There is Something Better: Nurturing Hope and Community through Growing Local Food
Fredando “Farmer Fredo” Jackson is the Executive Director of Flint River Fresh, a nonprofit based in Albany, Georgia. The mission of the organization is “to increase access to fresh, local, affordable, healthy food for our neighbors, create new economic opportunities for local farmers, develop young people through agriculture, and conserve natural resources for future generations.” Their focus is “to support people from diverse backgrounds and help them make a difference in the communities where they live through programs designed to make fresh, local food accessible for all.”
Find out more about Flint River Fresh here.
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EL: Our theme for this current social justice folio is "Access to Health" and you're the Executive Director of a nonprofit whose focus is making fresh, local food accessible for all people. You're located in Albany, which is the major hub for the larger rural region of southwest Georgia, where communities face a variety of challenges to achieving public health and well-being. Out of all the ways you could have chosen to improve the health of rural communities, what made you become passionate about making sure that fresh, local food could be available to everyone?
FJ: Well my original focus was always on the health benefits, as we all saw that food that came fresh from the field had a higher nutritional content than something that had to travel from so many miles away. And then it was just centered around the fact that we are surrounded by farmers. Most of them are minorities, most of them are small-scale vegetable growers. That whole fit – it was the way I was brought up. But as I got older, I started to see that way of living was starting to be replaced by people purchasing out of convenience. So I was just thinking about myself that if at the end of the day, I could at least make two or three meals a week, I could provide something of substance, and that we could help with combatting some of the health issues that we’re dealing with in rural communities.
EL: Did you have someone introduce you to that healthier way of growing food?
FJ: Yes, yes - it was my Koinonia experience. So, I was just more about growing food and getting it into the hands of people who needed it. But through the process of my internship at Koinonia Farm, like really spending time with the Prendergasts and Brendan – that opened me up to this whole thing that was about food sovereignty, and food being either a tool that can liberate you or a tool that can keep you in prison, so to speak. Because you’re basically held prisoner by whatever food people make available to you. So they introduced me to all these different concepts and theories that were centered around how food can be used as a tool of liberation. That opened up the journey of “Well why not just get people to grow food?” – and then they can feed themselves and think for themselves, and they can have an experience of different worth. If the only thing you know is what you’ve been given, you might be limited in what you can possibly become.
EL. Speaking of liberation, I imagine as a farmer who invites everyone from senior citizens to pre-K kids to know more about their food and their local farmers, that you must hear feedback about the physical health benefits when people change their diets and actually have access to food that is fresh and nutritious. Do you also hear from folks about how having more access to local food has liberated them spiritually, or mentally, or relationally?
FJ: Oh yeah. With growing food and what we’ve been doing, the communities we serve are all those communities that are usually underserved. We are teaching and working in communities where there might be seniors raising their grandkids, or people with disabilities that don’t have the mobility to move or are limited by depending on someone else to bring something fresh to them, or working in communities that are low-income housing where people are on WIC and food stamps – so just by the fact that we show up with food in our hands, there is always this positive energy change that happens. Then when we mention that we’re growing food on vacant lots or vacant properties that have been donated by local businesses or the local government, people can see that we’re in this not for profit or gain, we’re simply in it to make our community healthy.
So, everything that we do – from the workshops that we’re doing in the community, to the produce that we might be providing for people who come out and volunteer – we’re coming from a place of hope, and we’re also coming from a place that we all have a shared experience. Because what’s unique about Albany and Dougherty County is that in the past three or four years, we’ve experienced two tornadoes, a hurricane, and also at this time last year, we were ranked per capita like #4 in the world in effects from Covid. So, we are a community that has really been built on resiliency in many ways.
You can also tie in our civil rights history – this was a community where Dr. King could not organize, because when they came down to Albany, the techniques that they used in other communities were not as successful because of the history of Dougherty County and southwest Georgia. So, because of the natural disasters and the pandemic, we are still collectively learning that we’re all in the same boat. Class, race, sex, age – it doesn’t matter when a natural disaster happens. When a tornado comes through a city, and it destroys the hospital of the town, everyone in the town is affected. Same thing with a hurricane – when it comes through and knocks out power and windows and everything, everyone is struggling when there is a tree down that is blocking a whole street. It affects everyone in the neighborhood and it doesn’t discriminate. Everyone in the community has to pick up some gloves, pick up a chainsaw, get a wheelbarrow, and clean up that neighborhood.
And all of that applies to access to food, because when you think about the pandemic and natural disasters when everyone is without power, that means everyone’s refrigerator is empty and everyone is looking for access to fresh food. In the pandemic when we had to go into city lockdown, Flint River Fresh, my organization, was still out there trying to connect with farmers who still had food in the field and we were trying to bring it to neighborhoods and communities that were without. And some of our whole cities in southwest Georgia were without. So we were out there doing produce boxes and little farmers market stands at our community garden sites, and that’s when the organization really shifted.
