The Growing Together program is small, but its impact is deep. This year, there were six families farming our one acre of land. More than 20,000 pounds of vegetables were harvested from this green and compact corner of our city. More than 5,000 pounds of that were purchased by The Nashville Food Project from the farmers and then shared with partners and community members who helped distribute to those who otherwise lack access to fresh produce. We are also grateful for the customers who participated in our community supported agriculture (CSA) program. In this post, we share a few favorite moments of the year.
Partner Spotlight: Growing Together + Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition
Growing Together Manager Tallahassee May writes about the farmers’ produce-sharing partnership with Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.
“In growing food for local sales and distribution, [the farmers] have the autonomy to grow food that is both culturally meaningful to them as well as crops that support relationship-building with different cultures.”
Kale Yeah!
Partner Spotlight: Darrell Hawks of Friends of Mill Ridge Park
The Nashville Food Project stewards a portion of Mill Ridge Park as the Community Farm at Mill Ridge, as space that currently hosts about 80 community garden participant families. Our partnership with Friends of Mill Ridge Park (FMRP) has been essential in the continued success of TNFP’s efforts to create infrastructure and land access opportunities for folks to grow their own food in the South East Nashville area. As we celebrate the ways that our work is intertwined with other types of environmental justice work in Nashville, we spoke with FMRP Executive Director, Darrell Hawks.
Remembrance at the Community Farm at Mill Ridge
Community Cupboard: a weekly grocery share
An Update from the Growing Together Farmers: "Believing in Tomorrow"
So many doors, businesses, and communities are closed and we are all feeling the impact and the collective suffering. And yet. We at the Nashville Food Project and within the Growing Together community have no choice but to use this as an opportunity to imagine, envision, and create new doors, new opportunities, and new pathways forward. We will continue on with our vision of community food security, where everyone has access to the food they want and need.