By the numbers
50,000 pounds of sustainable produce grown annually
1,450+ K-12 students visit our farm each school year
Image by Katie Sikora
850+ visitors, guests, and farm volunteers each year
660+ jobs for youth in our leadership programs since 2011
Since 2011, we have grown over 501,000 pounds of food. In our 2.5 acres of cultivated fields, we have built soil organic matter to an average of 7%, which indicates a thriving underground ecosystem of microorganisms, insects, and fungi. Healthy soil with a high percentage of organic matter takes years to build, absorbs water during flooding events, and retains moisture during droughts.
On our farm, we cultivate over 50 distinct varieties of fruits and vegetable crops. In addition to our annual crops, we have planted 74 thriving shade and fruit trees on our 7-acre site, which demonstrates our commitment to biodiversity and climate resilience as we steward this land.
On our farm:
Knowing that I am helping grow food for New Orleans is a good feeling. I feel proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and doing this job.
—Crew Member 2015
After our core leadership program:
100% of youth report that Grow Dat helped them understand how food gets from farm to table.
100% of youth report that Grow Dat helped them identify their strengths and areas for personal growth.
93% of participants say Grow Dat was a positive turning point in their lives.
98% of participants have experienced substantial growth in communicating with people who don’t share the same demographics (e.g. race, class, gender)
100% of youth say Grow Dat helped them develop skills for future employment
98% of youth say they feel more comfortable giving and receiving feedback.
100% of youth report that they see how factors like race, class, immigration status, and gender affect people’s access to food.
90% of participants say Grow Dat helped them see themselves as a leader.