Black Voices: Nonprofit farm, store reimagines food access in N. Charleston

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – From farm to table, one North Charleston nonprofit is reimagining what food accessibility looks like.

The team at Fresh Future Farm is working to bring healthy options to North Charleston through food activism.

“There’s a lot of collard greens, kale, mustard greens, arugula, broccoli, just like all your winter crops and then we also have a good bit of herbs,” Tamazha North said, who serves as the co-director of food systems and finance.

“We grow, probably over the life of the farm, at least a hundred different crops,” North said.

North is part of the six-person staff at the Black-led nonprofit farm and grocery store, working alongside community volunteers to make accessibility happen.

“We’re on a mission to grow the quality of life our neighbors deserve and we’re doing that through our urban farm and grocery store space, but also education as well,” she said.

The once vacant lot has served as a place for the Chicora-Cherokee community to buy fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, since 2016.

“Ultimately we want people to have, you know, unregulated access to food, no matter what. And also, you know, doing that in a dignified way that isn’t, you know, creating more trauma for the people who are just trying to eat, because we all do have to eat,” North said.

Fresh Future Farm fills a need in the neighborhood. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it’s one of 12 zones in the North Charleston area where people live between one and 10 miles from the nearest supermarket.

“Now folks are having to go outside the neighborhood. The USDA marked it as like one urban mile that folks are having to travel to go out, where the neighborhood is considered a food desert or low-income, low access area,” North said.

Beyond growing food, Fresh Future Farm has also made outreach and education a focus. The nonprofit offers classes about topics like nutritional guidance, composting and how to start your own garden.

“I think the most important thing is that we’re not trying to come into the community and tell them what to change, but like these are things you can add to improve your quality of life if that’s what you’re seeking out.”

Fresh Future Farm and grocery store is located at 2008 Success Street in North Charleston and is open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

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