From Incarceration to Building a Thriving Urban Farm

Autumn Lowry (0:00)

When I was younger, I experienced incarceration. It was related to substance use. Once I started my recovery journey, life got better. I sat out of trouble, and I was able to do things that a lot of people think you can't do with that kind of a past. And so I pursued my education, which led to a career, which led to building my confidence that, hey, I can still do things, and I can still be great, and I can still help others and share my story.

Autumn Lowry is a compassionate, community-driven leader in social services, community development, and urban farming.

SPEAKER_2 (0:36)

She has served over 300 households and sold more than 4,000 pounds of produce using urban farming to improve food access and strengthen communities.

Autumn Lowry (0:45)

Gardening became therapeutic for me when I had some of my own life challenges. Food access became really highlighted during COVID, and one of my business partners presented me with space to grow. So I dug my foot in and started growing.

Rudy Mawer (1:00)

Everyone should have organic access to organic fruit, right? And vegetables. So how could they start this in their own community?

Autumn Lowry (1:08)

I think within five miles, we have three other farms, and being connected to them and learning from them, and working together, really just finding out what's already there. How can you apply what you're good at to what's already happening?

SPEAKER_2 (1:25)

It spans the globe like a super-highest cold internet. The Living Your Legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy.

Rudy Mawer (1:59)

Hey, welcome back everyone to another episode of Living Your Legacy podcast. I'm your host again, Jace Langan, and thanks for joining us here in the Miami Beach Studios where we get the privilege to talk to some of the best entrepreneurs from around the country, the disruptors, and experts from so many different fields. And yes, we have a special guest today on our Beyond Success show.

And yeah, let's learn all about her. So what's your name, where are you from, and what do you do?

Autumn Lowry (2:24)

My name is Autumn Lowry. I'm from Indianapolis, Indiana, and I am an urban farmer.

Rudy Mawer (2:29)

And I didn't get that. You're what?

Autumn Lowry (2:31)

Urban farmer.

Rudy Mawer (2:32)

Urban farmer. All right. So many people think farms out in non-urban environments, but what is urban farming?

Autumn Lowry (2:40)

Urban farming is more of a small-scale farming that is done in communities within the city limits, and we provide food for our communities and throughout our region.

Rudy Mawer (2:56)

Perfect. Yeah, we actually have one down here in South Beach. Yeah. There's a very small plot of land in the south of Fifth area, right? And yeah, it's a community farming. I was like, wow, this is cool. What is this, right? So there's like all these like small blocks, right? And I guess people in the community, you've got different people look after each block. Yeah.

And yeah, there's like a sign, there's like a waiting list for it also, right? Because it's so popular. But I guess, you know, they have to try to grow different things.

And yeah, I don't know too much about it, right? But I thought if I do end up living here in long term, it's something that it would totally be cool to be part of, right?

Autumn Lowry (3:38)

Yeah.

Rudy Mawer (3:38)

So how big is your urban farm? And you know, how do you choose who gets to be part of it?

Autumn Lowry (3:44)

We are actually on an abandoned, what used to be abandoned school property and a local church purchased the property. Property seven acres and we farm about two thirds.

SPEAKER_2 (3:55)

Seven acres? That's massive.

Autumn Lowry (3:56)

That's not, well, yeah. I mean, this was like an older part of the city, but we're only farming about two thirds of an acre there.

SPEAKER_2 (4:04)

Okay.

Rudy Mawer (4:05)

Still quite big.

Autumn Lowry (4:06)

Yeah. And then we also have a vacant lot. It's small, but usable.

And my house has turned into part of the farm too. So just wherever we can get our hands in the soil and grow things.

Rudy Mawer (4:20)

Yeah. Is there a waiting list?

Autumn Lowry (4:22)

No, there's no waiting list.

We support the community through our farm. Community members can come and check us out. But there's primarily two of us that maintain most of the labor for the farm and volunteers.

Rudy Mawer (4:38)

It's different than the South Beach model here.

Autumn Lowry (4:41)

Yeah. But we do have those types of setups there too, where you can rent plots for the season and it's maintained by community members.