A little less than an hour southwest of Atlanta lies a 68-acre organic farm. This old, forgotten nursery was re-designed by a UGA class and turned into a working nursery and farm. Let me introduce you to King of Crops.
Now that name sounds a little familiar doesn’t it? So if you are wondering if King of Crops is somehow related to King of POPS, then you are right! King of Crops is owned by the infamous Atlanta popsicle company. KOP prides itself on its “ecologically responsible, fresh, all-natural frozen treats.” So owning its own farm where it can grow fresh produce seems like the logical next step.
The two guys running King of Crops, Russell and Cooper, were kind enough to give me a tour of the grounds. And while there is still much work to be done, the place is off to an incredible start.
Right now the farm is still in its early stages. A few crops are growing here and there, but there are big plans for the future. By this fall they are hoping to have 13 covered greenhouses, selling crops to local restaurants. They also hope to one day use the fruits and vegetables grown at the farm as ingredients in their popsicles!! And what’s their long term goal? To turn the farm into a destination. (And I have no doubt in my mind that this goal will come to fruition.)
But don’t think there’s nothing going on at King of Crops right now, because there absolutely is. They’ve begun to compost at the farm (which is a key part of organic farming) and hope to get other local restaurant owners to compost their waste, too. Some crops are growing– they will have blackberries this fall! And so much more.
Composting at King of Crops!
One of the most exciting parts of the farm (at least for us Atlantans) is the nursery. The nursery is fully functioning and producing native plants and herbs. Best of all? They will be available to purchase and pick up at the King of Pops window in Inman Park! #NurseryToWindow
King of Crops had a few volunteer days over summer where people could come and help out on the farm, and they are actually having another volunteer day this Sunday (9/13)! Contact King of Crops if you’re interested and check out their Facebook page for updates.
