The Rodale Institute — a nonprofit that focuses on advancing regenerative agriculture through research, education and consulting — recently awarded Jessica Breaux, executive director of Piney Woods Farm with its 2025 Organic Stewardship Award.
Piney Woods Farm is a 100-acre diversified charitable non-profit farm in LaGrange, Ga. It focuses on building soil health and microbial biodiversity, particularly through its biocomplete composting system. It donates produce to local food banks, organizations and communities and offers educational workshops.
De’Anthony Price, southeast organic consultant for Rodale Institute, says Piney Woods Farm is “a great example of what a living, working farming system can look like when you put soil health first and when you put social fairness first.”
Regarding the award, he added: “Jessica is a deserving farmer in Georgia. She is doing exactly what we push farmers to do, and that is implementing more regenerative farming systems.”
Though Piney Woods Farm has hosted a few tours for Rodale, the award came as a surprise to Breaux.
“At first, I was surprised that we were on Rodale’s radar because they are such an inspiration for us. They are so big and doing such big things,” she says. “That they actually saw our little farm here in LaGrange — we’re very honored. Extremely honored and very humbled.”
She adds that, while her name is on the award itself, it really is an award for Piney Woods Farm and everyone who helps make it what it is today. She called out two in particular.
“There’s no way that this farm would be where it is today if it wasn’t for our consultant Fred Turner. He’s the instigator pushing us forward with innovation and always looking for the newest, best ways to grow the most nutrient dense food. And our farm manager Derek Kelly who actually implements everything. When those two get together — our consultant and our farm manager — I kind of sit there in awe and ask ‘How can I help?’”
What makes Piney Woods Farm special
For both Breaux and Price, it’s Piney Woods Farm’s intense focus on soil health through biodiversity that really sets it apart.
“We are more interested in growing healthy microbe-rich, biodiverse soil and compost than anything else,” Breaux says. “That’s where it starts from. That is your base.”
Piney Woods Farm builds that base in part through its biocomplete composting efforts. This includes what it calls its Farm Lab and Farm Fertility Center.
Speaking of the lab, Breaux says it is “where we actually test any inputs, any extracts and the soil. We are looking at the different microbes and we are identifying them. We’re making sure there aren’t any bad actors. We’re actually counting them in some cases to see how many we have. What are the fungi? How big is it? Is it healthy looking? Then we know what we have before we can put it out there.”
The focus on soil health is paramount at Piney Woods Farm, far above thinking about the produce, Breaux says.
I think more people are interested in that tomato than they are in what it is that the plant actually needs to grow that tomato,” she offers as an example. “But if you give the plant what it needs, it will give you a more delicious, nutrient-dense tomato.”
The farm’s focus on soil health makes it a great example of regenerative, organic farming in action, Price says.
“When you talk about regenerative organic agriculture you have three main key pillars and that is soil health, livestock integration and social fairness,” he says.
He explains that the social fairness element is not only creating a farming system that produces nutrient dense food, but that provides a safe, sustainable living for both the farmer and farm workers.
“And also within social fairness, I always like to say highlight the community engagement piece, where you’re actually creating a food system and an equitable food system that has full access to everyone.”
Touring Piney Woods Farm
That community-focused part of regenerative organic farming was on display during the Rodale Institute’s farm tour on Piney Woods Farm that coincided with the award.
“It was a beautiful day,” says Price, who organized the event as an educational workshop. “Not only were attendees able to learn more about regenerative organic farming systems, but they had firsthand learning sessions about organic tomato production, and they were really able to join in the community and celebration to highlight and recognize Piney Woods farm as the 2025 Rodale Institute Organic Stewardship Award winner.”
The event included a tour of Piney Woods Farm, particularly its composting facility, and a pair of learning sessions about growing organic tomatoes.
“The goal of the workshop was to educate growers and farmers about regenerative organic practices with the highlight on tomato production,” says Price, who is a farmer himself who grows tomatoes.
Breaux reports a lot of participant questions centered on interest in soil health, what it means and the logistics of how bio-complete composting works. Attendees ranged from new farmers, small farmers, backyard hobbyists and gardeners, to community members who were interested but who had no interest in growing.
Breaux says she was humbled by the response.
“I was kind of blown away by the community support and the support from Rodale and the interest in what we’re doing here at Piney Woods Farm.”
