Williams Vegetable Farm is purchasing family land, transitioning it from conventional soy to a holistically-managed vegetable farm.
Funded on 10/20/2021
Robert and Gwendolyn Williams are purchasing just under 5 acres of land near Baton Rouge, Louisiana to start up Williams Vegetable Farm. They will use the farm to guide their family and community away from foods that contribute to diet-related health problems, and to improve their surrounding environment. The land they are acquiring has been in Gwendolyn’s family for generations; an inspirational and rare story of a Black family preserving intergenerational family land.
As the land was previously used to grow conventional soy, the Williams are working with Steward, alongside local food nonprofit SPROUT NOLA, to develop a transition plan for sustainable and regenerative growing practices. Williams Vegetable Farm will start with growing collards, mustards, and other greens traditional to their culture, as well as broccoli and cabbage during the winter season. They plan to sell at the New Orleans Crescent City Farmers Markets through SPROUT’s Truck-Farm Table, a co-op for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, women, and veteran farmers that provides administrative support to sell produce at markets.
Their loan from Steward will provide funds to purchase the land, as well as the necessary equipment and infrastructure to get this new operation fully up and running. A vegetable planter and transplanter as well as seeds and starts will be purchased to get fall planting underway.
Williams Vegetable Farm is a farm in transition. Sitting upon land previously used to grow conventional soy, the Williams are working with Steward, LSU, and SPROUT NOLA to identify appropriate, sustainable, and regenerative farming practices to establish a holistic management approach to growing vegetables for years to come. This process entails:
Land Purchase--$28,000
Equipment--$10,000: This includes a vegetable planter and transplanter.
Inventory--$6,000: This includes purchasing seeds and plants for starting up their farm.
Infrastructure Improvements--$11,000: This includes running water and electricity throughout the property as well as the demolition of an old structure.
Total Budget: $55,000
This loan will be made to Williams Vegetable Farm LLC, a Louisiana limited liability company, which grows and sells produce for their local community.
The loan will be used to purchase land and fund the equipment and infrastructure improvements needed to start up Williams Vegetable Farm.
The total loan amount is $55,000 which will assist Williams Vegetable Farm LLC in starting and growing their business.
This loan is set at a 7% interest rate, with an 84 month (7 year) term, and interest only payments beginning 12 months (1 year) after funds are disbursed.
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