Our winter round of farm visits has ended, with stops at partner farms all across Georgia. These visits help us stay aligned with our farmers, learning how they go about crop planning. as we plan for the upcoming season!
Diamond Hill Farm, Winterville, GA
Over the past few years, Carter Dodd has gone all-in on flower production at Diamond Hill Farm. He’s brought on a flower expert, Alex, to lead the program along with a five-person flower team. This year, they’re expanding their lineup of microgreens, okra, and edamame, and have doubled their celery plantings. We’re especially excited for their summer melons and a hefty incoming crop of potatoes. With so much growth happening, you can expect to see more Diamond Hill produce and blooms than ever in the Fresh Harvest shop!
Fry Farm, Bethlehem, GA
Matt Fry and his parents, Steve and Vicky, added more high tunnels to their farm in 2024, helping extend their growing season and protect crops from unpredictable weather. Looking ahead to 2025, they’re planning to ramp up production of onions and potatoes. Fry Farm is known for experimenting with unique varieties like radicchio, mini bell peppers, badger flame beets, fushimi peppers, silver line and sugar cube melons, figs, and butterkin squash. They’re also on the lookout for more land to support their continued growth.
Crystal Organic Farm, Newborn, GA
Nicolas and Jeni are sticking with a similar crop plan this year but are boosting production of some of their more unique tomato varieties for late summer. They also shared that seed prices—especially for organic pepper plants—have risen sharply. Still, their dedication to sustainable growing and high-quality produce remains unmatched. We always leave inspired after visiting their beautiful farm.
Snapfinger Farm, Stockbridge, GA
Farmer Rahul Anand is going big in 2025. He’s adding more growing tunnels to increase production of crops like cauliflower and tomatillos. He’s also expanding his melon lineup, plus growing more kale, potatoes, green garlic, and kohlrabi for Fresh Harvest. Snapfinger Farm is part of a Climate-Smart Agriculture initiative, using Rahul’s farm as a site to study how farms can better adapt to climate shifts. As part of that program, they’ll also be growing additional tomatoes, leeks, and butternut squash that will be available to Fresh Harvest customers.
Love is Love Cooperative Farm, Mansfield, GA
There is so much green garlic and so many leeks coming in from our friends at Love is Love Cooperative Farm! Some of the fun 2025 varieties we’re looking forward to getting from them include their late summer Orangetti Squash, Purple Romaine lettuce, Cuba Libre & Mai Tai tomatoes! Farmers Joe Reynolds and Demetrious Milling agreed to increase their cantaloupe production for Fresh Harvest shoppers as well as going bigger on Broccolini, and Basil. Unfortunately, many of the nurseries growing strawberry starts for local farms have suffered major lossess due to a plant fungus. So Love is Love’s strawberry production will be much lower this season. In happier news, we learned that the farmer-owners are only a year and a half away from owning their land! This is a major step, and we’re so excited for them to reach this milestone.
Woodland Garden, Winterville, GA
It was great to reconnect with Farmer Celia Barss this month. We talked about the possibility of Woodland Garden growing edamame for Fresh Harvest in 2025. Celia will also be taking full ownership of the farm this year—a major step forward. Like Love is Love, she used the Conservation Fund to make the land purchase possible, helping keep it protected from future development.
Signal Mountain Farm, Signal Mountain, TN
Farmer Thomas O’neil is focusing all his energy on the summer season this year, with plans to grow more heirloom and cherry tomatoes than ever before for Fresh Harvest. While we won’t be getting any produce from him in the spring, we’re counting down the days until tomato season kicks off!
Rise ‘N Shine Farm, Calhoun, GA
Mitch Lawson is now farming on 32 acres spread across multiple properties—and he’s also building a home for his family on the land! This year in addition to the typical crops offered by Rise ‘n Shine, he’s growing spinach, garlic scapes, Sun Sugar cherry tomatoes, and canary melons for us. Rise ‘N Shine continues to be a key partner, and we can’t wait to offer more of their beautiful produce.
Athens Orchard, Athens, GA
We haven’t started buying from Blake Price’s new orchard just yet, but with 2,000 fruit trees planted, it’s only a matter of time. We’re hoping to start seeing fruit by August! His pesticide-free orchard includes jujubes, seedless muscadines, pawpaws, chestnuts, blackberries, blueberries, fuyu persimmons, pineapple guava, figs, pomegranates, kiwi berries, mulberries, maypops, and more. Athens Orchard is a trailblazer in local fruit production, and we’re excited about what’s to come.
Hickory Hill Farm, Comer, GA
Josh Johns has been gradually taking over more of the farm operations from his father-in-law, Garry Shaw. For 2025, they’re planning to grow edamame and Korean melons for Fresh Harvest, along with expanding their lunchbox pepper and okra plantings. It’s always exciting to see how Hickory Hill evolves from season to season.
Row by Rowe Farm, Luthersville, GA
Josh and Jess have been managing the farm while raising a little one—no small feat! After a quieter 2024, we’re looking to increase our orders with them this year. Expect to see carrots, radicchio, broccoli, melons, winter squash, cabbage, escarole, and endive from Row by Rowe in upcoming boxes.
Over the years, we’ve built a circle of trust. Our farmers count on Fresh Harvest to follow through on our commitments. We trust them to grow exceptional produce. Together, we trust our customers to support this system by continuing to invest in local, sustainable food. And in return, you receive fresh, delicious food that’s better for your bodies, our economy, and the planet.
Have thoughts about your weekly produce or want to see something different in your box? Email us at info@freshharvest.com—we’d love to hear from you. Thanks for supporting local!
