This cohort of Black Farmers, Indigenous Farmers, and Farmers of Color will spend time together in the "off" season, getting to know one another and their farms, sharing lessons learned, and cheering each other on as they propel their farms forward. The Fellows receive a stipend ($4,500) to compensate for their time engaging as Fellows (which they can use to help tackle a major project that will advance or strengthen their farm...building infrastructure, buying supplies, hiring an employee, etc.) as well as $500 to offset the cost of mileage for the monthly meetings and any travel needed for making the podcast/video. Click here to read more about how the Fellowship works. Contact us if you want to help bring the Fellowship to your community in 2024.
We want to say a special thank you to the City of Bloomington for generously supporting this year's Fellowship.
We want to say a special thank you to the City of Bloomington for generously supporting this year's Fellowship.
Ash Teng - Bread and Roses Gardens / Blossom and the Bee Tea
While Bread and Roses Gardens is a small 3-acre farm, we are able to produce a wide variety of food, fruit, nuts and herbs while following no-till, regenerative practices and low energy inputs. Through a food forest system, we have a wonderful mix of fruit and nut bearing perennials that produce year after year with less labor. The last few years we have pivoted to growing medicinal herbs, vegetables, fruits and nuts for value-added production on our forest farm. Our herbal teas, ferments, sauces and canned goods allow us to preserve our harvest and sell in a variety of locations. We sell at farmers' and craft markets, local food co-ops, farm stops, and local retailers. I have been farming for 3 years here in Bloomington so far and have noticed the need for locally grown medicinal plants and would love to continue serving the community with nutritious plants through tea, tinctures and food.
My journey in farming first and foremost comes from a deep love for land, nature, soil, and nature conservation. I was fortunate to cultivate a love for conservation in Thailand while working for a few months at 'Conserve Natural Forests' where I assisted in their tree nursery as well as with marketing, photography and giving guided tours to visitors. That year we collectively planted over 35,000 native trees. This experience spurred me to continue my journey of conservation and led me to a farm internship at a beautiful indigenous and permaculture-based island farm in Nicaragua 'El Zopilote', located upon rich fertile volcanic soil. Cultivating native fruits, vegetables and mushrooms on a self-sustaining tropical farm that was able to feed their local region with highly nutritious food, while preserving the wonderful diversity of their tropical ecosystems, was truly inspirational and empowering. My education in caring for the land and growing plants has been truly hands-on and I have been honored to work alongside Indigenous leaders to cultivate a deep relationship with the earth through my hands.
Instagram: @blossomandthebeetea @breadandrosesgardens
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/breadandrosesgardens/
https://www.facebook.com/BlossomAndTheBeeTea/
My journey in farming first and foremost comes from a deep love for land, nature, soil, and nature conservation. I was fortunate to cultivate a love for conservation in Thailand while working for a few months at 'Conserve Natural Forests' where I assisted in their tree nursery as well as with marketing, photography and giving guided tours to visitors. That year we collectively planted over 35,000 native trees. This experience spurred me to continue my journey of conservation and led me to a farm internship at a beautiful indigenous and permaculture-based island farm in Nicaragua 'El Zopilote', located upon rich fertile volcanic soil. Cultivating native fruits, vegetables and mushrooms on a self-sustaining tropical farm that was able to feed their local region with highly nutritious food, while preserving the wonderful diversity of their tropical ecosystems, was truly inspirational and empowering. My education in caring for the land and growing plants has been truly hands-on and I have been honored to work alongside Indigenous leaders to cultivate a deep relationship with the earth through my hands.
Instagram: @blossomandthebeetea @breadandrosesgardens
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/breadandrosesgardens/
https://www.facebook.com/BlossomAndTheBeeTea/
Nic Garza - Outlier Farmstead
We cultivate just under an acre of leased land and produce a wide variety of specialty crops, roughly 40 different types per year (e.g. salad mix, tomatoes, radishes). We grow intensively in roughly fifty 3'x50' beds. This allows us to produce roughly thirty "large" CSA's per week for about 22-25 weeks out of the year. Our produce, as of this year, is sold and distributed through People's Cooperative Market in Bloomington. It has always been a goal of ours to grow food intensively on a small scale for a heterogeneous demographic (i.e. not just the small fraction of people that can afford to shop regularly at farmers' markets). Our partnerships with People's Cooperative Market and Mother Hubbard's Cupboard have allowed us to distribute our food to a diverse set of people across a large income range.
We also work with researchers at Purdue to gather data on experimental cropping systems, such as annual strawberry production at small scales, grafted cucurbits, and soon ginger and turmeric. This data will be made available publicly for free and will hopefully help other first-generation farmers like myself that must rely on published research to guide their farming projects. Experimentation is at the heart of our farm.
I became interested in plants before I became interested in farming, working in land stewardship. Farming was another way I discovered that I could work with and around plants. I worked conservation jobs for years, and it seemed to me that humans had little role in this natural world aside from largely destroying it. Starting in 2018, I assumed a farm hand job in Northern Indiana for 1.5 years. Farming is how I came to terms with my role in the natural world.
