Reinventing the Urban CSA, One Yard at a Time

At The Black Radish in South Minneapolis, farmers Carrie and Jade are rein visioning what it means to be feeding one’s neighbors.

Written by Michelle Sharp in collaboration with Meet the Minnesota Makers

Photography and videography by Sarah Carroll

The Black Radish is an urban oasis where sunflowers tower and ripe beans dangle in magical tunnels. Tucked into its south Minneapolis neighborhood, this farm fosters community through the weekly gathering of CSA pickup, the volunteers who make the work possible, and the yards that nourish local residents. 

Carrie Thompson and Jade Townsend have converted 15 yards into productive spaces that feed nearly 50 families a week through their CSA program. They also cultivate specialty produce for three restaurants including mini poblanos for Oro and pole beans for The Standish Cafe—located just down the street from their home and CSA pick up site.

Their application of regenerative agricultural practices and high-density plantings create a unique growing space. The Black Radish converts a food desert into a flourishing Eden that nourishes the community on many levels.

Community Builders

Lot by lot The Black Radish flips the narrative on how subdivided small spaces function. Urban lots don’t need to be spaces of consumption alone.  

In addition to raising organic vegetables, plucky chickens and their own two free-range kids, Carrie and Jade build community. Since founding their urban farm in 2018, they now distribute a 12-14 weekly share of organically-grown produce. “We’re amazed at how growing food in our urban area has brought so many people together,” said Carrie. 

“We wanted to do something that would bring our community together after years of working in the art world,” shared Jade. Living about a mile from George Floyd Square, Carrie and Jade sought to create a fruitful space for community healing. “The upheaval of the past few years really drove our mission to build something different, something for everyone to share,” said Jade. 

“I think building community and valuing nourishing food should be more important to us as a society,” explained Jade. “It takes work to get people to see that. It takes work to have people not just see their home as a financial investment but rather as an investment into their community.”

A Unique Farm Business Model

Unlike a rural farm that may be geographically isolated, engaging with CSA members and curious neighbors is part of Carrie and Jade’s daily routine. “Every time I head out to work, I run into a neighbor who wants to talk about what we’re planting, what we’re doing in the community. These conversations have become an important part of the work of our farm,” stated Carrie.

Students at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Business spent the spring 2024 term studying The Black Radish to offer suggestions to strengthen its business model. They interviewed community members and farm volunteers to analyze the challenges and advantages of running a hyperlocal CSA. They weighed the value of community building, whether with literal neighbors or through new partnerships like the Sanneh Foundation’s food distribution program. 

The business students recommended that The Black Radish become a nonprofit organization. Listening to the students’ presentation offered solutions to Carrie and Jade’s concerns about making their farm business a sustainable one. 

Seeking Sustainability

Carrie and Jade define sustainability for their farm in two ways. For the farm to thrive, The Black Radish must be sustainable economically. “We’ve run up against labor issues because we can’t afford to pay anybody yet,” explained Jade. “In order to make the business practices sound and sustainable we have to do things in a more manual way.” This means that instead of tractors you’ll find Carrie and Jade wielding mowers, weed whips, and broad forks.

The CSA alone is not enough income to sustain their business and family. Investing in multiple income streams, like the restaurant accounts, helps. Right now, however, they’re working hard, very hard, just to keep up. Burnout is a real concern both from the intensity of the physical labor and the anxiety about their financial future.  

Environmental sustainability informs their daily practices. Applying traditional regenerative agricultural practices faces new challenges when used on raised beds and shaded backyards. Their farm can’t produce enough compost for all of its beds so they have to haul it in. All equipment needs to be transported from lot to lot to plant, weed, and harvest. Pest management is done by hand—a lot of picking and squishing. 

Managing this sprawling quarter acre of agricultural land is a lot of effort. “We have a funny dream, but have decided that it would be so cool when we’re able to afford a utility golf cart to move stuff around,” smiled Carrie. 

Eliminating waste from their weekly harvests is essential. “I want all of the food that we raise to go to nourish people,” said Carrie.

Growing Something Good

Every Wednesday at CSA pickup their subscribers choose what they want from the harvest buffet housed in a tranquil air conditioned shed. The Black Radish donates all of their leftovers to the Sanneh Foundation for their Friday food pick up where they feed over 400 families a week. This donation is in addition to the five shares that the foundation purchased through  grant funding.

The Black Radish will soon expand its growing season thanks to low tunnels whose purchase was possible in part thanks to a grant from Homegrown Minneapolis. Carrie and Jade look forward to being able to grow more. 

“We’re not going to replace large-scale agriculture. This is another option. It’s more sustainable than driving produce across the country. Hyperlocal produce tastes better. You’re eating it almost right off the vine. The food is good. It’s good for you,” shared Jade. “There’s something community building about knowing that you’re eating food that was grown in your neighborhood. That’s pretty powerful.”

How to Connect

Visit theblackradishmpls.com to learn about membership levels. Pricing reflects The Black Radish’s goal to provide equitable access to membership. Become a sponsor to enable the purchase of tools, additional plot acquisition and conversion, and a future greenhouse to extend their growing season. 

Contact Jade and Carrie theblackradishmpls@gmail.com to get involved with their urban agricultural work.  

Follow The Black Radish on Facebook and Instagram to join Carrie, Jade and their kids on the Wednesday Rounds. 

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