The Pilot Cohort
Meet the incredible farmers, herbalists and collectives from across New York state that our pilot community selected to be the first recipients of Black Farmer Fund support!
RAFAEL APONTE
Rocky Acres is a 10-acre farm that focuses on education and the sustainable production of local vegetables, eggs, and meat for low-resourced communities. It combines the knowledge and spirit of social justice with the transformative healing aspects of nature and agriculture to promote equity in both urban and rural food systems. Engages in community education as well as local Black Farmer organizing efforts.
DENISE SCOTT
Located on 6th street in Niagara Falls, 716CBD is just blocks away from the Canadian border, casino and many other attractions. An apothecary-style holistic healing space, 716CBD is a space where people can fill their holistic wellness toolkit by picking up tinctures, butters, bath bombs, salts, scrubs - all handcrafted by the owner! Most products contain CBD and all others are handcrafted by local wellness businesses. That’s not all -- this spring, 716CBD will be opening its doors for people to enjoy fresh-pressed juices, bakery treats, and coffee from other local small businesses. Keep an eye out for more information about our products and services, as we are planning to host spiritual retreats, full moon ceremonies, and more!
Soumppou Kaffo Farm aka Big Dream Farm
KAMA DOUCOURE
An agricultural-based space in Saugerties, NY that celebrates opportunities to serve communities by providing nutritious food with heritage and by stewarding the land. The first three seasons of Soumppou Kaffo Farm have focused on implementing good production systems on the 40 acres we steward, establishing a reputation in the local community, and beginning to form community partnerships with the West African Muslim community in NYC and Philadelphia, which allow us to play a positive role with our neighbors and within the community. Kama Doucoure, the lead farmer, started farming in West Africa at the age of six. He recently extended that experience to the Hudson Valley, where since 2019 Kama has been growing African crops and raising livestock that have high commercial sales within the West African and Muslim communities.
DELROY HENNINGHAM AND NITA HUTCHINS
Here at Farm Fresh Caribbean Growers, we specialize in providing the freshest of Caribbean produce not normally found in your average supermarket! Del, Farmer, and Owner, cultivates, produces and oversees all crop production to ensure the finest of quality! Del takes extreme pride in his organically grown farm-to-table product and wants everyone to enjoy the fruits of his labor at affordable prices!
AMANDA DAVID
This manifestation of Rootwork Herbals was founded in 2006 and is an herbal education business focusing on BIPOC and Queer Trans communities. Values are to be regenerative, bioregional, and sustainable working towards decolonization, healing, and liberation. Creating community wealth by making deep and significant investments in the land-based, medicinal skills of the community. Rootwork Herbals also houses an apothecary with medicinal offerings as well as individualized herbal consultation with Amanda.
TRINITY FARMS
DAVID AND VERONICA HAUGHTON
Trinity Farm is a small fruit orchard that began operations in 1997. They own 37 acres and farm on 60 more, producing a variety of fruits, primarily apples, vegetables, and fresh eggs. Products are offered directly to consumers through farmer’s markets, wholesale, and cideries.
ASHANTI WILLIAMS
The Black Yard Farm Collective is a collective of Black farmers working together to create a thriving farming space where the Black community can learn and receive the benefits of cultivated land. We focus on raising livestock and growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
KRISTA SPERONI AND ZIEN HODGE
True Foods is a Black-led, grassroots food preservation collective building self-determination and liberation on land in our local food systems in the Mid-Hudson Valley. We are advocates of healthy food systems, from sun to soil to plate; by acknowledging that we are guests on this Earth and are all living on stolen land, we strive to honor and rekindle our sacred relationships to the foods we consume and the lands we steward. The work has included preserving and redistributing food, diverting produce from waste streams, hosting community meals, skillshares and knowledge sharing, and currently, focuses on setting values and governance practices as a team, hoping to share this process as a model for community.