In 2019, I moved to Bloomington to start a farm with my partner, Marie. Over the next few years, we are expanding our cool storage as well as adding more perennial food crops, including apples (300 going in this spring), grapes, and nuts.
Website: https://outlierfarmstead.square.site/
Instagram: @outlier.farmstead
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outlierfarmstead/
We also work with researchers at Purdue to gather data on experimental cropping systems, such as annual strawberry production at small scales, grafted cucurbits, and soon ginger and turmeric. This data will be made available publicly for free and will hopefully help other first-generation farmers like myself that must rely on published research to guide their farming projects. Experimentation is at the heart of our farm.
I became interested in plants before I became interested in farming, working in land stewardship. Farming was another way I discovered that I could work with and around plants. I worked conservation jobs for years, and it seemed to me that humans had little role in this natural world aside from largely destroying it. Starting in 2018, I assumed a farm hand job in Northern Indiana for 1.5 years. Farming is how I came to terms with my role in the natural world.
In 2019, I moved to Bloomington to start a farm with my partner, Marie. Over the next few years, we are expanding our cool storage as well as adding more perennial food crops, including apples (300 going in this spring), grapes, and nuts.
Website: https://outlierfarmstead.square.site/
Instagram: @outlier.farmstead
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outlierfarmstead/
Enrique Hernandez - Official Extracts
I have been interested in making a living off of the land for years, as I believe responsible land stewardship is a way to combat several current issues. To me, that means putting a greater amount of value into the earth than what was taken out.
I went to the Kelley School of Business at IU, and after graduating, spent the last of my savings to break ground on a friend's property. I wanted to create necessities (such as food, medicine, and hygiene products), in order to replace consumables that are otherwise sourced from large facilities. With what we grew, we began selling at the city farmers market, and learned how hard small scale for-profit farming can be in our current system. I needed to learn more, so I worked at other farms in the area that I thought were doing it right, and helped establish the 3-acre IU campus farm.
Last year, I grew a successful hemp crop alongside an acre of vegetables. I also joined the board of Rosehill Farm stop. Most of our community engagement comes through the Farm Stop. It serves as the beginnings of a local food hub for the area and allows for community events to take place.
What inspires me to farm and work on our local food system are the economic and health benefits found in fresh high quality and organic products. Giving consumers an option that is jam packed with nutrients, supports small businesses, and connects people with the land is what gives me motivation every day.
Website: https://www.officialextracts.com/about
Instagram: @officialextracts
I went to the Kelley School of Business at IU, and after graduating, spent the last of my savings to break ground on a friend's property. I wanted to create necessities (such as food, medicine, and hygiene products), in order to replace consumables that are otherwise sourced from large facilities. With what we grew, we began selling at the city farmers market, and learned how hard small scale for-profit farming can be in our current system. I needed to learn more, so I worked at other farms in the area that I thought were doing it right, and helped establish the 3-acre IU campus farm.
Last year, I grew a successful hemp crop alongside an acre of vegetables. I also joined the board of Rosehill Farm stop. Most of our community engagement comes through the Farm Stop. It serves as the beginnings of a local food hub for the area and allows for community events to take place.
What inspires me to farm and work on our local food system are the economic and health benefits found in fresh high quality and organic products. Giving consumers an option that is jam packed with nutrients, supports small businesses, and connects people with the land is what gives me motivation every day.
Website: https://www.officialextracts.com/about
Instagram: @officialextracts
And, Meet Our Fellowship Coordinator, Shanna Poveda
Shanna Poveda is an indigenous herbalist, grower, and mental health advocate. She is passionate about guiding others towards healing through plant medicines, community, and ceremony. Shanna currently lives on Miami and Kickapoo land (Indiana), where she wears many hats involving community and healing events. She stewards a small farm of plants and animals, and she is an avid forager.
Shanna found her way to herbalism through gardening and her own recovery journey. Shanna is currently obtaining her Masters in Strategic Communications from Butler University and ultimately hopes to work for an organization that aligns with her morals. Shanna is the owner of Wild Mint Apothecary, an apothecary that incorporates farmed and foraged herbs into an assortment of beauty and wellness products. You can follow her journey at @medicinemija on instagram and visit her website at www.wildmintapothecary.com.
As our Fellowship Coordinator, Shanna gathers the Fellows, facilitates conversation and connection, and supports each Fellow as they create a video or podcast sharing their experience.
Shanna found her way to herbalism through gardening and her own recovery journey. Shanna is currently obtaining her Masters in Strategic Communications from Butler University and ultimately hopes to work for an organization that aligns with her morals. Shanna is the owner of Wild Mint Apothecary, an apothecary that incorporates farmed and foraged herbs into an assortment of beauty and wellness products. You can follow her journey at @medicinemija on instagram and visit her website at www.wildmintapothecary.com.
As our Fellowship Coordinator, Shanna gathers the Fellows, facilitates conversation and connection, and supports each Fellow as they create a video or podcast sharing their experience.
