Help Us Build Southern Hyper Local Food Economy

HISTORY
One of the most grievous crimes of the united states (there has been many) was the theft of land previously enslaved Africans worked hard to purchase to create better lives for our families and communities after the horror of slavery.

(Carolina Gold Rice)

We went from being *property* to owning over 20 million acres in less than 60 years  between the  Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and 1920. That was the result of hard work, innovation, and collective economics. Yet by 2012, systemic racism, especially within the USDA had reduced the percentage of Black farmers from 14% to only 1.6% and just 3.6 million acres of farmland. 

We can reverse this trend.


TARGET
Our target is purchasing land to A) establish the farm, our anchor institution and primary economic engine.  As the farm succeeds, it's profits will be used to develop B) an affordable, permaculture based cohousing agrihood, and C) a dedicated training center for agricultural worker owned cooperatives. 

(Green Onions)

Farm (7- 10 acres) component will be a Black-owned and veteran-led multi-species, bio intensive, regenerative, market garden based farm that offers a 30 week CSA with either weekly or biweekly delivery to locations in proximity to central Mississippi. It will provide full time living wage jobs and a training pipeline for Housing Insecure Veteran Outreach: ReRootD .

Agrihood (10+ acres) will be a permaculture based cohousing development designed to fulfill the need for affordable rural housing for farm workers and interns while also serving the demand for ecologically sound community, including live/work units.

Institute (2 acres) will be an additional pocket development with office and meeting space for worker owned cooperatives. It will host various centers to facilitate our larger mission of developing Regional Black (and allied) agricultural cooperative economic power. The main priorities are a small farm excellence center and a worker owned cooperative development center. These institutions will drive the development of additional farms and land purchases building a strong local food basin.

We are currently finalizing our crop plan for the Maroon Way Community Supported Agriculture program. Our plan is 3 acres of bio intensive market gardens able to deliver 200+ CSA shares for at least 26 weeks.  Interested in farm fresh food to your table and building the next generation of Black Farmers? Located in central Mississippi? Consider becoming a Harvest Share member and take a larger stake in this project!

Please visit Maroon Way Farm to secure your spot for 2021.


TRAINING, BACKGROUND
We have completed HABESHA Works Urban Ag Certification, Tuskegee University Master Goat Certification, ACES Farm Financial Planning, OSU's Small Farm School and we have a SBA SCORE mentor. We’ve been volunteering at various Atlanta urban farms including Truly Living Well for over 9 years and contributing to various homestead projects all over the South for almost 15 years.


CONCLUSION, ACTION STEPS
Asante sana (We thank you) for taking the time to read about our project!

And asante sana (We thank you) for any and all gifts you contribute toward manifesting this vision. If you can't contribute monetarily right now, we ask that you take a moment to strategically share our story!  Your shares are important!

Lastly, equipment (farm trucks, other vehicles, trailers), skill shares (carpentry, welding), volunteers (we'll feed you!), training opportunities, workshop facilitators (check this out ), and collaboration opportunities are also welcome!

If you have land for sale that would fit our goals, please reach out to us!




Free The Land
Not me, We

Amma and Aton,
Maroon Way Farm Founders