When you talk about well-being and spirituality, I think our message has always been about hope and that there IS something better. That despite what we might be experiencing, there is hope and understanding that we CAN experience something greater, something higher. Like when we have volunteers that sacrifice their time and energy to grow something, and then we’re able to take that produce and provide it to a local food bank or someone running a little soup kitchen, or someone who is cooking some meals for the homeless shelter. They don’t have a big budget, but their budget doesn’t matter to us. They can just show up, organize a couple volunteers, and they are more than welcome to come pick from this quarter acre of collard greens and get as many collard greens as they need.
EL: Do you think that those shifts that have happened because of the pandemic – are you hopeful that that will create a really different vision long-term regarding food?
FJ: Well, one thing that has happened because of Covid is that my organization has now been able to develop relationships with other groups, so with that we’ve been able to really go into neighborhoods and communities that we didn’t have access to before we started doing this work that we’re doing in the midst of the pandemic. So, I say that to say that I never would have imagined that I could go give presentations in front of our Board of County Commissioners about the work we’re doing, the neighborhoods we’re trying to serve, and how we’re looking for partners and allies – and then have the county commissioners provide connections that allow for our work to grow and expand. I wouldn’t have imagined that we could have the local hospital not only provide us land to grow food, but also provide other resources to try to find funding opportunities to support our community garden work or going to people’s backyards to build raised garden boxes for seniors. We were an open vessel and we clearly defined how we wanted to interact with people that actually opened up the door for others to participate and support the work that we were trying to do. At the end of the day, our message regarding access to food was just centered around teaching people to grow for themselves because we realized through the pandemic that if you’re on lockdown – it’s not like you’re driving up and down the streets like you normally did, or if you did show up at the grocery store, you’re limited based on what the grocery store had to offer. But if you just go outside and find a quarter acre section of property that is within walking distance, and you can grow some of your basic necessities and things that are more sustainable – like foods that can be harvested and then canned or frozen or preserved – then you could eat from that a little bit longer than if you had to make another trip to the store. So we found allies who were willing to get into that work and we were able to start partnering with our local public health facilities and local hospital, and that helped us learn even more about the nutritional benefits of what we were growing.
Then not only are we growing strawberries because they taste good and are yummy – yes, that’s true – but we’re also growing strawberries because of the health benefits from them. And we can talk with people about how strawberries have vitamin C and manganese and they help regulate blood sugar and blood pressure and all of that. So that became the ground that expanded our work, but also expanded how we were involved in the community. The pandemic and the natural disasters gave us a platform to where we could go in different spaces – so we could be in low-income housing at 9 o’clock in the morning, at 10 o’clock we’re in the school gardens talking to the kids about growing food in their raised garden boxes, and then at 2 o’clock we’re showing up at the Housing Authority or the local senior center doing the same sort of work. It allowed us to still be genuinely who we were, but gave us multiple spaces to showcase who were in different arenas.
EL: That’s incredible. I know that in addition to the many ways that Flint River Fresh helps get healthy food to the community, it also works to create new economic opportunities for local farmers. Can you share why that piece is an important part of what you do, and about what some of the challenges are for local farmers in our current food system?
FJ: Our take on that is a little bit different. Because we’re not initially trying to create a farmer’s market. Our take on working with the local farmers was sort of a train-the-trainer approach. Because the local farmers know how to grow what people like to eat, right? So we approached those farmers to come to a workshop and show people how to grow collard greens or show people how to grow sweet potatoes. But what we would do in partnership with them is find business partners who would purchase from the local farmers and we would use their produce for our community giveaways. We wanted, especially for small-scale farmers, to be able to give them the opportunity where we would purchase directly from them to provide the supplemental vegetables.
That became its own driving force because it wasn’t like “Oh, we’re looking for a handout or please give us a donation.” It was like, “Can we buy 30 bunches of collard greens from you? How much would that cost?” Then we set out a budget so we could buy it from them, and then once we bought it from them, we turned around and gave it away to somebody in need. So it was like, “We want your produce, but we want you to get paid for your sweat equity.” And then over time, when we gave it to people in need, it wasn’t just a hand-out, it was based upon that person doing work in the community. They could get produce if they volunteered at one of our community gardens, or if they helped us to table at a volunteer event.
The idea is to create a full-circle approach, so that you learn how to be sustainable in growing food – and we’ll give you food until the point that you’re able to grow it for yourself. Then once you grow it for yourself, we end up teaching (especially in the work we’re doing with kids now) opportunities for urban farmers. So, we’ll show a young person how to grow food and how to set up at a market – and then now they actually have an entrepreneurial opportunity where they could become an urban farmer. They could grow for market using the same techniques and skills that we are going into the neighborhoods and communities showing people how to do day in and day out.
EL: One of the four key pillars for Flint River Fresh is land stewardship and conserving natural resources. I know oftentimes, the agricultural sector and the conservation sector can be pitted against each other and are seen as having battling priorities. But I know your organization is approaching that differently in order to be growing food in a way that is sustainable for future generations. So how are you helping to bridge that gap between growing food and conserving land and holding them together in the same conversation?
