SOIL: A Living Story on the Move

Traveling Exhibition by Justin Hardiman | Presented by Rootswell & Partnership for a Healthier America

Chef Dre: Elevating Healthy Eating in the Mississippi Delta

Chef Deandre Metcalf partners with Rootswell for chef pop ups at local Homecoming Tour.

Sacred Ground

Pastor Bennie Brown stands at St. James Church, a sacred legacy born from the hush harbors of enslaved people seeking freedom and hope. In 1870, freed from the chains of plantation religion, they built this church on the foundation of secret prayers, African rhythms, and cries for liberation. St. James stands as a powerful testament to their faith, resilience, and the prayers they sent up for a better future.

Fortress of Solitude

Community members listen to Mr. Bennie tell the untold stories of the Swan Lake Association and his plans to support a new generation of Black farmers on the land. As they walk to the bush harbor church, started after slavery, they feel the presence of their ancestors leading them to this moment. Justin Hardiman, a black, Mississippi raised photographer captures the day, and current world events make the moment even more special and the calls to return back to the land more urgent.

Farmers Market

Robbie Pollard, founder of the Happy Food Project, left a long IT career to reconnect with his agricultural roots, transforming his family's property into Start 2 Finish Farms, LLC. Through his healthy food initiative, he not only delivers fresh produce to underserved areas in the Mississippi Delta, but also empowers other farmers with resources like seeds, bulk purchasing, and equipment sharing under the cooperative brand Harvest of the Delta. Committed to building equity, Robbie educates youth on farming as a viable career and advocates for food access through programs like Farm to ECE and his vision of a mobile farmers market to serve areas without fresh produce.

The Harvest

Jonestown Native, Jeremy Miller, gazes at the camera while carrying a mesh sack with recently harvested greens on land owned by Swan Lake Association.

The Fruits of Our Labor

Founded in 1870 in Jonestown, MS, the Swan Lake Association was a Black-led church organization dedicated to empowering former slaves, later amassing over 600 acres of land. Today, Mr. Bennie continues this legacy by training a new generation of Black farmers through a farm incubation program, preserving agricultural traditions and economic independence.

Rooted

Dorfus Young Jr., farm manager and chief marketer of Young Family Farm, balances computer work while getting his hands in the soil, proudly building on his family's legacy. Under his leadership, the farm has become a hub for wine tastings, family reunions, and educational visits from universities like Brown and Ole Miss. Thanks to support from organizations like Higher Purpose Co. and MS Delta Council, the farm continues to thrive, connecting its produce and products to broader markets.

Resilience

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Delta Sunrise

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