City Farm

City Farm TLH

With funding from a Knight Foundation grant, the City of Tallahassee has begun the City Farm TLH project. The focus of this project is to transform blighted properties into accessible sources of locally grown food, promote environmental and social health through underutilized and vacant site redevelopment, and spur entrepreneurship through an urban farming and entrepreneurship training program.

Pilot Farm

In October 2020, the City began the development of a Pilot Urban Farm on a vacant underutilized City-owned parcel at 530 Kissimmee St. The Pilot Farm serves as a training location for aspiring urban farmers and a source for fresh produce for the surrounding neighborhood.

Urban Farming and Entrepreneurship Training

As part of the City Farm TLH project, an intensive 12-week Urban Farming and Entrepreneurship training program helps provide participants with the knowledge to launch their own small farm in an urban setting. Two cohorts completed the program in 2021 and the third cohort is now in session.

Participants learn how to start and operate a small-farm business through online classes and hands-on opportunities at local farms, including City Farm TLH located in Greater Bond.

Course work covers growing methods, crop management, marketing, business financing, sustainability and more. Live instruction takes place at local urban farms and at the Wakulla Environmental Institute.

Tallahassee residents 18 years of age and older are eligible for a scholarship from the City of Tallahassee to participate in the program at no cost, but space is limited with priority given to Neighborhood First residents. To learn more about scholarship eligibility, please email Sustainability@Talgov.com. Enrollment for the next cohort will begin in May 2022.

Apprenticeships

To further the experience of program, the City will assist program participants with securing an urban farming apprenticeship with one of our local farming partners. These apprenticeships are intended to advance participants' knowledge of sustainable and profitable growing techniques by providing work experience at local farms.