ABOUT
Our Story
Like so many other people around the world, 2020 inspired longtime friends Bert & Byron to wonder: Is there a better way? Is there a better way to steward the land that nourishes all of us? A better way to embrace food systems that are more equitable and accessible for all? What if you could tap into the incredible power of social media, online communities, and other emerging digital technologies to fund and operate a small farm in Ohio that could then donate the majority of the production of the land to underserved, food-insecure families in the local community? After decades of combined experience working in the fine dining and hospitality world, our founders set out to answer all these questions and more.
Byron is the dreamer. He cooks up what to build, and how; What to plant, and when.
Bert is the doer. No matter what's happening around the farm, Bert is the one that figures out how to make it all happen; And keeps it all running.
The Farm
Located just outside Cincinnati, OH, our 6-acre farm is on one of the highest points in the county. At almost 900’ above sea level, our view here is breathtaking. On a clear day we can look out over dozens of neighborhoods & communities. Pretty as it is, that view also comes with a harsh reminder. Around 15% of our neighbors in Cincinnati are "food insecure," more than 80,000 of them children. More still live in “food deserts.” A staggering 25% of our neighbors live with few or no convenient options for affordable, nutritious food.
When we broke ground on our first garden in the early spring of 2020, we knew we wanted to employ a philosophy known as “Regenerative Agriculture.” In contrast to “conventional”, industrial agriculture that requires copious amounts of non-natural inputs like chemical fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides, regenerative agriculture embraces the natural systems of our land and the native inhabitants of those systems. We like to think about it as the difference between farming with the land & farming on the land.
In a food system where terms like “organic” and “all-natural” speak less about quality & nutrition than they do about marketing & sales, regenerative farming philosophies are fast becoming the “hot new stars” of the small farming world. However, these philosophies are anything but. We're learning to understand the ancient, evolutionary natural systems of our land. Learning our place in those systems rather than imposing our own systems onto the place. By doing so, we are practicing foodways that native peoples worldwide have understood for millennia. We’re working hard to one day operate a farm that doesn't require petroleum products like plastic or petrochemical fertilizers; fossil fuel inputs like diesel & gasoline. Just hand tools and natural harmony. All while producing nutrient-rich fruit & vegetables, beautiful flowers, and a thriving habitat for native plants, pollinators, wildlife, and humans.
Decades of combined experience in the fine-dining & hospitality space taught our founders many things. Still, one truth remained constant across all the restaurants they worked with: The best experiences are only available to the most privileged few. Instead of leveraging the relationships our founders had developed during the countless hours they spent working in the kitchens & dining rooms of their pasts, they’ve set out to build a robust and vibrant community of people all around the world. The participation & support of our online community allows us to donate the majority of our production to local partners who then transform those raw ingredients into free, healthy meals for our local neighbors who need them the most. Meanwhile, our team on the farm creates content for the community that is educational, engaging, fun, and unique. We believe this approach is the best way to serve our local community and inspire our digital community to learn and maybe even adopt some of our philosophies so we can all be better neighbors to each other.