HOME & GARDEN
YOUNG FAMILY FARM AN OASIS IN THE FOOD DESERT OF KC’S URBAN CORE WRITTEN BY SHANNON E. ROESGEN / PHOTOS BY ALANA HENRY
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lan and Yolanda Young, owners of Young Family Farm, have resided in the Ivanhoe neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, since the ‘90s. Having a passion for gardening and being positive contributors to their neighborhood, the Youngs planted Young Family Farm in the heart of the neighborhood. This creation was born from necessity. “As long-time residents, we are personally familiar with and impacted by the urban core’s ‘food desert’ status because of the lack of grocery stores and good, healthy foods. The ethnicity is roughly 89 percent African American and 6 percent Latino. These ethnic groups suffer the highest rate of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure,” says Yolanda.
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SIMPLYkc MAGAZINE
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JULY 2021
The Mission “The Young Family Farm is committed to growing fruits and vegetables using organic practices, and providing those healthy food choices to the underserved population of Kansas City’s urban core—which we believe will ultimately lead to better health outcomes for residents,” says Alan. They only have heirloom vegetables; there are no hybrid vegetables that have been genetically modified on their farm. Alan adds, “A lot of hard work goes into producing food that is not tainted with pesticides. All of our produce is organic and we use a bio-intensive, no-till, high density spin farming method. By not tilling the ground and by adding nutrients to our compost, we grow better produce.” The Youngs use only
permanent raised beds to grow their vegetables. Young Family Farm has become a multi-generational business. Alan and Yolanda’s eldest daughter, Alana, continues what her parents began and is a vital part of growing not only the garden, but increasing community awareness of their farm. Having Facebook and Instagram accounts allows customers to preview what will be available on market day, which is every Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. until November.
What You Will Find “People visit us not only for the food, but for the company,” says Alana. “There is a real community feel. We greet all of our customers and love to get to know people. We give the highest quality customer service.”
