Here We Grow Booklet

7/27/2019 Here We Grow Booklet

1/7

It takes a seedto start a garden


2/7

in 2011,

a collective

of urban

rejuvenation

veterans

conceived

of an ideatorevolutionize

dormant,public space.

By empowering

local city

residents through

inclusive economic

development, they

endeavor to create a

sustainable, modern

urban farm.Establishing Here We Grow (HWG), founders of entitieslike Serenbe Farms, the National Monuments Foundation,

and the Historic Westside Gardens worked to design not

just a working farm space, b ut a catalytic event for Metro

Atlanta with its first sights on the historic Vine City/Eng-

lish Avenue neighborhoods.

Neglected, decaying urban spaces have become all too

common throughout the United States. The timeliness and

scalability of this project, and the various social issues it

addresses, make it incredibly relevant regardless of loca-

tion. HWG was established as a non-profit, with operations

revolving around a model where all proceeds are directly

routed back into the communities it serves.


3/7

HWG will play a key role in help-

ing to transform the food deserts

currently found in neighborhoodsin West Atlanta.We envision a national

organization that works with local, grassroots

affiliates to replicate initial farming projects,

with expansion of five or more urban farms in

Metro Atlanta by 2018.

Building

Community

through

Urban

FarmsHere We Grow, a not-for-profit enterprise, partners with

local governments, communities and foundations to build

greenhouses and create outdoor teaching farms. Through

these urban farms, HWG works to improve access to more

affordable and highly nutritious food, offer community-

based wellness education, provide urban agricultural train-

ing for residents and micro-entrepreneurs, and create jobs

through sustainable, long-term neighborhood investment.


4/7

Our singular goal is to empower

neighborhood residents to move

their new knowledge beyond the

confines of the farm.

HWG isnt just teaching skills forfarming, its teaching skills for life.

Meaningful

Social ImpactHere We Grow at Historic Mims Park can act as a renaissance anchorfor the historic Vine City neighborhood and surrounding area. HWG

offers numerous opportunities for ethically and responsibly designed

transformations to the 2,000acre community.

Working with neighborhood planning groups and experts in the field of

urban renewal, we hope to move Historic Mims Park beyond a public

space and working farm, and turn it into a strategic force for business

and entrepreneurial development, and community revitalization. By in-

troducing new ways of thinking about profits, business ownership, and

wealth, we will teach small farmers how to succeed in urban agriculture

and social enterprises.

Creation of an urban farm that will create jobs and feed the

community with more than two million pounds of produce

Improved neighborhood access to more affordable and

highly nutritious food

Establishment of community-based wellness education

programs, with regular neighborhood seminars and sea-

sonal events

Formation of jobs, internships and apprenticeships in a

culture based on improving overall life skills of employees

and the community

Engagement with community leaders to determine how to

best reinvest profits (received through donations, capital

projects, farmer housing, micro-loans, and scholarships)

Development of a self-sustaining neighborhood with resi-

dential, commercial and retail spaces

Recognition through tourism and global partnerships

Supporting Atlantas farm-to-table dining initiatives


5/7

Not all farms

are created

equalUnique circumstances call for unique solutions. Due to critical soil qual-ity issues in the area from years of built up industrial use, HWG had

to look to the front lines of modern farming. Instead of spreading out,

we plan to move up by using vertical growing methods and agricultural

technologies that enable consistent harvests throughout the year. The

farm will also incorporate other farming methods including:

drip irrigation

composting

air and humidity control systems

led grow-lighting

soil-less production systems like hydroponics and bioponics

solar power

rainwater cisterns for capture and reuse


6/7

H

istoricMimsParkEntrance

HistoricMimsParkNortheastSection


7/7

our partners

design provided by

Documents

Here We Grow Booklet