FJ: Our organization was actually founded through the National Association of Conservation Districts. Here in southwest Georgia, there is a conservation district group called the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, and their whole mission is to be able to work with big farmers and show them sustainable ways and conservation practices that can preserve the land, preserve the air, and preserve our water, but also help them with their business structure. I don’t know if a lot of people know, but in every county in every state, there are multiple conservation districts. They are all in place to work with the big farms, and the little guys, to preserve and protect the land. Part of what we’re doing with my organization is putting on workshops to showcase things like how to do drip irrigation, and why it’s important. Or why you should set up a pollinator garden in the midst of your fields of what you’re planting, and how to protect your weeds, and why that is important. Or how to pay attention to your soil health in your pasture, or how to use technology so that when you have to water your crops, you’re not just wasting water.
Another thing about where we’re at in southwest Georgia is that we have the mighty Flint River that rolls through here, but the Flint River flows all the way from Atlanta to the state of Florida. That is a huge water system. So we’re always thinking of the long game. If you just grow and pollute the ground, and you’re pumping a lot of chemicals into the earth – yeah, you might get a yield. But if you actually practice crop rotation, if you utilize adding compost into your soil mix or your conservation techniques, if you utilize chicken litter or things that are more sustainable – then you’ll have a harvest AND your land will be good for generations to come. A lot of farmers here – they’re not a first-generation farm. Most of the farms we work with, they may be 5th generation growers. So conservation makes sense to them, but if they’re polluting the land or feeding the animal stock with a lot of chemicals, then without conservation practices they can’t guarantee that they actually will be able to continue to pass on land to their great-great-grandchildren.
EL: EcoTheo explores the intersection of spirituality and ecology. I knew you from Koinonia Farm which is a faith community, and I'm not sure where you’re at on your spiritual journey lately, but I am curious about how all the work you’re doing now has impacted you spiritually or how you see the conversation between spirituality and land care these days?
FJ: It goes back to what I kinda said originally, which is that especially post-pandemic, part of our work has been going into these local communities. And it’s as Biblical as it sounds and as simple as it sounds, that we wanted to just do unto others as you would want them to do unto you. So if I’m struggling, and you’re alright, can you help me out and lend a hand? The simplicity of that is who I am. I always tell people, yes, I believe in Jesus and that he rose again for all our sins – I believe that with all my heart. I also believe he was a servant to humanity, and that what you do unto the least of these is what you’re doing to him. So with my neighbors, one thing I can do is invest my own time and energy to help somebody in need. And I just decided that the best thing I can do to help someone in need is to get out there and grow some food, and show others how to grow some food. And if I feed you, then the only thing I’m asking is that you’ll take what I’m teaching you and go feed somebody else. Because if you take what I’m doing to go feed somebody else, then eventually we’re all eating. One person at a time. One garden at a time. One raised box at a time. So spiritually, it’s just looking at how we can work collectively to create a better environment so that we all can thrive and we all can be our best selves, ya know?
We all understand that life is temporary, because we’ve all experienced losses in our lives, and people that we’ve loved leaving this earth. It’s all temporary, and yet we do all have abilities that can help somebody. So, I just want those abilities to be utilized in a way where people can serve. Even when people come to volunteer, they don’t ALL get their hands dirty. Some people volunteer because they’re really good greeters. And when we have a planting day, their whole role is to sit a table and collect people’s names and email addresses. But they do it with so much love and genuineness – and that’s a powerful tool to have.
Or someone who is comfortable enough to just walk a neighborhood, knock on doors, and tell people, “Hey, did you know that we have a community garden in your neighborhood and what we’re growing is for you? And here are times you can come show up and help out. The plums are about to be ready – you want some fresh plums?” Or to go tell people that we’re about to harvest collard greens because everyone wants to have a good new year [Southern New Year’s tradition that eating greens brings money], so come to the community garden to harvest greens and get your new year off right. Or even people who are good at social media – they have a role. If you can post something on Facebook, or if you’re a photographer who can take really dope pictures, then you can help with our mission by conveying our story.
We always say that there are different ways for people to support the work beyond coming out and getting your hands dirty. You might just have a pickup truck that we can use to get compost. Sister Mary cooks the best collard greens in town – so come on, Sister Mary. “I’ll give you the collard greens and you cook ‘em and we’ll give ‘em to the people.” Because we’re a nonprofit, we depend on volunteers for lots of different work. Sometimes people will volunteer legal skills or accounting skills to make sure that we’re doing everything like we should be.
That’s the part I’m always moved by – how anyone can be a part of what we’re doing. You don’t have to change what you’re already called to be. I’ll talk to pastors at churches and let them know that their congregations can totally get involved. We’ve got a thing coming up where every three or four months, we’ll have a service day where different churches recruit their members to go out and do service projects. So I’ve got a group coming from a local church to our community garden to help plant tomatoes or put peas in the ground or break down the compost bin. There is something for everyone.
EL: You’re living such a beautiful example of what my friend calls “stepping into the magic.” It’s the Holy Spirit, or whatever you want to call it -- where there is all this goodness happening around us and everybody can find their part in it. And it will be magical beyond what any of us can do on our own when we come together. And you’ve always been so great about inviting people to find their part.
FJ: “Stepping into the magic” – I like that. That sounds like something I would say.
