By Kayla Stroud, Communications and Events Specialist
The Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance (GAWA), at Mercer University School of Medicine’s Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center, is a coalition of organizations dedicated to addressing farm health, safety, and well-being in Georgia. GAWA was established in response to the prevalence of mental health challenges experienced by farm families and communities, which was revealed, in large part, through a joint study conducted by GRHIC, led by Anne Montgomery, Ph.D., and students in the School of Medicine’s Rural Health Sciences Ph.D. program. GAWA’s focus is all of Georgia’s farming communities.
Farmacy Herb Makers Nursery
Who: Eda Garcia and Sam X
Where: Sylvester, Georgia, Worth County
Eda Garcia and her husband, Sam X, founded Farmacy Herb Makers Nursery in 2023 to pursue their passions for farming and wellness. The nursery offers a selection of medicinal and culinary herbs. The couple also connects agriculture and art through the Village Community Garden. Many residents volunteer at the farm for exercise and social connection. “Every Tuesday, people come here to work in the garden, and they call it ‘agro-cise,’” Garcia said. “We take our most sedentary citizens, and now they’re walkers. That’s healthy living. You want to live a long, healthy life, and anything we can do to help people do that is our goal. That’s why we also host Thursday health and wellness classes. That’s why we have the nursery and make these resources available in communities where they may not otherwise exist.”
Quick Picks Q&A
Favorite season on the farm?
“As a grower, when the plants start coming in early spring, and everything starts coming out, seeing that is exciting for me.” — Eda
Sweet tea or lemonade after a long workday?
“Lemon balm lemonade with Meyer lemons and either agave nectar or the stevia plant as a sweetener. That sounds good!” — Eda
Sunrise or sunset?
“Sunrise. With the sunset, I don’t get to do everything. You never finish anything. You’re just like, ‘God, I was having so much fun,’ and now all of a sudden, ‘We gotta go now.’ I just hate to see it go.” — Sam
What’s one word that describes your farm?
“A canvas.” — Sam
“An oasis.” — Eda
Things to Come:
“This year, Sam and I were asked to lead the agritourism committee for the city of Sylvester. So we’ve been involved with that. We also do Village to Village: Bridging Art and Agriculture, where the goal is to bring communities together and make this space available for other farmers, transplants, families, and young people to bring their products to market here.” — Eda