This episode examines how a young, mission‑driven nonprofit in Baltimore is working to expand land access for Black and Brown communities through urban farming, nature‑based education, and a developing Farmland Commons partnership. It focuses on: (1) the organization’s origins in stewarding a 3‑acre parcel BLISS Meadows and managing an adjacent 7‑acre city‑owned forest, transforming both into community‑serving spaces for food production, education, and recreation; (2) the strategic effort to secure a larger, contiguous 10–50 acre property for commercial‑scale production, supported by a partnership with The Farmers Land Trust, GIS mapping, and ongoing landowner outreach; (3) the nonprofit’s operational model, where a small team manages production, education, and operations, and where farmers receive salaries, healthcare, and professional development funds that enable skill‑building in areas like beekeeping and season extension; (4) the governance structure: department‑based decision‑making, bi‑weekly staff meetings, board oversight focused on community impact, and a forthcoming 501(c)(25) Farmland Commons that will jointly hold land with at least three nonprofit partners; and (5) the challenges and lessons emerging from urban land stewardship, including slow city processes, legal barriers around livestock, the difficulty of acquiring affordable land near the urban core, and the tension of pursuing a mission‑driven model that must shift community habits while diversifying revenue beyond grants through agritourism, value‑added products, and direct sales.

• Transcript of complete interview
• Backyard Basecamp website