In this episode we chat with Christa Barfield, founder of FarmerJawn, a Philadelphia based farm focused on reintroducing farming into the lifestyles of underserved communities. Farmerjawn is the largest black-woman owned regenerative organic produce farm in the United States and hosts a variety of educational programs and experiences that bring healthy food and nature back into the lives of urban people. In this wide-ranging conversation we discuss the stigmatized relationship that many black & brown people have with the land and how to fix it, the power of amplifying one's voice to spread a message, how we can make healthy local food more accessible and convenient for urban people, and how agriculture is equally a part of all our lineages. 

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Timestamps

[2:25 ] Agriculture is the culture

[6:06 ] Christa's journey to agriculture started with a trip to a Caribbean island

[12:49 ] RE-introducing farming to underserved communities

[15:35 ] Christa's farm, education, helping black people "see themselves" in farming

[35:30 ] Reimagining corner stores with 'CornerJawn'

[46:41 ] Getting pushback as a black woman in farming

[49:54 ] Winning the James Beard Leadership Award, perception/marketing/awareness

[1:07:44 ] Land access, community gardens, marketing & branding for farmers

[1:27:38 ] Making local food more convenient, stories behind seeds

[1:32:35 ] Visibility and amplifying your voice, 93% of US farms are small

[1:44:11 ] Social media gift & curse

[1:50:31 ] Bridge To Terabithea by Katherine Paterson - reading Oscar Wilde

[1:53:34 ] "Give me my flowers while I can still smell them"

[1:58:32 ] Farming reality show

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Guest Social Media Links

Christa Barfield:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/farmerjawn_ 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/farmerjawncsa Website: https://www.farmerjawn.co/

Twitter (X): http://twitter.com/farmerjawn_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christa-barfield-2b608486/ 

JM:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanmartinfortier

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanmartinfortier