Agency - Baltimore Free Farm

Baltimore Free Farm is committed to creating ecologically sound alternatives by combining the best of age-old and modern technologies. We strive to promote urban agriculture, sustainability, and permaculture through the creation of green spaces and community sanctuaries which utilize reclaimed materials whenever possible. By providing entertainment, educational opportunities, and ethically produced food to local residents, we hope to instill a sense of pride in one’s community and its ability to sustain itself.

Description:
Baltimore Free Farm is a horizontally organized collective, which means that all of our decisions are made as a group, and no one person is considered a “boss.” All members are given a voice in our decision making process. In order to make a decision, BFF must reach a consensus from all members. This means that every member agrees with the decision being made and does not wish to block it from going through. Operating in this way is our attempt to abolish hierarchy within the collective by ensuring that no one person may decide how this project will move forward without the consensus of every collective member.

History:
We began in January 2010 with an Adopt-A-Lot lease from the City of Baltimore and proceeded to clear several overgrown lots at that address of weeds, brambles, dead trees, yard and construction waste that had been dumped there, drug paraphernalia, and even a box of handgun ammunition and a hand grenade! Soil testing showed a relatively low level of lead in the ground, so after extensive 100% volunteer humanpower was used to landscape the hillside and amend the soil, we planted our first crop that spring and were blown away by how successful it was. While Baltimore Free Farm’s scope has expanded from community gardening to the broader issue of local sustainability, the Ash Street Garden remains our flagship and we look forward to future seasons of bountiful harvests to share with the community.

Contact people:

Reagan Hooton, (phone), (email) Billy Thompson, (email)

Address:

3510 Ash Street Baltimore, MD 21211 (See a map)