Black Seeds Urban Farms Feeds the Soul of Its Memphis Community

In partnership with: Tennessee Department of Agriculture

Raised by her grandparents in South Memphis, Derravia Rich loved watching her grandfather tend his tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables while she and her sisters and cousins played in the yard. The produce he raised fed his large family and many of his neighbors too.

By the time Derravia and her husband, Bobby, moved back to Memphis after a decade in Nashville, her granddad had passed away. At that point, weeds were choking the beloved garden. At the time, Derravia was working as the K-12 coordinator of the digital agronomy program at Tennessee College of Applied Technology Covington and Bobby as a firefighter.

When Bobby showed an interest in the garden, Derravia’s uncle, Robert “Bubay” Freeman, started showing him how to restore it to its original state. In 2019, the couple moved into Derravia’s grandparents’ house to take care of her ailing grandmother – and the garden.

“When she passed away in May of 2019, we found a lot of comfort in just sitting in the garden and reflecting on memories of what we all had experienced in our back yard,” Derravia says. “That was a really hard time for me. But it ended up turning into a very pivotal moment for me and Bobby. At that point we realized the many benefits that came along with sitting in a garden.”

See more: The Best Tennessee Farms for Teaching Children About Agriculture

The Seeds of a New Venture

With assistance from the local Community Redevelopment Agency, which helped them find the perfect spot for sale, in July 2021 the Riches turned a vacant lot in the Uptown neighborhood of Greenlaw into a full-blown business. Much like the family garden that inspired it, Black Seeds Urban Farms raises – and openly shares – all types of vegetables and fruits. They grow a variety of produce, from zucchini and eggplants to apples, raspberries and pears, and herbs like peppermint, lavender and thyme. 

“Whenever we have a harvest, we’ll let people know throughout the neighborhood,” Bobby says. “Sometimes we contact the church next door and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got tomatoes, we have bags of okra.’ Most of the things that we grow, we pretty much give away.”

Bobby, now a certified master gardener, does all the labor, while his wife handles the agribusiness side. They’ve grown close to their new Greenlaw friends in what was once a food desert.

“It has just been unbelievable how well received we have been,” Derravia says.

See more: How Urban Community Garden Initiatives Help Tennessee Residents

More Than a Garden

Much like Derravia’s childhood garden, Black Seeds feeds not just the body, but the soul. The owners encourage area residents to relax in a swing or a hammock or sit by the fire pit and surround themselves in the solace of green, growing things. 

“It’s very therapeutic,” Bobby says.

They also host free educational programs and garden stations with hands-on workshops for both youth and adults. School groups sometimes visit to learn about growing their own food and the importance of land stewardship. On the for-profit side, Black Seeds Urban Farms offers space rentals, garden consultations and other events, along with private picnic packages. The Riches hope to expand in 2022 and are open to partnering with other organizations to add even more features.

“I come from a neighborhood right in the middle of a food desert, where nutritious food isn’t readily available. Now I know how impactful it can be on the people in a community who don’t have fresh foods nearby,” Derravia says. “I want to make sure that we are providing those options to people in neighborhoods who wouldn’t otherwise have that access.”

They also host free educational programs and garden stations with hands-on workshops for both youth and adults. School groups sometimes visit to learn about growing their own food and the importance of land stewardship. On the for-profit side, Black Seeds Urban Farms offers space rentals, garden consultations and other events, along with private picnic packages. The Riches hope to expand in 2022 and are open to partnering with other organizations to add even more features.

“I come from a neighborhood right in the middle of a food desert, where nutritious food isn’t readily available. Now I know how impactful it can be on the people in a community who don’t have fresh foods nearby,” Derravia says. “I want to make sure that we are providing those options to people in neighborhoods who wouldn’t otherwise have that access.”