08/28/2026
We’re well into our growing season on the farm.
This has been a season of grief, growth, love, support, and community.
We've missed Mel’s smile, spirit, and truck rides, deeply. At the same time, we've been reminded of our roots and our mission, and we've continued the work of changing the soil.
Our Executive Director, Lawanda Hollister, has worked hard to build new partnerships, secure funding, and strengthen our organization. We're proud to say our fund balance has our financial future looking bright.
Our five interns have thrived this summer, learned a ton, and also planted roots. The farm is looking, and tasting, great, and we think Mel would be proud of our tomato efforts (iykyk).
We’re dreaming, and conspiring, and looking towards our bright future. We’re thinking bigger with the farm. You can find us in the community at the Ypsilanti Farmer’s Market selling our produce. We want to focus more on community food security to help all of our neighbors thrive.
As we look toward the future, we've made the thoughtful decision to set the Good Soil Cafe project aside for now. The cafe has always represented our hope of creating more employment opportunities for our formerly incarcerated neighbors. Following a year of significant transition, we've chosen to focus our energy on growing the farm, strengthening community partnerships, and expanding our impact through food security. We still believe deeply in the vision behind Good Soil Cafe, but for now, we know our greatest opportunity to serve our community is by investing in the farm.
Our mission is clear, our vision is stronger than ever, and we're grateful to everyone who continues to grow alongside us. Thank you for believing in this work, our interns, and LaWanda. We can't wait to share what's next.
