Find a Craigslist Farm and Garden in Charlotte, North Carolina
Sow Much Good
Sow Much Good is a nonprofit organization that builds community connections to increase access, awareness, solutions, and education around the intersection between our environment, health disparities, and nutrition. Their initiatives include community gardens, personal gardening initiatives, and offering a CSA membership service for residents. Furthermore, Sow Much Good also hosts financial wellness workshops and women-specific wellness programs.
This organization strives to address socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic health disparities caused by a lack of access to nutritionally dense foods by providing direct access to fresh whole foods through neighborhood farm stands, EBT-eligible CSA subscriptions, and nutrition education classes.
Robin Emmons established her nonprofit in 2008 in response to food insecurity and its associated health issues, having witnessed first-hand the detrimental impact it had on her brother, who resided at a transitional housing facility where canned and sugary food wasn’t providing him enough nutrition. Emmons was inspired to turn every corner of her backyard into a garden to donate produce she produced herself; her brother’s health improved significantly thanks to this initiative.
Now, she and her volunteers plant and sell organic vegetables at various locations around Charlotte. Additionally, Friendship Gardens – which supports over 30 garden sites that donate their produce directly to food deserts – is helping support them as they ride a national wave of interest in locally produced food production and hope to expand.
Sow Much Good maintains two urban farm sites in low-income neighborhoods where they cultivate and sell fresh, affordable fruits and vegetables to residents, accepting cash, debit, and EBT/SNAP payments. They also teach participants how to utilize these new ingredients in meals.
Now, the organization is expanding into a community farming center where residents can learn urban farming techniques, gardening practices, and nutrition. Over time, it will house chickens, bees, and vegetable plants as residents learn how to care for them; plus, it will have a kitchen so residents can prepare their meals themselves and gain knowledge on food preparation techniques.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a large research university in Charlotte. Boasting a diverse student body, UNCC strives to foster an environment welcoming to all its students through its Office of Identity, Equity, and Engagement; programs and activities offered include various student clubs and organizations.
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a public research university offering both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. A member of the Carnegie Classification of Doctoral Universities with High Research Activity, it features research centers such as the Bioinformatics Research Center, the Center for Applied Geographic Information Science, and the Integrated Design Lab, and partnerships with Fortune 500 companies that help its graduates secure employment after graduation.
Considerations when selecting a university are varied, from cost and location to the types of degrees offered. One such university, UNC-Charlotte, is widely acclaimed as being among the finest public institutions in North Carolina, with highly affordable tuition costs that offer great beach access – making it an excellent location for students.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte is well known in higher education, and its faculty is known for its innovative work. Research projects center around business, technology, health care, and energy issues, providing students with an engaging learning experience grounded in their local community while producing real-world results through its research efforts.
This university has 11 residence halls to suit student needs and preferences – some feature themed living options while others are more traditional. Students are strongly encouraged to get involved with their local communities through volunteering activities, which will build valuable career skills. Its central location allows it to offer many bars and clubs for students to enjoy while providing access to cultural attractions and job opportunities nearby.
Urban Farm Learning Center
Urban farms allow people to learn to cultivate their food to encourage fresh, healthy eating while supporting local farming practices. Urban farms offer educational opportunities such as workshops on composting worms, raising chickens, and water conservation techniques and programs aligned with school curriculums and state standards.
Randall’s Island Park Alliance in New York City provides an example of an urban farm. Home to various plants and animals – such as bees producing chemical-free honey for use at hotel restaurants and spas – this urban farm also insulates buildings, reduces runoff volume, and helps mitigate urban heat island effects.
The Urban Farm Learning Center was the inaugural community farm established by New York City. Situated on an underutilized neighborhood lot, this farm features a greenhouse, aquaponics system, and sports practice field – as part of New York City’s network of over 90 Friendship Gardens, it serves as an example for urban agriculture in NYC and offers hands-on gardening and cooking classes to children and adults.
Currently, the Urban Farm Learning Center is run by an all-volunteer staff. As part of its non-profit status, this garden endeavor aims to raise money to expand it to a larger space while hosting workshops on topics like gardening, raising chickens, and making jam. Admission to this program is entirely free.
Urban Farm at Aldersgate is another example of an urban farm created through a partnership between Aldersgate Retirement Community and Windsor Park Neighborhood of East Charlotte. The community farm offers nourishment, education, and inspiration while simultaneously building intergenerational and multicultural connections – Insight Architects collaborated closely with residents in designing a culturally sensitive space.
The Urban Farm at Aldersgate is an educational and demonstration farm that will eventually offer weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes to residents in Aldersgate. In partnership with schools, homeless shelters, addiction and abuse centers, and addiction recovery programs, Urban Farm’s CSA program will help bridge disenfranchisement within its immediate neighborhood.