Atlanta Farm Plants Seeds of Self-Sufficiency

A College Park nonprofit is showing that a garden can do more than produce vegetables. At Metro Atlanta Urban Farm, agriculture is being used to improve food access, support veterans, train future farmers and bring communities together.

Founded nearly two decades ago, the five-acre farm teaches sustainable growing practices that participants can replicate at home. Instead of relying on synthetic chemicals, the nonprofit emphasizes heirloom seeds, compost and natural growing methods, giving families practical tools to reduce grocery costs and grow fresh produce themselves.

Founder Bobby Wilson said the organization’s vision has always been about people first.

“We understood the therapeutic value of agriculture, of growing food,” Wilson said, adding that the goal is to improve the quality of life in communities that have historically had fewer resources.

That mission recently expanded through a partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project. Veterans from multiple military branches now meet at the farm every other week to plant, harvest and learn gardening skills they can continue after returning home. Each participant leaves with vegetables, seeds and planter bags to start growing their own food.

For combat veteran and Wounded Warrior Project Peer Leader Teak Wilson, the program has provided more than practical gardening experience. She said spending time outdoors and working alongside other veterans has reduced stress, strengthened community ties and offered a sense of belonging. As grocery prices continue to climb, she said the ability to grow food at home has become an added financial benefit.

The farm is also investing in the next generation of agricultural professionals. Joshua Good, an agricultural business student at Alcorn State University, is spending eight weeks at Metro Atlanta Urban Farm learning hands-on skills such as operating tractors, building garden beds and working with different soil types—experience he said goes beyond what can be learned in a classroom.