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

Alan 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.

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.”

She adds, “Often, customers are amazed that we pull vegetables right out of the ground, clean off the dirt and bag it for them to take home!” A selfless and unique aspect of this business is that one of their goals is to empower residents to grow their own vegetables. “We have made it our mission to do our part in empowering residents to grow their own food, shop local, and provide them with healthy food alternatives,” says Alana.

The Youngs’ Personal Favorites

The Youngs say they love the vibrant colors of the beets and squash, and the lovely textures in the mus-

tard greens and kale. “We also love okra and sweet potatoes. It is so hard to pick a favorite!” says Yolanda. “Young Family Farm is a family-owned, blackowned urban farm when there is a lack of black farmers in the country,” says Yolanda. She attributes one of Above: (l to r) Owners Alan & Yolanda Young with daughter Alana Henry the reasons to stigma PHOTO BY MEGHAN TURNER OF IDLEWILD PHOTOGRAPHY KC related to the trauma of slavery. “Sometimes my daughter and I will look at each other and say, can you imagine what our ancestors went through who had to work in the heat all day with very little food — and involuntarily?” she says. The Young’s say their farm is a way to pay homage and tribute to enslaved peoples and their ancestral line. Young Family Farm is a vessel for fighting food injustice and food inequality. Alana says, “We start small with something that we can do. We invite others to join us, and that’s how transformational change happens.” The Youngs want to empower community members so they can be a part of something that betters their personal health and the neighborhood.

THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS: WHAT THEY GROW

Banana Peppers Beets Bell Peppers Broccoli Cabbage Cantaloupe Carrots Cauliflower Crowder Peas Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Greens

(Collard, Mustard, Turnip) Green Beans Green Onions Habanero Peppers Jalapeño Peppers Basil Kale Mint Kohlrabi Parsley Lettuce Rosemary Okra Sage Onions Thyme Poblano Peppers Potatoes Purple Hull Peas Radishes Squash Sweet Potatoes Swiss Chard Tomatoes

(Red, Green) Turnip Roots Zucchini Watermelon Zinnias Honey

Young Family Farm

3819 Wayne Ave., Kansas City, MO

(816) 237-0572 • instagram: @youngfamilyfarmkc facebook: facebook.com/youngfamilyfarmkc