compost. Leave the tiny pods to grow a little longer and gain more flavor. 

Be sure to share the summer garden harvest! 

Show appreciation to volunteers by allowing them to take home some of the harvested produce. Sending gratitude and giving due credit to participants can create long-term investment in your gardening projects and generate a greater sense of community.  


For more guidance that will include more visual aids for all the visual learners out there and will also be more entertaining, please save the date for our upcoming virtual Good Food for Thought event, all about getting ready for Livin’ la Vida Okra on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 3:00 pm. This fun AND practical event will include a presentation on how to plant your okra seeds with students, as well as a special on-site demonstration. So, mark your calendars, and we’ll all plant okra together this Summer, and then we will celebrate a bountiful okra harvest together during October Farm to School Month! 

SUMMIT 2021—Using Farm to Early Care and Education to Move, Play, and Learn with Ms. Ladybug

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.

Sign up today for the eighth annual Georgia Farm to School and Early Care and Education Summit, held virtually from Tuesday, April 27 through Saturday, May 1. The Summit features dynamic education sessions highlighting gardening, cooking with kids, local procurement, curriculum integration, and more! This event is hosted by Georgia Organics and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.


Photos courtesy of Ms. Ladybug

Photos courtesy of Ms. Ladybug

“I am so excited to see all of the wonderful human beings at Summit who make such an impact in Georgia F2ECE. When you embrace F2ECE as part of your mission, it opens lots of possibilities and safe, entertaining, healthy doors with loads of positive outcomes for children.”  

Ms. Ladybug is the embodiment of her name—she is a garden-warrior and an exuberant advocate for F2ECE as a means of teaching children about the world around them.

Her tried-and-true methods of engaging with children focus on elevating children’s voices first, then using a silly, fun framework to get them excited about nature and the garden.

For example, to inspire students to eat fruits and vegetables, she gets them thinking by taking them outside to watch what worms eat. She asks questions like, ‘Do the worms like cheese? Or do they really like kale and watermelon?’ Ultimately, she has found that when students connect with nature and nutritious foods through these types of observations, they aspire to eat more nutritious foods too!  

Photos courtesy of Ms. Ladybug

Photos courtesy of Ms. Ladybug

In addition, F2ECE has been a way for Ms. Ladybug to contextualize complex societal issues while promoting diversity and equity.

Photos courtesy of Ms. Ladybug

Photos courtesy of Ms. Ladybug

When the students are in the garden, Ms. Ladybug prompts them to notice individual plant needs and how some plants differ from others. This activity allows students to visualize equity. She invites the students to celebrate these differences and recognize the beauty and purpose that each plant gives to its ecosystem.

Ms. Ladybug believes that F2ECE not only provides students with a way to understand the world but that these meaningful connections teach them to care for their own and each other’s well-being.   

During Ms. Ladybug’s Summit session, she will present creative and captivating ways in which you can incorporate simple F2ECE lessons into your daily activities.  


Sign up today for the eighth annual Georgia Farm to School and Early Care and Education Summit, held virtually from Tuesday, April 27 through Saturday, May 1. The Summit features dynamic education sessions highlighting gardening, cooking with kids, local procurement, curriculum integration, and more! This event is hosted by Georgia Organics and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.

SUMMIT 2021—Early Care & Education Provider Wande Okunoren-Meadows: “Farm to ECE is Beneficial for the Whole Child”

Photo courtesy of Little Ones Learning Center, credit: Linden Tree Photography.

Photo courtesy of Little Ones Learning Center, credit: Linden Tree Photography.

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


“There is no right or wrong answer to Farm to School/ECE—as long as you’re doing something, you’re doing the right thing.”  

Wande Okunoren-Meadows is the director and educator at Little Ones Learning Center in Forest Park, where she utilizes Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) practices to support the development of the whole child.

Photo courtesy of Little Ones Learning Center, credit: Linden Tree Photography.

Photo courtesy of Little Ones Learning Center, credit: Linden Tree Photography.

Especially amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Wande believes Farm to ECE has been crucial for her students' health and well-being by boosting their immune systems, helping their mental health, and continuing their love of nutrition and environmental education.  

One of the components of Farm to ECE that Wande appreciates the most is how it creates a foundation for life-long respect and value of nature among her students:  

“Farm to ECE is holistic, inclusive, and incorporates everything a child needs for their development that you may never have thought of before. I love seeing our students engage with nature on a daily basis in the garden, where they watch life grow and develop a sense of environmental responsibility. If our children love and value nature as much as their Nikes, then we are winning.” 


Wande will be one of the speakers at this year’s Summit, where she will discuss ways Farm to ECE can address inequities and communal needs while also providing us with tips for Farm to ECE best practices in the classroom. Visit our website to learn more and don’t forget to register

Photo courtesy of Little Ones Learning Center, credit: Linden Tree Photography.

Photo courtesy of Little Ones Learning Center, credit: Linden Tree Photography.

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 @GeorgiaOrganicsTwitter @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.

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.

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.

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!


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!

Meet Organic Ag and Farm to School Hero, Loretta “The Farmer” Adderson

By Kimberly Koogler

Kimberly Koogler is the Farm to School Coordinator at Georgia Organics. To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit www.georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Instagram @GeorgiaOrganicsTwitter @GeorgiaOrganics, and at www.Facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics. 

