Cul2vate is a non-profit, Christian-based organization located in Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville. Since 2015, the organization has been providing nutritious food and spiritual sustenance to those in need of physical and spiritual stability.
Executive Director Joey Lankford recently explained to edible magazine, “We grow food to feed the hungry, and we grow people who need a fresh start or a second chance.”
The organization has two missions, providing food to the hungry and to provide a nurturing environment where healing can occur for those who are dealing with painful issues in their lives, like divorce, addiction, returning to society after incarceration, physical or mental health, or just general societal burn-out.
Growing produce to sell in their Farm Store, at Farmin’ the Hall Farmer’s Market, and to donate to organizations helping those dealing with food insecurity in Davidson and Williamson Counties is the first mission. For every pound of produce sold, a pound of food is donated to the food insecure, says their website. They distribute to the food insecure through partners like OneGenAway and Nashville Food Project.
They grow the produce through their second mission, helping those needing a healing community and a reconnection with the earth. Bi-annually they bring 15 people into their Cul2vators Program. It is a 6-month paid internship-type program that puts participants to work on the farm and in their shop. Each person is assigned to a task based on their interests and skills.
Jimmy Hobbs, who is the Farm Manager and a graduate of the Cul2vator Program, told freshpoint.com, one of their partners, “For me, it has been a change of a lifestyle. Coming out of prison and joining the Cul2vate community takes me back to days working potatoes with my granny. Without Cul2vate and the community we have, I don’t think I’d be here now.”
“This year, Cul2vate was blessed by the first female Cul2vator, Camille,” says their website. “Camille grew up in Williamson County…and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. She was between jobs, was working diligently through some mental health issues, and had been volunteering at the Giving Garden in Franklin…The kind people at The Giving Garden knew she was seeking even more, and they suggested she contact Cul2vate…[She is now in] a pilot group of Cul2vator Phase II training. She is working to move on to another position in local agriculture and ministry after her time at Cul2vate.”
The Cul2vate Farm Store opens each spring at 440 Hogan Road in Nashville. It is open Fridays from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. through the weekend before Thanksgiving. Their number is 615-454-7603.
Always looking for volunteers to help with the store and with the farming, they have a strong volunteer program, with some who have been involved since their start. Those wishing to volunteer can learn more and sign up here.
“Volunteering with Cul2vate does not require a green thumb,” says their website. “Working alongside the Cul2vators and staff sharing your personal experiences can provide growth for all.”
Volunteers can be individuals or groups. They can accommodate either, but everyone must go through an orientation session first, then be assigned to a specific work time.
“Once we receive your form submission,” adds the website, “our volunteer coordinator will reach out to let you know of the next available orientation. She can also provide more detailed descriptions of different volunteer roles.”
The program is growing, and they hope to donate one million pounds of food to the food insecure in the area by 2027. Expansion is taking many forms, including bee keeping, building a commercial kitchen to expand their store offerings, developing micro-farms in other places in the community, and redeveloping their CSA.
