Delorise and Tony Jones have one mission for their family-owned farm – to bring fresh and clean produce to Delorise’s hometown of Chulahoma, Mississippi. “If we can help one person grow one plant, or if we can provide them with better choices, it will create a healthier person one family member at a time,” she adds.
Residing in Orange Mound, a predominantly low-income African American community in southeast Memphis, Delorise, and Tony have witnessed first-hand the limited access residents have to healthy foods. Their intention for starting Chulahoma’s Garden was to show that fresh produce can be grown and distributed even in the most rural parts of the mid-South.
Today, the couple’s garden features peppers, herbs, tomatoes, corn, okra, cucumbers, cabbage, and more. “Now the neighborhood children are stopping by and asking about our Front Yard Garden and eating from [it],” Delorise adds.
All of their naturally-grown produce is sold through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and can be found in local farmers markets in Oxford, Hernando, Olive Branch, and Holly Springs, Mississippi. “We feel that we can start helping our community – whether we are at our farm or in the city – to see the benefits of growing fresh and eating fresh produce.”
Their program is subscription-based, so participants can choose to sign up for either weekly or bi-weekly shares (or boxes). Each share will be a $50 value priced at only $40 per share. However, if participants receive SNAP benefits, they will only need to pay $20 per subscription.
Weekly pickup locations are available to subscribers around Memphis and other parts of Shelby County. For more information, you can check out Delorise & Tony’s YouTube channel or head to their Facebook page Facebook.com/ChulahomasGarden. For inquiries, you can also reach them directly at Chulahomasgarden@gmail.com.
By Colleen May
