How can we grow food in a way that keeps us healthy and also takes care of the land?
Soul Fire Farm
Leah Penniman & Jonah Vitale-Wolff
Petersburg, New York
2011 to Present
Regenerative agriculture not only sustains but improves the environment by restoring soil health, boosting biodiversity, and enhancing the ecosystem. It draws inspiration from generations of Indigenous and Black agricultural wisdom.
Soul Fire Farm, an Afro-Indigenous community farm, rejuvenates 80 acres of mountainside land with ancestral practices: mulching, cover crops, composting, and raised bed farming. They produce fruits, plant medicine, pasture-raised livestock, honey, mushrooms, and vegetables, using locally sourced and natural materials for structures.
Through education and community engagement grounded in Indigenous and Black traditions, they share knowledge about sustainable farming and tackle issues like social justice, food equity, and empowering marginalized communities.
Soul Fire Farm’s dedication to preserving the legacy of Black and Indigenous farming nourishes bodies and catalyzes positive change. Their work fosters a deeper connection between people, land, and cultural roots.
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WEBSITE
Soul Fire Farms: www.soulfirefarm.orgVIDEOS
Soul Fire Farm’s YouTube Channel is Full of Informative Videos.
BOOKS
Leah Penniman, Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land, Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2018.
This is an excellent book detailing the African diasporic contributions to sustainable agriculture, with practical tools and techniques.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants,” Milkweed Editions, 2015.
A blend of science, spirit, and Indigenous wisdom about plants and our relationship to the land.
FILMS
Narrated by Woody Harrelson, this film delves into regenerative agriculture and its potential to combat climate change.
Chronicles the eight-year journey of a couple as they develop a sustainable farm. While it doesn’t focus specifically on Black or Indigenous techniques, it's a great introduction to the principles of regenerative agriculture.
Images courtesy of Soul Fire Farm