About Us
Our future depends on the seeds we sow today. We work side-by-side as Columbus South Side neighbors to cultivate a community of wellness that heals our bodies, souls, and minds. Together through our urban farming gardens we address food insecurities and provide safe havens for discussion, learning, and reflection. We encourage all to walk in the faith of planting to bring forth fruit and nourishment.
Founded in 2014 as a community garden, South Side Family Farms has grown into urban farming.
Our mission is to:
Our two farm gardens are located in the heart of Columbus’ South Side community at 1269 and 1204 Wilson Avenue. We support those of diverse incomes and cultures, and will continue to grow our mission in 2021 with a new seedling farm in Johnstown, cooking demonstrations and nutritional education, and the expansion of our CSA program. Stay tuned for future developments.
We are a family of faith-in-action, community servants, and visionaries of hopeful and healthy outcomes here in this South Side community. We have lived within these communities for 35 years, during which we raised our six children, guided our many grandchildren, and overcame many struggles and adversities, including feeding our family well. Antoinette, my wife of 38 years, and I have put our hands on the plow of hope to address health and wellness concerns in our community.
We live in a borderline food desert, with limited transportation access. These problems also plague many of our urban communities with economically diverse populations and underserved people of color. We lack adequate access to fresh fruits and vegetables in our limited grocery and restaurant options. Food sovereignty and food justice have been absent so long that many in our community no longer believe they are possible.
While addressing the gaps that existed in our generational heritage between grandparents and youth, we found no one emphasizing family food sustainability and the food systems that have supported people in the past. No one is telling their stories of generational farming and the responsibilities of preparing your own food Wellness is also knowing you can provide for yourself.
It is our passion to serve our community in Planting Seeds of Progress. We produce plants – fruit on the vine – as agents of change towards better food access, equity, quality, and fair food. We want to sustain and equip generations going forward through knowledge transfer and learning to grow food and food systems.
Construction begins on the two high tunnels on our Rural Farm Site
Established Seedlings of Change Plants for Progress LLC
Improved Wilson Avenue landbank sites with gutters, water catchment, irrigation, perennial planting, mulching, and benches through support from Scott’s City/county grant, Lowe’s Home Improvement, the OSU InFact Buckeye ISA program, the Peggy Murphy mini-grant from Greater Columbus Grow Coalition (GCGC) and volunteers from The Mission Continues, Travis Manion Veterans Service Group and Wounded Warriors.
Leased 2 acres in Johnstown, Ohio for additional production space. 9/2020 Received Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program (NRCS EQIP) support for season extension high tunnel, tiling, and cover crop.
Began Bring Alive to Thrive youth pollinator flower growing project supported by the United Way Neighborhood Partnership grant and Nationwide Children’s Hospitals matching funds or dollars.
Built high tunnel, fencing, raised beds, and water access at 1200 Wilson Ave through funding from Mid-Ohio Urban Agriculture Grant, Scott/s City/County Urban Gardening Grant, Lowes Home Improvements, Miller Pipeline, and volunteer support from The Mission Continues.
Began stewarding additional landbank site at 1200 Wilson Ave
Constructed water catchment tower, fencing, city water tap, electric, shed, and five additional beds with community donations from South Side Community Action Network Civic Association and funding from Mid-Ohio Food Bank Urban Agriculture Grant and City/County Scotts garden grant.
Began participation in The Ohio State University Initiative for Food and AgriCultural Transformation (OSU InFACT) Buckeye ISA (Institutionally Supported Agriculture) to match community members with resources and education to produce food and sell into the OSU food system.
Harvested our first successful crops from raised beds built with lumber supported by City Urban Gardening grant award and soil from Jones Topsoil.
Began stewarding property at 1269-1271 Wilson Avenue through City of Columbus Land Bank
Built Family Missionary Baptist Church community youth engagement garden and fence project through Reaching Higher Heights 4 Life program to engage at-risk youth and traumas of gunfire and disenfranchisement.