Tucker Farm
Growing on the banks of the Oostanaula River, Tucker Farms grows specialty lettuces, greens, and garden vegetables. Their hydroponic greenhouse allows them to grow greens year-round.Tucker Farms is owned and operated by Craig Tucker and his wife, Kikki. Located on the Oostanaula River in Rome, Georgia, they built their first hoop house in 2010 and their hydroponic greenhouse in 2012. Before the pandemic they sold almost exclusively to restaurants so they had to pivot quickly in March of 2020. At that same time, Fresh Harvest was experiencing significant growth so the partnership was perfect timing. Their greens have filled Fresh Harvest baskets ever since and we’ve begun crop planning for the future.
Two things we love about Tucker Farms is their consistency and sustainable farming practices. Their use of hoop houses and a hydroponic greenhouse enable them to grow greens year round, which benefits Fresh Harvest customers, and provides steady, dependable work for their greenhouse team. Hydroponic growing also reduces water usage up to ten times less than field grown greens.
Hydroponic growing is the method of growing plants without soil where water becomes the medium that delivers the required nutrients to the plant roots. The water continuously circulates using a tank and a nutrient pump and the plants sit in a grow tray (below) so only the roots are exposed to the circulated water. Tucker grows several varieties but on average they take one month from seed to harvest.
Thankfully, Tucker farms has emerged from the challenges of 2020 stronger than ever. Having firmly established wholesale deliveries they are currently revamping their sales to some of our favorite restaurants like Poor Hendrix and Little Bear. So the same greens that fill your Fresh Harvest baskets each week are on the menus of some of Atlanta’s best restaurants. Thank you for keeping this local food economy turning!