Photos courtesy of Loretta Adderson.

Photos courtesy of Loretta Adderson.

To celebrate Women’s History Month and women in agriculture, we’d like to highlight the contributions to organic agriculture and Farm to School in Georgia by a trail-blazing woman, Georgia farmer, and newly-elected Georgia Organics board member, Loretta Adderson. 

Loretta and her husband Samuel Adderson, recipients of the 2018 Georgia Organics Land Stewardship Award, are third-generation family farmers with over 70 years of growing experience. They have been farming together for 14 years in Keysville, GA, where they are pioneers in organic agriculture and have served as mentors to many other aspiring organic farmers in the area. Their farm was the first to be USDA-certified organic in the Central Savannah River Area in 2011. Loretta grew up on her family’s farm with six brothers. 

This photo of Loretta on a tractor was taken over 50 years ago on her family’s farm. She says, “At this time, I was in College and enjoying being home with my family. In the 1960s, girls weren't encouraged to become farmers, but I always loved being…

This photo of Loretta on a tractor was taken over 50 years ago on her family’s farm. She says, “At this time, I was in College and enjoying being home with my family. In the 1960s, girls weren't encouraged to become farmers, but I always loved being outdoors.” 

 After retiring in 2006 from Public School Nutrition work and working and living in Pennsylvania and Michigan, she and her husband returned to the family farm in Georgia, where they started farming together. The name of their business is Adderson’s Fresh Produce, and they grow a diverse array of vegetables, fruits, and herbs. 

I asked Mrs. Adderson a few questions to get to know her a little more and to see why she farms and what inspires her. She generously took the time to answer all my questions, even as Spring fast approaches and her work on the farm becomes more demanding.

Photos courtesy of Loretta Adderson.

Photos courtesy of Loretta Adderson.

 How did you learn how to grow food?

I’m convinced that it’s in my DNA and many years of working on the farm. Penn State, Michigan State, Ala A & M, UGA and FVSU Extension Services, and many other workshops. 

My husband and I lived in Carlisle, PA, State College, PA, Allison Park, PA, Warner Robins, GA, and Lake Orion, MI, before retiring back in Georgia. Everywhere we lived, I had a garden and was known as the Farmer. I'm just beginning to connect the dots to my love for farming.  

Why do you farm organically?

On our farm when I was growing up daddy never put any chemicals on the garden area. They put the manure down at the end of the year for the next planting season. It was never called organic, so I knew we had to grow without using harmful inputs. Healthy soil yields healthy food, which equals healthy body. Grow Organic for Life.

What is your ultimate mission in farming? Why do you do what you do?

My ultimate mission in farming is to provide the next generation with safe land to pursue their dreams. I envision a farm with drones and robotic tools and equipment. Indoor growing at levels we never thought of. My dad wanted the land to be here for generations to come, and I do too.

What does “farm to school” mean to you?

“Farm to School” means the Farmer/Farm working directly with the school/nutrition program to enhance their school programs.

How do you participate in your local school system’s farm to school program, and why do you?

Adderson’s Fresh Produce has sponsored tours of the fields, orchard, and hoop house for School Nutrition Employees that included lunch prepared on the farm using farm-grown, organic vegetables. We’ve participated in on-campus Field Days and enjoyed lunch with the students. We’ve sold produce to the School Nutrition Program. We assisted the School Nutrition Program with starting a Farmers Market and participated as often as possible. We do this to help the students learn more about where food comes from, to expose the students to locally grown, fresh vegetables, and see the farmer who grew those vegetables.

Do you think farm to school programs have the potential to cultivate future organic farmers like yourself?

I definitely do; I feel by 2030, we will see a drastic increase in Organic Farms and Farmers. Schools are going to add farming to their curriculum as an elective and as a requirement by 2050.

What is one thing you would like to tell young people about farming?

Learn to grow food!

What is one thing you would like to tell young girls and women about farming?

Farming is a business that connects you to nature and the soil. 

Who is a woman you have looked up to and who has inspired you?

My great-great Grandmother, Tempe Jackson, was a farm owner and was driven off during the “Trails of Tears." My great-grandpa lived with us after he was older and would tell us about her and how he worked with her on the Farm. My mom and dad named my sister, who died as an infant before I was born, "Shirley Tempe," after my great-great-grandmother.

Our mom and dad brought their own farm and raised us on it. Farming in our family goes back to the 1860s. I am proud of our heritage.

It takes true grit, resilience, fortitude, and dedication to organically produce food from the earth, especially here in the South. On top of that, to go the extra mile and actively participate in her local school system’s farm to school program is a truly generous investment in our state’s future. It is not an easy job, but Loretta Adderson knows that it is as important as it is challenging. We are truly grateful for Mrs. Adderson and the legacy she is growing as she paves the way for future generations of organic farmers in Georgia.

You can find the Addersons’ organic produce at the Laney Walker Farmers Market, the Veggie Park Farmers Market, the Augusta Locally Grown Online Market and On-Farm Popup Markets.


Follow them on social media at facebook.com/addersonsfreshproduce.

Be sure to save the date for our 8th Georgia Farm to School and Early Care and Education Summit to be held virtually April 27- May 1! Learn more at bit.ly/2021SUMMIT

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.

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,

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.

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.


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.