Christa Barfield, founder and chief executive officer of FarmerJawn Agriculture in Elkins Park, wants to reinvent agriculture education, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY.

The former health care administrator decided to quit her job and dedicate her time to agriculture after visiting the Caribbean in 2018. The sight of Black farmers made her realize that this act of “community” was the life for her.

Barfield’s first farm that she imagined was a 4-foot by 6-foot greenhouse that she started in her backyard in Germantown.

Since then, her operation has grown and expanded to the Elkins Estate, the historic property in Elkins Park which has already become the biggest part of her operation.

Now, FarmerJawn Agriculture has the goal of “reintroducing farming into the lifestyles of urban people.”

The operation makes money through its CSA farm, but it also recently added a nonprofit arm, The FarmerJawn & Friends Foundation Fund.

“We focus on being able to teach people how they can do this, how to integrate agriculture into your everyday lifestyle, not just by being mindful of what you eat, but also the act of doing if you so choose,” said Barfield.

Read more about FarmerJawn Agriculture in Elkins Park in WHYY.

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