Twenty years ago, Jones Valley Teaching Farm was started as an urban farm in Birmingham’s Southside neighborhood. Driven by the belief in the transformative act of growing food and a commitment to centering youth in our work, we have continued to evolve to create solutions to drive economic mobility, food resiliency, and healthy communities. Over the years and with incredible support from our community, JVTF has created a nationally recognized education and apprenticeship model and grown to include seven Teaching Farm. As we look forward and begin our next chapter of growth through the Center for Food Education, we want to celebrate the mentors, change-makers, believers, volunteers, and leaders that have inspired our journey since the very beginning. Throughout this year, we will highlight these individuals in a series called, “Portraits of Jones Valley Teaching Farm.”

Click on the links below to view each interview!

Ama ‘Ifágbàmílà’ Shambulia

Katie Davis

Michael Wilson