Welcome (back) to Henry Got Crops!

I am proud to say this is the 5^th season for Henry Got Crops. I am proud to say many shareholders have been with us for 5 years. I’m proud to farm on the campus of a public high school. I’m proud that this high school is one of two urban, agricultural high schools in the country. I’m proud to be one of only two co-ops in the country with farmers on staff. I’m proud that we grow in a city. I’m proud that we do not buy in produce from other locations to fill your vegetable share. I’m proud to be part of an educational farm that not only serves as an outdoor classroom for urban youth, but also serves to train adults through our internship and apprentice program. Sometimes I think what we are trying to accomplish at Henry Got Crops is crazy and destined to be forever difficult and inherently challenging: we are part of a business that operates a grocery store which at its core is not structured to operate a farm; we are part of a nonprofit that works with over a thousand youth every year, yet has less than five year-round, full time staff; we have teenagers with little to no expert farming experience contribute to the production of the CSA; we partner with an under-funded public school that suffers from the budget cuts and staff and schedule changes of a rocky school district. But yet…I can think of no other place I would rather farm, work, sweat and laugh. This piece of land serves as the source of food for over 100 families, serves as a safe place to hang out after school, serves as a place for new parents to show their young children cows and sheep and horses. It serves as a place to get away from the business and craziness of the urban rush, while never leaving the city. Please enjoy this farm, as it is YOUR farm: picnic on the lawn, watch the sunset, pick a tomato. Talk to a stranger and ask them what brought them here, it very well might be that they came to this piece of land for the same reason you have.