Crabtree Farms, a nonprofit group founded in 1998, resides on land that has been agriculturally active for nearly two hundred years. While it does not have a perfect history, this rich land has found its way back into the community's hands. When the McGauley family gave the land to the city of Chattanooga, it was then leased to the nonprofit group that focused on providing food and education to the city. Last year, Crabtree Farms commemorated 25 years of service to the community with the planting of twenty-five trees.
Crabtree Farms grows food for neighborhoods throughout Chattanooga, selling some of its produce at their onsite seasonal farm stand which is open on weekends. The farm also participates in the Main Street Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays as well as having a few select wholesale accounts with restaurants in Chattanooga. “We also donate food to local community fridges and we are exploring relationships with our community’s food banks to find ways to get fresh food into the hands of those who struggle with food access,” adds Lena Banks, Director of Development and Communications at Crabtree Farms.
At Crabtree Farms, plant starts are offered through both donations and plant sales. The plant sales usually occur during the biannual festivals held at the farm where attendees can enjoy live music, delicious local food and hayrides while shopping for fruit trees, annuals, herbs or perennials. “We really try to hand select the best suited for this area. We are trying to increase the amount of native plants we have available within the community,” Banks told us. The organization gets most of its funding through these festivals, held in the spring and in the fall, allowing the farm to continue growing enough plant starts to donate to other community gardens and the surrounding area.
These festivals and sales, however, are not just about supporting the farm, they are about supporting neighbors. Banks explains, “We also support other local producers and farmers by carrying their products at our farm stand and have collaborating events with our plant sale and things of that nature. We promote community engagement through free events and educational activities. We have monthly potlucks for our community gardeners, classes, within this space for about 3,500 community members each year.”
Education is another core tenant of Crabtree Farms, where those interested will find classes and workshops catering to all ages. From cooking classes, canning workshops, candle-making and even classes taught in Spanish, each class is unique and hosted by local educators. Learning is a passion to be fostered, not merely stopping by what can be grown in the soil, but also how it can be used. One unique offering allowed participants to learn about how to dye with naturally grown indigo from the farm.
Another wonderful, engaging program offered is the Crabtree Community Garden Program where participants are given free garden beds and supplies. More recently launched is The Mary Navarre More Emerging Farmer Mentorship program. Through this program, eager participants are given a small plot of land on the farm along with the tools and educational resources that will guide them from seed to market production on an urban farm.
Crabtree Farms is a busy farm with no intention of slowing down its work. With a smile in her voice, Banks puts it best, “It’s a lot of work but the payoff is really beautiful. Food is life. It touches every social determinant of health. Our life expectancy and quality of life are directly tied to the kinds and amount of food available to us. Not to mention, there is so much research tied to the mental and physical benefit of green spaces and outdoor recreation. Personally, I think it’s a lot of work that is worth it.”
Learn more about Crabtree Farms on their website: crabtreefarms.org.
Our life expectancy and quality of life are directly tied to the kinds and amount of food available to us.