Eco-PARADIGM Crew | PolyCulture Production

Eco-PARADIGM

Eco-PARADIGM crew helping Stephanie Simmons of PolyCulture Production with weeding the hoop house: (l-r) Jah, Kijana, Stephanie, Habeebah, Charles, and Vici.

Summer is not only a busy time for farmers but also for those who work supporting growers! Food Well Alliance is excited to spotlight a partner providing amazing hands-on support and expertise to metro Atlanta farms–Eco-PARADIGM! Through the Food Well Alliance Farm Support Resource, the Eco-PARADIGM team, led by Charles Greenlea, helps farms stay on track with their work growing local food.

Charles Greenlea started Eco-PARADIGM to bridge the gap between farms that were short on labor and the need for hands-on experience for graduates of training programs at organizations like HABESHA, Inc. and Gangstas 2 Growers. “It’s a win-win situation,” said Charles. “The farms get support and the growers working as part of the Eco-PARADIGM team get real-world experience, earn a liveable wage, and learn not only how to do multiple things but also learn from multiple sites and growers.”

Through farm projects, the Eco-PARADIGM crew has learned skills like operating a BCS tractor, building high tunnels, installing irrigation systems, and more. “I get to go to different farms and experience how they do things. I’m learning from all the farmers I meet,” said crew member Vici Royál, who wants to get his own land and start growing food. Habeebah, who recently joined Eco-PARADIGM, enjoys the work because it helps her understand all that goes into growing food. Her favorite part is being able to pick and taste fresh produce. “I didn’t know what real fruits and vegetables tasted like until I experienced them fresh from a farm.”

The dedicated crew has helped 15 metro Atlanta farms this year and has spent over 2,000 hours helping farmers accomplish infrastructure projects and stay on top of farm maintenance tasks when they need extra hands. One of those farmers is Stephanie Simmons of PolyCulture Production @ Gaia Gardens. She has been grateful for the extra hands. “While I don’t have a team, Eco-PARADIGM is my team.” The crew has helped Stephanie with weeding, prepping beds for planting, mowing the grass, and so much more. “Eco-PARADIGM brings growers together to learn from each other, and all you want to do is use that knowledge and pay it forward to the next person.”

Compost Connectors | Truly Living Well

Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture

Booker T. Washington Compost Connectors

City of Atlanta, Fulton County

While most of the Compost Connectors programs have paused for summer break, a small group of students from Booker T. Washington High School (BTW) is participating in the summer cohort at Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture. A total of 34 BTW students were involved throughout the first year of the Compost Connectors program, and seven have stayed for all three cohorts. They’re not only learning different composting methods, but also how to grow food and use the produce they harvest to cook healthy meals. BTW student Shanii Amour said, “I really like to see the fruits of my own labor and all the plants that I grew. I like to see them grow and see what I can make with them.”

Using eggplants and tomatoes harvested from the Compost Connectors' garden, Trinity Harrison, the on-farm compost educator, has taught the students how to make fresh, healthy meals like eggplant parmesan and Zaalouk, a Moroccan stew usually served with bread. “It’s a great experience, and you learn so much. You learn how to harvest, how to compost, how to cook new recipes, and how to help the environment,” said Harmoni Griffin. 

Hali Jordan wants to see more of her classmates joining the program in the new school year because “it gives you an outlet to do other things instead of just being at home all day. You get to learn stuff and have fun at the same time.” 

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Reggie and Roger Ramos | Grow With the Flow

Grow with the Flow

Reggie and Roger Ramos

City of Tucker, DeKalb County

After graduating from Georgia Tech, brothers Reggie and Roger Ramos served for several years in the military. When their contracts were up, they decided to start a farming business, Grow With the Flow, and came up with a unique solution to the problem of securing land. They grow in peoples’ yards. It's proved to be a win-win because they now have multiple growing spaces, and the homeowners get to keep some of the vegetables. Plus, there's not as much lawn to mow! 

The brothers, aka the Grow Bros, sell their produce at several farmers markets from Peachtree Road to Tucker. Reggie says resources from Food Well Alliance have been integral to their success over the years and 2021 has been their most profitable year to date. Prior to spring planting, Food Well provided a tractor to till their largest plot, a bulk load of compost, and labor support to spread the compost on the newly tilled land. 

Reggie and Roger started farming because they wanted to offer an alternative to food from industrial farms. Reggie’s vision is for more people influencing each other about the power of local food. “The only way we can have a self-sustaining economy is to have more people growing food. It will at least take us a step in the right direction, and that leads to the health and wealth of everyone.”

Lovey Gilliam | Gilliam's Community Garden

Gilliam’s Community Garden

Lovey Gilliam

Southwest Atlanta, Fulton County

Gilliam's Community Garden, an urban oasis in Southwest Atlanta, has been part of the Food Well Alliance network since 2015. When you take a look around the place, you can see the progress that's been made over the years–from active chicken coops and goat runs to new fencing and high tunnel greenhouses with neatly planted rows of crops. "All of that is Food Well Alliance," said farmer Lovey Gilliam. "They're able to reach people where they're at and help them grow from what they have." The help comes in many forms, including labor and mechanical support provided by fellow growers hired by Food Well Alliance.

EliYahu Ben Asa | Atlanta Harvest

Atlanta Harvest

EliYahu Ysrael

City of Ellenwood, Clayton County

“Y’all are the reason we’re here,” said farmer EliYahu Ben Asa. When they realized they wouldn't be able to stay on the land they were leasing in Jonesboro, the Ysrael family wasn't sure where to turn. With funds from phase 2 of the Food Well Alliance farm grant last year, the family was able to make a down-payment on property in Ellenwood and revive their Atlanta Harvest Farm. Since then, things have steadily progressed. EliYahu is grateful to have a lot of growing space at the new farm. "We are really in line to grow a ton of food here. We grow because we know there is a need in our community. The more food we can grow, the more people we can feed."

Brennan and Gwendolyn Washington | Phoenix Gardens

Phoenix Gardens

Brennan and Gwendolyn Washington

City of Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County

When we last shared Brennan and Gwendolyn Washington’s story, they’d just filled their new hoop house with 30 cubic yards of compost delivered by Food Well Alliance. Since then, their Phoenix Gardens farm in Lawrenceville has continued to produce healthy harvests. “We’ve grown broccoli, collards, kale, heirloom tomatoes, and peppers. Right now, heading into fall, we have beets, fava beans, and swiss chard. Had we not received that donation of compost, we wouldn’t have been able to get the yield we did.”

More recently, Food Well Alliance provided mechanical support from “Small Farmer at Large” Chris Theal, who cleared an additional half acre of growing space with his tractor. “All of those were blessings,” said Brennan. “If you truly want to support local farms and farmers and build our local food system, a donation to Food Well Alliance is an integral part of doing that.”

The Washingtons are as passionate about growing the local food movement as they are about growing food. Whether giving a demonstration to the Gullah Geechee Farm Cooperative in St. Helena Island or holding a workshop at Phoenix Gardens, educating other growers is the couple’s ultimate priority. “We always have an open door for people who want to learn,” said Brennan.