Global Food Project | ic-compassion

Mission

Global Food Project connects newly arrived and established Iowa City and Johnson County residents through garden plots located at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm. We use sustainable practices, provide gardening assistance and resources, and help to build and expand communities. We create a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment at our gardens for sharing life experiences, building trust between cultures, and embracing the diversity of our fellow Iowans.

Past

Global Food Project was founded in 2016 by a group of folks seeking to make a more inclusive and interconnected Iowa City. They thought that different communities coming together to grow food would be one way to achieve this. The program was established at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm with the goal of bringing together the different communities in the area, both new and established. In 2020, the program came under the wing of IC Compassion but the gardens were put on hiatus for that season due to Covid-19. In January 2021, a Program Manager was hired and worked to re-establish the garden program. That year 20 families gardened on 35 plots. Every year since we have increased the number of gardens but have been unable to keep pace with the ever-increasing demand for gardens.

Present

After two successful seasons under IC Compassion, we continue to grow. In 2023 we will have 55 families on 92 family plots, as well as six returning growers who will be growing for sale on 1/10 acre market plots. We have worked hard on updating our infrastructure by adding a larger and more permanent shelter for storing equipment and providing a space out of the elements; a greenhouse that will allow us to grow more starts and extend our season; a seed saving initiative to explore growing difficult to find African and Latin American crops; and an electric fence to protect the crops of the market growers from the deer and raccoons. The market plot growers will be selling their produce through a variety of avenues including the South District Diversity Market, Field to Family, and a pilot market at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm.

Future

Although we increase the number of plots we offer every year, the increase in interest continues to outpace us. We plan to continue to update our infrastructure and search for more land to accommodate this demand in the future. As more families choose to scale up with a market plot, we also plan to help those gardeners find larger plots of land in the area to grow more food in the future and help them transition smoothly to becoming independent food farmers in the area. Just as plants want to find a way to grow, so does Global Food Project.