Yesterday, I reported on the geomorphologist that won the MacArthur grant for his work on soil conservation for sustainable agriculture, and today it’s time to turn the attention to community-based agriculture. Will Allen is the founder and CEO of Growing Power, a Milwaukee-based non-profit that provides safe, fresh and affordable food for people in all communities.
Allen is among the MacArthur awardees, and he’s built an impressive network of farms and sustainable agriculture practices around Milwaukee and Chicago. These inner-city farmers compost local table scraps to build their own soil with the help of worms; they grow, clean, market and distribute fresh vegetables; they raise Talapia in aquaculture systems that recycle and clean the water through a complex system that also waters plants; they raise animals and produce eggs; and they’re expanding rapidly through an aggressive education program.
Will Allen is a former professional basketball player and Procter and Gamble marketer who returned to farming as a means to assist neighborhoods and children. View this YouTube video to become inspired.
