Nestled between the Edgewood and Kirkwood neighborhoods, what was once a vacant lot is now a thriving neighborhood farm. Unearthing Farm and Market is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing fresh food for low prices so that families living in poverty have access to healthy foods.

The market provides a sense of community and health to Atlanta’s underserved areas. Farm Director Katie Kissel said the organization was started with the goal of creating a sustainable food system in the Atlanta area.

“We want to empower the Edgewood and Kirkwood communities to take control of their health and food sources,” Kissel said. “Whether it’s through our market, our educational programs or our soil remediation projects, we aim to ‘unearth’ the potential in our land and in each other, ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table.”

Kissel said the farm was born out of a critical need for community resilience during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In 2020, we saw how fragile our global food supply chains could be and how isolated our neighbors felt,” Kissel said. “We started Unearthing to create a local solution — a place where residents could access safe, healthy food without relying solely on grocery stores and a green space where people could safely connect with nature and each other during a very difficult time.”

Before the farm was a thriving gathering place, it was a vacant lot filled with invasive plants and garbage next to Edgewood Church. Pastor Marquette Bugg said the plot of land is in a flood plain and had been used for decades as a dumping ground for tires, construction debris and other refuse. But where some saw disparity, Kissel and Bugg saw opportunity.

“[Edgewood Church] saw [the farm] as a great way to use the space and another way of creating community for our neighbors,” Bugg said. “It also took what was essentially an abandoned piece of property and made it useful. We have loved all the gatherings, volunteer opportunities, kids programs and internships it has generated and are grateful to have another partner in community work.”

Bugg said the farm brings many benefits to the church by raising community awareness as an open and welcoming place. She said that even though the farm is not run directly by the church their partnership is mutually beneficial and both parties help each other often.

“As of now, Edgewood Church maintains a seat on the Board of the farm so that we can continue to be involved and be good neighbors,” Bugg said.

The farm provides shelter for many animals which attracts community attention for people to come meet them. Thomas Higgins is the maintenance manager at the farm, and he also takes care of the animals. He said that he sees Unearthing Farm benefit the Edgewood community every day.

“I see [community interaction] almost daily when I see someone wandering the farm, and they’re often people I haven’t seen before,” Higgins said.

Higgins says the farm mainly appeals to people because they like having a green space to explore. He said a space like Unearthing is hard to come by in Atlanta.

“It’s definitely a green space, which is enjoyable for everybody,” Higgins said. “Whether it’s the animals or a space to walk and enjoy, [the farm is a place for community].”

The space was created with the intention of being a community gathering place and hosts a multitude of events throughout the year.

“The farm hosts a once-monthly market where produce and goods from the [farm] are offered to the community,” Bugg said. “During this market, often the Frank Hamilton School of Folk Music comes to play around the campfire while [the] market is in session.”

Kissel said she has watched the organization grow into what it is today, and throughout that process she has seen it spread influence throughout the neighborhoods.

“The most visible benefit is the food itself — we provide fresh, chemical-free produce directly to residents who might otherwise live in a food desert,” Kissel said. “But beyond the crops, I’ve seen it become a classroom and a sanctuary. We host educational workshops that teach neighbors how to grow their own food, and we’ve created a space where people of all ages — from students to seniors — can gather, volunteer and feel a sense of ownership over their neighborhood. We turned a neglected space into a point of pride.”

Kissel said she was part of the original group who first established Unearthing. She said she has always been interested in agriculture and wanted to use it to cultivate community in her own neighborhood.

“Unearthing Farm and Market became the place where I could merge my professional expertise with my passion for social justice,” Kissel said. “It allowed me to apply my background in food systems to something tangible and local, right in my own backyard.”

Kissel and Bugg encourage anyone who is interested to get involved because Unearthing is always welcome to volunteers. Bugg said the best way to get involved would be to visit the Unearthing Farm website.

“We are more than just a place to grow vegetables; we are a community space and educational resource dedicated to food justice,” Kissel said. “Together we aim to cultivate a vibrant community green space through a hyper local farm and market. We operate on what was once a vacant lot, transforming it into a thriving ecosystem that feeds both the land and the people.”