By Kim Gonzalez-Hernandez
12 vacant buildings and 6 corner stores. This is what I observed within a 4-minute drive in a Milwaukee neighborhood. This is the reality for those who live within these parameters. What surrounds them is not an oasis of fresh foods, rather cheap and unhealthy options. Processed food can come in large amounts for a low price, so who wouldn’t want to get their hands on it? It is convenient for many low-income families to purchase processed foods as they have children to support and little money to do so.
In 2007, the recession happened. My family packed their bags and moved to Wisconsin to live with our uncle. My family shared the master bedroom, and while my mom and dad worked, I took care of my little brother and sister. To make things easier for me, my mother supplied the kitchen with an abundance of frozen foods, sugary cereals, and sweet snacks. Not only was it easy, but it was safe for a child like me to make these foods. However, being surrounded by this food resulted in me becoming overweight. This is a common theme that can be found in households across the United States. James A. Levine (2011) conducted a study with the American Diabetes Association, finding that U.S. counties with poverty rates greater than 35% have obesity rates that are 145% higher than wealthy U.S. counties. There needs to be a change within the food distribution system to allow low-income families to get their hands on fresh, local, farm foods.
Throughout my life, I have questioned the food systems that we live with. It started in middle school when we were presented with a documentary on commercial agriculture. My mind was curious and started to question things. I was young, so I started to lose my focus on these matters. I had other plans in mind for my life. However, it seemed as though farming was somehow destined for me. I enjoyed growing garlic in a bottle in second grade, wished I could be in Harry Potter to take an herbology class, wanted to be a gardener fairy from Tinker Bell, and visited farms whenever I could in the summer. It took some time to figure out what I wanted to do with my future, but these experiences slowly pushed me to where I am today.
When I was exploring farms, I came across Gwenyn Hill (a hidden gem, in my opinion), and immediately fell in love. There was a certain charm to this farm that made me feel at ease, a place of tranquility. There was a spark inside of me that ignited the urge to find a way to work at this farm. My journey into this process started on August 21, 2023, when I applied for the apprenticeship. With no farming experience on my back, it was certain that I would not be accepted right away. But that did not stop my pursuit to work at Gwenyn Hill. It wasn’t until June of 2024 that I received an email for potential employment and a chance at the apprenticeship. This is a core memory that will change my life for the better. As a new farmer, there is an abundance of information for me to take in. The team has helped me out tremendously by answering my questions and guiding me along the way. With the apprenticeship, I will retain the information needed to create a suitable farm for the land and the community that focuses on education and sustainable practices.
For me, farming is a connection to the land and the community. A lady once told me that an 8-year-old child was shocked to see a blueberry because it was their first time being introduced to one. People living in low-income neighborhoods should have access to fresh food as much as anyone else. I farm to learn about the land and to create habitats for creatures. I farm to connect with my roots. I farm in the hope of one day educating the community. But most importantly, I farm for the boys and girls out there who were once like me. Children with little to no access to farm-fresh foods, this is for you.
Citations:
Levine, J. A. (2011). Poverty and Obesity in the U.S. Diabetes, 60(11), 2667–2668. https://doi.org/10.2337/db11-1118
Kim joined the Gwenyn Hill Farm vegetable production team in the summer of 2024. She has been taking great care of our microgreens and farmstand over the winter and she recently enrolled in the Organic Vegetable Farm Manager Apprenticeship Program.