Real Food Farm, a project of Civic Works

Website: www.realfoodfarm.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/realfoodfarm Email: realfoodfarm@civicworks.com

About our Farm

Real Food Farm is Civic Works’ innovative urban agricultural enterprise engaged in growing fresh produce on a six acre site in Clifton Park in northeast Baltimore. We broke ground in October 2009 and since then we have been busy growing food, educating youth, partnering with community organizations, and bringing more real food to Northeast Baltimore. Going into the 2012 season we have 2 acres under cultivation growing a range of vegetables and various fruits and herbs. Mission statement: Real Food Farm works toward a just and sustainable food system by improving neighborhood access to healthy food, providing experience-based education, and developing an economically viable, environmentally responsible local agriculture sector.

Where we grow

Lake Clifton 2801 St. Lo Drive Baltimore MD 2121

Farmer(s)

Tyler Brown is the Farm Manager of Real Food Farm. Upon his arrival to Baltimore, Tyler began transforming the city’s landscape one vacant lot at a time as a member of Civic Works’ Community Lot Team. A part of Real Food Farm from the beginning, Tyler leads with a passion for fixing our broken food system and improving the low access our city residents have to healthy food options.

Connor Horne grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia. He studied Environmental Policy and African Studies and the College of William & Mary, graduating in 2010. Connor came to Baltimore in Fall 2011 aftercompleting an apprenticeship at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Since March 2012, Connor has been Real Food Farm’s Agricultural Projects Coordinator, managing the beehive, orchard, compost piles, and other exciting side-projects. He plays the banjo and hopes to spend his life helping to save the Chesapeake Bay.

Christy Ottinger is originally from a rural, agricultural community in Virginia, and studied Environmental Studies in college. After graduating, she volunteered on family farms across the country, eventually settling in as an apprentice at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in North Carolina. There, she learned the basics of growing fruit, vegetables, and livestock on a small, sustainable scale. She brings this knowledge to Real Food Farm as Field Manager, where she gains experience managing a farm through Americorps. She plans to have her own small farm operation someday.

Jessie Scott, Assistant Farmer, assists in farm operations and volunteer management. Jessie grew up on a small “one-horse” vegetable farm outside Columbia, SC. She continued growing personally until she became involved with the Madeira St. Garden in 2005, organizing the neighborhood and converting a vacant lot into a quarter acre vegetable garden. She is a Baltimore City Master Gardener, and heavily dislikes harlequin bugs.

Where we sell

• Mobile market stops throughout Northeast Baltimore May-September, including: Belair-Edison, Lake Montebello, The Green School, Department of Social Services, Barclay Neighborhood, Shepherds Clinic, & more.
• 22-week Community Support Agriculture program
• Restaurants, including: Artifact Coffee, Carma’s Cafe, The Woodberry Kitchen, Donna’s of Charles Village, Fleet Street Market, and MD Farm To Table.

Volunteer Opportunities

Every 1st and 3rd Saturday we always welcome volunteers to participate in numerous and varied farming activities, 9a to noon with a potluck to follow. Every Wednesday and Friday morning 9a to noon to assist with harvesting and other farm tasks.

Other Programming

• High School Internship
• Field Trips- Pre Kindergarten through 12th Grade
• Farm Club and Farm Lab
• Workshops
• Service Learning Opportunities

Photos