Q&A: Paula Seville of Fresh Harvest
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Fresh Harvest is not your average community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. Zac Harrison discovered his passion for agriculture while on a cross-country motorcycle trip in California, and started the business in 2012 to recreate the feeling of a community centered around good, local food. He built this community in the city of Clarkston, where he brings together his neighbors from around the world to operate this ethical food hub.
Their business model is an aggregated version of a CSA program but with added levels of convenience and accommodation for consumer preferences. Sourcing from dozens of local farms all over Georgia and the Southeast, they also offer fridge and pantry staples like eggs and bread, prepared foods, and artisan goods from local partners, and deliver these products directly to people’s homes around Atlanta and Athens.
Sustainability is a core tenant of Fresh Harvest—beyond their sourcing practices, they’re intentional about alleviating food waste and using packaging that can be reused, recycled, or composted. But on a deeper level, what matters most to the Fresh Harvest team is people. Everything they do is to enrich the lives of communities through food, whether it’s by connecting consumers to farmers, or creating job and growth opportunities for refugees.
Here, we chat with Paula Seville, Director of Sales and Marketing, about Fresh Harvest’s focus on community, companies with strong ethical codes that they admire, and the camaraderie among organizations and people promoting good food in Atlanta.
Why do you support Slow Food?
At Fresh Harvest, we believe that knowing the stories and people behind our food not only adds pleasure to the eating experience, but it also leads to deeper communion with others, our bodies, and the planet. We support Slow Food because we believe that thoughtful eating makes our world a better place on both a small and large scale.
What aspects of your business' practices align with Slow Food’s mission and values?
Fresh Harvest is centered around local, regenerative farms. One of our highest-priority metrics is dollars spent on the local food economy each year. We accomplish this with no small thanks to the hard work of our amazing team. Roughly 75% of Fresh Harvest's staff is made up of people whose lives have been upended by war, conflict, and natural disasters. This diversity serves to broaden our company's perspectives and abilities while also positioning us to continue to be a valuable resource for refugee families here in Clarkston. And finally, a core value at Fresh Harvest is sharing tables—using slow food as a means to encourage community with families, neighbors, between consumers and suppliers, and within our own team.
What are other businesses you admire that are practicing good, clean, and fair values?
We love CompostNow. Not only are we partnering with them to turn our food scraps and packaging into soil, but we also admire their single-minded passion and vision to create a healthy planet without landfills. Another business we strive to emulate in many ways is Riverford Organic Farmers, a UK-based food delivery business that operates with a strong ethical code and commitment to local sustainable agriculture.
What’s special about the food scene and Slow Food community in Atlanta?
While we're not exactly sure what the communities look like in other cities, we love that the Atlanta Slow Food community is made up of members that really champion one another. Whether farmers, chefs, nonprofits, or distributors, there's a palpable sense of camaraderie between the various organizations and people who are promoting good food here in Atlanta. There seems to be an awareness that good, slow food is still the exception here in our city. Those who are involved in this movement really want to see slow food extended to more Georgians and they seem willing to support anyone who's moving the needle towards that end.
What does it mean to you to have won the Snail of Approval award?
What an honor to have won this award! It's a great encouragement to know that our work is recognized as impactful by Slow Food. And to be included in this recognition with such greats of the Atlanta food scene is exhilarating. We're very grateful and more motivated than ever to continue improving and championing slow food here in Georgia.