Hi All,

It was such a pleasure to talk with Michael Ableman about his new book, Street Farm: Growing Food, Jobs, and Hope on the Urban Frontier. It’s not everyday that I get to talk with a real visionary, and Michael is just that. He was able to imagine the impact that an urban farm in an impoverished neighborhood could have, and went about creating one.  Sole Food Street Farm‘s mission is to employ people from the community, regardless of their criminal record or drug habits, providing them with an honest way to make a living, while offering them support and a sense of community. He shared many stories of people who’s life was turned around because of the farm. Although the model is not completely self supporting, we discussed the many financial benefits that the farm does offer the city, like savings in health care, unemployment, and welfare benefits. If these numbers were put into the mix, I bet the farm would come out with a surplus! Either way, the benefits are enormous, and the farm has helped to transform the neighborhood. An exciting aspect of the farm is that many parts of it can be replicated and used in other cities. If you are interested in helping to support the farm, it is a non profit organization, so your donation is tax free. If you want to contact Michael about starting a farm in your city, or any questions, you can email him here. If you missed our interview, you can listen to it below!

Thanks,

Bhavani